text:
Q: how to perform histogram on numpy array whose dtype is object using histogramdd? I want to perform histogram on a (N, 3) numpy array, whose three dimensions represent longitude, latitude and time-stamp correspondingly, like this:
array([[116.45565032958984, 39.889976501464844,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 32, 39)],
       [116.45565032958984, 39.889984130859375,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 31)],
       [116.45565032958984, 39.889984130859375,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 33)],
       [116.45565032958984, 39.889984130859375,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 37)],
       [116.45561981201172, 39.89040756225586,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 34, 42)],
       [116.45561981201172, 39.890411376953125,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 36, 40)],
       [116.45549774169922, 39.8941650390625,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 37, 54)],
       [116.45556640625, 39.92431640625,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 38, 57)],
       [116.45578002929688, 39.93780517578125,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 42, 10)],
       [116.44468688964844, 39.93989944458008,
        datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 43, 21)]], dtype=object)

I tried to use np.histogramdd like this:
import numpy as np
np.histogramdd(my_data, bins = (lon_bin_num, lat_bin_num, time_bin_num),
                range = [[lon_min, lon_max], [lat_min, lat_max],
                [start_datetime, end_datetime]])

And got TypeError:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TypeError                                 Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-271-58c94eecf21d> in <module>()
      1 np.histogramdd(tmp2, bins = (lon_bin_num, lat_bin_num, time_bin_num),
----> 2                range = [[lon_min, lon_max], [lat_min, lat_max], [start_datetime, end_datetime]])

/*/*/anaconda/lib/python2.7/site-packages/numpy/lib/function_base.pyc in histogramdd(sample, bins, range, normed, weights)
    318         smax = zeros(D)
    319         for i in arange(D):
--> 320             smin[i], smax[i] = range[i]
    321
    322     # Make sure the bins have a finite width.

TypeError: float() argument must be a string or a number

I know it was the datetime object causing the error, but I want to know how to correct this error or how to perform histogram on numpy ndarray whose dtype = object?

A: A lot of NumPy functions do not work with arrays of dtype object. To use np.histogramdd, you'll need an array of shape (N, D), so structured arrays will not be helpful here either (since a structured array would remove the D dimension). You'll need an array of homogenous non-object dtype. Since the first two columns are floats, let's try to represent the third column as floats too:
You could convert the dates into NumPy's native datetime64[s] dtype:
In [102]: dates = np.array(my_data[:, 2],dtype='<M8[s]')

In [103]: dates
Out[103]:
array(['2012-10-01T02:32:39-0400', '2012-10-01T02:33:31-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:33:33-0400', '2012-10-01T02:33:37-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:34:42-0400', '2012-10-01T02:36:40-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:37:54-0400', '2012-10-01T02:38:57-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:42:10-0400', '2012-10-01T02:43:21-0400'], dtype='datetime64[s]')

and then use astype to convert those datetime64[s]s into floats:
In [104]: float_dates = dates.astype('float')

In [105]: float_dates
Out[105]:
array([  1.34907316e+09,   1.34907321e+09,   1.34907321e+09,
         1.34907322e+09,   1.34907328e+09,   1.34907340e+09,
         1.34907347e+09,   1.34907354e+09,   1.34907373e+09,
         1.34907380e+09])

Now form a new array with dtype float:
arr = np.empty_like(my_data, dtype='float')
arr[:, 0:2] = my_data[:, 0:2]
arr[:, 2] = float_dates

hist, edges = np.histogramdd(arr, bins=(xedges, yedges, zedges))

While this will give you a histogram, you may also need to re-interpret the floats as dates. You can do that with astype. To obtain datetime64[s]:
In [99]: float_dates.astype('<M8[s]')
Out[99]:
array(['2012-10-01T02:32:39-0400', '2012-10-01T02:33:31-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:33:33-0400', '2012-10-01T02:33:37-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:34:42-0400', '2012-10-01T02:36:40-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:37:54-0400', '2012-10-01T02:38:57-0400',
       '2012-10-01T02:42:10-0400', '2012-10-01T02:43:21-0400'], dtype='datetime64[s]')

To obtain Python datetime.datetime objects:
In [116]: float_dates.astype('<M8[s]').tolist()
Out[116]:
[datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 32, 39),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 31),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 33),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 33, 37),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 34, 42),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 36, 40),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 37, 54),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 38, 57),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 42, 10),
 datetime.datetime(2012, 10, 1, 6, 43, 21)]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Integrated Audio, Lighting, AV & Structural Solutions
+27 11 470 6800 | jhb@prosound.co.za
B-BBEE INITIATIVES
MASS TRANSIT AREAS
SPORTS & STADIA
THEATRE INSTALLATIONS
Prosound's Heritage-A Legacy Of Over 40 years In Professional Excellence
08:37 23 September in Prosound News by admin
As we celebrate Heritage Day in South Africa, Prosound's own legacy as a company comes to mind; a company whose history parallels that of the new South Africa.
Prosound people come from many different backgrounds and places, but all share the legacy given to us by the company founders; that of exceptional knowledge in audio and visual design for a myriad of applications. It is that experience of providing our clients with the means to present to the world that is important to everyone in Prosound, no matter their role.
Heritage in South Africa is often expressed through the arts; people presenting who they are through an articulation of their ideas and feelings. Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, reminded us at the annual Business Arts South Africa (BASA) awards this week, that it makes business sense to invest in the arts as it is a vital part of shaping a society.
As a member of BASA, Prosound continues to reinforce its commitment to the arts through initiatives that bring our product offering and application skills into play. It is fitting that in Heritage week, Prosound was at the Fugard Theatre celebrating the opening of a new play by South African musical stalwart, David Kramer, 'Orpheus In Africa'. Not only had Prosound supplied lighting and sound equipment for the theatre, much of which is for this specific production, but a longstanding partnership with Prosound and the director and musical director allowed them to bring their full vision to the stage.
Also starting this week, Prosound's involvement in the Fringe Festival extends from providing our suppliers' sponsorship of many of its performance venues, to ensuring that the lighting operators are fully comfortable in their use of the consoles provided, through demonstrations and training sessions.
Prosound's involvement in the arts is our soul food; it is the way we express who we are – lovers of spectacle and the support behind the artists who allow audiences to engage (here echoing Minister Mthethwa) with what it means to be a South African, an African, a citizen of the world.
audioAudio Visualheritagelegacylightingoverprofessionalprosoundyears
Copyright 2020 Prosound (Pty) Ltd | Created by AH Design

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Marc Abraham (* 28. Mai 1949) ist ein US-amerikanischer Filmproduzent, Drehbuchautor, Filmregisseur, Schauspieler und ehemaliger Präsident von Strike Entertainment.

Karriere
Abraham begann seine Karriere als Texter für Young & Rubicam in New York City nach seinem Abschluss an der University of Virginia. Er trat aus der Werbebranche aus, um eine Karriere als Schreiber zu verfolgen, und arbeitete als freier Sportjournalist für verschiedene Zeitungen und Zeitschriften. Er schrieb auch zwei Bücher über die Internationalen Olympischen Spiele für Universal Press.

Abrahams Karriere im Filmgeschäft begann mit der Dokumentation Playing to Win, einen Einblick in das kubanische Sportsystem. Er schrieb mehrere Drehbücher für Filmgesellschaften wie 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. Entertainment und CBS. Er schrieb auch Drehbücher für Serien wie 21 Jump Street – Tatort Klassenzimmer und Das Model und der Schnüffler.

Er war mit Armyan Bernstein einer der Gründungspartner bei Beacon Communications, einem Finanzierungs- und Produktionsunternehmen, gegründet 1990.

Abraham brachte 2008 den Film Flash of Genius heraus, der sein Regisseurdebüt war. In ihm spielten Filmstars wie Greg Kinnear und Lauren Graham mit. Auch für Universal Pictures produzierte Abraham Trouble is My Business, eine Adaption von Raymond Chandlers Klassiker. Er produzierte auch die Neuverfilmung von Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt für Strike Entertainment.

Auch nach der Schließung von Strike Entertainment im Jahr 2013 produzierten Abraham und Newman unter dem Namen von Strike Entertainment, da die Produktion 2012 begann, den Film RoboCop.

2015 führte Abraham Regie in der Filmbiografie I Saw the Light. Es geht um den Country-Sänger Hank Williams, der vom Schauspieler Tom Hiddleston gespielt wird. Der Film basiert auf dem Buch Hank Williams: The Biography von Colin Escott aus dem Jahr 1994.

Beacon Pictures

Während seinen ersten Jahren produzierte Beacon Communications Filme wie The Commitments, der 1992 für einen Golden Globe Award nominiert war. In einer Co-Produktion mit Turner Pictures war Abraham Executive Producer in David Mamets A Life in the Theatre.

Strike Entertainment
Abraham und Filmproduzent Eric Newman gründeten 2002 Strike Entertainment. Sie produzierten Filme wie Welcome to the Jungle (2003), Slither – Voll auf den Schleim gegangen (2006), Flash of Genius (2008), The Thing (2011) und RoboCop (2014) unter Strikes Produktionsname.

Im März 2013 lösten Abraham und Newman Strike Entertainment nach elf Jahren auf. Abraham und Newman meinten, die Partnerschaft ging einfach ihre Bahn und die Auflösung war freundschaftlich. Sie werden weiterhin zusammen an Projekten arbeiten.

Auszeichnungen
Abraham ist ein Mitglied der Writer's Guild, der Producers Guild, und auf der Tafel des Virginia Film Festival und des Violence Policy Center. Er wurde mit dem Spirit of Chrysalis Award geehrt, der Abraham für die Hilfe für tausende von benachteiligten und obdachlosen Personen und Familien in Los Angeles auszeichnet.

Filmografie
Als Produzent
 1991: Die Commitments (The Commitments)
 1992: Spezialeinheit IQ (A Midnight Clear)
 1993: A Life in the Theater (Fernsehfilm)
 1994: Sugar Hill
 1994: Prinzessin Caraboo (Princess Caraboo)
 1994: Willkommen in Wellville (The Road to Wellville)
 1995: Angriff der Schnullerbrigade (The Baby-Sitters Club)
 1997: Air Force One
 1997: Tausend Morgen (A Thousand Acres)
 1997: Playing God
 1999: Trippin'
 1999: Aus Liebe zum Spiel (For Love of the Game)
 1999: Hurricane (The Hurricane)
 1999: End of Days – Nacht ohne Morgen (End of Days)
 2000: Girls United (Bring It On)
 2000: Family Man (The Family Man)
 2000: Thirteen Days
 2001: Spy Game – Der finale Countdown (Spy Game)
 2002: Bis in alle Ewigkeit (Tuck Everlasting)
 2002: Club der Cäsaren (The Emperor's Club)
 2003: Welcome to the Jungle (The Rundown)
 2004: Girls United Again (Bring It On Again)
 2004: Dawn of the Dead
 2005: Untitled David Diamond/David Weissman Project (Fernsehfilm)
 2006: Slither – Voll auf den Schleim gegangen (Slither)
 2006: Children of Men
 2006: Ab in den Knast (Let's Go to Prison)
 2007: The Possibility of Hope (Dokumentar-Kurzfilm)
 2010: Der letzte Exorzismus (The Last Exorcism)
 2011: The Thing
 2011: In Time – Deine Zeit läuft ab (In Time)
 2012: The Man with the Iron Fists
 2013: Der letzte Exorzismus: The Next Chapter (The Last Exorcism: Part II)
 2014: RoboCop
 2015: The Man with the Iron Fists 2
 2015: I Saw the Light

Als Drehbuchautor
 1989: 21 Jump Street – Tatort Klassenzimmer (21 Jump Street, Fernsehserie, Folge 3x12)
 1989: Das Model und der Schnüffler (Moonlighting, Fernsehserie, Folge 5x11)
 1990: The Earth Day Special (TV-Special)
 2015: I Saw the Light

Als Regisseur
 2008: Flash of Genius
 2015: I Saw the Light

Als Schauspieler
 1999: Trippin'
 2002: Roter Drache (Red Dragon)

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Filmproduzent
Drehbuchautor
Filmregisseur
Filmschauspieler
US-Amerikaner
Geboren 1949
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


← (audio) Are you a Controller?
I am currently leading a group for men, focusing upon Relationship Issues and Challenges. I conduct this group using Communologue Principles, developed in conjunction with the Imago Peace Project, a component of Imago Relationships International. This group has been meeting continuously since 1998.
I think the art of Communologue is to optimally, and with the minimal intervention possible, ensure that a group refrains from "nastiness," while sharing anything and everything. I believe that Traditional groups tend toward the development of conflict, while Communologue groups tend toward development of Win-Win, peaceful solutions.
I see these as normal groupings of 2 or more people which maintain "peacefulness" by avoiding "forbidden topics" and thus maintaining a tone (delusion) of agreement. These groups manage this fragile safety by "disagreeably" suppressing the expression of disagreement, i.e. differing points of view. MasterTalk is the most common form of "topic control", but a wide range of non-verbal signals figure in as well. The tone is one of threat. Over a period of time, I think a traditional group becomes more and more calm as members cooperate and participate in avoiding an increasingly large body of "forbidden topics." But I see the calm as an illusion.
I've noticed that those who want to discuss "forbidden topics" tend to leave the grouping and form other groups. Topics forbidden in Group A, become permitted in Group B. Thus are formed groups who can verbally and physically conflict with each other as groups. Development of Win-Win solutions to common problems become rare as the only arena for sharing data is a conflictual one.
I see these as normal groupings of two or more people that maintain respectful communication about all topics. Called Dialogical when only two are present, the focus of a Communologue group is on the "how" of respectful communication, not the "what." The first goal of these groups is to remove the tone of threat, and to replace it with an assiduous focus on safety for all members.
I've noticed these groups ensure both short term, and lasting, safety by making sure that no topic is forbidden and by encouraging the agreeable, full expression of disagreement. The dialogical skills, taught in Imago Therapy, of Mirroring (and Invitation), Validating (and PreValidating), and Empathy promote this sharing of differing points of view. Avoidance of MasterTalk prevents the group from slipping into conflict. Development of Win-Win solutions to group problems is facilitated by the open sharing of all data.
I've learned that to make all this happen quickly at least one skilled facilitator must be present to ensure communication habits of respect, the exclusion of unsafe habits, and to act as a catalyst for members of the group to learn dialogical skills.


Whether to prescribe psychotropic medication for children with anxiety and sleep disorders is an ethical issue that many primary care providers will face.
Although benzodiazepines, for example, are frequently used for the treatment of these disorders in children and have been shown to be effective, they have also been associated with a high level of abuse, adverse side effects, and potential for addiction.
Therefore, it is ultimately up to each clinician to determine if it is appropriate to initiate this type of medication in a child (Schatzberg, Cole, DeBattista, Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2010). As always, the benefits must be weighed against the risks.
Prescribers and clinicians should first attempt to implement nonpharmacologic interventions if the child has mild anxiety symptoms or simply requires education and sleep hygiene. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used as a first-line intervention in children with generalized anxiety disorders, versus immediately initiating a medication (Hirshfeld-Becker et al. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010;78:498-510).
On the other hand, there are instances in which the severity or chronicity of an anxiety disorder or sleep disorder may warrant pharmacotherapy. Therefore, a practitioner may be faced with the dilemma of whether to initiate a medication in a young child, given that few trials have been conducted in this particular population.
Although few psychotropic medications are approved for use in children, some antidepressants are used off-label in children for the treatment of various mental disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are considered to be effective for the treatment of certain anxiety disorders and can be an option for clinicians after performing a comprehensive assessment of the patient (Emslie et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002;41:1205-1215).


text:
È sorella di Christoph, anche lui sciatore della nazionale austriaca.

Biografia
La Nösig, slalomista pura attiva in gare FIS dal dicembre del 2003, debuttò in Coppa Europa il 17 dicembre 2005 a Sankt Sebastian, senza completare la prima manche. Il 29 novembre 2009 ottenne il suo unico podio nel circuito continentale giungendo 3ª a Funäsdalen, chiudendo alle spalle della connazionale Carmen Thalmann e della svedese Emelie Wikström.

Prese parte a tre gare di Coppa del Mondo (la prima il 12 gennaio 2010 a Flachau, l'ultima l'11 gennaio 2011 nella medesima località), senza mai classificarsi. Si congedò dalle competizioni in occasione dello slalom speciale dei Campionati austriaci 2012, il 20 marzo a Gerlitzen; in carriera non prese parte né a rassegne olimpiche né iridate.

Palmarès

Coppa Europa
 Miglior piazzamento in classifica generale: 20ª nel 2009
 1 podio:
 1 terzo posto

Campionati austriaci
 1 medaglia:
 1 oro (combinata nel 2006)

Campionati austriaci juniores
 8 medaglie:
 1 oro (slalom speciale nel 2007)
 4 argenti (slalom speciale nel 2005; slalom gigante, slalom speciale, combinata nel 2006)
 3 bronzi (combinata nel 2005; discesa libera nel 2006; combinata nel 2007)

Note

Collegamenti esterni


Send an unmistakable message of love with ourRussian Ring Necklace in Silver - Mini Design! A gorgeous piece that's perfect for those who love the beauty and versatility of white metal, this lovely mom necklace makes the ideal anytime gift. Like similar styles, this gorgeous necklace features a trio of interlocked rings. Each of the rings may be inscribed with a personalized message such as a name, a sweet sentiment, or an inspiring word. Once you've decided how to personalize, our skilled artisans will handle all the details. This beautiful necklace is made with 0.925 Sterling Silver. The interlocked pendant hangs from a matching Sterling Silver Rolo Chain to match. This stunning design is also available in your choice of 18k Gold Plated or 18k Rose Gold Plated. We invite you to visit our collection, where you'll find even more circles of love necklaces for those who make your world complete!


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Want to make a difference and have fun doing it?
We're always on the lookout for exceptional creative and social media talent to join our team in London.
If that's you, contact us on the form opposite and we'll be in touch.


Whether you're a runner, an athlete or just want to regularly exercise, you might experience pain in your legs. If you have felt sharp pains in your lower extremities, then you may suffer from shin splints. And while it is a common complaint, shin splints shouldn't go ignored. What are the Causes of Shin Splints?


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

	<link href="js/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet"type="text/css">
	<link href="css/moncss.css" rel="stylesheet"type="text/css">

	<title>Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008 - Health care</title>
	<meta charset="utf-8">

Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008 - Health care

			<fieldset>

					<form action="" method="post">
						<legend style="color:red;font-weight: bold;font-style:italic;text-align: center;" >Formulaire</legend>

								John McCain :
 <input id="0" type="text" name="Feature">

								Chuck Baldwin :
 <input id="1" type="text" name="Feature">

								McCain favors tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that purchase health insurance. "We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs." His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 1 million by 2009 and 5 million by 2013, while raising the national debt by $1.3 trillion over 10 years, according to one estimate. :

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >McCain favors tax credits of up to $5

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >000 for families that purchase health insurance. "We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >coverage or costs." His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 1 million by 2009 and 5 million by 2013

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >while raising the national debt by $1.3 trillion over 10 years

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >according to one estimate.

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans. His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million by 2009 and 34 million by 2018

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >covering nearly all children

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >while raising the national debt by $1.6 trillion over 10 years

										<input type='checkbox'>autre:
<input type="text"/>

								Believes in supplying better health care to America's veterans. Supports freedom of choice, opposes compulsory vaccination. :

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >Wants to cut costs by reducing controls and regulations. Believes Medicare and Medicaid are financially unstable

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >and "need to be transformed to emphasize patient choice

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >focus on the truly needy

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >and add cost-saving incentives."

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >Nader supports a universal single-payer health care system and full Medicare for everyone.

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >Co-sponsored every bill in Congress to create a system of universal health care under a single payer model. Opposes forced

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >coerced

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >or uninformed medication and sterilization; believes Americans should be able to purchase drugs from other countries if the price is cheaper

											<input type="checkbox" name="Feature" >and the U.S. should negotiate with drug companies to provide cheaper drugs for all U.S. residents.

										<input type='checkbox'>autre:
<input type="text"/>

<input type="submit" class="btn btn-info" value="Ajouter un produit" />
					</form>

			</fieldset>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
describe("tmb.js spec:", function() {
    var tmb = require('../src/tmb');

    beforeEach(function() {
        // Auth0 authorization process can be slow.
        // Increase default timeout for jasmine async calls to 60 seconds.
        originalTimeout = jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL;
        jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL = 60000;
    });

    it("API v2 should use app_id and app_key credentials", function(done) {
        var keys = readJSON('api_v2_keys.json');
        var api_v1 = tmb(keys.app_id, keys.app_key);

        api_v1.search.query("catalunya").then(function(response) {
            expect(response.page.totalRecords).toBeGreaterThan(0);
            done();
        }, fail);
    });

    it("API v3 should use a valid auth0 access_token to access api", function(done) {
        var axios = require('axios');
        var client = readJSON('api_v3_client.json');

        var getAppToken = axios.post('https://tmb.eu.auth0.com/oauth/token', {
            grant_type: "client_credentials",
            client_id: client.client_id,
            client_secret: client.client_secret,
            audience: "https://api.tmb.cat",
            scope: "api:v3 read:maps read:transit read:search"
        });

        getAppToken.then(getApi).then(search).then(parse).catch(showError);

        function getApi(response) {
            var access_token = response.data.access_token;
            if(!access_token) fail(response.data);
            return tmb.v3(access_token);
        }

        function search(api_v3) {
            return api_v3.transit.linies.bus(22).parades().catch(showError);
        }

        function parse(response) {
            expect(response.totalFeatures).toBeGreaterThan(0);
            done();
        }

        function showError(response) {
            fail(JSON.stringify(response,null,2));
        }

    });

    afterEach(function() {
        jasmine.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_INTERVAL = originalTimeout;
    });
});


text:
Tropical Disturbances Today
Disturbance 1. A weak area of low pressure is over the western and southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
Development of this system is not expected. Formation chance through 48 hours at 0% and formation chance through 5 days is at 10%.
Disturbance 2. Tropical Storm Sally is forecast to become a hurricane by tonight and is moving west-northwestward at 8 mph over the north central Gulf of Mexico. This general motion is expected today, followed by a decrease in forward speed and a turn to the northwest tonight and a northward turn sometime on Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico today, approach southeastern Louisiana this afternoon, and make landfall in the hurricane warning area on Tuesday. Afterward, Sally is expected to move slowly north-northeastward near the northern Gulf Coast through Wednesday. Sally is likely to produce life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding along portions of the northern Gulf Coast starting late today. Sally is expected to produce 8 to 16 inches of rainfall with isolated amounts of 24 inches over portions of the central Gulf Coast. Currently (7 am Monday), Sally is about 115 miles ESE of the mouth of the Mississippi and 165 miles SE of Biloxi, Mississippi with 65 mph sustained winds.
Disturbance 3. Hurricane Paulette is moving away from Bermuda and is no threat to other land areas.
Disturbance 4. Tropical Depression Rene is stationary and expected to weaken and dissipate by Wednesday.
Disturbance 5. Tropical Storm Teddy is 1250 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands moving west at 14 mph. It is forecast to strengthen as it moves across the tropical Atlantic. A turn toward the northwest is forecast by Wednesday. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Disturbance 6. Tropical Storm Vicky (previously Tropical Depression 21) is way out there and expected to be short-lived.
Disturbance 7. A tropical wave near the west coast of Africa may develop as it moves westward. Formation chance through 48 hours at 10% and formation chance through 5 days is at 40%.


The overall look of the ground has greatly improved with the re-development of both ends. The Bobby Cox & Bob Shankly Stands are similar looking, both being single tiered and roughly of the same height. Both sides are quite old looking stands. The Main (North) Stand is a covered seated stand, unusual in that it is oval in shape, meaning that those sitting on the half way line are furthest away from the playing action. In fact at one time the whole ground was oval. It also has only a small amount of seats in the lower portion of the stand, with the bulk of the seating in the upper part. On the other side is a more conventional single tiered stand, that only runs for about 2/3rds of the length of the pitch. Both these stands have many supporting pillars that may hinder your view.
Away fans are housed in the Bob Shankly Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 3,000 supporters can be accommodated. If required then a further 1,000 seats can be allocated in the Main (North) Stand towards the Bob Shankly End. The facilities within the Bob Shankly Stand are quite good and the view of the playing action excellent. The great thing about this stand is that even a relatively small number of away fans can really generate some noise. George Hobb a visiting Hearts supporter adds. 'normally a relaxed and friendly day out and the atmosphere generated within the ground can be quite good'.
The Centenary bar near to the ground welcomes both home and away supporters. The bar has two rooms within it, one of which is used for home fans and one for away supporters. George Hobb recommends 'The Clep bar on Clepington Road. Great pies, friendly bar staff and very reasonable prices. It is only five minutes walk from the ground'.
Follow the A90 through Dundee. Leave the A90 at the junction with the B960 (sign posted 'Football Traffic'/Dundee), and turn right onto Clepington Road (B960). Continue along Clepington Road for one mile where you will reach a roundabout. Go straight across the roundabout and after a short distance you should be able to see some floodlights over beyond the houses on your right. Take the 2nd right into Arklay Street and then right into Tannadice Steet. Dens Park is up at the end of this street on the left. There is an official car park behind the Bob Shankly Stand which costs �2 per car, otherwise street parking.
Dundee train station is over two miles away from the ground and is quite a walk away from the ground (25-30mins). Best to jump in a taxi.
Leave the station via the long covered footbridge, take the exit to the right before the walkway enters the Nethergate centre, this exit has steps down to Union Street. Go to the top of Union St & turn right into the High St, after a couple of hundred yards veer left into the pedestrianised Murraygate and proceed to the Wellgate centre. Go via the escalators in the Wellgate centre to the top floor of the centre and exit onto Victoria Road. (If Wellgate is closed, turn left along Panmure Street, right up Meadowside and right onto Victoria Road to rear of Wellgate Shopping Centre).
Here you have two choices, via the Hilltown (Shorter distance but like climbing the north face of the Eiger) or via Dens Road (much longer but far less likely to induce a heart attack).
Option 1 (for those fit enough) cross Victoria Road to the foot of the Hilltown walk up this for approx 1/3 mile (it feels like 3) till you reach the junction of Main St & Strathmartine Road this is easily recognisable by the ornamental clock near the junction. Turn right onto Main St and proceed until you reach the junction with Isla St (Church on the corner opposite the excellent Snug Bar). Turn left into Isla Street (at Clepington Church). Continue across Dens Road into North Isla Street and turn left at Tannadice, Dens Park is just up the road.
Option 2 Turn right onto Victoria Road proceed about 1/4 mile, veer left at the Eagle Mills into Dens Road. Pass Dura Street, Alexander Street and Dens Road Market then right into Arklay Street. Once you reach Tannadice Street turn left past Tannadice, Dens park is just up the road.
Neil Gellatly adds; 'Alternatively frequent bus services are available from Albert Square.
Visit www.dundeetravelinfo.com for more information.
Thanks to Neil Gellatly for providing the directions.
For the Dundee fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website).
Spaces are available in both the East & West Stands. Wheelchair users are admitted free, whilst helpers are charged �13. Spaces must be booked in advance by calling: 01382 826104.
43,024 v Glasgow Rangers, Scottish Cup, February 1953.
One of the most unusual aspects of visiting Dundee is seeing how close the ground is to their rivals United. They are literally a few hundred yards apart on the same road. I believe that these two grounds are the closest together of any in the country. For an aerial photo showing their close proximity click here.
If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. To access their Dundee page click here.


text:
Coming Walmart business the latest to choose Monroe for large facilities, new jobs
Giant warehouses cover Park North in Monroe where Amazon openly built a million-square-foot distribution center. FILE PHOTO
By Ed Richter, Staff Writer
As the retrofitting of the former Hayneedle distribution center is nearing completion and hiring has started for the Walmart Fulfillment Center, Monroe is busy diversifying and expanding its logistics and manufacturing areas.
The city is in the process of developing a new comprehensive master plan as it has already completed the build-out for the Park North industrial park.
Last week, Walmart announced it would hire 200 people and a number of salaried positions at its 650 Gateway Blvd. facility. This is in addition to the approximately 63 employees that were there when Walmart acquired the company that owned Hayneedle in 2016, said Charles Crowson, a Walmart corporate spokesman.
ExploreButler, Warren counties lead Cincinnati region in booming commercial development. Here's why.
"While we are known for logistics, we also have a strong manufacturing base throughout the city," said Jennifer Patterson, Monroe's assistant to the city manager for economic development. "We have identified a strength in logistics, but also in manufacturing of steel, auto parts and advanced plastics."
In addition to the Walmart fulfillment facility at Park North, the industrial park located a half-mile from the Interstate 75/Ohio 63 interchange is also the home to manufacturers UGN and Serta Simmons Bedding as well as Amazon, Home Depot, DHL, Cornerstone Brands and Blue Buffalo distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers.
On the other side of the I-75 interchange, the city has other manufacturing and logistics facilities.
ExploreHiring event signals near-completion of new Walmart fulfillment center in Monroe
One area off Ohio 63 and Salzman Road, about five miles from I-75, includes the Monroe Commerce Park, where the Kohl's E-Fulfillment Center has been in operation for about 20 years. Across Salzman Road from Kohl's is an e-commerce center operated by Bed, Bath & Beyond. Honey Cell Inc. Midwest and Xerox also have facilities there. A new $55 million Kroger robotic distribution center is nearing completion in early 2021 nearby.
The other area is the Monroe Logistics Center on Logistics Way where Walmart-Hayneedle and Blue Buffalo have additional distribution facilities.
There is still land available for development at the Park 63 and Summit Commerce Park sites.
ExploreAddressing Monroe's growing pains will be top issue in 2020
Monroe is the home of other manufacturers such as Baker Concrete, KLW Plastics, Worthington Steel, and Deceuninck North America and the supply chain company Presto Foods.
Longtime developer Lenny Robinson said the city is becoming "a pretty popular site. People are always knocking at the door."
Robinson and some fellow investors sold about 430 acres that eventually created Park North.
"The city should work with a private developer to develop future commercial and industrial parks based on what citizens would like to see, and what it takes to attract a company to Monroe," he said.
ExploreVIDEO: Look inside Amazon's new, massive Monroe facility
Robinson said Monroe thrived during recent economic downturns and its location on I-75 is attractive because of the many amenities available in Monroe.
A check of various websites, including the city's economic development page at www.i75economicdevelopment.org, has a long list of available jobs throughout the city's manufacturers and logistics/distribution centers.
Apartments at Liberty Center get planning commission approval
Fairfield Twp. police collecting donated clothes to help local students
36th annual MLK Day march honors legacy of civil rights leader
PHOTOS: Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Hamilton
PHOTOS: Ohio National Guard helps amid COVID staffing shortages
Ed Richter
Ed Richter has been a working journalist for 35 years, with the last 30 years working in various capacities covering Butler and Warren counties as a reporter and an editor. An award-winning journalist, Richter covers local news and governments in Middletown, Monroe, Franklin, Carlisle and Franklin Twp.


Fault phenomenon 1: The flywheel wheel swings axially to the left and right.
4) The flywheel wheel tension sleeve is loose.
3) Replace the eccentric shaft or the sheave.
4) Re-tighten the tightening sleeve.
Fault phenomenon 2: The frame is crazing.
7) The direction of the weight of the flywheel wheel is misaligned due to the eccentric shaft, the pin damage or the loosening of the sleeve.
2) Repair or replace the new frame, and replace the original bracket and bracket pad produced by the main machine factory.
7) Repair or replace the new frame, and change the pin shaft or adjust the direction of the eccentric block to tighten the expansion sleeve.


Younger has been dancing around a big secret for years — and now it's finally out. In the season-five premiere, Charles (Peter Hermann) finds out that Liza (Sutton Foster) is not the millennial editor she claims to be, but a 40-something divorced mom from New Jersey. Damn!
Obviously, Younger has many questions to answer about such a big twist. How will this affect Liza's job? Will Charles's estranged wife Pauline (Jennifer Westfeldt) find out? When will Liza and Charles make out again?! At Vulture Festival last month, during a panel Q&A with series creator Darren Star and the entire cast, we kicked things off with a discussion of the season premiere and that big cliff-hanger. Below, hear what Star, Hermann, and Foster had to say about the decision to finally reveal Liza's secret to Charles.
Why start the season with Charles finding out?
Darren Star: We wanted to start the season with a bang. Last year, we dealt with the idea of truth and post-truth. This year, with everything going on with the #MeToo movement, we looked back and we were having a lot of fun with a character like Edward L.L. Moore and really played it for laughs and now realizing, "Wow, we wouldn't find that funny anymore." So, that's our jumping off point. We wanted to shake things up and this seemed like a way to do that in a surprising way where it felt very organic to our world and our characters.
Sutton and Peter, what was it like when you read those scripts? What were your first reactions?
Peter Hermann: I read it and I thought, 'Oh my, did they send us the last script of the season by accident?" Then I just thought, "How are we going to get out of this?" I think it's so great when writers paint themselves into an impossible corner, especially early on, so I picked up my jaw off the floor and went to work.
Sutton Foster: I thought it was ballsy. I was like, "Alright, here we go!" What an exciting way to start a season and the whole season is such a roller coaster.
What kind of topics are we going to explore in season five?
Star: It's always been about how a small lie can grow and grow and grow and the ramifications it can have in people's lives. This season, we thought, "Let's just get more real with the characters." The Liza/Josh relationship benefits so much from Liza finally being real with Josh. That relationship became real. If we wanted the Liza and Charles relationship to be real, the truth has to come out. Otherwise, it's just based on a fantasy. In order to explore that relationship in a truthful way, we have expose Liza and see not just how that affects the relationship, but how that affects a lot of work issues down the line.
This interview has ben edited and condensed.


The Nigel Greenwood Prize website design is based on original artwork designed for the Nigel Greenwood Gallery in 1985 by Marc Camille Chaimowicz. In 1985, the gallery moved from 41 Sloane Gardens to larger premises at 4 New Burlington Street.
Thank you to Marc for allowing us to work with his designs. Nigel Greenwood supported and represented Marc Camille Chaimowicz for almost two decades.


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How does assisted reproductive technology work in Europe?
Introduced in Spain over 40 years ago, ART has allowed hundreds of thousands of infertile couples to have children. The regulation varies significantly among EU countries.
Photo: Amanda Hinault /Flickr – CC BY-SA 2.0
In Europe, 157,500 children were born using assisted reproductive technology (ART) in 2015, according to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). But there are major differences in legislation across the Old Continent.
A European directive fixes standards concerning the use of human tissue and cells, but all ethical and legal questions on ART remain the prerogative of member states.
1 / To whom is ART available?
In France the right to ART is today only accorded to heterosexual couples who can justify medical infertility or serious illness. Across Europe the legal criteria vary somewhat . In 10 countries all women may benefit; in 10 others only heterosexual couples are concerned; in 7 only single women; and in 1 (Austria) only lesbian couples.
Spain was the first European country to open ART to all women, in 1977, the year the first sperm bank was opened there. In the last 15 years legislation has evolved quickly. For example, Portugal made ART available in 2006 with conditions very similar to those in France, before amending the law in 2016 to allow lesbian couples and single women to benefit. Italy clarified its uncertain legal situation in 2004 by adopting Europe's strictest laws: ART is only available to heterosexual couples, married or otherwise, and sperm donation is prohibited.
2 / Is it subsidized?
Today, 21 countries provide partial public funding for ART treatment. The seven others, which do not, are Ireland, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta and Romania.
Such subsidies are subject to conditions, however. In Belgium a fixed payment of € 1073 is made for each full cycle of the IVF (in vitro fertilization) process. The woman must be aged under 43 and may not carry out more than six cycles of ART. There is also a limit on the number of transferable embryos , which varies according to age and the number of cycles completed.
In France, ART is subsidized in full by national health insurance for women up to age 43, with limits of 4 attempts at IVF and 6 at artificial insemination.
Germany tightened its conditions for public funding in 2004, which caused a sharp drop in the number of ART cycles carried out, from more than 102 000 in 2003 to fewer than 57 000 the following year. Since then the figure has remained stable.
3 / What is the age limit?
17 countries limit access to ART according to the age of the woman. 10 countries have established an upper age limit, varying from 40 (Finland, Netherlands) to 50 (including Spain, Greece and Estonia).
Since 1994 France is one of a number of countries (including Germany, Spain and the UK) which use the somewhat vague notion of "natural age of procreation ". In 2017 the steering council of France's Agency of Biomedicine established an age limit of 43 for women using ART.
10 countries have no age limit for ART. These include Austria, Hungary, Italy and Poland.
4 / Are sperm donations anonymous?
Most European countries allow donations of gametes by third parties. But the situations vary depending on whether sperm or eggs are concerned. Sperm donations are authorized in 20 EU member states; in 11 of them anonymity is allowed. Egg donations are possible in 17 states, including 8 under anonymous conditions.
On 12 April the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation which encourages an end to anonymity. In the UK anonymous sperm donations ended in 2005 and children have access to the identity of the donor when they reach adulthood.
In France the principle of anonymous donations of sperm or embryos is maintained in the law of bioethics of 2011, but a new bill under discussion may change the situation.
Original Source: https://www.alternatives-economiques.fr/pma-europe-4-questions-comprendre-legislations/00090143
Orlane Jézéquélou


text:
Q: Sudoku solver performance problems I have a problem with my prolog solver for sudoku. It's working, but the performance is reeaaaaly bad. With small ones it's working just fine, but bigger ones like 9x9 or more take 10 minutes or more sadly. I want to leave it for an indefinite size like it is right now. Can anyone help?
solve_sudoku(Rows,Sol):-
    length(Rows,Max),
    maplist(same_length(Rows),Rows),
    append(Rows, List), List ins 1..Max,
    maplist(all_distinct, Rows),
    transpose(Rows, Columns),
    maplist(all_distinct,Columns),
    maplist(label,Rows),
    boxes(Boxes,Rows),
    maplist(all_distinct,Boxes),
    boxes_distinct(Boxes),
    Sol = Rows.

boxes(Bs,M) :-
    length(M,Len),
    Sq is round(sqrt(Len)),
    findall(B, (between(1, Sq, R),
            between(1, Sq, C),
            block(M, Sq, R, C, B)), Bs).

cell(M, R,C, V) :-
    nth1(R,M,Row), nth1(C,Row,V).

block(M, Sq, R,C, B) :-
    findall(V, (between(1, Sq, X),
            between(1, Sq, Y),
            I is (R-1) * Sq + X,
            J is (C-1) * Sq + Y,
            cell(M, I, J, V)), B).

boxes_distinct([]).
boxes_distinct([BH|BT]):-
    all_distinct(BH),
    boxes_distinct(BT).

The input is a list of lists with the sudoku to solve and the output is the solved sudoku as a list.

A: I think you shoud call
maplist(label,Rows)

after
boxes_distinct(Boxes)

usually you should call label or labelling after declaring all constraint.
and use "labeling predicate with ff or ffc option" instead of "label"
may increse efficiency.

A: boxes_distinct(Boxes) seems useless, being already covered by maplist(all_distinct,Boxes), and use label(List) (instead of maplist(label,Rows)) near the end of clause. Anyway, the main problem has been indicated by @gabrielte (+1)


text:
WOODSTOCK EYES A HORSE TRACK, BUT IS IT TOO LATE?
Vernon Downs, a harness racing track and casino in central New York, is being eyed as the new home for Woodstock 50, but before a note is heard, promoter Michael Lang has a considerable number of hurdles to clear.
The racetrack, a four-hour ride from Manhattan near Utica, N.Y., was the initial home of Galaxy Communications' K-Rockathon festivals that drew up to 35,000 fans in the late 1990s. Phish also played the track two nights in 1998.
Capacity issues were one reason the planned Watkins Glen site was derailed and we hear the Woodstock 50 team is pushing for an exception to get capacity upped to 50,000 for the three day fest slated for 8/16-18.
The Woodstock 50 team applied for a town permit, WKTV reported on Tuesday, but they have yet to have a promoter to run the show nor financing for the event.
Should they secure the location—Vernon Downs officials told WKTV they were one of five or six venues being looked at—the artists still have a right of approval over the venue as they were all booked to perform at the Watkins Glen race track.
One option that was broached was the New York Mets' home in Queens, Citi Field, but management of many acts balked at having to accept restrictions related to a New York City play.
Lang will remind anyone that the original Woodstock was scheduled for Wallkill, N.Y., and Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel was selected only a month before the three-day event.
In 2019, however, putting tickets on sale less than two months ahead of time is risky. Tickets will undoubtedly be pricey, and when they didn't go on sale April 22 as planned, it has to believed that fans spent their money elsewhere. Mountain Jam, which moved to the original Woodstock site from Hunter Mountain last weekend, pitched itself as a celebration of Woodstock's 50th , put tickets on sale in February and had about 35,000 fans attend the festival across four days.
Now, with a site 130 miles up the road from the 1969 Woodstock site and no significant local population, is there enough interest in celebrating this anniversary to have it make sense for financiers, bands and fans? Stay tuned.
WOODSTOCK: NEW VENUE PROBLEMS
WOODSTOCK UPDATE
WOODSTOCK 50: FEEL-LIKE-I'M-FIXIN'-TO-TIE-DYE RAG


Is it only defined by the people outside it?
Can you move from outside it to inside it?
What about Jerry Springer – The Opera? Is it experimental theatre or ruthless product?
Look at all the companies working at/with the National – Kneehigh, Improbable, Complicite, Shunt. Does working at/with the National make you mainstream?
Perhaps it's just what happens when you get older and want to be more comfortable. Yet we constantly make choices as artists/practitioners which we know will earn us less money than something else. Because we find those choices more exciting, fulfilling etc.
Writers in the theatre being marginalised and infantilised – whereas in film you are treated like an adult.
Look further afield for places to work (eg: beyond the UK). Find the right kind of place(s) for you. We feel we're entitled – that a space should be provided for us.
It could be it's hard to get space because resources (eg: NT Studio) are being used to capacity.
The main stream. Main. Stream. Tides of people who follow (the people who have power). This can create copycat behaviour. And those people in power also following fashion (Guy pointed out that we were a non-mainstream ie: small group in the hall, and that that very point made it hard to sit down and join the group – the 'what are they doing over there' syndrome) .
Not the main stream – those who make decisions NOT based on what those people are doing.
We mistrust something that lots of people want to see – why? It could be bad work after all – venues (ie: NT) can create an audience for and of themselves). Whereas outside the mainstream you can talk to a random, marginalised audience.
The mainstream in training – we need this in some ways, we need structures, and the ability to IMPLEMENT our ideas, not just to have good ideas. In America, the training is more ongoing through life.
'Mainstream' as another word for 'traditional' – Complicite and Peter Hall are both mainstream – but then they're also both traditional in different ways.
Success, a following, commerce/money – do these make something mainstream? When Complicite or Jerry Springer can make more money & have more profile than Pat Routledge in the West End?
The mainstream thinks 'What did the public like last week? Let's put that on next week then.' Non-mainstream takes bigger risks.
We are also partly responsible for ourselves – big actors will sometimes do risky projects.
Any group (ie: beyond an individual) takes greater care, effort, time &c.
Do we judge what's mainstream by the people who go and see it? Seeking our tribe. For some people, going to see a 'mainstream' show could be experimental!
Actors are (nearly) always in the mainstream AND out of it – we need variety.
Jude Kelly – in charge of cultural events at the Olympics – convenes a talk about the marginalised. So what's mainstream?
What's mainstream and not are permanently intermeshed.


This is another fantastic recipe that I learnt from an Italian mamma here and it'll make you feel healthy and sinful at the same time!!
Frittelle basically just means 'small fried things', so this dish is pretty versatile in that you can just take any small vegetable of your choice, dip it in batter and deep fry it to your hearts content. Frittelle are often eaten either as a snack or as an antipasto, if you choose the latter I'd only eat 2 or 3 if I were you because they may look light and fluffy but they'll fill you up pretty quickly.
Prepare the flowers by snapping off the green spines around the edges and checking inside the flowers for any ants or worms – once it's all clear, give them a light rinse in a colander.
Set a deep saucepan on the hob on a high heat and fill it with sunflower oil – leave it to heat up while you get on with the rest of the recipe.
For the batter you'll only need plain flour, sparkling water and a pinch of salt. Put all of the flour in a mixing bowl and slowly mix in a third of the water. Make sure you mix well to avoid any lumps. Continue with the next third of water and then finally add in the rest. You should have a batter that's slightly thick but not watery. Once the batter is the right consistency, add some salt to flavour.
Now it's time to start dipping!! Hold the zucchini flowers by the stems and dip them into the batter as if you want to wipe the bottom of the bowl with them. Flip the flower over and dip the other side and then hold the flower on the side of the bowl to drain off any excess batter.
Now check that the oil in the pan is piping hot, to do this, test it out with the flower you've just battered. If the oil is the right temperature it should start to sizzle straight away and the flower will start to puff up slightly. If nothing happens, the oil is too cold and you need to give it ten minutes.
Continue the process of dipping and frying until all of the flowers are gone – the flowers need to go into the oil as soon as you've battered them so DON'T batter them all at the same and then throw them in the oil. Do them one by one – batter, fry- batter, fry – batter, fry.
Since the batter doesn't contain eggs, the flowers won't turn golden when they're done. To test them, give them a little boop with a spatula to see if they're crispy on the outside. When you've found a crispy one take it out and make sure that you turn it upside down to drain the oil out from the inside, leave it to drain further in a colander lined with kitchen paper. Once it's cooled a little, sprinkle on some salt and give it a good munch. If it's crispy all the way through it's done, if it's still soggy in the middle you need to leave them in the oil a little longer. I'd say about 5-10 minutes depending on the temperature of the oil and how big the flowers are.
Serve them on their own as a snack or antipasto with just a little salt sprinkled over for flavour.
And there you have it! Frittelle con fiori di zucca!!
Work that hob and Walk unafraid people!!!


text:
Archaeoastronomy Blog - ALUN
We have added a new blog on archaeoastronomy, ALUN
to our blogroll.
The Nebra Sky Disk
The Sky Disk of Nebra: Evidence and Interpretation
by Andis Kaulins[1] (also available as a .pdf file)
Note and Abstract: This is the English version of an original article in German which first appeared under the title: Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra : Beweisführung und Deutung in Efodon-Synesis, Issue 2, March/April 2005, Volume 12, No. 68. The major argument presented in the article is that the current interpretation of the Nebra Sky Disk is prima facie wrong in interpreting the Sky Disk to show the night sky. The Sky Disk depicts a solar boat but the Sun is not in this boat. Indo-European evidence indicates unequivocally that the Sun was seen in ancient days to be in the solar boat at night, but not during the day. Hence, the Nebra Sky Disk shows the sky during the day and this can thus only depict a solar eclipse.
Introduction: The ancient Sky Disk of Nebra discovered in Germany in 1999 has been controversially [and we think erroneously] interpreted by the archaeologist Harald Meller (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Halle) and by the astronomer Wolfhard Schlosser (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) to represent not the Sun, Moon, Stars and Pleiades, but rather to allegedly mark the stars and the rising and setting Pleiades together with representations of both the Full Moon and the Crescent Moon:
"The pictured Crescent Moon and the rising Pleiades marked March 10 in the Bronze Age, whereas the setting Pleiades and Full Moon marked October 17... The Sky Disk could have served to remember the periods for sowing and reaping in the agricultural year."[our translation from the German][2]
That above interpretation is an attempt to build a logical but questionable bridge to the astronomy of more southern cultures. The Pleiades were important in ancient Mesopotamia.[3] The rising and setting of the Pleiades were significant astronomical and agrarian markers for the ancient Greeks (see the works of Hesiod, and Homer). But this was a full one thousand years later than the date currently assigned to the origin of the Sky Disk of Nebra.
How does this matter look in a less agrarian more northerly Europe in ancient days? Do we get a different picture from the evidence available? In fact, the agrarian interpretation has a very weak evidentiary foundation, especially when we look to the statements of Prof. Dr. Rolf Müller in his book, Der Himmel über dem Menschen der Steinzeit[4] [The Sky Above Neolithic Man], where the rising and the setting of the Pleiades plays no discernible role in ancient times in Germany or in northern Europe. Müller examined 59 megalithic sites in France (Brittany), Ireland, Scotland and northern Germany in order to determine which stellar (star) risings and settings were used for astronomical orientation in those days. As Müller states at Figure 64 of his book, the major orientation was by means of Solstices. Thus Müller writes:[5]
"As far as orientation of sites by the stars is concerned ... Capella and Deneb are worthy of mention, whereas I do not hold much of the theory that the Pleiades or Orion were used for such purposes." [our translation from the German]
Significantly, the Pleiades also played no discernible role for astronomical orientation at famous megalithic sites such as Stonehenge, which dates to the same period as the Sky Disk of Nebra (ca. 1750 BC). The Pleiades at more northerly latitudes were simply not bright enough at rising or setting to be of much value for astronomical orientation at the horizon.[6]
The above assessment thus presents us with a substantial scientific problem.
In the cultural region in which the Sky Disk of Nebra was found (Germany and northern Europe), there is simply no evidence to support the hypothesis spread by Meller and Schlosser that the Pleiades were used in conjunction with the Moon for astronomical orientation and for the determination of the sowing and reaping seasons in the Spring and the Autumn.
We regard the identification of the seven-star cluster on the Sky Disk of Nebra as the Pleiades to be correct. The question must then be asked: "Is the specific current interpretation by Schlosser and Meller of the role of the Pleiades on that Sky Disk supported by the evidence?" Has the current interpretation been properly "proven" by the facts? We think not.
A. The Concept of "Evidence"[7]
Wise men have spoken about "proof" since ancient times.[8] Scholars have referred to the reliability of "facts" and "sources". Lawgivers have elevated "evidence" to an important place in our legal systems.[9] Indeed, "Evidence" itself is today even a required course of study for students in American law schools.[10] Lastly, in the modern scientific world, empirical "evidence" has ruled the roost for the physical sciences since the days of Leonardo da Vinci[11], Sir Francis Bacon[12] und Henri Poincaré.[13]
But what about archaeology and related disciplines? Although these also utilize the physical sciences, they rely extensively on allegedly authoritative opinions expressed by scholars in their respective fields. Especially strict standards of evidence should be applied here, since we are dealing with ancient finds from a period in the distant past. The treatment of ancient evidence can be an extremely complex and difficult task. As a result, there exist inevitable controversies among experts in the field, e.g. the dispute over ancient Troy.[14] The desired truth is not always within grasp. Indeed, it often resides far from the chosen path of inquiry.
Alleged facts, often derived from intuition, circumstance and sometimes just simple opinion, therefore must be tested for veracity at every step. Conclusions from reliable evidence must be shown to be internally and externally consistent. Other researchers must be able to follow the argumentation and be able to reproduce and substantiate the alleged results.[15]
What is the status of evidence regarding the interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra?
The Sky Disk of Nebra[16]
http://www.archlsa.de/himmel/bilder/bildmaterial/scheibe_copy.jpg
http://www.landesmuseum-fuer-vorgeschichte-halle.de/
The Sky Disk of Nebra was found together with the objects above.[17]
http://www.archlsa.de/sterne/bilder/schwerterscan.jpg
B. The Object in Evidence: The Sky Disk of Nebra[18]
1. Is the Sky Disk of Nebra Genuine?
The Sky Disk of Nebra was not excavated by archaeological experts on site but was found by two treasure-seekers on July 4, 1999, together with a bronze treasure including swords,[19] suggesting that the disk may have been a shield. The treasure-seekers should by law have turned the Sky Disk over to the government, but attempted to sell it on the black market, were caught in the process, criminally charged and convicted. Hence, the suspicion of a forgery lay near,[20] but has been refuted through expert examinations [our translation from the German]:[21]
"- In February 2002 analyses were conducted in the Institute for Archeometry at the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg to clarify the question of the genuineness of the Nebra Sky Disk. The basic-metal of the disk is a bronze alloy which is typical for bronze alloys of this era. Such bronze alloys are nowhere produced today, if only because of the high content of poisonous arsenic.
- The objects in gold sheet metal on the Sky Disk are typical in composition for the era in which the disk was created. It is impossible that the disk originates from modern manufacture.
- The bronze material of the disk was subjected to a test for radioactive lead 210 (210 Pb). Radioactive lead decays quickly after the smelting of ores and is no longer detectible after about 100 years. We found no radioactive lead 210 in the Nebra Sky Disk, thus providing another very clear indicator that the disk can not be a modern forgery.
- The corrosion layers (patina) were examined in the restoration workshop. These also provided unequivocal evidence of the authenticity of the finding. One proof was the dense and above all very coarse-crystalline layer of pure malachite, that ... develops only in the course of very long time periods. According to the present technological state of the art, such a patina cannot be created artificially."
An ancient patina was also found on the gold objects on the Sky Disk of Nebra:
"A special form of the patina on the objects made of gold sheet metal, evoked through galvanic processes, as in a battery, is further proof of the genuineness of the disk. This corrosion layer could be removed without harming the sensitive gold objects only after development of a special process by the laboratories of the LfA [Landesamt für Archäologie]."[22] [our translation from the German]
The exact place of discovery of the Nebra Sky Disk has also been found in the meantime, together with further archaeological artifacts whose local proximity to the original dig of the treasure-seekers speaks for the genuineness of the Sky Disk: [our translation from the German]
"Digs have commenced at the site of the discovery of the disk, revealing a ringwall, whose chronology is yet unclear. Also located was the precise spot at which the Sky Disk was first discovered."
The question of the local manufacture of the Sky Disk seems also to be strongly verified. The gold on the disk comes from Europe, whereas the 82° angle of the gold horizon markings (bows) confirms a manufacture in Central Europe near the site of discovery.[23]
2. How has the Nebra Sky Disk been dated chronologically up to now?
The Sky Disk has been dated to approximately 1700 B.C. on the basis of the bronze artifacts found with it, e.g. the bronze swords, which date to this period:[24]
"On the basis of the artifacts found with the Nebra Sky Disk, namely, bronze-swords, two hatchets, a chisel and fragments of spiral-shaped bracelets, it can be estimated that the Sky Disk was buried ca. 1600 BC, and that it was manufactured somewhere between 1700 and 2100 BC."
3. How has the Nebra Sky Disk been previously interpreted?
The chief experts involved in giving the Nebra Sky Disk its current interpretation are:[25]
Harald Meller, archaeologist, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Halle
Wolfhard Schlosser, astronomer, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Ernst Pernicka, expert in archaeochemistry, archaeometallurgy
Heinrich Wunderlich, expert in manufacturing technology and production process
According to their interpretation and contrary to the first (and in our opinion correct) logical impression, they argue that the disk does not show the Sun and the Moon but rather a Full Moon and a Crescent Moon. Together with a group of seven gold buttons, interpreted to be stars of the Pleiades, these alleged moons allegedly show the rising and setting of the Pleiades on March 10 and October 17 in the Bronze Age, thereby helping an agrarian community to determine the right time to sow and to reap.[26] Would this otherwise have been so difficult?
There are the further following speculations by the mainstream interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra:[27] [our translation from the German]
"The two gold bows on the opposite edges of the disk [one is missing] were added to the disk later and marked the horizon at an angle of 82 degrees in each case, thus representing the rising and setting of the Sun at the horizon at Summer and Winter Solstices at the degree of latitude of the site of discovery. The disk could thus have been used as a type of calendar to determine the solar year…by orienting Mittelberg to the Brocken ... [note by Andis Kaulins: that latter is simply unfounded speculation proven by nothing]
The last addition to the disk was another golden bow with two approximately parallel longitudinal-grooves. This golden bow is interpreted [note by Andis Kaulins: in our opinion correctly] to be the solar boat, as found e.g. on Egyptian or Minoan artifacts and monuments. This bow is surrounded by small notches etched broadsides in the bronze plate, which compare to representations of oars on other Bronze Age ship representations from Greece and Scandinavia. This golden bow appears to have no calendric function but probably represents the nightly transit of the sun from west to east. It is not clear what possible connections existed between Central Europe and the Near East at this time...."
There is a detailed interpretation of the Nebra Sky Disk by Professor Dr. Wolfhard Schlosser[28] online. Also, the BBC online presents the report of a larger discussion group on the Sky Disk involving several experts from various different countries, who extend their comments and opinions on the Nebra Sky Disk to the public.[29]
4. What do Ancient Sources tell us about the Making of the Shield of Achilles?
The Nebra Sky Disk is unique in many aspects, although we already find the representation of stars by "points" or "dots" in Stone Age caves,[30] on megaliths,[31] in Sumer[32] and in Egypt (as squares).[33] The experts also mention that the Sky Disk of Nebra corresponds approximately to the description of the world in Homer's Iliad[34] – in fact, as this world was allegedly portrayed by Hephaistos (God of Fire and Metalworking) on the famed Shield of Achilles.[35]
"[Hephaistos] wrought the earth, the heavens, and the sea; the moon also at her full and the untiring sun, with all the signs that glorify the face of heaven - the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in one place, facing Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of Okeanos...."
The Shield of Achilles was carried to earth and after the death of Achilles through Paris, the shield came in the ownership of Odysseus. So, the legend tells us. For all we know, perhaps such a shield actually existed. It might even be the Sky Disk of Nebra - this is not impossible, though highly improbable.
THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES AS ASTRONOMY[36]
The sky described on the Shield of Achilles is represented as follows in
Florence & Kenneth Wood's Homer's Secret Iliad: The Epic of the Night Skies Decoded,John Murray, Albemarle Street, London, p. 199, 1999.
C. The Correct Interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra is a Question of Evidence
In order to evaluate correctly the interpretations offered for the Sky Disk of Nebra, the following question must be asked: What standards of proof apply to archaeology and related disciplines in judging theories propagated by persons in these disciplines? In law, for example, criminal guilt has to be proven "beyond reasonable doubt" and civil guilt "by a preponderance of the evidence" (by the prevailing balance of probabilities).[37]
It is characteristic for the remaining academic disciplines that no such evidentiary rules apply. Probabilities and possibilities are mixed together as if they were equals and a "right" theory is one which leading experts or discoverers of an artifact propagate as being true. It is even customary in archaeology, that archaeological discoverers can claim an exclusive publication-monopoly for up to 10 years.[38]
The result of such practices is that a critical exchange of ideas is suppressed and initial wrong interpretations become entrenched simply because of a long passage of time without contrary views. We now examine the established interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra, which we think needs substantial revision.
D. Revising the Interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra
1. The Current Interpretation of the Sky Disk: Possibilities and Probabilities
From our point of view, the experts have performed good if not perfect work on the Sky Disk. The disk has been restored and the possibility of a forgery has been negated. Many important observations have been made. However, a final astronomical interpretation is still wanting.
We agree to the following interpretations as "probable":
· the 32 golden points (gold buttons) on the Sky Disk represent stars[39]
· the seven-buttoned gold cluster represents the Pleiades
· the bows on the edge are horizon markers, forming an angle of 82 degrees, thus marking the rising and setting of the Sun at winter and summer-solstices at the degree of latitude of the place of discovery of the Sky Disk, and
· the smaller more curved golden bow represents the solar boat for the Sun
A correct interpretation of the evidence demands, however, that all available evidence is clarified in such a manner that no gaps exist. Otherwise, a partial explanation can be erroneous. Professor Dr. Wolfhard Schlosser writes:[40] [our translation from the German]
"We have thus described everything which an astronomer can regard as a well-founded hypothesis. The "Sun" could just as well be the Full Moon, while the Crescent Moon could just as well be a partial eclipse of the Sun or the Moon. Precisely such obvious large objects prohibit exact interpretation. They clearly represent astronomical themes that must relate somehow to the Sun and the Moon. Both traverse along the ecliptic, the Sun precisely on the ecliptic and the Moon within five degrees of it... Both heavenly objects also pass by the Pleiades often, as shown on the Sky Disk of Nebra."
That is only a partial explanation of the evidence. If the Sun and Moon so often pass by the Pleiades, then we surmise that a definite reason must have existed to portray all three together in gold almost 4000 years ago. It would otherwise be "nothing special". The present interpretation thus lacks an explanation of the motive for the making of the disk! The disk as a whole is thus not fully explained.
In this regard, we find the following currently accepted interpretations to be extremely "improbable", based on the evidence available:
The Sky Disk is alleged to be some kind of a "solar instruction manual "for a 20 km distant conjectured solar observatory at Mittelberg, for which there is no evidence. Simultaneously it is claimed that the Sun is not portrayed on the disk. That is extremely unlikely if the disk were to have served as a solar manual.
It is also very improbable that such an exceptional sky disk, in part created in gold, costly and unique for the ancient era, was merely created as a solar manual, otherwise similar and more simple manuals would be known to us in antiquity. Much more likely is that the Nebra Sky Disk was intended to record an astronomical event that was sufficiently spectacular to warrant being recorded and perpetuated in gold.[41]
It is claimed that the Sky Disk of Nebra does not portray both the Sun and the Moon but rather both the Full Moon and the Crescent Moon. This extremely unlikely construction is used in order to try to support the forced interpretation that the Pleiades and the Crescent Moon represent March 10 in the Bronze Age, and that the Pleiades with the Full Moon represent October 17, the alleged times for sowing and reaping.
Such a simultaneous duplicate representation of the Moon is found nowhere in antiquity. It is pure conjecture, verified by nothing and surely wrong.
Furthermore, this explanation is far too complicated for the Bronze Age, requiring the pictured Pleiades to be used twice - once left and once right, once setting and once rising. VERY COMPLEX. There is no evidence that Bronze Age cultures in Northern Europe ever used the rising and setting of the Pleiades for calendric calculation, much less in conjunction with positions of the Full Moon and Crescent Moon.
The claim that the Sun is not represented on the Sky Disk is paradoxical since current interpretation alleges that the horizon bows mark the Sun's solstices and that the disk also portrays a solar boat. Surely then, the Sun would also be portrayed.
The theme of a solar boat - with reasonable certainty - has not been borrowed from Egypt, Sumer or the Mediterranean, as has been alleged by some commentators. Northern European cultures also were familiar with the concept of a solar boat. The Baltic folk songs known as the Latvian Dainas[42] (and Lithuanian Dainos) describe astronomical matters, and specifically include the concept of a solar boat.[43]
The Baltic folk songs mirror extremely archaic Indo-European[44] customs and belief systems. Latvian Daina number 33878, e.g., relates that the Sun falls into a golden boat when it disappears at sunset in the evening:[45]
"Noiet Saule vakarā, [The Sun goes down in the evening,]
Iekrit zelta laiviņā; [And falls into a golden boat;]
Uzlec Saule no rītiņa, [When the Sun rises again in the morning]
Paliek laiva līgojot. [The boat remains floating on the water.]"
During the night the sun is transported in the solar boat over the sea.[46] But by day the solar boat remains empty, floating on the water. This is very important Indo-European knowledge for the interpretation of the Nebra Sky Disk.
Latvian Daina 33941 relates how the Moon can join the Sun during the daytime:[47]
"Saule meta audekliņu, [The Sun has thrown her gown,]
Vidū gaisa stāvēdama; [Standing in the heavens;]
Mēnestiņis tekādams [The Moon on its path]
Sajauc Saules audekliņu. [Has destroyed the gown of the Sun]." [an eclipse?]
The Dainas also relate that the Moon (Mēness) accompanies the Sun (Saule) at the heavenly wedding of the Sun.[48] [an eclipse?]
The Sun is of course not visible at night, unless the day becomes night. During a solar eclipse, the stars are visible and the Sun and the Moon are thus above the solar boat but are not in it. Hence, we know that the Nebra Sky Disk represents the heavens during the day and not during the night, since the Sun is not in the solar boat. This can only be the representation of a solar eclipse during the day. There is no other explanation possible for the Sky Disk, given the content of the Latvian Dainas.
This solar eclipse takes place between the Solstices, as depicted by the horizon bows on the Nebra Sky Disk. The Autumn and Spring Equinoxes thus lie at 90 degrees.
The solar boat on the Nebra Sky Disk may possibly show the protuberances of the sun,[49] visible during an eclipse, which are probably seen as the oars of the boat.[50] [our translation of the German]
"Because of the notches above and below the gold solar boat, which symbolize oars based on similar archaeological finds, it is highly probable that this is a ... boat that travels between the horizons on the heavenly night sea."
Uwe Neupert writes as follows about the solar protuberances:[51] [our translation]
"At the south-edge of the disk is a bent gold piece in nearly a half-ring form about a centimeter wide, in which two irregular grooves are notched. The edges of this bow lie approximately on concentric circles. The adjacent notches act as small sunbeams or solar protuberances…. The bent strip therefore possibly represents a solar eclipse."
The somewhat adventurous opinion[52] of Howard Davies, a surveyor from Cardiff, published recently in British Archaeology,[53] maintains (tongue in cheek?) that the solar boat represents a rainbow and that the group of the seven clustered gold points represents a snowflake. This view is supported by absolutely nothing in antiquity.
It is currently claimed that the Pleiades are the only specific star cluster, asterism or constellation portrayed on the Sky Disk. The remaining stars are seen to be placed by chance only for purposes of ornamentation.[54] Since fewer stars are visible during an eclipse than during darkest night, it is in fact entirely possible that the disk portrays no constellations or star-groups at all beyond the Pleiades. It is however also possible that all gold points do represent specific stars, though this matter is not crucial to the main interpretation of the Sky Disk and is presented here speculatively only.
The analysis of the disk by experts shows that the gold points (buttons) were installed first on the disk and that these were in part covered by other gold objects later. If these gold points were intended as ornamentation, they would not have been placed on the disk at the beginning, only to be covered later. On the other hand, if stars were used for initial stellar orientation on the disk, and if the gold points represented stars, then it would make sense to place them on the disk first. Possibly, gold points for stars which marked the Solstices and Equinoxes in the stars could have been placed on the Sky Disk. In ca. 1700 BC these could have been e.g. the stars of Ursa Major (also known as the Great Bear or Big Dipper) for the Sumer Solstice, the stars of Eridanus for the Spring Equinox , the stars of Capricorn for the Winter Solstice und the stars of Lupus for the Autumn Equinox.
The following graphic, based on our scan of the Milton D. Heifetz precessional planisphere (sky map),[55] to which we have added our interpretative material for the Sky Disk, shows the precise stellar heaven which the gold points on the Nebra Sky Disk may have been intended to represent.
However, as previously noted, this particular analysis is speculative, is next to impossible to prove, and is not essential for the principal interpretation of the Sky Disk presented here, i.e. that the Sky Disk records a solar eclipse.
The Stellar Heaven marked on the Nebra Sky Disk
There are no bright stars under the Pleiades. So what are the three stars under the Pleiades on the Nebra Sky Disk? It is probable that these three stars are the movable stars Mercury, Mars and Venus[56] in exactly this formation next to the Sun, Moon, Pleiades and Vernal Equinox at the time of the solar eclipse of April 16, 1699 BC.
The April 16, 1699 Solar Eclipse with Mercury, Mars, and Venus
(Starry Night Pro)
2. Is the name "Nebra" linguistically related to words for "Sky"?
Up to now, no one has paid attention to the name Nebra and its Indo-European root. Although not essential to the analysis of the Sky Disk, it is interesting to note Russian nebo- "heaven". Indo-European scholars think that the root of nebo- is the hypothetical Indo-European root *nebh- ("cloud, dark") and point to German Nebel ("fog" *nebla, *nebh-ela-), Old Norse *nifl- ("Niflheim", "Nibelungen"), Latin nebula und Greek nephele. We would point to Baltic, e.g. Latvian nebal- (ne-bal "not white, not bright"). The actual root, however, contrary to the linguists, is perhaps e.g. Baltic naba "navel, center of heaven". Also of possible interest in this connection is the Sumerian Nibiru, home of the Anunnaki, also called Nephilim (compare Niflheim) or Elohim, the gods of giants of the Bible, who allegedly came from heaven (= from the north?) to Mesopotamia.[57]
3. What Purpose did the 38 to 40 holes on the edge of the Sky Disk have?
Possible but improbable is that the 38 to 40 holes on the edge of the Sky Disk had something to do with the Metonic Cycle. One must also assume that the disk was not damaged by holes originally but that the holes were made later, perhaps to use the Sky Disk as a shield.
Homer's description of the Shield of Achilles has led Professor Siegfried G. and Christian Schoppe to write about the Sky Disk of Nebra as follows:[58] [our translation from the German]
"If one views the sky disk together with the other artifacts found with it - two swords and two hatchets (typical weapons for battle), along with two arm bracelets - then it would appear that the Sky Disk was intended as a shield and was part of a man's Bronze Age armor."
The Schoppes also ask what purpose the holes on the edge of the Sky Disk could have had. They discard the explanation that the Sky Disk could have been nailed to the wall, writing:[59]
"Archaeologists want to tell us that the disk was carelessly nailed to a wall - with forty nails??? No, these holes were intended for leather bands or belts, which permitted the bearer of the shield to fasten an attachment at the rear of the shield by which the shield could be held."
But even if the Nebra Sky Disk were the original Shield of Achilles (improbable but not impossible)[60] – then this matter would be neither provable nor disprovable as such. For that, we simply have too little information about the days of antiquity.
Besides, even if the Sky Disk were crafted as a shield, such a shield could still represent the heavens and not - as the Schoppes argue - a land map, an explanation which appears to us to be highly improbable, given the astronomical themes found upon the Nebra Sky Disk.
4. The Concluding and Revised Interpretation of the Sky Disk of Nebra
Our revised interpretation of the Nebra Sky Disk concludes that the Nebra Sky Disk records the solar eclipse of April 16, 1699 BC for posterity.[61] That solar eclipse took place next to the Pleiades at sunrise near the point of the Vernal Equinox, together with a near conjunction of the planets Mercury, Mars and Venus as "bridesmaids" for the "wedding" of the Sun and the Moon - a total solar eclipse - a rare and spectacular event for the ancients.
This interpretation allows not only for a partial explanation of the Nebra Sky Disk but in fact explains all of the elements found on the disk in an integrated astronomical context which abides by the rules of the burden of proof. This interpretation fulfills the requirements of the preponderance of the evidence. The prevailing balance of probabilities is clearly in favor of our interpretation as opposed to the partial interpretation which has thus far been advanced.
For the ancients, this rare and spectacular total eclipse must have been a fantastic, awe-inspiring event, worthy of recordation in gold and bronze.
Indeed, even today a solar eclipse is the biggest, most impressive spectacle that the heaven offers to us:[62] [our translation from the German]
"Total solar eclipses are fascinating heavenly events. Whoever has experienced a solar eclipse will not forget this cosmic happening too quickly. The day suddenly becomes dark, the birds fall silent, animals lay down to sleep, the air cools down markedly, and the horizon glows in a sallow, yellow light. The brightest stars and planets are suddenly visible against a blue-black firmament, and a halo surrounds the Sun in the form of a pale, eerie light called the corona.
The corona is the most external atmosphere-of the sun, consisting of an extremely thin, but millions of degrees hot atmosphere. Using binoculars or a telescope, one can see fine, pink-colored tongues of flame at the edges of the dark Moon, the so-called solar protuberances, huge eruptions of matter on the surface, of the Sun....
Most people are touched emotionally by a total solar eclipse. Reactions range from reverent astonishment to fearful feelings of depression. Even experienced astronomers have become so overpowered by a solar eclipse that they have forgotten to carry out their observations. It is thus recommended that observations be conducted as fully automated as possible, so that the observer can enjoy with fascinating astonishment the experience which a solar eclipse offers to him.
It is difficult to describe the impression that a total solar eclipse can exercise on the viewer. Perhaps Albert Stifter, who later became a famed poet and painter, succeeded best in putting his feelings to paper. In his younger days he studied the natural sciences at the University of Vienna and his July 8, 1842 description of a total solar eclipse over Vienna is a literary jewel. It is the most enthusiastic literary report in the German language describing the human effect of a total solar eclipse."
Adalbert Stifter wrote as follows about his observing a total solar eclipse (here just the most poignant passage):[63] [our translation from the German]
"Never and never in my whole life was I so shaken, so moved by awe and grandeur, as in these two minutes. It was as if God had spoken a clear and mighty word to me, a word which I understood…."
5. The Grand Finale
The Pleiades at the Vernal Equinox 4000 years ago are celebrated in modern style. This composite photograph is from Charlotte Hird Design[64] showing the Zainuba Dance Troupe, Wairarapa, New Zealand (photo by Chris Picking) worshipping the Pleiades (JPL photo NASA) at the Parthenon (photo by Barbara Hill).
[1] J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence), Stanford University, USA; Former Lecturer, FFA, University of Trier Law School; Author, Langenscheidt Fachverlag; Author of Stars Stones and Scholars: The Decipherment of the Megaliths as an Ancient Survey of the Earth by Astronomy, Trafford Publishing, Canada, USA and Ireland, 2003 http://www.trafford.com/4dcgi/robots/03-1722.html.
[2] "Himmelsscheibe von Nebra", Wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himmelsscheibe_von_Nebra.
[3] Rahlf Hansen writes that several Babylonian cylinders have been found which depict the Pleiades in a similar manner as on the Sky Disc of Nebra. See Thomas Schöne, DPA "Himmelsscheibe von Nebra: 3600 Jahre alte Welt", Stern, September 26, 2004 http://www.stern.de/wissenschaft/kosmos/?id=530299.
[4] Rolf Müller, Der Himmel über dem Menschen der Steinzeit: Astronomie und Mathematik in den Bauten der Megalithkulturen, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1970.
[5] Rolf Müller, Der Himmel über dem Menschen der Steinzeit: Astronomie und Mathematik in den Bauten der Megalithkulturen, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1970, p. 115.
[6] Gerald S. Hawkins (with John B. White), Stonehenge Decoded, Doubleday, Garden City, N.Y., 1965, p. 132.
[7] "Beweisführung", Wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beweisführung.
[8] Barbara Patzek, Der Beweis, die Beweisführung (Pisteis písteiß), nebst Widerlegung des Gegners (Lysis lúsiß) http://www.barbara-patzek.de/material/5/DieTeileeinerRede.pdf.
[9] See e.g. Civil Evidence Act 1995 http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950038_en_1.htm.
[10] See e.g. a textbook on "Evidence", http://store.lawbooks.com/93074.html.
[11] See Michael Sukale, Leonardo und die Sichtbarmachung der Welt, Einblicke, Nr. 25, April, 1997 http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/presse/einblicke/25/sukale.htm.
[12] Sir Francis Bacon, Novum Organum. http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/CLASSICS/bacon.html.
[13] Henri Poincaré http://www.xenomos.de/poincare.html.
[14] See e.g. the Book Review (Rezension) of Christoph Ulf's Der Neue Streit um Troja: Kleine Gefechtspause (C.H. Beck, München, 2003), http://www.wissenschaft.de/wissen/buchrezensionen/245840.html, where it is written [our translation from the German]: "The endless war over Troy continues.... What do we really know....? How can we interpret the archaeological and written evidence? Ulrich Sinn, Professor of Archaeology at Würzburg ... reminds the members of his discipline with poignant examples of the dangers of hasty judgment. Sinn demands more objectivity and greater patience from his colleagues – and the courage - where required - to say: 'We do not know, not yet, not so exactly'."
[15] Engelbert Westkämper, "Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten: Leitfaden zur Erstellung der Dissertation", Institut für Industrielle Fertigung und Fabrikbetrieb, Universität Stuttgart, Fraunhofer Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung, Stuttgart http://www.iff.uni-stuttgart.de/docs/veroeff/wissenschaftliches_arbeiten.pdf.
[16] "The Nebra Sky Disk" http://www.archlsa.de/himmel/bilder/bildmaterial/scheibe_copy.jpg.
[17] The other objects found with the Sky Disk of Nebra http://www.archlsa.de/sterne/bilder/schwerterscan.jpg
[18] "Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra", ZDF 5/2/2003 http://www.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/6/0,1872,2031622,00.html; Thomas Schöne, "Himmelsscheibe von Nebra: 3600 Jahre alte Welt", Stern, September 26, 2004 http://www.stern.de/wissenschaft/kosmos/?id=530299.
[19] See for example DFG http://www.dfg.de/info_wissenschaftler/gw/aktuelles/2004/nebra_0804.html
[20] "Nebra skydisk", Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebra_skydisk.
[21] "Die Scheibe ist echt", http://www.himmelsscheibe-von-nebra.com/1024x768/berichte.htm. See also Rudi Schulz, "Die 'Himmelsscheibe von Nebra' ist gedeutet und datiert", Efodon-Synesis, Nr. 63, 3/2004.
[22] "Restaurierung, Himmelsscheibe-von-Nebra" http://www.himmelsscheibe-von-nebra.com/index.php?site=12
[23] "Secrets of the Star Disk", BBC, 29/2/2004 http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2004/stardisctrans.shtml, see also "Das Weltbild der Scheibe von Nebra", Archäologie Online, 16/11/2004.
[24] "Himmelsscheibe von Nebra", Wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himmelsscheibe_von_Nebra.
[28] Wolfhard Schlosser, "Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra - ein früher Blick des Menschen ins Universum", Astronomie.de http://www.astronomie.de/bibliothek/artikel/geschichte/nebra/. See "Neue Erkenntnisse", Archäologie Online http://212.227.253.138/magazin/fundpunkt/2004/09/himmelsscheibe.php.
[29] "Secrets of the Star Disk", BBC, 29/2/2004 http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2004/stardisctrans.shtml.
[30] "Calendars through the Ages" http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-ancient.html.
[31] Andis Kaulins, Stars Stones and Scholars: The Decipherment of the Megaliths as an Ancient Survey of the Earth by Astronomy, Trafford Publishing, 2003. http://www.trafford.com/4dcgi/robots/03-1722.html.
[32] See "Leroy Golf Sumerian Seals", Antiques AtoZ http://www.antiquesatoz.com/golf/golfsumeriaseal.htm.
[33] See e.g. the "Abydos City Palette", LexiLine.com http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi33.htm.
[34] Homer, "18. Gesang", Ilias, http://www.archlsa.de/sterne/homer.htm.
[35] Homer, "Book 18", Iliad, Internet Classics Archive http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.18.xviii.html.
[36] Florence & Kenneth Wood, Homer's Secret Iliad: The Epic of the Night Skies Decoded, John Murray, Albemarle Street, London, p. 199, 1999, ISBN 0719557801.
[37] "Burden of Proof", Answers.com http://www.answers.com/topic/burden-of-proof
[38] See e.g. "The EAA Code of Practice", European Association of Archaeologists: "2.7 Archaeologists will have prior rights of publication in respect of projects for which they are responsible for a reasonable period, not exceeding ten years. During this period they will make their results as widely accessible as possible and will give sympathetic consideration to requests for information from colleagues and students, provided that these do not conflict with the primary right of publication. When the ten-year period has expired, the records should be freely available for analysis and publication by others." http://www.e-a-a.org/codeprac.htm.
[39] See e.g. Hermann Zschweigert, "Nachtrag zu Die 'Himmelsscheibe' von Sangerhausen", in: Deutschland in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 2/2002, p. 41.
[40] Wolfhard Schlosser, Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra - ein früher Blick des Menschen ins Universum http://www.astronomie.de/bibliothek/artikel/geschichte/nebra/.
[41] Gert Meier suspected an unusual astronomical occurrence in Der Untergang Alteuropas, Deutschland in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Grabert-Verlag, Tübingen, 2004.
[42] "Spezialitäten: Was sie lieben", Tagesspiegel, [our translation from the German] "Every nation has its folk songs, but the Latvian Dainas have a special character, a strict poetic form. Short verses build a mostly four-line song [a quatrain].... The Latvians began to collect these verses in the 19th century as an important legacy of their culture and there are now 1.2 million texts in the archive of the collection of Dainas...." http://www.tagesspiegel.de/tso/sonderthema7/artikel.asp?TextID=38175.
[43] "Das Lettische Volkslied: Eine lebende Tradition", The Latvian Institute, http://www.latinst.lv/ger/volkslieder.htm.
[44] Māra Zālīte, "Die Daina – das Lettische Volkslied", Essay in "Baltica", July 1988: [our translation from the German] "Other Indo-European peoples can today use the Latvian folk songs to research their own roots and to come closer to their own prehistory. The Dainas contain a palette of archaic Indo-European views of the world, especially regarding calendric customs and mythology. These are primordial beliefs which relate to pre-Vedic eras and which serve numerous researchers throughout the world as a priceless source of information." http://www.literatur.lv/autoren/zalite/daina.htm.
[45] "Daina Number 33878", Latviešu Tautas Dziesmas (Chansons Populaires Lettonnes), Imanta, Copenhagen, 1956, XI, p. 377.
[48] See L. Ādamovičs, "Senlatviešu Mītoloģija", Latviešu Tautas Dziesmas (Chansons Populaires Lettonnes), Imanta, Copenhagen, 1956, XI, p. 570.
[49] See e.g. the Solar Eclipses at http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Resources/Astro/Eclipse99/solar.html and http://www.seds.org/~spider/spider/SE990811/se990811.html.
[50] FAQ: Die meistgestellten Fragen, Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, Halle http://www.landesmuseum-fuer-vorgeschichte-halle.de/.
[51] Uwe Neupert, "Nebra-Scheibe: Maße und Beziehungen", Referat gehalten im Oktober 2004 auf der Jahrestagung von "Ur-Europa", Sondershausen, October, 2004, 19/5/2004, p. 10.
[52] See Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20041220/rainbow.html.
[53] British Archaeology http://www.britarch.ac.uk/.
[54] Wolfhard Schlosser http://www.astronomie.de/bibliothek/artikel/geschichte/nebra/.
[55] Precession of the Equinoxes : Historical Planisphere, 1997, Learning Technologies http://www.starlab.com/index.html and http://www.starlab.com/ltiprod.html#Anchor-Precession-23240
[56] That the Sky Disk of Nebra may have had to do with Venus and Mercury, was suspected by Ralf Koneckis und Holger Filling, "Die Goldpunkte auf der Himmelsscheibe von Nebra (Sternscheibe von Sangerhausen)", Beiträge zur Geschichte Geophysik und Kosmische Physik, Band VI, Heft 2 (2005).
[57] See Zecharia Sitchin http://www.crystalinks.com/nibiru.html, whose books we ourselves find to be non-serious in nature by their advocating ancient extraterrestrial visits to Earth. We do not believe in UFOs.
[58] Siegfried G. Schoppe and Christian Schoppe, "Himmelsscheibe von Nebra: Eine Landkarte" http://www.atlantis-schoppe.de/himmelsscheibe.html.
[59] Siegfried G. Schoppe and Christian Schoppe http://www.atlantis-schoppe.de/himmelsscheibe.html.
[60] See Grazyna Fosar und Franz Bludorf, "Weltwunder mitten in Deutschland: Die Himmelsscheibe von Nebra", pp. 19-23, Matrix 3000, November/Dezember, 2004: [our translation from the German] "Perhaps there was an antique 'witness' who saw the Sky Disk being made and reported about it? Perhaps this actually happened, since the 18th Book of the Iliad describes in great detail how the Shield of Achilles was forged. Some researchers think that this description applies to the Sky Disk of Nebra (or a similar ancient object).... Homer describes not only the forging of the Sky Disk, but also relates that the Stars, the Moon, the Sun and the Pleiades were placed upon it...."
[61] Graphic made using Starry Night Pro http://www.starrynight.com/. See also Amir Bey, "Eclipses over Egypt" http://abey.home.mindspring.com/eclipses.htm. Astronomers differ on the occurrence and dating of solar eclipses http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEhelp/deltaT.html. This is due to their inability to arrive at a generally accepted and demonstrably correct Delta T value - which could be obtained by using eclipses such as those on the Nebra Sky Disk to obtain that value. This is apparently too simple for mainstream astronomers.
[62] Daniel Tesch, "Vorschau auf die totale Sonnenfinsternis vom 11. August 1999", Astronomie am OSZ NT http://www.linf.fu-berlin.de/~gutsche/alt/amateur/sfinster.htm#Anfang.
[63] Adalbert Stifter, Die Sonnenfinsternis am 8. Juli 1842 http://www.strickling.net/stifter_sofi.htm.
[64] Charlotte Hird Design http://www.charlotteswebdesign.co.nz/graphic_photoshop_3.html.