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Divergence, Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem and Laplacian
Laplacian is an interesting object that initially was invented in multivariate calculus and field theory, but its generalizations arise in multiple areas of applied mathematics, from computer vision to spectral graph theory and from differential geometry to homologies. In this post I am going to explain the intuition behind Laplacian, which requires the introduction of the notion of divergence first. I'll also touch the famous Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem.
In the late XVIII - early XIX centuries great mathematicians, such as Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Carl Friedrich Gauss and others were laying the foundations of modern physics. One of the most notable problems, they were studying, was heat transfer. The mathematical methods, developed in order to solve it, such as multivariate calculus and Fourier analysis are invaluable and are now ubiquitous in applied mathematics.
Throughout this post I will be using examples from heat transfer and diffusion problems as a motivation to explain the intuition behind mathematical concepts.
In order to introduce the concept of Laplacian, I have to introduce the notion of divergence first, as Laplacian is its special case. After we have dealt with divergence, the properties of Laplacian will become obvious.
The notion of divergence in multivariate calculus has 2 very different definitions: conceptual and technical.
Their equivalence is not trivial to see, and I'll dedicate a whole separate section below to prove it.
Conceptual definition
Conceptually, divergence of a vector field F⃗\vec{F}F at some point is the integral of flow of that vector field over an infinitesimal closed contour with area SSS and volume VVV around that point.
∇⋅F(x,y,z)=limS,V→0\oiintS1∣V∣F(x,y,z)\nabla \cdot F(x,y,z) = \lim \limits_{S, V \to 0} \oiint \limits_S \frac{1}{|V|} F(x,y,z)∇⋅F(x,y,z)=S,V→0limS∬∣V∣1F(x,y,z)
Technical definition
Technically, divergence of a vector field F⃗\vec{F}F is a sum of its partial derivatives of the vector field coordinates: ∇⋅F(x,y,z)=∂Fxx+∂Fyy+∂Fyz\nabla \cdot F(x,y,z) = \frac{\partial F_x}{x} + \frac{\partial F_y}{y} + \frac{\partial F_y}{z}∇⋅F(x,y,z)=x∂Fx+y∂Fy+z∂Fy.
Note that F⃗\vec{F}F is a vector field, not a scalar field. So, divergence is not just a dot product of gradient by (1,1,1) vector, as the notation abuse might suggest.
Proof of equivalence of conceptual and technical definitions
Say, our infinitesimal surface, surrounding the given point (x,y,z)(x,y,z)(x,y,z) is a cube, with edges aligned with the coordinate vectors, so that edge of length dxdxdx is parallel to xxx axis, dydydy is parallel to yyy axis and dzdzdz is parallel to zzz axis.
As cube is small, we can assume the flow over each of its faces equal to the area of that face, multiplied by flow through its center.
Divergence, according to conceptual definition, would be the total flow through all 6 faces of the cube. I will denote a part of total divergence, corresponding to the flow through the pair of faces, orthogonal to the axis xxx, as ∇x⋅F(x,y,z)\nabla_x \cdot F(x,y,z)∇x⋅F(x,y,z). Thus, the total divergence equals ∇⋅F(x,y,z)=∇x⋅F(x,y,z)+∇y⋅F(x,y,z)+∇z⋅F(x,y,z)\nabla \cdot F(x,y,z) = \nabla_x \cdot F(x,y,z) + \nabla_y \cdot F(x,y,z) + \nabla_z \cdot F(x,y,z)∇⋅F(x,y,z)=∇x⋅F(x,y,z)+∇y⋅F(x,y,z)+∇z⋅F(x,y,z).
Let us calculate the divergence through the two faces, orthogonal to xxx axis:
∇xF(x,y,z)=1V(Fx(x+dx2,y,z)−Fx(x−dx2,y,z))⋅S=1dx⋅dy⋅dz(Fx(x+dx2,y,z)−Fx(x−dx2,y,z))⋅dy⋅dz=\nabla_x F(x, y, z) = \frac{1}{V} (F_x(x+\frac{dx}{2}, y, z) - F_x(x-\frac{dx}{2}, y, z)) \cdot S = \frac{1}{dx \cdot dy \cdot dz} (F_x(x+\frac{dx}{2}, y, z) - F_x(x-\frac{dx}{2}, y, z)) \cdot dy \cdot dz =∇xF(x,y,z)=V1(Fx(x+2dx,y,z)−Fx(x−2dx,y,z))⋅S=dx⋅dy⋅dz1(Fx(x+2dx,y,z)−Fx(x−2dx,y,z))⋅dy⋅dz=
=1dx⋅dy⋅dzFx′(x,y,z)⋅dx⋅dy⋅dz=Fx′(x,y,z) = \frac{1}{dx \cdot dy \cdot dz} F_x'(x, y ,z) \cdot dx \cdot dy \cdot dz = F_x'(x, y ,z)=dx⋅dy⋅dz1Fx′(x,y,z)⋅dx⋅dy⋅dz=Fx′(x,y,z)
So, the total divergence is:
∇F(x,y,z)=∇xF(x,y,z)+∇yF(x,y,z)+∇zF(x,y,z)=Fx′(x,y,z)+Fy′(x,y,z)+Fz′(x,y,z)\nabla F(x, y, z) = \nabla_x F(x, y, z) + \nabla_y F(x, y, z) + \nabla_z F(x, y, z) = F_x'(x, y ,z) + F_y'(x, y ,z) + F_z'(x, y ,z)∇F(x,y,z)=∇xF(x,y,z)+∇yF(x,y,z)+∇zF(x,y,z)=Fx′(x,y,z)+Fy′(x,y,z)+Fz′(x,y,z)
We see that conceptual definition converged to the technical definition.
Invariance of divergence to coordinate change
We chose our infinitesimal cube so, that its edges are aligned in parallel to the coordinate axes.
However, divergence would not change, if we chose the directions differently.
Indeed, note that divergence is the trace of Jacobian matrix, and trace is invariant to similarity transformations (such as rotation of coordinates).
To show this fact, first show that tr(A⋅B)=tr(B⋅A)tr(A \cdot B) = tr(B \cdot A)tr(A⋅B)=tr(B⋅A) by direct calculation and from this it follows that tr(BAB−1)=tr(AB−1B)=tr(A)tr(B A B^{-1}) = tr(A B^{-1} B) = tr(A)tr(BAB−1)=tr(AB−1B)=tr(A).
Why this works for non-rectangular surfaces?
Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem
Gauss-Ostrogradsky theorem basically states that you can calculate flow of the vector field through a macroscopic closed surface as an integral of divergence over the volume, confined in that surface.
It is proved by application of same discussion, as we employed for infinitesimal surface/volume (just split the whole macroscopic volume into these infinitesimal pieces).
Laplacian
Laplacian follows from divergence in one simple step.
Suppose that instead of a vector fields F⃗\vec{F}F you have a scalar field VVV. For instance, instead of flow of matter, you have a distribution of temperature or concentration over a volume.
Well, we can get a vector field out of that scalar field easily: just find the gradient of the scalar field and use it as the vector field.
The operator ∇⋅∇V(x,y,z)=ΔV(x,y,z)\nabla \cdot \nabla V(x,y,z) = \Delta V(x,y,z)∇⋅∇V(x,y,z)=ΔV(x,y,z) is called Laplacian.
Being a divergence, Laplacian is invariant to the change of basis as well (by the way, it is the trace of Hessian).
Applications outside multivariate calculus and field theory
There are several discrete analogues of the continuous Laplacian that are used in various fields of computer science.
Discrete Laplace operator in computer vision for edge detection
Discrete version of Laplace operator is a convolutional filter, used in computer vision for edge detection. In 2D case it is a 3-by-3 matrix of the following structure:
L=(0−10−14−10−10)L = \begin{pmatrix} 0 && -1 && 0 \\ -1 && 4 && -1 \\ 0 && -1 && 0 \\ \end{pmatrix}L=⎝⎛0−10−14−10−10⎠⎞
Try applying it to a black-and-white photo of a brick wall. You will see that every pixel of a brick will become black after application of Laplace operator as a convolutional filter (because neighbors of this pixel from all directions have the same color). But the edges of a brick will become white, because pixels outside have a different color.
Discrete Laplacian in spectral graph theory
This is a subject of a whole separate post on spectral graph theory.
https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2451248/why-divergence-only-cares-about-partial-derivative-of-x-y-z-respectively - helpful answer on divergence intuition
Written by Boris Burkov who lives in Moscow, Russia and Cambridge, UK, loves to take part in development of cutting-edge technologies, reflects on how the world works and admires the giants of the past. You can follow me in Telegram
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A Variety of Weekly Planner Printables for Your Planners.
Weekly planner layouts are probably the most popular layouts on the market. It's not hard to see why. They pack in the planning power without taking up a ton of room in a planner, offering versatility and flexibility without being too confining. That's exactly why I offer a variety of weekly planner printables here on the blog. Today I'm sharing some of the more popular weekly planners that I've updated to match the 2017 calendars.
I love weekly planners. You'll find one in every single one of my planners. I use them for everything from planning my week to mapping out routines. Like a blank monthly calendar, a weekly planner can be used in so many different ways depending on your needs. That's why I could resist updating some of the more popular ones so you can use them in your planners for the new year.
I'm going to go ahead and kick off the good stuff with the most popular weekly layout – the 2 pages per week planner page. I totally understand why this one gets so much love, especially in the half-size version. Having two pages dedicated to planning the week is a blessing when you're busy or if you're like me and have large handwriting.
This is just like the ones I shared last year. It's been updated so that it's using the same colours and fonts from the 2017 calendars. Down the left-hand side of the first page there is a spot to jot down your top three tasks for the week, a weekly focus, and then any notes you want to make. I find it helpful to have a focus for each week, whether it's a goal I'm working on or an area of my life that needs more attention. Having that focus helps me plan accordingly for the week.
Each day column starts with a spot for meal planning. Followed by a blank lined column. I opted to keep it super simple so that you can customize it how you need to. I find the thin washi tape works great for breaking the columns up into sections if I need too.
Next up are two of my older, single page, weekly planners. These ones were some of the first I ever shared on Scattered Squirrel. This is also the first time they've been updated. Until I started digging into which printables were being downloaded, I didn't realize these were as popular as they are.
These are as basic as they get. I think that's their appeal. Simple and easy to use. No fuss nor muss. The portrait version offers timed slots for the weekdays and unstructured time for the weekend.
The landscape version offers timed slots for the whole week. This is planner page that I use most often when I'm tracking my time, or trying to figure out a new schedule.
Neither of them comes in half-size because I think they'd be too squished. Or the timed slots would have to be hourly instead of every 30 minutes in order to make them work on a smaller scale. It just doesn't seem feasible to me, but I'm always open to your suggestions.
I like having a variety of weekly planner printables in my planners. You never know when you're going to want to change things up a bit. Or when your planning needs might change for a week or two. If you're not sure any of these are to your liking, you can also check out the Weekly Planner Page for more of an even greater variety of weekly planner printables.
Now is when this over to you. I'd love to hear your thoughts about these printables. Do you like 2 page weekly planners or single page ones? Would you like the single page weekly ones to be available in the 2016 colours too? Drop me a line in the comments below and let me know.
Previous Post: « Oops! I Almost Forgot the Weekly Overview Printables that Match the 2017 Calendars!
I would love if you figured out a half-size weekly planner with times! They would have to be slightly narrower, but I think it would still be fine with the times and Monday-Wednesday on the left, and Thursday-Sunday on the right.
It's on my list. I'm playing around with a few different layout options at the moment. I'm hoping to have something ready for the new year.


Have you seen the purses and tote bags– usually in airport gift shops– woven out of seat belts? That was the inspiration for this purse woven out of zippers. Create this cute little purse by weaving Coats all-purpose zippers together. Use the colors show or select your own color combination.
1. Lay out and weave the zippers as the diagram shows flat on a table and pin in place.
2. To form the tote, bring the sides together and pin in place for a temporary hold.
3. Start from the bottom corner and glue the ends together trimming off the ends of zippers as needed and taking care to keep the woven pattern consistent.
4. Once the bottom is woven and glued in place remove the pins from the side seam and starting from the bottom trim the end of each of the zippers as needed and weave in the ends and glue in place with the zipper pull end on the top and the raw edges under a vertical zipper.
5. Wrap the top ends of the raw edges of the vertical zipper over the top horizontal zipper and glue to the inside.
6. Glue the ends of the vertical zippers that are on the inside to the top horizontal zipper.
7. Cut two zippers to approximately 10″ and glue to the underside top edge of the tote.
8. Using the remaining scraps of zippers glue the zippers around the inside parameter of the tote to cover all the raw ends.
How cool is this? I hope you will consider uploading a photo of it into SewSet, a new on-line sewing pattern & tutorial engine. I would love for it to be in the directory!
That is really different and cute! Both little girls and big ones would probably think this is pretty neat. I am not sure how practical it is as a handbag but it would be a nice bag for carrying projects in such as quilting, crocheting/knitting, etc.
That is very cool! I Love It!
Awesome! This tutorial has been featured at PatternPile.com!
wow this is absolutely amazing! 😀 now i know what to do with all my old zippers i have lying around 😀 would make a great gift for someone also!
Has anyone tried to or been successful in adding a lining?
How do you put the lining in?
What a lovely idea and sooooo different from normal. Love the colours and could get really fancy with glitter shiny zips for evening wear….go girl go….dare to be different from fuddy daddies. ?
ok so has anyone made this from these directions? I find them incomplete, there are no directions for the handles, its a cute dea but the pattern needs a little more details.
Hi Theresa, Step 7 attaches the handles. Thanks!
Which part are you having difficulty with? Perhaps we can help.
I can't get the printable pattern to work for me. Can you please send me one, to my email.
We corrected the link. It should work for you now.


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Alabama Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday Discussed Pros and Cons of Gambling
May 12th, 2015 | Last updated on November 2nd, 2018
Home » Poker News » Alabama Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday Discussed Pros and Cons of Gambling
Montgomery, Alabama was the scene of a public debate on the pros and cons of gambling on Tuesday. Citizens on both sides of the debate gathered to discuss whether Alabama lawmakers should pass laws to allow lottery and casino gambling in the state.
Tourism Committee to Vote Soon
The Tourism and Marketing Committee of the Alabama Senate hosted the public hearing. At the heart of the discussions was a bill being sponsored by State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, a Republican from Anniston. The bill would authorize a state lottery, while allowing casino-style machine gaming at Alabama's four dog tracks.
To approve such a measure, the voters of Alabama would participate in a statewide vote. While the debate is not likely to have a direct impact on such a statewide vote, many thought it could have an impact on the committee's deliberations. The Tourism Committee might vote on the bill as early as Thursday of this week. If approved by the committee, the gambling bill likely would be sent to the floor of the senate for a vote.
Boosting Revenues without Taxation
Del Marsh was present to defend the bill. Sen. Marsh told the assembly, "This is a big piece of legislation, a very controversial piece. But I think it's an option that should be put there as an option to help try to solve some of the budget problems in this state."
Senator Marsh presented the gaming bill as an opportunity to collect revenues without raising taxes. Such arguments are made anytime gambling is debated in the United States and around the world, and it is is a powerful argument. Casino gambling of one sort or the other has been approved in nearly 40 states, while 45 states have joined the multi-state lottery associations (Powerball and Mega Millions).
Social and Real Costs of Gambling
Joe Godfrey, executive director of the Alabama Citizens Action Project (ACAP), does not see it that way. Mr. Godfrey says there are hidden costs to legalized gambling and people need to be aware of them.
Godfrey told the assembly, "It [Gambling] is a tax. It's a tax on the poor. It preys on the people who can least afford to pay it."
Once again, Godfrey's arguments are made anywhere the gambling issue is debated. Opponents of casino gambling point to machine gaming as the worst form of casino betting–the "crack cocaine of gambling"–because slot machines have a high house edge and produce results with machine efficiency. While games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps take longer to play because of human dealers, a slot machine produces instant results with the push of a button.
Is Gambling a Tax on the Poor?
Opponents of lottery gambling often make the argument Joe Godfrey was making: that the lotto is a tax on the poor. The house edge on lottery tickets can be as high as 40%, which would be illegal if it was not run by the state. Casino games have much smaller house edges, such as blackjack (1%), craps (1.41%), roulette (5.2%), and slot machines (usually 5% to 10%). Of every $100 paid in to the lottery, players lose $40 of it.
Proponents of the lottery point to the amount of money raised for school funding. They also point out that lottery gaming is a discretionary expense. If it's a tax, then it is tax a person can easily opt out of. ACAP and the anti-gambling lobby don't see it that way, because lotto tickets lure the poorest residents with the promise of life-changing payouts.
Whether Gambling Helps the Treasury
Katherine Robinson, VP of the Alabama Policy Institute, suggests that Del Marsh's arguments are flawed at their very premise. Robinson discussed the number of states which have lottery gambling and casinos, but still face a budget crisis. Robinson said, "It might be a quick fix, but it is not going to sustain us for the long term."
Del Marsh and his political allies would say Robinson is making a straw man argument–she is arguing against a point no one made. Gambling proponents do not claim that gaming is the sole answer to the budget problems of Alabama. No one suggests that the installation of casino gambling or a state lottery would end the budget shortfall. What they do say is gambling is a part of the solution. Without cutting services or raising taxes, the state can cut into the deficit by passing a law or two.
Gambling Laws in Alabama
This is the first time such a bill has been discussed since 2010, when a scandal surrounded a similar proposal. At the time, lobbyists for the gambling industry (including VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor) were accused of buying votes of senators. Had the 2010 bill passed, it would have allowed struggling bingo casinos like VictoryLand to remain open.
Previous to the 2010 proposal, Alabama had not had a major vote on gambling since 1999, when a state lottery was proposed. At the time, the social conservatives in the state were able to undermine the drive for a state lottery. The same section of the Alabama population is expected to provide a substantial obstacle in passing any pro-gaming legislation this year.
Jeff Sessions Hints He Might Reverse Wire Act Opinion Affecting U.S. Online Gambling
Alabama State Senate and House of Representatives Each Pass a Lottery Bill
Alabama Senate Fails to Pass VictoryLand Gaming Bill to Clarify State Law
Borgata Wants $170,000 in Unpaid Debts from Former NFL Star Clinton Portis
One Killed in Alabama Casino Shooting, Two Others Injured
Clemson's TD with 12 Seconds Shifted Millions of Las Vegas Betting Dollars
Alabama Governor Strip's Attorney General of Authority to Enforce Gaming Laws
VictoryLand Wins Court Battle in Alabama, Plans to Re-Open Its Casino
ESPN Decides to End "Cover Alerts" during College Football Broadcasts
Mississippi Set to Sell Bonds Backed by Casino Gambling Taxes This Wednesday

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package org.checkerframework.afu.scenelib.type;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.StringJoiner;

/**
 * A Java type with optional type parameters and inner type. For example:
 *
 *

 *   type
 *   type<type parameters>.inner type
 *

 *
 * A {@code DeclaredType} can represent a wildcard by using "?" as the {@code name}. If this type is
 * a wildcard, it is illegal to call {@link #addTypeParameter(Type)}, {@link
 * #getTypeParameter(int)}, {@link #getTypeParameters()}, {@link #setInnerType(DeclaredType)},
 * {@link #getInnerType()}, and {@link #setTypeParameters(List)}. If called, an {@link
 * IllegalStateException} will be thrown.
 *
 *
Types are stored with the outer most type at the top of the type tree. This is opposite to the
 * way types are stored in javac.
 */
public class DeclaredType extends Type {

  /** The {@code name} of a wildcard type. */
  public static final String WILDCARD = "?";

  /** The raw, un-annotated name of this type. "?" for a wildcard. */
  private String name;

  /** The type parameters to this type. Empty if there are none. */
  private List<Type> typeParameters;

  /** The inner type of this type. {@code null} if there is none. */
  private DeclaredType innerType;

  /**
   * Creates a new declared type with no type parameters or inner type.
   *
   * @param name the raw, un-annotated name of this type, or "?" for a wildcard
   */
  public DeclaredType(String name) {
    super();
    this.name = name;
    this.typeParameters = new ArrayList<Type>();
    this.innerType = null;
  }

  /** Creates a new declared type with an empty name and no type parameters or inner type. */
  public DeclaredType() {
    this("");
  }

  /**
   * Sets the raw, un-annotated name of this type.
   *
   * @param name the name
   */
  public void setName(String name) {
    this.name = name;
  }

  /**
   * Gets the raw, un-annotated name of this type.
   *
   * @return the name
   */
  public String getName() {
    return name;
  }

  /**
   * Adds the given type parameter to this type.
   *
   * @param typeParameter the type parameter
   */
  public void addTypeParameter(Type typeParameter) {
    checkWildcard();
    typeParameters.add(typeParameter);
  }

  /**
   * Sets the type parameters of this type.
   *
   * @param typeParameters the type parameters
   */
  public void setTypeParameters(List<Type> typeParameters) {
    checkWildcard();
    this.typeParameters = typeParameters;
  }

  /**
   * Gets the type parameter at the given index.
   *
   * @param index the index
   * @return the type parameter
   */
  public Type getTypeParameter(int index) {
    checkWildcard();
    return typeParameters.get(index);
  }

  /**
   * Gets a copy of the type parameters of this type. This will be empty if there are none.
   *
   * @return the type parameters
   */
  public List<Type> getTypeParameters() {
    checkWildcard();
    return new ArrayList<Type>(typeParameters);
  }

  /**
   * Sets the inner type.
   *
   * @param innerType the inner type
   */
  public void setInnerType(DeclaredType innerType) {
    checkWildcard();
    this.innerType = innerType;
  }

  /**
   * Gets the inner type. This will be {@code null} if there is none.
   *
   * @return the inner type or {@code null}
   */
  public DeclaredType getInnerType() {
    checkWildcard();
    return innerType;
  }

  @Override
  public Kind getKind() {
    return Kind.DECLARED;
  }

  /**
   * Determines if this type is a wildcard.
   *
   * @return {@code true} if this type is a wildcard, {@code false} otherwise
   */
  public boolean isWildcard() {
    return WILDCARD.equals(name);
  }

  /** Throw an {@link IllegalStateException} if this type is a wildcard. */
  private void checkWildcard() {
    if (isWildcard()) {
      throw new IllegalStateException(
          "This method can't be called " + "since this DeclaredType is a wildcard.");
    }
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    StringJoiner result = new StringJoiner(", ", "DeclaredType[", "]");
    result.add("name=" + name);
    if (!typeParameters.isEmpty()) {
      result.add("typeParameters=" + typeParameters);
    }
    if (innerType != null) {
      result.add("innerType=" + innerType);
    }
    return result.toString();
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Falcons head to Pittsburgh, their season on the brink
Mark Bradley Blog
By Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An NFL team plays once a week. An MLB club plays every day. Yet the belief here is that momentum matters more in football than in baseball, where momentum is – this proclamation is widely credited to Earl Weaver – tomorrow's starting pitcher.
An NFL team that catches a rolling start can outperform its presumed station. We recall 2004, when the Falcons under Jim Mora won their first four games and wound up playing for the NFC title. That team wasn't anything special – its best receivers were Alge Crumpler, a tight end, and Peerless Price, the expensive free agent who would be cut the next summer – and Mora would soon prove he wasn't the second coming of Vince Lombardi. Still, it had Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn, and it didn't lose two in a row until it clinched a playoff berth.
These Falcons are, on paper, far better than that bunch. But their defense has been decimated by injury – at the end of Sunday's loss to Cincinnati, Grady Jarrett was absent with an ankle injury, making him the latest in an ongoing saga – and the team we see isn't the team we expected. On Labor Day, could we have imagined that the season's fourth game would be decided by Isaiah Oliver, rookie cornerback, allowing A.J. Green, among the league's best wideouts, to run free inside the final 10 seconds?
Losing Keanu Neal was massive because he's the prototype of a Dan Quinn Guy. Losing Deion Jones was just as big because he's the Falcons' best defensive playmaker. Losing Ricardo Allen deprived them of their best on-field communicator. Takkarist McKinley missed the overtime loss to New Orleans, which meant they faced Drew Brees without their best pass rusher. As much as the Falcons believed that they'd built a deep roster, absences have consequences. There's a reason second-stringers are second-string.
A defense envisioned as the Falcons' best this century ranks 29th among 32 NFL teams in total yards and points, next-to-last in third-down conversions and last in first downs. Cincinnati's defense is similarly lousy, but the Bengals won a coin-flip game Sunday. They're 3-1 and tied for the lead in the AFC North. The Falcons, 1-3, occupy last place in the NFC South.
The Falcons have lost three coin flips, and the narrow Carolina victory saw Cam Newton's pass hit a Panther receiver's hands in the end zone on the final play. You can say that the Falcons have been ridiculously unlucky, and you wouldn't be wrong. Still, luck rarely favors a team that can't defend. If you get unlucky enough early enough, your season could be done before fortune can turn.
That's where these Falcons are: They must win in Pittsburgh, never the easiest place, to give themselves any realistic hope of salvaging the season. The schedule eases after their trip to Heinz Field, but they still face games at New Orleans, Green Bay and Carolina, and they have Baltimore and Dallas here. (And the Falcons are only 6-5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.) If they fall to 1-4, their chance of a 10-win season will be reduced to hoping against hope, and 9-7 doesn't often buy a wild card.
When a team is 1-4 (or even 1-3), the temptation is mighty to see itself as cursed, as forlorn, as a loser. That's what Quinn is fighting – not just injuries, not just a defense unable to execute with games on the line, but a Brotherhood-wide sulk. The coach averred Sunday that such a thing might happen to some teams but not his. Really, though, what's he going to say? "Damn, we're in a tight spot"?
As someone who has tweaked Quinn and his assistants in the past, I have to say: This 1-3 is function of players, or the absence thereof, more than coaching. Steve Sarkisian has called three fine games in a row. The Falcons rank seventh in total offense, sixth in passing yards and points. They've scored 104 points over three games; they've won once. As good as this offense has been, it can't outscore its own defense. Not to stretch the baseball analogy past the breaking point, but the Falcons have become a team with a bad bullpen. No lead is impregnable, and nothing rankles like a come-from-ahead loss.
Unlike baseball players, footballers don't get to try again the next day. They have a week to stew; to hear the criticism in their city and – thanks to the sunny nature of social media – worldwide; to wonder if they really are as bad as all that. This is where momentum in football enters: A team that starts well begins to believe; a team that doesn't can become a den of doubters.
Matt Ryan said it Sunday: "A little bit of momentum is a good thing, and we need to get that momentum going." The Falcons do, and it must start in Pittsburgh. One stroke of luck: The ballyhooed Steelers are 1-2-1 and can't defend, either. Meaning: One more shootout is at hand, and the outcome of this one could tell the tale of a season. Win and there's a glimmer of hope. Lose and there's only gloom and doom.
Mark Bradley is a sports columnist and blogger for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has been with the AJC since 1984.
Why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains a towering figure
Bradley's Buzz: Is there a real chance Lamar Jackson becomes a Falcon?


text:
Collen Weapnd vs Sunday World
Complainant: Collen Weapnd
Lodged by: Collen Weapnd
Article: NLB stands by 'risky' member – Former bank employee found to have poor credit record
Author of article: Sixoliswiwe Ndawo
Respondent: Sunday World
Weapond, a member of the National Lotteries Board (NLB), is complaining about a page 4 story published in Sunday World on 30 March 2014, headlined NLB stands by 'risky' member – Former bank employee found to have poor credit record.
He complains that some statements in the story were inaccurate; he also refers in this regard specifically to Absa (all details of these complaints below).
He adds that the newspaper omitted material information that the journalist had at her disposal.
The story, written by Sixoliswiwe Ndawo, stated that the NLB admitted that it had failed to take action against Weapond – even though he had been investigated for serious misconduct by his employers (Absa).
'Inaccurate' statements
Weapond complains about some "inaccurate" statements in the story, and replies to them as follows:
The story Weapond's arguments
The NLB "has admitted that it failed to take action" against him. The NLB cannot take action against him after he resigned subsequent to an ("unbalanced") investigation by his former employers (Barclays Africa) – this statement misrepresented the NLB's position (as there never was an obligation on it to act against him).
He holds an M.Tech degree. He denies that he holds an M.Tech degree, and states that he has never claimed that he did – his degree was partially completed and he has not yet handed in his dissertation.
"Records show that Weapond had credit judgments against him for owing institutions such as the University of North West, Woolworths, Nedbank, FNB and Stonehedge Mews Body Corporate" Records only showed the University of North West and Stonehedge – the rest of the allegations were inflated.
He "only declared that he owed Discovery Health". He says he also stated that he owed FNB "even though it did not reflect on the ITC record that I had".
He "was served with a letter to appear before a disciplinary committee in October 2011, but resigned before the process unfolded". After he had attended a first disciplinary hearing he realized that he would not receive a fair disciplinary hearing – he therefore resigned.
An "ICT" report was mentioned. It was an ITC report, not one from ICT.
Milazi replies that:
the NLB's website states that Weapond holds an M.Tech degree;
the spelling of ICT instead of ITC was a mere typographical error; and
it was not for Weapond to dispute the paragraph about the NLB admitting that it had failed to do a background check on him, as the newspaper quoted somebody else in this regard (whose name was stated in the story).
Weapond responds that the NLB has "not admitted in writing or during our interview session with the Sunday World Newspaper that it failed to take action against me". He also notes that the story did not attribute this sentence to a source, but stated it as fact.
My considerations
I shall deal with these issues one by one:
Firstly, about the statement that the NLB "has admitted that it failed to take action" against Weapond: It is not true, as the editor attests, that the story ascribed this statement to a source. In the introduction, the story states it as fact (without any attribution).
Later in the story the chairman of the NLB is quoted as saying that the Board was fully behind Weapond, that the matter did not result in an audit finding against the NLB, and that the Board held firmly to the principle that all credible allegations had to be investigated. There is no indication whatsoever that the NLB has "admitted that it failed to take action".
I also note that the newspaper has not:
provided me with any proof to substantiate its claim;
verified the statement in dispute; and
asked Weapond for his comment on this issue.
Therefore, not only do I believe the introduction was devoid of truth, but also that it was sensational and unfair to both Weapond and the NLB.
The next issue: The mere fact that the NLB's website says (it does) that Weapond holds an M.Tech degree was enough justification for Sunday World to report this as fact. I certainly do not expect the newspaper to check all information appearing on an official website.
If Weapond does not have an M.Tech degree, he should not complain to this office about the matter, but rather rectify it with the NLB.
Thirdly, the story stated: "Records show that Weapond had credit judgments against him for owing institutions such as the University of North West, Woolworths, Nedbank, FNB and Stonehedge Mews Body Corporate."
Weapond complains that records only showed the University of North West and Stonehedge – the rest of the allegations were inflated.
That is not true. According to a Barclays document at my disposal the claims in the sentence in dispute are correct.
Discovery Health: The newspaper cannot be held responsible for stating that Weapond declared only that he owed money to Discovery Health – he admits that the ICT's records did not reflect his declaration that he owed money to other institutions.
Fifthly: Weapond's complaint that the statement that he "was served with a letter to appear before a disciplinary committee in October 2011, but resigned before the process unfolded" was incorrect, is rather baffling – he admits that he resigned "before the process unfolded"… Even if there is some technicality here that Weapond omitted to clarify (and which I therefore may be missing), I still believe that the story was essentially correct on this point.
Lastly: The incorrect reference to "ICT" instead of "ITC" is not material and can in no way affect the gist of the story.
'Inaccurate' statements: Weapond, Absa
Weapond complains about some statements regarding his alleged relationship with Absa, and replies to them as follows:
He remains a board member of the NLB "even after he resigned from Absa …" He was never employed by Absa (and therefore he could not have resigned from that bank).
His "troubles at Absa started in 2011 when an internal investigation of his integrity raised red flags".
The records were those of Barclays; he told the journalist that the investigation was "started incorrectly" – information that the journalist "intentionally omitted to make me look shady".
"The Absa investigation found … that Weapond had failed to declare his poor credit record to his employers and that he allegedly had lied to the University of Cape Town, saying that the bank was going to pay for his studies before he got written confirmation from his bosses" Absa never conducted an investigation into his credit record status – Barclays did.
The bank "had promised to pay for him".
It was Barclays Africa, and not Absa, that had undertaken to pay for him.
The editor replies that Barclays never had offices in South Africa. He also says that Absa never disputed having employed Weapond – "so the Barclays/Absa issue is a matter of technicality".
Weapond responds that Barclays (Africa) indeed has an office in this country (in Illovo, Johannesburg). He adds that the story itself quoted Absa as saying that he had been employed by Barclays at the time. He also says that the NLB's website is in error about his so-called M.Tech degree – he was merely correcting this mistake.
The gist of Weapond's complaint is that the story, on several counts, referred inaccurately to Absa, instead of to Barclays.
I understand the editor's reference to "a matter of technicality", as Barclays owns Absa (which a full subsidiary of the former). Be that as it may, it remains a mistake.
Having said that, I do not believe that these mistakes have caused Weapond some serious, unnecessary harm.
Material information omitted
Weapond complains that the newspaper omitted material information that he did provide to its journalist.
His only reference in his correspondence to this office regarding this matter is the investigation by Barclays (which he says "was started incorrectly"). "This information was intentionally omitted and this gap in information does not seek to provide an accurate account of events."
He also complains that Ndawo did not provide a truthful perspective of all the documentation that she had at her disposal, of a discussion between himself and the chairman of the NLB, and of an interview by the journalist.
The omission of this information is not material to the story – the article was not about the legality of Barclays' investigation, but rather about the NLB who stood by its "risky" member despite his allegedly poor credit record.
The statement, as fact, that the NLB "has admitted that it failed to take action" against Weapond was unsubstantiated and in breach of the following sections of the Press Code:
2.1: "The press shall take care to report news truthfully, accurately and fairly";
2.4: "Where there is reason to doubt the accuracy of a report and it is practicable to verify the accuracy thereof, it shall be verified"; and
2.5 "A publication shall seek the views of the subject of critical reportage in advance of publication …"
The other complaints under this section are dismissed.
The story inaccurately referred to Absa instead of Barclays, throughout. This is in breach of Section 2.1 of the Press Code that states: "The press shall take care to report news … accurately …"
Sunday World is:
directed to apologise to Weapond for stating that the NLB admitted that it had failed to take action against him;
cautioned for incorrectly referring to Absa instead of to Barclays;
requested to publish such text on page 4;
asked to provide our office with the text prior to publication; and
required to end the text with the following words: "Visit www.presscouncil.org.za for the full finding."
Our Complaints Procedures lay down that within seven working days of receipt of this decision, either party may apply for leave to appeal to the Chairperson of the SA Press Adjudication Panel, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, fully setting out the grounds for the appeal. He can be contacted at Khanyim@ombudsman.org.za.


text:
Researcher: Tim Lynch
In 1861 the south seceded from the United States, formed the Confederacy, and started the Civil War. This war lasted until 1865, and brought about many battles and soldiers. Among these soldiers was John Murray Fisher of Franklin, Massachusetts. John enlisted into the Union army under the 38th regiment in company C.
John was born on February 12, 1843. His father was Weston Fisher, his mother Marget. His father was a farmer born in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Marget was born in Waldoboro, Maine. John Fisher was never married.
The 38th regiment for Massachusetts started August 24, 1862. A few days later they moved to Baltimore, Maryland and joined the defenses of Maryland. They left Baltimore September 8, 1862. They headed to Powhattan Dam after, and stayed there until October 12. After that they rode the Baltic steamboat for Ship Island, Mississippi on November 10th and arrived there December 14. They then moved to New Orleans and stayed there until February 11, 1863. March 6th they moved to Baton Rouge. On April 12 and 13th they fought at Fort Bisland in West Louisiana. This battle included around 684 casualties and a Union victory. Then May 22-25 brought about a battle at Port Hudson in east Baton Rouge. This battle included a long siege and an eventual Union victory that opened up the Mississippi River for traveling. There were also about 12,208 total casualties. After much traveling, April 23, 1864 brought about a fight at Monett's Ferry. This fight was a Union victory with 600 casualties, but the Confederates had a chance to capture one army of the Union, and missed it. September 19 was the Battle of Opequan in Winchester. The battle of Opequan was considered a very important battle, which included the deaths of many generals for the Confederate and Union army. The Union won with a total of 8,630 casualties during the fight. Shortly after, on October 19 was the Battle of Cedar Creek. This was a key win for the Union in Shenandoah Valley, with the Confederates surprising them but counter-attacking to a victory. After that this regiment fought no more major battles and disbanded July 13, 1865. This regiment followed Generals Philip Sheridan and Nathaniel P. Banks.
As for John Fisher, the war did not end well for him. He did not complete the war with his regiment, as he was M.I.A., he died in battle. He died at the Battle of Opequan in Winchester, West Virginia. Unfortunately, he departed this life at the young age of 21. He was buried on the battlefield. Since he passed away at such a young age and was in war for a long part of his life, John Fisher never married and probably had no job other than helping his father on the farm. John Murray Fisher valiantly died in battle, which is considered the best death in some cultures, but did not die in vain. He and his regiment were involved in many important battles and helped lead the Union to victory. Without efforts and sacrifices such as Fisher's, the United States might still be two separate countries today or still have slavery.


text:
Re-branding Medicine Hat
Finlay Bridge
It recently came to my attention that the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta has hired a Calgary marketing company to "re-brand" Medicine Hat. (Thanks Jen!) When I told Mike about this he said, "Isn't Medicine Hat already known as 'the place for old people'?" And I replied, "I think that may be the problem."
The Medicine Hat News reported: "Catherine Proulx, managing director of Twist Marketing, says the new brand is meant to be something all tourism operators can use to promote the region and is not an attempt to do away with Medicine Hat's traditional slogan. 'The Medicine Hat brand for the city will remain as it is — it's still 'Medicine Hat, the Gas City,' 'Proulx says. 'This is going to be a tourism-related brand.'"
The Marketing company has a website where you are welcome to post your comments in answer to various questions being used to collect people's thoughts on Medicine Hat.
I'm all about promoting Medicine Hat, especially since that was a motivating factor in starting this blog. But I don't know that a new slogan is going to draw more tourists. Medicine Hat is a fantastic place to live and raise a family, but I don't think that it is much of a tourist destination, unless you have family that live here or are driving through on your way to somewhere with bigger attractions. I'm not trying to say that there aren't wonderful things to see and do here, but it doesn't have the Calgary Stampede and West Edmonton Mall style attractions. What's truly sad is that there are so many amazing things in Medicine Hat that local residents don't even know about or utilize.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
When we got married, one of my co-workers from Calgary drove down to Medicine Hat for the wedding. After I returned to work she raved to me about how beautiful and clean Medicine Hat was, and what a pleasure it had been driving around seeing the sites. But she closed with, "It's too bad it wasn't by the mountains, if it was, I would move there for sure." How can we compete with the Rockies for a vacation destination? I'm sure that we draw a lot of people from southwest Saskatchewan and rural southeastern Alberta for shopping, sports games and concerts, especially now that we have the Esplanade to host such diverse events. Perhaps a new Events Centre would draw in more day-trippers? But I think our community serves it's residents better than it's visitors.
Saamis Tepee
My slogan?: Medicine Hat has just enough of everything you need, and not so many of anything, that it requires a ridiculous amount of driving to get anywhere. (I know it's a little long!)
All photos are courtesy of Gerrit Dykstra
Posted by Alison Wonderland at 9:58 AM
Labels: Medicine Hat


text:
export function expire(key: string, seconds: number) {
  if (!this.data.has(key)) {
    return 0;
  }

  this.expires.set(key, (seconds * 1000) + Date.now());

  return 1;
}


It contains several layout and graph algorithms that would be useful in HeuristicLab (knowledge networks, local optima networks).
It's available as a C dll which can be p/invoked. A wrapper class should be written in C# that abstracts the C interfaces.
It seems the upgrade to VS 2017 on the builder has solved the unit test problems.
r15112: Updated license file of igraph.
Reviewed all changes in this ticket.
A readme file detailing the origins of the source would be really helpful.


text:
LaGuardia Airport is also known as LGA is a premium international airport located in Queens, New York. This major airport of the United States is globally recognized as the 3rd busiest airport in New York City. Moreover, LGA is also known for being the 20th busiest airport in the United States. It operates multiple scheduled flights to domestic and international destinations through major airlines by covering a huge area of 680 acres.
With huge land area and good infrastructure, LaGuardia has experienced a growth in passenger volume. This international airport is used by nearly 29.8 million passengers for traveling to destinations from the United States, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
LaGuardia Airport: Terminals
LaGuardia Airport has 4 terminals. All the terminals of this international airport are well-connected through buses and walkways. The main terminal popularly known as The Marine Air Terminal (MAT) was the original terminal of the airport and mainly used for arrival and departure of overseas flights.
Passengers of Delta Airlines gets shuttle service from the Marine Air Terminal. However, later LaGuardia Delta Terminal was moved from Terminal A to Terminal C which is the main terminal for US Airways.
The Central Terminal Building which is Terminal B has 4 concourses and encourage arrival and departure of flights for most of the airlines. Terminal B has 11 gates on its Eastern Concourse till 2018. In the year 2019, 5 gates were added on the same terminal of the airport. United Airlines moved its shuttle operation from Terminal A to Terminal B Eastern Concourse.
LaGuardia Airport: Top Airlines
Some of the major airlines that operate non-stop flights to various destinations from LaGuardia Airport are Air Canada, Air Canada Express, American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Airlines, Delta Connection, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, United Express and Frontier Airlines.
Stars/Rating ****
The airport in New York City, New York Address: Queens, NY 11371, United States
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Cheapest Fare: $41.6
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Twitter: @LGAairport
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Top LGA Domestic Destinations: Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Charlotte, Orlando, Denver, Detroit
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Reviews Average User Rating ***


text:
Alabama still class of SEC, but Georgia, Texas A&M real threats
Posted by nflnews — August 16, 2021 in College Football 0 1
This story is part of USA TODAY Sports' 25 days to college football countdown.
Alabama must replace a star quarterback (Mac Jones), the Heisman Trophy winner (wide receiver DeVonta Smith) and the nation's best running back (Najee Harris), along with the normal level of attrition from the nation's most talented roster, yet still finds itself at No. 1 in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
There is no greater respect paid to the program than this: Alabama can lose anyone — maybe even everyone — yet still be viewed by more people than not as the favorite to win the national championship.
The Crimson Tide are unrivaled even in the strongest conference in college football. Alabama has lost just five games in Southeastern Conference play since 2014, two against rival Auburn, with four of those losses coming by six or fewer points. In comparison, only five of the Tide's 51 SEC wins since the start of the 2014 season have been by the same margin.
Just as the SEC has separated itself from the rest of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Tide have distanced themselves from the rest of the SEC. Once again, they top the preseason power rankings heading into September.
1. Alabama (2020 record: 13-0)
With so much talent and such a rock-solid system in place, the biggest source of intrigue comes in the form of new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and, to a lesser extent, new offensive line coach Doug Marrone. The former NFL head coaches are Nick Saban's latest reclamation projects and a potential source of new tricks for an already unstoppable offense.
Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis celebrate the Crimson Tide's win over the Florida Gators in the 2020 SEC championship game.
2. Georgia (8-2)
JT Daniels tossed 10 touchdowns in just 119 attempts last season, a touchdown rate more than 50% better than Jake Fromm's average in 2019. The feeling of control Daniels give this offense makes Georgia the biggest threat to Alabama and one of the top teams in the entire country.
3. Texas A&M (9-1)
The Aggies have two talented options for quarterback Kellen Mond's successor. One is freshman Haynes King, who saw action in two games in his debut season. The other, redshirt freshman Zach Calzada, has slightly more game experience and a big arm but might not match King's impact on the running game. While this youth stands in contrast to Mond's four years of experience, Jimbo Fisher has two impressive contenders and the potential to locate another multiple-year starter for his offense.
25 DAYS TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL COUNTDOWN
Preseason Top 25: From No. 1 Alabama to No. 25 Mississippi
All-America teams: Clemson leads all schools with six players named
Power rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten
4. LSU (5-5)
The Tigers will try to turn back the clock all the way to 2019 under new offensive coordinator Jake Peetz, who spent last season with the NFL's Carolina Panthers under former LSU assistant Joe Brady. Max Johnson is the no-doubt starter at quarterback with Myles Brennan out with an arm injury, but keep tabs on freshman Garrett Nussmeier, who has an extremely bright future.
5. Florida (8-4)
It's only natural to expect a noticeable dip in production from the passing game as Emory Jones takes over for Kyle Trask, who went for 43 touchdowns on 9.8 yards per throw in his final season. But Jones will bring a new dimension to the Gators' offense as a runner after going for 473 yards on 6.4 yards per carry in the past two seasons.
6. Mississippi (5-5)
The Rebels are going to put up crooked numbers on offense but can't be taken too seriously as a New Year's Six bowl contender until the defense climbs out of the bottom of the SEC in most major categories. But the offense is going to be a blast: Lane Kiffin has pushed all the right buttons on this side of the ball since coming aboard following the 2019 season.
7. Kentucky (5-6)
Outside of a brutal three-game stretch against Florida, LSU and Georgia, the Wildcats' schedule is friendly enough to pull out seven or more wins in the regular season. With left tackle Darian Kinnard one of the nation's best, there's still reason to like what Kentucky brings to the table on the offensive line despite losing a pair of all-conference picks in Landon Young and Drake Jackson.
8. Missouri (5-5)
The arrow is clearly pointing up for Missouri, which since hiring second-year head coach Eli Drinkwitz has pulled away from Tennessee and South Carolina to join the top half of the East division. Even if a push for the Top 25 is a year away, the Tigers have what it takes to finish third in the division and win eight games during the regular season.
9. Auburn (6-5)
Getting to six wins should be enough to make coach Bryan Harsin's debut an acceptable one, especially given how Auburn's normal West division slate — including road games against LSU and Texas A&M — is augmented by matchups against Georgia and Penn State. Harsin's track record of quarterback development takes on its most important challenge in third-year starter Bo Nix.
10. Mississippi State (4-7)
If the defense remains effective against the run and at forcing turnovers, a second-year bump from Mike Leach's offense could help the Bulldogs double last season's win total. His previous stops at Texas Tech and Washington State suggest improvement is on the way. The Red Raiders went from scoring 25.4 points per game in Leach's first year (2000) to 33.5 in his second, while Washington State went from 20.4 points per game in 2012 to 31 points per game a year later.
11. Arkansas (3-7)
Second-year coach Sam Pittman is considered one of the top developers of offensive line talent in the country, so look for better play up front from a group with five returning starters and more than 100 combined career starts. More consistency in the run game will take pressure off a defense that hasn't finished higher than 10th in the SEC in points allowed per game since 2014.
12. Tennessee (3-7)
The Volunteers will be fun to watch, at least, as new hire Josh Heupel brings an exciting offense to a program in dire need of a new identity. There's even a path to six wins and a bowl bid, though that would demand no missteps against the five easiest opponents on the schedule — Bowling Green, Tennessee Tech, South Carolina, South Alabama and Vanderbilt — along with an upset.
13. South Carolina (2-8)
There are major losses in the secondary but maybe enough of a pass rush to prevent a full-on defensive meltdown under first-year coach Shane Beamer. But he's got a tough job ahead: South Carolina has won just three of its past 14 SEC games, with two of those wins coming against Vanderbilt.
14. Vanderbilt (0-9)
The 3-18 record overall and 1-16 mark in SEC games in the past two seasons helps illustrate the road ahead for former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea. What are fair expectations for 2021? Going 4-8 and winning once in SEC play would be more than adequate given the nature of this rebuilding project.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC preseason power rankings: Alabama No. 1, Georgia, Texas A&M follow
Early 2022 SEC predictions and superlatives
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Football Scoop lists Penn State-Auburn among top non-con games in 2022
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Dolphins activate Larnel Coleman from COVID-19 list, cut Ross Reynolds


text:
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Neymar Defends Vinicius Over Criticism Of Goal Celebrations
REUTERS/Nir Elias
Neymar and other leading Brazilian players leapt to the defence of their compatriot Vinicius Jr. on Friday after the Real Madrid forward was advised to tone down his goal celebrations.
Vinicius has made a fast start to the season with five goals and three assists in all competitions but has infuriated opponents in LaLiga with his celebrations, which include dancing near the corner flag.
The 22-year-old has been widely criticised in Spain but his international team mate Neymar, who plays for Paris St Germain, has encouraged him to express himself.
"Dribble, dance and be you! Happy just the way you are. Go for it my boy, next goal we dance," Neymar wrote on Instagram.
Veteran Brazil centre back Thiago Silva also told Vinicius to keep dancing.
"Don't let anyone take away your happiness," he said.
A panellist on a Spanish soccer show said Vinicius was not respecting his opponents with his celebrations, comparing his behaviour to that of a monkey — which immediately sparked backlash on social media as it was construed as racist.
The panellist, Pedro Bravo, later took to Twitter to issue a clarification, saying he used the "monkey" expression to say Vinicius was "doing stupid things".
"I want to clarify that the expression 'playing the monkey' that I have misused to qualify Vinicius' goal celebration dance was done metaphorically," he said.
"Since my intention was not to offend anyone, I sincerely apologize. I am sorry!"
Real Madrid issued a statement of support for Vinicius.
"Real Madrid would like to express its affection and support for Vinicius Junior, a player who regards football as an attitude towards life through joy, respect and sportsmanship," the club said.
"Football is the most global sport there is and should be a model of values and coexistence."
Vinicius was also backed by former Brazil great Pele.
"Football is joy. It's a dance. It's a real party. Although racism still exists, we will not allow that to stop us from continuing to smile," Pele wrote on Twitter.
"And we will continue to fight racism this way: fighting for our right to be happy."
Tags: football neymar soccer
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Washington People: Allison King
Physician-scientist focuses on young adults with sickle cell disease
by Kristina Sauerwein•July 24, 2018
Allison King, MD, PhD, an associate professor of occupational therapy, of pediatrics and of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, examines a young patient with sickle cell disease at Christian Hospital in north St. Louis County.
To a young Allison King, Washington University School of Medicine served as one of the best playgrounds in St. Louis.
As a preschooler, she hid underneath benches in the renal lab where her mother worked. In grade school, she spent summer days creating red, yellow and blue plastic tube people from a waxy laboratory staple used to seal flasks and other containers. As she got older, she helped exercise the lab rats to see if movement improved kidney function (it did). She even had a favorite rat, Picasso, named because the rodent's partially eaten food resembled the artist's sculptures.
"I grew up at Washington University," said King, MD, PhD, now an associate professor of occupational therapy, of pediatrics and of medicine, and a leading national expert on sickle cell disease in children and young adults. "My mom worked in a renal lab since before I was born. I'd spend many summer days on campus, making myself busy and having fun."
Her life always has revolved around Washington University. Not only does King work on the Medical Campus, she can see the impressive Danforth Campus from her kitchen window in a house she shares with her 7-year-old twins and her husband, John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, the Virginia E. and Sam J. Golman Professor of Medicine in Oncology and deputy director of Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.
King contributes to the university's impressiveness through her nationally recognized research in sickle cell disease, as well as the protocols she has helped implement to improve clinical care for the incurable disease, which affects 100,000 people in the U.S., primarily African-Americans.
Last year, King received a six-year, $4.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help improve health care for teens and adults with sickle cell disease. The condition encompasses a group of inherited red blood cell disorders resulting from abnormal hemoglobin, a protein that delivers oxygen in the body. The disease causes typically round red blood cells to become crescent-shaped, or sickled, and leads to chronic pain and fatigue, organ damage and shortened life spans.
The funding — part of a larger effort spearheaded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NIH — is the first of its kind focused on young adult patients.
"Research on teens and adults with sickle cell disease is limited," said King, who also is an associate professor of surgery and a medical director of survivorship at Siteman Cancer Center. "Transitioning patients from pediatric to adult health care is one of the most challenging barriers to overcome with this disease."
King earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Washington University in 1992; a medical degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1996; and a master's degree in public health and a PhD in education from Saint Louis University in 2003 and 2015, respectively. She completed a residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at Washington University before joining the faculty in 2003.
Gary A. Silverman, MD, PhD, the Harriet B. Spoehrer Professor and head of the Department of Pediatrics, said King is "one of the foremost experts in sickle cell research. She has helped to distinguish Washington University nationally as a leader in the field."
Allison King, MD, PhD, is a leading national expert in sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that can cause chronic fatigue, organ damage and early death.
King discussed her lifelong ties with Washington University, as well as her work researching and treating young, sickle cell patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital and Christian Hospital in north St. Louis County.
How did you become interested in sickle cell research?
I didn't originally plan to specialize in sickle cell. When I was a senior in high school, my dad had a massive stroke. He lived for another year and a half, but through the experience, I was exposed to rehabilitation medicine and neurology. I thought that was what I would do. I wanted to help people learn to walk again. But when I was in medical school, I found the pace too slow. Then as an intern, during one of my first weekends on call, I helped care for a boy who had a severe headache and was later found to have a stroke. He was in grade school, and he had sickle cell disease. I helped arrange for his imaging and preparing for a blood transfusion. It was more fast-paced and encompassed many aspects of medicine, from hematology to neurology to epidemiology and therapy services.
How has care for patients with sickle cell disease changed over the years?
Overall patient care has improved dramatically in the last couple decades. That's partly because parents and kids are more educated about the disease and undergo more health screenings. Also, there has been an uptick in hydroxyurea prescriptions, a medicine that helps to decrease patients' pain, reduces the need for blood transfusions and helps prevent organ damage. It has increased life spans, allowing some people to live into their 60s. Before, many patients died in their 20s.
Why is it difficult for sickle cell patients to transition from pediatric care to adult care?
We classify patients as adolescent up to age 26. This is an age group that does not want to be defined by a chronic disease; we see this a lot in both sickle cell and leukemia patients. Anything related to their condition may be off-putting. Many are less concerned about taking maintenance medications, and hydroxyurea, for example, needs to be taken every day. A lot of what we do in our clinic is teaching skills for autonomy and educating patients about their disease. We explain the medications and how they work, and we help devise a schedule for taking them. I help program their smartphones so they have daily reminders to take their meds, and I enter doctor appointments in their calendars. By focusing on adolescents, we have the luxury of having more time to help build these important skills.
There's also a different attitude among health-care workers who work with this age group. We understand where these patients are in terms of brain development. If a patient says out of frustration, "OK, I'll just go home," we work through it. Whereas in a busy adult clinic, the patient may get discharged for threatening to leave.
What are other challenges facing young adults with sickle cell disease?
Cognitive deficits are very common. This is what I'm really focused on. Many of these patients suffer silent strokes, resulting in brain damage. However, even those who have not had a stroke often have cognitive issues. Such challenges include the inability to multitask, plan and organize. Many lack sound judgment and follow-through, and they experience delayed brain-processing speeds and poor memory. In a health clinic for adults, you go through a litany of questions, get prescriptions and leave. The quick pace would be too much for many young patients to comprehend. They need more time and extra support. We know this. We understand that patients are not bad people if they neglect their complicated medication regimens; they sometimes have cognitive challenges. It gets even more complex when patients have other conditions such as asthma. And many of these patients live at or near poverty levels. They may be hungry or unable to find transportation to go to doctor appointments. Some health-care providers don't see the big picture. It's a complex and very interesting disease to study, but it's also very sad.
What else does your research entail?
Part of my research involves working with schools to get educators to recognize the cognitive deficits. Sickle cell is such a rare disease that many schools have only a couple of kids who have it and, therefore, school administrators and teachers don't know much about it. The disease is like an invisible disability. We work with the schools to implement federally mandated plans that provide extra support. It might be allowing kids to go to the bathroom frequently without teachers raising their eyebrows; with this disease, you drink more, so you urinate more. We also address behavior. Sometimes schools don't understand when children with sickle cell start acting out. It's not because they're being jerks; their inhibition and judgment are affected. Similarly, parents may get frustrated if, for instance, they notice children playing video games incessantly. Parents might think that if their kids feel good enough to play games, they're fine. But often, the kids play nonstop because they're in so much pain and need a distraction. Sadly, when they get older, the behavioral consequences sometimes become more severe. Now that I've started to see my patients grow into young adults, I see it firsthand. I have a handful of adult patients who have brain damage from strokes, and they've been in jail. There are people around them who recognize that they sometimes lack the ability to say no to a bad situation and, as a result, they end up being accessories in illegal situations.
Part of our grant money also goes toward establishing evidence-based care in hospitals. We're working at a systems and an individual level to change practice — for example, improving emergency room care. A standard order for treating sickle cell patients means they can be fast-tracked so they spend less time waiting and get the medicine they urgently need. It's not rocket science, but it involves a lot of planning and collaboration.
Were your parents in the medical field?
My father was in sales. My mother got her master's degree in biology and a teaching certificate from Stanford University. She could've gone to medical school or earned a doctoral degree. But she was the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and the thought of taking out loans was too stressful for her family. Instead, she taught high school biology. She then worked for 33 years in the university's renal division, running tests that investigators needed to do research. I remember walking with her to the dialysis center and picking up patient samples. I'd come with her to the lab when she didn't have child care. I always found things to do.
Any other memories from your mom's lab?
Macho the Rooster. He's a 17-pound rooster, stuffed and preserved in a Plexiglas case and still on display in a campus lab. He helped Eduardo Slatopolsky, MD, a professor emeritus in the Division of Nephrology, develop an antibody that enabled researchers to measure levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in humans. It improved treatment of bone disease in patients with chronic kidney disease and contributed to research on the effects of PTH on other organs. Anyone who has worked in the renal division likely remembers Macho the Rooster.
Can you tell us about your family life?
John (DiPersio) and I met while I was doing a rotation in the adult bone marrow transplant unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. We connected over a yellow Labrador puppy named Max. John traveled a lot and didn't want to leave Max at a kennel so I offered to take care of the dog. We became good friends and married in 2005. Unfortunately, Max died about three years ago. We have a new dog, Sulley, another male yellow Labrador. Sulley is named after James P. Sullivan, the monster from Disney's Monsters Inc. More importantly, we have twins, Isabella and Jack. Izzy wants to be a veterinarian, and Jack wants to build limbs for people who lost theirs to cancer. Most of my time away from work is spent with the kids at soccer games, visiting Grant's Farm because Izzy likes horses or eating bar food at Blueberry Hill. The fun thing is that our kids will sometimes come with us to work. Washington University is like their second home.
Washington University School of Medicine's 1,300 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.
Diane Duke Williams
Associate Director of Media Relations
williamsdia@wustl.edu
Kristina Sauerwein
Senior Medical Science Writer
k.sauerwein@wustl.edu
Kristina covers pediatrics, surgery, medical education and student life. In 2020, she received a gold Robert G. Fenley Writing Award for general staff writing from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and in 2019, she received the silver award. Kristina is an author and former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Los Angeles Times, where she was part of a team of journalists that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004 for breaking news. Additionally, she covered the 2014 Ferguson unrest for TIME magazine and, for eight years, wrote a popular parenting column for BabyCenter.com.
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Consistently ranked a top medical school for research, Washington University School of Medicine is also a catalyst in the St. Louis biotech and startup scene. Our community includes recognized innovators in science, medical education, health care policy and global health. We treat our patients and train new leaders in medicine at Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, both ranked among the nation's best hospitals and recognized for excellence in care.


This is the fifth in a series that looks at the last words of Jesus Christ. This message was delivered at Hillcrest Baptist Church on the evening of September 23, 2012.. This message deals with Jesus' physical suffering on the cross. This contains an audio recording of my message, along with my sermon notes. Please note that the sermon notes are not a full transcript, because I typically add to my notes as I preach. For the entire message please listen to the audio.
As we listen to Jesus speak from the cross, there is no question that He loves us. His fifth statement reveals that love in a special way.
Jesus was crucified at 9:00am. He spent the first three hours on the cross in the sunlight, then darkness came.
The three statements prior to that centered on others, the three after that, centered on Himself.
This is the shortest of all His statements, and the only one that referred to His body and His physical suffering.
This simple statement shows His love in a special way, by painting three pictures of Christ.
3) the loving savior of sinners.
Jesus was truly a man. Just as we cannot deny His deity, we cannot deny His humanity.
Liberal theologians today deny His deity, but in the early church, there were those who denied His humanity.
Jesus was born as a baby, grew up as a child and a youth. He ate, drank, became weary, and had to sleep. He felt pain, He wept and He died. These are all human experiences.
When Jesus was on the cross, He felt the depths of human suffering.
He refused any of the wine mixed with myrrh that was offered as a narcotic, because He didn't want His senses dulled in any way.
He was in perfect control of His faculties, and didn't try to escape the pain in any way.
The high priest when ministering in the tabernacle was warned not to drink any strong drink. Likewise Jesus did not want to be identified in any way with strong drink.
He was in complete control of Himself as the suffering Son of Man.
This means that Christ is able to completely empathize with us, and fully understand our pain.
When Jesus became our merciful high Priest, He endured the suffering and paid the full price.
This is why we can come boldly to the throne of grace.
We can come to someone who knows how much we hurt and how we feel. He knows our burdens and our pain. He suffered for us.
Jesus said "I thirst" so that scripture would be fulfilled.
He completely obeyed the word of God. In fact, everything that Jesus did was in obedience to the Word of God.
It is not surprising that He thirsted, crucifixion is an agonizing form of death.
As a person hangs on the cross, all of His bodily fluids are literally drained out of Him.
Jesus had a purpose, and that purpose was the only thing He was interested in.
It is a lesson for us to be obedient.
God has a purpose for you, and you should make it your mission in life to fulfill His will, just as Jesus was completely obedient.
The most important thing in the life of a believer is to know the will of God, and do it, and do it from the heart!
Jesus was certainly thirsty, because of the physical agony, but there is more to it than that. When Jesus went through the three hours of darkness, He was made sin.
In taking our sin, He had to endure our complete punishment, not just physical death, this includes experiencing the torments that souls will endure in hell.
One of the things we know about hell, is that it is a place of thirst, eternal thirst.
It is a place of eternal unquenchable fire.
Hell is certainly a literal place, and unquenchable thirst is one of the agonies.
At every step of the crucifixion, Jesus endured unspeakable agony, which ended in what was undoubtedly an incomprehensible thirst. Just like in hell.
Jesus endured the thirst, so that He could provide us with living water.
He endured the thirst, so that we will never have to.
He felt the torments of hell that rightfully belong to us.


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4 well-known Irish actors have landed roles in 'Peaky Blinders'
Fiona Flynn
There was some very exciting casting news today for Cillian Murphy's hit show 'Peaky Blinders' as it has emerged there will be a few more Irish actors joining him in the fray.
Charlene McKenna, Brian Gleeson, Emmett J. Scanlan and former 'Fair City' star Daryl McCormack are set to join the series for the fifth season of the period crime drama.
Other new cast members include Sam Claflin ('Adrift', 'Me Before You') and Anya Taylor-Joy ('The Witch').
**Big cast news** We're delighted to announce that @SamClaflin, #BrianGleeson, #NeilMaskell, @dickie_kate, @CosmoJarvis and @EmmettScanlan will be joining #PeakyBlinders for series 5. @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/A6ZHMUxwgp
— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) October 18, 2018
Gleeson, who can currently be seen in Channel 4's 'The Bisexual' said: "Looking forward to kicking around in the mud of Northern England with an exceptional cast and crew.
"The scripts are wild and pertinent - a classic Peaky brew."
Gleeson is of course brother to Domhnall Gleeson and son to Brendan Gleeson, he has previously had roles in 'Mother!' alongside his bro as well as 'Logan Lucky' and 'Assassins Creed' and Irish dramas 'Love/Hate' and 'Rebellion'.
Charlene McKenna has previously starred in BBC's 'Ripper Street' and E4's 'Misfits'as well Irish shows 'Raw' and 'Pure Mule'.
Emmett J. Scanlon can currently be seen in 'Women on the Verge' but has also starred in 'Hollyoaks' and 'The Fall'.
As well as 'Fair City', Daryl McCormack has appeared in 'A Very English Scandal' and has had many stage roles including in The West End's 'The Lieutenant of Inishmore' opposite Aidan Turner.
These new faces will be joining a cast that also includes fellow Irish actors Aidan Gillen, Charlie Murphy and Ned Dennehy while director Anthony Byrne is also a Dublin man.
The fifth season is currently being filmed in Manchester and fans will get to see it on BBC One in 2019.


How much value, exactly? Businesses that have embraced instant messaging practice have seen remarkable improvements in productivity and streamlined communication. According to a survey of employees using chat services conducted bySoftwareAdvice.com, 75 percent saw decreased call and email volume, and 66 percent noticed quick resolution for simple questions. When it comes to productivity, 21 percent noted either moderate or significant increase.