Those of us non-Kardashians — who don't have access to a private jet with an in-flight spa — know that travel is no friend to our skin. No matter how committed and true we stay to our skin care regimen, somehow, some way, just a few hours on a plane, train or bus is enough to leave us battling sudden breakouts, dryness and dullness. Not to mention some added bloat from sitting still for long periods of time. But, rest assured, there are ways to minimize — and even prevent! — some of the skin-sabotaging effects of travel.
Travel depletes you of moisture….
If you look in the mirror after just a few hours of travel to find that your mug is dry, flaky, or red, you're not alone. Even if you used your hydrating serum and moisturizer before hopping on the flight, your body is now battling pressurized cabin air, which contains around 20% less humidity than you'll find outdoors.
A smart preventative move before embarking on a trip is to drink tons of water and use a face mask the night before, especially one that contains hydrating and nourishing components. We love masks that have vitamins C and E, olive oil, aloe, honey and/or, the cream of the crop, hyaluronic acid, which is arguably one of the best moisturizing ingredients in the game.
… and pack heavy-duty hydrators.
Make sure you throw a face moisturizer and a hydrating balm into your carry-on. We suggest bringing along face serums and moisturizers that contain the aforementioned hyaluronic acid — our favorite is the SLMD's Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which is travel friendly and a great on-the-go boost for your pre-travel hydration levels.
You can also hydrate from the inside-out with lots and lots of H2O. Don't forget your basic Aquaphor or Vaseline — you can use it on your hands, cuticles, nose, and lips!
You might have woken up with rosy cheeks the morning before you took off, but after you've made it to cruising altitude (or anywhere above 6,000 feet), you'll likely notice a serious decrease in the amount of color showing in your face. This happens due to a loss of blood flow to the skin. The higher the altitude, the less blood flow.
So give yourself a mini massage!
A self-pampering face massage can work wonders to boost blood and lymph circulation, which sends a bevy of nutrients and oxygen to the cells in your face. Just be careful not to tug or pull on the skin—soft, gentle motions will do the trick. And don't forget to wash your hands first!
Ever step off of a plane, train or bus and feel significantly more bloated than you did when you stepped on? Nope, it's not your imagination playing tricks on you. Sitting still for extended periods of time, not to mention snacking on salt- and sodium-saturated plane food (or whatever they were selling at the food court) causes your body to retain excess fluids. In your face, you'll likely notice this right under your eyes, aka eye bags.
So use a powerful eye cream!
Cooling under-eye creams and serums are the best way to send that excess baggage under your eyes packing!
The stress of traveling, whether it's traffic, flight or train delays or plain-old exhaustion, alone can cause your skin to flare up to pretty much any skin condition you're prone to — be it acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis. When you're feeling stressed out, your body reacts by releasing a hormone called cortisol. This throws off all of the other hormones in your body, as well as the balance of the good and bad bacteria in your gut, all of which can lead to an increase in acne. And that's not to mention all the added bacteria and germs you're exposed to when you're packed amongst tons of strangers and touching lots of surfaces you wouldn't otherwise be exposed to.
So wear minimal makeup & pack face wipes.
Wearing minimal makeup will ensure your pores aren't clogged for the many hours you're traveling, and packing some wipes to remove excess dirt, oil and buildup from your face and body will help keep your pores clog-free as well. Using wipes doesn't forgo your evening cleanse, so don't forget to wash your face when you arrive!
Since you're sitting indoors, or in a moving vehicle, you might not think to apply your daily SPF, but skin experts warn that this is an unforgiving mistake. All forms of transportation have windows through which the sun's harmful rays can still make their way to you. Additionally, for those flying in a plane, you're traveling at a higher altitude, which means you're even closer to the sun. That means the UV rays coming through your plane window will be stronger than what you're used to when sitting out at the beach.
So find an SPF you love.
This one's simple: Find an SPF you love and slather up! We love the SLMD Daily Moisturizer, which adds allantoin and protects from UVA and UVB rays.
Whether you're leaving to a tropical destination or into frigid winter temps, your destination likely has a different climate than your origin. This is especially true if you're going to a place with a higher altitude, which can further dry out your skin.
All those aforementioned favorite SPFs and extra-moisturizing serums?
… but stick to your routine!
Between the travel and the new environment, your skin is adjusting to enough — the week you head on vacay is not the week you should try out that new serum or face mask. Instead, find a skincare line that offers travel-friendly sizes of your favorites (like the SLMD Acne System (30 Day) and SLMD Acne System (60 Day) so you don't have to risk extra irritation when you travel.


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10 celebrities you might not know were born in Surrey
You might have met them at your local shop or down the village pub
Federica Battiato
Surrey is home to plenty of celebrities .
When we see them on television or in the latest film on the big screen, who knows, they might have been your neighbour at some point or popped down the local pub in their Surrey hometowns.
So with that in mind, here's a list of celebrities made in Surrey that you might have met on the street, went to school with or bumped into on the bus.
Celebrities in Surrey
Angel Has Fallen shooting in Surrey
Backstreet Boys in Guildford
Alex Reid returns to Aldershot
Tom Hiddleston spotted in Leatherhead
Tom Felton has been spotted working at Dorking Domestic Appliances with her mum Sharon Felton. (Image: UGC TMS)
Better known as Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter saga, Tom Felton was born in Epsom in 1987. He's not only an actor, but also a singer. In his childhood he was a member of four school choirs and was even given the chance to be part of the Guildford Cathedral Choir.
Lily Collins (Image: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage)
Daughter of famous singer Phil Collins, Lily was born in Guildford in 1989. After the divorce of her parents, the English-American actress moved to Los Angeles with her mother in 1996.
Eric Clapton (Image: Steve Porter)
Clapton was born in Ripley in 1945. He achieved worldwide success as guitarist and ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Times.
Julie Andrews, Bruce Forsyth and Beryl Reid right, singing Piccadilly, on stage at the old Brixton Music Hall (Image: PA Wire)
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews DBE was born in Walton in 1935. The Mary Poppins actress won several awards throughout her life, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA and five Golden Globes.
Paul Weller (Image: TMS)
John William "Paul" Weller, Jr. was born in Woking in 1958. The singer and songwriter achieved fame as the frontman of the band The Jam .
Bill Nighy (Image: Getty Images Europe)
The Love Actually actor was born in Caterham in 1949. As a child, he left school with two O-levels and took a job with The Croydon Advertiser as a messenger boy. He also attended the prestigious Guildford School of Acting.
Downton Abbey star Lily James, who plays Lady Rose in the series (Image: Nick Briggs)
Lily James was born in Esher in 1989. The Cinderella actress won two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her outstanding performance in an ensemble in a drama series for Downton Abbey.
John Hollins
John Hollins (Image: Mirrorpix)
John William Hollins MBE was born in Guildford in 1946. The footballer started his career at Chelsea, where he won the Cup Winner's Cup in Athens against Real Madrid. He then moved to Queens Park Rangers and Arsenal before returning to Chelsea to retire.
Jimmy Pursey
Jimmy Pursey (Image: Jeremy Pardoe)
The frontman of punk rock band Sham 69 was born in Hersham in 1955. The band split several times throughout the years, but in 2011 Pursey decided to reform the band with the original line-up.
Jodie Kidd
Jodie Kidd in the Brooklands Concorde (Image: TMS)
Model Jodie Kidd was born in Guildford in 1978. She was discovered by photographer Terry O'Neil on a beach in Barbados. Jodie is also a racing car driver and a TV personality.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mitä jos vain auttaisit häntä saamaan toisenkin orgasmin, kätesi kun toimivat kuitenkin edelleen. Cümle ve Videolar ile zenginletirilmi içerik. Joskus tämä vessareissu voi keskeyttä kuuman hetken, mutta miesten täytyisi ymmärtä, että tämä..
Todd, on safety, the first time is the best sign. Always the same result: They move on, and I need to find the strength to start looking again. Gradually, the wall comes..
ETS in the medium to long term. Yet others pointed out that.5 target is only marginally above the 1 natural rate of energy efficiency gains, and that the target would have to be more ambitious to comply with the new climate goals ratified during the 21st Conference of the Parties. The results of the Reference scenario 2016 are indeed consistenly reported in the impact assessment. This means that over the period, GDP impacts are largely more favourable, this time, in the self-financed variant compared to the loan-based case. Dynamically the net credit position of each agent depends on a number of endogenously determined variables like the households disposable income, firms sales, consumption, saving and investment. Reference source not found. Importantly, this Impact Assessment further improves the comparability of the macroeconomic results by better aligning the assumptions on fiscal neutrality and the financing of energy efficiency investments underpinning the two macro-modelling approaches. This equals a reduction of primary energy consumption of 26 compared to 2005 primary energy consumption (1713 Mtoe in 2005). Participants were divided on whether eeoss should have specific rules for vulnerable consumers, with 35 opposing such rules and 30 being in favour of them.
Thus these measures do some of homo ja lesbo online dating the work that Member States would otherwise have to do in fulfilling their obligations under the ESD/ESR and do it more effectively. A number of energy efficiency scenarios were modelled to analyse the impacts of different level of energy efficiency in 2030; -Macroeconomic modelling using GEM-E3, a general equilibrium model, maintained and used by ntua; and macroeconomic modelling using E3MG, a macro-econometric model run by Cambridge Econometrics. In other words, the shift in demand towards sectors which provide inputs to energy efficiency projects occurs at the expense of particularly energy-related sectors, such as the utilities and the extraction industries sectors. In other words, the GDP, employment and other macro-economic projections provided by GEM-E3 reference scenario are fully consistent with those that served as input for REF2016 (i.e. The strongest progress in ecodesign happens in heating, cooling, cooking and appliances. In the first stage, the REF2016 projections are stored on one of the E3ME databanks as annual time series. In the first stage, agents take decisions considering the time dimension of money flows. Figure 52: share of exemptions used by Member States under paragraph 2 Source: Ricardo AEA/ CE Delft The share of exemption (c) allowing achieving savings in the supply side was.4 Mtoe (or.4 ) used only by 3 Member States. Globiom-G4M The Global Biosphere Management Model (globiom) is a global recursive dynamic partial equilibrium model integrating the agricultural, bioenergy and forestry sectors with the aim to provide policy analysis on global issues concerning land use competition between the major land-based production sectors.


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'Ghost in the Shell' Producer Reveals What Storylines They Chose for the Live-Action Film
by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub November 2, 2016
One of the big questions I had when I got to visit the set of director Rupert Sanders' Ghost in the Shell while it was filming in New Zealand earlier this year was whether or not the movie would be an original story or if it would borrow anything from the previously released animated movies or the manga series. Since the previously released stuff was filled with great storylines, I assumed they would use at least some of it. I was right.
However, I need to take a step back. For those not familiar with Ghost in the Shell, it explores what it means to be human. When you can copy your consciousness to another body, when do you stop being human? Is it your body or mind or both that makes you who you are? In addition, in the world of Ghost in the Shell, hackers can plant memories in your head and the recipient can't tell what's real or fake. The world of Ghost in the Shell tries to deal with real issues in a technologically advanced world.
Image via Paramount Pictures
In the film, we'll follow Scarlett Johansson as The Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out advancements in cyber technology. Loaded with an all-star international cast featuring Pilou Asbæk, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche, Kaori Momoi, Rila Fukushima, Chin Han, Danusia Samal, Lasarus Ratuere, Yutaka Izumihara, and Tuwanda Manyimo, the film should be something extremely cool when it opens in theaters March 31, 2017.
Regarding what storylines the live-action movie might use, during a group interview conducted on set, producer Avi Arad told us
"We're not doing Puppetmaster. It's not Laughing Man. It involves Kuze. The Kuze story. The big thing we are doing here is that we're not necessarily doing an origins backstory, but we are addressing her sense of self and resolving how she defines herself in terms of memories. That's one of the main thrusts in the story. Inspired by that episode of Affection in Second Gig. It's bits and pieces of those mixed together."
He went on to explain why:
"There are outside villains but they are never the most interesting parts of a movie, especially your first movie. I find that part of the reason we didn't do Puppetmaster in this movie was we didn't really feel like we had time to tell that story, and in your first movie the way the characters feel about themselves and the relationship with those people that they care about is usually more than enough story for a movie to handle. So there are villains and they do drive a lot of the story, but they are really there to antagonize her spiritually.
The villains in the story are people that are abusing this brave new world. The movie certainly addresses this whole idea of in the future, if you think about everybody's biggest fear around technology is about getting your identity stolen (which is really just your credit record) as apposed someone hacking your brain could happen here. The more technology gets inside of you and the more it's woven into your life the more that people can abuse it. So there are characters, both at a criminal level and a governmental level, who are abusing technology and doing scary things.
Ghost hacking is a big storyline in the movie and in some ways we take it even further. This idea of if someone could change your memories, what would that do to your sense of self? After you meet that garbageman and you see him in the interrogation room. You're like 'that guy's gone'. You could have a really interesting movie about that guy trying to put his life back together. Being told you don't have a wife and kids that you thought you did is a big hole."
'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Recap: "The Good Samaritan" - Ghost Rider Origins
'Ghost in the Shell' Star Scarlett Johansson on Bringing the Iconic Series…
• Avi Arad • Ghost in the Shell


For Sir Henry Morton Stanley, the presumption was a reasonable one to make, given that he and David Livingstone were the only two Europeans to be found in Ujiji, a small village along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, on November 10, 1871.
On subsequent journeys in 1849 and 1851, Livingstone traveled across the Kalahari Desert, sighting the upper Zambezi River; in 1852, he set off on a four-year-long expedition to find a water route to the coast. During his explorations, he would become the first European to witness Mosi-oa-Tunya—"The Smoke That Thunders"—which he quickly renamed Victoria Falls in honor of Queen Victoria. (A statue at the falls honoring Livingstone is inscribed with his motto: "Christianity, Commerce and Civilization.") He also was the first to cross the width of southern Africa, reaching the mouth of the Zambezi—which empties into the Indian Ocean—in May 1856.
In 1866, David Livingstone embarked on yet another expedition to find the source of the Nile. It would prove to be his last. After he completely lost contact with the outside world for nearly six years, Henry Stanley was sent to find the famed explorer. Leading an expedition of some 200 men, the journalist set off for the African interior in March 1871; eight months later, he finally located the missionary and uttered his famous line.
Replenished with supplies, Livingstone continued his explorations with Stanley in tow; but his health had been failing for many years, and he died in a Zambian village on May 1, 1873. Livingstone's body was brought back to England and laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. Stanley would return to the African continent on a number of expeditions, most notably tracking the Congo River and claiming the Congo for King Leopold II of Belgium.


Presentation: How is the Box packaged. Is it a small or large box. Is it branded or are items just shoved into a cardboard box?
Surprise: Have the contents of the box been curated to surprise you or are they predictable in choice?
Content: Are the products in the box of good quality. Are the items sample size or full size?
Value: Is it value for money? Do the contents total value exceed the price paid for the box? Did you feel spoiled or swindled?
Munchpak is an International Snack box with treats and beverages from around the world. Munchpak allows you to customize your box by choosing 5, 10 or 20 snacks in a box. You can also choose how often you want your box by selecting weekly, every 2 weeks or monthly. Subscribers can then opt to pay monthly, every 3, 6 or or 12 months. The great thing about this box is that subscribers can choose the type of snacks they prefer and if they are allergic to any particular foods.
Japan Candy Box is a monthly box filled with 10 Japanese Candies. This box is shipped anywhere in the world at no extra cost. My kids loved opening this box and my youngest was even more excited to see a small toy included. The surprise and fun levels are high here as none of the candies or treats within the box are anything they've ever seen before. The box is a good price considering the size and free shipping included.
Candy German is box of 6-8 Snacks and Candies from Germany. Shipping is included. The curators of this box source their snacks directly from German Grocery stores. Although the box itself was a little boring (plain cardboard box) we were well impressed with the size and weight of the box. The Snacks are all full size and so there is enough to go around for a group of friends. Some of the contents like the haribo candies were familiar but the variety of goodies inside were enough to keep everyone interested.
Kawaii means Cute or Adorable in Japanese and thats a perfect way to describe this box. This box scores high on the Boxometer and is aimed at children, especially young girls. Stickers, DIY candy games, candy and plush toys are just some of the cute items you can expect to find in a Kawaii box. The box is filled with about 10 items. My kids love receiving this box and almost every item is a big surprise and fun. Shipping is included and this box ships around the world. We like the fact that Kawaii offers $5 to anyone subscriber who refers a friend.
Tokyo Treat includes snacks and candies directly from Japan. There are 3 sub packages options with the smallest box including 8 items, The largest box costs $34.99 and includes an impressive 18 snacks which include a drink. We were interested to try some unusual tasting snacks and just like Kawaii say on their website – Japanese snacks and treats are not overly sweet like Western candies. Tokyo Treat offers free International shipping and also a $5 reward for referring a new subscriber.
TYPE: Natural Snacks FOR: Him, Her, Kids COST: from $7.99 USA / $16.50 Intl.
Love with Food offers a variety of Organic, All-Natural or Gluten-free snacks shipped from America. We really love the fact that a portion of every boxes proceeds go towards supporting Child Hunger charities. Love with Food offers free shipping in the USA and a fee of 3.99 for International shipping. Their impressive reward $10 for referring a new subscriber is a great incentive! We opened the large box and were super excited with all the snacks we found inside. The fact that they were healthy treats made them even better!
The Really Good Box promises 3 things in every box – something you can eat, something you can pamper yourself with and something you can use. Items are carefully curated to be organic, anti-cruelty and fair-trade which is why its called the really good box. This box scored high on the Surprise list as almost every item was quite unique. The total cost of the items inside exceeded the cost of the box making it worth the money. A lot of thought goes into these boxes which make them very special to receive.
The Uni Box is aimed at College Students but we think its great for high school students as well. A care pack sent to a student with a variety of snacks, magazine and personally written note. Uniboxes are themed according to the student year which makes them fun and useful. The contents are never predictable giving them a high surprise score. Shipping is extra and a little expensive outside the U.K & Europe at £13.30/Month.
This interesting box can best be described as a mystery box as each month is a complete surprise. Boxes are themed by neighbourhoods and locations in Japan and packed with a variety of goodies for the home, snacks and beautiful hand-crafted ceramics. If you appreciate Japanese culture or would love to travel to Japan this box may interest you. The cost of the box is a little high but Neko promises the value of the contents to be in the range of $70 – $90. We loved unboxing the Neko box but do feel the shipping cost is a bit high and it would be great if that was included in the price.
The Woman Up Box can be described as a mystery box for women. A variety of goodies curated each month to lift women up. We love the fact that 10% of all proceeds are donated to a women focused charity. Woman Up box is aimed at USA subscribers and do not ship Internationally but will ship to Canada and APO addresses. We love the concept of this box!
Each box typically contains Ties, Socks, Pocket squares, Accessories & grooming products. The value of all the items put together exceed the cost of the box – Sprezza promises a value of over $100 a box. Each box is curated very stylishly and items are in fashion and on point with current trends. Sprezza does ship Internationally.
Scrawlr is a U.K based Art Supplies Subscription Box with an impressive creative community following on Instagram of 37 000 followers. Each box contains a creative challenge for you to attempt with the box contents. The products in the box we reviewed were of high quality and fun to use. Scrawlr will ship Internationally for an additional charge.
Raw Spice Bar is a Spice and Recipe subscription box that ships every 3 months. Each Spice pack arrives with 6 finely ground spices and accompanying recipes tailored to your personal preferences. Each Spice Flavor kit is meant for 1 use and is suitable for a meal serving 3 – 4 people. What we loved about this subscription service is that the flavor kits and accompanying recipes are things we would not usually have purchased or tried so its a great way to expand your palette.
Care/Of is a personalized Vitamin Box with daily vitamin sachets that include all the contents inside. What we love about this Subscription Box is how personalized it is. Subscribers will answer a variety of questions online for the curators to establish exactly what you are aiming for, example: more Energy, Immunity, Stress Relief. We especially loved the fact that each Sachet had our name printed on it! When totalling up how much you would need to pay to purchase each supplement on its own the value of the Care/Of box is exceptional!
The Victory Box is a compact little box filled with at least 3 items. Typical items include, neck-ties, pocket square, socks & cuff links. Shipping is free in the USA but Canada & the rest of the world will need to pay $10 – $15. Considering the cost of the box we think this is a little steep! If you're lucky enough to be American, than this box is worth the value.
Watch Gang claim to partner with Watch manufacturers around the world and thereby order in Mass getting them excellent deals, which allows them to offer subscribers watches valued higher than the subscription fee. We reviewed 1 month's box and though we were told that our watch was selected from the original (basic) membership tier – our watch was valued around $300 when we searched for it online. We don't know if all subscribers get this kind of value on their subscription watches but from the watch box we reviewed it was pretty fantastic! We love the idea that Watch Gang gives away a Rolex to a lucky subscriber every week. They will ship Internationally at a cost of $25,95.
Monthly box that includes an UNO R3 (Arduino-compatible). This is a microcontroller, which is basically a small computer that you'll be using to program and power your projects. Each box is a new creation. Our box was the Mood Lamp which we found a little tricky to create. Luckily the team at Creation Crate are eager to help subscribers with technical queries. An educational and fun box for those that are interested in electronics and coding. They do ship Internationally.
Monthly Beauty box that includes a variety of good quality beauty and makeup items. We were impressed that many of the items were full size and not sample. GlossyBox is a very popular box and with their package plans you can get a subscription for as low as $17.50 a month. The only negative thing is that Glossybox only ships within the USA and Canada – not Internationally.
Partly owned by YouTube Beauty Guru Michelle Phan. This petite beauty box comprises of 5 sample or full-sized beauty goodies (including makeup, skincare, hair care, and nail care). The low cost of this fun box is a real drawer card. Unfortunately shipping is only included for USA subscribers and Canadian subscribers have to pay $4.95 per box.
Monthly oral health subscription box. A variety of packages such as couple & family packs allow you to choose an electronic toothbrush for each member and free to paid refills every 3 months. Chic toothbrush design although we found the toothpaste to have a nice flavour I personally felt the toothpaste was a little too gentle compared to other stronger toothpastes on the market. Probably healthier though! The built in vibrating timer on the electronic toothbrush and the wall/mirror mount were nice added features. Quip will ship Internationally, free in the USA to $15 for International subscribers.
This subscription box came at the right time for us – just when we were starting our Fitness Challenge on YouTube. New Subscribers can choose between the following goals: Get Lean, Get Strong or Stay Fit. Each box typically contains a fitness t-shirt, supplement samples, shaker bottle, protein snacks and other workout accessories. For the low cost I was impressed with how much was in the box. Just the t-shirt alone would cost you $20 in gym store. This box is a great way to try out a variety of supplements before committing to a large purchase. This box is only available in the US and ships for free.
This is a fun box for all LEGO and brick toy enthusiasts. We were surprised how exclusive most of the contents were to Brick Loot. Some of the sets inside the box are designed by famous LEGO designers. Even though not all the pieces are actual LEGO pieces they are all LEGO compatible. Another surprise was that the box contents were themed to a Titanic theme with info fact sheet any everything – super cool! Brick Loot will ship Internationally to a variety of countries. Shipping is not free, even for the States – and ranges from $6 – $15.


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"What's So Great About The START Treaty?
February 19, 2020 By Bob Kinsey
By JUDITH MOHLING
Seventy-five years ago this coming August the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing about 140,000 human beings outright with thousands more over the next months and years. Just unthinkable.
This past August, 2019, the United States withdrew from the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF, as it has been known. It was an arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union. US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signed the treaty on December 8,1987. It has held the lid on nuclear arms escalation all these years and now it's essentially gone. It was an agreement that was unprecedented and eliminated all US and Russian missiles between the ranges of 500 to 5500 kilometers. The two countries destroyed a total of 2,692 ballistic and cruise missiles.
According to historians, the INF Treaty had enormous impact: It lowered the threat of nuclear war in Europe and paved the way for negotiations on tactical and chemical weapons. We have the INF to thank for the peaceful end of the Cold War and it became the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security in a time rife with extreme changes.
But now, 2020, "The proliferation of nuclear weapons in the world today is one of the most dangerous situations ever faced by humanity," according to Gary Spanovich, Executive Director of the Wholistic Peace Institute.
"Speaking of danger and destruction is never very easy, because if you speak the truth, people will not want to listen because it's too awful," former governor of California, Jerry Brown said at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist press conference in January, that announced that the "Doomsday Clock" had been moved to within 100 seconds of "Doomsday." But to be what Brown calls "a prophet of doom" today, when, in his words, "we live in a world of vast, deep and pervasive mass complacency," is now more necessary than ever.
The time on the famous clock is based on the threats to international security posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and what the Bulletin refers to as "cyber based disinformation," which it sees as a "threat multiplier" that prevents the world from being able to respond effectively to the existential challenges we face as a global community.
Here is why the START treaty is such a big deal: it is the last crucial arms control treaty between the two superpowers and is set to expire in early 2021. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in December 2019 that Moscow is open to extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) unconditionally, but the Trump administration remains undecided about the future of the accord. It is up to us to convince him. Let's do it!
Filed Under: Take Action, Uncategorized


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Guerrilha () é um tipo de guerra não convencional na maior parte das vezes rural no qual o principal estratagema é a ocultação e extrema mobilidade dos combatentes, chamados de guerrilheiros, incluindo, mas não limitado a civis armados (ou "irregulares").

Pode se constituir também como uma movimentação híbrida, ou seja, ora centralizada por uma atitude bélica cujo aspecto pode ser colaboracionista com as forças regulares de determinadas regiões, e ora pode se dar o enfrentamento sem conexão com qualquer força armada regular.

Origem
Presume-se que tenha sido utilizada a palavra guerrilha (guerrilla) pela primeira vez na Guerra Peninsular contra a invasão napoleônica a Portugal e Espanha, entre 1808 e 1812, embora as técnicas guerrilheiras remontem à Antiguidade. Portanto, o termo passou a ser utilizado a partir da sua origem ibérica, tendo sua grafia original preservada em muitos idiomas. No Brasil data da Invasão Holandesa em Salvador, entre 1624 a 1625, quando o Sargento-mor Antônio Dias Cardoso, Mestre das Emboscadas, aplicou as técnicas para conter o invasor. E em 1645 voltaria a empregar nos Monte das Tabocas, seguindo com ações na(s) Batalha dos Guararapes, respectivamente, em 19 de abril de 1648 e em 19 de fevereiro de 1649.

A guerra de guerrilhas também recebeu outras denominações. Na América Latina, por exemplo, foi chamada de montonera no Rio da Prata e bola no México, entre outras nomenclaturas que não prevaleceram. Na América do Norte foi Francis Marion, a "Raposa do Pântano", seu precursor com uso de armadilhas e emboscadas durante a guerra de Independência dos Estados Unidos.

Conceito

"Trata-se de levar um adversário, por muito mais forte que seja, a admitir condições frequentemente muito duras, não empregando contra ele senão  meios extremamente limitados".<ref>BEAUFRE, André, Introdução à Estratégia. Rio de Janeiro : Bibliex, 1998, apud SANT'ANNA, Carlos Alexandre Rezende de.  Pensamento estratégico brasileiro contemporâneo. – reflexões sobre o Atlântico Sul ] . Niterói, Universidade Federal Fluminense,  2011.</ref> É então que entra em jogo, em toda a sua plenitude, a fórmula das variáveis complementares que já encontramos: a inferioridade das forças militares deve ser compensada por uma superioridade crescente das forças morais, à medida que a ação se prolonga. Assim, a operação desenvolve-se simultaneamente em dois planos, o plano material, das forças militares, e o plano moral, da ação psicológica.

A guerrilha pode ser um tipo de guerra de resistência onde os insurgentes se opõem a uma força de ocupação, como no Iraque ocupado pelos estadunidenses ou o Afeganistão invadido pela União Soviética. Ela também pode ser comum em guerras revolucionárias (com fator político-ideológico) que podem ocorrer entre partidos ou facções de um mesmo povo tais como M.M.D.C., Guerrilha do Araguaia, Ação Libertadora Nacional (ALN), Movimento Revolucionário 8 de Outubro (MR80), Forças Armadas Revolucionárias da Colômbia (FARC), Sendero Luminoso, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), Exército Republicano Irlandês (IRA).

As guerras de guerrilhas, quase em sua totalidade, buscaram a independência de determinada região ou grupos. Utilizam armamentos leve e de fácil deslocamento. Atualmente se mantêm com recursos financeiros advindos de impostos cobrados de transeuntes da área dominada pela guerrilha, bem como operações militares.

Em geral, os grupos guerrilheiros tendem a apoiar soluções progressistas, pois, sendo oriundos de grupos locais, mantém contatos estreitos com a população da região onde atuam, ao contrário das Forças Armadas regulares. Assim, é muito comum a estes grupos serem liderados por "caciques", "caudilhos", governo sombra, mais modernamente, ou lideranças de classes em geral, segundo conceito da Corte de Palermo, Itália, devido ao chamado "Anos de Chumbo". As quais antigamente, no Brasil, com interesses escusos, e "mais amplos". Neste caso, como as ações do Cabo Anselmo, antigo guerrilheiro comunista de "dupla face", que desenvolvia trabalhos tanto de um lado (do governo da época), como de outro da guerrilha, no início do regime militar no Brasil (1964 até 1970).

Foi justamente por esta ligação estreita que o chamado "guerrilheirismo latino-americano" proliferou na América Latina enfrentando o poder chamado de "Forças Realistas Coloniais Espanholas".

 Estratégia
Se a margem de liberdade de ação é grande, mas os meios disponíveis excessivamente fracos para obter uma decisão militar, pode-se recorrer a uma estratégia de conflito de longa duração, visando a promover a usura moral, a lassidão do adversário. Para poder durar, os meios empregados serão muito rústicos, mas a técnica de emprego (geralmente uma guerra total apoiada sobre uma guerrilha generalizada) obrigará o adversário a um esforço bem mais considerável do que ele poderá suportar indefinidamente. Este modelo de luta total prolongada de fraca intensidade militar foi geralmente empregado com sucesso nas Guerras de Descolonização. Seu teórico principal é Mao Tse-Tung. Observemos que esta estratégia, que exige considerável esforço moral de parte de quem toma a iniciativa, pressupõe forte elemento passional e muito boa coesão da alma nacional. Assim, ela corresponde o mais completamente possível às guerras de liberação. Mas ela somente tem chances de sucesso se o que está em jogo entre as partes é bem desigual (caso das Guerras de Descolonização), ou bem ela se beneficia de intervenções armadas (caso das guerras de liberação, na Europa, entre 1944-45, e na Espanha, em 1813-14) às quais elas servem de reforço. A técnica da guerrilha por vezes leva, em maior ou menor intensidade, a uma verdadeira Onda Revolucionária no tecido social, visando a tomada do poder constituído.

 Plano material
Em situação de grande inferioridade de meios, não se pode esperar sobreviver senão recusando combater, e empregando uma tática de fustigamento para manter vivo o conflito. Isto conduz à guerrilha, velha como o mundo e, no entanto, esquecida e depois reaprendida, a cada geração. Mas esta tática há quarenta anos é objeto de codificações estratégicas muito importantes, as quais permitem conduzir tal gênero de operações segundo conceitos racionais que lhe aumentam consideravelmente a eficácia e, conseqüentemente, permitem reduzir bastante o desequilíbrio de forças materiais. Mao Tsé-Tung definiu em sete regras a essência da guerrilha: íntimo acordo entre a população e os guerrilheiros, retraimento ante um avanço inimigo em força, fustigamento e ataque ante um retraimento inimigo, estratégia de um contra cinco, tática de cinco contra um, particularmente graças ao que se chama o "retraimento centrípeto", isto é, a concentração de forças durante o retraimento (ele dispunha de muito espaço na China); enfim, logística e armamento graças ao que é tomado do inimigo.

Estas sete regras constituem o mínimo necessário para tal forma de guerra, mínimo, no entanto, às vezes desconhecido, como, por exemplo, quando a OAS pretendeu estabelecer um "reduto" na Argélia, ou quando os americanos aceitaram a ideia de um desembarque em Cuba, sob a forma de "cabeça de ponte" clássica.

Mais além desse mínimo, duas noções capitais foram formuladas, para garantir a liberdade de ação da guerrilha A primeira, de origem União Soviética, mas já aplicada pelos irlandeses, visa a impedir a repressão, dissuadindo a população de informar o inimigo, muito embora esse movimento se diferencia de atos de terrorismo como se portaria quaisquer movimentos sociais. A segunda, luminosamente explicada por T. E. Lawrence, a propósito de Medina, tem por princípio estender em superfície, ao máximo, a ameaça da guerrilha, sem, no entanto, incitar o inimigo a retrair-se, de forma a criar para ele um problema de proteção cada vez mais difícil. A aplicação deste última noção tem como efeito levar o adversário a despender mais e mais forças para a guarda de um número crescente de pontos, o que, em larga medida, é capaz de modificar o equilíbrio prático das forças em presença. É assim que, na Argélia, mais de 300 mil homens eram mantidos na incerteza por menos de 30 mil.

Enfim, as forças de guerrilha, cujo desgaste é terrível, devem ser mantidas e constantemente desenvolvidas para que a pressão seja crescente. Isto exige um sistema inicial de contrabando de armas (ou de lançamento por paraquedas, como na França, em 1944), seguido, desde que possível, do estabelecimento de bases próximas do território atacado, cuja inviolabilidade será assegurada pelos meios de dissuasão da manobra exterior. Tal foi o papel das bases da China para a guerra da Indochina, das do Egito, inicialmente, e, depois das da Tunísia e do Marrocos, para a Guerra da Argélia, das do Congo, ex-belga, para a Angola portuguesa etc. Certos autores viram na organização dessas bases o elemento decisivo de tal gênero de guerra. Se ele não é decisivo em si mesmo, certamente é muito importante, pois pode-se notar que as guerrilhas que fracassaram no Quênia e na Malásia são justamente as que se encontravam isoladas. Este último ponto confere à manobra exterior capital valor operacional, que se agrega ao que já se disse de seu papel chave no domínio da liberdade de ação global.

 Plano psicológico
No plano psicológico, a ideia geral é, ainda, saber durar. Para isto, é indispensável que as forças morais dos combatentes e da população sejam desenvolvidas e mantidas em nível elevado. A alavanca moral é, por conseguinte, capital. Simetricamente, é preciso levar o adversário a ceder por lassidão. Ainda aqui, a ação psicológica será essencial para explorar nesse sentido os resultados obtidos. Esta ação psicológica é complexa, pois que deve dirigir-se simultaneamente aos combatentes e à população amiga e inimiga, além de repousar sobre dois elementos principais, a "linha política" de base e a escolha da tática psicológica.

A linha política de base, que deve estar em harmonia com a linha política necessária à manobra exterior, deve ser tal que possa mobilizar, em vista da luta, as paixões latentes do povo que se quer emocionar. Por outro lado, estas paixões (patrióticas, religiosas, sociais etc.) devem ser apresentadas segundo uma orientação que demonstre a justiça da causa que se quer apoiar. Do mesmo modo, o sucesso da operação deve parecer certo, não como em 1940, "porque nós somos os mais fortes" - o que, nesse gênero de guerra, no início jamais é verdadeiro - mas porque "Deus (ou obscuras forcas históricas) está conosco". O determinismo histórico, predestinando a história no sentido desejado, vem assim substituir as imagens santas ou as aparições que galvanizavam os cruzados.

Ele cria uma espécie de fatalismo otimista e, simetricamente, um fatalismo pessimista no inimigo, que se aparentam com o fatalismo dos muçulmanos, sucessivamente conquistadores e subjugados.

Este último ponto é particularmente importante, porque foi medido mal o papel que representou na rápida conquista do mundo pela raça branca: o sentimento dos povos submetidos de que os brancos eram trazidos pelo destino, e de que não podiam deixar de ser os senhores de seu futuro. Os revezes sofridos pelo Ocidente na primeira parte da II Guerra Mundial desmentiram tal previsão: perderam a face, e as mesmas forças que operaram em favor dele passaram a atuar contra ele.

As táticas psicológicas comportam, evidentemente, o emprego de técnicas hoje bem conhecidas, de propaganda, doutrinação e organização da população, através de um enquadramento cerrado e cuidadosamente vigiado. Porém, nesse gênero de guerra é, sobretudo, indispensável compreender que os únicos êxitos são de ordem psicológica, e que, portanto, todas as ações materiais somente têm interesse pelo seu valor para levantar o moral ou o prestígio dos combatentes, ou da população. Por conseguinte, a guerrilha deverá, mais freqüentemente, ser conduzida nesse sentido. Por outro lado, se faltam os êxitos, ou se eles são mínimos, o blefe poderão suplementá-los, tais como na defesa de Port. Said, a destruição do "Suffren" pêlos norte-vietnamitas, do "Jean Bart" pêlos egípcios, o desembarque do Exército egípcio na Kabilia, etc.. No mesmo sentido, um prurido de notícias sensacionais, como colocado pela imprensa ocidental, permite ao adversário multiplicar o efeito psicológico de ações modestas e repetidas.

Se a guerrilha não é sufocada desde o início, existem as maiores probabilidades de um desfecho vitorioso. Na melhor das hipóteses, conseguir-se-á a renúncia à luta pelo adversário (Tunísia, Marrocos, Argélia). Se a manobra exterior não consegue impedir a intervenção de outras potências, chegar-se-á a uma solução de compromisso, sob a forma de uma partição (Israel, Indochina). Se a manobra exterior não consegue alimentar suficientemente a ação interior e se o adversário se agarra, então chega-se ao fracasso (Quênia, Malásia). Porém, os germes semeados durante a luta, mais tarde se desenvolverão e, no mínimo, ter-se-á imposto ao adversário um esforço considerável ao preço de meios irrisórios.

 Contra-guerrilha

Em uma agressão do tipo guerra de guerrilha, pode-se hesitar entre diversas soluções. A melhor, se ela for possível, consistiria em salvaguardar o essencial (isto é, o controle governamental), sem engajar grandes meios, e em resolver o conflito.

A linha política, será a de reduzir os trunfos do adversário. Por conseguinte, será necessário, por um lado, manter e desenvolver o prestígio, mediante uma demonstração de força, sem dúvida, como também persuadindo de possibilidades futuras (civilização em progresso, apoio internacional etc.); e, por outro lado, desarmar reivindicações através de reformas profundas.

No plano militar, é indispensável frustrar a estratégia da guerrilha, tal como foi descrita mais acima; é preciso, antes de mais nada, evitar-se deixar desbordar pela manobra de superfície, praticando estrita economia de forças, com a colocação da guerrilha em xeque pela "manobra de Medina". Estratégia das forças árabes, sob a liderança de Lawrence da Arábia por ocasião da Primeira Guerra Mundial, onde mantiveram sob ataque a ferrovia Damasco-Medina, cortando as ligações do Exército turco com Damasco e fixando-o em Medina. Isto leva a limitar a proteção generalizada de pessoas e de bens, graças a uma forte densidade de ocupação em zonas reduzidas e bem escolhidas, em função de sua importância geográfica, política e econômica; e em consentir certo grau de insegurança no resto do país. Os postos que nestes eixos serão deixados terão por finalidade, somente, manter um sistema de informações, graças ao qual se poderá desencadear uma série de operações destinadas a impedir a reorganização de bases adversas. Em certos casos mesmo, poder-se-á deixar o inimigo aí se instalar à vontade, para destruí-lo mais facilmente. Correlativamente, as fronteiras deverão ser hermeticamente fechadas, graças a uma tática de barragens (posições defensivas), das quais as guerras da Líbia (da Itália fascista) e da Argélia deram o exemplo. Mesmo bem conduzidas, essas operações requererão meios muito importantes. É sua grande fraqueza, para uma guerra necessariamente prolongada, face a acomodação da tropa. A estratégia deverá, então, esforçar-se por encontrar soluções econômicas, enquanto que a organização deverá aplicar fórmulas (substituições com a movimentação da tropa, etc.) concebidas para o tempo de duração da guerra. Em circunstâncias, excepcionalmente favoráveis poder-se-á tentar obter a decisão por um considerável esforço de meios, sob a condição de que os resultados sejam rapidamente compensadores. Se não fosse assim (Argélia, 1956), não se faria senão reduzir a sua própria capacidade de durar; por conseguinte, fazendo o jogo da guerra de guerrilha.

Enfim, é bem certo que as operações deverão ser conduzidas com a constante preocupação de obter um efeito psicológico sobre o inimigo e sobre a população. Sendo esta completamente protegida nas zonas de forte densidade de ocupação, dever-se-á poder comparar sua sorte invejável com a das populações vivendo em zonas mais ou menos controladas pelo adversário. As partes protegidas, tornadas zonas de refúgio, não deverão, sob pretexto algum, ser reduzidas (isto obriga a prever, a longo prazo, uma política de efetivos que não comportem variações), de modo a dar confiança; e, se elas se estenderem, não deverá jamais haver recuos. Os combates devem ser úteis para o prestígio e apoio da população. Os fracassos devem ser ocultados ou compensados por êxitos mais importantes, convenientemente realçados. Na atualidade, a maioria dos países possuem tropas específicas para este tipo de emprego inicial: Comandos e Forças Especiais.

Malgrado todas estas precauções, cuja enumeração sublinha um bom número de erros levantados na campanha da Argélia, em particular, é necessário ter presente no espírito que esse gênero de luta só excepcionalmente foi favorável à defesa e, como foi sublinhado, somente quando não existiam bases exteriores próximas que pudessem alimentar a guerrilha. Em estratégia de contra-guerrilha, responder a um ataque por uma defesa direta é solução tão má como a do um touro investindo contra uma muleta vermelha. É contra o toureiro que é preciso investir, isto é, contra a guerra de guerrilha.

 Exemplos
 Vietnã
A Guerra do Vietnã é um exemplo típico no qual o exército regular dos Estados Unidos, sem conhecer o terreno por não ser nativo da região, acabou desmoralizado pela guerrilha Vietcong, embora aquele conflito tenha tido outros fatores e características como desfecho.

 América espanhola
A queda das Colônias Espanholas entre 1810 e 1824 foi decidida pelas guerras de guerrilhas. Muitos grupos foram chefiados por diversos líderes que carregaram consigo a responsabilidade da vitória ou do fracasso dos movimentos de libertação. Houve também guerrilhas de estado, isto é, aquelas financiadas e incentivadas por grupos que detinham o poder em determinada região, mas que tinham por finalidade a desestabilização dos movimentos de libertação.

Entre diversos movimentos de guerrilhas e seus líderes que ocorreram na América Latina, podem ser destacados:
 Uruguai: José Gervasio Artigas;
 México: Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos y Pavón e Vicente Guerrero, Rafael de Riego y Núñez;
 Argentina: Martín Güemes;
 Chile: Manuel Rodríguez;
 Venezuela: José Tomás Boves;
 Cuba: Fidel Castro, Che Guevara e Camilo Cienfuegos.

 Brasil
No Brasil, houve muitos movimentos guerrilheiros nas províncias contra o centralismo executado pelo Império. E, notadamente, na ditadura militar (1964-1985), houve muitos participantes da Guerrilha do Araguaia que efetivamente atuaram na liderança das ações da população:
 Pode ser citada também a década de 1920, a Coluna Prestes, oriunda do tenentismo, que foi um movimento guerrilheiro executado por Luiz Carlos Prestes, baseado na busca de reforma governamental, porém sem nenhuma ideologia fundamentada, motivo do abandono da coluna;
 O ex-dirigente do Partido Comunista, Carlos Marighella, morto em 4 de novembro de 1969, criou e comandou a guerrilha urbana nas cidades de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro por dois anos;
 Carlos Lamarca, morto em Ipupiara, localidade do interior da Bahia, em 17 de setembro de 1971, comandou no Vale do Ribeira, em meados de abril de 1969, em São Paulo um movimento guerrilheiro, após roubar 63 fuzis FAL, metralhadoras leves e munição do Quartel de Quitaúna, em São Paulo, desertando e entrando para a clandestinidade, onde cometeria crimes como o assassinato do Guarda Civil Orlando Pinto Saraiva e assaltos a bancos. Assassinou o então tenente da Polícia Militar de São Paulo, Alberto Mendes Junior, a golpes de coronhada, numa emboscada;
 Em 1972, o Exército Brasileiro enfrentou a Guerrilha do Araguaia, organizada pelo Partido Comunista do Brasil (PCdoB), enviando mais de 5 mil homens para combater os 80 guerrilheiros.
 Ver também
 Chouannerie FARC
 Guerrilha do Araguaia
 Lista de reivindicações de soberania ou autonomia
 Movimento de resistência
Partisan
 PKK
 Procurar e destruir
 Revolução
 Terrorismo

 Bibliografia
 Chevalier, F.; Caudillos et caciques en Amérique. Contribution à l'étude des liens personnels. Bordeaux, 1962.
 Guevara, Guerra de guerrillas; La Habana: Dep. de Instrucción del MINFAR, 1960.
 R. Debray; ¿Revolución en la revolución? La Habana: Casa de las Américas, 1966.
 R. Gott, La guerrilla en América Latina; Santiago de Chile: Universitaria, 1971.
 Minimanual de la guerrilla urbana; La Habana, 1967.
 Rezende, Claudinei Cássio de. Suicídio Revolucionário: a luta armada e a herança da quimérica revolução em etapas. Ed. Unesp, 2010.
 Il Risorgimento; Einaudi, Torino, 1950.
 Hanlweg, W.; Storia della guerriglia. Milano, Feltrineli, 1973.
 Rama, C. M.; "La nouvelle gauche latino-américaine". In: Raison présente. Paris, 1970.

 Ligações externas

 O apoio de Cuba à luta armada no Brasil: o treinamento guerrilheiro, por Denise Rollemberg.
  Derbent, Thierry.  Clausewitz'' [http://www.agota.be/t.derbent/clausewitz.html et la guerre populaire.  13. « Petite guerre », guérilla et guerre révolutionnaire .  Bruxelas: Aden,  2004.

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Home > News > Tidbit
The Secret has debuted a new track from their forthcoming EP.
Sunday, June 24, 2018 4:35 PM PT
The Secret is now streaming "The Sorrowful Void," the first song to be revealed from their new EP, Lux Tenebris, the band's first new material in six years, due out in August via Southern Lord.
Following three years without communication between members, the band regrouped under the same roof for the first time since 2015 to record Lux Tenebris, which features three new tracks.
The band comments on the new song: "'The Sorrowful Void' is a song that develops from the obsession for a riff and its repetition. It's the very first riff that has been written for this new EP and that single riff constitutes the majority of the song. This type of density and repetition makes the riff turn almost into a texture that my mind visualizes as a sort of vortex or a magmatic eruption. It's a riff that is meant to get lost into. The writing process for this song influenced the overall sound of the rest of the EP."
Lux Tenebris by The Secret
Related: The Secret
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NFL training camps are set to start opening their doors over the course of the next week, and that means it's time to get serious with our football talk. One of the biggest discussion points, other than the Super Bowl betting odds, involves deciding which teams will actually make it into the playoffs. I am going to take a look at each conference here, and I am going to pick the 6 teams that I believe will make it into the final 12. The odds listed beside the team name are their odds to win their respective divisions, so keep that in mind if you plan on wagering based on these selections.
The East is always incredibly tough to predict, and this season is no different. The Cowboys (+150) look to have the best offense, but can Romo stay healthy all year? That's a big question mark, and one that I believe opens the door for the Redskins (+250). The North looks like a 2-team race, and I believe that this is the Packers (-150) division to lose. Their biggest challenge is going to come from the Vikings (+150) who have to be considered a dark horse threat in the NFC. Perhaps the easiest division to predict is in the South, where the Carolina Panthers (-250) should have no difficulty picking up a playoff spot. I really don't see any team here that can come close to challenging. The West is another division that looks like a 2-horse race, with the Seattle Seahawks (-150) and Arizona Cardinals (+125) the most likely winners. Giving the slight edge to the Seahawks here, but Arizona should still book a playoff ticket. Wild Card Picks – Vikings (+150) and Cardinals (+125).


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Q: How to find logarithmic function between known linear set of data and known logarithmic set of data. There is a 'black box' system that provides a three sets of data, between which there is a correlation, e.g.:

*

*X = {1.00, 0.95, 0.90, 0.85, 0.80} - linear set. Values are equidistantly distributed between 1.00 and 0.80.

*Y = {1.00, 0.99111397, 0.96492686, 0.92281021, 0.80} - logarithmic set. Values are calculated from the 1st set by using of so called Logarithmic Factor = 2. The distribution of values in this set reminds some logarithmic function, but marginal values remained the same, i.e. 1.00 and 0.80.

*Z = {1.00, 0.99821644, 0.98582030, 0.95294412, 0.80} - logarithmic set again, just values are calculated from the 1st set by using of Logarithmic Factor = 3. The distribution of values in this set reminds some logarithmic function, but marginal values remained the same, i.e. 1.00 and 0.80.

See the following picture with distribution of values from above mentioned linear and logarithmic sets.
I need to mathematically describe the behavior of mentioned black box system and to extend it's functionality in the mathematic model.
I was trying to find/calculate function Y=f(2,X) and Z=f(3,X), but till now without any success.
First I tried to calculate function by application of suggestions in this article:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19472747/convert-linear-scale-to-logarithmic
Then I tried to use linear approximation, but this didn't bring good results too.
To reach the same marginal values I have played with norming of results from some found function, but without success again.
I also tried this online equation finder, where it is possible to select, whether final function
shall be polynomial, logarithmic, exponential, etc. https://www.dcode.fr/function-equation-finder .
But if any function was found, it was applicable either between data from sets X and Y (but then not between X and Z), or between data sets X and Z (but then not between X and Y).
I am not sure what logarithmic factor is in this case. Maybe it has nothing to do with logarithms. At least marginal values are the same in all three sets.
So, how to find a logarithmic kind of function between known linear set of data and known logarithmic set of data?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Ladder-leader South Launceston looks to continue its impressive run of form in round 13 and the next test is sixth-placed Devonport. Devonport has been a frustrating task for the top sides all season and South will have to be at the top of its game. Two teams hoping to rebound after losses, South Burnie plays host to Launceston City in a key match. A depleted South Burnie went down in a tight tussle to Queechy, whereas City was outclassed by a dominant Burnie Baptist – a positive sign was young star Joe Short prominent up forward. Seventh-placed Smithton hosts City Marians, who are a win out of a finals spot in fifth. Both sides participated in close matches last week with Smithton going down 4-3 to Devonport and City Marians walking away with a 2-all draw against West Devonport. This match is pivotal for both sides' respective seasons with finals indications. Coming off their third draw of the season, West Devonport faces a whole new ball game against Burnie Baptist. Last year's champions Baptist sit second, just over a match behind South Launceston and has been impressive throughout. West is yet to break through for the win but is strongly improving. Lastly, two Launceston sides face off under lights in the North. Tamar Churinga and Queechy Penguins enter the match-up in contrasting situations with Tamar sitting in eighth and Queechy in fourth. This will still be an important match for Queechy, however, as a win will solidify them as a potential finals threat. In the women's competition, Queechy travels to face West Devonport in the potential match of the round. Desperate to bounce back after a few disappointing losses, West has their work cut out for them against an in-form Queechy. Regaining Josie Kremerskothen from state duties will only improve fourth-placed Queechy. South Burnie and Launceston City shapes up to be an intriguing clash with both sides in season-best form and looking to keep it that way. With wins over competition benchmarks West Devonport and Queechy in the past few weeks, South Burnie is shaping as a dangerous opponent for big sides, and this match is no different. Another top side looking to rebound from a loss, South Launceston takes on Devonport. South sits in third place, continually deadlocked with Queechy and a win here could potentially propel them into second. Devonport has had a tough run this year but has shown promising signs and has one win to their name. Ladder leaders City Marians travel to Smithton as they look to maintain their top spot. Putting together some impressive performances to climb their way up the ladder over the past few weeks, Marians are certainly a dangerous prospect for anyone involved. Smithton has picked up the two wins this season, including a breakthrough last week.
DRIVING FORCE: Launceston City's Claire Lester has her eye firmly on the ball. They clash with South Burnie this weekend. Picture: Paul Scambler.
Ladder-leader South Launceston looks to continue its impressive run of form in round 13 and the next test is sixth-placed Devonport.
Devonport has been a frustrating task for the top sides all season and South will have to be at the top of its game.
Two teams hoping to rebound after losses, South Burnie plays host to Launceston City in a key match.
A depleted South Burnie went down in a tight tussle to Queechy, whereas City was outclassed by a dominant Burnie Baptist – a positive sign was young star Joe Short prominent up forward.
Seventh-placed Smithton hosts City Marians, who are a win out of a finals spot in fifth.
Both sides participated in close matches last week with Smithton going down 4-3 to Devonport and City Marians walking away with a 2-all draw against West Devonport. This match is pivotal for both sides' respective seasons with finals indications.
Coming off their third draw of the season, West Devonport faces a whole new ball game against Burnie Baptist. Last year's champions Baptist sit second, just over a match behind South Launceston and has been impressive throughout.
West is yet to break through for the win but is strongly improving.
Lastly, two Launceston sides face off under lights in the North. Tamar Churinga and Queechy Penguins enter the match-up in contrasting situations with Tamar sitting in eighth and Queechy in fourth.
This will still be an important match for Queechy, however, as a win will solidify them as a potential finals threat.
In the women's competition, Queechy travels to face West Devonport in the potential match of the round.
Desperate to bounce back after a few disappointing losses, West has their work cut out for them against an in-form Queechy.
Regaining Josie Kremerskothen from state duties will only improve fourth-placed Queechy.
South Burnie and Launceston City shapes up to be an intriguing clash with both sides in season-best form and looking to keep it that way.
With wins over competition benchmarks West Devonport and Queechy in the past few weeks, South Burnie is shaping as a dangerous opponent for big sides, and this match is no different.
Another top side looking to rebound from a loss, South Launceston takes on Devonport. South sits in third place, continually deadlocked with Queechy and a win here could potentially propel them into second.
Devonport has had a tough run this year but has shown promising signs and has one win to their name.
Ladder leaders City Marians travel to Smithton as they look to maintain their top spot.
Putting together some impressive performances to climb their way up the ladder over the past few weeks, Marians are certainly a dangerous prospect for anyone involved.
Smithton has picked up the two wins this season, including a breakthrough last week.


A fresh, floral nose of acacia and magnolia blends beautifully with almond notes and a hint of anise. Elegant and refined, the texture has density without weight. Flavors of pear, lychee and a touch of lemon custard present a complex, harmonious picture now, but the lively balance means you can easily cellar the 2016 Arthur for the next three to five years.
Our Chardonnay Arthur is produced from 100% Dijon clones, grown on the Drouhin Family Estate in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. First planted in 1990, the low yields of these vines and their early ripening ability have been a perfect match for our climate and soils. Arthur, named for Véronique's son, is a wine that captures the bright, crisp acidity and mineral character of the vineyard, balanced with richness and lovely length. 2016 marks the third consecutive season of warm, dry and largely harmonious growing conditions. Spring came early, and the vineyards enjoyed the warmer and drier weather. This helped maintain small clusters and berries that could mature evenly between bloom and harvest. In fact, harvest began during the last days of August, but a cooler September allowed us to achieve an overall balance of flavor and layered complexity.
Our 2016 Chardonnay was hand-picked into small totes, and then whole-cluster pressed. It was partly fermented in French Oak barrels to reveal the complexity of the fruit through the slow breathing process that happens in wood. The rest was fermented and aged in stainless steel to keep the vibrancy and fruitiness. Véronique then blended these two portions to create a wine of a more delicate nature - Arthur. To Véronique, it as if one brought together elements of a pure Chablis and an elegant Meursault.


Visit Fox News for the entire essay. She is the third woman to have accused Kavanaugh with sexual assault. Republicans also risk rejection by female voters in November if they are seen as not fully respecting women and their allegations.
The accord with OPEC member Iran was negotiated under Democratic US President Barack Obama. The Iranian president was reacting to Trump's tweet on Tuesday, in which he tried to suggest that he had turned down requests to meet the Iranian president, but that he may agree to talks "someday in the future".
Each of the men described "in some detail " their recollection of their encounter with Ms. Blasey Ford , the GOP staff said in a memo late Wednesday, less than 12 hours before Ms. She is said to have talked about the assault during a 2012 couple's therapy session, well before Kavanaugh was a nominee for the nation's highest court.
Judge is an author and journalist who was accused of sexual assault by the first woman to come forward with claims against Kavanaugh. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) reacted on "Outnumbered Overtime" to the third sexual misconduct accusation against Brett Kavanaugh .
Ford, the first woman to accuse Kavanaugh of assault, alleged that Judge was present for that incident. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation vote because of allegations against him from a then-anonymous woman.
This comes after Kavanaugh is set to face an accusation from Professor Christine Blasey Ford , who is also set to testify, that he pushed her into a bedroom, pinned her down, held his hand over her mouth as she tried to scream and attempted to remove her clothes when they were both in high school in the early 1980s.
According to the halturnerradioshow.com, nearly seven Ilyushin Il-76 military transporters of Russian Air Force have arrived at Khmeimim military airbase on 22 September. The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday Sept. 23, 2018, has renewed its accusations against Israel for causing the downing of a Russian military plane over Syria.
He did not name the regional states he believed were to blame. An Iranian soldier runs past injured comrades lying on the ground at the scene of an attack on a military parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz on September 22, 2018.
Florida Governor Rick Scott, left, greets Puerto Rico Secretary of the Department of Public Security Hector Pesquera, right, during a remembrance ceremony convened by Governor Ricardo Rossello at the San Cristobal Castle, on the anniversary of Hurricane Maria , in San Juan, Puerto Rico , Thursday, Sept.


Back in June of '08 (a rough month for me), I dropped a severely incomplete sample set for Gang Starr's 2003 classic The Ownerz. In all, I think I had something like ten tracks on it. Lame. I shouldn't have rushed it... Eager to show me up, Kevy Kev dropped a set of his own with 22 samples. For months now, re-upping my set with the tracks I missed has been sliding around on my list of things to do. 'Til now. As I was (re-)digging the e-crates, I came up with the same 22 tracks that Kevin got. Plus 16 more! Yes, yes y'all! This set right here has got a total of 38 samples! Not bad, huh? Knowing Premo, though, I'm sure I'm still missing some stuff... Turn it up!
Props to Skeme for info on the Junior Walker sample!
Props for those extra joints, Ivan.
Wooh! I was just listening to a track off this album on an old mixtape and thinking how hot it is. Great (re)post.
^ That's not a sample. Reciting portions of other rappers' verses isn't a "sample".
Which other sets are you referring to?
sample of deadly habitss ??Steve Gray ???


Educational Research: An Introduction, Eighth Edition, is the most comprehensive and widely respected text for scholars and graduate-level students who need to understand educational research in depth and conduct original research for a dissertation or thesis.
A complete introduction to the major research methods and types of data analysis used today, this text provides detailed coverage of all facets of research, from the epistemology of quantitative and qualitative scientific inquiry to the design, data collection, analysis, and reporting of a completed study.
The book's 18 chapters provide thorough coverage of concepts, methods, and issues found in the practice and literature of educational research.
Research techniques are described in depth to assist students in designing a sound masters or doctoral study that will stand up to critical scrutiny.
Published research studies covering a wide range of educational topics are used throughout the book to illustrate important concepts and procedures.
Each new research term introduced in a chapter is boldfaced and defined. All such terms are also defined in the book's glossary.
''Touchstones in Research'' are placed in the margins of each chapter to conveniently guide the reader to books, articles, and other sources that provide additional discussion of important topics.
A list of recommendations for applying chapter concepts and techniques to the design and conduct of a study is located at the end of each chapter (except Ch. 1).
Each chapter concludes with a self-check test to help readers assess their understanding of the concepts and procedures that it covers. An answer key is provided at the end of the book.
A revised "Proposal Writing Guidebook" to help graduate students in the critical planning stages of a research study is available with this book.
An online instructors manual, which includes guidelines for course design, a file of closed-form and open-form test items keyed to the chapter objectives, application problems, and teaching activities.
New or revised sections on important topics such as hierarchical linear modeling, mixed methods research, the increasingly diverse range of genres and emphasis on justice-seeking perspectives in qualitative research, policies for protection of human subjects, the establishment of the Institute of Education Sciences, and changes in the ERIC system.
Illustration of research concepts and procedures by describing their use in recently published studies on such contemporary educational problems as the achievement gap, diversity in education, curriculum standards, and school accountability.
All citations checked and updated to reflect new book editions and authoritative recent publications on key topics.
Reorganization of selected chapters to improve topic organization and comprehension.


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Water: our most basic human right
School of Public Health lecturer Dr Nina Hall explains the importance of World Water Day and how Australia still has work to do to ensure it is available to all Australians.
Water is a human right, but many Australians living in remote communities do not have the same access to drinking water that is enjoyed by those who live in urban areas.
World Water Day is an important reminder for our government policy-makers and all Australians to take more action and fight for this fundamental human right.
Many people living in remote communities, including many Indigenous Australians, do not have the luxury of turning on their tap to clean and safe drinking water.
Water in these communities may be unsafe due to natural and man-made contamination sources. Common contaminants include heavy metals like cadmium and uranium, microbes from contact with sewerage and man-made pollutants from mining operations, agriculture and even defence sites.
World Water Day helps countries promote their efforts to reach the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal on water (SDG 6). Australia, along with 197 other countries, signed up to meet the 17 goals- but there is still a long way to go.
If we want to achieve these goals and make the world a better, healthier and more sustainable place, then we need to act now.
SDG 6 calls for clean water, sanitation and hygiene for all people. To achieve this, all Australians need access to clean, safe and uncontaminated drinking water. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of every Australian. Although it may be 2019, we are struggling to meet the SDGs and our talk about 'Closing the Gap' is only rhetoric if we can't translate this into action. We have work to do on home soil before this goal is achieved, ahead of the 2030 target date.
Finding the best fit
But it's not an impossible task. We have the technology, know-how and training to make this possible but we're missing some key fundamentals that ensure our water is 'fit for place, fit for purpose and fit for people.'
'Fit for place' means providing clean water all year round, in a way that can be supported by limited staff. It involves other considerations, such as weather damage and water sources (lakes, seas, land) which may affect accessibility.
'Fit for purpose' requires looking at the intended use and treatment of the resource. And 'fit for people' looks at what is acceptable for humans to safely drink and enjoy. Making water safe to drink doesn't necessarily mean people will drink it. Potable water is technically safe to drink, but in some communities, people complain that it smells funny, is 'hard' or has a strange colour. This can have flow-on effects. If you don't want to drink that water, what other hydration sources can you turn to? Bottled water can be expensive, create waste and be a short-term solution that's not available to everyone, creating a further divide between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'.
People often turn to soft drink instead. The Northern Territory has the highest intake of soft drink consumption, per capita. And the Territory has high rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes – the unfortunate side-effects of high sugar consumption.
Paving the way forward
I work with governments, water industry partners and researchers on a variety of research projects around providing safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) options. These organisations share goodwill and intentions to learn more about the needs of remote communities – in combination with how best to work respectfully with Indigenous Australians.
My research collaborations include a partnership between local communities, local government and state government to re-think the way that drinking water is treated for long-term potability in the outer Torres Strait Islands. I'm working with water industry members to identify partnerships between urban water utilities and local communities and councils in remote and Indigenous communities. Another project looks at girls' and women's hygiene in remote communities in Cape York and the challenges of managing with dignity every month.
And I'm working with an Aboriginal Medical Service and an Indigenous housing organisation in the Central Desert to expose how the spread of hygiene-related infectious diseases is influenced by government housing that is insufficiently repaired or insufficient in volume – causing crowded conditions.
On World Water Day, we need to look both at home and abroad to recognise where action is needed to improve the health of all our citizens. Together, we need to work towards a safer and cleaner water future that all Australians can enjoy.


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Archive for the Wilco Category
Random Weekend Post: Caution… May Contain Wilco like Substances
Posted in JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, Wilco on June 26, 2010 by AmericanaPulse
Two related… if bizarre videos today.
The first is Wilco's Jeff Tweedy giving a dramatic reading of "Single Ladies"…
The second is a cover of Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" by a band called JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound.
I wish I could remember which blog I saw this on first. I can't. I just remember hating it at first, and then being slowly sucked in as it went along. I think it's the combination of the infectious groove coupled with the absolute nonsensicalness of the lyrics that left me amused and bemused by this video. It's actually a lot of fun.
Stream the New Wilco
Posted in Wilco on May 14, 2009 by AmericanaPulse
Wilco releases their new album on June 30th…. but you can stream the whole thing now at their website for free.
I'm still going through it for the first time right now, and I'm really enjoying it so far. It already feels a little punchier than Sky Blue Sky. It's sounding like a winner so far.
You can stream Wilco (the album) here.
Record Store Day/Wilco Hits Knoxville
Posted in John Paul Keith, Van Eaton and Friends, Wilco on April 17, 2009 by AmericanaPulse
Saturday is one of my favorite days of the year… National Record Store Day… a day to celebrate the dying breed that is the brick and mortar independent record store. It's a day when many artists release exclusive music to independent record shops, and many stores feature live, in-store performances from local artists. It's a great time all around.
This year… it seems one of the biggest events for Record Store Day is taking place right here in Knoxville.
Wilco is performing Saturday night at The Tennessee Theatre. Wilco is also releasing its new concert DVD Ashes of American Flags as part of the NRSD hoopla. Ergo… Wilco will appear at Knoxville's Disc Exchange Saturday afternoon for a screening of the new DVD. The first 150 fans to buy a copy of the film will also get the chance to meet the band and get their DVD's autographed. It's generating quite a buzz here in town.
Of course… Wilco is just a small part of the festivities. Blog favorites Van Eaton and Friends and John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives will both be performing at the Disc Exchange during the day. Record Store Day will also see exclusive releases from Whiskeytown, Pavement, The Flaming Lips, Jenny Lewis, Tift Merritt, and more. I'll be picking up the live Tift Merritt CD for sure and will probably be tempted by several other offers as well.
You can find out more about National Record Store Day over at the official website.
Please go out and support your local record store Saturday and everyday. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that someone has gone out and purchased an album because of something I've written here or because of some music they heard in this space. Remember… the free downloads are great for sampling. But if we don't support these artists by actually buying their records, they won't be able to keep making the music we all love. Similarly… if we don't support our independent record stores, these artist won't have as many outlets for their product.
Now… for sampling purposes… here is a track from Wilco called "Ashes of American Flags" from their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album. It's also the title track from the new concert DVD being released on Saturday.
Wilco: Ashes of American Flags (Buy Album) (Buy DVD)
Notes for a Friday
Posted in Jompson Brothers Band, Robbie Fulks, Wilco on February 13, 2009 by AmericanaPulse
*** This is The Jompson Brothers Band (and friends)… a new Rock & Roll ensemble out of Nashville.
Yes… that is Chris Stapleton of The Steeldrivers on the left in this picture. He's the lead vocalist and guitar player for the Jompson Brothers Band and a vocal force as always. The guy in the middle is J.T. Cure, the bass player, and another talented acquaintance of mine from Morehead State University back home in Kentucky.
The Jompson Brothers Band is still working on its first album… so I don't have any tracks yet. You can hear part of a live demo and watch a few videos on the band's myspace page. Head on over there and "Go Jomp Yourself."
***Over at Star Maker Machine this week, we are celebrating the year 1989. Head on over there now for your fix of all things B-52's, Martika, and The Lemonheads. My only contribution so far highlights Rhett Miller's ultra-rare 1989 solo album, Mythologies. If you want to know what the Old 97's frontman sounded like as an 18-year-old high school student… go check it out.
***This is why I love Robbie Fulks. Later this month, Robbie will release 50 brand new songs… all at the same time… at his website, http://www.robbiefulks.com/. Robbie's last studio album, Georgia Hard, came out nearly four years ago. I'll be very interested to hear something new from my favorite Americana smart-ass.
***Tomorrow is Valentines Day, and Wilco has a little advice for all of us guys out there of what not to do tomorrow… "Forget the Flowers."
Wilco: Forget the Flowers (Buy Album)
Essential Albums: A.M. by Wilco
Posted in Essential Albums, Wilco on October 21, 2008 by AmericanaPulse
It's been a while since I've done an essential album post. Today, I'll be focusing on an album that I feel doesn't always get the respect it deserves.
Wilco's A.M. was originally released in March of 1995 as the highly anticipated first project by Jeff Tweedy after the dissolution of Uncle Tupelo. Inevitably, it would be compared to Jay Farrar's first release with his first post-Tupelo project, Son Volt's Trace. Of course, Trace (released in Sept. 1995) is one of my favorites albums of all-time and is widely regarded as Farrar's greatest achievement and one of the seminal releases of the alt-country genre. It's no surprise then that A.M. is often undervalued when compared to its 1995 counterpart.
The extra dilemma for A.M. is that it also seems to get lost in comparison to Wilco's later output as well. The band earned "critical darling" status in 2002 with the release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The praise for that album was earned as much for the rights battle surrounding the album's release as it was for the album itself. Wilco's label, Warner/Reprise, wanted the band to change the album to make it sound more commercial. Tweedy refused, bought the rights to the album, and released it on the indie-label, Nonesuch. In doing so, he was able to release the album he wanted with a sound that mixed deft pop sensibilities with wild sonic experimentation. There is also a large contingent of Wilco fans that prefer 1996's double album Being There to A.M. due to its country flavored experiments and departures.
So… If A.M. isn't a genre defining blueprint for the alt-country sound like Trace… and it isn't a bold artistic statement that stretches the band's sound into strange new places… Then what is it and why is it essential listening?
To me, A.M. is a sterling example of a straight forward country-rock album that doesn't skimp on either the country or the rock. When Uncle Tupelo split, many of the group's side players and road musicians stayed with Tweedy. Drummer Ken Coomer, multi-instrumentalist John Stirratt, and producer Brian Paulson are all holdovers from Tupelo's final album Anodyne. Tweedy also enlisted steel guitar legend Lloyd Maines and Bottlerockets frontman Brian Henneman to join the party for the album. The result is a studio crew with the chops to blast out the muscular Stone-style riffs of rock flavored tracks like "Casino Queen," the right amount of twang to pull off country numbers like "That's Not the Issue," and the plaintive restraint to bring the proper emotion to weepers like "I Thought I Held You."
A.M. is nothing fancy, but what it does… it does very well. Again, it may not make the artistic statements or garner the indie cred of the band's later work. It does, however, provide a very accessible jumping on point to Wilco, and one that can be approached by fans on either side of the rock/country spectrum.
Here are three songs that show off the stylistic range that the album achieves all while not straying too far from the roots of country-rock.
Wilco: I Must Be High (Buy Album)
Wilco: Pick Up the Change (Buy Album)
Wilco: Passenger Side (Buy Album)
You are currently browsing the archives for the Wilco category.


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Home/Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin, Tasha Cobbs Leonard Are Big Winners at 35th Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Here Are the Winners
Kirk Franklin, winner of six awards at the 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards (CHICAGO, IL) – Well, it's 2020,…
TUNE IN TO THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY STELLAR AWARDS VIRTUAL SPECIAL ON BET & BET HER THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 AT 6 PM ET
CHICAGO, IL) August 21, 2020 – This Sunday, music fans, Gospel enthusiasts and anyone looking for a little inspiration can tune into…
THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY STELLAR AWARDS VIRTUAL SPECIAL TO PREMIER ON BET AND BET HER THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
The 35th Annual Stellar Awards Hosts Koryn Hawthorne, Kirk Franklin, and Jonathan McReynolds (CHICAGO, IL) August 21, 2020 – This Sunday, music…
Kirk Franklin boycotts Dove Awards after his speech is edited for TV
Kirk Franklin Gospel music mainstay Kirk Franklin has announced he will boycott the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, after discovering his acceptance…
STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY AT THE 50TH ANNUAL GMA DOVE AWARDS
Lauren Dangle celebrates after winning three Dove Awards. 50th annual dove awards, Nashville, TN October 15, 2019 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct.…
THE 50TH ANNUAL GMA DOVE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED TODAY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 14, 2019) – The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced today the nominees for the 50th Annual GMA Dove Awards,…
Chris CuffJuly 17, 2019
Not Christ-Like: So-Called 'Preacher' Goes Off On Kirk Franklin: 'You've Got Blood On Your Hands!'
Kirk Franklin performs at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo…
Chris CuffMarch 31, 2019
Jonathan McReynolds takes home 8 Stellars at the 34th Stellar Awards
Jonathan McReynolds walk the red carpet at the 34th annual Stellar Awards at the Orleans Resort in Las Vegas Nevada…
Tauren Wells and Corey Asbury are the big winners at the 49th GMA Dove Awards, Tori Kelly thrills
In a powerful night of performances and appearances, the 49th Annual Dove Awards was a night to remember. The awards…
Chris CuffFebruary 8, 2017
Kirk Franklin, Tamela Mann and more to perform at the 32nd Annual Stellar Awards
(CHICAGO) – Feb. 8, 2017 – Central City Productions announced today select performers for the 2017 Stellar Awards. Hailed as an "epic night in gospel music,"…


Should you hire a financial planner to help you through divorce?
Prior to the economic recession, couples that divorced in California often had difficulty with and disagreements about the financial aspect of their divorce. That remains the same today. Now, however, people are not fighting over who will get the family home, the stock options, the retirement plans and the savings account. Instead, they are working out who will take the credit card debt, the student loans and the underwater mortgage.
The point is this: regardless of the situation, money has always been and will always be one of the most complicated, contentious aspects of a divorce. As such, many divorcing couples are now choosing to retain the services of a financial planner, to help them work out not only the details of their divorce but also to help them prepare for life after their split.
The services that will be provided to you by a financial planner largely depend on your specific situation. For example, if you have children, a planner will be able to recommend the best income tax agreement for you and your spouse in order to ensure that you are taking full advantage of child tax credits and other benefits. They can also offer advice on whether to sell your home, cash in stock or a retirement plan and the like.
More importantly, however, financial planners prepare their clients for life after divorce. Going from two incomes to one is a difficult shift, and planners help their clients set and stick to a budget in order to ensure that they are able to pay their bills and prepare for future expenses.
If you are considering using a financial planner but aren't sure of who you should hire, you may want to ask your family law attorney for recommendations.


For 11 minutes, Twitter was a Trump-free zone. It wasn't long enough.
Update: Our title mistakenly stated Trump's account was gone for six minutes – it was 11. Which still isn't enough.
For six minutes today, the world experienced social media without Donald Trump. And just as we were starting to get into it, to become fully engrossed in the very essence of what made it so good to begin with — the heavy breathing, animal-like noises, and intense feelings of pleasure that only comes from experiencing someone in their rawest form — it was over.
TWITTER JUST BANNED DONALD TRUMP! ?????
Maybe think about baseball next time, Jack?
After the internet lit its collective cigarettes, but before it managed to get out of bed, the theories started to roll in.
We, of course, don't know the cause of Trump's disappearance yet, but have reached out to Twitter for more information.
Update: Now we know. It was human error.


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JOE GRAF
Clements wins at crash-filled Daytona, reaches postseason
Jeremy Clements won a crash-filled Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway early Saturday for his second career victory and first since 2017.
No. 10 at Texas for Kyle Busch for 98th career Xfinity win
Kyle Busch heads for the front stretch during the NASCAR Xfinity auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)FORT WORTH, Texas Kyle Busch got his 98th victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning at Texas for the 10th time when he was never challenged on a final two-lap sprint to the checkered flag. There is only one more Xfinity race this season for Busch, who wants to reach 100 wins in the series. Busch has 212 wins combined in NASCAR's top three series, with 56 Cup Series wins and 58 in the Truck Series race. There were no spectators allowed for the Xfinity race, or the Truck Series race on Saturday night, but thousands of fan will be in the stands for the Cup race Sunday.


In 1970 smog choked major U.S. cities and toxic waste flooded rivers. That same year nearly 20 million Americans participated in events on April 22, spearheaded by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, to draw attention to the environmental issues plaguing the planet and human health. Named Earth Day, April 22 has remained a time to celebrate restoration and stand up for the planet.


Tracks 1, 2 and 3 recorded by Lucio Capece. Track 4 recorded live by Franck Dubois.
"Since 2011 I have been working on pieces that focus on the listener experience. This has led me to search for methods and musical results that work on the listener's perception mechanisms, and, in particular, on the ways in which she/he hears sound and music, and inhabits a space.
For "Room Melody" and "Gravity Resonance" I deduced the resonant frequencies of my practise room and selected some of them to construct a melody. I played the melody on a slide saxophone, an old instrument that uses just one sliding key to change pitch. This not only enables me to play glissandi, but also frees any specific tone from the limitations created when an instrument is built according to the tempered (or any other) tuning system. I recorded the melody, then played back the recording through speakers, re-recording it using a binaural microphone attached to a balloon, which I moved in circles around the room.
On "Room Melody" I used the re-recording of the melody (stereo) to shadow the original recording (mono).
On "Gravity Resonance" I looped the re-recorded melody several times using a double looper until I could hear a long constant sound consisting of the dominant frequencies of the melody. This mirrors the technique used by Alvin Lucier in his seminal work 'I am Sitting in a Room'. However, instead of starting with any sound, I started with the resonant sounds of the practise room, and instead of finding the dominant frequencies by looping the sounds in the space, I looped them internally within the device. Finally I combined the resulting long sound with sounds produced by various kinds of analogue synthesisers.
"Groupings" was composed for the Berlin-based ensemble Konzert Minimal. The piece is concerned with the way our brains organise groups of ideas in order to understand a musical language. The structural source for the piece was the sound, timing and intensity of the quiet noise produced when an accordion is opened or closed without intending to play a tone. Whenever 'white noise' is produced by an acoustic instrument, it contains some frequencies that can be heard more clearly than others. The principal tone of the accordion's white noise became the tonal basis of the piece.
The tonal elements of the work are developed using basic auditory illusions that create ambiguous perceptions about the presence or absence of sounds depending on what occurs before, during or after these sounds. I also used other auditory illusions related to the overtone and undertone series, as well as a combination of harmonic spectrums, overlapping the Equal Temperament and Just Intonation tuning systems.
The piece was first performed at Ausland in Berlin on 23rd September 2014, and was recorded there without an audience on 29th July 2015.
"Space Tuning - Eiffel´s Halle des Expositions" is the latest version in a series of location-specific pieces called 'Space Tuning - Conditional Music'. These have been realised at Bern Cathedral, the Mambo Museum in Bologna, the German Pavilion in Barcelona built by Mies van der Rohe, the countryside around Kleylehof at night, an abandoned swimming pool in Aiguelez, a public library in Oslo, a former factory in Oxford, and a backyard in Buenos Aires.
This latest realisation took place on 20th May 2015 in the Halle des Expositions, which was built about 100 years ago by Alexander Gustave Eiffel in Évreux, France. I used six flying speakers, three moved by people, and three moving in circles powered by small propellers. For the first time in the series I made the initial recordings of the space by placing the microphone inside cardboard tubes with dimensions selected to create the resonating frequencies of the Halle. Also, compared to previous versions, I used very low sine tones which were chosen to embrace the characteristics of the space.
On the day of the performance it was windy, with clouds being blown across the sky. The sun heated the glass roof of the building, but when the clouds returned, the glass cooled, producing cracking noises that can be heard during the performance. Birds also landed on the roof, making sounds with their feet on the glass."


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SKAI is a machine learning based tool for performing automatic building damage assessments on aerial imagery of disaster sites.

If you are working in the disaster response space and/or are interested in using SKAI, please reach out to the developers at [skai-developers@googlegroups.com](mailto:skai-developers@googlegroups.com).

## Background

A humanitarian disaster such as an earthquake, hurricane, or wildfire is a highly disruptive event that affects a region and people in complex ways. Disaster assessment is the process of understanding, quantifying, and locating these harmful effects, in order to provide crisis responders with situation awareness and help them plan rescue and recovery activities.

One predominant type of disaster assessment is identifying all buildings that were damaged or destroyed in a disaster. This helps estimate how much of the population is unsheltered or possibly trapped in rubble, or how much it will cost to rebuild a neighborhood.

SKAI uses machine learning and aerial imagery to automatically identify the locations of damaged buildings in a disaster region. This significantly speeds up damage assessment turn-around times and lowers labor costs. Model-generated assessments match expert generated assessments on between 85% and 98% of buildings assessed in many past disasters ranging from hurricanes to wildfires.

For more information, please refer to our [NeurIPS workshop paper](https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.14004) and our [blog post](https://ai.googleblog.com/2020/06/machine-learning-based-damage.html).

## Setup

SKAI requires a Linux workstation with a recent version of Python (>=3.7). SKAI was designed to run on Google Cloud, so you need to have a Google Cloud project set up as well.

Please see detailed setup instructions [here](setup.md).

## Using SKAI

Please see detailed instructions [here](assessment_instructions.md).

## Acknowledgments

This software was developed in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator. The WFP Innovation Accelerator identifies, supports and scales high potential solutions to hunger worldwide. The Innovation Accelerator supports WFP innovators and external start-ups and companies through financial support, access to a network of experts and a global field reach.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub