text:
Former Trump Campaign Staffer Files Class Action Over Campaign's Illegal Non-Disclosure Agreements
Protect Democracy, Bowles & Johnson PLLC, and Ballard Spahr LLP June 1, 2020
Broad Campaign NDAs Threaten to Muzzle Free Speech Indefinitely
NEW YORK, NY. — On June 1, 2020, Protect Democracy, Bowles & Johnson PLLC, and Ballard Spahr LLP filed a class-action lawsuit today on behalf of Jessica Denson and other former 2016 Trump campaign workers, challenging the Trump campaign's use of ambiguous and overly broad nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses (the "NDAs") in their employment contracts to silence former campaign workers. The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment that the NDAs are invalid and an injunction prohibiting their enforcement. The case was filed in New York state court. The complaint can be found here.
"The President's campaign — the very one that touted, 'The silent majority is silent no more' — spent two years attempting to punish me for speaking out, and have kept many more from ever trying," says lead plaintiff, Jessica Denson. "These NDAs represent the urgent threat to freedom, where in a crucial election year and in the midst of a pandemic, scientists are muzzled, watchdogs are fired, and sycophancy and silence hide vital truths from the American people."
"NDAs are not inherently illegal," says Bowles & Johnson attorney, David Bowles. "The law allows companies to use NDAs to protect legitimate interests, such as trade secrets and customer lists. But the Trump campaign's NDA goes well beyond what is allowed by the law, and the campaign has used it to retaliate against my client in an attempt to silence her, and has very likely intimidated others from speaking out. The courts should strike down these NDAs."
The Trump campaign's NDAs are particularly oppressive. They prohibit individuals like Ms. Denson from disclosing any information "that Mr. Trump insists remain private" and from "demean[ing] or disparag[ing] publicly" President Trump, any member of his family, or any of his and his family's companies — forever. The campaign's NDAs purport to bind Ms. Denson and other former 2016 Trump campaign employees, contractors, and volunteers to this day, meaning they are banned from criticizing the current President of the United States and from sharing their views and experiences now, during this year's election, or ever.
"The Trump campaign's NDAs are anathema to our profound national commitment to free speech, free press, and uninhibited debate on matters of public concern," says Protect Democracy Counsel, John Langford.
As the complaint details, the state and federal constitutional protections of speech and the press render NDAs unenforceable where, as here, the public interest in the prohibited speech outweighs any interest in enforcing a contract of silence. The NDAs also are unlawful under New York contract law because they are indefinite, unconscionable, unreasonable, and otherwise against public policy.
The Trump campaign's NDAs are prolific. In 2016, the Trump campaign required all of its staffers to sign contracts containing the NDAs. Increasingly, other campaigns are turning to similar contracts, threatening to ban more and more Americans from criticizing candidates or disclosing broad swaths of information relevant to voters.
These NDAs are not just empty threats. For its part, the Trump campaign has routinely threatened and attempted to enforce its NDAs to stop former campaign employees from engaging in speech related to matters of public concern, including their views on the President's time in office. The Trump campaign also has used the NDAs to retaliate against former workers who file harassment and discrimination claims, including against lead plaintiff Ms. Denson, who was required to sign the NDAs when hired as a national phone bank administrator in August of 2016..
On February 27, 2019, the Trump campaign's former attorney, Michael Cohen, was asked about these NDAs under oath before Congress. When asked whether "in the use of the NDA – of these types of NDAs with this type of language, and later, when Donald Trump sought to enforce them, that he intended to prevent people from coming forward with claims of wrongdoing?," Mr. Cohen simply responded "Yes," and "That was the goal."
Following her employment with the Trump campaign, Ms. Denson filed a lawsuit alleging harassment and discrimination as a campaign staffer. The Trump campaign responded by attempting to enforce the NDAs to stop her from engaging in speech — including in legal filings — regarding her working conditions on the campaign.
Today's lawsuit seeks to put a stop to the Trump campaign's efforts to silence its former workers and to make clear that public officials and candidates for office cannot use campaign NDAs to forever strip workers of their constitutional right to participate in public debate.
"Any candidate considering Trump campaign-style NDAs should be on notice that overreaching contracts of this type are unlawful, unenforceable, and send the message that you are willing to stifle public debate and hide information from voters — forever," says Ballard Spahr First Amendment litigator, David Schulz.
More information about this litigation is available here.
The complaint can be found here.
Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government.
Bowles & Johnson PLLC is a New York City based law firm specializing in a modern approach to the practice of law in the areas of complex civil litigation, transactional law and corporate law.
Ballard Spahr LLP is a national firm with more than 650 lawyers in 15 offices in the United States, serving clients across industries in litigation, business and transactions, finance, intellectual property, and real estate.


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text:
\section{Methodological aspects of transition blending and extending harmonic spaces}\label{sec:approach}

\input{new-amalgam}

\subsection{Chord transitions description and blending}\label{subsec:transBlending}

Individual chord transitions are the `atoms' of the methodology followed herein to construct new transition matrices. Specifically, transition sets from two musical idioms provide input transitions for blending, producing a list of blended transitions that are afterwards embeded in an extended harmonic space. This methodology is described briefly in the next section
while some definitions regarding chord transitions follow.

\begin{definition} A chord transition $c$ is described by a set of features \ensuremath{\mathcal{F}}\xspace.
\end{definition}

\noindent In this work a transition is represented by $17$ features. Features $1$-$6$ refer to the involved chords. Features $8$ to $10$ indicate changes during the transitions and are based on the Directed Interval Class (DIC) vector~\citep{cambouropoulosDIC_12, cambouropoulosDIC_13}. Feature $7$ accounts for the change that occurred regarding the chords' root notes. The features considered important in this work are the following:
\begin{enumerate}

	\item \textit{fromRoot}: the root pitch class of the first chord,
	\item \textit{toRoot}: the root pitch class of the second chord,
	\item \textit{fromType}: the type of the first chord (GCT base),
	\item \textit{toType}: the type of the second chord (GCT base),
	\item \textit{fromPCs}: the pitch classes included in the first chord,
	\item \textit{toPCs}: the pitch classes included in the second chord,
	\item \textit{DICinfo}: the DIC vector of the transition,
	\item \textit{DIChas0}: Boolean value indicating whether the DIC of the transition has $0$,
	\item \textit{DIChas1}: Boolean value indicating whether the DIC of the transition has $1$,
	\item \textit{DIChasMinus1}: Boolean value indicating whether the DIC of the transition has $-1$,
	\item \textit{ascSemZero}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has the relative pitch class value 11,
	\item \textit{descSemZero}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has the relative pitch class value 1,
	\item \textit{semZero}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has the relative pitch class value 11 or 1,
	\item \textit{ascSemNextRoot}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has a pitch class with ascending semitone relation with the pitch class of the second chord's root,
	\item \textit{descSemNextRoot}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has a pitch class with descending semitone relation with the pitch class of the second chord's root,
	\item \textit{semNextRoot}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord has a pitch class with ascending or descending semitone relation with the pitch class of the second chord's root, and
    \item \textit{5thRootRelation}: Boolean value indicating whether the first chord's root note is a fifth above of the second's.
\end{enumerate}

Each feature can be considered as a function that assigns a value to a chord transition $c$. Features' values are defined differently depending on the properties they represent. For instance, features $3$ to $8$ are set-value functions that assign a set of values to a chord. We refer to them as $F_i(c)$. The value of the feature $7$ is a vector and we refer to it as $\vec{f}(c)$. Finally, all the other features are binary functions and we refer to them as $f_i(c)$.

\subsection{From transition blends to transition matrices}\label{subsec:toMatrices}

In the literature, an effective and common way to describe chord progressions in a music idiom in a statistical manner is by using Markov models (see \citet{simon2008mySong,kaliakatsos_cHMM_14}, among others). Such models reflect the probabilities of each chord following other chords in the idiom, as trained or statistically measured throughout all the pieces in the examined idiom. First-order Markov models, specifically, indicate the probability of transitions from one chord to another, disregarding information about previous chords. Therefore, individual transitions play an important role on indicating particular characteristics of an idiom.

A convenient way to represent a first order Markov model is through transition matrices, which include one respective row and column for each chord in the examined idiom. The probability value in the $i$-th row and the $j$-th column exhibits the probability of the $i$-th chord going to the $j$-th ---the probabilities of each row sum to unit. The utilised chords are actually represented by chord group exemplars, obtained by the method described in~\cite{gctEval_ismir_2015}, while transitions between chords that pertain to the same chord group are disregarded (this neutralises the diagonal). The representation of chords is based on the General Chord Type representation~\citep{cambouropoulosGCT_14}.

Then, an important question is: {\em How would a blended idiom be expressed in terms of a transition matrix, provided that the transition matrices of two initial idioms are available?}

Among many possible answers, the idea examined in the present system is to create an \textit{extended} transition matrix that includes not only an altered version of the initial ones, but also new transitions that allow moving across chords of the initial idioms by potentially using new chords. The examined methodology uses transition blending to create new transitions that: (a) maximally preserve the common parts of transitions between the two initial spaces, and (b) incorporate blended characteristics for creating a smooth `morphing' harmonic effect when moving from chords of one space to chords of the other. An abstract illustration of an extended matrix is given in Figure~\ref{fig:extendedMat}.

\begin{figure}[!t]
\centering
	\includegraphics[width=.40\textwidth]{extendedMatrix.pdf}
\caption{Graphical description of an \textit{extended} matrix that includes transition probabilities of both initial idioms and of several new transitions generated through transition blending. These new transitions allow moving across the initial idioms, creating a new extended idiom that is a superset of the initial ones.}
\label{fig:extendedMat}
\end{figure}

By analysing the graphical representation of an extended matrix as depicted in Figure~\ref{fig:extendedMat} the following facts are highlighted:
\begin{enumerate}
	\item By using transitions in $\mathtt{I_i}$, only chords of the $i$-th idiom are used. When using the transition probabilities in $\mathtt{I_i}$, the resulting harmonisations preserve the character of idiom $i$.
	\item Transitions in $\mathtt{A_{i-j}}$ create direct jumps from chords of the $i$-th to chords of the $j$-th idiom. If a blended transition happens to be in $\mathtt{A_{i-j}}$ there is no need for further considerations -- such a transition can be included in the extended matrix.
	\item Transitions in $\mathtt{B_{i-X}}$ constitute harmonic motions from a chord of idiom $i$ to a newly created chord by blending. Similarly, transitions in the $\mathtt{B_{X-j}}$ arrive at chords in idiom $j$ from new chords. For moving from idiom $i$ to idiom $j$ using one external chord $c_x$ that was produced by blending, a chain of two transitions is needed: $c_i$ $\rightarrow$ $c_x$ followed by a transition $c_x$ $\rightarrow$ $c_j$, where $c_i$ in idiom $i$ and $c_j$ in idiom $j$ respectively. A chain of two consecutive transitions with one intermediate external chord from chords of $i$ to chords of $j$ will be denoted as $\mathtt{B_{i-X-j}}$.
	\item Sector $\mathtt{C}$ transitions incorporate pairs of chords that exist outside the $i$-th and $j$-th idioms. Having two external chords, transitions in $\mathtt{C}$ violate our hypothesis for moving from one known chord sets to the other using one new chord at most; therefore, blends resulting to $\mathtt{C}$-type blends are disregarded.
\end{enumerate}

Based on this analysis of the extended matrix, a methodology is proposed for using blends between transitions in $\mathtt{I_1}$ and $\mathtt{I_2}$. Thereby, transitions in $\mathtt{I_1}$ are blended with ones in $\mathtt{I_2}$ and a number of the best blends is stored for further investigation, creating a pool of best blends. Based on multiple simulations, a large number of the best blends (i.e.\ 100) in each blending simulation should be inserted in the pool of best blends (\ensuremath{\mathcal{B}}\xspace), so that several commuting scenarios can be created between the initial transition spaces. Thus, a greater number of blends in the pool of best blends introduces a larger number of possible commuting paths in $\mathtt{A_{i-j}}$ or in $\mathtt{B_{i-X-j}}$.

\subsection{Evaluation of transition blending via arguments}\label{subsec:argumentation}

By applying the aforementioned blending process a pool of best blends is created that is afterwards used for connecting the transition blocks of two initial idioms, through forming an extended matrix. When a music expert is using the system, she/he is able to select pairs of initial input idioms, choose which aspects of blending are important through arguments (analysed in the following paragraphs) and evaluate/re-adjust this choice by observing the produced results in the extended matrix.

The user evaluates the importance of several transition features by answering questions based on the connecting transitions produced by blending in the extended matrix. The features related to the transitions and their constituent chords are classified into 9 questions~(Table~\ref{tbl:abstraction}).
\begin{description}
	\item[Q1:] Are roots and types of chords important?
	\item[Q2:] Are individual pitch classes of chords important?
	\item[Q3:] Are repeating pitch classes in transitions important?
	\item[Q4:] Are semitone steps in transitions important?
	\item[Q5:] Are tone steps in transitions important?
	\item[Q6:] Are the intervalic contents of transitions important?
	\item[Q7:] Are semitone motions to the tonic important?
	\item[Q8:] Are semitones to the second chord's root important?
	\item[Q9:] Are motions of the chord roots by $5^\text{th}$ important?
\end{description}
The first two questions concern characteristics of the chords that constitute the transition, mapping the user answers to features from 1 to 6, while the remaining seven questions concern intervalic changes that occur within the transition, mapping the user answers to features from 7 to 17. Relating questions to transition features was performed with the involvement of music experts, to ensure that the mapping is as accurate and as informative to the user as possible.

\begin{table}[!t]
\begin{tabular}{lll}
\hline \hline
Question & Chord Properties & Transition Changes \\ \hline
\multirow{4}{*}{Q1} & $\textit{fromRoot}$\\
    			      & $\textit{toRoot}$ \\%Q1: & fromRoot, toRoot, fromType, toType &
			      & $\textit{fromType}$\\
			      & $\textit{toType}$ & $$ \\ \hline
\multirow{2}{*}{Q2} & $\textit{fromRelPCs}$\\
    			      & $\textit{toRelPCs}$ & $$ \\ \hline
Q3 & $$ & $\textit{DIChas0}$  \\ \hline
Q4 & \multirow{2}{*}{} & $\textit{DIChas1}$ \\
				  & $$ & $\textit{DIChasN1}$\\ \hline
Q5 & \multirow{2}{*}{} & $\textit{DIChas2}$ \\
				  & $$ & $\textit{DIChasN2}$\\ \hline
Q6 & $$ & $\textit{DICinfo}$  \\ \hline
Q7 & \multirow{3}{*}{} & $\textit{ascSemZero}$ \\
				  & $$ & $\textit{descSemZero}$\\
				  & $$ & $\textit{semZero}$\\ \hline
Q8 & \multirow{3}{*}{} & $\textit{ascSemNextRoot}$ \\
				  & $$ & $\textit{descSemNextRoot}$\\
				  & $$ & $\textit{semNextRoot}$\\ \hline
Q9 & $$ & $\textit{5thRootRel}$  \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Abstraction of chords' and transition changes' features.}
\label{tbl:abstraction}
\end{table}

We denote the set of questions available to the user as \ensuremath{\mathcal{Q}}\xspace. When a user selects a question, an argument is automatically generated. For the sake of this paper, an argument is defined as follows.

\begin{definition}\label{def:argument}
An argument $A$ is a tuple $\langle q, F \rangle$, where $q \in \ensuremath{\mathcal{Q}}\xspace$ and $F \subset \ensuremath{\mathcal{F}}\xspace$.
\end{definition}

\noindent The user can specify at most $9$ arguments, each of them is mapped to a set of properties. The set of user arguments $\{A_1,\ldots,A_9\}$ corresponding to answers to $\ensuremath{\mathcal{Q}}\xspace$ will be denoted by \ensuremath{\mathcal{A}}\xspace.  We assume to have a function $\mathsf{\psi}: \ensuremath{\mathcal{A}}\xspace \rightarrow \ensuremath{\mathcal{F}}\xspace$ that returns the set of chord and transition properties associated with an argument (e.g, for the purposes of the current analysis, Table \ref{tbl:abstraction} specifies $\psi$ as a look-up function). The arguments are used to compute two criteria in order to rate a blend: \textit{total association} and  \textit{symmetry}.

The total association indicates the total number of properties that a blend inherits from the inputs. A blend with higher input associations is preferable since it is structurally more deeply related with the inputs. The total association is calculated by taking the individual association of a blend w.r.t. the input chord transitions into account. The individual association of a blend $b$ w.r.t. to an input $I$, denoted as $\mathsf{a}(b,I)$, is defined as:
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:inputassoc}
	\mathsf{a}(b,I) = \sum_{A_i \in \ensuremath{\mathcal{A}}\xspace}\mathsf{Val}(A_i,b,I)
\end{equation*}
\noindent where $\mathsf{Val}: \ensuremath{\mathcal{A}}\xspace \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is a function that takes an argument as input and aggregates the values of the chord and transition change properties associated with the argument, by interpreting them according to some music background knowledge. Depending on the type of argument, $\mathsf{Val}$ is defined in different ways.

When an argument refers to the roots and types of chords ($A_1$), $\mathsf{Val}$ is defined as:
\[
\mathsf{Val}(A_1,b,I) =   \sum_{F_j \in \psi(A_1)}{  \mathsf{equals}(F_j(I), F_j(b)) }
\]

\noindent The value of $A_1$ is calculated by counting how many properties ---among $\textit{fromRoot}$, $\textit{toRoot}$, $\textit{fromType}$ and $\textit{toType}$--- are equals between a blend $b$ and an input $I$.  $\mathsf{equals}$ is a function that returns $1$ when two sets are equals and $0$ otherwise.

When an argument refers to the individual pitch classes of chords ($A_2$),  $\mathsf{Val}$ is defined as:
\[
\mathsf{Val}(A_2,b,I) =   \sum_{F_j \in \psi(A_2)}{ \left | F_j(I) \cap F_j(b) \right | }
\]

\noindent The value of $A_2$ is calculated as the number of elements that are common in the set-value properties $\textit{fromRelPCs}$ and $\textit{toRelPCs}$ of a blend $b$ and an input $I$.

When an argument refers to the intervalic contents of transitions ($A_6$),  $\mathsf{Val}$ is defined as:
\[
\mathsf{Val}(A_6,b,I) =  \mathsf{norm}_{[0,1]}(\rho_{\vec{f}(I),\vec{f}(b)})
\]

\noindent The value of $A_6$ is calculated as the Pearson's correlation coefficient of the vector-value property $\textit{DICinfo}$ of a blend $b$ and an input $I$. Higher correlations in the DIC vectors of two transitions indicate higher resemblance; $\mathsf{norm}$ is a function that normalises the Pearson's coefficient from the interval $[-1,1]$ to the interval $[0,1]$.

\noindent For all the other types of arguments, $\mathsf{Val}$ is defined as:
\[
\mathsf{Val}(A_i,b,I) =  \sum_{f_j\in \psi(A_i)}{ 1 -  (f_j(I) - f_j(b)) }
\]

\noindent Based on the above definitions, the {\em total association} value is
the sum of the individual associations

\begin{equation*}\label{eq:inputassoc}
	\mathsf{assoc}(b) = \sum_{I_i \in \ensuremath{\mathcal{I}}\xspace}\mathsf{a}(b,I_i)
\end{equation*}

\noindent where \ensuremath{\mathcal{I}}\xspace is the set of input spaces, containing in this specific case, $I_1$ and $I_2$.

Symmetry, on the other hand, reflects the balance of properties that a blend inherits from both input spaces. A blend has a high symmetry when it inherits an almost equal proportion of properties from both input spaces.
Blends having higher symmetry are preferred to those with lower symmetry, since a high symmetry reflects a stronger hybridisation of structural characteristics. Hybridisation is an important principle to evaluate transition blends.

The blend symmetry is defined
in terms of  its `asymmetry'. The asymmetry of a blend w.r.t. the inputs, denoted as $\mathsf{asym}(b)$,
is calculated as:
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:asymmetry}

	\left| \frac{\mathsf{a}(b,I_1)^2 + \mathsf{a}(b,I_1) \mathsf{a}(b,I_2)}{\mathsf{a}(b,I_1)^2+\mathsf{a}(b,I_2)} - \frac{\mathsf{a}(b,I_2)^2+\mathsf{a}(b,I_1)\mathsf{a}(b,I_2)}{\mathsf{a}(b,I_2)^2+\mathsf{a}(b,I_1)} \right|
\end{equation*}
\noindent The value of $\mathsf{asym}(b)$ is defined in $[0,1]$, where $0$ stands for a perfect symmetry (equal association with both inputs) and $1$ stands for total asymmetry (association only with one input). Additionally, the non-absolute version of the above equation suggests the prevailing input, with a negative value indicating dominating association of the blend with the first input and a positive value contrarily.

The total rate of a blend is computed by taking the input association and asymmetry values into account.
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:rating}

	\mathsf{rate}(b) = \frac{\mathsf{assoc(b)}  (1-\mathsf{asym}(b))}{\mathsf{assoc(b)} + (1-\mathsf{asym}(b))}
\end{equation*}
The above expression
promotes pairs of association and symmetry that are both high, while a simple sum would allow a low value of the one to be covered by the other.

Finally, a decision making criterion to compare any pair of blends $b_1$, $b_2 \in \ensuremath{\mathcal{B}}\xspace$ can be defined as follows.

\begin{definition}[Decision criterion]
A blend $b_1$ is preferred to a blend $b_2$ if and only if $\mathsf{rate}(b_1)  \geq \mathsf{rate}(b_2)$.
\end{definition}

It is worthy to notice that the above criterion guarantees that any pair of blends is comparable, and, consequently, it allows to decide which blends are the best ones. This is an important property for blend evaluation and, generally, for approaches to argumentation-based decision making \citep{AmgPra09,geffner}.

\section{Conclusion, Discussion and Future Work}\label{sec:conclusion}

In this paper, we described a methodology for harmonic blending and we proposed a creative system that assists musicologists with the evaluation and enhancement of harmonic innovation. We defined some harmonic features of chord transitions utilised for evaluating blends of transitions, leading to the invention of novel harmonic spaces. The system allows a musicologist to specify arguments over these features that are taken into account in the generation of new harmonic spaces. The music expert can then assess whether the new harmonic idiom makes musicological sense and re-adjust the arguments to explore alternative blends that can potentially produce better harmonic spaces.

The main advantage of the current system is the agile interaction through which the user can express desirable properties over the transition blends and their argument-based evaluation in order to produce musically meaningful results. The added value of argumentation is the ranking/evaluation of blended transition -- obtained by conceptual blending of two input transition belonging to two musical idioms -- by answering questions which abstract several properties of chord transitions. On the other hand, the evaluation of the creative output of the system, i.e.,\ an extended harmonic space that includes blended transitions, is carried out by the user via an introspective argumentative dialogue.

In a future work we intent to use the argumentation-based process for evaluating the blended harmonisations of user defined melodies, i.e.,\ actual music output. Additionally, mapping the properties of the blended idiom or, at a latter stage of a harmonised melody, back to the parameter-setting stage opens an interesting direction for future research and further improvements of the system. The added value of argumentation can be stressed, for instance, by letting the system suggest possible refinements of the initial user arguments, progressively converting part of the introspective user evaluation into a more explicit format. For example, a future version of the system would be based on identifying harmonic features of the input spaces that automatically suggest an `optimal' set of initial arguments. The current version of the system is an already-usable prototype on the way towards the development of a more autonomous creative system.
\section{System evaluation}\label{sec:evaluation}

Referring to Figure \ref{fig:systemOverview}, via the interface $\alpha$, the user has access to modules $\gamma$, and $\beta$ which can be used to specify \emph{concepts} that will inform the resulting product, namely, the input idioms and arguments that impose constraints on the generated blend.  These are translated by the system into process-friendly formats.
Module $\epsilon$ embodies the (process-level) concept of a system that make use of the supplied idioms and the blending properties to generate \emph{example} transition matrices,  $\zeta$.
In the current version of the system, these transitions are evaluated by the user (music expert) in step $\iota$ using sophisticated harmonic knowledge that reflects historically established musical \emph{aesthetic}. The user can then return to the GUI $\alpha$, and adjust the settings of $\gamma$ and $\beta$ to regenerate the transitions.

This is illustrated in Figure \ref{fig:face-model} in box \textbf{P1}, using the diagrammatic extension to the FACE model by \cite{colton-assessingprogress}.  Here, capital letters $F$, $A$, $C$, or $E$ are creative acts that generate a framing, aesthetic, concept, or example, respectively.  Administrative acts $S$ and $T$ denote selection and translation.  Lower-case letters denote the generated artefact in each case (e.g., the concept $c$ corresponding to the concept-creation act $C$).  Subscripts $p$, $g$, or $m$ indicate whether the act takes place at the process, ground, or meta level. Inside each box, stacks show the dependence in development epochs, and arrows show run-time message passing.  Acts taken by the programmer or user are decorated with a bar, whereas acts taken by the system itself receive no extra decoration.

In the current version of the system, apart from the \emph{programmer's} creative acts
specifying the modules and their interconnections, and the algorithm $\overline{C^{\epsilon}_p}$ that turns inputs into blends, the user, who is assumed to be a music expert,
must intervene in the system in two places.

\vspace{-.1cm}
First, the \emph{user} defines system settings $\overline{C^{\gamma}_g}$, $\overline{C^{\beta}_g}$  that correspond to the selection of  input idioms and of arguments respectively. Second, after the run completes, he or she evaluates the system output via $\overline{A^{\iota}_g}$.

The \emph{system's} primary responsibilities take place through the
creative acts $E^{\epsilon}_g$, which generate blends, and $S[a^{\beta,\gamma}_g]({e^{\epsilon}}^*)$, in
which the aesthetic $A^{\beta,\gamma}_g$ (a unified label for $\mathsf{assoc}$ and $\mathsf{asym}$, which are defined anew in each run, based on a fixed translation of the user's arguments, as specified in the previous section) is applied to rate the possible blends, and select to a final extended transition matrix.

Therefore, the key idea behind what has been implemented so far is an `automated
ranking/evaluation' step that guides the selection of blends,
$S[a^{\beta,\gamma}_g]({e^{\epsilon}}^*)$ according to the arguments defined by the user. The development of the programmatic components that operationalise this process has
relied on both computer science and musicological insights.
This approach has been characterised as meaningful per se through informal feedback provided by musical experts -- but is perhaps especially valuable because it
constitutes a prototype for more involved automated evaluation
of computer-generated harmonic spaces.

Indeed, the next step towards the development of a more autonomously
creative system using the same architecture is fairly clear: future
work would need to `close the loop' computationally, connecting the
evaluation of generated transition matrices with the parameter-setting (i.e., argumentation)
stage, and making this run autonomously to refine the system's
behavior.  This as-yet hypothetical situation is illustrated in the
box \textbf{P2}.

Here, the programmer has translated some of the user-specified aesthetics
into code $\overline{T}[\overline{A^{\iota}_g}]$, and invented a meta-level concept
$\overline{C^{\alpha}_m}$ defining a system component that can automatically apply
these aesthetics to the generated transition matrices
$e^{\zeta}_g$ as in order to automatically
generate new system settings $C^{\gamma}_g$, $C^{\beta}_g$.

\begin{figure}
\centering
\input{simple_diagrams}

\caption{The current implementation \textbf{P1} prototypes automated evaluation
of blends according to user's arguments; this points to a proposed future implementation \textbf{P2}
with further automation.
 \label{fig:face-model}}
\end{figure}

\section{Acknowledgments}

\bibliographystyle{iccc}

\section{Introduction}\label{sec:introduction}

The invention of new harmonic spaces in this paper is conceived as a computational creative process according to which a new harmonic idiom is created by means of blending the `atoms' of harmony, i.e.,\ transitions between chords. The blended transitions are created by combining the features characterising pairs of transitions belonging to two idioms (expressed as sets of potentially learned transitions) according to an amalgam-based algorithm~\citep{eppe_asp_amalgamation_2015,confalonieriIJCAI15} that implements~\cite{FaTu02}'s theory of conceptual blending. The transitions are then used in an extended harmonic space that accommodates the two initial harmonic spaces, linked with the new blended transitions.

When modeling creative processes computationally, one of the key questions is how good are the created artefacts. The approach to evaluation that has been applied most frequently within computational creativity requires a human to evaluate attributes of the created work or the system's operation. Basic measures consider the \emph{typicality} of a generated artefact within a particular genre, or the \emph{quality} of the generated work according to the users' aesthetic judgement \citep{ritchie07}.

In music blending, the evaluation of artefacts is not a trivial matter. This is due not only to the time evolving nature of the final output, but also to the lack of clearly defined criteria for their assessment. In the particular case of transition blending, the evaluation of the blends is of key importance, in order to produce musically meaningful extended harmonic spaces. To evaluate the set of blended transitions and the corresponding generated extended harmonic space, several musical features need to be taken into account according to indications by musicologists. The importance of each particular feature, however, is not known in advance and musicologists need to make adjustments by experimenting with a large set of test cases.

To ease this task, in this paper, we propose a creative tool (Figure~\ref{fig:systemOverview}) that assists a musicologist with the evaluation of harmonic blends. The system allows a musicologist  to specify {\em arguments} --- abstracting the properties of chords and transitions --- and to use them for iterative evaluation of the blended outcome, based on the transitions that the system proposes in order to connect two (potentially remote) harmonic spaces.

\begin{figure}[!t]
\centering
\begin{tikzonimage}[width=.40\textwidth]{argSysOverview.pdf}[every node/.style={text=gray,font=\footnotesize}
]
    \node at (0.78,0.93) {$\alpha$};
    \node at (0.75,0.675) {$\beta$};
    \node at (0.73,0.86) {$\gamma$};

    \node at (0.815,0.098) {$\epsilon$};
    \node at (0.4,0.115) {$\zeta$};

    \node at (0.244,0.415) {$\iota$};
\end{tikzonimage}
\caption{A schematic diagram of the system's workflow.}
\label{fig:systemOverview}
\end{figure}

Using arguments to make and explain decisions has been proposed and explored in Artificial Intelligence \citep{CapDun07}, where an argument is a reason for believing a statement, choosing an option, or doing an action. In most existing works on argumentation, an argument is either considered as an abstract entity whose origin and structure are not defined \citep{Dung95}, or it is a logical proof for a statement where the proof is built from a knowledge base \citep{AmgPra09}.

In our approach, arguments encapsulate desirable properties that the user would like to have in the resulting transition blends. Arguments are specified by the user by `answering'  specific questions over the features of the idioms selected as input for the transition blending process. Providing some higher level arguments as inputs to the system is equivalent to allowing a musical expert to interact with it in a language he/she understands. This offers the user a flexible way to adjust the harmonic blending properties according to different input scenarios in order to improve the creativity of the system. Extended experimentation with the system ---by making use of the available arguments--- can enable music experts to provide valuable feedback regarding the functionality of transition features, thus directly intervening in the blending process by answering simple questions. In a future scenario, the assessment of the system will be based on merely musicological criteria that should be more clearly defined.

The paper is organised as follow. In the next section, we describe the harmonic blending creative process embedded in a creative assistant tool we implemented. Next, we describe the methodology of transition blending and extending harmonic spaces. We show how user arguments are used to evaluate transition blends based on two criteria resembling two of the optimality principles of conceptual blending. Then, we present a process-based system evaluation that focuses on the creative acts of programmers \citep{colton-assessingprogress}. This evaluation is helpful in guiding further developments of the system. These are discussed in a concluding section.

\section{System overview and test cases}\label{sec:system}

Figure~\ref{fig:systemOverview} illustrates a diagram of the presented system. The user (music expert) interacts with the system through the Graphical User Interface (GUI), where she/he selects two initial idioms (harmonic spaces) in $\gamma$ and defines the important features used in conceptual blending by answering to specific questions (argumentation) in $\beta$. The selected initial idioms are described as sets of chord transitions, while the provided answers to questions are mapped to enabling/disabling features of transitions (see Section `Chord transitions description and blending') that define the outcome of transition blending (see Section `Evaluation of transition blending via arguments').

Afterwards, pairs of transition in the two initial harmonic spaces are given as inputs to the transition blending system in $\epsilon$ where new transitions are invented through conceptual blending. These transitions are then integrated into an \textit{extended} musical idiom that includes the initial idioms selected by the user, while the role of the new transitions is to provide musically meaningful connections between the initial harmonic spaces. The created extended idiom is displayed to the user in the GUI in terms of a transition matrix (see Section `From transition blends to transition matrices'). By observing the matrix, the music expert evaluates ($\iota$) the results produced by the current blending setup, i.e.,\ the given questions to the argumentation module ($\beta$), and re-adjusts her/his answers in $\beta$ accordingly.

Several scenarios for initial idiom combinations are available to the user. The system included several harmonic blending test cases according to which the user could blend simple `artificial' harmonic spaces as well as harmonic spaces trained from data in different tonalities. The artificial harmonic spaces are constructed to include simple transitions in order to allow clear interpretations of the results, e.g.,\ a C major space included the chords C, F and G7. Among the trained idioms that have been examined, there are sets of Bach chorales in major and minor mode, and sets of modal chorales in several modes.

The test cases, in which harmonic spaces in different tonalities are blended, resemble the musical task of finding transition paths for tonality modulations (changing the tonality of a given harmonic space). This task allowed music experts to identify arguments for defining the features of transition blending that connect potentially remote harmonic spaces (e.g.,\ C major with F$\sharp$ major) in a manner that is explainable in music theory in terms of tonality modulations. Through the processes offered by the system, the music experts were able to come to conclusions about what transition features are important for constructing meaningful connections between different combinations of pairs of initial harmonic spaces.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Dec 30 round-up: Tougher Covid restrictions expected; Oxford vaccine approved; Brexit deal vote; 'Deepfake' Queen's speech complaints
by James Batchelor
Here are the headlines for Wednesday, December 30
Hancock to announce tougher restrictions for English areas as Covid cases soar
More areas in England will be placed under the country's toughest coronavirus restrictions, health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to tell the Commons today.
Pressure mounted on the government to act as hospitals across England warned of increasing strains on services due to Covid-19 patient numbers, which have reached their highest levels during the pandemic, while 51,135 further cases and 414 deaths were reported on Tuesday.
Ad-free Car Dealer website, £5 per month
Areas that may be moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4 include parts of the East Midlands, such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, as well as all areas of the West Midlands metropolitan county, Hartlepool along with a handful of areas in Lancashire – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley.
Oxford Covid-19 vaccine gets approval
A Covid-19 vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK, paving the way for rapid rollout, the Department of Health said.
The UK has ordered 100m doses from the manufacturer which is enough to vaccinate 50m people.
The approval by the medicines regulator means the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is effective and safe, and can now join the Pfizer and BioNTech which has already been rolled out
Boris Johnson hails 'new chapter in national story' ahead of Brexit deal vote
The UK will 'open a new chapter in our national story', Boris Johnson has claimed as MPs prepare to vote on his Brexit deal.
Today, Parliament will be recalled to give its ruling on the trade agreement reached more than four years after the In/Out referendum in 2016.
The EU (Future Relationship) Bill is expected to clear the Commons with the Conservatives and the majority of Labour MPs set to support it, although the SNP, the DUP, Plaid Cymru, the SDLP, Alliance and the Liberal Democrats have all indicated they will not vote for it. A Commons debate will start at around 9.30am, with a vote expected in the early afternoon – Car Dealer will report on the news as it comes in
Businesses must understand significant changes brought by Brexit, say MPs
Businesses must understand the 'significant changes' in the UK's relationship with the EU brought about by Boris Johnson's Brexit deal, according to MPs.
The assertion was made in a new report published by the House of Commons' Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union.
Among its findings, the report concluded that an agreed deal in place is better than no deal, however it also warned that the agreement does not preserve current trading arrangements and said it is 'critical' that the government is clear in its communications to businesses, traders and communities about the terms of the deal and its implications.
Hundreds complain over Channel 4's 'deepfake' Queen's speech
Ofcom has received more than 200 complaints about Channel 4's digitally created 'deepfake' version of the Queen's speech.
The broadcaster used digital trickery to make an actress look like the Queen for what had been billed as a warning about misinformation and fake news.
The speech included jokes about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's departure from the UK, as well as a nod to the scandal surrounding the Duke of York and his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Offcom said: 'We are assessing these complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.'
Admiral to sell Confused.com and European comparison sites to ZPG for £508m
Insurance giant Admiral has agreed to sell its comparison website business which includes Confused.com to the owner of rival Uswitch in a deal worth around £508m.
It told investors on Tuesday that it has agreed to sell the Penguin Portals arm, which also includes Rastreator.com, LeLynx.fr, the group's technology operation and its 50 per cent share in Preminen Price Comparison Holding to ZPG (Zoopla Property Group).
ZPG has said it will control the acquired businesses through its comparison site division, RVU, while Spanish insurance giant MAPFRE said it will also sell its stake in Rastreator.com and Preminen as part of the deal.
FTSE soars to highest since March as traders cheer Brexit deal
The FTSE 100 soared to a nine-month high after the markets opened for the first time after the UK's Brexit deal was confirmed.
London's top index was 2.3 per cent, or 149.4p, higher at 6,651p after investor sentiment lifted following the Christmas break.
All the UK's markets were in positive territory, with the FTSE 250 up 2.4 per cent.
Much of the southern counties of England and Wales will see spells of sleet and snow, reports BBC Weather, and north-west Scotland can expect more wintry showers. Elsewhere it'll be drier.
Tonight will see another widespread frost although there will be showers in the north-west and sleet and snow showers in the north-east.
Join our breaking news WhatsApp group – Click here to join now
Car Dealer Top 100 – the most profitable car dealers in the UK here
Important deal signed for the British car industry as UK and Turkey agree to continue trade terms
UK businesses must understand significant changes brought by Brexit trade deal, say MPs
'Highly unlikely' coronavirus restrictions will be eased after six-week lockdown in Northern Ireland
Jan 16 round-up: End to quarantine-free travel; Short-term Pfizer delay; Kia to launch seven models; Reckless Tik Tok railway photoshoot
Latest economy figures confirm UK is heading back into recession

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you know any Puerto Ricans? It's way more complicated than just "brown people want money" and the political divisions over their relationship with the mainland- which, let's admit, treats them pretty shabby much of the time- are not like you are representing.
It's a pretty interesting topic.
I knew they were a US territory but I did not know that made you a citizen. I thought it meant that the US will defend you at war and would give you aid when necessary.
Also I am not claiming to have any real knowledge on this subject, I clearly asked in the OP whether or not I was right. (it appears I was wrong).
I just don't get how they are considered citizens when they are denied basic rights guaranteed to US citizens in the constitution.
Clarify this. That is an interesting concept.
There are people all over the world that have never stepped foot in this country that have an American parent that are citizens that wouldn't consider themselves Americans.
Puerto Rico isn't represented in the electoral college but Puerto Rican people have the right to vote. They can just move to another state.
Here are the main points on "PR American Citizens"
That makes sense. Like that pole volter kid from Laffy that competes internationally as for Sweden.
Their corruption has dragged this out far longer than necessary. It's like when the mayor of San Juan was going on her anti-Trump rant about how they weren't receiving supplies while standing in from of pallets of food and water.
Here's half a runway covered in bottled water that the PR government never distributed.
I knew they were a US territory but I did not know that made you a citizen. I thought it meant that the US will defend you at war and would give you aid when necessary. Also I am not claiming to have any real knowledge on this subject, I clearly asked in the OP whether or not I was right. (it appears I was wrong). I just don't get how they are considered citizens when they are denied basic rights guaranteed to US citizens in the constitution.
this guy wrote a book on the territories which is mentioned in his article. It's a pretty good read.
Wasn't Trump shooting paper towel rolls out the back of a truck at them like it was basketball?... borderline mocking them. I know theres a gif out there.
damn...why wouldnt they distribute it?
caught me off guard to see a Puerto Rican refer to herself and her country as "American Citizens".
New York City is full of them. They can come and go as they please.
Recently droves of them moved to central Florida.
The Puerto Rican Campaign was an American military sea and land operation on the island of Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War. The offensive began on May 12, 1898, when the United States Navy attacked the capital, San Juan. Though the damage inflicted on the city was minimal, the Americans were able to establish a blockadein the city's harbor, San Juan Bay. On June 22, the cruiser Isabel II and the destroyer Terrordelivered a Spanish counterattack, but were unable to break the blockade and Terror was damaged.
We got it in 1898 in peace treaty.
Also got Phillipines at same treaty.
After ww2 we gave Phillipines independence.
they're essentially a third world country and will remain so forever.
Not like him. At all he was born here and grew up here. He's an American.
I mean say a man or woman leaves the country and moves to France, the uk, Germany...wherever...and never comes back. Then they have a family with someone from one of those countries and they stay there. The kid would be an American citizen because one parent is American, but they wouldn't consider themselves an American.
He would be what you are talking about from the Swedish POV though right?
He's never lived in Sweden but he competes for them cuz his mom was born there.


This book asks the fundamental question, how do we as individuals (and organizations), not only survive but thrive amid tremendous change? More, why are our efforts to improve continuing to fail despite the millions of dollars we spend in time, capital, and human effort every year? How do we combat all of this by unleashing the full measure of our creativity, talent, and energy in the midst of this pressure? Is it realistic to believe that we can find balance in our personal life, family life, and professional life?
Author Stephen R. Covey shows that the answer to these concerns is Principle-Centered Leadership; a long-term, inside-out approach to developing people and organizations. Covey tells that the key to dealing with the challenges that we face today is the recognition of a principle-centered core within not only each of us, but within our organizations. Covey offers insights and guidelines that demonstrate how we can apply these principles both at work and at home which will lead not only to an increase in our productivity and the quality of our work, but also to a new appreciation of the importance of establishing more personal and professional relationships as we strive to enjoy a more balance, more rewarding and ultimately more effective life.
"The 7 Habits encompass timeless principles that can help guide any company toward success." --Tony Hsieh, New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.


>>while the file tree is displayed.
>can safely turn off the player by holding OFF.
Next message: Martin Borus: "Re: Broken MP3 Recordings, Working Repair Util"
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In reply to: Bluechip: "Re: screwed up my box"


text:
Representative Wolf on COG, the State of Emergency and Congress' Failure to Comply With the Law
See here for hyperlinks:
In response to the call to action outlined in the article "To All Readers: Help Force Congress To Observe the Law on National Emergencies!!!" by Prof. Peter Dale Scott and former Rep. Dan Hamburg (D-CA), I emailed and faxed Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA), and Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA). In my letter I noted that former President Bush declared a "State of Emergency" on September 14, 2001 and continued it every year since then, and I asked why Congress has not yet met to "consider a vote on a joint resolution to determine whether that emergency shall be terminated", as Section 1622(b) of the National Emergencies Act requires them to do, every six months following such a declaration. I also asked if Congress, the Executive and the Judiciary are "operating according to the Constitution, or according to the rules of Continuity of Government", as the Continuity of Government procedures enacted on 9/11 have never been formally rescinded.
rm Sat, 03/28/2009 - 12:05am
'Freedom Tower' no more; PLUS 9/11 to be 'National Day of Service and Remembrance'
The local tabloids in New York were huffing and puffing on Friday over a decision by the Port Authority to call the eventual tower at the World Trade Center site simply '1 World Trade Center' rather than the 'Freedom Tower.' In relating reactions to the decision, the article in the NY Post made sure to quote Charles Burlingame's sister, Debra:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03272009/news/regionalnews/this_is_not_the_freedom_tower_161568.htm
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/26/2009-03-26_freedom_out_at_wtc_port_authority_says_t.html
And in other news, a funding bill for the Americorps national service program passed by the Senate has designated September 11 as a "National Day of Service and Remembrance":
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/03/27/2009-03-27_senate_oks_911_as_day_of_service.html
So let's all 'serve' on the anniversary with healthy servings of truth!
rm's blog
Sabrina Rivera Wed, 02/04/2009 - 1:00pm
Campaign To Save Lives
911 1st Responders
Sign Up On Our Email List For Updates HERE.
See Draft Letter HERE.
See Draft Phone Conversation HERE.
Sabrina Rivera's blog
GeorgeWashington Sat, 09/20/2008 - 11:01pm
We Have DAYS To Stop the $700 Billion Stick-Up (and Fascist Power Grab)
http://georgewashington2.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-have-days-to-stop-700-billion.html
Congress hopes to pass the $700 Billion bailout bill by Friday, according to an article in Bloomberg.
In case you haven't heard, the bill would not only stick up American taxpayers for an additional $700 billion, but would literally give Paulson and the government fascist powers.
Well, as the Bloomberg article notes: "The bill would bar courts from reviewing actions taken under its authority."
Bloomberg includes the following quotes by people who understand the significance of the bill:
It sounds like Paulson is asking to be a financial dictator, for a limited period of time,'' said historian John Steele Gordon . . . .
Sheila Casey Wed, 09/17/2008 - 10:30pm
The FBI is going to get away with pinning it on Ivins
Bruce Ivins
FBI Director
The FBI (Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity, ha!) was tasked by our shadow government overlords with finding a semi-plausible fall guy for the anthrax attacks of 2001. These overlords engineered both the attacks of 9/11, and the anthrax attacks that followed, to create a pretext for a police state in the USA, as well as a semi-plausible pretext for invading Afghanistan and Iraq.
The FBI has pinned it on the late Dr. Bruce Ivins, but almost nobody believes it. For the past two days FBI director Mueller, looking like the cat that ate the canary, has been appearing before the Senate and House to answer questions.
Glenn Greenwald wrote about both events in Salon. Based on his account, I feel certain that the FBI is going to get away with it.
http://www.sheilacasey.com/2008/09/the-fbi-is-going-to-get-away-with-pinning-it-on-ivins.html
Sheila Casey's blog
Alvin R Sat, 08/02/2008 - 9:46am
Beltway Bacchanal: Congress lives high on the contributor's dime
Excellent piece, well-worth reading. Shows what we are up against. Alvin
Try to list the stakes at play in the congressional elections this fall, and one might settle on health care, taxes, immigration, Iraq. Seldom considered, though, is an issue of more direct importance to the members of Congress themselves: Which party will get to live more lushly in the nation's capital, where those who control the levers of legislation also command the most and best perks? Washington by and large is a restrained, workaday sort of town, its residents not known for high living; but a significant exception can always be found among the denizens of Capitol Hill, and especially among the legislators who command a majority there. For this convivial crew and its hangers-on, the most pressing matter to be decided on Election Day is, as ever, whether they can hold on to that majority and all its accompanying boons.
The most lavish benefit of winning a congressional campaign is, ironically enough, the right to keep on campaigning—and therefore to keep raising and spending donor money.
GeorgeWashington Wed, 07/30/2008 - 5:01pm
Congress Should Rescind the State of Emergency Declared by Bush
http://georgewashington2.blogspot.com/2008/07/congress-should-rescind-state-of.html
The White House suspended the Constitution and implemented Continuity of Government Plans on 9/11, based upon a declared state of national emergency. Bush has continually renewed the declared state of emergency up until today. See this.
The White House has done everything it could to scare people and convince them that America is under attack, as a way to justify the yearly renewal of the declared state of emergency and the continuing unconstitutional seizure of power by the executive branch.
But Congress has the power to revoke the state of emergency.
constitutional911 Fri, 07/25/2008 - 2:04am
Flight carrying members of Congress makes emergency landing
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080722_tj_congressplane.7f4faa58.html
12:43 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
By Courtney Zubowski, Michelle Homer, Mark Greenblatt / 11 News
HOUSTON -- A Continental Airlines flight carrying seven members of Congress from Houston to Washington was forced to make an emergency landing after it lost cabin pressure Tuesday afternoon.
Flight 458 was bound for Reagan National Airport, but was diverted and landed safely in New Orleans, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Ted Poe told 11 News.
Poe and fellow Texas Congressmen Nick Lampson, Ron Paul, John Carter, Ciro Rodriguez, Solomon Ortiz and Henry Cuellar were aboard the flight, said Poe's press secretary DeeAnn Thigpen.
Ironically, the seven congressmen were trying to get back in time for a Tuesday night vote on an aviation safety bill, a spokesman for one of the representatives said.
There were 118 people total aboard the plane, Continental spokeswoman Julie King said.
Continental Airlines said the problem was caused by a sudden loss in cabin pressure.
constitutional911's blog
loose nuke Tue, 07/22/2008 - 1:32pm
US seeks to link bin Laden driver to 9/11 attacks (Hamdan says Congress was a target)
Salim Hamdan
Salim Hamdan confirms what many have suspected; Flight 93's target was Congress, not the White House. God bless those on 93; they may have saved the Constitution and the People from total destruction; if Congress had been taken out, COG would have been in full effect immediately, with the entire US a battlefield in the war of terror. Did Flight 77 make a loop cuz they couldn't decide whether to hit Congress or the Pentagon first?
"Salim Hamdan, the first prisoner to face a U.S. war-crimes trial since World War II, heard bin Laden say the plane was heading for "the dome," an apparent reference to the U.S. Capitol, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Stone."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlkUMaokG6I7flYKGhlBfsW9qP9wD9231MG82
US seeks to link bin Laden driver to 9/11 attacks
By MIKE MELIA – 50 minutes ago
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — A former driver for Osama bin Laden knew the target of the fourth hijacked plane on Sept. 11, a prosecutor said Tuesday as he sought to undercut defense arguments that the Guantanamo prisoner was a low-level employee of the terrorist leader.
GeorgeWashington Mon, 07/21/2008 - 11:23am
Nancy Pelosi, How Do You Plead?
http://georgewashington2.blogspot.com/2008/07/nancy-pelosi-how-do-you-plead.html
Nancy Pelosi was secretly briefed on torture many, many years ago, and yet did nothing to stop those unlawful programs. Indeed, she egged the torturers on.
As the Washington Post revealed:
Congressional Hearing To Examine "Bush Imperial Presidency"
Soooo... they're going to talk about some of the bad things this administration has done (clearly not all), and do... nothing? Unacceptable. - Jon
In a release Thursday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) announced he will hold a hearing July 25 examining "the imperial presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses."
The word "impeachment" was not mentioned in the announcement, but it appears the hearing is going to examine issues raised by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in his resolution to impeach Bush. A Judiciary Committee spokesman tells RAW STORY Kucinich will testify at the hearing.
garkoblog Tue, 07/01/2008 - 9:25am
Vital Message To Congress From "We The People"
redress of wrongs
http://givemliberty.org/revolution
http://meetthetruthers.com/victorysong.html
garkoblog's blog
loose nuke Thu, 06/26/2008 - 3:40pm
"We Can't Afford to Let Them Spill the Beans" (Sibel Edmonds on Marc Grossman) by Gary Leupp
gary leupp
Mahmoud Ahmad
marc grossmnan
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/01/%e2%80%9cwe-can%e2%80%99t-afford-to-let-them-spill-the-beans%e2%80%9d/
"We Can't Afford to Let Them Spill the Beans"
Sibel Edmonds on Marc Grossman
by Gary Leupp / January 28th, 2008
I am not one to easily embrace conspiracy theories, and in particular have found the idea that 9-11 was somehow an inside job too incredible for serious consideration. On the other hand, there are some very fishy aspects to some officials' behavior pertaining to the attacks. Justin Raimondo has made a very good case for the fact that Mossad agents posing as "Israeli art students" were tracking al-Qaeda operatives in the U.S. before 9/11.
War, stemming from 9/11, is eroding our rights (letter to the editor)
delmarva media
Letter to the editor about the spineless/toady Congress giving immunity and broad, mostly unchecked powers to spy on Americans to the same public servants who ignored and failed to prevent the 9/11 terror attacks numerous advisors were warning them were going to happen.
first, a link about PatriotsQuestion911.com from 911Research.WTC7.net
http://911research.wtc7.net/essays/patriots_question/index.html
As far as I know, 911Summary.com is better vetted for those "kookorspooks" in the truth movement, who may not be "patriots" at all.
Highly-Credible People Question 9/11
http://www.911summary.com/
Here's the letter, pasted in full:
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/OPINION03/806240360/-1/newsfront2
Among people who have examined the evidence of 9/11 thoroughly, there is little doubt the story created by the government for mass consumption is a gigantic fraud.
Scholars, engineers, architects, pilots and intelligence professionals have gone on the record exposing the lies, as seen at http://patriots question911.com.
But that is not what this letter is about.
constitutional911 Tue, 04/29/2008 - 11:17am
151 Congressmen Profit From War
American Free Press : http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/151_congressmen_derive_financi.html
http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=8694
Who profits from the Iraq war? More than a quarter of senators and congressmen have invested at least $196 million of their own money in companies doing business with the Department of Defense (DoD) that profit from the death and destruction in Iraq.
According to the latest reports, 151 members of Congress invested close to a quarter-billion in companies that received defense contracts of at least $5 million in 2006. These companies got more than $275.6 billion from the government in 2006, or $755 million per day, according to FedSpending.org, a website of the watchdog group OMBWatch.
http://fedspending.org/


Hi. How to install Camunda Community Edition with Grails 3? Can I use the grails plugin here: https://grails.org/plugins/search?q=camunda. I didn't see a recent update for the plugin. Can I still use it. If no, what are others alternatives to use Camunda with Grails 3? I am new to the whole Java world(Grails, Camunda, Maven).Any suggestion is welcome. Thank you.


Botox is most preferred cosmetic procedure in the world. Botox are prescription medicines that are injected into muscles and are used to improve the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines), forehead, around the eyes (crow's feet), and areas near the mouth and neck. Injection of these medicines into the small muscles temporarily relaxes these muscles, thereby improving the appearance of wrinkles. This is temporary, and re-injection is generally necessary within 3 to 6 months to maintain the botox effect. This treatment is incredibly effective at reducing the prominence of dynamic skin lines.


text:
Thyroid Hormone Production and Function
The thyroid gland uses iodine from food to make two thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). It also stores these thyroid hormones and releases them as they are needed. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which are located in the brain, help control the thyroid gland. The hypothalamus releases…
Current as of: November 6, 2018
Medical Review:Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
The thyroid gland uses iodine from food to make two thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). It also stores these thyroid hormones and releases them as they are needed. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which are located in the brain, help control the thyroid gland. The hypothalamus releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), which stimulates the pituitary gland to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). When the hypothalamus and pituitary are working normally, they sense when:
Thyroid hormone levels are low, so they secrete more TRH and TSH, which stimulates the thyroid to make more hormones.
Thyroid hormone levels are too high, so they secrete less TRH and TSH, which reduces hormone production by the thyroid.
Disease or tumors of the pituitary gland can affect this process.
See a picture of thyroid hormone production.
Thyroid hormones affect every cell and all the organs of the body. They:
Regulate the rate at which calories are burned, affecting weight loss or weight gain.
Can slow down or speed up the heartbeat.
Can raise or lower body temperature.
Influence the rate at which food moves through the digestive tract.
Control the way muscles contract.
Control the rate at which dying cells are replaced.
Current as ofNovember 6, 2018
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Thyroid Hormone Production


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← Video Verdict: 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'
Video Verdict: 'The Tree of Life,' 'Horrible Bosses,' 'Green Lantern,' 'Judy Moody,' 'Zookeeper' →
Video Verdict: 'Fast Five,' 'Scream 4,' 'African Cats'
Emma Roberts stars in "Scream 4," a revival of director Wes Craven's popular horror franchise.
This week's home video releases are anchored by the latest entries to a couple well-known franchises.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language
The "Fast and the Furious" movies have never been the benchmark for cinematic quality, but expertly staged action sequences and a likable cast have helped them achieve an impressive box office run. Now a decade old, the series is still relevant and, surprisingly, getting better.
"Fast Five" is set immediately after the events of 2009's "Fast & Furious," and it is easily the best movie of the franchise. The action starts with former FBI agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and his girlfriend, Mia (Jordana Brewster), leading a crew of drivers in pursuit of a prison bus. Their objective? Freeing Mia's brother, Dominic (Vin Diesel).
Because this is a "Fast and the Furious" movie, Brian and Mia mount a spectacular vehicular rescue, complete with a magnificent crash sequence. The next time viewers see them, they're on the lam in Rio de Janiero.
Strapped for cash, the group gets caught up in an elaborate car heist that goes bad, leaving them at odds not only with the U.S. government but a powerful Brazilian crime lord. As the plot thickens, viewers are introduced to Lucas Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), a no-nonsense Diplomatic Security Service agent intent on bringing Brian and Dominic to justice. But "Fast Five" is not a simple cat-and-mouse game. Although Dominic and his crew are wanted by virtually everyone, they decide running isn't an option. Instead, they plan a stupendously dangerous heist that will bring in enough money to allow them to "disappear."
The movie plays out like "Ocean's Eleven" on steroids and brings in a number of players from past "Fast and the Furious" films. These include Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang and Matt Schulze.
The movie's many action sequences are broken up by just enough plot to keep things interesting, and director Justin Lin's handling of the material is smooth and satisfying. "Fast Five" is by no means a great film. The stunts are too over-the-top and the characters too silly for a claim like that. Still, there's a joy in watching these players push automobiles to limits that are only possible at the movies.
"Fast Five" is available on multiple home video releases, all of which include extended and theatrical cuts of the feature. Other DVD and Blu-ray extras include a gag reel, bits on key characters and an
audio commentary by Lin.
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking
In 1996, director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson revitalized the horror genre with "Scream," a new-breed slasher flick marked by smart, self-aware dialogue and a talented, young cast. The film spawned two sequels – released in 1997 and 2000 – that were less successful artistically but made millions at the box office.
After letting the series sit for a decade, Craven and Williamson decided it was time to revisit their "Scream" characters (at least those that survived the first three movies) and update the story for a new generation. The result is mixed.
"Scream 4" bares all the hallmarks of the original series. Although this is probably reassuring for hard-core fans, it's the film's biggest liability. In 1996, it was inventive and funny to focus on characters so aware of the horror genre that they could actively speculate on their own fates. In 2011, that's less appealing … in large part because the original "Scream" did it so well. In other words, "Scream 4" is a victim of its own legacy.
The movie allows Neve Campbell to revive her portrayal of Sidney Prescott, a woman who survived a series of serial killer attacks in the original films. In "Scream 4," Sidney returns to her hometown after a long absence and, like clockwork, local coeds fall victim to gruesome murders. Along with Campbell's return, David Arquette reprises his role as small-town lawman and Courteney Cox is back as former journalist Gale Weathers. "Scream 4" is not, however, a slasher flick for old-timers. The movie features a host of young talent, including Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere.
The movie has a reasonable number of twists, turns and scares, not to mention a nice sense of nostalgia. Still, there's no escaping the fact that we've seen all of this before and that it was better the first time around.
DVD and Blu-ray extras include a making-of featurette, an alternate opening, an extended ending, a gag reel and a collection of deleted and extended scenes.
Rated G
Available on: DVD/Blu-ray combo pack, digital download and on demand
Disneynature's latest release is a beautifully produced, 90-minute documentary that focuses on a handful of creatures living on the African savanna. Viewers are treated to breathtaking images of a variety of animals, but it's a cheetah named Sita and two competing lion prides that receive most of the attention.
The film follows Sita as she raises her cubs, and it shows the lion prides as they patrol, hunt and face off against one another. As with many nature documentaries, the narration – delivered skillfully by Samuel L. Jackson – personifies the animals. This, of course, is scientifically questionable, but it ties the film together in a nice dramatic arc that is suitable for children. Rather than simply provide footage and dry facts about these great African beasts, the filmmakers – led by directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey – weave a tale of familial bonding and survival.
This is all enjoyable, but the real star of the show is the cinematography. The film crew gathered incredible close-up footage of the lions and cheetahs doing everything from hunting and playing to facing off against crocodiles. The movie also does a nice job demonstrating the precarious nature of the world these creatures live in. Lions may be portrayed as kings, but "African Cats" demonstrates that a well-timed kick from a zebra can prove deadly.
"African Cats" is less ambitious in scope than Fothergill's documentary series "Planet Earth," which is getting a home video re-release this week (see below), but it is extremely well crafted and has an ideal run time for the family audience that Disneynature targets.
DVD and Blu-ray extras include behind-the-scenes footage, stories from the filmmakers, a Jordin Sparks music video and a feature on wildlife conservation efforts sponsored by Disney.
"Planet Earth" Special Edition and Limited Collector's Edition: The BBC is delivering two revamped editions of the "Planet Earth" documentary series. Originally aired on the Discovery Channel in 2007, the show – produced by Alistair Fothergill – became an instant hit thanks to its stunning footage of our natural world. These new releases feature more than three hours of never-before-available content, including a sneak peak at Fothergill's next project, "Frozen Planet."
"Buck": Documentary film about Buck Brannaman, who moved past an abusive childhood to become a world-class horse trainer and one of the real-life inspirations for author Nicholas Evans' "The Horse Whisperer." Directed by Cindy Meehl.
"Submarine": Independent dramedy about a teen boy (Craig Roberts) who is determined to both lose his virginity and reconcile his parents' marriage. Paddy Considine, Sally Hawkins, Yasmin Paige and Noah Taylor also star. Directed by Richard Ayoade.
"The Lion King": The impressive box office performance of Disney's theatrical run of "The Lion King" 3D proves there's still a huge audience for this 1994 animated feature. Now, fans can pick from several home video releases, including a four-disc Blu-ray combo pack that includes Blu-ray 3D, standard Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies of the feature. Big fans can also purchase "The Lion King" Trilogy boxed set, which includes everything listed above plus Blu-ray and DVD copies of "The Lion King 1½" and "The Lion King 2."
"Beauty and the Beast": Along with "The Lion King," Disney is delivering a new five-disc release of its 1991 animated hit "Beauty and the Beast." The impressive set includes Blu-ray 3D, standard Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies of the film.
"In Treatment" – Season Three: A new batch of episodes from the ABC drama about the trials and tribulations of middle-aged psychologist Dr. Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne). Debra Winger, Amy Ryan, Irrfan Khan and Dane DeHaan also star.
"Bored to Death" – The Complete Second Season: Eight episodes of the HBO comedy about a noir-obsessed writer (Jason Schwartzman) who moonlights as a detective. Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson also star.
Alfred Hitchcock – The Essentials Collection: With Halloween coming, Universal decided it was a good time to release a boxed set of Hitchcock classics. Each of the included films – "Rear Window," "Vertigo," "North By Northwest," "Psycho" and "The Birds" – are already available on DVD, but this marks the first time they've been packaged together.
"Casper the Friendly Ghost" Collector's Edition: This new release from Shout Factory includes all 81 of the Casper cartoons created between 1945 and 1963. There are also a number of extra features, including audio commentary tracks by a variety of Casper experts.
"Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" – Season 2: All 20 episodes from the second season of writer-director-actor Tyler Perry's sitcom about a family of grown adults living together in Dacatur, Georgia. The series stars the husband-and-wife team of David and Tamela Mann.
Miramax classics from Lionsgate: The home video division at Lionsgate is rolling five critically acclaimed Miramax films to Blu-ray. The lineup is anchored by the Quentin Tarantino movies "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown" and director Lasse Hallstrom's "The Cider House Rules." Also out are the Academy Award-winning foreign films "Life is Beautiful" and "Cinema Paradiso."
– Forrest Hartman is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation's largest publications. E-mail him at forrest@forresthartman.com.
Tagged as African Cats, Alastair Fothergill, Blu-ray, Blu-ray reviews, Blu-rays, Coureney Cox, David Arquette, DVD reviews, DVDs, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, entertainment, Fast Five, film, film reviews, films, Forrest Hartman, Hayden Panettiere, home video, Jordana Brewster, Justin Lin, Keith Scholey, Kevin Williamson, Ludacris, Matt Schulze, Movie Reviews, movies, Neve Campbell, Paul Walker, Planet Earth, reviews, Samuel L. Jackson, Scream, Scream 4, Sung Kang, The Fast and the Furious, Tyrese Gibson, Video Verdict, Vin Diesel, Wes Craven


What is Open Eau Claire?
Open Eau Claire is an initiative focused on collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to give prospective and current students an inside look into the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire courses and organizations for free.
The principle objective of this course is to investigate the US foreign policy-making process and debate the best foreign policies that the US should adopt.
Responsibility and liability for the content of these pages lies solely with the individual site owners. Statements expressed on these pages do not necessarily represent those of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Comments related to the contents of these pages should be directed to the individual site owner.


Facebook pulled the page of Chinese dissident blogger and journalist Zhao Jing because he posted under an alias, Michael Anti, violating the site's rules. But he thinks this violates his right to express himself on the site.
Facebook pulled the page of Chinese dissident blogger and journalist Zhao Jing because he posted under an alias, Michael Anti, violating the site's rules. But he thinks this violates his right to express himself on the site.
Facebook company officials told him he must use the name listed on his government ID, as part of the company's policy that no pseudonyms are permitted on the popular social networking site. However, Jing claims that he is well known as Michael Anti, and that in denying him access to his profile, Facebook is also denying him access to nearly a thousand Chinese academics, professionals and friends who rely on his online commentary.
Anti, a journalist who has won fellowships at both Harvard and Cambridge University, said the policy prevents journalists who need to operate under pseudonyms the ability to propagate views that are unpopular with the governments of the nations they are criticizing. According to Zhao, there is a tradition of Chinese writers with anti-governmental views to take on pen names to avoid governmental and police prosecution. Dissidents around the world have taken issue with Facebook's policy in the past.
"I'm really, really angry. I can't function using my Chinese name. Today, I found out that Zuckerberg's dog has a Facebook account. My journalistic work and academic work is more real than a dog," he told Associated Press.
Facebook has always been based on a real name culture. We fundamentally believe this leads to greater accountability and a safer and more trusted environment for people who use the service. This view point has been developed by our own research and in consultation with a number of safety and child protection experts.
And while Jing Zhao might have a valid point that there are others out there who need Facebook as a platform to air unpopular views — in his case, his cover is blown — I think even the Chinese government now knows that Michael Anti and Jing Zhao are one in the same.
What do you think about Jing Zhao's complaint?


If there is something most people hate to do it may be cleaning a stain, especially if it is on sofa, armchair, or other item, that is impossible to cram in the laundry machine.... Professional cleaning services can be a bit expensive so knowing some helpful tips on how to clean upholstery can be handy to furniture owners. Stains are easy to remove when attended to at once. Spills may not cause permanent damage when blotted with clean and absorbent cloth.
A-Z Stain Removal Guide Over 100 Pages Of Instructions For Removing Stains This stain removal guide, which is a collection of individual instruction pages organized in alphabetical order, is your one-stop source for removing stains of all types and varieties.... 21/08/2017 · Remove vomit stains. If someone gets carsick in your vehicle and vomits on the seat or the floor, clean it up as soon as possible to prevent it from setting into the upholstery.
How to Remove Wood Stain Spills from Upholstery The same cleaning techniques and solutions for carpet can be used for upholstery. It is important to be careful not to over wet the fabric which can cause damage to the upholstery filling.... The transformation was pretty incredible, because I really thought I was not going to get the seat looking that good. I even got out a milk stain that a professional carpet cleaner was not able to remove a couple of years ago.It was not perfect, but those were OLD stains and some were even greasy tough stains.
Finding a grease stain on your upholstery is a disheartening sight. The oily nature of grease makes removal seem impossible. Whether the grease stain is on your sofa, dining room chair or even on your car upholstery, take comfort in knowing that it does not have to be permanent.... In addition to deep cleaning and minor stain removal, the steam's high temperature will thoroughly disinfect the area and eliminates mold, mildew and mites from upholstered chairs. Steam cleaning can also eliminate a bed bug infestation in your upholstered furniture.
Stains to your car's interior can take away from the overall look and finish. The good news is that you can easily remove unpleasant stains from your car's interior without doing any more damage.
There is nothing better than putting your feet up on your sofa or recliner after a hard day's work. However, the downside is that after a while, this can lead to the upholstery becoming grubby and worn.
Zana Dodig is a window treatment and upholstery expert with over 20 years of industry experience. She has designed window treatments and upholstery for prestigious homes and condominiums and loves creating stunning window treatments.
Lots of family life centres around our sofas and chairs, so they can easily become stained and dusty over time. Even if there is not a specific upholstery stain that needs treating, sofas should be cleaned regularly so that they remain fresh-smelling and are cosy places to relax.


Welcome to Candle Making for Beginners. It's the section of our web site dedicated to helping new candle makers understand the products and processes required to make candles.
If you just want to make candles as a craft project, this section can help you too. Just select one of the candle making kits, follow the instructions and you'll be on your way to making unique candles for your craft project. The kits are a great way to learn to make candles. They also make great gifts.
IMPORTANT: Because this section is designed for beginners, it does not include all of the various methods that can be used to make candles. We have deliberately simplified the processes to help people get started. For more detailed information and instructions about our products, please browse our candlemaking supplies pages.
Need Advice? Just fill out the Ask Chandler form, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Chandler is Candlewic's Mascot, but do you know how he became a friend to the candle making community and Candlewic's most senior employee? Many of you may recognize Chandler from boxes used for shipping merchandise or seeing his picture on letterhead or in catalogs. Chandler now has a new assignment. Promoted to Assistant for Candle Making Education or ASCME, Chandler will be a guide and resource primarily for those new to candle making as well as those candle makers who may need help from time to time.
Chandler's involvement in candle making dates back to the early seventies when the founders of Candlewic, Betty and Bill Binder, were traveling in California. Attending an art show, they met an unknown artist and cartoonist named Charles Schultz who had more than he could handle with a dog and a bunch of kids. Mr. Schultz suggested to Betty and Bill that they hire Chandler. After giving the suggestion some thought, Betty and Bill agreed knowing they would need help with their new company, Candlewic. Of course it was good for Mr. Schultz also, because it would free up his time so he could pay more attention to his dog and kids. Chandler wants to hear from you via email. He can be reached at info@candlewic.com. Please write: Attn: Chandler in the subject line. Please, no phone calls.
6 Responses to "How to Make Candles, Candlemaking Instructions, and Product Recommendations"
Unfortunately, we do not have a video. But we did feature how to make the snowball candles in a past issue of our Enlightener which can be found in the link below for "View Candle Making Newsletter Back Issues".
When making a gel candle and considering scent, what exactly do you mean by 1-3% scent? Also, I've read not to use essential oils for candle making, what scent/oils will burn best for gel candles?
The 1-3% refers to the amount of the candle component. For example, if mixing a 100 pound batch and you have 1% fragrance load of the 100 pounds, 1lb would be fragrance and the 99 pounds would be gel. If 3% fragrance load it would be 3 pounds of fragrance and 97 pounds of gel. In a smaller scale it can be difficult to effectively weigh these out but generally if mixing in a 4lb pound pouring pot and you want a 3% fragrance load it would be 1.92 ounces of fragrance and 62.08 ounces of gel. Definitely DO NOT use essential oil with gel wax.
Wick sizing is always the biggest challenge to making candles. The type and melt point of the wax you are using, the diameter of the finished candle and even the color/fragrance can be a variable in determining the proper wick. Using the proper wick will reduce the smoking, sooting and other negative properties of the candle burning. The chart below can serve as a starting point to determine which wick will work properly in your application.
In addition the article in our Newsletter can also help you choose the proper wick.


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The original item was published from 11/18/2016 12:51:46 PM to 1/4/2017 12:00:00 AM.
[ARCHIVED] AMERICAN TENNIS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION (ATEF) GETS MOU AFFIRMED FOR TENNIS HALL OF FAME
City of Miramar Elected Officials passed a vote of confidence in support of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Miramar and the American Tennis & Education Foundation, Inc.(ATEF), a Florida Not-for-Profit Corporation and Member Club of the American Tennis Association.
The non-binding MOU lays the foundation of the ATEF's unsolicited proposal that includes locating the ATEF National Tennis Center, Tennis Hall of Fame Museum, and a Hotel at Miramar Regional Park (16801 Miramar Parkway). This project would be inclusive of an American Tennis Association (ATA)/ATEF Administrative Office and a National Training and Competition Facility subject to City zoning and other applicable rules and regulations.
The MOU was requested as a progressive step to memorializing an outline on the project's scope, anticipated construction, funding schedules, and estimated costs during a Commission workshop on July 6, 2016.
"The potential prospects of Miramar to be the home of the American Tennis Association and Black Tennis Museum is amazing. This development is consistent with the expansion of cultural tourism in Broward County and the vision of making Miramar a destination city, while offering access to the highest level of tennis training to our Miramar community. Our Commission is committed to the thorough vetting of this opportunity and looks forward to the formal proposal," stated City of Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam.
For the best in Sports and Cultural Entertainment……. It's Right Here in Miramar.®
About the American Tennis & Education Foundation
The ATA, founded in 1916 in Washington, D.C., is a 100-year old sports organization. The ATEF is a registered 501C-3 organization that serves as the non-profit organization of the ATA with 10,000 thousand members across the Country and 200 tennis clubs affiliated and encompassing those members, thousands of supporters and a history of promoting participation in tennis by diverse communities.


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Q: Phonetic translation from Latin (English, German) to Arabic I read a few papers about machine translation but did not understand them well.
The language models (in Google translate) use phonetics and machine learning as best as I can tell.
My question then becomes is it possible to convert an Arabic word that is phonetically spelled in English to translate the users intended Arabic word?
For instance the word 'Hadith' is an English phonetic of the Arabic word 'حديث'.  Can I programmatically go from 'Hadith' to Arabic?

A: Thanks the Wiki article, there's an entire field of work in the area of Transliteration.  There was a Google API for this that was deprecated in 2011 and moved to the Google Input Tools service.
The simplest answer is Buck Walter Transliteration but at first glace a 1:1 mapping doesn't seem like a good enough idea.
I am going to try to see if there's a way to hack the Google Input tools and call it even at CLI level because their online demo works very well

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: I cannot embed jquery within my html Good day,
I do not know what to do with the scripts below - they are two possible solutions to creating up/down arrows (or plus minus icons) to a Bootstrap Accordion. I understand that whichever I use needs to be surrounded by   tags, but no combinations I have tried are giving me the desired result.
Please can you show me EXACTLY what needs to go before each chunk of script, and what needs to follow ie if I were looking at the source code of my page what would I be seeing where the jquery is concerned?
Alternatively, if I save each script as a .js file, what additional commands need to be included in the .js file.
Thanks very much in advance.
function toggleChevron(e) {
$(e.target)
    .prev('.panel-heading')
    .find("i.indicator")
    .toggleClass('glyphicon-chevron-down glyphicon-chevron-up');
}
$('#accordion').on('hidden.bs.collapse', toggleChevron);
$('#accordion').on('shown.bs.collapse', toggleChevron);

and
$('.collapse').on('shown.bs.collapse', function(){
$(this).parent().find(".glyphicon-plus").removeClass("glyphicon-plus").addClass("glyphicon-minus");
}).on('hidden.bs.collapse', function(){
$(this).parent().find(".glyphicon-minus").removeClass("glyphicon-minus").addClass("glyphicon-plus");
});


The ICO's Data Protection Practitioners' Conference 2018 took place on Monday 9 April at the Manchester Central Conference Centre.
Moritz Godel presented LE research carried out last year for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the benefits of personal data rights under the GDPR. The work on produced two important insights: the existence, rather than the exercise, of rights matters to consumers; and fines are the most valuable new element of GDPR for consumers.
The research used a choice experiment to overcome the well-known problem that consumers' stated preferences for enhanced data protection are often at odds with observed behaviour, where consumers are typically happy to share data as part of normal commercial transactions.
The findings make sense when we consider data breaches as a cost imposed on consumers by companies and fines as a way to make companies bear the true cost. That data protection law functions in this way is consistent with the evidence that consumer trust bounces back after companies experience data breaches.
Recognising the role of data protection law in supporting the digital economy through accountability paves the way for more effective trust-building measures by businesses and regulators.


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