text:
\section{Introduction}
Applications of noble metal nanoparticles are currently emerging in medicine where
they are used as antimicrobial agents~\cite{kim07}, antivirals against HIV-1~\cite{lara11},
antiangiogenic agents~\cite{guranathan09}, in drug delivery~\cite{portney06} and in cancer
therapy~\cite{portney06,huang06}. They are also used in chemical sensory devices due to their
enhanced surface chemical activity~\cite{chen09,filippo09,he10,nezhad10,ngece11}.  Ag clusters
as small as Ag$_7$ and Ag$_8$ supported with mercaptosuccinic acid have been demonstrated to
be very potent in water purification through their chemical sensitivity to the presence of heavy
metals like Pb, Cd, Hg~\cite{bootharaju11}. The application of noble metal nanoparticles in
the electronic industry in inkjet printing of conductive lines for circuitory~\cite{lee05a} and as
electronically conductive adhesives~\cite{chendapeng09,hsu07,lee05b,hu10} results from
their  electronic properties. Organic memory devices based on DNA biopolymer nanocomposites
with Ag nanoparticles have been demonstrated~\cite{hung11}. The large optical forces induced
by the transfer of momentum from electromagnetic radiation to a dielectric nanoparticle also
make them useful in nano optical manipulation ~\cite{ashkin70,ashkin86,liu10,filippo09}.
It has been shown that subjecting Au
nanoparticles to optical forces induces aggregation and enhances
the Raman scattering intensity of the thiophenol coverage of the Au nanoparticle~\cite{svedberg06}.

It is common to  synthesize noble metal nanoparticle either as free standing or in an inert
gas matrix with sizes ranging from one to several hundred of nanometers. Ag nanoclusters as
small as 4.1 nm and 5.6 nm have been deposited on silicon substrates. Their thermally induced
disintegration has been studied, revealing melting at temperatures well below Ag melting
temperature~\cite{bhattacharyya09}. Clusters of few atoms are also routinely isolated by
stabilizing them  with some protective molecules~\cite{lin09a,bhattacharyya09}.
For example,  a 25 atom Au-thiolate cluster in solution~\cite{mcdonald11},
dodecanethiol-stabilized-Au$_{38}$~\cite{qian09}, a 1 nm lyzozyme-stabilized-Au nanocluster
for Hg$^{2+}$ sensor~\cite{wei10} and DNA-encapsulated 10 atom Ag-cluster~\cite{petty10}
have been reported.  A small angle X-ray study on the mechanism of Ag nanoparticle
formation showed that nanoparticle formation initiates with the formation of Ag$_{13}$
clusters which agglomerate together to form a nanoparticle within 6 ms~\cite{takesue11}.

The advances in synthesis methods have not been accompanied by an equal increase in
understanding of the structural, electronic and optical properties.
The nanosized nature gives these particles/clusters properties that are
intermediate between molecular, which are of quantum origin, and bulk character. Size
dependent structural changes have been widely investigated using methods ranging from
experiments based on electron diffraction spectroscopy~\cite{reinhard97,blom06} to theoretical
methods involving classical molecular mechanics approaches~\cite{xiaoli07} and quantum
calculations. In particular, pseudopotential time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations
of the optical absorption of magic number noble metal nanoparticles have been carried out~\cite{weissker11}.
Crossover from molecular to nanosized behavior was predicted to occur for clusters with
more than 150 Ag atoms~\cite{weissker11}. Calculations of the absorption and the Raman
enhancement of Ag$_n$-pyridine complexes (n=2-20) have been done using TDDFT and both
properties were found to depend strongly on the cluster size~\cite{jensen07}.

Thoretical studies of noble metal clusters are widely based on classical approaches making
use of interatomic potentials like the Gupta potential~\cite{cleri93,michaelian99}, the
Sutton-Chen potential~\cite{sutton-chen,doye98} and the embedded atom potential~\cite{mei91,shibata02}.
The latter has been used to study the size dependent melting of Ag
nanocluster~\cite{zhao01}, spontaneous alloying in Au-Ag nanoclusters~\cite{shibata02}
and structural optimization of Ag-Pd~\cite{wu11}. The Gupta potential is widely used in
predicting stable structures of noble metal nanoparticles like Ag and Au~\cite{pittaway09}
and bimetallic clusters like Pd-Au~\cite{pittaway09}. The parameters of the potential
are obtained by fitting experimental or DFT~\cite{pittaway09} data on the
bulk face-centered cubic (FCC) system. This does not, however, guarantee transferability of the
potential to the different phases of the system.  For example, when the resulting potentials
are applied to lower coordination states of the material (such as  dimers, trimers, etc.), very
short bonds and overbinding are obtained rendering the potential inappropriate for studies of
low dimensional objects like nanoclusters. This effect has also been demonstrated to explain the
finding that the Gupta and Sutton-Chen parameterizations predict  different growth patterns
already for small Ag clusters~\cite{shao05}. Shao \textit{et al.}~\cite{shao05} pointed
out that due to the flatter nature of the  dimer potential as given by the Gupta formulation,
it is susceptible to yield more strain-tolerant structures than those generated using the
Sutton-Chen potential.

In this study, we use the DFT approach to perform ground state energy calculations on the
FCC, BCC, simple cubic, the hypothetical diamond-like phase and
dimer. These energy profiles are used to parameterize the Gupta potential. The parameters
are given as functions of the coordination number of the Ag and Au atoms-giving them
a bond-order character. The appropriateness of the parameters for low coordinated
structures is demonstrated.

\section{All electron calculation: parameterization of the Gupta potential}

We used the WIEN2k all-electron-full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave
DFT code~\cite{wien2k} to calculate the binding energies of Ag and Au in
FCC, BCC, simple cubic, diamond-like phases, and dimers. This DFT approach
partitions the unit cell into muffin-tin (MT) spheres centered on each atomic site
and the interstitial region. Within the MT spheres, the Kohn-Sham functions are given
as linear combinations of spherical harmonics weighted by radial functions. In
the interstitials they are parameterized as plane-waves.
The generalized gradient approximation
(GGA)~\cite{perdew96} for the exchange and correlation energy is adopted. The two parameters governing
the accuracy of the calculation are the number of plane-waves in the Brillouin zone
and the plane-wave vector {\bf k} cut-off parameter - $RKM$. This latter parameter
is the product of the maximum plane wave vector in the interstitial region and the
smallest muffin-tin radius in the system. For our calculations, the total number of
$k$-points ranged from 1000 to 3000, depending on the system and $RKM$ value of 6
were found to converge the binding energies to an accuracy of 3\,mRy per atom.

Non-magnetic calculations were performed since both bulk Ag and Au are
known to be non-magnetic. For each of the noble metal structures, energy-bond
length dependencies were obtained. From them, extrapolation to very large lattice
parameters permitted the isolated atom values to be removed yielding the binding
energies as shown in Figs~\ref{fig:E-r-ag} and ~\ref{fig:E-r-au}.  For FCC Ag,
we find an equilibrium lattice parameter of 4.07$\pm0.02$~\AA~and a binding
energy of 3.16$\pm0.04$~eV/atom. The former compares very well with the measured
value of 4.09~\AA~ while the binding energy overestimates the measured value of
2.95 eV~\cite{kittel} by about 7~\%. The bulk modulus was found to be 106$\pm2$ GPa
which is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 109 GPa at 0\,K~\cite{neighbours58}.
For Au,  a lattice parameter of 4.09$\pm0.02$~\AA~(see Fig.~\ref{fig:params}(a))
compares very well with the measured value of 4.08~\AA. The binding energy
of 4.01$\pm$0.04 eV, however, overestimates  the experimental value of 3.81 eV~\cite{chantry12,needels92,kittel}.
The bulk modulus of 179$\pm2$ GPa is in excellent agreement with experimentally measured value
of 180 GPa at 0\,K~\cite{neighbours58}.

The BCC phase is less stable than the FCC phase by about 0.06 (0.08) eV/atom for Ag (Au)
and is thus predicted to be the high pressure phase of these materials. This is in agreement
with another theoretical work that predicted the same result for Au~\cite{sonderlind02}.
The small energy difference between the BCC and the FCC phases of Ag is a possible
reason for the recently observed continuous and reversible BCC-FCC phase transformation
in Ag/V multilayers~\cite{wei11}.

We used these energy-lattice parameter (or energy-bond length E-r) dependencies
to parameterize the Gupta potential for Ag and Au. For this, we rescaled the
binding energies by a factor of 0.934 (0.951) for Ag (Au) to equate the
FCC value  with the measured value while rescaling distances by a factor of
1.006 (0.996) for Ag (Au) to equate to the corresponding FCC experimental
bond length of 2.889~\AA~(2.884~\AA). With these, the bulk moduli become 99 GPa
for Ag and 170 GPa for Au. Most of the parameterizations that have been
done are based on the bulk properties in the FCC
phase~\cite{shao05, pittaway09}.
To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to develop parameters that
make the potential transferable enough for use in various phases. These new
parameters should therefore be appropriate in high temperature studies of these metals
and for low-dimensional structures formed from them.

For this potential, the energy of atom $i$ is given by~\cite{clerirosato93}
\begin{equation}
V_i=V_i^r-V_i^a,
\label{eqn:vgup}\end{equation}
where the repulsive part of the potential is given by
\begin{equation}
V_i^r={1 \over 2}\sum_{j\ne i}\alpha
\exp\left[-\lambda\left({r_{ij}\over R_0}-1\right)\right]
\label{eqn:repuls}
\end{equation}
and the attractive part by
\begin{equation}
V_i^a={1 \over 2}\left[\sum_{j\ne i}\beta^2
\exp\left[-2\mu\left({r_{ij}\over R_0}-1\right)\right]\right]^{1/2}.
\label{eqn:attract}
\end{equation}

In the first approximation, the phase dependence of this potential
is introduced by adopting a coordination dependence of the parameters;
where coordination is defined by introducing a cut-off function $f_c$
\begin{eqnarray}
 f_c(x) &=& \Big{\{ }\begin{array}{cc}1& \mbox{ for $x\le3.1$~\AA} \nonumber\\
0&\mbox{ for $x>3.1~$\AA}\end{array}\nonumber\\
\label{eqn:cutoff}\end{eqnarray}
by which coordination $n_{ci}$ is given by
\begin{equation}
n_{ci}=\sum_{j\in \mathrm{Nei}(i)}f_c(r_{ij}),
\end{equation} where $\mathrm{Nei}(i)$ is the set of nearest neighbor atoms of atom $i$.
The choice of a cut-off distance of 3.1~\AA~ was made to exclude
the next nearest neighbor atoms of the BCC phase that show up beyond 3.2~\AA~ for both Ag and Au.

 The parameters $\lambda$ and $\mu$ are parameterized within the E-r dependence of FCC phases (Figs.~\ref{fig:E-r-ag} and ~\ref{fig:E-r-au}) as previous values for Ag~\cite{shao05} and Au~\cite{pittaway09} did not permit a good fit  of  our DFT calculations.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=70px 60px 35px 70px, clip=true
{Energies_bcc_fcc_cub_diaAg_d.pdf}
  \caption{Energy per Ag atom as a function of distance between atoms for five phases of Ag: face-centered cubic, body-centerd cubic, simple cubic, Ag in the diamond-like phase and Ag dimer.}
\label{fig:E-r-ag}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=70px 60px 35px 75px, clip=true
{Energies_bcc_fcc_cub_diaAu_d.pdf}
  \caption{Energy per Au atom as a function of distance between atoms
for five phases of Au: face-centered cubic, body-centerd cubic,
simple cubic,  the diamond-like phase and Au dimer.}
\label{fig:E-r-au}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

The parameters $\alpha(n_c)$, $\beta(n_c)$ and $R_0(n_c)$ are given  as  functions  of the coordination number of the atoms (and therefore of the phases). We suggest here the following simple functional forms:

\begin{eqnarray}
 \alpha(n_c) &=& \alpha_\infty\left(1+\zeta\L\left({ n_c+n_0\over \delta}\right)\right) \nonumber \\
  \beta(n_c) &=& \beta_\infty\left(1+\gamma \L\left({n_c+\Delta\over \eta}\right)\right)\nonumber \\
  R_0(n_c) &=&R_\infty\left[1-{\rho_0\over\left(1+(n_c/\nu)^\xi\right)}\right],
\label{eqn:params}\end{eqnarray}
where $\L(x)=2\left(\exp{\left(-x^2\right)}-1+x^2\right)/x^4$.

A fit of the parameters to these model functional forms are performed
as shown in Figs.~\ref{fig:params} and ~\ref{fig:params-au} for Ag and Au, respectively.
In the fitting procedure, periodic images are included such that interactions
between atoms separated by distances as
far as 9~\AA~are included. The parameters are listed in Table~\ref{tabl:params}.
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=80px 65px 40px 65px, clip=true
{Params.pdf}
  \caption{DFT-parameters of the Gupta potential for the four phases of Ag: face-centered cubic, BCC, simple cubic, Ag in the diamond-like phase and Ag dimer. The fitted potentials are shown in panel (d) and the points are the corresponding DFT binding energies.
}
\label{fig:params}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

The effect of this new parameterization of Ag and Au clusters is that
in lower coordination environments (such as surfaces), the atoms become less
energetic. For example, the energy  per atom of an Ag dimer was found to
be 1.09 eV. This compares better with the experimental value of 0.83$\pm$0.02 eV ~\cite{morse86}
than the previously obtained values of 1.22~eV~\cite{shao05} and 1.40~\cite{wu11,negreiros10}.
Also the dimer bond length of 2.59~\AA~is in good agreement with the measured
value of 2.53~\AA~\cite{beutel93,wang04,morse86}~as compared to values of 2.37~\AA~\cite{shao05} and 2.43 ~\AA~\cite{wu11,negreiros10} that
result from the previous parameterizations. The best DFT dimer energy so far is 0.9\,eV with a
corresponding dimer bond length of 2.58~\AA~\cite{nigam10}.
The Au dimer bond length of 2.56~\AA~ compares very well with the experimental
value of 2.47~\AA~\cite{huber79} whereas previous parameterization sets this value
at 2.3~\AA~\cite{pittaway09}.  The dissociation energy per atom of 1.53 eV for Au$_2$ is
much closer to the experimental value of 1.15 eV ~\cite{james94} than the
value of 2.42 eV that previous parameterization gives ~\cite{pittaway09}.
The observations made
here about the properties of dimers are also valid for other low coordinations
such as  2-, 3- and 4-coordinated atoms.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=70px 60px 35px 65px, clip=true
{Params_Au.pdf}
  \caption{DFT-parameters of the Gupta potential for the five phases of Au:
face-centered cubic, BCC, simple cubic, Au in the diamond-like phase and dimer.
The fitted potentials are shown in panel (d) and the points are the corresponding DFT binding energies.
}
\label{fig:params-au}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

\begin{table*}[!ht]
\caption{Parameters of the Gupta potential for Ag and Au}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ccccccccccccccc}
 \hline
&$\lambda$&$\mu$&$\alpha_\infty$ (eV) &$\zeta$&n$_0$&$\delta$ &$\beta_\infty$(eV) &$\gamma$ &$\Delta$&$\eta$ &R$_\infty$(\AA) &$\rho_0$ &$\nu$&$\xi$\\
\hline
Ag&10.167&3.105&0.1610&6.946&-0.633&1.842&2.1633&0.588&-0.952&3.414&3.039&0.168&8.482&2.517\\
Au&12.696&3.179&0.1471&12.1218&1.268&1.989&2.5877&0.858&2.053&3.860&2.921&0.140 &6.114&3.436\\
 \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\label{tabl:params}

\end{table*}

The implication of the weaker binding of lower coordinated atoms --
as opposed to the strong binding obtained with the previous parameters~\cite{shao05,wu11,pittaway09} --
in studies of Ag and Au  nanoclusters is that surface atoms will become more mobile.
This results in the nanoclusters experiencing surface premelting at lower temperatures.
The current parameterizations may, thus, be very appropriate in surface studies.

To check the validity of this parameterization for interactions beyond the
cut-off distance of 3.1~{\AA} as defined in Eq.~\ref{eqn:cutoff}, we considered
the case where $n_c=0$ and evaluated the parameters in Eq.~\ref{eqn:params}.
The corresponding potential $U_0(r)$ was extracted from
Eqs.~\ref{eqn:vgup} -~\ref{eqn:attract}. For this, the central atom is
interacting with one, two or three equidistant atoms that are approaching
it from beyond 3.1~\AA. In Fig.~\ref{fig:approach}, we plot this potential
for one, two and three atoms approaching the central atom. We
also show the potential of the atom in the case where it participates
in a dimer, in a linear chain and in a trigonal arrangement. The
single atom approaches with a potential that is very similar to that
of the dimer; two atoms approach with a potential very close to that of
the atom in a linear chain while three atoms approach like trimers. The
potential described here thus correctly describes the short-, medium-
and long-range interactions in Ag and Au.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=70px 60px 35px 70px, clip=true
{Approach_pot.pdf}
\caption{The validity of the parameterization beyond r$_c$=3.1~\AA.
Single atom, two atoms and three atoms are clearly seen to approach
the central Ag atom in such a way that the potential of the
central atom closely resembles that of an atom in a dimer, a linear
chain and in a trigonal arrangement of Ag atoms, respectively.
}
\label{fig:approach}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

\section{Relaxation of Ag$_{55}$ cluster and MD deposition of Ag clusters}
We performed a 2\,ns MD simulation to relax a 55 atom Ag cluster at 300\,K.
Temperature was kept constant by using the Nos\'e-Hoover
thermostat~\cite{nose-molphys84,hoover85}
and the velocity-Verlet
scheme was adopted for the MD moves.  The cluster's structure was transformed from
a 4-shell cluster to a 3-shell one within the first 10 ps.  Figure~\ref{fig:ag55}
shows the density distribution as a function of distance from the central atom.
The cluster is characterized by a central atom, a Ag$_{12}$ first-shell of
radius 2.74~\AA, a next shell of 30 Ag atoms of radius 4.73~\AA~ and an outermost
shell of 12 atoms of radius  5.45~\AA.  The structure of  the cluster at the end
of the 2 ns is shown in the right of Fig.~\ref{fig:ag55}.

\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=5cm,trim=60px 60px 35px 75px, clip=true
{Ag55_300K_Gr.pdf}
\includegraphics[width=3.2cm,trim=10px 10px 10px 10px, clip=true
{Ag55.pdf}
\caption{Left: Density distribution as a function of distance from the central
atom of a Ag$_{55}$ cluster for the unrelaxed (thin-dotted line) and the MD-relaxed structure
at 300\,K (full line).
The feature at 4.09~\AA~in the unrelaxed cluster
shifts upwards and merges with the feature at 5.0~\AA~which shifts downwards.
 Right: Snapshot of MD-relaxed cluster at the end of the 2 ns simulation.
}
\label{fig:ag55}
\end{figure}

To test further our parameters, we performed an atom by atom molecular dynamic
deposition of Ag nanoclusters of up to 1000 atoms. The starting configuration
was an Ag$_4$ cluster with four Ag atoms sitting at the corners of a square.
While the cluster is undergoing relaxation at a fixed temperature, an atom is
initiated far away (4 nm from the center of the formed cluster) with a kinetic
energy of 2 eV and velocity pointing toward the cluster center, with the position
of the atom chosen randomly on the sphere of radius 4 nm. Once this atom has
entered the field of the relaxing cluster (distance less than 3.5~\AA~from
the closest cluster atom) its dynamics are included in the Nos\'e-Hoover
thermostating scheme. The resulting cluster was relaxed for 100 ps and the
process was repeated for subsequent atoms.  A similar deposition process was
done using the old parameters~\cite{shao05}.

Figure~\ref{fig:ener-temp} shows the evolution of the energy per atom as
the cluster size grows at different temperatures using both the new
and old sets of parameters.  We find that the energy decreases monotonically
as the cluster size increases at all temperatures except at a temperature
of 500$\pm$50\,K, where sudden drops in energy were recorded for cluster
sizes larger than 126 and 150 for the old parameters, and 150 and 192
for the new set of parameters. The cluster size of 150 is equal to the
 reported size beyond which a cross-over from molecular to nanometer
optical behavior has been reported~\cite{weissker11}. We fitted the
energy per atom as a function of the cluster size with the function ~\cite{huang11}
\begin{equation}
e(T)=E(N,T)/N=e_\infty(T)+bN^{-{1/3}}+cN^{-{2/3}},
\label{eq:en}\end{equation}
where $E(N,T)$ is the total energy of an N-atom Ag cluster at
temperature T (in Kelvin).  The temperature dependence of the
extrapolated large cluster energy, $e_\infty$, is shown in the inset
and reveals lower energy clusters at a temperature of 500$\pm$50\,K.
Note the big drop in energy as the temperature is raised from 300\,K
to 500\,K for the new parameters and the almost constant value of
the energy when the old parameters are used. This indicates that
the former parameters may be capable of distinguishing between the
various temperature induced structural changes within Ag nanoclusters.
The finding of a more stable silver cluster at a temperature
of 500$\pm$50\,K is in accord with temperature programmed Auger,
low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and thermal desorption spectroscopy
study of silver deposited on Mo(111) which demonstrated  that stable
3-dimensional silver clusters are formed once treated at temperatures
above 300\,K and below 650\,K~\cite{song01}. This temperature range is
also in agreement with the finding of an Ag crystallization transition
between 250 and 310 $^\circ$C where the agglomeration of silver atoms
to form nanoclusters is favored~\cite{houk09}.

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=60px 60px 40px 60px, clip=true]
{Energy_deposition_temp.pdf}
\caption{The evolution of the energy per atom vs Ag cluster size
at different deposition temperatures. Open symbols: new parameters,
closed symbols: old~\cite{shao05}.
 The arrows indicates points of energy drops.
Inset: temperature dependence of $e_\infty$ (see Eqn.~\ref{eq:en}).}
\label{fig:ener-temp}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

Typical structural properties of a 561 atom Ag cluster atom-by-atom
deposited at 500\,K and annealed at 300\,K with the new set of parameters
is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:structure}. We calculated the electron
diffraction pattern by using the Hartree-Fock atomic form factors as
parameterized by Doyle and Turner~\cite{doyle}. The atomic distribution
with respect to the central atom of the cluster $G(r)$,  shows a highly
ordered nanocluster, with FCC order up to a radius of more than 1\,nm.
This is also confirmed by the structure factor $S(q)$,
 with $q={\sin\theta \over \lambda}$, $\lambda$ being the wave length
and $\theta$ is the Bragg's diffraction angle. All results are averages
over 10\,ns in time intervals of 200\,fs. The assignment of the spots agree
excellently with that of Khan \textit{et al.} on Ag
nanoparticles~\cite{khan11} and Kang ~\textit{et al.} on sintered
inkjet-printed Ag nanoparticles~\cite{kang11}. In particular,
the electron diffraction pattern is quite similar to the high resolution
transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurement of Ref.~\onlinecite{khan11}
on Ag nanoparticles of size 16.37\,nm. $G(r)$ also shows that the 561 atoms
cluster has a diameter of about 2.5\,nm, which is also confirmed by size $L$
of 24.97$\pm$0.21~\AA, obtained based on the position 2$\theta$=38.16$^\circ$
and the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) $\sigma$=4.24$^\circ$ of the (111)
spot as~\cite{klug54,khan11,govindaraj01}
\begin{equation}
L={0.94\lambda \over \sigma \cos2\theta},
\end{equation}where $\sigma$ is in radians and the wavelength $\lambda$=0.1541 nm
is used. The 2$\theta$ and $\sigma$ values are obtained from a fit
(in the interval $\pm$12$^\circ$ around the (111) spot) with a sum of
three Gaussians and a Lorentzian, with the latter centered at $q$=0.
A similar calculation on a 2093 atoms cluster cut out of bulk Ag
and relaxed at 300\,K yielded a diameter of 4.22$\pm$0.29 nm which was
also quite close to its size of 4.2 nm obtained on the basis of G(r).

\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth,trim=60px 65px 25px 50px, clip=true
{Diffraction.pdf}
  \caption{The lattice structure of the 561 atom Ag nanocluster generated
by MD deposition at 500\,K and annealed at 300\,K. The electron diffraction
pattern (left)  is calculated by using the Hartree-Fock parameterized form
factors of Doyle and Turner~\cite{doyle}. The (111) spot can clearly be seen. Other spots  (200), (220), (311)/(222), (400) and (331)/420() are clearly visible and denoted as A, B, C, D and E, respectively. The density distribution with
respect to the central atom, $G(r)$, (top-right) shows a highly ordered crystal
and the structure factor $S(q)$ (lower-right) shows well defined features.
The lines in the lower-right panel are for the functions used to fit the (111) spot. }
\label{fig:structure}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

\section{Conclusion}
We performed DFT calculations of the binding energies of Ag and
Au in five different phases: FCC, BCC, simple cubic, diamond-like and
dimer. We computed  the corresponding equilibrium bond lengths, binding energies
and bulk moduli, and found them to compare very well with experimentally reported
values.  We used the binding energy versus bond length dependencies
to perform a cross-phase parameterization of the widely used many-body
Gupta potential for Ag and Au. The new parameters, whose coordination-number
dependencies are fitted to simple analytical functions, were found to correctly
describe the energetic and structural behavior of low coordinated systems.
We believe that these new parameterizations should be appropriate for studies
of low dimensional structures such as nanoclusters
and surfaces.
They may also be used to reconcile the structural
differences reported for small clusters of noble metals generated using
the traditional bulk-fcc-based parameters of the Gupta potential --
which is susceptible to yield more strained structures -- and the Sutton-Chen potential,
which leads to less-strained structures~\cite{shao05}. The current parameterization
of the Gupta potential solves the problem of strain tolerance reported for the
parameters of Shao \textit{et al.}~\cite{shao05} as the broadness at the bottom
of the dimer potential well is improved.

\section*{Acknowledgements}
This work was supported by
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (MK).
Computational resources were provided by
SharcNet [www.sharcnet.ca].

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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text:
Kirklees school dinners win award
SCHOOL dinners in Kirklees have won a prestigious food award.
Linda Whitwam
Kirklees Catering (KC), the provider of school meals in this area, has been awarded the Soil Association's Food for Life Bronze Catering Mark.
KC won the prize for its commitment to serving healthy, nutritious and climate-friendly school meals. The bronze award requires 75% of the food served to be freshly prepared and seasonal.
Representatives received the prize from celebrity food writer and TV presenter Stefan Gates at the northern awards ceremony in Manchester recently.
Kirklees Cabinet member Clr Shabir Pandor said: "This award enables us to demonstrate to our customers, parents and schools our commitment to delivering good quality, healthy and freshly prepared food.
"This is helping us to continually increase the number of pupils taking school meals in Kirklees resulting in us being in the top 25% of local authorities in the UK for school meals uptake, as reported by the School Food Trust."
Kirklees Catering is the council's meal provider in schools and other council buildings. Currently the service provides meals in 186 schools across Kirklees. It serves 18,500 meals each day in primary, middle and special schools, with a further 16,000 meals a day in high schools.
Huddersfield Town FCHow current Huddersfield Town stars will look in 50 years according to FaceApp

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


West Newton MA is one of the oldest of the 13 villages of Newton MA. To its northern boundaries lies Waltham MA. West Newton Square, the center of the village is home to many restaurants and businesses. There are some very famous and upscale restaurants like the French bistro Lumiere, Sweet Tomatoes Pizza and Blue Ribbon Bar-B-Q, which attracts customers from all over. All great spots before or after a movie at the West Newton Cinema.
The professionals at Newton Centre Associates will help you find the perfect home or apartment in one of the oldest villages in Newton. Since 1997 we have been helping clients keep up with the changing tides of the real estate market. One way we do this is by hosting real estate seminars. We have real estate professionals, and attorneys go through the ins and outs of the real estate market.
We provide a number of services from property management, to finding tenants, all the way to helping first time buyers close the deal on their first home. With our experience and expertise, we feel that we can get the job done right the first time. if you are interested in our services please feel free to give us a call at 617-965-3300. Mike Spurr the founder of Newton Centre Associates will make sure you come out victorious when you challenge the real estate market!


text:
Information and Products by this Faculty
Margie Reinhart, CPA, CFF, CFE,
Margie Reinhart, CPA, CFF, CFE
Director, Forensic Investigative and Dispute Services
Margie Reinhart is a Director in Grant Thornton LLP's Forensic, Investigative and Dispute Services practice in Dallas, Texas.
Experience: Margie has devoted her 19 year career to be highly skilled in the multi-facets of forensic investigation, expert services, forensic data analytics, fraud consulting and white collar investigations. She spent over eleven years at a big four accounting firm and over two years running boutiques forensic investigation firms.
Ms. Reinhart works closely with law firms, government agencies and corporate executives practicing in both the United States and Canada. An accountant, Margie has extensive knowledge of a variety of white-collar civil and criminal matters, including internal corporate and financial fraud investigations. She has conducted and coordinated multifaceted investigations involving retail, manufacturing, fraud against the government, real estate and many other industries. She has testified as a fact and expert
Representative experience:
· Analyzed and calculated damages for numerous types of litigation matters involving complex accounting and business aspects. Written expert reports and testified in these types of matters.
· Engaged by the Federal Trade Commission, Ms. Reinhart assisted in writing the expert report opining on policies, procedures and
practices that businesses should use to detect fraud and abuse. The work performed by Ms. Reinhart was used to testify that a lack of adequate procedures allowed the practice of billing over $30 million in bogus charges by a large aggregator. Resulted in settlement of a large fine.
· Hired to provide forensic consulting services to a federal task force from the Department of Labor, Inspector General's Office of
Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations. Successfully conducted and completed this work and provided recommendations, advice, and support to investigators concerning the financial aspect of this investigation.
· Analyzed millions of procurement, employee and payroll records over a two year period uncovering payroll overpayment, false and
2 © Grant Thornton LLP All rights reserved U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd abusive payments to related vendors and numerous other improper payments, waste and abuse.
· Served as financial expert witness for a healthcare provider defending a $50+ million Department of Justice charge accusing the
provider of false Medicare claims. Electronically analyzed over a million lines of payroll and human resource records for an eight year period. Jointly prepared an expert report supporting the Medicare claim. Settled in hospital's favor.
· Retained by a Bermudian financial institution to investigate suspicious transactions. Reviewed customer investment account statements and identified lapping scheme concealing the use of customer investment accounts for personal stock trades by an
employee.
Professional qualifications and memberships:
· Certified Public Accountant
· Certified in Financial Forensics
· Certified Fraud Examiner
· Member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
· Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Canada
Bachelor of Business Management
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text:
The Important Role of Women in Agriculture Around the World
By Abby Watkins | December 22, 2022
The stereotypical image of a farmer may be that of a man with overalls, straw hat, and a piece of wheat hanging out of his mouth, but this image is outdated in 2022 for more than just its lack of a combine harvester. Farm women are an increasing share of agricultural workers globally, constituting 43% of global agriculture laborers. In some parts of the world, working in agriculture is one of the most accessible opportunities for employment as a woman: two-thirds of working women in south Asia are employed in agriculture.
Women in Ag Face Many Obstacles
Despite this fundamental role that women play in the cultivation of our global food supply, women face similar barriers in agriculture as they do in other industries. Women are less likely to be landowners, and may even be barred from owning land. They face greater obstacles in accessing capital necessary to purchase the tools that boost farm yields and ensure the long-term health of their plots. And the responsibilities of child care and household management still disproportionately fall on the shoulders of women farmers, decreasing the amount of time they have to tend to their crops and animals.
These challenges are profound, and the FAO estimates that eliminating these barriers to women's agricultural productivity could increase our global food supply by 20 to 30%. But even with these impediments in place, women around the world are stewards of food production.
Here are three instances of the critical role women play in agriculture, and how female farmers use agriculture as a way to support their communities.
Women Pastoralists in Lake Turkana, Kenya
Near Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya, the Turkana people have lived for centuries as nomadic pastoralists caring for large groups of cattle. The arid climate and inhospitable soil have long made crop-based agriculture a more difficult way to earn a livelihood. The effects of climate change are particularly stark in the region, further entrenching economic struggles in what is already one of the poorest parts of the country.
In Turkana, just like in the rest of Kenya, women are barred from being landowners in the vast majority of circumstances. Unlike other parts of Kenya, the Turkana region has a long history of communal land rights, and while women are still excluded from decision-making, they maintain access to the lands critical for grazing herds of cattle.
Turkana women have innovated in the face of these stark inequalities by creating community organizations to share some of the burdens of day-to-day life. In the Kitamaduni Women's Group, which aims to preserve collective knowledge and practices of the Turkana people, the members share the cost for basic supplies and provide agricultural labor for other members. In another group in south Turkana, women work vertical farms and share their products with pastoralist women who may lack access to vegetables in other contexts.
Female Farm Workers and Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Work Together
Since the Rohingya genocide began in Myanmar in 2017, hundreds of thousands of refugees have been forced over the border into nearby Bangladesh to escape persecution. These refugees overwhelmingly live in refugee camps where their food security is dependent on supplies provided by NGOs and other groups. The rural areas surrounding these refugee camps are populated almost entirely by small-scale farmers who themselves face economic marginalization.
Bangladeshi women, who make up the majority of these rural farmers, have begun selling surplus crops to the residents of these refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. These benefits are twofold: Rohingya refugees purchasing these crops gain the nutritional value of a diversified diet, while the women selling these crops gain access to the capital needed to purchase tools and other improvements for their farms. The World Food Programme estimates that each women's collective that has sold crops the Cox's Bazar farmer's market has earned an extra USD$2000 a month—a significant sum in a country where the GNI (gross national income) per capita is USD$2620.
Water Management Among Women Farmers in Tajikistan
In Tajikistan, water is more abundant than it is in other parts of central Asia: its significant share of glaciers, rivers, and lakes are a critical lifeline for its population, over half of which works in the agricultural sector. Despite this abundance, water use rights have been enormously complicated in the post-Soviet era. Large, collectivized farms were split up into smaller privately owned farms, called dekhans, but water infrastructure wasn't updated to meet the new needs of farmers.
When Tajikistan created water usage associations (WUAs) to allow farmers to collectively manage water rights, more than 98% of farmers owning dekhans were men. By 2018, this percentage had fallen to 75%, representing an enormous increase in the decision-making power of Tajik women farmers. This is particularly important because Tajik women have long reported more problems in water access, with over 50% of women reporting problems versus less than 20% of men. While women still face problems in water management in Tajikistan, the increasing share of women in WUAs allows women to share in farm productivity and, ultimately, food security.
Women Farmers Globally
With our growing global population, food security will continue to be one of the most critical issues we face when working to meet the needs of all people everywhere. Supporting women in agriculture is a critical component of ensuring access to food for all of our growing global family.
Image credits: Women farmers (Farmers by CIFOR is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0); Lake Turkana map (Lake Turkana and its vicinity by Rudyologist is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0); Tajikistan (TAJIKISTAN – KARAKUL by mauro gambini is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Lesson Plan :
A Woman's Place
Through an article, video, simulation game, and small group research, students explore factors that influence women's fertility decisions in... Read More »
Good News, Bad News
Students decide whether given statements on population growth and food issues are "good news" or "bad news" and design... Read More »
Find other classroom resources >>
Population Education provides K-12 teachers with innovative, hands-on lesson plans and professional development to teach about human population growth and its effects on the environment and human well-being. PopEd is a program of Population Connection. Learn More About PopEd.


text:
package tv.savageboy74.savagetech.blocks.lootbox;

import net.minecraft.entity.player.EntityPlayer;
import net.minecraft.init.SoundEvents;
import net.minecraft.inventory.IInventory;
import net.minecraft.item.ItemStack;
import net.minecraft.nbt.NBTTagCompound;
import net.minecraft.nbt.NBTTagList;
import net.minecraft.util.EnumFacing;
import net.minecraft.util.ITickable;
import net.minecraft.util.SoundCategory;
import net.minecraft.util.text.ITextComponent;
import tv.savageboy74.savagetech.init.ModBlocks;
import tv.savageboy74.savagetech.tileentity.base.STTileEntityBase;
import tv.savageboy74.savagetech.util.reference.Names;

public class TileEntityLootBox extends STTileEntityBase implements ITickable, IInventory
{
    private ItemStack[] inventory;

    public float lidAngle;

    public float prevLidAngle;

    private int ticksSinceSync;

    public int numUsingPlayers;

    private String customName;

    protected EnumFacing orientation;

    public TileEntityLootBox() {
        super();
        orientation = EnumFacing.SOUTH;
        inventory = new ItemStack[ContainerLootBox.INVENTORY_SIZE];
    }

    @Override
    public int getSizeInventory() {
        return inventory.length;
    }

    public EnumFacing getOrientation() {
        return orientation;
    }

    @Override
    public ItemStack getStackInSlot(int index) {
        return inventory[index];
    }

    @Override
    public ItemStack decrStackSize(int index, int decrementAmount) {
        ItemStack itemStack = getStackInSlot(index);
        if (itemStack != null) {
            if (itemStack.stackSize <= decrementAmount) {
                setInventorySlotContents(index, null);
            } else {
                itemStack = itemStack.splitStack(decrementAmount);
                if (itemStack.stackSize == 0) {
                    setInventorySlotContents(index, null);
                }
            }
        }

        return itemStack;
    }

    @Override
    public ItemStack removeStackFromSlot(int slotIndex) {
        if (inventory[slotIndex] != null) {
            ItemStack itemStack = inventory[slotIndex];
            inventory[slotIndex] = null;
            return itemStack;
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void setInventorySlotContents(int slotIndex, ItemStack itemStack) {
        inventory[slotIndex] = itemStack;

        if (itemStack != null && itemStack.stackSize > this.getInventoryStackLimit()) {
            itemStack.stackSize = this.getInventoryStackLimit();
        }

        this.markDirty();
    }

    @Override
    public int getInventoryStackLimit() {
        return 64;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isUseableByPlayer(EntityPlayer player) {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public void openInventory(EntityPlayer player) {
        ++numUsingPlayers;
        worldObj.addBlockEvent(pos, ModBlocks.blockLootBox, 1, numUsingPlayers);
    }

    @Override
    public void closeInventory(EntityPlayer player) {
        --numUsingPlayers;
        worldObj.addBlockEvent(pos, ModBlocks.blockLootBox, 1, numUsingPlayers);
    }

    @Override
    public void readFromNBT(NBTTagCompound nbtTagCompound) {
        super.readFromNBT(nbtTagCompound);

        NBTTagList list = nbtTagCompound.getTagList(Names.NBT.ITEMS, 10);
        inventory = new ItemStack[this.getSizeInventory()];
        for (int i = 0; i < list.tagCount(); ++i) {
            NBTTagCompound tag = list.getCompoundTagAt(i);
            byte slotIndex = tag.getByte(Names.NBT.SLOT);
            if (slotIndex >= 0 && slotIndex < inventory.length) {
                inventory[slotIndex] = ItemStack.loadItemStackFromNBT(tag);
            }
        }
    }

    @Override
    public NBTTagCompound writeToNBT(NBTTagCompound nbtTagCompound) {
        super.writeToNBT(nbtTagCompound);

        NBTTagList list = new NBTTagList();
        for (int currentIndex = 0; currentIndex < inventory.length; ++currentIndex) {
            if (inventory[currentIndex] != null) {
                NBTTagCompound tag = new NBTTagCompound();
                tag.setByte(Names.NBT.SLOT, (byte) currentIndex);
                inventory[currentIndex].writeToNBT(tag);
                list.appendTag(tag);
            }
        }

        nbtTagCompound.setTag(Names.NBT.ITEMS, list);

        return nbtTagCompound;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isItemValidForSlot(int index, ItemStack stack) {
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public int getField(int id) {
        return 0;
    }

    @Override
    public void setField(int id, int value) {

    }

    @Override
    public int getFieldCount() {
        return 0;
    }

    @Override
    public void clear() {

    }

    @Override
    public void update() {
        if (++ticksSinceSync % 20 * 4 == 0) {
            worldObj.addBlockEvent(pos, ModBlocks.blockLootBox, 1, numUsingPlayers);
        }

        prevLidAngle = lidAngle;
        float angleIncrement = 0.1F;
        double adjustedXCoord, adjustedYCoord, adjustedZCoord;

        if (numUsingPlayers > 0 && lidAngle == 0.0F) {
            adjustedXCoord = pos.getX() + 0.5D;
            adjustedYCoord = pos.getY() + 0.5D;
            adjustedZCoord = pos.getZ() + 0.5D;
            worldObj.playSound((EntityPlayer)null, adjustedXCoord, (double)pos.getY() + 0.5D, adjustedZCoord, Names.Sounds.CHEST_OPEN, SoundCategory.BLOCKS, 0.5F, this.worldObj.rand.nextFloat() * 0.1F + 0.9F);
        }

        if (numUsingPlayers == 0 && lidAngle > 0.0F || numUsingPlayers > 0 && lidAngle < 1.0F) {
            float var8 = lidAngle;

            if (numUsingPlayers > 0) {
                lidAngle += angleIncrement;
            } else {
                lidAngle -= angleIncrement;
            }

            if (lidAngle > 1.0F) {
                lidAngle = 1.0F;
            }

            if (lidAngle < 0.5F && var8 >= 0.5F) {
                adjustedXCoord = pos.getX() + 0.5D;
                adjustedZCoord = pos.getZ() + 0.5D;
                worldObj.playSound((EntityPlayer)null, adjustedXCoord, (double)pos.getY() + 0.5D, adjustedZCoord, Names.Sounds.CHEST_CLOSE, SoundCategory.BLOCKS, 0.5F, this.worldObj.rand.nextFloat() * 0.1F + 0.9F);
            }

            if (lidAngle < 0.0F) {
                lidAngle = 0.0F;
            }
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean receiveClientEvent(int id, int type) {
        if (id == 1) {
            this.numUsingPlayers = type;
            return true;
        } else {
            return super.receiveClientEvent(id, type);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public String getName() {
        return this.hasCustomName() ? this.customName : "Loot Box";
    }

    @Override
    public ITextComponent getDisplayName() {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean hasCustomName() {
        return this.customName != null && this.customName.length() > 0;
    }

    public void setCustomName(String name) {
        this.customName = name;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Clockwise from bottom right: Dave the Lonely Monster; Julian Is a Mermaid; Big Ideas for Curious Minds; My Mum Tracy Beaker; Baby's First Bank Heist; Billy and the Beast; Migration.
Billy and the Beast by Nadia Shireen.
Big Ideas For Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy from The School of Life.
An illustration by Chris Riddell from A Kid in my Class.
A detail from the jacket of Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay.


Individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder are just that, individual. Much like every other person, students on the spectrum have their own unique qualities and challenges. Students on the end of the spectrum that we have historically categorized as having Asperger's Syndrome, many of whom we see on college campuses, typically have a desire to interact in social situations, but are faced with some unique difficulties.
Students on the spectrum tend to have a great deal more difficulty with social interactions, social exchanges, and social cues.
College courses, at least at the undergraduate level, tend to be larger with more students. This provides a great environment for most students to socially interact and make more friends, but it can be more challenging for the student who is on the spectrum. It's often hard for these students to enter into conversations and to exit conversations.
This is also true for students who need to interact with their instructors; initiating a conversation or interaction may be difficult for a student on the spectrum. There may be issues with personal space as well, that is, the student enters another student's or the instructor's personal space coming too close when trying to have a conversation.
This space invasion can be quite uncomfortable. Some students on the spectrum have limited awareness of the space that he or she is entering, but conversely, know clearly when others are entering into their personal space. The thing about personal space is that it really is unique to each individual, but you, as an instructor may need to gently point out to the student that you need to have a bit more space. A general rule of thumb is to maintain at least an arm's length of distance between individuals, and it's okay to suggest that to the student.
As a side note, there are other students not on the spectrum who don't have a good sense of personal space either, so this same conversation is just as useful.
For additional information about the Postsecondary Autism Support Services (PASS) Program, any general questions, please contact us at klass@utk.edu or 865-974-6395.


My name is Erika and I am the owner and licensed massage therapist at Superior Massage Therapy. I am trained in neuromuscular therapy, sports massage, rock blades and certified in myofascial release. After receiving my Bachelors of Sport Science from Northern Michigan University I continued my education and graduated from Ann Arbor Instituted for Massage Therapy.
I became interested in massage therapy so that I could help people. Massage is a great way for active people to continue doing the activities you love and that is my goal as a therapist. I want you to come see me and leave feeling better. It is important to be proactive in your own health. The best way to do that is to do everything you can to stay healthy; being active and eating healthy are a great place to start! My role as a massage therapist is to keep you doing what you love.
When I'm not at work, I am an outdoor enthusiast who is currently training for sprint and Olympic distance triathlon. I also enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, camping, snowboarding, hanging out with my dog, and riding my motorcycle (not necessarily in that order). I believe that being active and living healthy plays a huge role in the happiness we experience in life, and I encourage everyone to do what you love and love what you do!
Amy graduated from the prestigious Irene's Myomassology Institute. She has worked in tandem with medical professionals in a chiropractic setting for the last three years. Amy excels at orthopedic and sports massage, and incorporates various techniques from other modalities to create a unique massage based on the client's wellness goals. On her free time Amy enjoys traveling as much as possible, as well as spending time with her family and dog Athena. Amy has grown up as an athlete her whole life, always in multiple sports. She is eager to help as many other athletes as possible in her time as a massage therapist.


The highest level of quality is vital in ensuring the ultimate safety of individuals.
Our portfolio of Berker Integro and Systo socket outlets can deliver this exceptional standard of quality for the medical sector. They can be used for many different applications in hospitals, for example for the ceiling unit in the operating room and bedhead units in the care sector as well as for laboratory fittings and furnishings. The Berker Integro socket outlets are available in the colours green, orange and red for special circuits with indicator LED and they comply with TNO requirements. The Systo range is available in the most compact dimensions of 45 x 45 mm to guarantee a flush installation of socket outlets in your trunking.
We are happy to provide you with more information on electrical installations for medical and laboratory applications.


text:
SPARK Home
Home > SIUE Faculty Works > 6
SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
Kravchuk Polynomials and Induced/Reduced Operators on Clifford Algebras
G. Stacey Staples, Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleFollow
Kravchuk polynomials arise as orthogonal polynomials with respect to the binomial distribution and have numerous applications in harmonic analysis, statistics, coding theory, and quantum probability. The relationship between Kravchuk polynomials and Clifford algebras is multifaceted. In this paper, Kravchuk polynomials are discovered as traces of conjugation operators in Clifford algebras, and appear in Clifford Berezin integrals of Clifford polynomials. Regarding Kravchuk matrices as linear operators on a vector space V, the action induced on the Clifford algebra over V is equivalent to blade conjugation, i.e., reflections across sets of orthogonal hyperplanes. Such operators also have a natural interpretation in terms of raising and lowering operators on the algebra. On the other hand, beginning with particular linear operators on the Clifford algebra ClQ(V), one obtains Kravchuk matrices as operators on the paravector space V* through a process of operator grade-reduction. Symmetric Kravchuk matrices are recovered as representations of grade-reductions of maps induced by negative-definite quadratic forms on V.
The definitive version of this article was published by Springer in Complex Analysis and Operator Theory. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11785-014-0377-z .
G.S. Staples, Kravchuk polynomials and induced/reduced operators on Clifford algebras, Complex Analysis and Operator Theory, 9 (2015), 445 - 478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11785-014-0377-z
Algebra Commons, Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics Commons
Lovejoy Library Home


(CNN) - President Obama released his original birth certificate Wednesday, saying the controversy surrounding the issue had become a "sideshow."
"We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We've got better stuff to do," said Obama.
Responding to the development, Trump said, "I have accomplished something nobody else has accomplished."
"I want to look at it, but I hope it's true," he told reporters in New Hampshire. "He should have done it a long time ago. I am really honored to have played such a big role in hopefully getting rid of this issue."
In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper Monday, Trump repeated his doubts and said he had been told the certificate was "missing."
A new CNN investigation revealed earlier this week what most analysts have been saying since the "birther" controversy erupted during the 2008 presidential campaign: Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961.
While the president has made light of the controversy, the question remained political red meat for some of his critics. A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll showed that nearly 75% of Americans believe Obama was definitely or probably born in the United States. More than four in 10 Republicans, however, believe he probably or definitely was not born in America.
Skeptics contend, among other things, that Obama was born in his father's home country of Kenya.
I had to provide my birth certificate to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard and more information to obtain my TS clearance. The role of President of the United States is far above what I was doing .... how can people honestly think it's just a popularity contest. So, you lefties wouldn't storm about if Arnold put his name on the Presidential ballot???? Turn off American Idol and read the Constitution you leftie twits....there' is a difference.
Trump is a man of action....That's what this country needs..About time Obama released it.
Obama's original birth name WAS Barry Sotero and it wasn't until his mother married the Muslim that he was given a Muslim name, so why now all the sudden is a birth certificate available with the Barack Hussein Obama name WHEN HIS LAST NAME WAS NOT OBAMA?? AND IF it wasn't a big deal until Trump got involved, why didn't Obama just release it in the first place a long time ago? THINK PEOPLE – use your brain – Even a car dealership can make an invoice the way they want.
Why should anyone doubt that his birth certificate is real. Surely not because he was a high ranking member of ACORN before he ran for president. You know ACORN, the group that specialized in creating flase documents so they could have thousands of illegal votes for you know who. And if this document is real, why did it take three years to PRODUCE it for the public and his moron followers?


The Eurythmics show on Monday (July 28) opened with a big white zipper slowly parting a silver/grey curtain stretched across the Expo Theatre stage. It closed with singer Annie Lennox shedding her white shirt and traipsing around in a lacy red bra, slying asking "Would I Lie to You?".
In between was a killer set of polished '80s pop from one of the biggest acts around today.
The show kicked off with "Sexcrime", a track from the soundtrack Eurythmics did for the movie 1984. "Don't sit down, 'cause you're gonna have to dance," said Annie as she led into "Let's Go", a tune off the new album Revenge, but the first person to run up the aisle dancing was quickly coralled by a party-pooping bouncer. "Doesn't anybody like to dance up front?" queried bearded guitarist Dave Stewart, who obviously wasn't aware of the theatre's inane security regulations. "It's sure different than in England," he said.
After a couple more tunes, including "Love You Like a Ball and Chain" from last year's Be Yourself Tonight, Lennox told everyone to sit down. And they did. Fast. As images of clouds drifted on a backdrop behind the stage, she sang the big hit "Here Comes the Rain Again", then left the stage while Stewart played a manic solo.
Back on stage, Stewart played a few notes of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" before moving into another great new song, "Thorn In My Side". The stage lights were turned on to the crowd for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", and they clapped and sang along on the chorus. Annie untucked her top and whipped it off for the set-closer, "Would I Lie to You", and by this time a good portion of the 4,000-plus crowd were hopping up and down to the jumpy tune.
For the encore, Eurythmics played their current single, the rocking "Missionary Man", as well as last year's stomper "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves". Someone in the audience handed Dave a portrait of he and Annie, which he flashed to the crowd and seemed genuinely knocked out by. Lennox and background vocalist Joniece Jamison then recreated the same dance steps that Lennox and Aretha Franklin did together in the video for "Sisters".
The group left the stage again, but were soon called back for a second encore. With her coat back on to settle things down, Annie topped the night off with the ballad "Miracle of Love".


text:
HONG KONG – Hong Kong will tighten coronavirus travel restrictions to align it more with mainland China, its chief said Tuesday, as the city extended its streak of more than two months without a major local outbreak.
AFP / MANILA BULLETIN
The announcement came despite concerns from the international hub's business community that the city remains indefinitely cut off from the rest of the world, with one of the most stringent mandatory quarantine regimes of any jurisdiction.
Most arrivals must undergo 14-21 days of hotel quarantine.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Hong Kong will go even further in trying to persuade Chinese leaders to re-establish travel with the mainland.
"Soon we will… announce that most of the quarantine exemptions granted to specific groups of visitors from overseas and the mainland will be canceled," Lam said, adding that only essential workers such as truck drivers. cross-border workers would be allowed to free themselves from quarantine. trips.
Currently, Hong Kong allows certain groups of people to skip quarantine or self-isolate at home. These include diplomats and business leaders as well as some mainland holders of Hong Kong resident cards.
Lam did not specify which categories would now be denied exemptions.
Hollywood star Nicole Kidman was allowed to skip quarantine to shoot a TV show last month, a move that has sparked a lot of public anger.
Industry warning
Lam has previously described the reopening to the mainland as "more important" than restoring Hong Kong's international travel links.
On Tuesday, she made it clear that Beijing expects the city to emulate its own strict restrictions.
"We are caught in a kind of dilemma because to resume some non-quarantine travel with the mainland, we need to make sure that our anti-Covid 19 practices are more in line with the mainland's practices," she told reporters.
"So if Hong Kong relaxes border controls for people arriving from overseas or adopts what other countries have done – supposedly to live with the Covid-19 virus – then the chances of traveling with the mainland will be reduced. " The Hong Kong business community has watched with growing exasperation the reopening of rival financial centers such as Singapore, Tokyo, London and New York.
On Monday, the leading financial companies lobby group warned that Lam's decision to pursue a zero Covid strategy and keep the city away was hammering away at its long-term prospects as a hub of business.
But there are few signs of change on the horizon.
China maintains strict restrictions on overseas arrivals and has given no timetable for opening its borders.
Over the weekend, the Financial Times, citing a Chinese government source, said Beijing plans to keep its borders largely closed until the end of a large Communist Party rally in November 2022.
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Accor: leisure demand boosts third quarter sales
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beyonder's birthday! (by: beyonder)
yeah, it's my birthday. so you should all give me presents. and in the specific case of a certain man-named-after-candy, gimme back my GBA. that is all, goodbye!
Tuesday, June 1 2004 23:15 UTC
Read Comments: 6
Ten-Four, Good Buddy! (by: Pez-Man)
Less like ten-four, more like ten. Episode ten is out and ready to go! Enjoy the drama, humor, music, and dancing! (Bring your own dancing.) Have fun and enjoy.
Read Comments: 10
WAI! (by: Kamui)
YAY! I got a big update for my site up! Not really too much.. but it's more work that I've put into my site in awhile... :P I got my sprite comic archives switched to PHP and I also switched Synchro's "Chaos Shatter" archives to PHP and she also FINALLY MADE A NEW COMIC! ^_^ Go and see! (True... it doesn't have anything to do with the actual storyline but it's amusing none-the-less :P) WAI ^_^
Sunday, May 30 2004 17:02 UTC
Big Zero Nine! (by: Pez-Man)
The next comic is up. I liked it, I hope you do too! Also, if you're wondering about the picture, I was doing pretty good at CS and got a little spray-logo happy.
Friday, May 21 2004 01:47 UTC
WAHOOO!!! (by: Kamui)
Wow.... An update... By me... True it's not much.... And I'll be changing some stuffs as soon as I get off my lazy but and read up on how to do what I did with databases.... But hey! It's an update! the first update in about a month or so! WAI! ^_^ And I've got two comics drawn! And I even colored them! (Just need to track down a scanner... Hmmm....) WAI! ^_^
Wednesday, May 19 2004 17:19 UTC
8 is my lucky number! Minus one... (by: Pez-Man)
8th comic is the up. Don't got much else to say. Updated the quotes section. Have fun.
Saturday, May 15 2004 15:04 UTC
Teh Next Comic (by: Pez-Man)
It's the new comic up! I hope you all enjoy the comedy/drama/sugar! If anyone has any comments, please post in the forum. I want to give thanks to Chromus, who often helps me with sprites and other things, Beyonder, for hosting the website, and Smurgen, for saving me with the right music for these comics for a LONG time. Thanks all!
Saturday, April 24 2004 01:44 UTC
Giant Drinkable Onion Sailors (by: Pez-Man)
New comic! Episode 6 is out! Enjoy the comic, post comments in the forum, vote, have fun, don't pass out on the table, and have fun again.
Monday, April 12 2004 04:10 UTC
Hay is for horses, but it's fun to snack on, too! (by: Pez-Man)
Another comic! I'll try to get another one done before my spring break ends, but no promises! The updated comic menu shouldn't be too hard to understand. Hope this one is more funny than the others, and I hope I get more comments on this one.
Sunday, April 4 2004 02:01 UTC
I swear, March didn't exist... (by: ayana)
Oh good god... I.. I.. UPDATED?! .... Yes. I did. With a ton of art, too. And a new song! What do you think, sweeties? ^_^ *heart*
Friday, April 2 2004 20:03 UTC
Rolling Stone (by: Pez-Man)
Looks like I'm on a roll. New comic up today. I'll probably update the quote file with a few new quotes tommorow. Not much other news. It might be a while before the next comic, but not another few months. Just maybe a week or two.
Tuesday, March 23 2004 21:07 UTC
All the news thats fit to know! (by: Pez-Man)
It hasn't been that long! New comic is up, episode 3. Hope you all enjoy. If you have any comments, leave them in the forum. I also updated the quote page with a few new quotes, nothing special. Best of all, I got the first two episodes with music to be about one third the size they used to be, so even an AOLer could download it in three hours, and no more then a few minutes for actual dial-up users! Have fun!
Wednesday, March 17 2004 02:51 UTC
Comics! (by: Phred)
I've gone back to a daily updating thing, so come every day for PLHFH related fun!
Friday, March 12 2004 02:25 UTC
Shoutcast (by: beyonder)
Well, we once again have a Shoutcast stream. Not a very stable one, but it's there :p. Look on the left bar for a link. If the link doesn't work that means it's down...simple.
Tuesday, March 2 2004 03:13 UTC
Finally Up!!! (by: dmneoblade)
Well, nearly 3 months after I said I would have my site up, it is finally up. Will work on the content as soon as I figure out PHPwebsite better. YAY!
Tuesday, February 24 2004 05:37 UTC
DTN's The Great Update 2004 (by: Twilkitri)
TGU 2004 took place today several hours ago, with many noticable (and some not noticable) changes to DTN. It involved deleting most of the site and then putting it back, so chances are that some pieces may be missing- if you notice anything suspicious, such as broken images, then let me know. FEE ended up with the lion's share of the new content, with it finally getting the databased menus it was lacking for some time, a new tutorial, the migration of the FE4SRP into it, and the renovation of the Equipment Data and Character Data sections into the Equipment and Character Databases. Better means of access to the databases than the current basic will be forthcoming. To replace the FE4SRP I added fehack as an official part of the site. It had been there for some time, but invisible except for those I gave the link to. DTN Main didn't really get much of an update, barring some editting of the Links and About sections. The news was updated, but that's barely noteworthy. STS and Relena, unfortunately, did not recieve any new content. The comics section actually lost content, as I removed the 'Nostalgia' comics. The new section DTNTD was added, to provide a place for a page for my attempt at translating Aretha 1.
Sunday, February 22 2004 12:14 UTC
Databases Woo! (by: dmneoblade)
Ok, I am in the middle of a database class, typing this during a break. Most of you probably don't see what this has to do at all with the site, but I assure you that it is important. Expect to see my site up soon, with some very, very strange features. And mabye a couple of simulators. ~DMNeoblade
Saturday, February 21 2004 18:21 UTC
Yep (by: Pez-Man)
New comic. It's not as long as the first one, but it should still be around two minutes of reading time. Enjoy!
Sundays! Somedays! (by: ayana)
Just so that people know, I try to update my site on sundays, and I'm planning on updating with a comic on Fridays (If funny stuff happens at school to comic about..) Heart~ Aya
Wednesday, February 18 2004 17:50 UTC
Yeah... (by: beyonder)
Small changes: Main page is now valid HTML4.01(again), and is about 150 pixels wider...unfortunately i must now say 'This Page Best Viewed in 1024x768 or Higher Resolution' *wonders if anyone is ever gonna read this...*
Add a new news post
Questions? Comments? E-mail the Webmaster. :: Comic questions or comments? E-mail Pez-Man.


I love fall. It is my favorite season of the year. I love fall colors. I love the way the slanting rays of the dwindling sun cast a golden glow over everything. I love pumpkins, gourds, many-colored ornamental corn, fall apples, fresh apple cider. I love the crisp evening air that signals fall's arrival. I love trips to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, pumpkin bars. Truly, I love everything about fall. And even though we're not quite there yet, something about today's weather made me think about fall. Which made me think about fall decorating.
Last year, I wrote this little pattern for fall. Of course, I didn't see my inspiration for it until fall was already in full swing, so the pattern was released late, right around Halloween. This year, I want to share it now so knitters will have time to make the pumpkin, or several, in time for Halloween and/or fall decorating.
Inspiration for the Mini Colorwork Pumpkins. When I saw this in the store, I realized that knitting patterns featuring the motifs right on the pumpkin itself were few to none.
Jen made this fun colorwork pumpkin with spider. I love how she integrated it into her fall decorating! Several spider charts are included in the pattern.
I love fall as much as you! I find my color preferences are starting to turn to deep oranges, mustards and reds. Your post makes me want to knit more mini pumpkins!!
Fall is just the best! I love the colors you're thinking of. Thanks! Writing the post put me in the fall mood, and made me want to knit a few more mini pumpkins, too!!
Might be my first attempt at color work! Thanks.


During world Dental Congress in Bangkok Thailand held on 22th September 2015 to 26th September 2015.
Chairman with Minister for Health, James Macharia during launch of Weigao medical products.
No Student Activities of Selected Type ALL !


Belinda Kirkpatrick, the creator of The Seed Concept, is an expert Naturopath and Nutritionist with over a decade of clinical experience.
Belinda specialises in women's health and is especially passionate about hormonal health, fertility management and miscarriage prevention. Belinda is known for her extensive knowledge of natural and conventional treatment in addition to her evidence-based approach to integrative healthcare.
Belinda created The Seed Concept as she is passionate about helping women optimise their nutrition and health in a realistic and achievable manner.
Belinda's tertiary qualifications include: Masters of Reproductive Health, Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy), Associate Degree in Clinical Sciences and Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy.
Belinda is in clinical practice in Double Bay and Balmain; is on the expert panel of Women's Fitness magazine; designs smoothie and juice recipes for The Bondi Juice Co and SuperMix Juicery; is a mother of two beautiful girls; feels like a full-time cook and is a constant time-juggler!


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Anthony Edwards Is Flashing the Potential the Timberwolves Need
The no. 1 pick was thrown into the fire this season, as a rash of injuries made Minnesota the worst team in the NBA. He hasn't been efficient, but he's shown athleticism and talent worth building around.
By Jonathan Tjarks Mar 15, 2021, 12:20pm EDT
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Getty Images/Ringer illustration
Anthony Edwards probably won't win Rookie of the Year. LaMelo Ball all but has the award locked up after leading the Hornets to the no. 6 seed in the East at the halfway point of the season. Edwards has been more up-and-down for the Wolves, who have the worst record in the NBA and recently fired their coach. But the no. 1 pick has shown flashes of why he went so high. There are times when he looks unstoppable. Edwards almost single-handedly lifted the Wolves to a 114-112 win over the Blazers on Sunday, scoring a career-high 34 points on 12-of-24 shooting.
The most impressive part of his game comes when he puts his head down and gets to the rim. He's an incredible athlete with a rare combination of size (6-foot-4 and 225 pounds) and explosiveness. Edwards had one of the best dunks in recent memory in February, but this one was just as impressive because it happened in the closing moments of the fourth quarter against a playoff team. It should not be possible to dunk like this against a set defense during crunch time:
34 PTS (Career-high)
6 3PT (Career-high)
12/24 FG
4 REB
1 NASTY DUNK pic.twitter.com/azXaE2dW5u
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 15, 2021
Edwards then closed out Portland with a barrage of 3s. His subpar 3-point percentage (31.5 percent on 6.4 attempts per game) understates his shooting ability because he takes so many difficult attempts. The more telling number is his excellent free throw shooting (80.2 percent on 2.6 attempts per game). The best version of Edwards combines powerful drives with the ability to knock down jumpers when the defense tries to keep him out of the paint. He settles for too many 3s right now, but his shot does look good when they go in:
That's the balance that Edwards and the Wolves still have to figure out. He's a long way from being efficient. He's shooting 42.9 percent from 2-point range on 9.0 attempts per game, and his percentages at the rim (58.0 percent on 4.5 attempts per game) aren't good for a player with his athleticism. Nor does he get to the line enough considering how often he shoots the ball. Put it all together and it's easy to see why he has such bad advanced statistics. Edwards is dead last among 80 eligible rookies in win shares (minus-0.7) this season.
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None of this should be a surprise considering how raw Edwards is. He reclassified and skipped his senior season of high school, making him one of the youngest players in the NBA. He's in good company at the bottom of the win shares list, right behind two other highly touted 19-year-olds (Aleksej Pokusevski and Killian Hayes) who have also struggled to play efficiently in big roles in their respective offenses. Edwards is even further behind on the development curve because he focused more on football growing up. He's playing on talent and instincts at this stage of his career.
Edwards wasn't supposed to have to do this much. The Wolves' plan was for him to grow into a larger role on a team built around Karl-Anthony Towns, D'Angelo Russell, and Malik Beasley. But those three have played four games together this season. The Wolves have had unbelievably bad luck with the timing of injuries to their best players. Russell, who has missed the past month after undergoing knee surgery, went down the game before Towns returned from a month-long absence after contracting COVID.
The result has been a disorganized team that has never had a consistent rotation or built much chemistry between its players. And that was before it fired its coach (Ryan Saunders) in the middle of the season and brought in an assistant from another team (Chris Finch) who is learning the strengths and weaknesses of his players on the fly.
Playing off Russell and Beasley would have been good for Edwards. Per Synergy Sports, he's in the 56th percentile of players leaguewide as a spot-up shooter and in the 17th percentile when shooting off the dribble. Those two would have created easier shots for him and more driving lanes to the rim. Edwards faces crowds in those situations because Minnesota is no. 23 in the NBA in 3-point percentage (35.1). Its starting lineup against Portland had two non-shooters (Ricky Rubio and Jarred Vanderbilt) who the Blazers could leave open on the perimeter.
There are a lot of times when Edwards makes the right pass and doesn't get rewarded for it:
He's not a selfish player. Edwards has a positive ratio of assists (2.5 per game) to turnovers (1.9), and reads the floor fairly well. Don't let some of the bad shots fool you. He has a good feel for the game. That would be more obvious if he weren't playing on a depleted team that's been practically forced to give him an unlimited green light.
A smaller role on offense would also help Edwards on defense, where he has all the physical tools to be elite but makes too many mistakes. The Wolves can't afford to bench him for mental miscues and missed rotations because of how much they need him on the offensive end. They have no choice but to let him play through those and hope that he doesn't develop bad habits.
LaMelo is the exception that proves the rule. Usually, when a team gives a lot of offensive responsibility to a young player, it loses a lot, which is what has happened in Minnesota. But the upside is that Edwards can benefit from his trial by fire and, hopefully, come out of it a better player.
It's hard for a volume scorer like Edwards to transition to the NBA. For the first time in his life, Edwards can't rely on his physical tools to bail him out of bad decisions. He has to learn how to balance shooting and passing, playing on and off the ball, and splitting his energy between offense and defense. That process can take years.
There are still a wide range of outcomes for Edwards's career. He has the potential to be an All-NBA wing who can defend multiple positions, space the floor, create his own shot, and run the offense. But he could also end up as an inefficient scorer who never learns how to play within a team concept. Minnesota knew that when it drafted him. It took a swing for the fences and counted on being able to develop him. The most encouraging sign is that his teammates love him, which doesn't always happen when a rookie takes a lot of shots on a bad team. It's easy to see why in his press conferences, where his positivity and sense of humor have made him one of the better interviews in the league.
The challenge for the Wolves will be aligning the timetables of their best players. They have an interesting core of first- and second-year players, led by Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid, who aren't ready to contribute for a playoff-caliber team. The problem is their star (Towns) is 25 and in the second season of a five-year max extension. He has said all the right things about wanting to stay long term, but Minnesota has to start winning at some point. It already sacrificed some of its future by trading a future first-round pick to Golden State for Russell. That pick is top 3 protected this season. Losing it would be a huge blow to a team with the worst record in the NBA.
The hope is that Edwards can be the third- or fourth-best player on a more veteran team next season, and slowly develop into a no. 2 next to Towns. The question isn't whether Edwards can be as good as LaMelo. It's whether he can develop his nearly limitless potential before Towns gets restless. Edwards won't be Towns's current age until 2026. Minnesota is in a race against the clock to develop its star rookie and keep its franchise player in town.
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So continuing with my new found passion I got opportunities to make cards for wedding and personalized covers. I took ideas from the net and modified it into my version. Enjoy.
Card for a couple on their marriage and its cover below.


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Why Has CMJ Floundered When SXSW Has Flourished?
By Rachel Brodsky | October 5, 2016 | 2:36pm
Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images Music Features
Every fall for the last three-and-a-half decades, the College Music Journal (just CMJ, to industry types) throws its annual new-music bash, booking literally hundreds of indie-rock torchbearers and upstarts in venues dotting downtown Manhattan, and in later years, portions of Brooklyn. Placing a general focus on college rock, which tends to draw a bounty of student DJs, people who once were student DJs, industry workers, musicians and music lovers, CMJ likewise encourages open discussion among its attendees, organizing daily panels on music journalism, publicity, management, A&R, label relations, booking, technology—the list goes on. On top of that, badge holders can attend open-bar day parties and showcases, and even film screenings.
The event itself has a cousin in Austin's South by Southwest festival, which also began in the '80s as a grassroots music celebration. Unlike CMJ, SXSW has ballooned into not just a week, but an almost month-long parade of music, film, and technology showcases. But while SXSW has boomed over its 30 years, CMJ has noticeably shriveled. Though it hasn't been confirmed by CMJ officials, it's looking more and more likely that 2016 will be the first time since its inception in 1981 that the CMJ festival does not take place.
Not that they've admitted defeat: As more and more publications point out the lack of 2016 programming (Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Noisey), CMJ has maintained that it does indeed have something planned, with CEO Adam Klein telling Pitchfork in August, "CMJ will absolutely happen this year." That doesn't appear to have come to pass, unless Klein was referring to last month's Mondo.NYC "music, technology and innovation" festival, organized by CMJ founders Bobby Haber and Joanne Abbot Green. CMJ's Twitter, meanwhile, hasn't been updated since late June, and its message to fans is, shall we say, pretty ominous.
But do we even need CMJ anymore? As Stereogum points out in their excellent long read around CMJ's protracted public crumble, SXSW covers a lot of the ground CMJ once did: bands on bands on bands, a never-ending array of networking opportunities, panels (this year's had President Barack Obama as keynote speaker), day drinking, plus two additional segments devoted to film and technology. Oh, and barbecue. Lots of barbecue.
But if these two festivals were once so similar, why has one flourished while the other has floundered?
Well, for one thing, CMJ hasn't always been just a festival. CMJ New Music Monthly was a music magazine featuring interviews, reviews, and features and ran from 1993 to 2009, with its festival operating as an extension. College radio stations would report their charts weekly, which CMJ would compile to show which acts were soaking up airwaves. But as Stereogum also notes, CMJ has been in dire financial straits as far back as 1997, when they were operating at a deficit of $2.2 million—numbers that only increased. A torrent of negative business tidings followed, with CMJ being sold in 1999, bought back two years later, then accused of fraudulent dealings and failure to pay its editorial contributors, among many other issues (like the 2008 recession and the rise of new media, which put plenty of print magazines out of business). Most recently, in 2014, Klein bought the ailing company with promises to set it right. (Note: Klein did not answer Paste's request for comment.) Last year's festival appeared to go off without a hitch. And this year? Radio, er, silence.
What's more, CMJ is famously set in New York City, an expensive place that's packed with a seemingly limitless number of venues, varying in size, audience capacity, and location, and all offer bills of bands to see on literally any given Tuesday. (Just look at OhMyRockness for proof.) So why bother dealing with CMJ's college-age crowds and too-short sets when the same band will probably return to New York at some point that very same year and play a longer one? So there's your first problem: Planning a massive music festival in a city where every night could pass for a festival.
Austin, though also a reputable music hub, is markedly smaller. Anything you want to see at SXSW will probably be within a mile radius, while CMJ can sometimes require bothersome subway rides to other boroughs (and anyone who lives in New York can tell you that most of your time is eaten up by commuting).
Bill-wise, CMJ has always featured too many bands to name, but as the years progressed, its headliners looked less and less impactful. 2002 was the year of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Iron & Wine; 2004 hosted Arcade Fire and TV on the Radio; 2008 had Lady Gaga; and even 2011 featured Kendrick Lamar. Last year had a solid enough lineup, with Børns, Perfect Pussy, Titus Andronicus, Neon Indian, Car Seat Headrest, Frankie Cosmos, Kero Kero Bonito, Motion City Soundtrack, Protomartyr, Tobias Jesso Jr., Diet Cig, etc. But I ask you: When can't you see Car Seat, Perfect Pussy, or Frankie Cosmos in New York City?
SXSW, on the other hand, has only grown in size and scale, sometimes to the chagrin of those who remember its original new-music mission. Last year's headliners included a lot of the above familiar faces, but also rock overlords like Iggy Pop and Josh Homme, plus Ryan Adams and Jenny Lewis, Drake, Kacey Musgraves and the Avett Brothers. It stands to reason that there's just more money to pay big-name artists thanks to all of SXSW's corporate sponsorship. Regardless of your feelings toward big money fueling the music industry, it can't be denied that brands do feed Austin's largest music fest in the 2010s, funneling cash in from companies like Bud Light, McDonalds, and Esurance. CMJ has had partners and sponsors too, of course, but many are websites and print outlets (Time Out New York, BandsInTown, the Village Voice). It's very likely that each festival's cash flow looks quite different.
Now, I'm not trying to argue that corporate sponsorship is an inherently good or bad thing or that CMJ is getting what it deserves by pouring resources into keeping a now-online magazine serving a dying industry like college radio afloat. But it's important to recognize the circumstances surrounding the festivals' history and what that means for each other's trajectory.
Or you could just boil it down to this: Think of what it must cost for an ailing former print magazine to put on an annual, sprawling festival in downtown New York and parts of Brooklyn. Now, think about the cost to do the same thing—minus the magazine and shady business dealings—in Austin, Texas, a smaller, more remote city where the average one bedroom rents at about $1200—less than half of what it would cost in New York. So really, is it any wonder that CMJ—like so many other creatives struggling to stay put in New York City—is on its way out?
cmj


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Jan 9, 2022, 11:50 AM
Iran, Turkmenistan trade volume exchange up 84% in 2021
TEHRAN, Jan. 09 (MNA) – The trade volume exchanged between Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Turkmenistan in 2021 registered a 84 percent growth.
Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi and Turkmen Vice-President Serdar Berdimuhamedow in a meeting on Saturday referred to an 84 percent increase of trade between Iran and Turkmenistan in 2021 and evermore expansion of bilateral relations.
During the meeting, Ghasemi and Berdimuhamedow discussed intelligent management in the transportation field by utilizing drones and unprecedented levels of bilateral trade.
Ghasemi expressed hope in the meeting that the outcome of his meeting with top Turkmen officials will materialize objectives of both countries, and argued that Iran-Turkmenistan agreements can secure both countries' interests, and "we hope these meetings in Iran and Turkmenistan need to continue to ensure the continuation of this favorable trend."
He focused on transiting Turkmenistan's goods to India and other countries in the south, too, and said that this will be beneficial for both countries economically.
Serdar Berdimuhamedow, for his part, said that one of the best means for boosting bilateral cooperation is the activities of the Joint Iran-Turkmenistan Economic Commission.
Turkmen vice-president agreed with the Iranian minister on the point that transportation and transit fields are two major fields of cooperation between Iran and Turkmenistan, reiterating that the Iranian road and urban development minister had a good proposal on problem resolving in Sarakhs Border.
He evaluated the Iranian minister's proposal on the transit of goods, too, as a very brilliant one, saying that in Turkmenistan "we have many projects underway for the expansion of the transportation network."
Turkmenistan emphasizes broadening ties with Iran
Meeting between Iran, Turkmenistan VPs
Development of economic coop. on agenda of Tehran, Ashgabat
Iran roads minister to visit Damascus for economic ties
Iran, Turkmenistan review mutual coop. in electricity field
Iran to hold 6th solo exhibition in Tajikistan late Feb.
Iran's exports to ECO member states hit $10.5bn in 8 months
Iran-Turkmenistan Relation
Trade Promotion


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Mister Buds is a retail marijuana shop located in Port Angeles, WA 3 blocks west of downtown and within walking distance of the Victoria, B.C. ferry.
Committed to serving WA medical patients and all adults who value quality products and sustainability. Happiness is available here!


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Morning Debate: Who steps up at Safety?
Coach Tom Coughlin announced yesterday that Stevie Brown has a torn ACL, placing the safety on season-ending injured reserve.
In his conference call, Coughlin also said starter Antrel Rolle is supposed to return to practice this week, which leaves an opportunity for another safety to play opposite him in Brown's place. First-year Giant Ryan Mundy, who filled in for Rolle, could be the next man up.
"We'll see about that," Coughlin said. "He has played well. We just have to get the people out there and get the right combination here. Ryan has played well and he certainly has proven that he can be physical and be dominant in the box. From that standpoint, yes."
That leads us to our Morning Debate:
Who should start next to Antrel Rolle at safety?
Let us know which player you think and why in the comments section below.


Silk belts made of carré scraps.
Limited edition. Order directly via comfortobjects.dk (my underline) or get in touch below.
Submit your email below to to hear more about price and availability for "Cherished Objects Reimagined"


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Banners of Ruin is a new animal-packed deck builder with gorgeous art
Clawing its way to Steam Early Access, July 30.
We're Getting Another Ubisoft Forward in September
The cycle of livestream announcements will continue in September with a new Ubisoft Forward.
Morgan Shaver
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Ubisoft has no immediate plans to increase game prices to $70
Ubisoft games releasing on next-gen consoles will continue to sell for $60 for the time being.
Starting earlier this summer, we've watched a number of digital direct broadcasts from companies like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and Ubisoft. It's like a neverending E3. Whether companies want to or not, they've had to adapt to in-person event cancellations as a result of COVID-19.
Ubisoft is among the newcomers to the digital direct broadcast crowd, first announcing their livestream series in May called Ubisoft Forward. On July 12, the first Ubisoft Forward aired and showed off games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion.
For those wondering whether additional Ubisoft Forward events will air this year, we can now say with certainty that they will as Ubisoft confirmed plans to air a new Ubisoft Forward in September.
We're getting another Ubisoft Forward in September
Ubisoft's latest earnings call included a confirmation that we're getting another Ubisoft Forward in September.
© Ubisoft
In an earnings call today, Ubisoft confirmed another Ubisoft Forward will take place in September. An exact date and time has yet to be provided, but if you've been hungry for updates on Ubisoft games, it's good to know you won't have to wait too long for the company's next broadcast.
The Ubisoft Forward that took place on July 12 left out info fans were hoping to get, including updates on games like Gods & Monsters. The financial call actually mentions Gods & Monsters alongside Rainbow Six Quarantine, noting the development process is going smoothly.
It doesn't sound like there are any delays that would result in either game missing their projected release windows, either before the end of the year or the first few months of 2021.
The mention of each game also has us speculating over whether we'll hear about either game in the next Ubisoft Forward. Even if we don't, the earnings call notes that Ubisoft had "record peak concurrent views" that surpassed their previous E3 conferences.
We're not sure how the one in September will perform, but if it continues to be lucrative for Ubisoft, we can easily see them continue airing Ubisoft Forward events in 2021 regardless of whether or not in-person events resume.
The earnings call also makes it clear that Assassin's Creed and Just Dance have been highly successful, meaning that we'll certainly get another Assassin's Creed after the launch of Valhalla, and a new Just Dance.
If they're working out well for Ubisoft, we can't imagine they'll stop supporting either franchise anytime soon. Overall, we're excited to check out the next Ubisoft Forward event in September.
We hope to hear more about games like Gods & Monsters and Watch Dogs: Legion, but we'd be just as happy to hear more about games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla as well.
After learning about the upcoming Ubisoft Forward in September, and some of the notes from Ubisoft's financial call today, what are your thoughts? Are you planning on watching the next Ubisoft Forward? Are there any games you're hoping to see? Comment below!
Morgan is a writer, indie game lover, and socially awkward coffee addict. Need something? Morgan can be reached at morgan.shaver@allgamers.com or if you like, you can say hello using GIFs on Twitter.
Rainbow Six Quarantine