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The WoodenBoat Forum > The Bilge > "Flying Potlatch"
View Full Version : "Flying Potlatch"
Kim Whitmyre
Please excuse the intrusion, but this is too good not to share!:D
Flying Potlatch
by Werther
Does one American in a thousand know that the Federal government is buying 23 VIP helicopters, each one of which will cost more than the extravagantly expensive F-22 fighter aircraft? A half-billion dollar helicopter – a half billion dollars each! – to ferry political hacks to their campaign events?
If the reader was unaware of that fact, we welcome him to Washington. The helicopter in question, the VH-71, is the government's planned replacement for its current allegedly deficient presidential helicopter fleet. (One might well ask why even an elected monarch like the U.S. president needs twenty-three helicopters. At most, he might require one helicopter, a backup or two, a couple of training machines, and a pair to act as operational decoys. Rational math cannot count beyond 6 or 7, but the president's vast retinue of hangers-on, coat holders, and post-pubescent appointees [the U.S. attorney scandal revealed what a sorry lot of inferior religious seminary graduates they typically are] is always raptured, so to speak, by the experience of getting VIP treatment several cuts above that experienced by the common herd of U.S. taxpayers on a Carnival cruise. Thus we are stuck with 23 flying palaces to transport the courtiers of the American emperor.)
The requirement ("requirement" is a government euphemism for "this is a really neat idea that will help my post-government career with a contractor") and go-ahead decision for the VH-71 were established in 2003, coincidentally the year the United States invaded Iraq along with its coalition of the willing. Oddly enough, the procurement authorities decided that a modification of the European EH-101 helicopter would suit the requirement just fine. By pure coincidence, this decision would benefit the British firm Westland and the Italian company Augusta. If any glory accrued to Tony Blair and Silvio Berlusconi, that surely would have been fortuitous. The idea that the White House paid off these worthies for assisting the administration in the invasion of Iraq has not been proved by transcripts of phone conversations or secret memoranda of understanding that have come to light; we will leave to the reader the onus of the obvious interpretation of events.
Naturally, Congress got involved, because anything involving aerospace contracts means a rich harvest of PAC checks. Forthwith, the cry rang out from Capitol Hill that domestic content was needed. Riding to the rescue was Lockheed Martin, an aerospace megacorporation with no known experience in helicopters since the abortive Cheyenne in the 1960s. They selflessly volunteered to be prime contractor. Bell, an outfit that ought to know something about rotorcraft, came in as a junior partner to Lock-Mart. Together with Augusta and Westland, the consortium marched bravely into the future of politically-guaranteed profits.
Of course, an off-the-shelf EH-101, reputedly a reasonably usable rotorcraft, was unsuitable either for the imperial pretentions of the presidency, or the needs of domestic porkbarrelling. Thus arose the metamorphosis of the EH-101 into the star-spangled US-101, the public-relations prototype that would ultimately become the military type designation VH-71.
This helicopter fit for a walking divinity (and/or his retinue) required nearly 2,000 requirements changes. Given the usual incompetence of the government procurement system, the cost increased apace with the change orders. The Pentagon's Selected Acquisition Report (its most recent edition) from September 2007 lists the total program cost of VH-71 at $6.5 billion [pdf]. But the latest cost increases and schedule slips suggest that the total program cost may rise to $11 billion: nearly $500 million per aircraft. The cost overruns have become so egregious that the program has been frozen pending examination of alternatives.
One may safely assume that, consonant with virtually every U.S. aerospace program ever heard of, the VH-71 will not be cancelled, but "restructured," or perhaps stretched out. Anything but cancelled. No other "platform," as the military argot would have it, will quite fill the bill. No doubt there are many necessarily expensive add-ons to the original EH-101 required to keep our elected Ozymandias out of harm as he soars above the rabble. But an unawed American might ask: aren't there better, cheaper alternatives?
Let us stipulate that the shooting down of a U.S. president would be a bad thing. One might ask whether a distinctively appearing, distinctively marked leviathan flying about would create more risk than a standard, common helicopter that could be mistaken for any other rotorcraft in the military or civilian inventory. The UH-60 Blackhawk is as common a sight above metropolitan Washington as a Lexus on the Capitol Beltway: it is inconspicuous. The UH-60 is also in the current presidential fleet.
But the UH-60, or any other helicopter, would inevitably have an Achilles heel if presidential security were the paramount criterion. Unfortunately for the taxpayer, presidential vanity has long since trumped the need for pure physical survival at least cost. Hence presidential chariots must be gaudily decorated in the imperial livery of Marine One, making them unnecessarily conspicuous. Hence the perceived need to equip the new presidential fleet with every conceivable spoofer, jammer, and communications link that sole source IT contractors can push on the VH-71 program manager.
The army and navy have announced their intention to buy a large quantity of Blackhawks over the next 5 years. The price would come to around $14 million each. Fourteen million as opposed to half a billion. Wouldn't a UH-60 – as we have said, a rotorcraft already in the current presidential fleet – be far more cost effective than a VH-71, as well as safer, particularly if it were painted in inconspicuous colors mimicking a standard military paint scheme? One could put every conceivable bell and whistle on a Special Operations UH-60, as well as an Aga Khan-level interior, and there is no way it could remotely approach the unit cost of the VH-71 boondoggle.
The alert reader might object that the Blackhawk is smaller and more cramped than the VH-71. But what is the typical mission of the presidential helicopter fleet? Generally, it hauls our anointed thunder god from the White House grounds to Andrews Air Force Base, or to his Berghof in the nearby Catoctin Mountains of Maryland, or, in extremis, to Site R on the Maryland-Pennsylvania border: none of them journeys of much more than half an hour. If the trip is longer, generally the helicopter portion is just the first, brief leg to the Lucullan comfort of Air Force One. Surely a Man of the People, as even George W. Bush affects to be (bred to the bone oligarch though he is), could tolerate a cabin no more confining than the interior space of a Bugatti Veyron. (Priced at a mere €1.1 million per automobile (or "platform"), the Bugatti is a veritable bargain by U.S. government contracting standards.)
There is more. The Blackhawk is a thoroughly tested and reliable standard aircraft produced by the thousand, like an airborne Honda Civic. The VH-71, by contrast, will be a kluged-together modification of which only 23 copies will be built. Given the inevitable vagaries of engineering and testing, guess which helicopter is more likely to experience catastrophic mechanical failure while in flight?
The VH-71 is an example of the Potlatch syndrome, the tendency of overweening rulers to be extravagant for the sake of being extravagant. Potlatch was the practice of certain Indian tribes to demonstrate the wealth and power of their chief by piling up food, trade goods, and the like, and destroying them in a fire. Such a society, it goes without saying, is doomed. In less wantonly spectacular ways, many ancient states essentially practiced the same custom.
The American anthropologist Joseph Tainter wrote an intriguing work titled The Collapse of Complex Societies, wherein he posited that as a society matures and becomes more complex, its rulers (and beneficiaries) tend to evolve ritual behavior that does not benefit the survival of the society as a whole. On the contrary, they become so dedicated to defending an ever more ostentatious and extravagant status quo that their behavior actually contributes to the collapse of the society over which they reign.
The Mayan big men exhausted so much of their subjects' resources on ceremonial pyramids celebrating the greatness of the big men that the society could not sustain the expense. Pyramids, after all, cannot provide habitation, or defense.
Peasants toiling on a Latifundia at the borders of the late Roman Empire, should they have been overrun by the "barbarians," actually found the tribute exacted by the wild barbarian tribes lower than that mulcted by their erstwhile Roman imperial masters. The sustainment costs of the empire, its sybaritic court, and its hideously expensive military, were simply too high by that point. When enough peasants caught on, the Roman Empire was doomed, not by military invasion, but by the fact that its subjects no longer believed the whole imperial contraption benefited them.
When will the subjects of the American monarch catch on that projects like the VH-71 are simply expressions of a superfluous and ruinously expensive ruling class's contempt for them?
Werther is the pen name of a northern Virginia-base defense analyst.
S.V. Airlie
Interesting but the writer got a bit carried awaywith his own writing. Could have cutoff a few paragraphs and still made the point.
Obviously they are being ordered just in time for Hillary. I expect a delivery date of Jan.20,2009
Hilly leads the way by example...place blame strategically (Norman, All sides do it...are you suggesting it is otherwise?)
good...we're on the same page then
Milo Christensen
The sustainment costs of the empire, its sybaritic court, and its hideously expensive military, were simply too high by that point. When enough peasants caught on, the Roman Empire was doomed, not by military invasion, but by the fact that its subjects no longer believed the whole imperial contraption benefited them.
Rep. Ron Paul keeps asking two fairly simple questions: Why has the Federal budget tripled since 1990? & Why can't we run this country with the Federal budget we had in 1990?
Unfortunately, some of Dr. Paul's detractors will, with no justification whatsoever, subtract 110 years from this statement and say that Dr. Paul wants to take us back to the 1880's.
"Rep. Ron Paul keeps asking two fairly simple questions: Why has the Federal budget expanded by factor of 10 since 1990? & Why can't we run this country with the Federal budget we had in 1990? "
Simple...the largest and most powerful voting block in the nation (federal emploees) wants the cash/perks


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Works with technology, SaaS, IoT, communications and IT infrastructure businesses to deliver profitable growth and accelerated market adoption, establishing metrics-based, actionable strategies, go-to-market plans and marketing programs via high performance teams.
mtanner@chiefoutsiders.com
Learn How Michael Can Help Your Business
A growth-oriented executive, Michael drives marketing and sales programs for innovative technology businesses of all sizes across diverse categories. A hands-on leader of marketing, product and selling teams of 2 to 150 people, he directs the transition from license to subscription models and re-vamps go-to-market programs globally. With a background in both operational leadership and management consulting, he aligns a compelling vision while attaining financial, brand and growth objectives, and delivers skilled leadership to venture and private-equity backed software businesses.
How Michael has Helped Businesses Grow
Supported ARR growth of 35% developing a global strategy and go to market approach for a leading content management software business transitioning from a license to SaaS model.
Exceeded quarterly revenue projections by 30% re-positioning multiple products into a new category for a top six global software business as a contracted advisor.
Within a fortune 500 organization, collaborated with entrepreneur to spin out a global, wireless shipment tracking solution, delivering a go to market approach that expanded global market reach and grew sales from $10M to $100M.
Repositioned/relaunched a big-data mobile analytics service installed on over 200 million handsets and supported the successful sale of the business to AT&T and AC Nielsen within a two-year period.
Launched two separate venture-stage engineering software businesses through direct sales and reseller channel partners, resulting in successful corporate acquisitions over a four-year period.
As CEO, recapitalized and relaunched a struggling B2B enterprise software product line by simplifying products, deploying an eCommerce storefront, and launching multiple prosumer-focused products, resulting in a 10x increase in sales over a 4 year period.
Shooting Some Holes in the Minimum Viable Product
VP Strategy & Corporate Development, M-Files Corporation
VP Marketing and Products, Carrier iQ
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CEO, Bamboo Solutions Corporation
Board of Directors, Savi Technology Inc
Interim Marketing Lead, Savi Networks
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"Michael joined CarrieriQ as interim VP of Marketing and Product and quickly became a trusted part of the leadership team. Michael got up to speed fast while also bringing significant strategic and business development skills developed from his management and consulting experience." Larry Lenhart, Operating Partner, CEO, Board Member
"I brought Michael in to help create a strategic go to market plan for a startup business within Computer Associates. His approach was unique, his facilitation skills excellent, and his knowledge of the industry, his insight and his ability to draw the appropriate content out of a small and large team was a pleasure to watch. The bottom line is we grew the business 200 percent in two quarters, which is exactly what we outlined in our plan. I would always consider working with him when the end result is to consistently exceed expectations." Gary Starkey, Senior Management Executive, Computer Associates.
"I worked with Mike at two of my companies and he did a really professional job. The engagements for both companies were around how to position the company in the market establishing core competencies. His process is very thorough and valuable. Mike is also a very experienced executive with very good judgement."
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"Mike is a savvy tech industry insider who is very strategic and market oriented. Mike has referred early stage deals to me in the past, one of which I invested in (and still very happy I did) and the others I came close. I've used Mike as a consultant to the boards of two other companies I am on the board of. I consider Mike Tanner to be a trusted advisor."
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"I have had the opportunity to work with Michael in two companies. He was able to assist me in building a "break out" strategy for a company in a slow growth category, and helped develop a product/corporate strategy for building a new category company. His knowledge and process was essential to us achieving success in both cases."
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Download Michael's Resume Here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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A Conversation with the Texas Electoral College Voter Who Quit Instead of Voting for Trump
"I shouldn't be voting for a man that is basically untrustworthy and doesn't have any kind of ethical standards."
By Luke O'Neil
Chip SomodevillaGetty Images
Day by day, as Trump inches ever-closer to the Oval Office, many on the left have been desperately hoping for a miracle. By now you've probably heard that the founding fathers did in fact provide at least a sliver of hope in setting up the Electoral College in the well known You Can't Trust These Idiots clause. Nonetheless, the fact that electors are often chosen from the ranks of the state party faithful—those unlikely to risk turning on their party—makes the prospect exceedingly rare.
Still, there are occasionally those who find the idea of voting for their party's nominee beyond the pale. This past weekend, a Texas elector, Art Sisneros, announced he would be quitting his position. Sisneros made his decision due to an abundance of faith.
As he explained in a blog post:
I do not see how Donald Trump is biblically qualified to serve in the office of the Presidency. Of the hundreds of angry messages that I have received, not one has made a convincing case from scripture otherwise. If Trump is not qualified and my role, both morally and historically, as an elected official is to vote my conscience, then I can not and will not vote for Donald Trump for President. I believe voting for Trump would bring dishonor to God. The reality is Trump will be our President, no matter what my decision is. Many are furious that I am willing to have this discussion publicly. Personally, I wish more civil officers would be honest about their convictions.
Recount? Why Not.
I called Sisneros on Monday to find out a little more.
For starters, he's an industrial welding supplies salesman from Dayton, Texas. Sisneros says he ran for the position in the state convention in May without fully understanding the historical significance of it. There is no state law in Texas directing how electors should vote, but they do sign a pledge to the state GOP. "I hadn't wrestled with the moral implications of signing a pledge, and the moral implications, as a Christian, how I should view my voting," Sisneros said.
It wasn't that Trump had changed over the last few months, rather that he himself did.
"As my convictions grew, Trump, last year, and Trump this year, both would've been unqualified in my eyes," he said. "It was more of a moral, religious conviction that I shouldn't be voting for a man that is basically untrustworthy and doesn't have any kind of ethical standards."
Sisneros, a Presbyterian, says his faith plays a big role in all aspects of his life. He also believes strongly in the intent of the Faithless Elector loophole, although, in his personal case, he didn't feel comfortable going back on the pledge he made to the Texas GOP.
"The main reason I didn't choose that route, there was a pledge, so I signed that pledge, and it was my word I would vote for the nominee," he said. "I disagree that the pledge should be there, but they elected me on the assumption I would honor that pledge."
All of Trump\'s Problems Summed Up in One Word
It's small consolation to the left.
Sisneros' spot will be replaced by another Texas Republican. Still, one has to wonder, why there aren't more people like Sisneros, recoiling from Trump.
"We have fostered this culture of it's our team against their team," he said. "So all of the people of faith, evangelical, moral majority type people, I think they are driven by the fear of who the Democrat is, far more than what is right for the nation. A new revelation to me is that the people on the left are often the same way. Our team is good, their team is bad"
Luke O'Neil Luke is a writer from Boston who writes the newsletter Welcome to Hell World and author of a book of the same name.
Federal Judge Runs Into Lawless Federal Agency
America Just Did a Spit-Take at Trump's Lawyer
It Sounds Like Trump's Bragging About Obstruction
Brad Parscale Signals Trump Strategy: The Gutter
Trump's Legal Team Previewed Impeachment Defense
Trump Stumbled into a Good Electoral College Idea
Here's an Electoral College Prediction to Bet On
An Electoral College Voter Is Standing Up to Trump
The 'Murican Dreams of a Donald Trump Texas Arena Rally
Election 2008: Who People in Texas Should Vote For


It is really great to see how many women join work soon after giving birth. But going back to work gives rise to a practical worry that who would take care of their child? Since now a days families have become nuclear so leaving the little one with grandparents is not an option. This is when a daycare is required and many parents rely on them . But you have to be careful while selecting daycare for kids.
How early you can send the child to daycare?
A six-month-old child can be sent to daycare, as it is the perfect time for building up habits in the child. It is a stage when the child is trained to develop sleeping and eating habits.
Start searching for a good daycare you can search your locality and surf through Google. Also, you can ask fellow parents as well for their recommendation, they can tell you the real reviews. Do consider the location of the daycare as it must be near your house or office.
We know referrals from other parents or trusted resources are important, but you need to look the place yourself too. Select a few daycare options and visit them. Check out the rooms and observe how they are managing the babies . Are teachers having calm and meaningful conversations with children? Are they playing with children? Finally, observe how the staff interacts with the children and with each other. If you like their behavior and ambiance, then you can think of selecting it.
Check out their policies related to taking care of the baby and on topics such as discipline, feeding, sleeping etc. Don't hesitate and ask as many questions to clear the confusion in the beginning only.
By this, we mean that you need to trust your gut and not rush in selecting the daycare. Babies need good nurturing care so search and find the right one.
Check out all the facilities it provides like security measures, live video, meal options, number of employees per child and teacher ratio hygiene, medical facility transportation and others for the welfare of the baby.


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Aug. 4, 2017 12:45 pm
New America is hosting a cybersecurity panel on diversity
With the workforce shortage expanding, New America believes now is the time to get serious about diversifying cybersecurity
By Nia Dickens
A look inside the culture at LawIQ Find Out More
1776 is opening an incubator location in North Bethesda this winter
DC-based Procurated announces its first key hires
Thinking about launching a business? Here's a DC event to learn how
New America's Cyber Initiative.
(Photo via Twitter)
It seems that no one can escape cyber threats these days — from political parties to even the King in the North.
As the threats in cybersecurity outpace the community itself, the need for innovative thinking has multiplied. According to New America's Cybersecurity Initiative the solution is rather simple: diversity.
Despite a projected 1.8 million shortages in the workforce, women, for example, currently represent only 11 percent of professionals in the cybersecurity community.
It's issues like this that are central to Laura Bate's work as senior program associate at New America's Cybersecurity Initiative.
"The shortage of workers in the cybersecurity industry is an economic and security problem that we are working to confront through better alignment of the training pipeline and the hiring community, and through opening the aperture of who we perceive as a 'fit' for the workforce," Bate wrote in an email.
To address the importance of diversity in solving today's challenges in cybersecurity, New America Cybersecurity Initiative will host a panel on Aug. 11 at their 15th Street location in D.C.
Great event if you work in #cybersecurity in #dc area #dctech https://t.co/WCTpLj38QH
— Tonya Riley (@TonyaJoRiley) July 27, 2017
Three panelist will be featured at the event, moderated by Ian Wallace, co-director of New America's Cybersecurity Initiative:
Debora Plunkett, principal consultant at Plunkett Associates and former director of information assurance at National Security Agency
Suzanne Spaulding, former under secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at Department of Homeland Security
Mihoko Matsubara, chief security officer for Japan at Palo Alto Networks
The panel starts at 9:30 a.m., but don't worry — they'll bring the coffee. Participants will have the opportunity to network with other cybersecurity professionals at the breakfast, which will be available for all participants.
If you must have your freshly brewed specialty drink, New America still has you covered. They'll be offering a live webcast of the panel. To register and learn more about the event, click below.
Register Now -30-
Byte Back nabs $100K from a tech grant competition
Accenture has acquired a Seattle-based cybersecurity company
SyncDog forms an alliance with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Account Executive (DC)
Senior Full Stack Software Engineer
Endgame is set to be acquired by a Netherlands-based data management firm for $234M
Virginia-based Distil Networks is set to be acquired by a cybersecurity firm
This California-based cybersecurity company just acquired Verodin
This fast-growing SaaS company aims to be a force for change in the energy industry
EngagedMD
Full Stack Software Developer
TransitScreen
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\section{Search Strategy}

{\it {\bf Search Strategy -}} For this feasibility study, inclusive $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}} \ensuremath{\tilde{t}}^{*} \, + \,$ multi jets samples are generated with $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ masses in the range of $200$-$600$ GeV, keeping $\Delta M \sim \pm 7$ GeV. This region is not constrained by the present limit. There also exists no limit from the projections from the 14 TeV LHC. Both QCD and weak production processes of $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}} \ensuremath{\tilde{t}}^{*} \, + \,$ multi-jets are included. The $\neu{1}$ in our studies is mostly Bino, while the $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ is mostly $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}_R$ such that the dominant decay mode of the $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ is $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}} \, \rightarrow t \neu{1}$ in the 2 body case and $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}} \, \rightarrow t^{\ast} \neu{1}$ in the 3 body case. The signal in both $\Delta M \sim \pm 7$ GeV cases is 2 high $p_T$ jets + $2b\,+\,1 l+\met$.
The other colored particles, neutralinos and charginos are assumed to be much heavier.

Signal and background samples are generated with \madgraph \, \cite{Alwall:2011uj} followed by the parton showering and hadronization with \pythia \, \cite{Sjostrand:2006za} and the detector simulation using \pgs \, \cite{pgs}.

We use pre-cut samples for signal and background to develop our search strategies. The pre-cut sample is is obtained using \madgraph run card level cuts. The search strategy is based on three steps. First, we use the unique features of VBF jet topology to reduce $V \, + \,$  jets backgrounds (where $V$ is either $W$ or $Z$). Second, we the use decay properties of the centrally produced $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ pair, namely the requirement of an isolated lepton and two $b$-tagged jets from a top quark, to further reduce light quark QCD backgrounds and other channels that are also produced by VBF topologies. Finally, the $\met$ distribution is used to assess the presence of a signal above the $t\bar{t}$ .

$(1)$ VBF cuts: the event is required to have a presence of at least two jets ($j_1$, $j_2$) satisfying: $(i)$ $\pT  \geq 75$ and $50$ GeV in $|\eta| \leq 4$; $(ii)$ $|\Delta \eta (j_1, j_2)| > 3.5$; $(iii)$ $\eta_{j_1} \cdot \eta_{j_2} < 0$; $(iv)$ dijet invariant mass $M_{j_1 j_2} \, > \, 500$ GeV.

$(2)$ One isolated lepton with $\pT \geq 20$ GeV and two loose $b$-jets with $\pT \geq 30$ GeV in $|\eta| < 2.5$ are required. The $b$-jet identification efficiency and fake rate are taken to be $70\%$ and $1\%$, respectively.

$(3)$ In order to highlight the effectiveness of the $\met$ distribution after the VBF topological selections, the cut flow tables with corresponding cross-sections at each stage are displayed under different considerations of the $\met$ phase space (e.g. $\met > 100$ GeV for $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}} = 300$ GeV).

{\it {\bf Compressed Scenario -}}  The cut flow table with corresponding cross-sections at each stage are shown in Table \ref{tablestopbenchmark1} and \ref{tablestopbenchmark2} for  $\Delta M= \pm 7$ GeV. As mentioned, the $\met$ cuts are very effective  in improving the signal to background ratio.

\begin{table}[!htp]
\caption{Compressed scenario with $\Delta M=7$ GeV: Summary of the effective cross-sections (fb) for different benchmark signal points as well as the $t \bar{t}$ background at 14 TeV LHC. Masses and momenta are in GeV.}
\label{tablestopbenchmark1}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c}
\hline \hline

$(m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}, m_{\neu{1}})$ & Selection &Signal &\,\, $t \bar{t} + $jets & S/B \\
\hline
\hline \\
$(200,20)$ & Pre cut & $5.4 \times 10^{4}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=7$  & VBF & $1.8 \times 10^{3}$ & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ & ---\\
& 1 lepton & 390 & $8.1 \times 10^{3}$ &--- \\
& 2 $b$-jets & 170 & $3.1 \times 10^{3}$ & $5.6 \times 10^{-2}$ \\
& $\met > 100$ & 44 & 680 &  $6.5 \times 10^{-2}$\\
\hline \\
$(300,120)$ & Pre cut & $7.4\times 10^{3}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=7$ & VBF & 250 &  $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 56 & $8.1 \times 10^{3}$ & ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 32 & $3.1 \times 10^{3}$ & $1.0 \times 10^{-2}$ \\
& $\met > 100$ & 8.9 & 680 & $1.3 \times 10^{-2}$ \\
\hline \\
$(400,220)$ & Pre cut & $1.6\times 10^{3}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=7$ & VBF & 62 & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 14 & $8.1 \times 10^{3}$ &  ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 8.4 & $3.1 \times 10^{3}$ & $2.7 \times 10^{-3}$ \\
& $\met > 100$ & 4.8 & 680 & $7.0 \times 10^{-3}$\\
\hline \\
$(500,320)$ & Pre cut & 460 & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=7$ & VBF & 19 & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 4.2 & $8.1 \times 10^{3}$ & ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 2.4 & $3.1 \times 10^{3}$ & $7.9 \times 10^{-4}$ \\
& $\met > 150$ & 1.5 & 250 & $6.0 \times 10^{-3}$ \\
\hline \hline

\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[!htp]
\caption{Compressed scenario with $\Delta M=-7$ GeV: Summary of the effective cross-sections (fb) for different benchmark signal points as well as the $t \bar{t}$ background at LHC14. Masses and momenta are in GeV.}
\label{tablestopbenchmark2}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c}
\hline \hline

$(m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}, m_{\neu{1}})$ & Selection &Signal &\,\, $t \bar{t} + $jets & S/B\\
\hline
\hline\\
$(200,35)$ & Pre cut & $5.4 \times 10^{4}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=-7$   & VBF & $1.4 \times 10^{4}$ & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 270 & $8.1\times 10^{3}$ &  ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 79 & $3.1\times 10^{3}$ & $2.5\times 10^{-2}$ \\
& $\met > 100$ & 29 & 680 & $4.3\times 10^{-2}$\\
\hline \\
$(300,135)$ & Pre cut & $7.4 \times 10^{3}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=-7$  & VBF & 220 & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 43 & $8.1\times 10^{3}$ &  ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 12 & $3.1\times 10^{3}$ & $3.7 \times 10^{-3}$ \\
& $\met > 100$ & 6.7 & 680 & $9.8 \times 10^{-3}$\\
\hline \\
$(400,235)$ & Pre cut & $1.6 \times 10^{3}$ & $6.9 \times 10^{5}$ & ---\\
$\Delta M=-7$  & VBF & 51 & $3.8 \times 10^{4}$ &  ---\\
& 1 lepton & 10. & $8.1\times 10^{3}$ &  ---\\
& 2 $b$-jets & 2.8 & $3.1\times 10^{3}$ & $8.9\times 10^{-4}$ \\
& $\met > 200$ & 0.7 & 100 & $6.6 \times 10^{-3}$ \\
\hline \\

\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{table}

After all the cuts, the $t\bar{t}$ contribution is found to be the dominant background. The $W + $ jets as well as $WZ, WW$ events are expected to be negligible. The combined contribution from $W +$ jets, $WZ$, and $WW$ events is negligible. The requirement of the presence of the isolated lepton in the signal reduces the light flavor and gluon jets from QCD processes  effectively.

As $\Delta M$ increases, the $b$ jet becomes more energetic and the signal rate improves. In order to show this feature explicitly, let us choose  $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}$=300 GeV with  $m_{\neu{1}} = 150$ and 135 GeV. We find that after the $\met$ cut, the signal cross-sections are 5.0 fb and 6.7 fb for $m_{\neu{1}} = 135$ and 150 GeV, respectively. We note that the ability to identify soft b-jets ($p_{T}\sim 20$GeV) in a high pileup environment of the LHC14 is an important requirement for this analysis.

Figure \ref{MET_Norm1} shows the distributions of $\met$ normalized to unity for signal (green horizontally dashed histogram) and $t \bar{t} + $jets background (red diagonally dashed histogram) after VBF selections and lepton and $b$-jet requirements for two benchmark points $\Delta M=7$ GeV and $\Delta M=-7$ GeV. From the figure, it is clear that the signal shows up as a broad enhancement in the tail of the $\met$ distribution.

It is clear from Figure 1 that there is significant benefit from prusuing a shape based analysis using the $\met$ distribution and the shape of the $\met$ distribution shows difference between $\Delta M=7$ and $\Delta M=-7$ GeV.  We indeed propose such a strategy and those results will be presented.

\begin{figure}[!htp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{2_3_combined_MET_plot_9_25_c.pdf}
\caption{Distributions of $\met$ normalized to unity for signal (green horizontally dashed histogram) and $t \bar{t} + $jets background (red diagonally dashed histogram) after VBF selections and lepton and $b$-jet requirements for the benchmark point with $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}} = 400$ GeV, $m_{\neu{1}} = 220$ GeV.}
\label{MET_Norm1}
\end{figure}

We can calculate the significances $S/\sqrt{S+B}$, where $S$ and $B$ are the signal and background yields respectively, using a simple cut and count approach with the $\met$ preselections used in Tables I and II, keeping  $\Delta M = \pm7$ GeV, for various values of integrated luminosity at LHC14. We find that for $\Delta M=$7 GeV $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}} \, \sim \, 390$ GeV ($320$ GeV) can be probed at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) level with 300 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. The reach increases  to 560 GeV (470 GeV) at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) for 3000 fb$^{-1}$ of luminosity. For the three body case with $\Delta M = \, -7$ GeV, the reach for $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ is 320 (275) GeV at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) with 300 fb$^{-1}$ and  440 (380) GeV at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) with $3000$ fb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity.

{\it {\bf Systematics -}} The signal sensitivity considered thus far does not consider any source of systematic uncertainty.
In Fig.\ref{Stop_Three_Body_significance} we show signal significances under the consideration of of 3, 5 or 10\% for $\Delta M=\pm7$ GeV. The shape based analysis of the $\met$ distribution is performed using a
binned likelihood following the test statistic based on the profile likelihood ratio.
The systematic uncertainties are incorporated via nuisance parameters following the frequentist approach. A local p-value is calculated as the probability under a background only hypothesis to obtain a value of the test statistic as large as that obtained with a signal plus background hypothesis. The significance $z$ is then determined as the value at which the integral of a Gaussian between $z$ and $\infty$ results in a value equal to the local p-value.
We find that the significance for $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}$ = 200 GeV and $\Delta M=-7$ GeV is expected to be 4(2)$\sigma $ for 300 fb$^{-1}$ luminosity with 3(5)\% systematic uncertainty, while the significance becomes 6(3)$\sigma$ for  $\Delta M = 7$ GeV.
\begin{figure}[!htp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{2_3_systematics_9_20_b.pdf}
\caption{Significance as a function of $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}$ for the $\Delta M=\pm7$ GeV for 3, 5 and 10\% systematics with integrated luminosities of $300$ fb$^{-1}$ at LHC14. The horizontal dotted line indicates 1.96 $\sigma$
or 95\% CL exclusion.}
\label{Stop_Three_Body_significance}
\end{figure}

{\it {\bf Discussion -}} The main result of this paper is that the VBF topology can provide a feasible strategy to search for compressed top squarks.
A major improvement over non-VBF searches in the compressed scenario is the efficacy of the $\met$ cut, due to the fact that top squarks are
indirectly produced (e.g. by weak bosons, gluons, squarks, etc.) with a pair of high $E_{\rm T}$ tagging jets. We note that in the stealthy scenario, the $\neu{1}$ becomes massless, and the $\met$ cut loses its efficacy. We find that for $\Delta M=$7 GeV $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}} \, \sim \, 390$ GeV ($320$ GeV) can be probed at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) level with 300 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity using  $S/\sqrt{S+B}$.  For the three body case  with $\Delta M = \, -7$ GeV, the reach for $\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}$ is 320 (275) GeV at 3$\sigma$ (5$\sigma$) with 300 fb$^{-1}$.
The significance gets degraded when systematic uncertainties are
taken into account. The significance  for $m_{\ensuremath{\tilde{t}}}$ = 200 GeV and $\Delta M=7$ GeV is expected to be 6(3)$\sigma $ for 300 fb$^{-1}$ luminosity with 3(5)\% systematic uncertainty, while the significance becomes 4(2)$\sigma$ for the same stop mass with $\Delta M = -7$ GeV. There are no constraints for this parameter space point from the present data nor the ATLAS and CMS projections for the upcoming run. We also note that  the shape of the $\met$ distribution shows difference between $\Delta M=7$ and $\Delta M=-7$ GeV.
The determination of the systematic uncertainties due to the high pile-up conditions of the future is beyond the scope of this paper. It must be revisited with the expected performance of the upgraded ATLAS and CMS detectors.

{\it {\bf Acknowledgements -}} We would like to thank Howard Baer, Matt Buckley, Yu Gao, Tao Han, Kyoungchul Kong, Sanjay Padhi, and Lian-Tao Wang for helpful discussions. This work is supported in part by DOE Grant No.  DE-SC0010813, NSF Award PHY-1206044, and by the World Class University (WCU) project through the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (Grant No. R32-2008-000-20001-0). T.K. was also supported in part by Qatar National Research Fund under project NPRP 5 - 464 - 1 - 080. K.S. is supported by NASA Astrophysics Theory Grant NNH12ZDA001N.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
St. Thomas' Welcomes the Rev. Alex Dyer!
St. Thomas' is delighted to call the Rev. Alex Dyer as its Priest-in-Charge. Having begun his ministry as a missionary in Cairo, Egypt working with Sudanese refugees, he has since served numerous parishes in New York City and Connecticut. Alex has a heart for urban ministry beginning with his time at St. Luke in the Fields in New York City, where he oversaw outreach programs for LGBT youth and a program for people with HIV/AIDS. Upon moving to New Haven, he created an outdoor Eucharist that ministered primarily to people who were experiencing homelessness. He also served as the Executive Director of the largest food pantry in New Haven, CT, which served about 300 families each week.
Alex also brings experience in the wider church, which started with working for Episcopal News Service. Since then he has served as a Deputy to General Convention, a member of the search committee for the Bishop of Connecticut, a member of the Commission on Ministry for the Diocese of Connecticut and is currently the President of the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Connecticut.
For the past three years, Alex has been working on his Doctorate in Ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary. His project focuses on reconnecting churches to their neighborhoods, discovering what God is up to and how parishes can join God's mission. He hopes to defend his thesis this coming spring.
While Alex was born in Tennessee, he spent much of his childhood in Montgomery County, Maryland, and is delighted to rejoin many members of his family who still live in the DC area.
We also welcome Alex's husband, Ryan DeLoach, and their beautiful daughter, Savannah Gayle. Ryan has a Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and has most recently worked for a large nonprofit specializing in shelter and housing services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Alex's first Sunday at St. Thomas' will be on October 9. Please join us as we welcome our new Priest in Charge and Ryan and Savannah to our family.
Introduction from Alex Dyer on Vimeo.
Posted on August 26, 2016 by Jean Holman
About Us, News, People of St. Thomas'
Ordination of The Rev. Rebecca Ann Zartman (Video Clip)
On Thursday, March 27, 2014, in a service held at St. Thomas' Parish – Dupont Circle, The Rev. Rebecca Ann Zartman was ordained to the priesthood by The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
Posted on March 27, 2014 by St. Thomas' Administrator
People of St. Thomas', Worship
People of St. Thomas' – Carol C.
Carol C. and her husband moved from New York City to Washington, D.C. in May 2012, and have since become part of the spiritual community at St. Thomas' Parish. Carol had always been an active volunteer, and she wanted to become involved in her new city as well. At St. Thomas' she serves as a Sunday greeter, helps with the monthly meal we provide at Christ House, and also organized the coffee hour reception for Bishop Mariann's recent visitation.
After reading about the organization N Street Village in Street Sense, the local homeless newspaper, she began serving at their night shelter as an overnight volunteer, and later took on other volunteer roles, including helping at Miriam's House, the Village's residence for women living with HIV and AIDS. This past fall, she participated in the organization's Community Walk to raise funds and awareness about homelessness. Most recently, she made a donation of 31 hand-knitted quilts to the residents of the Village's night shelter. She had coordinated with a childhood friend in Michigan to organize quilting circles, so that each woman living in the shelter received her very own blanket for Christmas.
Thanks to Carol (and her friends in Michigan) for sharing her time and gifts with our parish and community!
More About Us, People of St. Thomas'
10th Anniversary of Gene Robinson's Consecration
The weekend of Nov. 2-3 at St. Thomas' Parish was special for a lot of reasons:
On Sunday, we celebrated All Saints Day, raising up in prayer the names of scores of people who have died but have not been forgotten by family, and loved ones, and friends.
Also, our Rector, Nancy Lee Jose, celebrated her 10th All Saints Day as Rector of St. Thomas' Parish.
And the day before was the 10th anniversary of the consecration of Gene Robinson, the resident Bishop at St. Thomas' Parish, as the IX Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. You may want to read the short note by Susan Russell on the Episcopal Cafe. If you'd like to keep up with Gene's activities, you might want to follow him on Twitter or on his Facebook page. Or catch him the next time he's preaching or celebrating the Eucharist at St. Thomas' Parish.
For now, we celebrate All The Saints — those who have preceded us and those with us still — who strive to live out the church's vocation as The Body of Christ and the agent of grace, reconciliation, compassion, and justice. In the words of one of my favorite hymns: "I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true, who toiled and fought and lived and died for the Lord they loved and knew. … and one was a soldier, and one was a priest, and one was slain by a fierce wild beast: and there's not any reason, no, not the least, why I shouldn't be one too."
Posted on November 4, 2013 by wfloyd1950
People of St. Thomas'
Member Profile – Jeremy A.
I first started coming to St. Thomas' in 2004 because I lived two blocks away. And I could sleep in (very) late yet still be on time for the 11:00 a.m. service. I kept coming back because people were friendly, and the parish struck a nice balance between being laid back and eager to grow. Many things have changed over the years, including my involvement with the parish. I've served as an usher, on the altar guild, part of a seminarian discernment team, and as a Godly Play teacher.
I've led the Inclusion Team twice, with a two-year break in between while I worked as a chaplain at an Episcopal school in Florida. What has remained constant in the community is a genuine desire to be and to become the wonderful people God has made us to be. St. Thomas' has given me room to grow up since those early days a decade ago when I slunk into the back row, sleepy-eyed at 11:00 a.m.
I didn't know it then, but I know it now: While I may have been looking for a church nearby, God was more intently looking for me, drawing me to this corner on 18th and Church Streets, to settle into a community that would nurture, challenge, and enrich me. I am so grateful.
Posted on September 15, 2013 by St. Thomas' Administrator


From pool parties to picnics, hiking to biking: everyone loves spending time outdoors on a sunny day. But too much sun can be harmful, and it's crucial to make sure that when you spend time in the sun, you are protecting your skin.
A suntan results from an activation of the body's natural defense mechanism against damaging ultraviolet (UV) sun rays. Excessive exposure to UV light can overwhelm the body's defenses and result in sunburn.
Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) are the two types of solar radiation that can harm your skin. UVB is responsible for sunburns and is partially blocked by the ozone layer. UVA is not absorbed by the ozone and penetrates the skin deeper than UVB. Neither type of UV ray is safe.
Decrease inflammation using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). These include ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin.
Apply moisturizing cream to relieve discomfort.
Wear dry bandages if blisters are visible to help prevent infection.
Prevent further exposure to the sun.
Do not use products that have benzocaine or lidocaine, which might make the burn worse.
Sunscreens help to protect against sunburn by blocking the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Excessive exposure to the sun's UV rays (as well as UV rays from tanning beds) increases your risk for developing skin cancer, regardless of your age, gender, or race. Approximately one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
Most sunscreens products are available for purchase over-the-counter (OTC) and are regulated under the FDA monograph system, which means that information on sunscreen labels is approved by the FDA. The Monograph outlines the requirements for which active ingredients can be used, allowable concentrations, dosage forms, and other specifications.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF), is a measure of how well a sunscreen protects your skin from the kind of radiation (UVB rays) that causes sunburn, damages skin, and may contribute to skin cancer. The higher the SPF, the more protection the sunscreen will provide against UVB rays. SPF does not measure protection from UVA rays.
If your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 30 sunscreen would allow you to stay in the sun without burning for approximately 300 minutes (a factor of 30 times longer). This is a rough estimate that depends on skin type, intensity of sunlight, and amount of sunscreen used. Experts recommend that you use a minimum SPF 30 sunscreen, apply the proper amount (2mg/cm2 of skin, or about one shot glass—1 ounce—for full body coverage), and reapply every 2 hours.
There are two types of sunscreens: chemical and physical. Physical sunscreens protect your skin from the sun by deflecting or blocking the sun's rays. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the sun's rays. Some chemical filters can scatter the sun's rays, but still mostly just absorb them.
Many sunscreens combine active ingredients to provide "broad spectrum" protection—meaning protection against both UVA and UVB radiation.
UVA rays can cause premature aging of your skin (e.g., wrinkling and age spots). UVB rays can cause your skin to burn. Excessive exposure to UVA or UVB rays can cause skin cancer.
Limit your time in the sun, especially when the sun's rays are most intense (10AM-2PM).
Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun (e.g., long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats).
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) value of 30 or higher regularly and as directed.
Always read the label to ensure you use your sunscreen correctly.
Ask a healthcare provider before applying sunscreen to infants younger than six months.
Apply sunscreen liberally to all uncovered skin at least 30 minutes before sun exposure.
Reapply at least every two hours. If you are swimming or sweating, it is important to reapply more frequently.
Always read the Drug Facts label carefully. The label tells you everything you need to know about the sunscreen, including ingredients, how much to use, and when you shouldn't use it.
Always keep babies and infants out of direct sunlight. Parents shouldn't use sunscreen on a child younger than 6 months old.
Always consult your healthcare provider if you or your child has a skin rash or irritation after applying sunscreen.


text:
package com.google.api.client.xml.atom;

import com.google.api.client.http.HttpHeaders;
import com.google.api.client.http.HttpMediaType;
import com.google.api.client.util.Beta;
import com.google.api.client.util.Charsets;
import com.google.api.client.util.Lists;
import com.google.api.client.util.Preconditions;
import com.google.api.client.util.escape.PercentEscaper;
import com.google.api.client.xml.Xml;

import java.util.Arrays;

/**
 * {@link Beta}

 * Atom Utilities.
 *
 * @since 1.0
 * @author Yaniv Inbar
 */
@Beta
public final class Atom {

  /** Atom namespace. */
  public static final String ATOM_NAMESPACE = "http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom";

  /**
   * {@code "application/atom+xml; charset=utf-8"} media type used as a default for Atom parsing.
   *
   *

   * Use {@link HttpMediaType#equalsIgnoreParameters} for comparing media types.
   *

   *
   * @since 1.10
   */
  public static final String MEDIA_TYPE =
      new HttpMediaType("application/atom+xml").setCharsetParameter(Charsets.UTF_8).build();

  /** Escaper for the {@code Slug} header. */
  private static final PercentEscaper SLUG_ESCAPER =
      new PercentEscaper(" !\"#$&'()*+,-./:;<=>?@[\\]^_`{|}~", false);

  static final class StopAtAtomEntry extends Xml.CustomizeParser {

    static final StopAtAtomEntry INSTANCE = new StopAtAtomEntry();

    @Override
    public boolean stopBeforeStartTag(String namespace, String localName) {
      return "entry".equals(localName) && ATOM_NAMESPACE.equals(namespace);
    }
  }

  private Atom() {
  }

  /**
   * Checks the given content type matches the Atom content type specified in {@link #MEDIA_TYPE}.
   *
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if content type doesn't match
   */
  public static void checkContentType(String contentType) {
    Preconditions.checkArgument(contentType != null); // for backwards compatibility
    Preconditions.checkArgument(HttpMediaType.equalsIgnoreParameters(MEDIA_TYPE, contentType),
        "Wrong content type: expected <" + MEDIA_TYPE + "> but got <%s>", contentType);
  }

  /**
   * Sets the {@code "Slug"} header, properly escaping the header value. See The Slug Header.
   *
   * @since 1.14
   */
  public static void setSlugHeader(HttpHeaders headers, String value) {
    if (value == null) {
      headers.remove("Slug");
    } else {
      headers.set("Slug", Lists.newArrayList(Arrays.asList(SLUG_ESCAPER.escape(value))));
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


It was a gray day when we visited this Skokie two-story ranch. But that was outside. Inside, why, it had never been sunnier!
Thanks to the G.E. SUNLAMP, you can "enjoy year 'round suntan!" And increased incidence of skin cancer! In the comfort of your own home!
Here's the back. Don't bother squinting or clicking the picture for a larger version. Here's the best part: "For all the family," says the second subhead, rather inelegantly. "Most people who can be tanned by the sun can use the G.E. SUNLAMP. You may wish you consult your physicians in some cases," it cautions, ever so blithely. "Particularly concerning babies and small children." After all, nothing looks healthier on a baby than a nice, dark tan. And premature wrinkling.
Ah, ha! Discovered in an upstairs bathroom: one of the "various fixtures and holders" designed for the G.E. SUNLAMP. Along with one of its younger siblings, apparently from the seventies.
I wasn't surprised to find it here. Everything about this bathroom was bright and sunny!
To this cheery yellow tile vanity top.
You know what be even more awesome? If each of those yellow tiles had a little smiley face painted on it.
This was a great, Brady-era house that just needed a little vision and TLC to make it sit com-ready.
This is a stairway and landing a girl could walk across on prom night to the whole family's oohs and aahs. Or storm up and into her room, on those occasions when one or both of her parents were ruining her entire life!
This bedroom has probably been soaked in hysterical tears.
Someone spent a lot of time depicting this old salt in needlepoint.
This kitten looks afraid of something. Perhaps it's the thought of being thrown in the trash.
If this house had a major flaw, it was the kitchen. It was a tiny thing, tucked into the corner of the first floor like an afterthought.
The mom didn't care about entertaining much, I guess. Or feeding her family.
The kids probably spent all their time down here anyway, dining on TV dinners and bowls of popcorn and sugar-sweetened cereal. That is, when one or both of their parents weren't absolutely ruining their lives!
The only thing that might make this post more enjoyable for you is knowing that immediately after I left this sale, I inadvertently had lunch at an old-folks cafe called "Mather's: More Than a Cafe." This video will do a better, quicker job of explaining what I wandered into than I ever could.
Ordinarily when I go on these excursions, I enjoy dining at one-of-a-kind, out-of-the-way places I find along the way. It adds to the fun, and gives me a glimpse into a world outside of the standard-issue, corporate-run, hyphenated same-old-thing.
And by the way, get a load of this wallpaper.
And so, after looking at engines and tracks and tunnels and models of charming old-fashioned little towns, I went looking for a place to have a quick bite to eat.
Because I wanted something out of the ordinary, an establishment that described itself as more than a cafe struck me as just right.
It bears saying that this more than a cafe looked perfectly ordinary from the outside. There were no signs or portents that would lead me or you or anyone else to believe that this more than a cafe was as much more as it really was.
My first clue that something was amiss was the receptionist just inside the door. "Can I help you?" she asked with a pointedness I would only grasp a few moments too late. "Yeah..." I said, looking around, still not getting it. "Can I have lunch?"
Oh, and every time I see the phrase "train lover," I immediately think of some girls we used to gossip about in high school.
"Well," the receptionist said, "do you know how this works?" The sensible response would have been a simple "No," and a discreet getaway. But I was inside the door. Patrons had already turned around to greet the new arrival. It was too late to turn back. "You order at the counter," she gestured at a cafeteria line behind her, "and pick a table."
So I went in. And the very next thing I saw was an exercise class of seniors in sweats and stirrup pants, all of them stretching to their "full range of motion," as encouraged by the instructor. And more seniors beyond them, at computers around the dining area, catching up on emails and pictures of the grandkids and generally brushing up on their Internet skillz.
So I ordered my meal -- a Reuben or turkey sandwich or something, I don't exactly recall -- and sat down at a table that was as out of the way as I could find, to wait for its delivery. I felt, as the ladies at Harpo used to say, like a raisin in the rice bowl.
When my sandwich finally arrived, it turned out to be fairly bland and easily chewed.
I finished my meal --along with plenty of salt and pepper -- and left without incident. Of course I did. Those seniors weren't looking for trouble any more than I was. And when I was once again outside, I'm sure we all breathed a grateful sigh of relief.
I hope they all had a good laugh at my expense. Because I've certainly had one or two at theirs.
And by the way, isn't it strange that a semi-truck would deliver the magic of Lionel trains to you?
Judging from our previous posts, the good people of Skokie know how to enjoy themselves. Toys, games, daring wallpaper and decorating choices... it's obvious they knew how to have a good time. Add the owners of this cozy ranch to their number.
There's nothing more fun than a rousing march.
A pretzel barrel full of golf balls. Not just fun, but wacky and practical, too. Wacktical!
As fine a collection of vintage board games as you're likely to find anywhere in the Chicago area.
I'll set up the tower, and you can be the terrorist, okay?
Can you name all 48?
I'd say a few too many have been playing this one lately. Though it does give me a great idea: the collateralized debt obligation game. Buy stuff blindly and sell it to the other players before the timer goes off and the economy goes into the shitter!
Awww. Who needs a hug?
Talk about your sense of fun. I love the fact that somebody very cleverly added an "s" to "husband." Who knows how many hen-pecked men lived here at one time? Or what kind of black widow presided over their every coming and going?
... forgot today was Monday. Our apologies to you, the loyal reader.
We'll be back on Wednesday with a new post and our act generally more together.
Spring is almost here! In honor of its imminent arrival we're offering up this tiny Des Plaines ranch with a garden's worth of blooms inside.
But first, there's something about old ovens that brings out the June Cleaver in me. This is a Chambers "Custom Gas" model, a brand I've never heard of. A little Internet research shows that it was reintroduced in 2007 to little fanfare, and apparently no longer exists.
It was found in this kitchen, where the wallpaper matched the drapes, which match my nightmares.
We'll move along in a moment. But first, I thought I'd rub your nose in this just a bit longer.
And... cut to the sun room.
I don't know what I like better. The upholstery on the rattan furniture.
Or these TV trays nearby.
You don't run across items like this every day on the estate sale circuit. Honestly, to me, this is beautiful and hideous at the same time. It's like meeting someone who's unattractive but really good in bed.
Okay, one more and done: This is not the first time I've found one of these.
St. Patrick's Day is right up there with World Religion Day and National Hobby Month as far as holidays go. But people seem to like it, and Lord knows we need something to celebrate this time of year, so here we go.
We'll start with this Richard Simmons DVD, because he's always good for an easy joke and we could probably all stand to lose a few pounds.
Moving right along. I miss these phones, along with those orthopedic-looking shoulder braces. This one looks like it would happily put an eye out if you were unlucky enough to aim it in the wrong direction.
I wish I could have taken this trio home with me. They would have gone perfectly with that phone above.
Faithful readers of this blog have already seen this photo. It's hard to believe toilet paper used to come in a rainbow of pastel colors, and with roses and flowers printed on it, too. It's true: the past really was a more elegant and civilized time.
I'm sure this is still perfectly fine to use.
I wanted this picture for my office, but I was afraid it would send the wrong message to management.
Two of these trolls are dressed for the wrong holiday.
How to raise an envious little girl.
The only things this walker is missing are some streamers for the handlebars and a couple rear-view mirrors.
Never paint a room this color. This color is reserved for hospital emergency rooms and that place where the school janitor waits until class is over.
Thanks for stopping by. May your St. Patrick's Day be green!


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Q: Default value behaves differently when used in Function and when used with Cases Consider this example:
 Cases[{4, x, 5 a , 6 x}, x_.*a_ :> x]

(*{1, 1, 5, 6}*)

It is clear that the _. took 1 as a Default value.
Now:
f[x_.] := {x} dose not work and _. Default value has to be user defined first
Default[f] = 0;
f[x_.] := {x}
f[]
(*{0}*)

It is little confusing that _. takes default value in some operation and has to be user defined with default value in other operation.
Any explanations?
Thanks

A: The answer is pretty simple and you were very close to seeing this yourself:
Default[Times]

(* Out[9]= 1 *)

As you see, the DefaultValues for Times and Plus are already built in.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Day 113 of the Art for Food 365 Day Challenge.
113. Is that an unlucky number? Some people don't like 13. But in some places it's just fine. Maybe even better than fine. Do they still skip the 13th floor on tall buildings? Or is that a thing of the past? I don't know. It's been a long time since I've been in a building. Do they skip the 113th floor? Is that a thing? Who knows!


Goose Tracks quilt block is really a charming old pattern,for either a two or three color combination.
Allow seams extra to the cutting sizes here given and a block will finish about 11 inches square. (enlarge pattern) This Goose Tracks quilt puts together with alternate white blocks, 6 blocks wide by 7 blocks long plus a 3-inch border and it finishes 72 by 83 inches. You will need 2 1/4 yards of blue material and 6 1/2 yards of white. Allow extra for seams on all blocks.
The Snowflakes design or a ten-inch Feather Circle would be suitable to quilt on the alternate blocks.
Click on image to print the 5" block of the Goose Tracks Quilt Pattern.


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Hormone | Article about hormone by The Free Dictionary
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/hormone
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Idioms, Wikipedia.
Related to hormone: plant hormone, growth hormone, thyroid hormone
hormone,
secretory substance carried from one gland or organ of the body via the bloodstream to more or less specific tissues, where it exerts some influence upon the metabolism of the target tissue. Normally, various hormones are produced and secreted by the endocrine glands (see endocrine systemendocrine system
, body control system composed of a group of glands that maintain a stable internal environment by producing chemical regulatory substances called hormones.
..... Click the link for more information. ), including the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, adrenals, ovaries, testes, pancreatic islets, certain portions of the gastrointestinal tract, and the placenta, among the mammalian species. As lack of any one of them may cause serious disorders, many hormones are now produced synthetically and used in treatment where a deficiency exists. The hormones of the anterior pituitary include thyrotropinthyrotropin
or thyroid-stimulating hormone
(TSH), hormone released by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxine. The release of thyrotropin is triggered by the action of thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF), a substance found in
..... Click the link for more information. , adrenocorticotropic hormoneadrenocorticotropic hormone
, polypeptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Its chief function is to stimulate the cortex of the adrenal gland to secrete adrenocortical steroids, chief among them cortisone.
..... Click the link for more information. , the gonadotropic hormonesgonadotropic hormone
or gonadotropin,
any one of three glycoprotein (see protein) hormones released by either the anterior pituitary gland or the placenta (the organ in which maternal and fetal blood exchange nutrients and waste products) that have various effects upon
..... Click the link for more information. , and growth hormonegrowth hormone
or somatotropin
, glycoprotein hormone released by the anterior pituitary gland that is necessary for normal skeletal growth in humans (see protein).
..... Click the link for more information. ; the posterior pituitary secretes antidiuretic hormoneantidiuretic hormone
, polypeptide hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland. Its principal action is to regulate the amount of water excreted by the kidneys. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), known also as vasopressin, causes the kidneys to resorb water directly from the
..... Click the link for more information. , prolactin, and oxytocinoxytocin
, hormone released from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland that facilitates uterine contractions and the milk-ejection reflex. The structure of oxytocin, a cyclic peptide consisting of nine amino acids, was determined in 1953 and in the same year it was
..... Click the link for more information. . The thyroids secrete thyroxinethyroxine
, substance secreted by the thyroid gland. The hormone thyroxine forms by combining the amino acid tyrosine with iodine. Complexed to a protein, it is stored in the follicle stems between thyroid cells.
..... Click the link for more information. and calcitonin, and the parathyroids secrete parathyroid hormoneparathyroid hormone
or parathormone,
a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that regulates the metabolism of calcium and phosphate in the body. It has been purified extensively and appears to be a protein containing 84 amino-acid residues, a sequence of which
..... Click the link for more information. . The adrenal medulla secretes epinephrineepinephrine
, hormone important to the body's metabolism, also known as adrenaline. Epinephrine, a catecholamine, together with norepinephrine, is secreted principally by the medulla of the adrenal gland.
..... Click the link for more information. and norepinephrinenorepinephrine
, a neurotransmitter in the catecholamine family that mediates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system, a branch of the autonomic nervous system.
..... Click the link for more information. while the cortex of the same gland releases aldosteronealdosterone
, steroid secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland. It is the most potent hormone regulating the body's electrolyte balance. Aldosterone acts directly on the kidney to decrease the rate of sodium-ion excretion (with accompanying retention of water), and to
..... Click the link for more information. , corticosteronecorticosterone
, steroid hormone secreted by the outer layer, or cortex, of the adrenal gland. Classed as a glucocorticoid, corticosterone helps regulate the conversion of amino acids into carbohydrates and glycogen by the liver, and helps stimulate glycogen formation in the
..... Click the link for more information. , cortisolcortisol
or hydrocortisone,
steroid hormone that in humans is the major circulating hormone of the cortex, or outer layer, of the adrenal gland. Like cortisone, cortisol is classed as a glucocorticoid; it stimulates liver glycogen formation while it decreases the rate
..... Click the link for more information. , and cortisonecortisone
, steroid hormone whose main physiological effect is on carbohydrate metabolism. It is synthesized from cholesterol in the outer layer, or cortex, of the adrenal gland under the stimulation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).
..... Click the link for more information. . The ovaries primarily secrete estrogenestrogen
, any one of a group of hormones synthesized by the reproductive organs and adrenal glands in females and, in lesser quantities, in males. The estrogens cause the thickening of the lining of the uterus and vagina in the early phase of the ovulatory, or menstrual, cycle
..... Click the link for more information. and progesteroneprogesterone
, female sex hormone that induces secretory changes in the lining of the uterus essential for successful implantation of a fertilized egg. A steroid, progesterone is secreted chiefly by the corpus luteum, a group of cells formed in the ovary after the follicle
..... Click the link for more information. and the testes testosteronetestosterone
, principal androgen, or male sex hormone. One of the group of compounds known as anabolic steroids, testosterone is secreted by the testes (see testis) but is also synthesized in small quantities in the ovaries, cortices of the adrenal glands, and placenta, usually
..... Click the link for more information. . The adrenal cortex, ovaries, and testes in fact produce at least small amounts of all of the steroidsteroids,
class of lipids having a particular molecular ring structure called the cyclopentanoperhydro-phenanthrene ring system. Steroids differ from one another in the structure of various side chains and additional rings. Steroids are common in both plants and animals.
..... Click the link for more information. hormones. The islets of Langerhans in the pancreas secrete insulininsulin,
hormone secreted by the β cells of the islets of Langerhans, specific groups of cells in the pancreas. Insufficiency of insulin in the body results in diabetes. Insulin was one of the first products to be manufactured using genetic engineering.
..... Click the link for more information. , glucagonglucagon
, hormone secreted by the α cells of the islets of Langerhans, specific groups of cells in the pancreas. It tends to counteract the action of insulin, i.e., it raises the concentration of glucose in the blood.
..... Click the link for more information. , and somatostatin. The kidneys also produce erythropoietin, which produces erythrocytes (red blood cells). The passage of chyme (see digestive systemdigestive system,
in the animal kingdom, a group of organs functioning in digestion and assimilation of food and elimination of wastes. Virtually all animals have a digestive system. In the vertebrates (phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata) the digestive system is very complex.
..... Click the link for more information. ) from the stomach to the duodenum causes the latter to release secretin, which stimulates the flow of pancreatic juice. The duodenum can also be stimulated by the presence of fats in the chyme to secrete cholecystokinin, a hormone that stimulates the gall bladder to contract and release bilebile,
bitter alkaline fluid of a yellow, brown, or green color, secreted, in man, by the liver. Bile, or gall, is composed of water, bile acids and their salts, bile pigments, cholesterol, fatty acids, and inorganic salts.
..... Click the link for more information. . There is evidence that the upper intestine secretes pancreatozymin, which enhances the amount of digestive enzymes in the pancreatic juice. In addition, the pyloric region of the stomach secretes gastrin, a hormone that increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid into the stomach. The placenta has been shown to secrete progesterone and chorionic gonadotropin. There is evidence that it even contains a substance similar to growth hormone. Insects have a unique hormonal system that includes ecdysone, a steroid that influences molting and metamorphosis, and juvenile hormone, needed for early development. Plants, too, have a hormonal system, which includes the auxinsauxin
, plant hormone that regulates the amount, type, and direction of plant growth. Auxins include both naturally occurring substances and related synthetic compounds that have similar effects. Auxins are found in all members of the plant kingdom.
..... Click the link for more information. , the gibberellins, the cytokinins, and substances associated with the formation of flowers, tubers, bulbs, and buds. Ethylene is said to function as a hormone in plants, acting to hasten the ripening of fruits.
One of the chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands, whose secretions are liberated directly into the bloodstream and transported to a distant part or parts of the body, where they exert a specific effect for the benefit of the body as a whole. The endocrine glands involved in the maintenance of normal body conditions are pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, ovary, and testis. However, these organs are not the only tissues concerned in the hormonal regulation of body processes. For example, the duodenal mucosa, which is not organized as an endocrine gland, elaborates a substance called secretin which stimulates the pancreas to produce its digestive juices. The placenta is also a very important hormone-producing tissue. See separate articles on the individual glands.
The hormones obtained from extracts of the endocrine glands may be classified into four groups according to their chemical constitution: (1) phenol derivatives, such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, thyroxine, and triiodothyronine; (2) proteins, such as the anterior pituitary hormones, with the exception of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), human chorionic gonadotropin, pregnant-mare-serum gonadotropin, and thyroglobulin; (3) peptides, such as insulin, glucagon, ACTH, vasopressin, oxytocin, and secretin; and (4) steroids, such as estrogens, androgens, progesterone, and corticoids. Hormones, with a few exceptions like pituitary growth hormone and insulin, may also be classified as either tropic hormones or target-organ hormones. The former work indirectly through the organs or glands which they stimulate, whereas the latter exert a direct effect on peripheral tissues. See Endocrine system (vertebrate)
[′hȯr'mōn]
(biochemistry)
A chemical messenger produced by endocrine glands and secreted directly into the bloodstream to exert a specific effect on a distant part of the body.
An organic compound that is synthesized in minute quantities in one part of a plant and translocated to another part, where it influences a specific physiological process.
1. a chemical substance produced in an endocrine gland and transported in the blood to a certain tissue, on which it exerts a specific effect
2. an organic compound produced by a plant that is essential for growth
3. any synthetic substance having the same effects
Adenohypophysis hormone
adrenal gland
adrenocortical hormone
adrenocorticotropic hormone
adrenotropic hormone
Andrew V. Schally
antidiuretic hormone
biological specificity
Butenandt, Adolf Friedrich Johann
corticoid
Cyclic Nucleotides
Ecdysone
On the other hand, if the thyroid produces too little hormone the feedback lessens and the pituitary gland produces more TSH and this fine-tunes hormone levels.
2 MINUTES ON... How to ensure your hormones stay under control
Tonight I will be taking a free workshop on how these hormones play huge roles in our everyday lives.
STAY healthy; Benjamin Owen, creator of the FAST way to fitness camp
For years, people have argued that synthetic hormones and bioidentical hormones are the same.
Are bioidentical hormones safe?
Life Extension[R] offers an extensive blood test panel for both men and women to test for hormones. They also have multiple supplement formulas that support these important sex hormones.
Why testing your hormones is important
Hormone imbalance can be tricky to spot they note because the situation brings on multiple symptoms like sleep disturbance weight gain mood swings and low energy.
Hormone Harmony: How to Balance Insulin Cortisol Thyroid Estrogen Progesterone and Testosterone To Live Your Best Life
Whether a hormone is acting in an endocrine, paracrine, or autocrine manner several concepts of fundamental importance apply to its regulatory activity (Figure 7-4):
Chapter 7: Principles of reproductive endocrinology
For years, the NWHN has been urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exercise better oversight of natural hormones. In January, the FDA finally took action, telling the pharmacies that the safety and effectiveness claims they were making "are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the Agency."
Natural hormones are powerful chemicals
Bio-identical hormones have made quite a dash to the forefront of today's hormone therapy, for men and women alike.
Bio-identical, synthetic and plant hormones: what's right for you? Sort through the hormone hullabaloo with Bill Cheek, RPh
Saliva testing to assess ovarian function or hormone levels is inaccurate; salivary levels fluctuate widely and do not correlate to blood levels of hormones, says the North American Menopause Society, which does not recommend such tests.
The bottom line on "bioidentical" hormones
If you answered yes to the majority of these questions, you may want to consider short-term hormone replacement therapy.
Is there a hormone heaven? You cannot live with them and you cannot live without them ... or can you?
He also recommends that women with a family history of autoimmune diseases have their thyroid hormone levels checked annually.
Women & thyroid disease
But an estimated 30,000 generally healthy people in the United States, mostly elderly adults, take the hormone for its putative antiaging effects.
Growth hormone's risks outweigh its benefits
horizontal sweep
horizontal sweep transformer
horizontal synchronizing pulse
horizontal system
horizontal tabulation
Horizontal Telescope
horizontal transmission
horizontal vee
horizontal vibrating needle
horizontal-axis mixer
horizontally opposed engine
horizontal-position welding
horizontal-ring drilling
horizontal-rolled-position welding
horizontal-tube evaporator
Horkheimer Max
Horlick
Hormah
Hormel, George A.
hormesis
Hormogoneaephyceae
hormogonium
Hormonal Preparations
Hormonal Regulation
hormone-responsive element
horn angle
horn antenna
horn arrester
horn balance
Horn Band
horn buoy
Horn clause
Horn Dance
horn equation
horn lead
horn lightning arrester
Horn Loudspeaker
horn of plenty
horn quicksilver
horn radiator
horn silver
horn socket
hormonal replacement therapy
hormonal sex
hormonal synergism
Hormonal treatment
hormonal tumor
hormonalization
hormonally
Hormonally Active Agent
Hormone and Information Processing
hormone assay
Hormone Dependent Prostate Cancer
Hormone disruptor
Hormone Fluctuation Model
Hormone foundation
hormone herbicide
hormone hypersensitivity
hormone receptor test
Hormone receptors
Hormone Refractory Metastatic Carcinoma of the Prostate
Hormone Refractory Prostrate Cancer
Hormone Replacement Therapy of Menopause
hormone resistance


1 What is an Intranet and what are its benefits?
1.2 So Who has Intranets?
What is an Intranet and what are its benefits?
An intranet is a privately maintained computer network that can be accessed only by authorized persons, especially members or employees of the organization that owns it.
The main purpose of an intranet is to share company information and computing resources among employees. An intranet can also be used to facilitate working in groups and for teleconferences over long distances. It is similar to the internet as users search for information, however it is rarely used to store information outside the scope of the users occupation and industry.
Simple routine question and answers can be kept on the intranet to cut down on interoffice chatter.
Form Finding. Do your employees spend time chasing paper ? trying to hunt down paper forms, reports, documents? How much time would be saved if each form is saved on the internet and is with a few key strokes of everyone's fingertips!
Company Growth and targets. Having such information as the company's targets and goals for each employee can educate employees on how their jobs affect the company's targets and ultimately bottom line.
Training. By having on-line training materials. Employees can learn during their work hours right at their own desks.
Surprisingly enough, a lot of corporations use intranets. Most education system use them to provide on-line courses,registration information, administration steps for current students. Banks are connected to show current account information from branches across the globe. Airline have on-line booking of ticket schedules for travel agents around the world.
A simple, two-computer network between two computers can be created using an Ethernet crossover cable. As in any other TCP/IP network, each computer needs to be assigned a unique IP address. In this network configuration, a default gateway is not used and can be unspecified.


We design and make 21st century English furniture, speculatively, to commission in response to design briefs given by you and from our collections. This involves us in a number of processes, some of which seem glamorous, others not, but in our experience all need to be treated with the same degree of attention to detail. The categories are loosely designing, making, servicing, managing, marketing and selling.


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Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news of the Great Lakes region
Great Lakes Echo (http://greatlakesecho.org/2019/04/04/golf-ball-pollution-creates-jobs-for-people-with-disabilities/)
Golf ball pollution creates jobs for people with disabilities
By Angela Mulka | April 4, 2019
Subscribe to Waste
Image: Kallerna, Wikimedia Commons.
By Angela Mulka
When Melody Lowery visits her aunt's house at Bay Harbor, Michigan, she collects golf balls that wash up along the Lake Michigan beach.
There are more than a handful along the shore of Little Traverse Bay.
"One time, we filled up more than a suitcase collecting golf balls," said the Midland, Michigan, resident.
While microplastics get plenty of attention as a Great Lakes pollutant, researchers say there is not enough information to know if these macroplastic golf balls pose similar harm in freshwater systems.
NPR recently reported that divers in Carmel, California, found more than 50,000 golf balls over two years. These golf balls release zinc compounds that are toxic and also degrade into microplastic pieces.
Sediment studies that occur far off the coast are unlikely to measure golf ball pollution in the Great Lakes, said Sherri Mason, a Great Lakes microplastics expert and the sustainability coordinator at a Penn State Behrend University in Erie, Pennsylvania. That makes it hard to get significant data.
"I don't think anyone can say one way or the other what the extent of golf ball pollution of the Great Lakes is," Mason said. "I would assume that relative to the amount of plastic products we use and lose, golf balls are likely not currently a major contributor."
Michigan leads the nation in the number of top courses with national acclaim. But there is no fine for hitting golf balls into lakes, said Adam Ikamas, the executive director of the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association.
That may be due to uncertainty and lack of opportunity. The effects of this plastic pollutant are unknown. And there are maybe two dozen courses where golfers could hit balls into the Great Lakes, Ikamas said.
Some scientists say that the decomposition of millions of golf balls may pose a problem.
Dangerous levels of zinc were found in the synthetic rubber filling used in solid core golf balls, researchers for the Danish Golf Association told CNN. The zinc can poison vegetation. And golf ball chemicals can break down into microplastics which animals eat, according to a study in the Marine Pollution Bulletin.
We don't yet know if decomposition in freshwater systems is the same as in the ocean, Mason said. The Great Lakes have a lot more life that could be aiding in the breakdown of golf balls.
While an estimated 300 million golf balls lost at the bottom of U.S. water hazards may make some people uneasy, a Michigan man is set on retrieving them.
Jim Starr, president of Absolute Golf Ball Retrieval in Utica, Michigan, has a network of independent divers who retrieve the balls from water hazards. After retiring as a Middle East contractor, Starr built the golf ball recycling business that works with more than 400 Michigan golf courses and employs disabled workers.
The corporation is unique because it employs a segment of the population that normally has a disadvantage finding work, Starr said.
He employs close to 100 people through Growth and Opportunity, a non-profit corporation in Lapeer County.
They refurbish, package and recycle millions of golf balls collected by Starr and other divers.
"I retrieve millions of golf balls and I barely touch the whole entire state," said Starr, whose business expanded in 2017 after he joined a cooperative called Golf Ball Divers Alliance.
This partnership helps maintain a fair payment to independent divers, he said. By allowing for the direct sale of golf balls to customers, the cooperative also maintains an affordable price.
There isn't a noticeable change in the playability of balls that have been submerged for up to three months, according to a study done by Michigan's Oakland University.
"I do a lot of recreational scuba diving, and I have never been in a body of water that I have not found golf balls, Starr said. "I dive right at the mouth of Port Huron, (Michigan), and you find golf balls there that have gotten into the Great Lakes and rolled down there."
Not as many balls are retrieved from rivers and streams as from standing lakes and ponds.
He mostly uses environmentally friendly and non-corrosive chemicals to clean each ball, Starr said. "We try to run our business in good ways for the environment and for the people."
We're a project of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.
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A scenic drive becomes a scenic ski
Touring is the winter art of enjoying the woods and the company you're with. You just happen to do this on cross-country skis.
More Catch of the Day
2020 Festival cancellations deal blow to local economies
Many festivals in the Great Lakes region were cancelled due to the pandemic, though tourists still visited in droves.
More COVID-19 stories
Podcast: Climate change and winter sports
Great Lakes Echo reporter Claire Moore chats with University of Waterloo, Ontario, professor Daniel Scott about how climate change may affect skiing and other winter sports in eastern North America in the coming decades.
NASA astronaut captures Belle Isle image from space
The Detroit River is one of the most important waterways in the Great Lakes system, according to NASA's post.
More Photo Friday
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Home verizon (Page 5)
Search Result for: verizon
Verizon Wireless to Distribute $8.5B to Owners
Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone Group (NASDAQ: VOD), will distribute a total of $8.5
Smartronix $2.5B GSA Cloud Email Team Includes Terremark, Verizon; Susie Adams Comments
Smartronix's team to provide government agencies cloud computing-based email services under a $2.5 billion General Services Administration blanket purchase agreement
Verizon, AT&T to Provide DISA iPads for Mobility Test
The Defense Information Systems Agency has awarded contracts to Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T) for Apple and Samsung
Verizon Wins $40M DISA Telecommunications IDIQ
Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) business services unit has won a $40, 787, 599 contract to provide telecommunications services for a Defense
Verizon Joins General Dynamics-Led Army Private Cloud Contract Team
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has joined a General Dynamics-led (NYSE: GD) team that won a position on a $249.8 million U.S.
Verizon Wins $186M to Manage Postal Service's Private IP Network
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has won a six-year, $186 million agreement to continue designing, installing and managing a private Internet protocol communications network for
Verizon Acquires Cloud Computing Firm, to Combine with Terremark
Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) has acquired enterprise cloud computing firm CloudSwitch for an undisclosed amount. Verizon plans to combine Mass.-based CloudSwitch with
Verizon Names COO McAdam as President and CEO
Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) board of directors has named company president and COO Lowell C. McAdam as Verizon Communications Inc. president and CEO,
Northrop, Verizon Provide Predictive Modeling to Prevent Medicare, Medicaid Fraud
Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) is leading a team as the prime contractor on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services'
Terremark-Verizon Acquisition Hearing Set; Firms Plan to Fight if Settlement is Not Approved
Terremark, now a subsidiary of Verizon, announced that the Delaware Court of Chancery will hold a hearing on June 21