text:
Lies, libel and same-sex lovers
Here's a question: Since being gay has lost much of the stigma it once had among heterosexuals in this country, should a celebrity who is falsely reported to have same-sex lovers still be able to sue for libel?
And are courts perpetuating the idea that homosexuality is bad if they accept the argument that labeling somebody as gay is defamatory?
The answer to both questions is yes, according to a provocative column by Gabriel Arana published recently on Slate.
Arana takes issue with the basis for gay libel suits, in which celebrities haul people into court for alleging closeted same-sex liaisons.
Howard K. Stern, the lawyer and former companion of Anna Nicole Smith, is demanding $60 million from the author of a book that claims he'd had sex with other men. Megastar Tom Cruise was awarded $10 million in 2003 from a male porn star who allegedly said he had been Cruise's lover.
What's with that, Arana asks. Defamation requires showing that the person's reputation has been harmed, at a minimum, in the view of a "substantial and respectable minority" of the community.
In light of evidence of ever widening acceptance of homosexuality among straights, why do courts continue to hear such suits? Doesn't that mean they regard the dwindling number of homophobic bigots as a "respectable minority"?
Even when plaintiffs like Cruise insist they don't intend to disparage the gay community, "these cases inevitably send the message that it's shameful to be gay," Arana writes.
What if the allegation was that his grandfather was African-American? How can he argue that allegation defamed him without also saying it's harmful to be thought part-black?
Arana's got a point, to be sure. But I'm far from convinced. The question is how sizable a free-fire zone we want to maintain for lies.
It's important to remember that this isn't a matter of outing someone — bringing to light their secret homosexuality. Outing is different. True, it raises issues of its own relating to an individual's right to keep personal affairs private. But with outing the allegation is true, and the question is whether it's any of our business.
Here the allegation is false. Libel, by and large, requires falsity. What's more, under U.S. law, when it involves a person in the public eye — as celebrity cases invariably do — the falsehood has to be pretty much deliberate, or made so recklessly that it might as well be deliberate.
And from that the court has to find the intent was malicious.
So we're talking about a lie. Plus, it's a lie that the liar tells with evil intent and which the subject of the lie believes causes harm.
But still, what if there is no harm? Let's look closer at that.
Is it true that falsely labeling somebody gay harms them only in the eyes of homophobes? I don't think so. Remember, this isn't an allegation that the actor, say, is attracted to other men. It's an allegation that he has been having furtive, amorous adventures with same-sex lovers, that he has a sham marriage intended to mislead millions of fans.
And that's likely to be surprising, if not shocking, and profoundly disruptive to a whole range of personal relationships with spouse, children, relatives and friends.
That's not because those people dislike gays. It's because the allegation suggests that when it comes to the most fundamental realities of someone they thought they knew, that person had deceived and dissembled, had hypocritically misrepresented his or her sexual identity, had been unfaithful and disloyal and, in a profound sense, shouldn't be trusted or believed.
Those, it seems to me, are among the implications of the allegation — which, remember, isn't true. And those are harms.
My chief concern here is not with tolerance of sexual freedom, where things are getting better, but with tolerance of lying, where things are getting worse.
Libel law is already a pathetically ineffective weapon against media irresponsibility and has no real power over the growing ranks of people with the capacity to originate or amplify falsehoods and keep them in wide circulation.
But the problem is aggravated by deciding that a particular kind of lie will henceforth be defined as harmless. Deliberately mischaracterizing somebody's sexuality is nasty and harmful, and even celebrity victims deserve a chance to make their case against people who do it.
Peace Train: The U.S. enables criminal Israeli behavior
Peace Train: Marshall Fire blazed too close to Rocky Flats
Opinion: Mary Sanchez: Shilling for the Benedict Arnolds of the U.S. Capitol riot
Editorial: The Denver Post: Sentence commutation shows DA office problems


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Q: ¿Como podría modificar este codigo(de ser posible) para que imprima un diccionario en lugar de una lista en pantalla? Quiero que imprima como clave el número ingresado por el usuario y como valor su duplicado.
Ejemplo:
{
   "2":"4",
   "3":"6",
   "4":"8"
}
def duplicando():
    nums = []
    for i in range(4):
        valor = int(input("Ingrese un valor a duplicar: "))
        nums.append(valor)

    resultado = list(map(lambda x:x*2, nums))
    print(resultado)

duplicando()

A: Puedes declarar un diccionario en vez de un vector de números, y luego establecer como clave del diccionario el valor ingresado por el usuario, y como valor del diccionario el doble.
La solución quedaría así:
def duplicando():
    nums = {}
    for i in range(2):
        valor = int(input("Ingrese un valor a duplicar: "))
        nums[valor] = valor*2
    print(nums)

duplicando()

Salida obtenida:
Ingrese un valor a duplicar: 1
Ingrese un valor a duplicar: 2
Ingrese un valor a duplicar: 3
Ingrese un valor a duplicar: 4
{1: 2, 2: 4, 3: 6, 4: 8}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This human remy hair wig is one of the most top selling products at Prettywighair#. The natural brown straight hair textures of the wig surely a thing for holidays as it gives a feeling of relaxation. The fiber of the hairline is made up of virgin hair. The texture of the hair is straight and looks good on each face shape. The growth of hair is along the perimeter to make the hairline even more undetectable. The pattern of the cap is front lace cap. The hair line style is free style as you can part it anywhere on your head. The construction of the hair line cap is lace front meaning that you would have a good density of hairs at the front. The fiber used in making this hair is Remy fiber which is also considered good material for making human hairs due to its high tensile strength and durability. The growth is along the perimeter to give the effect of natural growing hair. The texture of hair is straight and the color shade adds to it. The lace material is made of Swiss lace which is of Avon quality and speaks loudly of its quality. It will make definitely make you feel like a celebrity.


text:
/*
*/

#include "pcs_api/internal/object_pool.h"
#include "pcs_api/internal/logger.h"

namespace pcs_api {

template<class T>
ObjectPool::ObjectPool(std::function<T*()> create_object_function,
                       std::function<void(T*)> delete_object_function) :
    create_function_(create_object_function),
    delete_function_(delete_object_function) {
}

template<class T>
T* ObjectPool<T>::Get() {
    if (pool_.empty()) {
        return create_function_();
    } else {
        // return last object from our pool:
        T* obj = pool_.back();
        pool_.pop_back();
        return obj;
    }
}

template<class T>
void ObjectPool::Put(T *obj) {
    pool_.push_back(obj);
}

}  // namespace pcs_api

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Inside.com implements subscription fee
Inside.com has implemented a mandatory subscription fee to access its articles about the media industry. The move has been expected and was outlined when Brill Media Holdings acquired Inside's parent, Powerful Media. As previously reported, Inside will charge $3.95 a month or $39 a year for access. Readers can also sample individual articles for 15 cents to 40 cents per story. The newly redesigned Inside also includes articles from Primedia's line of trade publications, including Cable World and Folio, to name a few. In a note to readers, Brill wrote that the charges stem from the company's intent to turn Inside into a "real business," which depends on its readers to help pay for the production costs.
Jim Hu
Inside.com has implemented a mandatory subscription fee to access its articles about the media industry. The move has been expected and was outlined when Brill Media Holdings acquired Inside's parent, Powerful Media. As previously reported, Inside will charge $3.95 a month or $39 a year for access. Readers can also sample individual articles for 15 cents to 40 cents per story.
The newly redesigned Inside also includes articles from Primedia's line of trade publications, including Cable World and Folio, to name a few. In a note to readers, Brill wrote that the charges stem from the company's intent to turn Inside into a "real business," which depends on its readers to help pay for the production costs.
Discuss: Inside.com implements subscription fee

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Important Info about Student Email
Senegal, Haq to Address SLCC Graduates on Dec. 12
LAFAYETTE – Bently Senegal, Director of Community Services for Our Lady of Lourdes R.M.C. will address SLCC graduates during an 8:30 a.m. ceremony Thursday, Dec. 12 while Ema Haq, owner of Bailey's Seafood and Grill will address graduates at a 1 p.m. ceremony.
Both ceremonies will be held at the Cajundome Convention Center. Graduates from Nursing and Allied Health, STEM, Energy and Transportation, and WorkReadyU will graduate at 8:30 a.m. Graduates in Business, IT and Technical Studies and Liberal Arts and Humanities will graduate at 1 p.m. Nearly 700 students are candidates for graduation.
Both ceremonies can be viewed online:
• 8:30 a.m. ceremony – https://vimeo.com/370570003/d6083fbedc
• 1 p.m. ceremony – https://vimeo.com/370570093/1f93440770
Senegal is a 1980 graduate of the University of Southwestern La (USL) where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), specializing in the healthcare industry for over 38 years.
He is employed by Our Lady of Lourdes RMC where he currently holds the position of Director of Community Services, which included his work to coordinate the completion of the hospital's Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and the Implementation Strategies (IS). His previous positions with Lourdes were Decision Support Coordinator, Director of Finance and Controller.
Senegal is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Louisiana Society of CPA's (LCPA) and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He is a graduate of Leadership Lafayette Class XXVI. Having been involved in the community many years, he has served on several boards including United Way of Acadiana, Hospice of Acadiana, Faith House and Acadiana Outreach. Currently he is the Immediate Past President of the SLCC Foundation Board, Treasurer of the board for Catholic Charities of Acadiana and serves as Treasurer for Lafayette Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.
Senegal is married to the former Angela Cary and they are the proud parents of one daughter, Brittany Briana.
Haq, born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, arrived in Lafayette in 1983 seeking a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He financed his education by working in Louisiana's thriving food industry.
Since earning his degree from USL, Haq has found home in Acadiana, a community that has allowed him to combine his passions of engineering, cooking, and community service. Passionate about the food and restaurant industry, Haq opened Bailey's Restaurant in 1993.
He worked for Mallard Drilling Company as a project engineer, drilling engineer for Domestic and International operations. While working for Mallard Drilling, he had an incredible opportunity to build an offshore drilling rig from the inception of the project.
Following his passions, Haq opened Bailey's Offshore Catering in 1999 to provide hospitality services to the oil and gas industry. He later opened Ema's Café in 2006 and Emaco Food Services in 2010.
Haq has hosted the Annual Bailey's Thanksgiving Dinner at his restaurant to feed the needy and less fortunate for the past 26 years. He also adopted seven local schools since 1994, to work as a Partner in Education Program.
Haq is a graduate of Leadership Lafayette XVIII and has served/serving multiple boards such as United of Acadiana, Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club of Lafayette, Lafayette General Health, SLLCC Foundation, Lafayette Parish Convention & Visitors Commission, Louisiana Restaurant Association, University of Louisiana Alumni Council, and many others.
He has received numerous awards including Jefferson Award for Public Service in 2007, Kiwanian of the year, Louisiana Public Citizen of the year, Chef of the Year in 2001, State Restauranteur of the Year in 2007. In 2017, Haq was awarded the first recipient of the UL Lafayette Outstanding International Alumni award and was inducted to UL Lafayette's College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 2018.
Haq and his wife Zakia, have three children, Zadid, Tamim, and Sabriah.
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South Louisiana Community College's mission is to transform and enrich the lives of individuals and communities. SLCC commits to providing skills and knowledge through a dynamic learning environment where students realize their potential, compete in today's global economy and perpetuate to solve the complex problems of tomorrow.
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I'm not sure how to attest for this missing period of time on our blog…so I'm just going to fill it in as best I can. We finished our Short, Short Trailer trip and returned home in mid November. We had nothing to do, except unpack and relax around the house. If you know us…you're already laughing uncontrollably.
We returned on November 13th and headed back out the door on November 18th, to meet up with our Florida kids and grand-kids, at Collier-Seminole State Park in Naples Florida. This was a very nice, small park. Great for the kids to ride around on their bikes. We had campfires every night and ate our way through a few bags of marshmallows in the evenings and pancakes in the morning.
It's hard to get a good picture off this gang!
No wonder these people are a bunch of cut-ups! Apples and trees, they don't fall very far.
We had a great few hours hanging out with Tommy and Alecia, as they headed South through Jensen Beach on Saol Nua. It's amazing how many great friends we have made along this adventure!
We had a big crowd for Thanksgiving! Josiah and Sami came from Dallas to be with us, it was a great day to be thankful for family and friends.
Every year close to Thanksgiving, its gonna be Josiah's birthday. This year we celebrated a day early, while the whole gang was here. Julie made a delicious cake, and Josiah's still able to blow out all the candles, whoohoo!
Josiah's 27th birthday…no helping with the candles, kids!
We always make time to go for a ride!
We have been blessed with so many friends since we began this adventure. Jack and Cheryl, from Zig Zag, came to visit! Yes…I promise Cheryl was there, too…she always manages to elude my camera!!! Eureka and Nyah had a good ole reunion, Pepe was being a cat.
While Josiah was in the area, we were able to spend a few more days with him up at our place in the Ocala Forest. Here's a change up…dinner by Josiah, photography by Mom!
On December 5th we headed out to Indiantown to the DuPuis Wildlife Management Area. This is a free campground, although you need to go on-line and register in advance. There are no hook-ups for water or electric (we brought a generator.) They do have a dump station on site. And speaking of sites, there were no designated spots, just pull into an area and put out the table cloth. But, that also means, that after you are all set up, someone can set up too close, which is what happened to us. It was nice this time of year, no bugs, and we didn't need any a/c.
My brother, his wife and my sister came to town, and we celebrated an early birthday dinner for my Mom. Mmmm, Captain Jack's buried treasure. I miss Ale House! Can Mom have another birthday soon?
Early Birthday dinner for Jennifer's Mom.
Austin and Kiera invited us to their school parties.
We are relaxing, right? We really need to make sure our new camper is working, so, on December 18th, we headed out to the St. Lucie Locks campground, and though it was close to home, we had a great time. We had a few visitors, a couple of hikes, a couple of bicycle rides, and a great time just watching the boats go through the locks. Russ had the whole place lit up with a ton of Christmas lights, too. This was a great campground, difficult to get a reservation, because there are only ten or so sites. We will come again.
Before we knew it, it was time for Christmas festivities to begin. Kiera and Chloe, twirled their way through the Stuart Christmas Parade.
Christmas in our world is always spread out over a week or two. First up, another visit from Josiah! I think he just came to see Nyah and Pepe, lol!
Josiah and Nyah. Nyah loved her lion mane, and proudly pranced around.
Christmas Eve and Christmas day with the family.
When Missy comes to visit, that means presents from Miss Nancy for everyone!
Russ' high school buddy, Dan and Pam, came to hang out after Christmas with us.
And just in case you think we couldn't possibly squeeze any more into the schedule, all my cousins came to Jacksonville, and I had not seen them in many years. So I ran up to visit my Aunt and Uncle, and all the cousins! I was home by New Years Eve!
Hanging out with my cousins!
And that was a wrap on 2016! Do you think we squeezed enough in? It was a great year, and we would do it all again. This adventure is absolutely awesome!
Welcome 2017. What can we find to do this year? Let's start with a camping trip to Gainseville and Chiefland, Florida. We spent January 4-8 at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, just South of Gainesville. It was a great campground, filled with beautiful oak hammocks, and a short walk to Lake Walburg. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with us. A cold-front moved in, we had rain and a too cold for South-Florida people kinda days. But, we didn't have a wet tent to deal with!!!
We moved on January 8th to Manatee Springs State Park. The weather cleared up and we had a fabulous time hiking, kayaking, and eating some really great BBQ at Anderson's Outfitters located right in the park on the spring.
Russ trying out his Christmas gift from Josiah and Sami. Hiking trails abound. Manatee Springs State Park.
We had a great dinner with Ashton and Nina, on s/v Soul Mate, while they were held up waiting for a weather window to head out for the Bahamas. Have I mentioned how much fun we have been having with all these boating people we have made friends with. Wish we could have gone to the Bahamas with you!
Ashton and Nina, just one pic with the peacock!
And our sad day, the one we were dreading, where Nyah walked over the rainbow bridge to the special place that our fur-babies go. She was the best pup ever and our hearts are broken! Miss you girl, you are the best!
We tried to stay home…but… So we spent a few days at our place in the Ocala National forest. More hiking and fires and a few more tears!
Our place in the Forest, is just a nice ride to St. Augustine…and no trip to St. Augustine would be complete without O'Steen's and visiting friends who happen to be in town.
We found Mike and Lori working. What's wrong with these people! It was great to make them stop and have a drink and catch up since we last saw them back at Boot Key Harbor.
And just when we think we can take a break…the bottom needs a little attention. We headed out to the inlet with Ike and John, to give the boats a little TLC.
Hey look! We still have a boat.
Now that the sailboat bottom is all cleaned up, we decided to…wait for it…take a camping trip to the Keys! Fun, fun, fun hanging out and catching up with everyone, and the weather was perfect!
We had to move two times during our stay to make it work, but it was worth it!
Scrapple for breakfast at the Wooden Spoon. Oh, yea…he don't like scrapple, he got pancakes!
Crane Point and Russ' birthday with Steve and Cyndi…and Molly too.
Burdidne's for dinner and Music of Cory and Ty. Roland and Lita, Tommy and Alecia and gang, and Steve and Cyndi.
Pepe misses being on the boat!
We slowed down for March. We have another adventure for April and May, so we need to pack and get it all together. But not until we celebrated my Dad's birthday with a weekend trip to the Ocala National Forest, with my sister and her girl, Roxie!
Around the house while we were packing, our bird of paradise bloomed and Missy came to visit for a few days.
We did a looong day up to Daytona Bike Week…I think there's a reason they call it a bike week and not a bike day! It's a lot to squeeze into one day, but we did it! It was much easier with the Krispy Creme donuts on the ride home, Thanks Jennifer for the great snack idea!!!
A Couple of family birthday dinners, and we are ready to gas up the truck and head out of here.
Hey, thanks for hanging in there for my catch-up blog. You know we love you and are glad you can follow along with our crazy adventures! Stay tuned…more to come!
Great catch up post. Waiting for more.
Thanks Ken! You need to come down and visit, so we have more things to post! We're hanging out in Marathon for a bit.


I'm excited about the concept of these awards and extremely happy to see an awards entity giving local search such prominent importance. Yipee and good luck to you!
Its a great idea to highlight the years best articles and I was glad to see your article there!
What do you think of the new Google Maps/Local results presentation in the SERPs today. Could this be a possible outcome from Google Local Symposium? A local search returned up to 10 results next to the map section instead of the typical 3.
While I noticed the results earlier today, others whom I asked to test it from different cities got the standard A, B, C…not the A-J results.
This could be a definite victory for local business if this Google Maps/Local presentation continues. Don't you think?
The appearance of the 10 results in the One box is of interest although I couldn't repeat the results when I finally got back to my computer. The question for Google is: do the top 10 local listings provide more relevancy than 3 local + the organic results. My inclination is to say yes as Google's local results have improved over the past year.
The question for the business owner is why 3? I am glad to see Google testing this as there is no good reason for just 3. Determining the "right" number is another question altogether. At some point their value is diluted by the quantity.


I'm trying to run a Python script on my Raspberry Pi 3B. It involves the OpenCV and the Tensorflow libraries, for object recognition. The camera I'm using is a Nilox MiniF action cam, set to the lowest quality (720p@30FPS). As I run the script and after a few seconds RasPi crashes and reboots. I thought I was demanding a bit too much from the hardware, so I tried to get only 1 on 10 (then 100, 1000 and 100000) frame. Nothing changes: RasPi keeps crashing, and it doesn't seem to leave any message in the messages or kern.log files. Could it be that my cam is too much powerful for my hardware? Is there a particular reason to use PiCamera instead of another cam?
Since I'm new to the Raspberry Pi world, consider the option that's I've made a very basic mistake.
# Step-1: Recreate the network graph. At this step only graph is created.
# Step-2: Now let's load the weights saved using the restore method.
# The input to the network is of shape [None image_size image_size num_channels]. Hence we reshape.
# Now, let's get hold of the op that we can be processed to get the output.
This is very likely a power issue. When you run the script, the camera requires additional power, thus there is an increase in current draw over the USB cable. When there is an increase in current on the USB port (or anywhere else on the RPi), the Raspberry pi increases the draw from the microUSB cable which is powering it. If the microUSB cable and/or charger can not handle the increased current draw, then the voltage will drop below the threshold and the Raspberry pi will shut itself off.
To fix this issue, make sure that you are using a USB cable and charger that is rated for between 2.5 and 3 Amps.
Not all microUSB cables are made the same.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged pi-3 python or ask your own question.
Script crashing without traceback. Memory issue?


Submitted photo Mary Baker, far right, the HR director at Carter Roag Coal Company, presents a generous donation to the Helvetia Public Library. From left are library board members Heidi Arnett, Christine Long, Betty Biggs and Sharon Rollins, librarian, Jerianne Davis and Baker. Helvetia is grateful for the longstanding presence of CRCC, officials said.


No. 8 Ohio State and No. 7 Oregon still have a few days until the Rose Bowl, so what better way to spend your free time than to hit up the kiddie rides at Disneyland?
Ohio State's Kurt Coleman, Doug Worthington, Austin Spitler and Jimmy Cordle ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., during their first official game week appearance prior to the 96th Rose Bowl college football game to be played on Jan. 1, 2010, in Pasadena.
What should be the caption for this photo? Leave your suggestion in the comments section below.
As the Bruins and Flyers prepare for Friday's Winter Classic, NESN.com's James Murphy has been covering the event from every angle. Murph caught up with Bruin legend and current front office staffer Cam Neely, who admits that he would have loved to play in a Winter Classic. One reader offers his condolences.
Who knew the Green Man costume came in two colors? And in Vancouver?


I've been natural now for 3 years come June 27, 2010.
Staple hairstyles include twists, plaits, puffs (which I am trying to get rid of) and cornrow styles. As for products, well I really like a Shealoe butter that I made, I like Blended Beauty Soy Cream Shampoo, and I love my Avocado deep conditioner. I enjoy using oils and aloe vera mixed in water as a spritz as well.
Healthy natural hair that is long (hoping to get to MBL), and hair that has very limited breakage/shedding and is overall strong and bouncy and beautiful.
Depending on the style it's in, I typically tie my hair with a satin scarf or wear a satin bonnet to bed.
Moisture! It's the only way around it. If I don't adequately moisturize my hair, my ends take a sever beating for it. I'd say moisturizing and protective styling play a very big part in the growth and length of my hair.
I went natural because I missed it..I was natural before, and did an impromptu perm..hated it and decided to go back to what I knew and loved. I love being natural because it's me! It's one thing that I can express myself with. I love it because my hair is unique and by loving my hair I learn the gift of truly appreciating things for what they are.
Be sure to visit the blog daily and leave comment love on the blog for you chance to win in giveaways and prizes, and to learn information on natural hair, beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Stay blessed and Afroniquely You!


Here a Frugal Deals we don't sell anything ourselves, but we do search over 100 on-line retailers to find you the best deals and the cheapest prices on a massive range of products. We do our best to research all the retailers that we link to with the aim of ensuring we only recommend quality, reputable companies.
In many instances we earn a small amount of commission for referring you to the retailer, this is usually a matter of a few pence and does not add any extra cost to your transaction as it is paid by the retailer. This is done with the help of cookies that are used to track our referrals, this is what covers our server costs and keep our website running.
Although we make every effort to ensure we only refer you to reputable retailers, please do your own research about the retailer to ensure you are 100% happy with their products and service, we cannot be held responsible for anything that happens once you navigate away from our website. We play no further part in the process once you navigate away from our website as the transaction and any resulting contractual agreements are made between you and the retailer from which you are purchasing. By clicking the "View Deal" button, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.


ACCIONA has been awarded the contract to construct the pedestrian walkway for Santiago de Compostela railway station, as a key element to creating an intermodal railway station with the future bus station. It will also help to integrate the city's historical centre with the Pontepedriña neighbourhood and the Parque de las Brañas del Sar.
The walkway, which will cover approximately 1,545 m2, will be 160 metres long and have a variable width between eight and twelve metres.It will have an average height of 13.5 metres, consisting of eight-metre high supports (pillars and lintels) and the 5.5 metre-high walkway structure.
Furthermore, to ensure pedestrians' comfort and safety, the sides and the top of the walkway will be enclosed, designed to be an architectural feature that will better integrate with its surroundings.
In addition to constructing the walkway, the contract –worth more than €4 million– includes other works such as those related to the power supply, in order to ensure that the infrastructure has proper accessibility.Three lifts and two sets of escalators (up and down) will be installed, among other works, providing pedestrian access to the upper part of the bus station and the passenger walkway.
The interior of the walkway will be lit by natural light during the day thanks to skylights, while an LED lighting system will be used at night.The area around the Clara Campoamor plaza will also be lit using streetlights and ornamental lighting positioned in trees and shrubs.
Construction of this walkway, which is intended to convert the railway station into an intermodal transport infrastructure, is being co-financed by the regional government of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela city council and Adif, the Spanish railway infrastructure manager.


The legend of George Jones will live on with the grand opening of the George Jones Museum in downtown Nashville the weekend of April 24, coinciding with the date he died two years ago (April 26).
George's widow, Nancy, made the announcement on Jan. 12th and showed artistic renderings of the new space, which will reside at 128 2nd Ave. North, the former site of Graham Central Station. The museum will cover the Possum's incredible journey in music, from his humble upbringing in Texas to his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and beyond. Fans can expect to find clothing, artifacts, photographs and more.
The George Jones Museum space will also include a gift shop, a restaurant, event space and rooftop bar with sitting area that will surely provide an incredible view of downtown Nashville and the Cumberland River. No admission price has been set yet, but Nancy promised that it would be affordable for all.
Additionally (and quite appropriately), the museum opening will also feature the launch of White Lightning Moonshine in partnership with Kentucky-based Silver Trail Distillery. Named in honor of "White Lightnin'," one of George's signature songs, the new spirit will be part of a product line also including flavored vodkas.


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Did Some Political Pork Give a Boost to High-Speed Rail?
State Sen. Anthony Cannella's Demand for $500 Million May Have Greatly Accelerated HSR
By Dennis Lytton
A Siemens High-speed train touring behind a conventional diesel in California. This kind of operation could be used to greatly improve California rail services in interim phases. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
It took a bunch of compromises, but Governor Brown passed his $52 billion transportation bill, which included a gas tax increase. To make the political math work, Brown had to get the vote of one Republican. That Republican was Anthony Canella from Ceres, who was promised $500 million in local spending.
$400 million of that is for extending the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) rail service, which runs via the Altamont Pass between Stockton and San Jose, to Ceres and Merced.
It was classic political blackmail. But while Canella was busy leveraging his vote to bring home the pork, without realizing it he may have greatly accelerated the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) project–if the California High Speed Rail Authority (CaHSRA) is clever enough to exploit the opportunity.
As Streetsblog readers are probably aware, HSR is currently under construction between Bakersfield and Merced. After that, work will begin on building across the Pacheco Pass to reach San Jose. From San Jose to San Francisco, HSR trains would share tracks with Caltrain under the so-called "blended approach."
The CaHSRA had determined that Bakersfield to San Francisco is a long enough distance to start running bullet trains, while California awaits construction of the last and most difficult link, the southern end from Bakersfield to Los Angeles.
A map of the current ACE corridor, plus the extensions funded under the new transportation bill. Image: ACE
Meanwhile, the California Republican delegation to congress, in a bid to stop HSR's plan, wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao urging her to jam up $647 million in federal funds for Caltrain electrification, which she did. The Republicans did this because they think that without electrification, HSR trains can't operate north of San Jose, and that will kill the project.
But the fact is that electrification, while desirable, isn't always necessary for HSR. Trains all over the world alternate between diesel and electric power. Most notably in the US, this is done in New Haven, Connecticut and Washington, DC as through Amtrak trains leave and enter the electrified Northeast Corridor. And New Jersey Transit and Montreal's commuter trains operate "dual-mode" trains that can run off an on-board diesel generator or draw power from overhead electrical wires, albeit with less power and acceleration when running in diesel mode. In Europe, sometimes bullet trains will run, towed by a diesel, onto non-electrified tracks. It's even been tried in California, as seen in the lead photo of a demonstration run with a German-built HSR train, towed behind a conventional Amtrak diesel locomotive.
That means that when ACE goes to Merced, it will be possible to run a High-speed train from Bakersfield to Merced on electric power, at over 200 mph. Then, by coupling with a diesel locomotive, the train could run at conventional speeds and use ACE tracks to get from Merced to San Jose. From there it could continue to San Francisco on the Caltrain corridor, regardless of whether it is electrified.
In other words, by using this new ACE extension, you could offer a medium speed, one-seat ride from Bakersfield, Fresno and the other cities of the Central Valley to Downtown San Francisco. It wouldn't require any transfers and it would save hours off the current trip, making it competitive with driving.
A map of construction phases of HSR. Note that the blue segment from Merced going south is already under construction. Extending ACE to Merced would let trains continue directly to San Francisco. Image: CaHSRA
The CaHSRA calls its plan to mix commuter and intercity rail at the project's "bookends" with HSR its blended plan. Adding ACE to the blending would be a natural extension of that concept–call it the blended plan on steroids. And by the way, the Altamont pass was seriously considered for the primary route to get HSR to the Bay Area, so there's no reason it couldn't be used as an interim service until the faster and more direct Pacheco tracks are built.
Now that a state appeals court has upheld the state's carbon cap-and-trade program, funding looks more secure for HSR. But it's still going to be a long slog to getting a fully built-out service. But the CaHSRA thinks it can get the first phase of HSR, from Bakersfield to Merced, finished as early as 2019 with existing funds. That means that with ACE's extension, which uses existing tracks, it will be possible to get some interim service all the way from Bakersfield to San Francisco right away, but only if Sacramento and the Authority get to work on figuring out the operational details now. By working with the funding picture in hand, and exploiting the ability of HSR to slow down and run on conventional tracks under diesel power, the Bay Area and the Central Valley can enjoy vastly improved rail service much sooner than anyone imagined possible.
All thanks to an anti-HSR Republican from the little town of Ceres.
Dennis Lytton is a rail transportation expert and advocate based in Albany, CA
Filed Under: High-Speed Rail, GJEL, Promoted
hailfromsf
CAHSR is supposed to run all the way into the lower level of the Transbay Center in downtown SF through a 1.3 mile long tunnel. Won't that necessitate electrification?
thielges
The DTX extension is still a long way off, don't expect that for at least five years. Expect Caltrain electrification to be done by the time DTX is complete, despite the political meddling.
I like the resourceful thinking but wow, that will be quite a lopsided journey. Blast from Bakersfield to Merced in 30 minutes. Then spend the next 5 hours to reach San Francisco from Merced.
While that will give more fuel to the HSR naysayers at least it will provide a vivid contrast to what HSR means in terms of travel times compared to conventional rail.
Jeffrey Baker
With respect, this is a bit fanciful. An ACE takes forever to get from stockton to SJ and will take long if it originates from Merced. 2:10 is a really long ride to tack on the end of a Bakersfield run. Perhaps a better fantasy would be HSR to Tracy, since that could be very easy, and change to diesel there?
This argument doesn't add up. It would take 3hr 15min to get from Merced to SF via the existing San Joaquin alignment to Richmond BART, versus over four hours from Merced to San Jose to SF.
The bigger issue is why the heck did we commit half a billion dollars to an ACE extension that will carry a couple hundred riders a day, versus putting that money toward the Pacheco Pass to cut travel times between Merced and San Jose in half. Incredibly wasteful, redundant, and short-sighted.
Roger R.
https://youtu.be/MIQpCm0OjFA sorry about the lack of a translation, but basically everyone's saying how nice it is not to have to transfer.
"Fancilful" is charitable. The San Joaquin route would be faster to SF (you'd switch to BART at Richmond – so not "one seat").
There are a lot of really gnarly single track sections in Niles Canyon, and single track near GAC that shares trackage with Capitol Corridor and freight. Then you are talking about rolling into Diridon and then turning the train to head up to SF, not exactly the best use of rolling stock.
Any service disruption on the line is basically fatal due to so many single track sections.
ACE is a useful service for what it is but just because there is a line on the map doesn't make it super competitive. From the times I've ridden it a huge chunk of the ridership is basically Santa Clara to either Fremont or Pleasanton – the sections at which this rail line can nominally compete with complete and utter gridlock.
I'd be shocked if it's that many. If Trump doesn't release the Caltrain funding and we spend 400 million on Ceres but don't electrify Caltrain, holy crap.
jonobate
Never going to happen. Even if Caltrain electrification is indefinitely postponed, HSR will still be able to build Bakersfield to San Jose with their current funding. A fast ride to SJ plus a transfer to a Caltrain Baby Bullet will easily beat trundling over the Altamont behind a diesel locomotive. Additionally, BART will probably be built out to San Jose Diridon by the time HSR service opens, providing another frequent and fast connection to SF via the East Bay.
Finally, this plan is legally questionable because Prop 1A requires all service using HSR tracks to operate without subsidy. A slow ride to SF via Altamont would never break even, and neither would HSR service confined to the Central Valley. High speed service to one of the coastal metropolitan areas is a necessity for HSR to make a profit.
BurnThisRag
"At almost $70 billion dollars, construction of a high speed rail system from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim is certainly an expensive project. But it will cost a fraction of what the state would have to spend to achieve the same level of mobility for a population expected to reach 50 million people by the year 2030. To move an equivalent number of people would cost $170 billion in new freeways and airport runway expansions in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, assuming those projects would have both the necessary public support and environmental clearance. And while others have said we should wait for newer technology, high speed rail is a safe, reliable and cost effective system of transportation, proven around the world." –San Francisco Examiner
Marven Norman
To say nothing of the vast mobility improvement that it will provide to the cities in the Central Valley which currently do NOT enjoy the same level of air service (and might actually have it cut under Trump's budget) as the LA Basin and Bay Area.
This plan makes no sense. Even if Caltrain electrification is delayed indefinitely (which I doubt will happen now that SB1 has passed), it will still be more logical to transfer at Diridon and take either Capitol Corridor or Caltrain to points north. Additionally, the current business plan delays construction of the eastern leg of the Central Valley Wye that would enable a straight trip from Merced to Bakersfield until later in the project.
Too bad that the Altamont Pass alignment wasn't, chosen over Pacheco Pass, (ultimately they have to go through Modesto). Just seems that it be quicker to get to San Francisco.
artnouveau
I don't believe this is the way it will work exactly.
Year 2019 is a bit optimistic. Nevertheless, if pulled by diesels, at least initially, top speeds could realistically be between 110 and 125 mph. The track between Bakersfield and Merced is being designed with a speed capability of 250 mph. But, true HSR top speed in the Valley will be 220 mph. At 110 mph, trains will, presumably, be able to get between Bakersfield and Merced from between about an hour-and-a-half to 2 hours (with stops).
Assuming ACE serves Merced – which I always believed it should do (regardless of whether HSR sees build-out or not) – it is presumed ACE's speeds will increase as well. I think faster times are doable between Stockton and San Jose. Putting in Southern Pacific's old Altamont Pass line could enable this, with improvements.
There is much promise here. The $400 million for ACE extension to Merced is an excellent start!
bobfuss
Neither SFO nor LAX can have more runways without a massive water reclamation project. The major congestion at LAX is on the ground.
Future expansion will come at SJC and OAK, which currently are just 2 runways (SFO has four, as does OAK but two of them are short). There may be an argument for a new airport adjacent to HSR and I-5 in the central valley. Yosemite Airport, perhaps?
Sluggo67
Lytton's concept is intriguing, but doesn't work under current plans because ACE extension runs on the UP corridor while HSR is adjacent to BNSF corridor. The two corridors are about 1/2 mile apart (at closest) within Merced city limits. It wouldn't be cheap/easy to connect these two corridors; not impossible, but definitely not a slam dunk.
I'm not getting it. The ACE is commuter rail, signaled for only low speed travel. 400 million dollars to open this extension isnt going to have much left over to make any improvements.
Seems CAHSR would be better just finding funds for the electrification needed for Caltrain.
crazyvag
Caltrain will get electrified before HSR reaches SJ, so I don't see a scenario where HSR can't get to SF.
More likely scenario is that HSR won't reach transbay terminal, but that's a different battle of SF vs SF.
There are actually many opportunities to improve ACE, but you're right that none of them will speed up travel time.
However, if we can get BART to connect in Livermore at a shared station, we could boost usage.
Also, running trains via downtown Tracy, would shorten the line, save 5 mins and bring ridership up from improved location.
Adding a 5th train will reduce anxiety of missing last train and increasing flexibility.
Of course, there are always some curve, bridge and tunnel fixes that can speed up trains that currently slow down for bad track.
Yes all of that sounds great. So does the extension to Mercer. But all of that is going to cost more than $400 million dollars and will leave you will a line with a max speed of 79mph, much much less in actual operation and with limited capacity(most of the line is single tracked if I am not mistaken)
Great for that region, great for rail transit in general. Not great for CAHSR.
Patrick Jackson
but CAHSR and ACE could run blended like Caltrain, from Modesto to Union City/Fremont to Redwood City to San Francisco. All you need are a few 4-tracked sections so HSR trains can pass ACE trains.
I think an airport in Tracy, connected by HSR to SF, Oakland, Sacramento, and San Jose in 45 min or less would be great, funded by selling SFO, OAK, SJC, and SMF to private developers. The Northern California 6-8 runway megahub.
but if they built HSR via Modesto, Tracy, Livermore, Union City, and Redwood City, instead of via Gilroy and San Jose, it would be even faster, cheaper, and would use the ACE funds (and therefore bring electrified-Caltrain level service to ACE.)
It'll get to Transbay eventually.
or we could kill two birds with one stone and run HSR via Altamont, and run ACE as a blended system along side it, and just not serve San Jose and Gilroy with HSR. A convenient BART transfer in Union City is sufficient.
I bet ACE to an extended BART at Livermore is faster than Capitol Corridor to BART at Richmond.
Presumably you would need the ACE to be 2 tracked before you started adding 4 tracks segments. You would also need to do something to improve the ACE's speed. It currently averages 40mph between Stockton and San Jose. Between Fremont and Tracy it's just as slow.
Isn't that part of the point of the 500,000?
400 million isnt nearly enough. And no, the 400 million is to extend the line from Tracy to Merced
ACE, CAHSR, and the San Joaquins are co-operating on building or upgrading tracks for improved passenger service between Merced and Sacramento. The idea is that in the interim the tracks would be used by ACE to extend to Merced and Sacramento, and by the San Joaquins to increase service between Merced and Sacramento. In the longer term the tracks would also be used for HSR service between Merced and Sacramento. Initial service might use upgraded UP/BNSF tracks, or new tracks alongside the existing freight tracks.
This is a good thing. A major problem with rail planning in California is that there has been an unnecessary division between 220mph HSR and molasses slow conventional rail. HSR blending with ACE and the San Joaquins, as well as Caltrain, is big step forward.
There are lots of presentations on the SJJPA website about these plans: http://sjjpa.com/Meetings/Previous-Board-Meetings
Two good starting points. This one talks about overall corridor planning: http://sjjpa.com/getattachment/Meetings/Previous-Board-Meetings/PP-CVRWG-Meeting-February-24-2016.pdf
This one talks about phasing in HSR on the new ACE/San Joaquin tracks: http://sjjpa.com/getattachment/Meetings/Previous-Board-Meetings/PP-CVRWG-Meeting-December-16-2016-Final.pdf
Very true, but that ship has already sailed.
Mr. Alderson
way too slow. As someone said in one of the replies, puts how important HSR is. Even if they extend ACE to these central valley cities, its not something that can be commutable on a daily basis. Maybe a weekend trip, but even then why not just drive if it's going to be a lot faster. Almost no point in ACE.
HSR on the other hand is actually something that is fast enough to make commutable. An estiimate 40min travel from SJ to Fresno is crazy considering it takes about 2 hours drive. Connecting the 3rd biggest city to the 5th. People in tracy and surround areas drive an average of 2 to 2 and half hours during the work week EACH way to San Jose to put that in perspective. And it is stressful drive. Even after a 40min commute on HSR from say Fresno to SJ or vice versa, add an additional 20 mins to actual destination via other form of public transportation to job or home is still realistic. Heck a lot more realistic when MANY make the 2 and half each way stressful traffic drive from east bay cities to SJ or SF.
Yosemite Airport as in FAT in Fresno. That is what is already considered "Yosemite Airport" Fresno is the 5th largest city in CA but has horrible flights from there. Fresno is right smack in the middle of LA and SF, I mean geographically I believe it might actually be literal. They are also trying to be the hub for the HSR train maintenance or something. There is NOTHING on I5, all the cities are on 99. It makes sense to put it in Fresno. People from there drive 2 hours to catch good flights already in SJC.
But I think they look at the ridership. People in Tracy, Livermore, Union City, for what reason do they have to ride the HSR at this point to Fresno or Bakersfield? Where as Fresno is the 5th biggest city, and currently the most affordable BIG City left in CA. Connecting it to the 3rd biggest city in SJ makes it huge economically for both cities. Huge impact for Fresno to connect more job opportunities, and perhaps for those in SJ who want home ownership in a big city and still commutable. Huge things are going on in Fresno at the moment and they are building a tech sector slowly which makes sense to connect easily to Silicon Valley of SJ. True Straight down the pike on 99 from bakersfield up to merced modesto then through 580 seems cheaper, but who wouold ride it.
Fresno to SJ makes the most sense because there are a lot of people between the 2 cities alone. We're talking over 500K in fresno and 1mil in SJ, not including the other metro areas close by in fresno which make up a mil total.
I understand those who live in tracy, modesto, and other cities you mentioned would have loved the HSR to go through there, as for sure it will ease commute. A commute many along the 580 have to suffer in 2+ hours time each way to the bay. But it's only fair, that area already has ACE, and already has infrastructure that obviously is no longer enough but it was before for driving. Tracy area to SJ should only be an hour drive. Now its over 2+ hours. A longer drive than Fresno to San Jose. Tracy area has already reaped the benefits of making it a city that is commutable to the bay area. I believe prices in homes there have peaked.
Now it's time for the Central Valley to reap some benefits.
Redwood City and Union City Stations are at least as convenient to most of the Silicon Valley job centers as Downtown San Jose is.
I believe the first operating segment is from SJ to Fresno to Bakerfield? Honestly they couldve saved some on the budget to get this thing operational by not finishing at bakersfield. Fresno has more connection to SJ than Bakersfield does. Bakersfield has more of a connection to LA. They estimated the ride from Fresno to SJ to be 40 mins which is nice compared to the many driving 2+ hours within the bay area's east bay, tracy altamont area etc. And as you mentioned bart for anything else connecting.
With so much controversy on the HSR, I think they need something operational, and the Fresno to SJ line is perfect. Connecting the 5th biggest city in Fresno to the 3rd in SJ will be good to showcase the HSR potential. It will allow more employment opportunities for Fresno that has struggled in unemployment rate for such a big city, and will help maybe relief some housing for those in SJ who still want a commutable place to live. As many have done moving out to east bay cities and altamont cities such as Tracy. Fresno at least is a huge city with a lot of things to offer in comparison.
Part of the stated goals of the ACEforward plan is to provide a combined ROW for ACE that could also serve as a secondary exit from the Bay Area for CAHSR. However, as pointed out by @disqus_F1yyjvwNAK:disqus, that isn't what is being funded here, though it can probably draw on the transit capital funds at a later date.
Yes, that's another issue (and which also makes the whole thing all the more maddening). The State should work with the freight operators to just consolidate freight service on one set of tracks and passenger service on the other. That can also help manage the potential issue of duplicate service between ACE and the San Joaquins from Merced to Stockton (though if ACE stops at more cities, it's perhaps not as duplicative). Ideally, it should operate like Pacific Surfliner and Coaster/Metrolink do in the LOSSAN corridor (including with Rail2Rail passes), but being on separate ROWs complicates that.
The Madera-Bakersfield (Wasco) segment will be the longest portion and the first truly high-speed section of rail in the country. The intent is to leverage that for testing high-speed trainsets at their maximum potential. Additionally, it will be usable by Amtrak San Joaquins between Madera and Wasco, probably at 110 MPH, until the rest of the IOS to San Jose is ready for use.
ACE does have a pretty high ridership. I think it's about 5000 – 6000 a day… across 8 trains, that's about 750 / train. They haul 6-car bombardier sets, so effective seating capacity of about 800 seats gets very well used. With ridership like that, there's certainly potential for more riders, and the $400 would be reasonably well spent.
Jackson Van Ness
Those dual-mode trains run at 79 mph or less. There's no way that you can run a REAL high speed rail system without electrification all the way.
Maybe this money'd be spent better by supplying water to farmers in the valley who are being ripped off by the gov't!
roderick_llewellyn
This is a typical irrelevant comment. You can always find some program that someone will think is more worthy. We could, for example, cancel much of the bloated highway program and thus give lots of water to farmers. Sound good?
Fact is, there are a billion tradeoffs between one program and unrelated programs. I notice, however, that it's almost always rail that gets attacked this way… never highways, never airports, never …. It's a tired argument, frankly.
Diesel-powered trains can run considerably faster than that. It's amazing what you can discover in 5 secs on the internet. If you bothered to google "fastest diesel locomotive" you would pull up a Wikipedia article on the subject, stating "The InterCity 125, the current confirmed record holder as the fastest diesel-powered train at 148 mph (238 km/h)". Probably it's not efficient at that speed, but your 79 mph figure is clearly low-balling it.
Nevertheless, the author was admitting that this is largely an interim solution that would get us statewide rail service much sooner than waiting for a full build-out of electrified railway.
See above comment about this being an interim solution.
The InterCity 125 is in the UK, and it hit 148 on a test run. The fastest diesel locomotives in the US (the Siemens SC-44) can go 125. The dual-mode units are called the ALP45-DPs, and they run in commuter service on New Jersey Transit. They have a top speed of 100 mph, but are limited to 65 in service. Also, passenger trains in the US legally cannot go more than 79 mph without a cab signal system. The ACE lines and CalTrain lines currently do not have cab signals, and it would be a waste of money to equip them with them when it is only an interim solution.
"A few four-tracked sections" are not possible through Altamonte Pass. It's a single-tracked line with several sidings. It's not worth investing that kind of money in it when you could just build a REAL high-speed line on a much shorter route. Besides, the line is owned by Union Pacific Railroad, so it'll never happen.
Freight service will never be consolidated. Railroads want their own Rights-of-Way.
Of course they do. I'm not proposing that they nationalized by force, just that they be bought and managed by one entity.
That would never be allowed, even if it did happen. It would destroy competition, and customer service would suffer tremendously (look at what happened with the Seaboard Coast Line merger in 1967!). Also, BNSF is wholly owned by Berkshire-Hathaway.
High-Speed Rail's Central Valley Segment is Already Connected to Bay Area
By Roger Rudick	| Feb 14, 2019
HSR trains can immediately through-run to Bay Area and Sacramento on existing tracks
Battle Lines Drawn in High-Speed Rail Vote
By Damien Newton	| Jun 27, 2012
Later this week, the plan to build a High Speed Rail line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco faces a crucial vote in the California legislature. Governor Jerry Brown asked lawmakers to release $2.7 billion of the $6 billion in bonds passed by California voters in 2008 for High Speed Rail. Combined with $3.3 billion […]
California High-Speed Rail is Still On
Fatuous headlines abound after Newsom's confusing State of the State speech
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High-Speed Damage Control Begins
By Roger Rudick	| Mar 5, 2019
California High-speed Rail Authority assures feds that, despite the bogus headlines, the Governor did not cancel the project
SPUR Talk: High-Speed Rail on its Way to Northern California
By Roger Rudick	| Sep 28, 2016
High-Speed Rail construction is well underway in the Central Valley, said Ben Tripousis, Northern California Regional Director for the California High Speed Rail Authority, during a forum at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association's (SPUR) Mission Street center. "The High-Speed Rail question has shifted from 'if' to 'when,'" he told the packed house at today's […]
"Browndoggle"? Efforts to Use HSR as Cudgel Against CA Dems Fizzle
By Damien Newton	| Nov 8, 2012
"The Browndoggle." Opponents of Governor Jerry Brown and the California Democratic Party have been slamming the California High Speed Rail Authority for years. The political strategy seemed to be working. Four years after voters approved a tax increase to fund a segment of what was promised to be a high speed train connecting Sacramento to […]


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Perfect Daily Grind > Roasting Fundamentals > James Tooill: I Competed in the Brewers Cup to Be a Better Roaster
James Tooill: I Competed in the Brewers Cup to Be a Better Roaster
If you're going to spend hours preparing for and then competing in the Brewers Cup, not just once but three times, it's probably because brewing is your number one priority. Not so for James Tooill.
Although he's certainly passionate about making coffee, he's foremost a roaster and cupper. In fact, the first time he competed, it was solely to improve his roast skills. His whole routine was arranged to push his abilities in the hardest ways possible.
He sat down with me at Primavera Fazenda, on the Ally Coffee Champions Origin Tour 2016, to tell me about why competing is so important, his tendency to trust his instinct, and how he makes sure he's constantly learning.
Spanish Version: James Tooill: Participé en la Competencia de Filtrados para Ser un Mejor Tostador
James admires a renovated Probat at Academia do Café.
Gut Instinct Leads to Success
"It was fun," he tells me. But this year it was also last minute. "I wasn't originally planning on competing. I was coaching one of my coworkers and roasting for him and also our barista competitor. My boss signed up to compete but he decided he was too busy, so I took his spot at the last minute. I didn't do so well at the regionals but then I qualified and I had a lot more time to get ready for nationals."
I asked him about how he picked his coffees. "It was difficult," he says, "because we had a lot of good coffees. I was really interested in natural processing, so I decided just two weeks before that I wanted to do a blend: a natural Brazilian coffee, an Ethiopian coffee, and a Panamanian coffee."
Think two weeks is cutting it fine? That's nothing.
"I actually changed one coffee to a different coffee the day before the finals. In between the first day and the second day, I changed the coffees to be two natural Panama Geishas and a coffee from this farm, Primavera Fazenda, in Brazil."
"It was a last-minute decision. I was at the show, and talking to my friend Steve Holt and he gave me a little sample, and when I tasted it I just realised it was…. It was the best cup of coffee I'd had that year, and… I just knew it was better. I knew, everything that I did as a brewer, that coffee was better. And so, at the last minute, I just changed it out."
Coffees from Primavera Fazenda make their way into La Colombe's roasts, which James used at competition. Credit: La Colombe
Last-Minute Preparation
I tell him it must have been a good choice; he tells me it was stressful. "I only had less than 18 hours to go from brewing one coffee to a totally different farm description and taste description and brewing parameters."
The result was a tired competitor but a fresh performance. "We didn't really start until 10 pm. Steve came over to the apartment, and we started tasting the coffees. Then I picked the coffee and he started telling me all this information about it and the farm. So I spent from 10 pm to 2:30 in the morning brewing coffee, learning about it, and taking notes."
"[The next day], I just woke up, dialled in the right grind setting, and gave the speech for the first time. So I think it looked very fresh. And I got very good scores on that presentation – but interestingly, the cup scored only a little bit better. So we changed the coffees for the cup score, but somehow the cup score was very similar, but my presentation score was better because I hadn't practised it."
James brews coffee at Caparaó Coffee, on the border of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais.
Competitions Bring Together the Community
In addition to the Brewers Cup, James has also won the US Cup Tasters Championship and considered participating in the Roasting Championship.
"For me, I think the main thing about competing is that it has been very encouraging," he tells me. "You're working in a very small group of people, roasting coffee, and taking it very seriously. And you know, I live in a small town, very small. And so you're just trying to impress yourself, and your friends think you're kind of crazy, but then you go to a big show, and everyone feels the same way that you do."
"They all have different ideas, but they all have the same passion. And it just like feels like you've found your home for a short period of time.
James brews while working. Credit: Alexander Mansour for La Colombe
Competitions: Brewing Grounds for Innovation
I ask him about how competitions further innovation and education. "You know," he says, "there are a lot of conversations at the show, and then afterwards, you're just thinking about ways that you could do things better."
"Tetsu [Kasuya, World Brewers Cup Champion] brews coffee completely different than anything that we tell our baristas to do – but it tastes so good! He pours the water in and then he lets it drain all the way out before he puts the water in again. And he stirs a whole bunch all the way in the middle of the brew. And it's delicious."
He's been trying Tetsu's brews throughout the trip, including on a coffee throwdown on the farm organised by Ally Coffee, but he also tried his method at home as soon as he saw the performance. "It was delicious," he emphasises.
"It's good to understand what other people do, but also why. They say, I stir because it's more heavy. Or I roast a bit darker so I can brew with cooler water. To hear why people do things helps you understand more."
Todd Goldsworthy, Tetsu Kasuya, and James (left to right) compare their pour overs.
Collaboration, Communication, Education
Travelling with the other barista champions, many of whom he had profound levels of respect for, also underscored the importance of community for James. The eight-day trip has taken us to twelve farms, two parties with producers, mills, and more. But it's also allowed everyone to share their thoughts and feelings about coffee.
"They're all very passionate and knowledgeable," he tells me. "And they all have different areas of responsibility and activities that aren't always the same."
"You know, I'm very amazed that Andrea [Allen] is here because she has a baby and even amazed that she did so well in the competition without a sense of smell," he adds, referring to when she competed while pregnant in 2014. "And Lem [Butler, USBC], I mean, I've been reading about him for nine years. Or at least 8. He's so like accomplished and experienced and knowledgeable. And it doesn't make him any less passionate to be on this trip."
The knowledge exchange has also been a valuable experience. "I get to work on the roaster with Tony [Querio, US Roaster Champion] and he's very knowledgeable. Also he's part of the Roaster's Guild so I'm experiencing learning how other people roast coffee."
"And I got to watch Tetsu brew, watch him use his four-six method, and it was very interesting. And Kyle [Bellinger] owns a farm, so he knows a lot about processing. I've learned a lot."
SEE ALSO: Interview with James Tooill: Brazil Is the Future of Specialty
Brewing as a Roaster
I brought the conversation back to the competitions, and asked him if thought he'd have won if he'd used Tetsu's four-six method.
"No," he says. There was no hesitation. "My method was to make the coffee taste like it does on the cupping table, because my main job is to purchase the coffee and roast it. I focused on my bit, which is to do everything else with the cupping bowl so that I know I have a brew that's very similar to everything else that I taste every day."
"But Tetsu did the same thing, except his job is to brew the coffee, so he just focused on his job. And I think doing this makes everybody better at their own job."
James cups some of Ally's coffees, along with Andrea (front left), Kyle, Lem, and Tetsu (right to left).
Brewers Cup: A Challenge to Roast Better
In fact, he tells me that he always uses the same brew. "I've done Brewers Cup three different years. Four if you include coaching. And all four years, I've used the same brew: immersion, four minutes, 1:15."
"The first time I competed, I didn't change my brewing method at all. I just forced myself to roast the coffee so that it would taste good in the cup. Which is very difficult, but it helped me a lot to become a better roaster. Even the water temperature, I didn't change it. I just roasted the coffee differently."
I asked him if that was a matter of convenience or if it was for the challenge. "To set myself a challenge. And to focus on learning one thing. Because there's so many different things to learn, that you have to kind of focus on one thing."
It's easy to hear James' story of last-minute decisions and underestimate him. As a roaster and cupper competing in the Brewers Cup, you could think he takes these decisions lightly. But it's clear that, while his routines may change, his purpose doesn't. He's determined to be the best roaster and cupper he can be – and challenging himself in the Brewers Cup is just one step towards that.
With thanks to James Tooill, Ally Coffee, and the producers who hosted us in Espírito Santo, Caparaó, and around Fazenda Primavera.
Ally Coffee is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind as well as the sponsor of the Coffee Champions Origin Trip 2016, on which this article was conducted. This interview was conducted by a Perfect Daily Grind staff member in accordance with our editorial policies.
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Tanya Newton
Tanya was the second to join the PDG team. She worked as the company's Editor-in-Chief before becoming its Editorial Consultant.
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Books That Deserve To Be Read
There are more than half a million books published each year in the US alone. Not all of them make the best seller lists. We are on a quest to find the books that deserve to be in the best seller list.
Avascular necrosis of femoral head & meyers procedure – a detailed review and our experiance
Avascular necrosis is one of the debilitating disease in young people of 20 to 45 yrs of age in this fast growing world..it severly affects people's ability to do routine activities like walking running & cross seating. Avascular necrosis is not easily diagnosed in early stages as radiographs do not show early changes.thats why it became so important to diagnose and treat as early as possible.This book describes in detail about avascular necrosis of femoral head including clinical features .how to diagnose & treat.As it is disease of a young population ,head preserving surgeries should be the 1st aim.we have operated many cases of avascular necrosis of femoral head by Meyers technique of muscle pedicle grafting at our hospital and found that it is sucessful in most cases with preserving and even improving femoral head blood suppy and prevent collapse. Our many pts didnt need replacement for upto 10 15 yrs.So We have came with an idea to share our experiance and procedure of meyers grafting to everyone. As a last bencher we have tried to explain in easy way for understanding to student like us. Hope this book will help you in understanding avascular necrosis of femoral head and to apply in orthopaedic practise.
Layers of a pandemic
Neutrophil Histolytica, aka Phil, the only amoeba to survive the chemical Holocaust, and Ana Pheles, an orphan mosquito, embark on an adventure to kill the man who annihilated everything they loved. They have to defeat the gargantuan two-legged beast that has an arsenal of chemical weapons. Moreover, it is Phil's last day on Earth. Whatever be the odds, there is no going back from this seemingly impossible mission.
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
In this award-winning Audible Studios production, Trevor Noah tells his wild coming-of-age tale during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa. It's a story that begins with his mother throwing him from a moving van to save him from a potentially fatal dispute with gangsters, then follows the budding comedian's path to self-discovery through episodes both poignant and comical. Noah's virtuoso embodiment of all the characters from his childhood, and his ability to perform accents and dialects effortlessly in English, Xhosa, and Zulu, garnered the Audie Award for Best Male Narrator in 2018. Nevertheless, Noah's devoted and uncompromising mother-as voiced by her son-steals the show.
Half Baked Harvest Super Simple: More Than 125 Recipes for Instant, Overnight, Meal-Prepped, and Easy Comfort Foods: A Cookbook
We all want to make and serve our loved ones beautiful food—but we shouldn't have to work so hard to do it. With Half Baked Harvest Super Simple, Tieghan Gerard has solved that problem.
On her blog and in her debut cookbook, Tieghan is beloved for her freshly sourced, comfort-food-forward recipes that taste even better than they look. Half Baked Harvest Super Simple takes what fans loved most about Half Baked Harvest Cookbook and distills it into quicker, more manageable dishes, including options for one-pot meals, night-before meal prep, and even some Instant Pot® or slow cooker recipes. Using the most important cooking basics, you'll whip up everyday dishes like Cardamom Apple Fritters, Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese, and Lobster Tacos to share with your family, or plan stress-free dinner parties with options like Slow Roasted Moroccan Salmon and Fresh Corn and Zucchini Summer Lasagna.
Especially for home cooks who are pressed for time or just starting out, Half Baked Harvest Super Simple is your go-to for hassle-free meals that never sacrifice taste.
Dirty Letters
I'd never forgotten him—a man I'd yet to meet.
Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldn't have been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break.
Until one day it did.
Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one—one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing.
Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person.
Only Griff didn't want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more—more Griff, in the flesh—so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love.
But what I found could change everything.
DAWN WITHOUT SUNLIGHT
Naina a simple girl next door, kept wishing for unusual things until the day things really changed. Naina's journey of finding intergalactic friends and becoming a part of the war she had no idea about turned her simple life upside down.
And who knew that between all this chaos love will find her?
A Minute to Midnight (An Atlee Pine Thriller Book 2)
FBI Agent Atlee Pine's life was never the same after her twin sister Mercy was kidnapped–and likely killed–thirty years ago. After a lifetime of torturous uncertainty, Atlee's unresolved anger finally gets the better of her on the job, and she finds she has to deal with the demons of her past if she wants to remain with the FBI.
Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum head back to Atlee's rural hometown in Georgia to see what they can uncover about the traumatic night Mercy was taken and Pine was almost killed. But soon after Atlee begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered, her face covered with a wedding veil–and the first killing is quickly followed by a second bizarre murder.
Atlee is determined to continue her search for answers, but now she must also set her sights on finding a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. But in a small town full of secrets–some of which could answer the questions that have plagued Atlee her entire life–digging deeper into the past could be more dangerous than she realizes . . .
PHILOSOPHY OF PROF.MUKHOPADHYAY
I am really glad to share my feelings and experience about my Philosophy through this book. It is the gist of the outcome of my fifty six years of observations in few pages. Reading enriches a man, but when the concerned person starts reading the human minds then the reading is coupled with a different dimension. Basically I am an Engineer and in my profession I am a professor of Civil Engineering and my actual designation is Associate Professor. In my life everything happened by accident right from my birth to love for literature. When my mother became pregnant for the second time then it was a pregnancy for unplanned sex of my parents, my parents wanted an abortion, but the concerned doctor prevented the duo from doing so. Same is the case with literature, especially English literature.
I was a student of vernacular medium ( Bengali Medium) till the days of my senior school and even in my college life I didn't have fluency in English and I loved English, but at the same time I was scared of it and my father and elder brother always used to mock at me for my lack of fluency. After that I completed post graduation in Engineering and even in the days of my post graduation I was not fluent in English.
After completion of post graduation I got few jobs and few of them were Govt. jobs, but I knew that I am born to be a teacher and for that reason I declined those lucrative offers without any second thought, but my father and other family members didn't like this attitude of mine
On September 5, 2018, the New York Times published a bombshell essay and took the rare step of granting its writer anonymity. Described only as "a senior official in the Trump administration," the author provided eyewitness insight into White House chaos, administration instability, and the people working to keep Donald Trump's reckless impulses in check.
With the 2020 election on the horizon, Anonymous is speaking out once again. In this book, the original author pulls back the curtain even further, offering a first-of-its-kind look at the president and his record — a must-read before Election Day. It will surprise and challenge both Democrats and Republicans, motivate them to consider how we judge our nation's leaders, and illuminate the consequences of re-electing a commander in chief unfit for the role.
This book is a sobering assessment of the man in the Oval Office and a warning about something even more important — who we are as a people.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier: 112 Fantastic Favorites for Everyday Eating
Welcome to Ree's new frontier! So much has happened on Drummond Ranch over the last couple of years: The kids are growing up, another left for college, Ree's schedule is crazier than ever…and through it all, her cooking has evolved. While she and her family still love all the hearty comfort foods they're accustomed to, Ree's been cooking up some incredible new dishes that reflect the flavors, colors, and texture she's craving these days.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier features 112 brand new step-by-step recipes that bring fresh, exciting elements into your everyday meals. From super-scrumptious breakfasts, to satisfying soups and sandwiches, to deliciously doable suppers and sides—and, of course, a collection of irresistible sweets you'll want to make immediately!—these pages will deliver a big list of fabulous new dishes for you to add to your repertoire.
A wife of a cowboy, mother of growing kids, and a businesswoman with a packed work schedule, Ree knows exactly what it means to juggle life's numerous demands simultaneously. The recipes in this book use everything from a skillet to a Dutch oven to an Instant Pot, so you'll have a mix of options to suit your own timeframe. And to reflect her own occasional adventures in carb cutting, Ree shares dozens of luscious lower-carb options for those days you want to eat a little lighter without sacrificing flavor.
GOLDEN CHANCE
This human life is very precious. The Supreme God has given us invaluable and wonderful body. Do not let this life go waste in materialistic desires otherwise you will have to repent in the last days of your life. People are worshiping one deity or the other for peace of mind, wealth, children or for any other reason. But the people should be sure whether they are worshiping the Supreme God who made the Sun and other billions of stars, moon and other satellites, earth and other planets, oceans, human beings of about 200 countries on the earth and other organisms or believing on imaginary stories because this human life is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY for us to find Supreme God, truth and get salvation. If we let this life go waste, we do not know in which form our next birth will be. We may be an animal or a bird in next birth.Stop to follow the crowd blindly. Only true methods to praise and love the Supreme God can give us salvation. Rest depends on you because it is your life.As human beings, we are on earth for a limited time only. This life and all the events related to this life are only illusions and nothing is real. Do not get fear of anything as nothing is real. The life of us and our children is not true because true is that which prevails forever. We are only souls. Our aim is to enter into Super-soul i.e. Supreme God. Believe me, you will have to repent in the last moments of your life if you spend time in materialistic life.
The Trap Manifesto
Its About My Own Experiences On Planning and Motivation in Startups In Turbulent Times
Dual Sword God
In the Bright Flame Kingdom, there exists a small town known as Machen Town. A boy of age 15 called Feng Yu was beaten to death by the son of the Xiang Clan. Upon his death, a soul that seemed to have traveled through time and space quickly took over the body. It was the soul of a martial arts expert from another world also bearing the name of Feng Yu. Seeing that he has been given a second chance of life he decided to take his new identity and his family with him on his journey to the peak of martial arts. This is the story of the Dual Sword God.
The Roar of My Silence is an authentic story of an Indian girl, where the writer portrays the social stigmas faced by a woman every day. Some of them are crimes of the most heinous nature. But, in our country, more often than not, the girl is made to be the culprit. Society disregards every atrocity the girl has been forced to go through, and to top it off, finds a twisted logic to blame her for it.
Well, that's me, Kumudh! I look like Kareena, slim, fair, and sexy. Dreams of love marriage. But is the life of a girl ever uncomplicated?
It all began when two boys entered my life alternately. They changed my life, but it didn't stop there.
Depression… Eats me up from the inside.
I tried to suicide (or the culture tries his level best to kill me)
I faced marital rape.
! Against all the odds, do you think I can achieve my dream and hold on to my love? Do I still have a chance?
There is no chance, but the lines in my hands threw an opportunity to me as "Arjun."
My story will have you in a wave of emotion long after you are done a reading, this powerhouse of work will make you smile, cry, go red in anger, nod your head in agreement and grasp the finer nuances of what it means to be her in today's world. There's much more to my story than these few lines. Get ready to experience the roller coaster ride of my life!
PRIME THINKER: Chronological protocol of the Multiverse
We always wanted planet Earth to perform better, and we sent some higher paradigm shifts inside the third-dimensional world of that planet. We gave them the perfect hint about almost everything. Leonardo said, "Everything is connected to everything else." Tesla mentioned, "3, 6, 9 is the key to the universe." Einstein contemplated, "The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." Earthlings ignored our hint almost every time.
A higher-dimensional species created a simulated universe to complete the chain of incidents that happened before.
The level four parallel universe species grow aware of this simulation, and after Amanda's hypothesis on the Theory of Dimigliostasia, a civilization of Zatch planet explores four other equally advanced civilizations inside their galaxy.
After the counterinsurgency conquest between five habitable worlds, Valmir realizes that higher-dimensional entities created a STAROLICTS (Subconscious Transformed Artificially Rooted Organic Legeme Implemented Cerebral Tran-manifested System) program to create their interferences inside different levels of the universe, and by uniting them, he develops an Omega Field Generator that can maneuver two cosmic strings to discover disputed enigmas like:
Who is the creator of this universe?
How can a human imagine?
If this universe is a simulation, then who decides what we are? Who are we, and what will we become?
Seven strong, independent friends. Seven devoted, responsible, respectable women who can face any challenge life throws at them. Seven daughters.
A fun kitty party with seven of Delhi's high society women turns into a journey into their pasts. A regular conversation takes a turn and gradually layers of the past are peeled away and each battles with memories they've repressed deep in their subconscious.
In the true resilient spirit of being daughters first, they rationalize, defend and analyse these questions.
Will this conversation break their bond or help cement it further?
Do these questions have no answers or is the answer buried deep within, just waiting to rise to the surface?
Embark on a poignant, touching, emotional journey with these daughters to discover the truth that every Indian daughter struggles to accept.
The Body: A Guide for Occupants
Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body–how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Bryson-esque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you in particular. As Bill Bryson writes, "We pass our existence within this wobble of flesh and yet take it almost entirely for granted." The Body will cure that indifference with generous doses of wondrous, compulsively readable facts and information.
Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II
Twenty-five years after her passing, Audrey Hepburn remains the most beloved of all Hollywood stars, known as much for her role as UNICEF ambassador as for films like Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Several biographies have chronicled her stardom, but none has covered her intense experiences through five years of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. According to her son, Luca Dotti, "The war made my mother who she was." Audrey Hepburn's war included participation in the Dutch Resistance, working as a doctor's assistant during the "Bridge Too Far" battle of Arnhem, the brutal execution of her uncle, and the ordeal of the Hunger Winter of 1944. She also had to contend with the fact that her father was a Nazi agent and her mother was pro-Nazi for the first two years of the occupation. But the war years also brought triumphs as Audrey became Arnhem's most famous young ballerina. Audrey's own reminiscences, new interviews with people who knew her in the war, wartime diaries, and research in classified Dutch archives shed light on the riveting, untold story of Audrey Hepburn under fire in World War II. Also included is a section of color and black-and-white photos. Many of these images are from Audrey's personal collection and are published here for the first time.
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History
This stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West was a major New York Times bestseller.
In the tradition of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, centering on Quanah, the greatest Comanche chief of them all.
S. C. Gwynne's Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.
Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined just how and when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Coman
Is the urbanization across the globe inclusive? Who have we left behind?
Set in a slum, close to a canal which has become the waste dump yard, this story tells the tale of those
left behind-the urban dispossessed. Their aspirations, hardships, happiness, the government
apathy and the dark side of crime and drugs.
Through the lives of Raghu, Sreeni, Arun, and Hema, the story exposes the underbelly of the haphazard urbanization in India.
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Q: A central limit theorem for dependent random variable. Suppose that $u_{j}$ is a sequence of iid standard Gaussian random variable, i.e.
$$
u_j\stackrel{d}{=}\text{N}(0,1).
$$
Call $\mu_r=\mathbb{E}[|u_j|^r]$. I need to find the asymptotic distribution of the random variable
$$
\sqrt{n}\,\left(\frac{1}{n}\sum_{j=1}^{n}u_j^2-\frac{\mu_1^{-2}}{n}\sum_{j=1}^{n}|u_j|\,|u_{j+1}|\right)=n^{-1/2}\,\sum_{j=1}^n|u_j|\left(|u_j|-\mu_1^{-2}\,|u_{j+1}|\right)=n^{-1/2}\,\sum_{j=1}^n\xi_j,
$$
where $\xi_j=|u_j|\left(|u_j|-\mu_1^{-2}\,|u_{j+1}|\right)$. However, since the $\xi_j$ are dependent, I do not know how to proceed.

A: Since $(\xi_j)_{j\le N}$ and $(\xi_j)_{j\ge N+k}$ are independent for $k\ge 2$, the stochastic process $(\xi_j)_{j\in \mathbb{N}}$ is strongly($\alpha$-) mixing. More precisely, we can say that the strong mixing coefficient $\alpha(k)$ vanishes for $k\geq 2$. Note that $E\xi_j =0$ and every $p$-th moment $E|\xi_j|^p$ is finite. By $\alpha$-mixing central limit theorem, we have
$$
\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}\sum_{j=1}^n \xi_j \to_d \mathcal{N}(0,\sigma^2)
$$
where $\sigma^2 = E[\xi_j^2] +2 E[\xi_j \xi_{j+1}]\ge 0$.


text:
SUV with explosives found near Ambani's house turns out to be stolen
The vehicle with explosives, which was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence here in south Mumbai on Thursday, had been stolen last week and its owner had even lodged a complaint about it, police said on Friday.
The vehicle with gelatin sticks and apparently a fake number plate was found parked on Carmichael Road near 'Antilia', the multi-storey residence of Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, on Thursday evening.
"The owner of the vehicle, Hiren Mansukh, visited the police commissioner office in south Mumbai this afternoon after he saw visuals of the SUV found near Ambani's house, which was similar to his vehicle," an official said.
"His statement will be recorded by the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai crime branch," he said.
Mansukh, who is a resident of Thane, later told reporters that he had parked his SUV near Airoli Mulund bridge on February 17 after its steering got jammed while he was on his way to attend a family function.
"The next day, when I went to get my car, it could not be found at the spot. After a search of about four hours, I realised that it had been stolen, following which I lodged a complaint at Vikhroli police station and an offence was registered in that connection," he said.
Earlier in the day, the police said that an FIR has been registered in connection with the seizure of the vehicle at the Gamdevi police station against unidentified persons.
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Police have registered the case under Indian Penal Code sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (punishment for forgery), 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal), 506(2) (criminal intimidation,if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), the spokesperson said.
Section four of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, (punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) has also been included in the FIR, the official said, adding that the vehicle has been seized.
44 couples held from Ghaziabad hotels in police raid