Why is the Midlands such a hub for manufacturing?
We've just interviewed laser cutting company Midtherm Laser about the UK manufacturing sector. They gave interesting insights into this robust industry and how the Midlands is a powerful nucleus for it.
Midtherm Laser is one of the contributing companies for our programme Manufacturing Excellence, which explores the technological developments within leading manufacturing companies. Midtherm Laser use the most advanced laser cutting machines to supply tailored sheet metal to numerous sectors including aerospace, construction and transport.
They put their success down to customer retention and a streamlined manufacturing process. Keeping it simple and doing it well seems to be the key, instead of aggressively targeting new business. They have a dedicated team who develop strong, working relationships with their regular 250 customers to ensure the production process runs smoothly and meets their specific requirements. Lucy Cottrill has worked her way up through the ranks and now heads up their Estimating team. She had a real passion for customer service and impressed the importance of developing rapport with her customers and being flexible to their specific needs.
Retention is a sustainable business model and has seen them expand by an impressive amount, enabling them to invest in the latest Bystronic laser machines. Having the most advanced machines also has a positive impact on the environment as it uses less electricity and nitrogen. I was impressed to hear that all off-cuts are melted down and recycled.
They also have an in-depth apprentice scheme, which lasts several years and involves continuous learning and development across the business. We interviewed Hayley Boyle, who has been on the scheme for 2 years and is keen to move into accounts when she has gained the necessary skills and experience. The company genuinely had a great working atmosphere and it was refreshing to see a manufacturing company with females in key positions throughout the company.
The Midlands really is a hot-bed for manufacturing and the reason it is called "The Black Country" is because many buildings were stained black from the smoke from factories. Thankfully Midlands' factories no longer churn out this level of pollution but their output shows no sign of slowing down. A news report suggested that around ½ of SME's (small-medium enterprises) were taking on new staff and ¾ of companies in the region expected to grow in the coming years.
So, the future for UK manufacturing looks to be positive and it's nice to see it recovering well from the recent recession.
Our manufacturing excellence programme will be broadcast on Sky Channel 212 later this year. Please share this piece and check out this blog post if you're interested in contributing to one of our programmes.


You can transfer your existing numbers to your Internet Phone Telephone System. Once transferred, whenever you move premises you can take your numbers with you.
You can also have a new "Main" number if you wish.
Say you have five extensions on your new Internet Phone Telephone System – We would give you a block of say 10 new numbers like the following examples.


Jacobean Style Decorative Occasional Table In Solid Oak. Good Cond.
Art Deco Vintage Dumb Waiter on Stand (Ashtray, Tips or Drinks).
Elegant traditional style solid top mahogany lamp table - not veneer. REDUCED!
good quality reproduction antique/regency style extending dining table.


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Description:If you are looking for a fully furnished home for rent in San Diego for a military family, Majestic ..


PURPLE PROMISE FOUNDATION PROJECT: MYELOID-CONDITIONING TO RESTORE IMMUNE POTENCY AGAINST MELANOMA.
Immunotherapy represents the most effective therapeutic approach currently available to treat late stage melanoma. The underlying mechanism for immunotherapy is dependent on the immune system's ability to detect tumors and activate anti-tumor immune "effector" cells as a means to promote tumor clearance. Current immunotherapies (e.g. cytokine therapy, immune checkpoint blockade) target relatively late immune events and can produce cancer remission in 10-20% of patients. During the normal pathology of melanoma a subversion of early immune events occurs, leading to an immune bias that allows tumor cells to effectively evade the immune system. A central component to our research is to identify the hallmark(s) of this early immune bias. In doing so, we aim to develop new immunotherapy tools that will restore immune potency against the cancer cells.
Using experimental models of melanoma we have now identified 2 types of immune subversion initiated by the tumor that affect the early immune processes. Specifically, we have identified that this subversion occurs at either a local level, to affect macrophages that infiltrate the tumor per se, or at a non-tumor level where circulating immune (dendritic) cells are affected. Under normal circumstances these immune cells (macrophages and dendritic cells) should promote a potent anti-tumor immune response. However, suppression of their function means that they actually protect the cancer cells against the immune response.
Analysis of macrophages and dendritic cells from models of melanoma demonstrated they express microbial sensors termed Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs). Because of the importance of TLRs in response to microbial infection several synthetic compounds have been developed to activate (agonists) and inhibit (antagonists) their function. Using these compounds with isolated macrophages and dendritic cells, we were able to counteract the suppression of immune function induced by the tumor. We are now in the process of expanding these data to determine whether the changes we observed using isolated cells also occur in experimental animal models.
Sarah Teague, a rising senior from NC State University, was accepted into the Cannon Summer Scholar Program to work with Drs. Foureau and White on the melanoma immunotherapy research project. Her project sought to expand on our preliminary data addressing immune cell subversion by melanoma at the tumor site. In particular, her project aimed to separate the different groups of of macrophages at the tumor site between those termed M1, which act to enhance the immune/inflammatory response, and M2, which are immunosuppressive. To achieve this Sarah first used immunohistochemistry from tumors removed from a mouse model of melanoma to microscopically identify changes in M1/M2 balance. This work was then followed by in vitro analysis of macrophage subtypes using TLR antagonists and a technique termed "flow cytometry".
Sarah's work identified M2 macrophages as hallmarks of local immune subversion by melanoma, and that 2 combinations of TLR agonists overcome macrophage subversion and activate pro-inflammatory signals. For her efforts Sarah won the award for best Summer Student Presentation for her talk entitled "Melanoma Immunotherapy: macrophage conditioning to restore immune potency against Melanoma".


text:
package com.bsb.common.integration.checkstyle.util.support;

import java.util.Iterator;

/**
 * @author Sebastien Gerard
 */
@SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class ClassWithImplements implements Iterable<Object>, java.io.Serializable {

    @Override
    public Iterator<Object> iterator() {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Is there a way to integrate SQL Table Schema Comparison/Crossover into CI/CD gitlab? Context:
I have a project where we can find 2 SQL databases. The first one is db_prod (in production) and the second one is db_test (in test).
Sometimes, I'm updating my db_test table schemas, adding some columns.
Problem:
In my gitlab CI/CD pipeline, I want to integrate the changes of my db_test table schemas into my db_prod table schemas (I am not speaking about data, just table structures) during the CD phasis.
Some important points:
I saw there are already some softwares and IDEs (like visual studio) which can help you to compare table structures and to create the update script, but I didn't find a way to integrate it in CI/CD pipelines. The only way I figured out is to develop my own script.
Question:
Do you know/Have you some piece of advice to integrate "SQL comparison and structure crossover between 2 databases" into CI/CD gitlab pipeline ? :)
Thank for your answers!
PS : I don't want some softwares I need to pay

A: No need for any other software, it can all be done within a Gitlab CI Pipeline. Here's an example job to connect to a QA database and run some queries (for example, creating tables):
stages:
  - database_setup
  ...

Setup QA Database:
  stage: database_setup
  image: mysql:8.0
  variables:
    GIT_STRATEGY: none
  script:
    # Run some queries
    - mysql -h ${QA_MYSQL_HOST} -p ${QA_MYSQL_PORT} -u ${QA_MYSQL_USER} -p${QA_MYSQL_PASSWORD} -e "create database qa_database_name;"
    - mysql -h ${QA_MYSQL_HOST} -p ${QA_MYSQL_PORT} -u ${QA_MYSQL_USER} -p${QA_MYSQL_PASSWORD} -e "create table example_table (id int, name, varchar(50));"

This is just a dumb example, but this job uses a Docker image that has the mysql server and client software installed, but in this example we only need the client as we're connecting to a remote database server (specified by the QA_MYSQL_HOST, QA_MYSQL_PORT, QA_MYSQL_USER, and QA_MYSQL_PASSWORD variables that are CI Variables defined in the Project settings in Gitlab).
The job for setting up the prod database would be similar, but you'd connect to a different database, run different queries, etc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Over the weekend, something terrible happened to me. I dropped my bunch of keys.
The fact that I lost some keys is not that bad. I could get them replaced.
The fact that I got stranded in the middle of the night is not that bad. I could go to my friend's place to bunk for the night.
What was terrible is the keychain which I have lost. That keychain was my very first purchase when I moved to Singapore back in 1999. I was at Orchard Road, I needed a keychain for my hostel keys, so I bought a nice one, all bronze and leather with my initial R.
Why was it significant? At S$10, it was almost RM25, which was a luxury to me as a student back then. The purchase was a splurge. But I loved the keychain. I have lost it several times over the years, but every time it got returned to me.
But not this time. I wasn't so lucky. And the worst thing was that I don't even have a photo of it to put up a "lost and found" notice. The closest I could find was this photo on Flickr.
It was like the lost of a long time friend. The keychain has been with me for more than ten years. Now it is gone.
Perhaps it was a sign… for me to get a similar symbolic item for my (somewhat) new life in Hong Kong.
Maybe I shall get a Tiffany. But I'll do that only when I have grieved enough about its lost.
Good bye, my keychain. You are sorely missed.


Doubt session is the core of math & Stat world. At DIPS we always encourage students to ask question. Atmosphere we have created where-in, even a weaker student don't hesitate to ask their doubt. More you ask, more you learn is our teaching pattern.
We have dedicated doubt clearing room where, student can clear their doubt throughout the day. It's a one-to-one doubt session so that student can have plenty of time to understand the concept.
Dedicated pool of faculty is available to address student's doubt. Faculties are available all the time at center for any doubt, if you question before the class or after the class, you will find a faculty in your reach always.
We also conduct the doubt class for specified assignments, test or specific topic for entire batch where entire batch is being addressed for doubt, this help in making all student at common platform, weaker student level also enhanced leveling with the other students of the same batch. Doubt class helps in to understanding the in-detailed concept and way of solving the query in min time.
In doubt discussion, it is always focused how to attend actual exam and time management in stress moment of exam. Best possible method to solve the question in min time with tips and tricks. These tips and tricks plays very important role while giving the exam for getting the desired result.
We are the one and first who publish the answer key of each CSIR Net exam on same exam day within 4 to 5 hours of examination finish time. And at same time we discuss few important questions and publish on our youtube channel as well. Student give first preference to us by surfing our website for answer key to assess their examination. And watch the video to understand the difficult questions. This is the most awaited thing for the student to get the answer from DIPS.


text:
Q: Is it OK to use classes as dictionary keys in python? I am about to write a function that finds a correct handler for a class. To achieve it I want to use a mapping from classes to handlers. I've already checked that it is possible to use  classes as dictionary keys, however I am not completely sure if it is the right think to do.
My main concern is, if it is guaranteed that if I have a class imported in two different modules, these two will have the same hash. But maybe there are some other aspects that I should consider.
If idea of using classes itself is wrong, then I will use classnames, but that would require me to keep them unique, so I would prefer to use classes itself.
EDIT: I have made a test:
# file: a.py
import datetime
D = datetime.datetime

# file: b.py
import datetime
from a import D
print hash(D) == hash(datetime.datetime)

This prints "True", but I am still not sure if there is a way for it to be False for the same class.

A: It's perfectly valid, but note that what you are doing is fake-adding a method to that class.
Consider whether it would be better to just add appropriate methods to your classes, either in the normal way, or possibly just by guerilla-patching. (It might not be, but consider it).

A: This is perfectly okay, since classes are objects themselves. For objects the hash key is their memory location which is guranteed to be unique. Let me get a reference...

A: It's perfectly valid to use a class as a dictionary key, I've done it a couple of times already. However, inheritance will not work, that is, a handler for a class will not apply to its subclasses which may not be what you want. __mro__ could be useful in that case, but this solution seems wrong to me.

A: however, in python3.6 this does not work with subclasses anymore.
My example is a hierarchy of 3  classes and it fails with
TypeError: unhashable type: 'SubClassOfSubclass'


text:
https://www.ctpost.com/schools/article/Niche-2017-Most-diverse-high-schools-in-10618497.php
Niche: 2017 Most diverse high schools in Connecticut
By Lidia Ryan
10. Cooperative High School
Student racial diversity index: 64%
Gender diversity: 66%
Free/reduced lunch: 54%
Photo: Caiaimage / Sam Edwards / Getty Images
Niche.com, an education ranking and review site, released its 2017 findings for the most diverse high schools in the country. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews from students and parents, the site ranked 13,357 U.S. public high schools.
Niche: 2017 Best public high school teachers in Connecticut
Niche: 2017 Best school districts in Connecticut
Click through the slideshow to see the 10 most diverse high schools in Connecticut. Visit Niche for the full list.
To find the most diverse, Niche gave each school scores based on Student Racial Diversity Index (a high value indicates a very racially diverse student body), gender diversity (the closer to 50 percent, the better), percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch (the closer to the national mean, the better) and results from parent/student surveys.
State-wide, only three southwestern Connecticut schools made the top 10 most diverse. New Haven and Hartford-area schools made up the bulk of the list.
However, Norwalk's Brien McMahon High School topped the pack at number one. It is also the only Connecticut school to make the top 100 nation-wide.
"This school can be divided at times but recently everyone has been hanging out with everyone. We are a very diverse school and we are proud of that. Sporting events are very fun to go to," a Brien McMahon senior told Niche about the school three months ago.
Westhill High School in Stamford, Norwalk High School and Stratford High School made the top 20.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It's a step in the right direction, at least. As even the slightest stir from rolex replica sale is apparently headline-worthy, let's take the loupe to this 2017 Rolex Sky-Dweller replica watches uk, beginning with the new hands and indexes. These new Rolex Sky-Dweller models are characterized by the blocky, rectangular indexes and longer hands. Previous models have all been Roman or Arabic numerals that could even be viewed as quirky in a rolex replica sale context, so this adds a significantly more standard and conservative option to the collection. Further, it will allow rolex replica uk savants to distinguish at a glance, say, an all-white-gold model from a two-tone steel and white gold model. Longer hands, as we saw on the Rolex replica watches uk Explorer last year, are always a welcome improvement to legibility and aesthetic balance. Between a few dial color options, these features debut on a range of about six Rolex Sky-Dweller replica watches sale models, with two variations of a "Rolesor" case.


Vincent O'Malley has generously made space available to me for a guest-blog in his series. I should mention, even before I start, that I owe a lot to Vincent's patient responses to my questions and other forms of help in writing my book.
Marching into the specialised territory of real historians is always a challenge for those of us who are on the fringes of the discipline. In New Zealand this is particularly true, as Aotearoa has a significant corpus of powerful historical research – focused, technical monographs on many topics; elegantly written general narratives in the best humanities' traditions; and broader annales-type studies. In sum, I owe a large debt to historians. Above all, historians have carefully documented the 19th century, for example , its prime and momentous events, the key actors and their actions, the constitutional trends, the interactions of Pākehā and Māori (albeit mainly from Pākehā records), and so on. Additionally, also from the "outfield", Richard Boast's legal history is an authoritative voice on the policies and mechanics of Māori land loss. Much, of course, remains to done, and I hope that my book stimulates this.
My research covers three axes: (i) population, (ii) development and (iii) their broader contexts. For the third of these I turned, with confidence, to the extant history by the "conventional historians", as represented by my blog-host's own work both on pre- and post-Waitangi issues. This, I thought, would be the easiest and most enjoyable aspect of my work. When I last drew systematically on historical research for my 1991 book Te Iwi Maori, I was impressed by what I had found. But the world had changed since 1991 – for the worse. Instead of a fast and comfortable passage, I have had to navigate through waters churned up by what I have called "tabloid historians". In its place "tabloidism", making history popular, is no bad thing, but also it must adhere to standards set by the discipline.
1. "Tabloidists" throw population data around with a total lack of care and little knowledge about what are drivers, and what are the maxima and minima of reported demographic trends – that is, what is feasible: I had the tools to set the record straight and felt obliged to do so (see below).
2. "Tabloidist" soundbites and other pronouncements unjustly demonise Māori as stone-age "savages" – contrasting them with a "superior race", the British. They were were busily "clearing" the Scots and Irish from their lands, brutally putting down the Indian Mutiny and about to use Maxim guns on Mahdi's poorly armed cavalry at Omdurman, a slaughter applauded by young Winston Churchill. Unfortunately, these notions have entered the public dialogue, right up to the highest levels – one only has to think of Key's comments in 2014, to say nothing of Don Brash's, Paul Holmes', Michael Laws' and others.
3. Perhaps most importantly, the attention of the thinking public has been drawn away from the "everyday story" of Māori life, especially pre-1840. Tumult and savagery are the profiled events. Yet, most Māori were in fact engaged in "the factors of production and reproduction". Even the emblematic and terrible "Musket Wars" were spotty in terms of geographic distribution and periodicity, probably more significant for population redistribution than for lethality. Here I was fortunate in having access to Ron Crosby's incredibly detailed book; Michael King's endorsement of Crosby is truly justified. Crosby also carefully cross-checked my parsing of his book – a very generous act. Despite one "tabloidist" arguing that from 1850 Māori benefited from a Pax Britannica, the New Zealand Wars, especially those of the 1860s, were both highly lethal and caused massive displacements, besides finally destroying most of Māori commercial horticulture. Moreover, from a military standpoint as James Belich has shown, the British resorted to massive force: 27% of all Imperial troops outside Britain and India were in New Zealand at one stage, far outnumbering the Māori warriors pitted against them, and engaging in all the actions that were to characterise colonial wars (eg "scorched earth" tactics in the Urewera in the late 1860s). Even modest protest – the 1899 Rawene Dog Tax "War" – saw military might (eg a naval ship, machine guns) brought to bear. And the attack on pacifist Parihaka by 1600 armed militia and police, led by the Native Minister, Bryce, must be New Zealand's lowest moment.
To analyse Māori population trends I have drawn on well-tested methodologies (empirically as well as mathematically), grounded in demographic theory, plus the vast knowledge-base about how population dynamics and structures change over time, including what are limits to demographic trends. For dynamics (births and deaths), the so-called "indirect estimation techniques" of demography are robust and very useful. They are employed across the entire Third World to gain basic vital rates where data are inadequate, and thus the statistics used for almost all macro-level social and economic planning. But the rates merely provide skeletons, allowing hypothesis-building. I hope these postulates will be investigated in depth using the tools of expository research, particularly by historians with access to the "iwi" and "hapu" books written in Māori in the 19th century.
This becomes even more important when one turns to the third aspect of my work: development. I have explored this mainly using secondary sources. But, until there is detailed expository analysis, my research on what "Mr and Mrs Everyday Māori" were doing in the 19th century must remain speculative. Despite the tumult of the inter-tribal wars and other dislocations due to contact and by the invasion of pathogens, against which Māori had no previous exposure and thus no resistance, everyday life continued and, in some ways, Māori prospered. Māori adopted and adapted new foods, tools and other technologies: I call these "clip-ons" to their economic system. But, they also built on their own skills and structures, such as the trading networks from the far north to the far south. By 1840 they were at a "take-off point" for serious development. They also brought a very tangible, huge dowry to the Waitangi Treaty table – all their land, their economy and their vibrant international trading ventures. What did the British bring? Intangible advantages of joining the British Empire?
This bring me to the end of my story. By 1897 (Queen Victoria's Jubilee), Māori were in an "under-development trap". They were barely surviving because of introduced disease. This was, of course, an unintended consequence of contact and colonisation. Given the state of 19th century health sciences, even had they wanted to, the settlers had no real means of improving Māori health. But the gradual natural gains in resistance through exposure to disease were delayed for Māori because of the "development of [their] under-development" by their brutal displacement from their major capital base – land (to use Thomas Piketty's definition of capital). But Māori did not have access to the financial capital that could allow them to escape this trap.
The sequel, which I am now working on, will explore their "escape", first by improved survival, and later, but only partially, by building an asset base.


Onigirazu (Japanese Rice Sandwiches) is derived from Onigiri (Japanese rice balls). According to Eating With Your Hands, Onigirazu means "no shaping". When making Onigiri, the rice needs to be shaped into a triangle, but no squeezing/shaping is needed when making Onigirazu. This explains the "razu", which means "none", or "without".
For the longest time, the husband has been hoping that I would make Onigirazu. And why not, I thought, since these fit right into my "Approved" list of fuss-free food to cook. These Japanese rice sandwiches can be filled with allll sorts of ingredients!
This time round, I made two variations – the pork chop version and one with Japanese potato salad and ham. I'm going to give you the recipe for the pork chop since I've blogged about the potato salad recipe before.
Wrap tightly and slice with a sharp knife!
Have fun with these.. the combinations are endless. I have made these with crispy fried chicken cutlet, grilled portobello mushrooms, Japanese hamburger steaks, luncheon meat and lots more. Can't wait for cbb to grow up so I can prepare make bento boxes for her to take to school. Hehe. These are perfect for kids' school excursions or even as a weekend project with your kiddos! Very minimal mess (for you) to clean up and they'll love making it too, I promise!
Cook: Marinate the pork shoulder in soy sauce and mirin for an hour. Airfry in 180C preheated AF for 12 minutes. Alternatively, pan fry in a little oil till done. Set aside. Fry the eggs into an omelette, then cut into 4 slices. Set aside.
Start by placing the cling wrap on a flat surface, followed by one seaweed sheet. Angle the seaweed such that one of the corners is pointing upwards.
Divide the rice into four portions. Place a scoop in the middle of the seaweed. Use the rice paddle to arrange it into a square shape. Try to be as neat as possible but don't worry if it's a little out of shape.
Sprinkle a little salt on the rice. Top with pork chop, then follow with mayonnaise, omelette slice and lettuce. Finally, top it off with another scoop of rice.
Take two corners of the seaweed and fold them inwards. Wrap tightly and ensure that the fillings remain in the centre. Take the other two corners and repeat. Your Onigirazu should look like a neat square box. Now wrap the four corners of cling wrap one by one around the Onigirazu, then turn it face down and rest for five minutes..
Repeat the above steps for the second Onigirazu. Cut into half and enjoy!


text:
Michael Golub
Prof. Michael Golub
Optical Sciences
Department of Electrical Engineering -
Physical Electronics
School of Electrical Engineering
Ramat Aviv, 6139001 Israel
mgolub@eng.tau.ac.il
Tel: +972(3) 6405085
Fax: +972(3) 6423508
Michael A. Golub received M.Sc. degree from the Samara State Aerospace University in 1978, and Ph.D degree from the Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow in 1982. In 1986 and 1992 he was appointed Associate professor and Professor positions at the Technical Cybernetics department in the Samara State Aerospace University. He has been visiting professor in National High School of Physics at the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France, in University of Jena, Germany and Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. From 1995 he held chief scientist positions in Israeli industry. In 2007 he joined the senior academic staff of the Tel Aviv University. Main area of academic and industrial expertise is in diffractive optics, micro-optics, optical design and computational imaging. He conducted theoretical investigations and development in diffractive optical elements for UV, visible and IR light, including beam shapers, diffractive lenses, beam splitters, complicated focusers of laser beam, spot array generators, lenslet arrays, dual wavelength lenses, beam steering diffractive optics, holographic diffusers, diffractive micro-lenses with extended depth of focus, phase correctors for non-symmetrical wavefront formation, diffractive aberration correctors, mode selective optical elements for mode-division multiplexing, fiber optical sensors, porous silicon diffractive elements, resonance domain diffractive optics and metasurfaces with high diffraction efficiency. He has authored and coauthored more than 70 papers in refereed journals, a book "Laser beam mode selection by computer generated holograms," CRC Press, USA and inventor of 24 patents.
Beam shaping Design and applications of diffractive optics, metasurfaces and microoptics for light transformation. Structured light for 3D sensing.
Diffraction Rigorous diffraction theory, high-contrast dielectric diffraction structures. Resonance domain diffractive optical elements, effective gratings.
Coherent modes Mode-division multiplexing in fiber optical communucation. Fiber optic sensors. Creation, and transformation of complex light beams.
Optical systems Advanced optical imaging and sensing by multi-lens optical systems with diffractive structures and metasurfaces. Optical design.
Holograms Computer generated holograms for 3D display and visualization
Courses BSc and MSc courses in optics, diffractive optics, optical information processing, imaging and optical design
Topics of current research
Laser beam shaping by diffractive and micro-optical elements.
Advanced optical elements based on meta-surfaces and resonance domain diffraction gratings with high efficiency.
Mode-division multiplexing in optical fiber communication based on diffractive optics. Fiber optic sensors with spatial modes selection.
3D sensing with structured light.
Computer generated holograms for 3D imaging and display.
Optical design for non-paraxial multiple-lens optical systems with diffractive optical elements.
Personal page of Michael Golub, Department of Electrical Engineering - Physical Electronics, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University.
Website developed by Daniel Studio.


Welcome to the Solving Stratzenblitz Wiki!
A Community dedicated to solving Stratzenblitz75's ARG thingy!
Here we attempt to solve the hidden messages and uncover the story behind Stratzenblitz75's videos. The messages are often sent in the thumbnail or a single frame during a video, or encoded in a mysterious language we call Stratish.
To get started, create an account and get editing! We recommend joining our Discord and get acquainted with our other members.
I hereby take responsibilty for all the material on the wiki, even if someone else posted it.
Whatever it is, I'll be happy to take it down.
This thing doesn't pay for itself, you know.
You can't get adsense on a subdomain.
This page was last modified on 4 March 2019, at 07:18.


This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to look young and feel young forever. Aging is a natural life process. No matter how young and energetic you feel, things will inevitably change thirty or forty years from now. However, this is not an excuse to look sloppy and weak as you age. You are still in the prime of your life, and you must do what you can to stay youthful and fresh! It is possible to stay young and beautiful even as you age. To fight the aging process, you need to invest time, effort and money in developing and adopting certain habits that can help you look young. Finding health and happiness even as you age is very much possible! In fact, you don't even need to spend a fortune just to look and feel young once more.
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I have the ability and to have access to and to learn more in different areas in wellness and health because I have the door open to me to any doctor, any scientist, any hospital, any study around the world. I believe it's my responsibility to share that information with others.


In previous posts we have talked about how you can use your Xperia™ to connect to a big screen like your TV to access content, show and share it with your friends and family, and during the 2012 International CES, at the Sony booth, we could see a lot more about how you can connect your Xperia™ with other devices: stream your favorite songs using Music Unlimited from your phone to your car or home stereo system, connect with your friend using his Sony tablet to play a game against you on your smartphone , share the photos you took in 3D with your Xperia™ directly to your 3D screen.
With the new Xperia™ S and Xperia™ ion, content accessing and sharing with other devices such as Laptops, Tablets and TVs becomes really easy and intuitive.
Just connect the smartphone through an HDMI cable to your TV and you can share the HD videos you took before with the 12 MP Camera, or use the remote control to navegate on your phone and check the most watched videos on YouTube or read what did your friends say on Facebook about your latest picture. If you are bored, you can go to Video Unlimited and watch one of the latest films, directly from your phone, or on your Tablet or TV. If you are traveling, you can connect your Xperia™ S to the screen on your room and read your latest emails or check your calendar so you know exactly what meetings you have the next day.
The video we posted really explains more what you can do with Xperia™ S, so check it out.


text:
Le Parti des droits de l'Homme est un parti politique cambodgien, actuellement dans l'opposition.

Historique
Il a été fondé le  par Kem Sokha ancien président du centre cambodgien des droits de l'homme, une ONG qui organisait notamment des forums et des conférences dans les campagnes, où les villageois pouvaient faire part de leurs griefs contre le pouvoir en place. Ce serait la demande réitérée d'un grand nombre de ces villageois qui l'aurait décidé à créer ce parti.

Il se présente aux élections législatives de juillet 2008 avec notamment l'engagement de faire adopter et rendre effective une loi anti-corruption conforme aux normes internationales. Il ne peut toutefois pas empêcher le Parti du peuple cambodgien de remporter une victoire écrasante et le Parti de Sam Rainsy de devenir le principal parti d'opposition. Le Parti des droits de l'Homme devient néanmoins la troisième force politique du pays avec 6,6 % des votes et trois sièges à l'Assemblée nationale.

Le , Kem Sokha et Sam Rainsy signe une déclaration commune avalisant la création d'une alliance nommé le mouvement démocratique pour le changement ; il est prévu de présenter des listes conjointes lors des prochaines élections, et pourquoi pas un jour, fusionner.

Structures
Le Parti des droits de l'Homme tire l'essentiel de son financement de dons provenant des Cambodgiens vivant à l'étranger.

Il a adopté un système de limitation des pouvoirs contrairement aux autres principaux partis qui sont généralement dominés par un seul homme. Ces dirigeants sont élus lors d'une convention. Ainsi, outre Kem Sokha, on retrouve dans le comité de direction du parti trois personnes aux parcours très différents : Son Soubert, Kéo Rémy et Pen Sovan qui ont le même pouvoir que le président. Il n'en demeure pas moins que, pour beaucoup, le parti reste difficilement dissociable de son fondateur.

Toutefois, pour éviter qu'il ne devienne celui d'un seul homme, il prévu dans les statuts de limiter à deux le nombre de mandats du président.

Critiques
Lors de sa création, le parti a eu à essuyer des critiques provenant de plusieurs bords.

Certains prétendent que la fondation de ce parti visait à diviser et affaiblir l'opposition et aurait été encouragée en sous-main par le pouvoir en place. Ces allégations semblent toutefois peu crédibles, vu les critiques que Kem Sokha a depuis longtemps émises contre les dirigeants actuels.

D'autres, notamment dans la société civile s'agacent qu'un parti puisse se prétendre « des droits de l'homme ». En outre, plusieurs organisations de protection des droits de l'homme avaient aussi demandé à Kem Sokha de changer en juin 2007 le nom de son parti pour éviter « une confusion des genres entre les activités politiques du parti, et celles des ONG qui sont, quant à elles, réellement indépendantes et au service de l'intérêt général » ; Kem Sokha répond que le respect des droits de l'homme étant le principal fondement du parti, il est essentiel d'y faire référence dans le nom.

Liens externes
 Site du Parti des droits de l'homme
 Programme politique du Parti des droits de l'homme

Sources

  Ambassade de France à Phnom Penh – Présentation générale du Cambodge
  Cambodge Soir,
  The Mirror,  Kem Sokha Seeks Supports for His Human Rights Party in US
  Cambodge Soir,
  Le petit journal,  Kem Sokha refuse de changer le nom de son parti HRP
  Le petit journal,  LEGISLATIVES 2008 - 12 partis et des procès
  Casafree,  Cambodge : la "croisade" de l'opposition contre les résultats électoraux
  Ka-Set,
  Ka-Set,  Cambodge : la "croisade" de l'opposition contre les résultats électoraux
  ka-set,  Parti Sam Rainsy - Parti des droits de l'Homme : chronique d'une fusion annoncée

Parti politique au Cambodge
Parti politique libéral en Asie
Parti politique fondé en 2007

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Recommended by Juliet Fraser. Juliet and I knew each other at Cambridge, but not well, despite both being musicians. EXAUDI was Juliet's brainwave though, and having been lucky enough to have been part of their adventure for most of their first 15 years, Juliet and I spent a lot of time together over those years, at irregular intervals, but often with good chunks of time to sit and talk about anything from travel to red wine, moral and political issues to a good natter about music or a good book. I knew I'd get a good recommendation from Juliet after the last book she lent me (Robert MacFarlane's The Wild Places – also very worth reading).
I was not disappointed with The Outrun. This is a fierce, heart-rending memoir from a 30 year old, telling the story of her upbringing on Orkney with issues coming from her father's mental illness, her graduate reaction against this by moving to London, her descent into alcoholic addiction, her rehab and her move back to Orkney.
The majority of the chapters deal with Liptrot's return to Orkney and the subsequent year, but interwoven into her stunning descriptions of scenery, friends and family, wildlife, local traditions and folk stories are parallels and contrasts she draws with her life in London or her fight against the desperate desire to have a drink. I've been to the Orkneys twice; once on holiday and once working, and her prose conjures memories aplenty of the fragile archipelago, pounded by waves and scoured by wind yet stunningly beautiful and a definite must-visit location.
Furthermore, having spent such a large proportion of my childhood on a similarly remote island in Scotland – Raasay, where we started going on holiday when I was 5 and bought a house when I was 12 – I can entirely identify with Liptrot's rebellion against life on the islands. I was lucky – we went there for holidays and it was utterly brilliant, but we always went back to our other home (or boarding school!) for term times. I saw plenty of the local children disappear off the island as soon as they reached school leaving age, some only to return for family occasions, others to return for work after a few years of experiences elsewhere. It is easy to cast the die of greener grass on the other side, with the city folk yearning for the countryside and vice versa, but there is something particular about island life, with the additional restrictions of weather-dependent ferries, shops that might run out of basic necessities, and the fact that EVERYONE knows EVERYTHING!
I was deeply affected by Liptrot's description of her descent into alcoholism. With the ever-increasing awareness of mental health issues, and I'm particularly pleased at how often we discuss this sort of thing as a staff at school, one would hope that the impact of parental mental health problems on children will continue to be increasingly more recognised, as one cannot help but wonder as to the extent to which Liptrot's addiction was a result of her harrowing experiences seeing her father struggle with mania through her childhood. She reaches the same conclusion herself, wondering if her drinking was an attempt to recreate the manic episodes she witnessed. She describes these issues, both her father's and her own with an almost matter-of-fact manner, not over-sensationalising things but instead illuminating the facts with sharply observed details.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this, Jon! And your review is beautifully written. What a brilliant idea this blog is — bravo!


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Kevin Durant says he understands why stars may not want to play with LeBron James in L.A.
By Kurt HelinDec 5, 2018, 3:00 PM EST
When Paul George was forcing his way out of Indiana, all his people talked about was him signing with the Lakers as a free agent. When the time came, he chose to stay in Oklahoma City. Jimmy Butler pushed his way out of Minnesota this season, but the Clippers were reportedly the Los Angeles team on his list, not the Lakers. I have heard from sources, and others have reported as well, that Kawhi Leonard is not really interested in teaming up with LeBron James if Leonard chooses to leave Toronto (not a sure thing by any means).
There's been an assumption that when you combined the Lakers' brand and the draw of Los Angeles with LeBron James, stars would flock to play with him. Not so. The Lakers will eventually get their other star (maybe even this summer), but it's not that simple.
Kevin Durant understands why.
Here is what he told Ric Bucher in a well-done piece at Bleacher Report.
"So much hype comes from being around LeBron from other people," Durant said. "He has so many fanboys in the media. Even the beat writers just fawn over him. I'm like, we're playing basketball here, and it's not even about basketball at certain points. So I get why anyone wouldn't want to be in that environment because it's toxic. Especially when the attention is b******* attention, fluff. It's not LeBron's fault at all; it's just the fact you have so many groupies in the media that love to hang on every word. Just get out of the way and let us play basketball."
Toxic is a strong word, but like he tried to say it's not so much LeBron as it is he is a crossover star — it's more than just basketball media around him. It's a celebrity culture. And that's just the off-the-court stuff. On the court, everyone next to LeBron — even future Hall of Famers, such as Dwyane Wade for example — become role players on some level.
"Kevin Love, he had to totally change his game to fit, to be a shooter," Durant said. "Which, I think, he deserves way more credit for switching his game. [Chris] Bosh, same way. LeBron is a player that needs to play with guys that already know how they play the game — and shooters. Like, young players that are still developing, it's always going to be hard because he demands the ball so much, he demands control of the offense and he creates for everybody."
LeBron is the greatest player of a generation and should have the ball in his hands a lot, it should be his team, and nobody around the league really questions that.
For the stars the Lakers are trying to recruit, the questions are "Where am I in my career? What do I want most? Would playing with LeBron help me get that?"
The answer is not an automatic yes. If Kawhi Leonard wants to prove that he can be the alpha of a team that wins big — and he's not just a key cog in Tim Duncan's culture — then does playing in the shadow of LeBron help him? Same with Durant, if what he wants most is to lead his own team to a title, not to share that spotlight with a Stephen Curry or Russell Westbrook.
Maybe one of those guys — or Anthony Davis, if he turns down a $240 million extension from the Pelicans — feels that playing with LeBron would benefit his career. At some point, some elite player is going to jump at the chance to play with LeBron and win as a Laker. But that is a very, very bright spotlight with a lot of constant drama floating around, and that is not for everyone.
Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have some work to do.


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HMAS Whang Pu (FY-03) or SS Wang Phu was a 3,204 ton riverboat of the China Navigation Company that was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in the Second World War. Her Chinese name translates to "Happy Times". She was one of a group of vessels called the "China Fleet" requisitioned for the RAN in similar circumstances.

Pre-war service
The Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company, Hong Kong built Wang Phu in 1920 for the China Navigation Company. Both Taikoo Dockyard and CNC were owned by John Swire and Sons Ltd, which is British-owned but based in Hong Kong.

War service
The Admiralty requisitioned Whang Pu on 31 December 1941 and work started at Singapore to convert her into a submarine depot ship for the Royal Navy. However, this coincided with the Japanese invasion of Malaya and in January 1942 work on Wang Phu was stopped. She sailed to Fremantle, Western Australia where she served as a depot ship for Royal Netherlands Navy submarine and minesweeper crews.

She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 1 October 1943 as HMAS Whang Pu and fitted out in Melbourne as a mobile repair ship. She served in New Guinea waters and later at Morotai in the Dutch East Indies as a stores ship. After the war she sailed to Hong Kong where she was paid off on 22 April 1946 and returned to her owners.

Post-war
She was then used as an accommodation ship, and in November 1949 was sold for breaking up.

See also
 Allied Chinese Ships

Notes

1920 ships
Auxiliary ships of the Royal Australian Navy
Ships built in Hong Kong
Swire Group
Ships built by the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company


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Are Mega Frum Communities Meaningful?
After living out of town for sixteen years, my wife and I moved back to Teaneck. Today's Teaneck is very different than the one we lived in for 9 years before our years in Boca Raton. When I walked into a restaurant in Teaneck in 1997, I knew nearly all of the people. It's just not possible today.
Is life with twenty shuls, 7 elementary schools, and 6 high schools better? Even at the smaller shuls (like the one at which I daven), congregants often do not know each other, as there are often multiple Shabbos morning minyanim.
Our yeshiva choices have been impacted greatly by the information age. Unthought of a few years ago, it's not unusual today to find families enrolling different children in different schools and switching a child's school when they are unhappy. The much-celebrated death of brand loyalty has touched our religious life.
Our eldest daughter and her husband live in Oakland, California. They have one shul (with 200 families) with one daily morning and evening minyan, and one day school. Every week there's a sit-down Kiddush (and it's not a Chabad). There's one kosher store with fresh, frozen, some prepared foods and a few fresh bakery products. There's a very wide range of observance.
At a recent Kiddush that was given by a congregant to celebrate his 60th birthday, the honoree shared that he and his wife discussed how they were going to commemorate this milestone, for which they brought their children in from around the globe. They decided that the most meaningful way was to sponsor the sit-down Kiddush lunch at shul. "This shul- this community- is my family", he explained. How many of us feel this way about our shul or school?
The downside to the convenience of multiple schools and shuls can be the lack of a deep, enriching sense of community. Though there are certainly people in our community who daven in one shul and send all their children to the same school, I personally daven at 4 different shuls during the course of the week. I live in a neighborhood where shul hopping is not unusual- it's about convenience (of time and location) and availing oneself of the strengths of each institution.
This lack of community has been compounded by social media and texting. Though I appreciate the ease with which I can keep in touch with old friends and former students, Facebook and Whatsapp aren't the space for warm and/or complex personal discussions. Statistics show that the 21st century sense of loneliness and lack of connection is simultaneously motivating a decrease in the teen drinking and teen pregnancy rates while propelling an increase in the teen suicide rate.
Millennials, who are marrying and having children later, are often not connected to a particular shul when they are single and during their early married years living in the city. They (and their shuls) know that they are transients, and are in general not investing time in putting down roots.
The good news is that studies show that millennials are settling down (albeit later) and moving to the suburbs. I see this with both my graduates and with the young families that regularly move into my neighborhood. It makes sense: human nature hasn't changed, and these families have the same needs (backyards, more bedrooms, playrooms) as those of previous generations. The question is- will they feel connected to a community once they move to the suburbs?
The "shtiebelization of America" also provides challenges to the sense of community. Rabbis in small shuls are part time. They do not necessarily have the time to develop deep relationships with each family. A small shul cannot develop the wide range of programs that a large shul has, and there are families who are do not connect spiritually through davening and a Gemara shiur. This is less of a concern for our schools, which are large enough to offer a wide range of extracurriculars and motivated to keep up with their competitors.
On the other hand, smaller shuls and schools often have tremendous benefits. Each person counts and everyone has to pitch in and people feel a sense of belonging. The members of a shul in a multiple-synagogue community often are more hashkafically like-minded than those in a large, "one size fits all" shul. Because of these shared values, these smaller shuls can create a consensus around what type of community they want to create.
We have an awesome responsibility to make sure that the families in our schools and shuls feel that they are valued and integral members of our institutions. While Americans today don't know their neighbors, Orthodoxy offers a sense of belonging, caring and shared mission. Our families and their children will (continue to) opt in to shmirat hamitzvot if they experience this unique warmth and meaningful lifestyle.
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell is ta Teaneck resident and founding Executive Director of Torah Educators Network (TEN), which brings together yeshiva educators from coast to coast. He invites comments at RPT@toraheducators.net
Don't Portray Gemara as the High Road-…


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El Centre històric de la Selva del Camp és un conjunt de la Selva del Camp (Baix Camp) protegit com a Bé Cultural d'Interès Local.

Descripció
La Selva del Camp és un municipi de la comarca del Baix Camp situat entre la plana del Camp i els primers contraforts de la serra de la Mussara. El terme limita amb l'Albiol al nord, l'Aleixar a l'oest, Almoster al sud-oest, Reus al sud, Vilallonga del Camp al sud-est i Alcover a l'est. El centre del municipi queda delimitat pels carrers Raval de Sant Rafel, Raval de Sant Pere i el Passeig del Cristià. Les construccions del centre del municipi mostren una tipologia molt comuna: edificacions de dues o tres altures, entre mitgeres, façana arrebossada i alguns elements arquitectònics característics com arcs de mig punt o rebaixats de pedra, cornises motllurades o balcons amb volades de pedra.

Història
S'han trobat fragments de dues escultures romanes als Vilars, partida de la Selva del Camp. No obstant això, la documentació que fa referència a la constitució i poblament del municipi data del . Vers el 1400 tenia un hospital, batia moneda, tenia escut propi, i era considerada capçalera de la comuna del Camp.

Referències

Enllaços externs

Patrimoni monumental de la Selva del Camp
Centres històrics de Catalunya
Edificis de la Selva del Camp


Founded in 1948 and settled in Touraine for more than 60 years, Verrerie Dumas manufactures custom-made laboratory glassware for research, education, chemistry, agro-food, health and decoration. From single parts to small or medium-volume production, their products are mainly manufactured by glassblowing using blowtorch technique and produced in high quality borosilicate, sodalime or quartz glass tubes.
Today, Verrerie Dumas works with companies from other industrial sectors, and has diversified into the design of high-precision and quality custom installation solutions.
The company adopted a quality approach very early on and obtained the French Norm (NF) for some of its products. At all stages of production, operators perform a qualitative and quantitative self-check, then validated by an independent quality manager. State control is also carried out on certain products by the LNE (National Testing Laboratory). Thanks to this constant attention, the products manufactured within the Verrerie Dumas are widely recognized by research laboratories, analyzes and by major suppliers of laboratory consumables.
VEREXA for laboratory glassware and oenological analysis instruments.
VERPRECIS for calibrated and dairy items.
VERART our decoration and design department.
"Whether you are users or distributors of laboratory glassware, laboratory consumables, oenological, dairy or chemical goods, please do not hesitate to contact us!"


22/12/2007 · i bought a mithril armour set with my life savings to wear. Im only lvl 15 in def but i wanted to save the set. But when i try to see what it is made of , it dosen't say i could wield.... Introduction. Barrows is a members only, combat-based minigame in which you do battle against six powerful brother spirits (seven if you have completed the Ritual of the Mahjarrat quest) for a chance to receive a piece of their armour.
Priest Costume Gold Armor Armor Concept Concept Art Knight Armor Helmet Design Fantasy Armor Warhammer Fantasy Paladin Forward Warpriest of Saradomin armour is a set of hybrid armour originally obtained during the Battle of Lumbridge world event, at a cost of 20,500 renown.... 28/02/2010 · Ah, this is a new thing in the game what came with the Grand Exchange. First, go to the grand exchange, when you right click you get options right?
28/02/2010 · Ah, this is a new thing in the game what came with the Grand Exchange. First, go to the grand exchange, when you right click you get options right?
27/11/2009 · For pking I use verac skirt, black d hide top, verac helm, snake boots, black d hide vambs, glory, rune c bow, any of the god books, and ava's accumulator.


If you are anything like me you tend to think you need to buy something new when you are invited to an event or you know something special is coming up. More times than not events seem to always pop up when you are unprepared financially or in between paychecks. It becomes a hassled to rush out, spend money on getting an outfit, a gift then at the event pay for dinner, drinks, and maybe even parking.
We all want to look our best when we go to an event. I want to share with you how you can dress nice on a budget.
When we think on an outfit it does not stop at just clothing. We need to think about hair, accessories, shoes and potential luxury grooming like makeup, nails or dry cleaning.
Use what you have: You may have something in your closet that you have not worn for a while. Go through your closet before you buy anything and see what you can wear that you already have.
Do it yourself (DIY): If you can do your hair cut or style or makeup take your time and do it yourself. You save money by doing things you can do yourself. Even skip the dry cleaners and steam press your clothes.
Budget Friendly amount: If you just cannot get around purchasing something brand new, when you go to any store set a reasonable amount of $20 to spend nothing over that amount actually it would be best if you stayed under that amount.
Hopefully for your next event you can use these tips and save you some cash or find cheaper alternatives.
Do you buy new things to wear for an event? Do you do any of the tips I listed above?
To all my getfits out there time to stay on track or get back on track.


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Index | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L |M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X Y Z
(also, khat) Essentially, this is the ancient Egyptian term meaning "soul," though with a somewhat more corporeal aspect. It is pictured in tomb paintings as a human-faced bird.
(also spelled cabala, kabbala, kabbalah, qabala, qabalah; from the Hebrew word meaning "collection") A mystical Hebrew study of methods for controlling spirits and demons. It is largely mathematical in nature, concentrating on the configurations of certain magical words, anagrams, names of angels, etc. The earliest known book on the subject appears to be Sefer Yezira ("Book of Creation") by a third-century Jewish neo-Pythagorean. The idea itself — of the magic in numbers and letters — is much older.
The process of examining the permutations and combinations of the twenty-two letters of the Hebraic alphabet — a process known as "gematria" — is used to discover the numerical relationships between numbers and words. In kabalistic studies, simple arithmetic discoveries and the qualities of irrational numbers are naively looked upon as divine mysteries.
In the Hopi religion, a usually kindly and benevolent supernatural agent, ancestor, or element of nature, either revealed in a dream or divined by a shaman. Dolls made to represent these spirits are highly developed and stylized as an art form.
Literally translated from the Sanskrit, "doing" or "making." Any intentional act, thought, or process.
The karma is a burden of guilt or an accretion of virtue said by many Eastern religions to be carried from one life to the next, which determines the nature and status of the person in the next reincarnation.
Karrezza
The tantric discipline whereby ritualized erotic procedures are entered into, but terminated just short of orgasm. The theory is that the energy thus preserved can be redirected in a spiritual fashion. This is in direct conflict with the theories of Dr. Wilhelm Reich, discoverer of the mythical substance orgone.
Keene, H. Lamar
(circa 1938 - ) A spirit medium based in Florida who reformed (largely as a result of the rumor that the IRS was investigating him for back taxes) by confessing all and cooperating with two authors, both believers, in writing a book, The Psychic Mafia, in which he described how he easily duped thousands of sitters at his séances and got very rich while doing it.
Keene entered the antique business after leaving the spook trade, and when his book appeared, he changed his name and moved to another state. This action was precipitated by numerous phoned threats and finally a rifle shot that missed him. He dropped out of sight, but rumors have it that he has reentered the trade under another name.
See also apport.
Kelley, Edward
See Dee, Dr. John.
See ka.
See qi.
King, George
See Aetherius Society.
Kirlian Photography
A process discovered by the Russian Semyon Kirlian in 1937, in which an object is placed directly on a piece of photographic film or paper, one side of a high-voltage, high-frequency generator is connected to the object, and the other side is grounded to a metal plate beneath the photographic material. Often, glass plates separate the two electric terminals, though the high-frequency voltage can penetrate such a barrier.
The ensuing corona discharge, a halo effect resulting from the electric charge being dissipated, and closely related to the Saint Elmo's fire phenomenon, is registered on the material and can be seen when the developing process is carried out. The corona is thought to indicate a sort of "life energy," and thus this technique's use in showing variations in that energy. It is also believed to register the aura.
Once highly regarded by the paranormalists, Kirlian photography has now been shown to only indicate variances in pressure, humidity, grounding, and conductivity. Corona discharges are well understood and explained in elementary physics.
The most famous effect of Kirlian photography occurred when a plant leaf was "photographed," then a section was torn away and the leaf was rephotographed. A faint image of the torn-out section was still seen in the second photo. Since the same glass plates had been used, it is believed that moisture from the missing portion was providing the ghostly image. Since the glass plates used as dielectric material would tend to break down along the edges of the object, allowing easier passage of the discharge, that may also account for the effect. The observed "phantom leaf" effect was not found again in better-controlled experiments, but has continued to serve as a point of argument for the believers.
Kiyota, Masuaki
(1962- ) This Japanese psychic, first discovered by parapsychologist Tosio Kasahara, became famous as an Asiatic version of Uri Geller, bending spoons and other cutlery. But his real forte was a routine using a Polaroid camera, which was, in turn, a takeoff on the work of Ted Serios. However, Kiyota's Polaroid photos were apparently produced by preexposing the film, since it was noted that he made great efforts to obtain a film pack and spend time with it in private.
In 1984 he thoroughly convinced parapsychologist Dr. Jule Eisenbud, who tested him with X-ray film and accepted kinks and small blemishes on the developed film as evidence of psychic power.
In a 1984 television program in Japan, high-speed tape revealed one of the simple, non-psychic methods that Kiyota used to bend the spoons.
Knight, J. Z.
(Judy Hampton, circa 1951- ) Probably the most prominent and successful of the channelers, this woman enjoyed the support of actress Shirley MacLaine until disillusionment apparently set in and Ms. MacLaine turned to other forms of amusement such as chakras and similar codswallop.
A multimillionaire as a result of her many books on Ramtha, the thirty-five-thousand-year-old warrior from Atlantis whose ghost she is said to channel, Knight resides on a huge ranch and breeds horses when she is not busy grunting out platitudes for Ramtha's adoring fans.
Various knots have long been considered essential to magic ritual. The basic topological aspects appear somewhat mysterious and lend themselves to mystical interpretation. The knot design is common on talismans, and knots of multicolored thread or string are attached to the necks of persons afflicted with spells, to release them from that bondage. Such a remedy is mentioned in the Satyricon of Petronius, a writer in the time of Emperor Nero.
Koestler, Arthur
(1905-1983) A prominent political novelist and science writer, Arthur Koestler was born in Hungary and became a British subject in 1945. He became world famous upon the publication of his best-known work, Darkness at Noon, in 1941.
In 1972, he brought out The Roots of Coincidence, a startling book in which he ascribed some sort of psychic significance to remarkable examples of chance, apparently unable to believe that these were mathematically possible and also inevitable. He began to believe in ESP because he saw in the developing modern ideas of the sciences — mainly quantum physics with its almost-mystical view of the universe — the possible admission of otherwise unthinkable notions that were being put forward by parapsychological theorists. He wrote:
The apparent absurdities of quantum physics . . . make the apparent absurdities of parapsychology a little less preposterous and more digestible.
Dr. Koestler died in a double suicide with his wife, Cynthia, in 1983. He had been suffering from leukemia and Parkinson's disease, while his wife was in apparently good health.
Koreshan Unity
A semireligious sect, originated by Cyrus Reed Teed (1839-1908) preaching that the entire universe is inside a sphere, with the Sun at the center and the other stars and planets circling about it. It was a favorite idea of the German Nazi party. See also Hollow Earth theory.
The name David Koresh was adopted in 1990 by cult leader Vernon Wayne Howell (1959-1993), who followed all these eccentric notions of Teed and fancied himself a Christ figure. He and many of his followers perished by fire at Waco, Texas.
Krafft, Karl Ernst
(1900-1945) In late 1938, German Minister of Propaganda Goebbels began to consider the possible uses of astrology as a weapon of psychological warfare against the Allies. He chose astrologer Karl Ernst Krafft for the task. Krafft was described as a tiny, pale man with black hair and a sinister look.
Young Krafft had become an astrologer against his family's wishes, especially since he had proven to be an excellent student at the University of Basel, showing great promise in science and mathematics. He had written a Treatise in Astrobiology, full of tables and calculations, following a long period of study with an English authority on "biometrics," which concerned itself with measuring various physical aspects of humans and thereby determining their characteristics. (This "science" in itself was apt to bring him to the attention of the Nazis, who were actively seeking proof of their racial superiority through every sort of pseudoscience.)
Krafft opened an office in Zurich, casting horoscopes and advising on investments. It was the latter practice that brought the collapse of his business, since his advice proved as bad as the economic depression in 1931. Krafft's own investments, decided by means of his occult divinations, collapsed as well, and the failure drove him into an asylum for a short time.
In 1935, at the invitation of the Nazis, he moved to Germany, and the Ministry of Propaganda endorsed him enthusiastically. In response, Krafft became a Nazi and introduced into his writings and lectures a line of violently anti-Semitic ideas. In 1937 Goebbels established a counterintelligence group (Section VI of the RHSA) concerned solely with occult warfare. Astrologer Krafft made a sensational prediction on November 2, 1939, before a meeting of the Berlin Astrological Society. He said that between the seventh and tenth of November, an attempt would be made on Hitler's life. On November 8, an explosion nearly killed the Führer during a celebration of the anniversary of the famous Beer Hall Putsch.
The Gestapo questioned Krafft at length, and only the intercession of Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, spared the astrologer from further terrors. Hess was an ardent follower of every sort of occult claim, especially those related to prophecy and health quackery. Krafft thus became personal astrologer to Hess.
He immediately began a reinterpretation of the prophecies of Nostradamus, in which he had always been very interested. Since it was easy to obtain from the ambiguous Centuries any needed meaning, Krafft found good news there for the Nazi cause. His discoveries were published widely, in French, Dutch, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, and English.
Krafft, exultant over his new position and success, was further thrilled to learn that Hitler himself had become interested in his skills. He predicted a glorious victory for Germany in 1943.
Then it was learned by the Gestapo that Krafft was telling others a different story than that he was supplying to the Nazis; he was prophesying eventual doom for the Nazi cause. The Gestapo prepared to pounce on him.
At this time, Rudolf Hess landed in Scotland after fleeing Germany. The Gestapo once more brought Krafft in for examination, blamed him for Hess's flight, and locked him up.
He was first held at Berlin's Lehrterstrasse Prison. Transferred to Oranianburg Concentration Camp, he awaited a trial that never took place. His predicted date for a glorious Nazi victory in the war came and went, and things only got worse for Germany. Scheduled for the gas chambers at Buchenwald, Karl Ernst Krafft died of malnutrition and typhus on January 8, 1945, in a cattle car on the way to his execution.
See also Louis de Wohl.
Kreskin
(George Joseph Kresge, Jr., 1935- ) Mentalist Kreskin, most of whose act was taken from the work of Joseph Dunninger, has trod the thin line between conjuror and psychic. He often firmly denies that his tricks are of a psychic origin, then the next moment seems to imply that they are. In a recent book, Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin, he claimed that well-known effects in the conjuring trade are actually accomplished by unknown means:
Some day, hopefully soon, researchers will be able to identify the force that is at play when, for example, I am able to tell a total stranger the number on his Social Security card or predict in advance, in writing, the headline on next week's newspaper.
This implies that "researchers" are in some way concerned with his performances as matters of scientific interest. For someone so accomplished as an artist, it is puzzling why Mr. Kreskin insists on these small peccadillos.
Krippner, Dr. Stanley Curtis
(1932- ) A highly respected parapsychologist who has served as the president of the Parapsychological Association (1982/3). He was the director of the Maimonides Medical Center Dream Laboratory in Brooklyn, studying psi at work during the sleep state. His writings include authorship and coauthorship of a number of books, and over five hundred articles in various journals. Dr. Krippner has lectured on parapsychology in Brazil, Colombia, Russia, and China and is presently with the Saybrook Institute in San Francisco as professor of psychology.
Outside of the parapsychology field, Dr. Krippner has also contributed to research on the treatment of children with reading and general learning disabilities.
Krishn
See Hare Krishna.
(né Alcyone, 1895-1986) The "World Teacher" discovered by the Theosophists in 1909, the fourteen-year-old son of a Brahmin employee of the Theosophical Society in India.
Black-eyed and exceedingly handsome, Jiddu was made the charge of the Theosophical Society after bitter court battles with his parents. The intent of the society was to announce a "second coming" based on this charismatic, intelligent star.
Krishnamurti was so personally popular that a separate organization known as the Order of the Star in the East formed around him, with some thirty thousand members. Then, at the peak of his popularity in 1929, at age thirty-four, he disowned the group and the Theosophists. He went on to become a very popular leader in his own right and a leading yogic philosopher, and he is the subject of many books.
Kulagina, Nina
(1925-1990) This Russian psychic made a handsome career of reading while blindfolded, using the standard methods. She was also famous for making a compass needle move, and moving small objects like matchboxes, using a very fine nylon thread.
In 1978, the USSR Academy of Sciences was so convinced of her powers that they declared her genuine, in spite of the simple and obvious solutions for her conjuring tricks.
When the newspaper Pravda declared her to be a trickster, she sued the editors and won, largely on the basis of testimony given by Soviet parapsychologists.
In films made in the 1950s by the parapsychologists, Kulagina can be seen standing with her back to a wall while experimenters place very large letters, numbers, and shapes on the wall. She holds her right hand up to her eyes for a while, then announces what is on the cards. See dermo-optical perception for an explanation of the trick.
Kuleshova, Rosa A.
(1955-1978) As with Kulagina, this psychic was declared genuine by the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1978. She began her blindfold reading at the age of five, and though she was many times caught cheating, she was widely believed to be real. She died at age twenty-three of a brain tumor.
See also dermo-optical perception.
From the Sanskrit meaning "serpent power." This is the fiery snake said to sleep, coiled up, at the base of the human spine. Diligent searches by anatomists have so far failed to locate the kundalini.
A form of yoga that preaches breath control and various physical exercises — "ansanas" — to sublimate sexual energy. The theory says that the process, through contraction of the anus, causes the semen to rise through the body into the seventh chakra (at the top of the head), at which point the ultimate union between matter and energy takes place. At this point, it says, the individual soul merges with the universal soul, obtains the powers of a god and becomes immortal.
As of this date, it is not known whether anyone has achieved the required physical situation, let alone the immortality. The former condition is obviously beyond the reach of females.


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Throwback R&B singer Raphael Saadiq was born in Oakland, CA, in 1966, and started playing music six years later. He played bass at church and school and enjoyed his place on-stage at various local hometown events. After high school, Saadiq won a chance to join Prince and Sheila E. on the Parade tour. Such an experience inspired Saadiq to make music his life, and before the '80s came to an end, he formed Tony! Toni! Tone!.
Saadiq went under his birth name of Wiggins while in Tony! Toni! Tone!, and was joined by his brother, Dwayne Wiggins, and cousin Timothy Christian. Tony! Toni! Tone! made their debut with "Little Walter" in 1988. Two years later, they were mega-stars thanks to the success of their second album, The Revival. The ballad "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" and the club-friendly "Feels Good" were major hits and the band eventually sold six million albums. However, Saadiq left the group at the height of its fame.
A solo career was in the works by the time the mid-'90s rolled around. Two singles for movie soundtracks -- 1995's "Ask of You" from Higher Learning and "Me & You" from Boyz N da Hood -- were Saadiq's proper solo introduction, but not exactly satisfying. He was used to being part of a band, so a solo career made him a bit apprehensive. Saadiq bowed out for some normalcy over the next few years.
Lucy Pearl was Saadiq's next project, where he joined with En Vogue's Dawn Robinson and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest for a short-lived super-group. Saadiq also had his hand in producing material for the likes of Macy Gray, TLC, the Roots, and D'Angelo. In 2000, his song "Untitled" won D'Angelo a Grammy. Inspired by his new "gospedelic" approach, he captured a new sound for himself while recording material between Oakland and Sacramento. The end result was Instant Vintage, which earned five Grammy nominations in 2003. The blaxploitation era-referencing Ray Ray and the '60s-flavored The Way I See It followed, respectively, in 2004 and 2008; the latter was nominated for three Grammys. Stone Rollin' was released in 2011, just after Saadiq and his band of the same name backed Mick Jagger for a Grammy Awards perfomance of Solomon Burke's "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." The album maintained Saadiq's streak of throwback-oriented releases.
Something Keeps Calling (Extended)
Raphael Saadiq ft Ro... 1


Myst is 20. Released in 1993, it has been selected by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for a new category of artworks in their collection, after an exhibition in 2012 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The scenes of the first release of Myst were made with StrataVision 3D, while the hypermedia structure was made with HyperCard, on the Apple Macintosh platform. This news raised some memories in me.
Like many of my students now, I loved 3D graphics, creating that kind of new virtual world of simulation that was timidly emerging in those days, so distant from its wide and central presence in all the visual media today. It seemed to me a great promise, the power to be a creator of worlds.
Hence, just in 1993, thanks to a friend of mine (Ferdinando) who gave me the software, I started playing with StrataVision (a 3D modeling, rendering and animation software) on a 25 MHz/4 MB RAM/160 MB Hard Disk Mac LCIII without a mathematic coprocessor (that in one year I enhanced, with a lot of money for my budget, to 12 MB RAM and with a mathematic coprocessor).
Although that Mac, also known as "pizza box", was not just the right tool for 3D graphics and the rendering times were awfully slow, I made many 3D images with StrataVision 3D, not for money or work but for curiosity, passion and hobby. In 1995 one of my images, The Man of Stars, was selected and awarded over roughly 13 thousand participants in the Prize Leonardo 2000 by IBM, a contest in Milan (in this occasion one of my students won in the category "Multimedia").
StrataVision 3D is still existing today, although under the name of Strata Design 3D CX. It is no more a 3D leading edge application, the rendering time is long if compared to other 3D software celebrities, the modeling tools are simple and the interface is a little bit old fashioned, but it is still there. Unfortunately, although I periodically buy the updates, I have almost no time to play with it. It is useful to show my students the meaning of 3D and the classical ways to simulate a real space onto a 2D one, or to discuss about the rendering techniques. In particular I have always loved Strata's raytracing and radiosity algorithms, that make images that are not plastic-like as in other 3D applications, but they rather appear polished, almost velvet-made.
Per un meraviglioso 2016! / Have a wonderful 2016!