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Giving thanks for present-day heroes
Big Brothers Big Sisters VC changes lives of both children and mentors
By Carla Iacovetti 11/21/2012
"Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me." — Fred Rogers
Everybody loves a hero. We are part of a generation that has evolved from a world of cartoon superheroes, and those characters bridged the gap between humanity and fantasy while giving inspiration to the children of that day. You remember them — cartoon characters like G.I. Joe, the Transformers, Underdog, Spiderman, Superman or He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. We will never forget these unremitting conquerors of evil — characters that kept every little boy mesmerized while he aspired to be just like them.
Of course, true heroes have nothing to do with superpowers. They don't wear capes, spew fire from their mouths; they don't wiggle their noses, shoot webs from building to building or fly through the air "faster than a speeding bullet." True heroes shine light in a dark corner of everyday life. These heroes are everywhere, and they are common folks like you and me, simply making a difference in the world, even if ever so small.
When Louise Vera made a call to Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, she had no idea that this program would have the kind of impact it has had on her daughter Jasmine, who is now 21 and coming out of the program, but it changed her life forever.
As a single mother, Vera had a difficult time juggling the responsibilities of raising two children alone while taking care of her parents. "With all of the responsibilities, it wasn't feasible for me to support my kids the way they needed it — I had far too much on my plate," Vera said. "Having mentors for my kids was such a relief."
At around 13 years of age, Jasmine started hanging with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble, which included running away. "I had a lot of hard times with my daughter. I was overwhelmed, and I didn't know where to turn," Vera said.
One day, at the height of her concerns, Vera saw a television advertisement about BBBS, and she immediately called the office in Ventura. Because there is such a high demand for mentors, she was put on a waiting list. "The first match didn't work out, and sometimes that happens, but then Becky Ford came into our life. If it weren't for Becky, I don't even think my daughter would have graduated from high school, let alone go to college. Jasmine's life has been completely transformed. Becky has been so much more than a mentor — she's like family," Vera said. Jasmine is currently in college studying to be a nurse, actively involved with a church and living very independently.
Being a Big Brother helps children and youth achieve a better outlook in life.
Becky Ford is the enrollment match specialist (case manager) at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura (BBBSVC). When working with Vera to try and find a match, she decided to mentor Jasmine herself. "At the time, my youngest child was in high school. I saw a need with Jasmine, and I wanted to help. When you become aware that there's a need, you look at your life and say, 'I can do this. I just love my little sister,' " Ford said.
Ford has been able to see firsthand the impact mentorship plays in so many kids' lives. She herself was mentored from the time she was 10 until she was 15, and it made a lasting impression on her life.
Jasmine is the first girl that Ford mentored, and even though she is now out of the program, they are still in constant communication. "We have a relationship — it's for life. Now that she's older and can drive, she often comes to see me. It's been such a rewarding and worthwhile thing to do, and the relationship that you build with your little sister or little brother is just wonderful," Ford said.
Youth mentoring has been around for ages, and there are a variety of ways that adults can get involved with mentoring, including community volunteer groups, school-related organizations, church-based youth groups or social service programs like BBBS.
According to the Encyclopedia of Informal Education, state mentoring groups are often the most effective: "The classic definition of mentoring is of an older, experienced guide who is acceptable to the young person and who can help ease the transition to adulthood by a mix of support and challenge. In this sense it is a developmental relationship in which the young person is inducted into the world of adulthood."
In 1904, Ernest Coulter, the former journalist who was troubled over the way orphans were treated in the court system, started BBBS by recruiting 39 volunteers at the Men's Club of New York City's Central Presbyterian Church.
The time spent with theses kids helps them to believe in themselves so they may one day achieve their full potential.
"There is only one possible way to save that youngster: to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother, to look after him, help him to do right, make the little chap feel that there is at least one human being in this great city … who cares whether he lives or dies," Coulter said.
With more than 500 chapters nationwide, this organization is still one of the largest and most reputable mentoring programs in the United States and has several programs to assist with the needs of various children and youth.
Since 1970, BBBSVC has been serving this community, and the need for male mentors is greater than ever before.
"Recently I received a phone call from a gentleman whose wife died of cancer a few years ago, and he called us looking for help," said Pedro Chavez, the director of education and public affairs for BBBSVC. "He is hard-working, and he has been trying to keep both of his kids stable since they lost their mother. But despite his efforts, his son is trying to numb his pain by using drugs and hanging with the wrong crowd. This kid needs a mentor, but we have no one that's stepped up to the plate. Sadly, he's been put on a waiting list."
Single parenting is never easy for anyone, but when you add the complication of the death of a parent, sometimes coping gets complicated and you need help. BBSVC, however, currently has 150 kids on a waiting list that is growing, and 70 percent of those kids are boys.
"We get referrals from school psychologists, social workers, the county, 211 help line (social services hotline) and individuals calling in for help (like this single father), but because there is a shortage of men who want to mentor, these kids are often put on a waiting list," Chavez said.
The recognition of the need for this kind of role-model need in today's youth is rising. Last year, Carlos Andrés Gómez, an award-winning writer and performer from New York City, offered support to BBBS with appearances and fundraisers to promote male mentor recruiting.
"Today's young men lack positive role models. There is a void of men to look up to: absentee fathers, incarceration, deployment, violence and early death because of environmental and social conditions — it's tough to know where to turn," Gómez said.
As part of Gómez's quest to promote solutions to the many challenges young men today face, the former social worker and public school teacher wrote the self-revealing book, Man Up: Cracking the Code of Modern Manhood. In his book, Gómez makes public his own past and the challenges that many Latino men face, with the hope of influencing young men and inspiring grown men to embrace mentorship.
Gómez is not the only high-profile personality endorsing BBBS. Celebrities Gerard Butler and Jonny Weston, the stars of the recently released movie Chasing Mavericks, talk about the impact that male mentorship can have on a young man's life. The film tells the true story about surfing phenomenon Jay Moriarity (Weston), who discovers mavericks, some of the biggest and deadliest waves in the world near his Santa Cruz, Calif., home. Moriarity is mentored by local legend Frosty Hesson (Butler), who trains him to survive surfing the wave. As Frosty and Jay embark on their quest, their time together becomes about much more than surfing … a wonderful bond of friendship forms that changes both of their lives. As part of the release of the movie, 20th Century Fox and Walden Media produced a public service announcement (PSA) video to help BBBS raise money and recruit mentors, particularly men. See http://tinyurl.com/cabuqrp
Manuel Carmona, an electrical engineer who lives here in Ventura originally from Varese, Italy, has been a big brother since March 2011.
"I've wanted to work as a volunteer with kids for a very long time," Carmona said. "When I started looking for an opportunity to do that, this organization just struck a chord."
Carmona's little brother had no aspirations to attend college, but now he's convinced that he will go.
"I travel around the world a lot for my job, and he's become fascinated with the outside world," Carmona said. "He's somehow made a connection that sticking with something and going to college will pay off. Whether it's in one-on-one conversations, or receiving my e-mails with photos from faraway places, my little brother now sees the advantages of education and stick-to-itiveness."
As a mentor, Carmona is excited to be a part of opening his little brother's eyes to the world around him, by showing him a side of life that he might normally never have seen. "At the end of the day, they begin to make that connection, and this is invaluable. It will last a lifetime. I can't say enough about this program," says Carmona.
Veronica Roblez-Soliz, the board president for the Oxnard School District, is impressed with BBBSVC. "I see the essential role that they play in the community with the development of the children that they mentor," she said.
Currently, BBBSVC is teaming up with Oxnard School District. It is in the process of working with Chavez, Montalvo and Ramona Elementary Schools to get their Lunch Buddy Program underway. Essentially, this program focuses on the less popular kids — those kids who have possibly suffered at the hands of bullying and sit alone during lunch. Many of these kids have social anxiety. The lunch buddy will come once a week to have lunch with the kid.
"In my experience I have seen a positive change in school attendance, attitude, self-confidence and the avoidance of risky behavior with kids who have been mentored like this," Roblez-Soliz said. "My hope is that individuals in the community will come out and work together."
Currently, Ventura County's dropout rate is approaching 15 percent, and that equates to more than 1,200 youth in our community who are dropping out of high school. GuideStar Philanthropedia and other watchdog-type independent organizations that assess nonprofits have designated BBBS as the No. 1 nonprofit in the country. The Boys & Girls Club of America is No. 2. The percentage of youth who come through the program and actually finish high school is at 95 percent.
Even with such a success rate, BBBSVC is in desperate need of male role models. In addition, 70 percent of the kids who are on a waiting list for a mentor here in Ventura County are Latino boys. "There are a number of misconceptions about volunteering with this program. One of those is that you have to spend money to be a mentor, and in an economy where things are so tight, it has been a concern, but this is more about an investment of your time. This isn't just about being a handout, though we are helping with that as well," Chavez said.
BBBSVC has alliances with a number of organizations that provide mentors with free tickets to events they can take their little brother or sister to. Some of those organizations are the Rubicon Theatre Company, the L.A. Dodgers, River Ridge, Ventura County Fair and various restaurants in the community. "Money should never be a reason not to mentor a child," said Chavez.
"Mentors have the time to give back. We're not forced to do this, we choose to, but in giving of my time, I've gotten so much back from my little guy. It's hard to put in words. I don't have any children or young siblings, but just being able to spend time with my little brother is sobering and actually keeps me in check. I have him to thank for that," said Carmona.
The following is a heartfelt note of thanks that a 17-year-old youth who is going through the program sent to Chavez.
My initial response to the offer of joining the Big Brothers Big Sisters program was not necessarily one of great enthusiasm. I was more curious than anything else. However, after meeting with my big brother, I quickly realized that this program would mean so much more to me than I had initially anticipated. Our friendship quickly grew and I realized that he was really my friend and truly a supportive person, something I had been lacking for many years now. He quickly became the one person who I considered family. He has always stayed as a steady support for me and has treated me with greater kindness than I would have expected from anyone. When I have difficulty of any kind I always know that he is the one person I can talk to openly, and express myself to. … The Big Brothers Big Sisters program has provided me with my one and only true and steadfast friend, who I know will always be there for me. I love my Big Brother, and I know he loves me as well. He's the only person I can say that I love and can consider a part of my family. To the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization, I say thank you, because whether you know it or not, you have made my existence a much happier one. You guys rock!
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What a great article, thank you so much for sharing the Big Brothers Big Sisters story with your readership!
It was a pleasure. Grateful for all the heartfelt stories...
Wonderful and heartwarming article. You have made my day!
Thanks so much Sardith.


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Do you/will you/did you spank your children?
I was spanked and I feel like it was an integral part of my raising ( I was beyond hard headed ). I know there is a line that parents must be wary not to cross. I just feel like a pop now and then while misbehaving is sometimes the best way to get a point across.
14 Answers answer
Right there with you. We spanked our kids when necessary - that doesn't include every little infraction, but what I'd qualify as "major issues".
I watch those kids that I know the parents refuse to spank - they are clearly the ones that are disruptive and disrespectful.
I will as well.
I was spanked growing up. As a child, who didn't understand the complexity of consequences, and the deep requirement for a respect of authority and others, spankings were a simple way (and often the only way) to get through to me.
When done by loving parents, who understand that children can't be reasoned with like adults, spanking provides the structure for a family and appreciation for your parents later in life.
@dmaz: Remarkably well said.
My mom did cross that line growing up, sometimes for ridiculous stuff. I think it cost me a lot of my ability to trust people. I also learned pretty early that justice and punishment are not always related. I don't have any kids of my own, but I do keep Great Danes. What I have learned with them is that you have to know your dog very well in order to assess the proper level of correction. Simba is my sixth Great Dane, and he is the only one who has required serious physical correction. For several of the others, corporal punishment would not have been a good tool. For a couple of the others the occasional smack on the butt was enough. Simba is a 140lb alpha male who was turned in to AC for euthanasia because he was so dog aggressive he'd turn on his owner. It took a lot of training, much of it using a vinegar water spray bottle and a riding crop to get him in hand. The aggression is under control but even now he sometimes still needs a spanking to get his attention.
@moondrake: I think you make an excellent point. You need to know the personality of your children (furry or otherwise), make the discipline appropriate to the crime, and make sure you aren't disciplining in anger. When a baby is too young to understand that something is dangerous a gentle swat on the hand makes them understand that particular thing has consequences. Some children when older respond to a stern voice. I was a very sensitive kid and having someone "mad" or disappointed in me hurt me as much or more than a spanking. I have a brother who grew up thinking my parents were "mean" because he didn't understand and was acting out for attention. My sister on the other hand would push the line until someone spanked her and then she realized that person was in charge and then would obey them, she had a rough time in kindergarten till the teacher spanked her (at my mom's insistence, back when it wouldn't have been a legal matter)
I had a three count rule that took care of most of the bad behaviors, but there were a few times when a spanking (again with a three swat limit) was warranted and administered. I saved spankings for things that could cause harm (like running out in the middle of the street). I never went over the three limit with spankings and I always used my hand. I was abused as a child and could not see the need to ever do that to my child. In my daughters entire life (18 years now) I spanked her a total of 5 times. The punishment has to fit the crime.
I will say that I tried every type of punishment you can think of that didn't include spankings for most misbehaving. Most did not work with my child and creativity was needed. I have grounded her from talking, styling her hair, nail polish, and "pretty" clothes. I have made her write papers on what was done wrong and how it could have been done another way and read them out loud. Those things always seemed to work.
yep, 3 kids, all get spanked when needed, all are well-adjusted, and well behaved, doing well in school, and overall very happy children. Occasional standing in the corner for smaller offenses also works. If that option doesn't work, even a threat of a spanking is an effective escalation. I wish it were legal to spank other people's kids in the checkout line.
I also tend to ignore any person who voices an opinion on spankings one way or the other if they don't have kids of their own.... for them, any discipline discussion is strictly theoretical, as we tend to revise our own histories a bit when thinking back 20+ years.
If Mortimore's mother was aressted for hitting him, wouold she be arrested for spanking the monkey?
I was spanked as a child. I grew up OK, I'm not scarred for life and I learned many important lessons! My favorite one to this day was when I was crying because I couldn't get something I wanted in a store. My moms reaction (after taking me outside so people didn't have to listen to me crying) was to say, you want a reason to cry, I'll give you a reason to cry and then she smacked me. I'll tell you, it took all of twice to learn NEVER to do that again! Both my brother and I were well behaved in public for the fear of being spanked or disciplined in some other creative way (my mom had a ton of ways to make the punishment fit the crime!). We are both adults, and both of us respect others and treat them kindly because of the way we were brought up.
I fully intent to spank my kids if necessary (if I ever have them). I will do whatever it takes to keep my child safe and have him or her grow into a nice respectful human being, and not a spoiled brat who throws a tantrum all the time.
I was spanked. And I never spanked my daughter.
Depends on the kid. I think @Dmaz said it very well.
@Moondrake: yep. I've had a few dogs, but before now I have never needed to use more than a stern voice with them - but both my boys now require a stern voice, a bit of volume, and physical direction once in a while. It's so strange.
Spanked often and beaten sometimes.
I don't equate resorting to physical violence as a form of discipline as good parenting. Unless you were beaten by a parent supposedly disciplining you, you can't or won't understand this. I got off easy. One of my friends has at least 100 scars on his back from lashings he received as a kid.
Spanking, I reserve for consenting adults.
I was spanked rarely, by hand or belt. Zero emotional or physical damage. It was more the minor humiliation that was the point.
OTOH, I was screamed at for hours and called worthless, starting before age 2, when a certain adult's feelings had been hurt (the adult's own phrasing). The adult was a basically good and well meaning person who didnt know how to deal with stuff. THAT was a prob that took years to solve.
A few months ago my wife found weed in the room our sons shared. When neither boys owned up they were both punished with paddling. Unfair but collective punishment is sometimes the only way

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Big Bash Lifts Australia's Game
This season, the Big Bash League, Australia's domestic Twenty20 competition, didn't stick to the script.
With fancied teams crashing out, an unfancied one dominating the group stage and then crashing out itself, low scores and unexpected stars, it's been a fascinating advertisement for Australian cricket. But the implications of a tournament dominated by older or foreign bowlers may be less encouraging.
Second only in size to the Indian Premier League among T20 tournaments, the Big Bash in its current incarnation is only in its second season. For six years before that, it was contested by the traditional six Australian state teams, with Victoria winning four times. Since last season, they have been replaced by eight city franchise-based outfits, with Sydney and Melbourne confusingly given two teams each.
This season ends on Saturday, when the Brisbane Heat plays the Perth Scorchers in the final.
Before an unexpected 15-run semifinal defeat by the Heat on Tuesday, the Melbourne Renegades had looked favorites for the title after topping the table in the round-robin group stage with seven wins out of eight. That in itself was a surprise: The team has almost no big-name Australian players since its top stars are Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan and West Indian Marlon Samuels. Until the semifinal, everything went right for the franchise.
When Samuels was sidelined by an eye-socket fracture, his replacement, England T20 opener Alex Hales, flew in for the Jan. 9 game, away to the Sydney Sixers, got off the plane and immediately went and hit 89 off 52 balls with eight sixes.
In another reversal of expectations, the Sixers, last year's winner, with 12 current or recent internationals in its squad, was among the favorites for this year's tournament, but finished seventh.
In a bad season for Sydney, the only team to finish below the Sixers was the city's other team, the Thunder, which has eight international players, including the biggest T20 star of all. But Chris Gayle failed for once, with just 137 runs at 19.57 in his seven appearances—unbelievably, at a strike rate below 100. The suitably star-studded Melbourne Stars, meanwhile, was surprisingly eliminated by the Scorchers in a dramatic last-ball semifinal.
But the tournament's biggest surprise has been the primacy of ball over bat in so many of its matches. In the 2011-12 Big Bash, the average completed first-innings score—a more reliable comparison than the second innings, when the average is brought down artificially each time a chasing team wins—was 161.03. So far in 2012-13, it's been 148.96, a fall of more than 12 runs, or about 7.5%.
There was a similar drop in average score from the first season of the IPL, in India, to the second, in South Africa—in other words, from some of the most batting-friendly conditions in the world to some of the most challenging. This time, though, there's no obvious reason: The pitches are the same, the teams' line-ups aren't much different, and there have been no major rule changes.
There have been some fine bowling performances, many of them from overseas players. Three of the top five wicket-takers so far are foreigners: Muralitharan and the Stars' Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka, and Perth Scorchers' Alfonso Thomas from South Africa. The only Australians in the top five are 36-year-old Thunder speedster Dirk Nannes and the tournament's leading wicket-taker, 30-year-old Hobart Hurricanes medium-pacer Ben Laughlin.
There has been no single batting star, but a few impressive performances. The Scorchers' Shaun Marsh, who topped the table with 396 runs at 66, has been a class act in all formats for years but has somehow never managed to cement his place in the Australian team.
The Renegades' Aaron Finch—Finch came close to replicating his stellar form in last year's competition with 332 at 66.40; he was rewarded with a One-Day International call-up, but has struggled in his two games against Sri Lanka. The Heat's run to the final, meanwhile, has been powered by some tremendous hitting from Luke Pomersbach, a sometimes troubled character who has had several disciplinary problems, but who scored 360 at 45 in the competition, including a spectacular undefeated 112 to win the semifinal against the Renegades.
Lying third on the batting list with 342 at 48.85 is Brad Hodge, who is 38 years old. The performances of older players has been one of the most heartening aspects of this year's Big Bash.
There have been a couple of vintage batting performances from 38-year-old former Australian captain Ricky Ponting to finish in the tournament's top 10 batsmen—for a while it was like having the genius of old back instead of the shadow who imitated him toward end of Test career. Four of the top six bowlers in the tournament have been the Scorchers' Brad Hogg (41), Muralitharan (40), Nannes (36) and Thomas (25).
There have been some other big pluses. The fielding has consistently been better than in much international cricket, and the tournament has gone off without a hitch: It is as well organized as any T20 league around the world.
Last year's inaugural season of the Bangladesh Premier League, for example, featured allegations of match-fixing, unpaid players and a double flip-flop over which team took the last semifinal spot. With the second season beginning on Friday, some players remain unpaid, while many others haven't received their contracts for the forthcoming season or the advance payment they were promised.
With talk of the Caribbean T20, which started Tuesday, also becoming franchise-based, and the Pakistan Super League due to launch in March, there's plenty of competition for a league like the Big Bash these days.
Irrespective of the action on the pitch, the tournament can differentiate itself with its organization—its lack of dubious ownership structures, wrangles between the board and the franchises, and players who don't get paid. It ought to be the minimum expected of a professional sports tournament, but it's a far from a given in the supercharged world of domestic T20.
Too often, the rush to cash in has obscured the fact that these are young tournaments that are still growing their own credibility.


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In his book (Categories for the working mathematician) MacLane speaks (on page 45) about the category of objects (of $\textbf{Ab}$) under $\mathbb{Z}$ which is the comma category $(\mathbb{Z}\downarrow \textbf{Ab})$, and says "it is the category of abelian groups with a selected element" (in analogy with $(\star\downarrow\textbf{Set})$), but, is there not already a prefered (or selected) element in all (abelian) groups, namely the identity element?
Pedro, sometimes we want to pick out an element or elements as an extra structure on abelian group. For example, we may be interested in a specified $\mathbb{Z}$-basis if the abelian group has one. Comma category constructions give a way of talking about such extra structure.
Of course, as you say there is already a distinguished element given by the identity. This is reflected in the fact that there is a canonical functor
$$Ab \simeq (\{0\} \downarrow Ab) \to (\mathbb{Z} \downarrow Ab)$$
obtained by postcomposing with $\mathbb{Z} \to \{0\}$. The comma category under $\mathbb{Z}$ gives a way of picking out other elements, if we want.
The category $(\mathbb{Z} \downarrow \mathbf{Ab})$ is by definition the category whose elements are the pairs $\langle f, G \rangle$, where $G$ is an abelian group and $f \colon \mathbb{Z} \to G$ is a group homomorphism.
Hence the selected element is $f(1) \in G$. Of course it is the identity of $G$ if and only if $f$ is the trivial homomorphism.
Ps. Saunders is the first name, the family name is Mac Lane.
Here is an easy example which illustrates Francesco Polizzi's answer: Consider the morphisms $\mathbb{Z} \rightarrow\mathbb{Z}/12$ and $\mathbb{Z} \rightarrow\mathbb{Z}/6$, sending 1 to the class of 3. These are objects in the comma category. Now the canonical surjection $\mathbb{Z}/12 \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}/6$ induces a morphism in the comma category (it sends the class of 3 to the class of 3).


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I got to the Chapter of Limbo where there are the two big gears and the lever that reverses which direction they turn in. I am having a lot of trouble figuring it out from there.
Any tips?
Ah! Figured it out! It is a timing thing. The lever reverses the rotation direction of the gears, but there is a slight pause while the gears are switching directions where you can jump up on the one and then get to the other as it switches direction.


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Tom describes CD-adapco's core philosophy: Simulating Systems


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I need a differential geometry tool for Mathematica. Is there any add-on?
Unfortunately, Mathematica does not include such functionality or I can not find it.
I need a differential geometry tool for Mathematica. Is there any add-on?
Unfortunately, Mathematica does not include such functionality or I can not find it.
Atlas 2 for Mathematica is the add-on for doing modern differential geometry calculations.
The tool is available on DigiArea website and Wolfram Research website. The tool works with Mathematica 8 and Mathematica 9.
Calculations are coordinate free
Standard differential geometry notations
Visualization of n-dimensional objects
Differential Geometry Library
Graphical user interfaces
Video and Screencasts
The modern differential geometry is a vast subject and while not specified exactly what you need the question is a bit too general. I would rather point out a few references.
If you are looking for a package for tensor calculus, especially in General Relativity, the best choice is xAct made by José M. Martín-García (as far as I know he actually develops built-in functionality for the future versions of Mathematica):
However if you need something straightforward and concise, look at this implementation below of a few fundamental objects in differential geometry. You need a metric
The above is a Lorentzian metric tensor (in a given map) of a static spherically symmetric four dimentional manifold, and the following are the inverse metric, Christoffel symbol of the second kind, Riemann and Ricci curvature tensors and the Ricci scalar with brief descriptions of their usage:
This is not an optimal implementation, but it is a good point to start building your own package. You could think about introducing a functional definition of the covariant derivative as well as lower and upper indices of covariant and contravariant tensors. One of the common difficulties with this is the multiplicity of definitions and conventions for Riemann and Ricci tensors etc, and that's why I added descriptions of the given functions.
Besides of the above I recommend to look at the Wolfram Demonstrations :
One should also look at the geometry section of
Next it would be even more helpful and strongly recommended to look at these articles (some of them are particularly devoted to differential geometry topics, others only deal with useful geometric techniques) in the Mathematica Journal :
You may want to look, also, at David Park's


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Any way to get rid of the in-car reverse animation for first-person mod?
I play with the first-person mod installed, and whenever I go to back up in cars with the low vehicle .wad animations, Niko turns around, and you can see straight through his head. This is very annoying to me, so is there a way to make the reverse animation the same as the one used for trucks without completely replacing the entire .wad file? Or is there any other way to make it so that backing up looks normal in first-person?
Last edited by Sykasaur; 05-14-2013 at 06:23 PM..
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Sorry it has taken two weeks for this to be answered. I am sure it can be but you would first need to identify the exact animation your wanting to NOT occur. Second, identify the normal driving animation. MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR ANIMS.IMG FIRST. If you screw up and don't have a backup, you'll have to reinstall the whole game. Again, BACK UP ANIMS.IMG.
1. Launch OpenIV
2. Navigate to animations.
3. Extract normal driving animation.
4. Rename extracted normal driving animation to reverse animation.
5. Insert your renamed animation back into anims.img
6. Rebuild and test.
That is the gist of it, the hardest (or shall I say most time consuming) part is identifying the animation. If you have simple native you can thumb through all the animation sets until you find it.
NOTE: I know there are some head tilt animations where the player looks slightly to left/right, that also function in the driving position. If you pinpoint on of those, you could replace the normal backup animation with that so it doesn't look like he couldn't give a flying **** whats behind him.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Other players will see the normal back-up animation if they haven't done this themselves.
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|Wedding anniversary, Frank T. and Anna M. (LaFrance) Romaniello, 1962
Mr. and Mrs. Frank T. Romaniello of Torrington celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows and a reception at Cornucopia Banqueting Hall in Torrington. Mr. and Mrs. Romaniello were married Sept. 29, 1962 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in New Hartford. They have three children, Wayne T. Romaniello of Torrington, Anna M. Tercyak of New Briatin and the late Marvin A. Romaniello, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Romaniello is the former Anna M. LaFrance.
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Gene Therapy: Where are we today?
Please use for reference only.
Julia Draznin Maltzman, MD
The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: February 22, 2004
What is gene therapy?
Genes are specific sequences of DNA that serve as the fundamental units of inheritance. Sequences of DNA encode for specific proteins, which in turn perform most of the necessary functions of life. When genes are altered or damaged, the proteins for which they encode are also altered and become unable to perform their normal, physiologic functions. The result is a genetic disease. Gene therapy is a tool that was developed in an attempt to treat genetic diseases by correcting the underlying defective gene itself. Gene therapy has several approaches: (1) a normal gene may be inserted to replace the role of the malfunctioning one, (2) a normal gene may be physically exchanged for the nonfunctioning gene, (3) the malfunctioning gene could be repaired, (4) or the regulation of the gene in question may be modified.
How can we replace the "abnormal" gene with a "normal" one?
In order to insert DNA material into human cells a carrier, also called a vector, must be used. The most commonly used vectors are viruses. Viruses, unlike bacteria, are not self-sufficient. Viruses consist only of either DNA or RNA that is surrounded by a protein coat. They lack the machinery to obtain energy (food and water) and cannot replicate on their own. In order to survive, viruses must live inside autonomous, living cells. Once a virus enters a cell, it integrates its own DNA with that of the host cell. Viruses rely exclusively on the host cell machinery for nourishment, replication and function. Once the viral genome becomes part of the host cell's genome, it will be passed on to each daughter cell with every cell division. This is how viruses are able to infect so many cells very quickly.
Researches have tried to capitalize on this special property of viruses by manipulating the viral genome and then allowing the virus to infect certain cells. Because viral DNA is much smaller and simpler than a human cell DNA, scientists are able to manipulate it much more easily. Researchers have successfully placed "therapeutic DNA" material into a virus and then used this virus to infect a diseased cell. For example, imagine a patient who suffers from a genetic disease caused by lack of production of a single crucial protein. (Cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia are two examples of such diseases). In the laboratory, scientists can synthesize a strand of DNA that codes for the missing protein and place this strand inside the viral protein coat. The engineered virus would then be allowed to infect the patient. Once inside a cell, all of the viral DNA will integrate itself with the genome of the host cell. The cell is unable to recognize which DNA is native and which is viral and therefore accepts the genome in its entirety. Furthermore, since the genome is not recognized as being foreign, the cell will begin to produce the deficient protein encoded by the newly integrated DNA. The elegance of this technique is that only one strand of therapeutic DNA is required to remedy the problem. With each cell division the host cell will pass on a copy of this one DNA sequence to each of its daughter cells.
What are the potential complications of this?
The problem is that viruses can and do infect more than one cell type. Thus, when a virus is used as a carrier it can infect more than just the intended cell. It is not always evident what the virus may do to healthy cells that may be infected in the process. Even if this were not as issue, there is still little guarantee that the gene the virus carries will be inserted in the correct location with in the cells genome. If it is inserted in the wrong location, there is a potential that it would damage adjacent healthy genes leading to other problems or abnormalities. Some scientists worry that there is a possibility that the therapeutic gene would be overexpressed. Meaning that the protein for which the gene encodes would be produced in too large a quantity. The consequences of protein overproduction are not clear and this in itself may sometimes promote cancer.
Can we do this without viruses?
There are non-viral vectors that have been developed. One such technique requires directly placing the therapeutic DNA into the target cell. This approach is very limited, however, because some target cells are not readily accessible, Furthermore, because the therapeutic DNA is not actually incorporated in to that of the host cell, multiple treatments are required to effect a change.
Why not use gene therapy?
Although the idea is clever and the system elegant, unfortunately, gene therapy has not been proven very successful in randomized clinical trials and is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All gene therapy treatments done today are considered purely experimental. The first successful gene therapy treatment was done September 14, 1990. A four-year-old girl born with a rare disorder called Combined Severe Immune Deficiency (SCID); she lacked a normal immune system. These patients often succumb to infections and rarely live to their adult years. Doctors were able to remove some of the girl's white blood cells and inserted the missing gene into them via a viral vector. They allowed the cells to grow and multiply in the lab and then infused all of the genetically altered cells back into her bloodstream. The young girl improved dramatically-- she no longer suffered from recurrent infections and was allowed to attend school for the first time. This was not a cure as white blood cells only last for a few months, but the procedure could be repeated and her life prolonged.
Unfortunately, nine years later gene therapy suffered a tremendous set back. A young (18 year old) boy who was participating in a gene therapy trial died from multiple organ failure suffered within four days of starting his treatment. His death was thought to have been triggered by a severe immune response to the virus vector used. One year ago this month, the FDA temporarily stopped all gene therapy trials using a certain family of viruses called retroviruses. This action was taken in response to the announcement that two other young children with SCID who were successfully treated in France with gene therapy developed leukemia.
How does gene therapy apply to cancer treatment?
Researchers have tried to use gene therapy in an attempt to boost the immune system and thus to improve the body's natural ability to fight cancer. Gene therapy has also been used to try to make the cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy. Other strategies include trying to induce tumor cell death by introducing DNA that would promote the killing of these cancer cells. Currently there are a few ongoing gene therapy trials for cancer.
In one study, viruses were injected into patients with prostate cancer. Once inside the human cell, the engineered DNA carried by the virus instructed the call to rapidly replicate multiple copies of the viral genome. Such a robust replication would cause the prostate cancer cell to burst, as it would be unable to contain the multiple viral copies. The result is death of the tumor cell and the unleashing of multiple viral copies ready to infect other adjacent cancer cells. This method was tested on twenty participants with prostate cancer following radiation therapy by Cell Genesys Inc. in California. A little fewer than half the patients had a 25% reduction in their prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. No serious side effects were reported in this trial.
A slightly different gene therapy method is one used in melanoma trials. A virus that contained a tumor suppressor gene was injected directly into a melanoma tumor in human patients. The most intense tumor cell kill was at the center of the injection with the cells furthest away from the site of the injection suffering little damage. There is some speculation that the virus also may have also caused an immune system activation that could have helped the killing of the tumor cells. More importantly, again, this trial did not report any significant side effects.
Activating the immune system is a commonly used application of gene therapy. There is evidence that injected tumor cells induce an immune reaction against the native tumor. This observation led Cell Genesys Inc to develop two potential prostate cancer vaccines. The company prepared two prostate cancer cell lines that secrete a certain protein. This protein was isolated and is now being investigated as a potential vaccine. If one were to introduce the protein to a man with prostate cancer, then perhaps his immune system would recognize it as foreign and mount an immune response. This procedure has the potential to delay disease progression. In a phase II clinical trial the vaccine was injected into 65 patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Since prostate cancer metastasizes to bone, researchers used the level of bone degradation by the metastasis as an indicator of cancer activity. Patients who received the vaccine were evaluated for bone degradation over a six-month period. Twenty-seven of these patients were noted to have a decrease in their bone degradation activity. This decrease was interpreted as an arrest or a deceleration in tumor progression.
Despite on going clinical trials, gene therapy is far from curing cancer but the potential remains enormous and the applications are vast.
What are the ethical questions surrounding gene therapy?
Multiple ethical questions arose with the development of this powerful technique. Critics have expressed concern that some may want to use gene therapy to change certain traits that may not necessarily be considered diseases. How do we define what is normal and what is a disorder? Furthermore, who makes such decisions? What one may consider a mild disability may be considered a disease by another. Other concerned critics are fearful that gene therapy could be misdirected at unborn babies to try to change or prevent certain traits from being passed on.
The cost of gene therapy must also be considered. Currently it is exorbitantly expensive and therefore not accessible by all. The question of who should pay for this procedure is still undecided.
As with any powerful tool there is the fear of misuse and abuse; but in the right hands it holds tremendous potential for all kinds of genetic disorders, infectious diseases, autoimmune problems and of course, cancer.


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Tebow's role with Jets remains unclear after debut
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What is the image defect called "moiré"? What causes it, and how can we avoid or reduce it? Is it related to "false color"?
Moiré is a form of aliasing whereby false patterns can be observed in an image.
Imagine a lighthouse which sends a pulse of light every 5 seconds, and a camera (or other observer) which sees the lighthouse for three seconds and is then blocked from seeing it for three seconds:
What is actually a regular pulsing is observed as a highly uneven pattern due to temporal aliasing, caused by the sampling frequency being close to but different from the frequency of the phenomenon being observed. This is why wagon wheels can appear to spin backwards when observed with a movie camera with fixed framerate.
Moiré is exactly the same phenomenon but is an example of spatial rather than temporal aliasing. When a regular pattern of light and dark like a manmade fibre cloth is imaged by a sensor with a fixed pattern of pixels the evenness of the fibres gives way to an artificial pattern at a much lower frequency (more widely spaced):
Image by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos. License
Aliasing is at its worst when the frequency of the pattern is close to the sampling frequency (the density of pixels in the sensor). Low frequency patterns aren't a problem. An anti-aliasing filter blurs the image therefore reducing the frequency of the input and chance of aliasing. The downside is that this also blurs non-repeating patterns which would not cause noticeable aliasing.
Instead of reducing the image frequency by blurring, aliasing can also be mitigating by increasing the sampling frequency, i.e. having more megapixels (without increasing sensor size or lens sharpness). Digital medium format cameras have lots of megapixels but still suffer from aliasing due to sharper lenses.
Anti-aliasing filters are fitted to almost all 35mm DSLR sensors as standard. They can be removed; I know of one company that does this:
The advantage is greater sharpness but more moiré. If you only shoot random natural textures then this is probably a good idea. Some digital MF cameras and backs lack an AA filter. Opinion is divided on why, given how bad aliasing can be on fabrics and the fact the MF is frequently used for fashion. My view is that these images are probably shot at f/32–f/45 with giant lighting power packs, and the diffraction acts as an AA filter.
Moiré can be reduced in software, but only to an extent, it's usually much better to use an AA filter. You can get screw-on anti-alias filters for lenses if your sensor lacks an AA filter.
Moiré is related to false colour due to the demosiacing process. As (most) digital sensors are monochrome devices, alternating colour filters are placed over each pixel and the colours interpolated to produce a full colour image. When observing a high frequency monochrome pattern, adjacent pixels with different colour filters may see peaks and troughs in the signal respectively, and this can be (falsely) interpreted as different colours being present in the input.
In digital photography, the moiré effect stems from interference between fine detail in the scene, and the grid of sensels in the sensor. You can also get a moiré pattern when scaling a picture down for display -- in this case, the interference happens between the fine detail in the picture, and the grid of pixels in the display.
Either way, you can get any (or more than one) of a number of different effects. One is the appearance of curved lines even when the original data contains only straight lines. For example, here's a synthesized "picture" drawn entirely with straight lines, but given the appearance of curved lines nearly everywhere:
In this case, the appearance of curved lines happen primarily due to the "stair steps" in the lines that happen because a diagonal line gets transformed into pixels that are arranged into a horizontal/vertical grid. In display, it can be prevented (to a large extent) by anti-aliasing -- anti-aliasing smooths those transitions using pixels that are partially lit. If we were to look at a small section of the lines above, one of the transitions would look something like this:
This can be fixed by anti-aliasing the line, which helps fill in that sharp transition with some intermediate gray values, something like this:
Magnified like this, the line probably doesn't look much smoother, but at normal size there's (usually) a clear improvement. Here's a sample of three lines drawn at the same angle, the top with no anti-aliasing, and the middle and lower anti-aliased with two different algorithms:
Most digital cameras do roughly the same thing, filtering the incoming light just minutely, so where the original image contains sharp transitions like this, a tiny bit of light will be dispersed to neighboring pixels, so they can fill in the "stair steps" a little, and cover up the transitions similarly.
Dispersing light this way blurs the image (minutely), reducing the visible detail. No matter what amount of AA the manufacturer decides to use, somebody's going to be unhappy with it. A strong AA filter assures you don't see detail that wasn't present in the original, but loses some of the detail that was present in the original. A weaker AA filter allows you to see more of the detail from the original, at the expense of (possibly) seeing what looks like detail, but isn't really present in the original at all. It's essentially impossible to produce a "perfect" AA filter that assures against any possible false detail without losing any real detail. Most compromise, losing a little real detail, but also allowing a little false detail.
All cameras (of which I'm aware) up to APS-C size include an AA filter. Quite a few online forums have long discussions about how strong of AA filter in used in some particular camera or other, usually with an assertion (at least implied) that weaker AA filters are better.
Most current cameras with 35mm-sized sensors also include AA filters, but some older ones (e.g., the Kodak DSLR/n and DSLR/c) did not.
Larger format digital cameras (e.g., Leaf, Hasselblad, Pentax 645D, etc.) normally do not have a physical AA filter. With these cameras, all AA processing is done in software. Depending on the software used (and sometimes parameters supplied to the software) many of these can (and will) produce false detail that's not present in the original subject matter at all.
False color is closely related. Consider an extremely thin white line in the picture -- but it's so thin that it only lights up one sensel at any give point along the line. In a typical Bayer-layout sensor, the sensor wells are laid out so only one color is sensed at any given location. Since our thin white line lights up only one sensor well at each point, it ends up being shown as the color of that sensor well rather than showing up as white (which would require lighting up at least three sensor wells). The AA filter helps prevent this problem as well by dispersing the light enough to assure that any incoming light produces approximately even illumination across enough adjacent sensor wells to show up as something close to its original color.
Again, however, de-mosaicing software that attempts to recover maximum detail can (and sometimes will) un-do this to some extent. In the process of finding the finest detail, it can narrow a line back to the point that it acts like it only lit up a single sensor well, and when it does so the line will take on the color of that sensor well instead of the true color of the line itself, which would require input from at least three sensor wells. Different algorithms produce false color to varying degrees, but as a general rule, algorithms that recover more detail are also more likely to produce false color from at least some images.
And it's not just an imaging artifact. It can occur whenever fine lines in one orientation intersect fine lines in another orientation. It is common in fabrics where the spaces between the threads are larger than the threads, thereby allowing light to pass through and interact with the pattern of threads in other parts of the fabric.
The moire in this fabric is actually visible to the eye and not just a camera.
Moiré is an interference pattern. In photography many times it is noticed on the fine detail of a woman's clothing, or a repetitive pattern in architecture.
Moiré can be caused by a scene that contains areas with repetitive detail which exceed the resolution of the camera.
Anti-alias filters reduce or eliminate moiré but also reduce image sharpness.


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When my print rep talks about five-colour printing, what does he mean? I know you have cyan, magenta, yellow and black - but what's the fifth?
In Offset printing the fifth colour is an additional spot colour, which could be anything (of course depending on the printer/printer services). I've yet to hear what is the single most common "fifth colour".
Why? For example in (now discontinued) hexachrome (CMYKOG, yes 6 colours) printing process orange and green were added to achieve wider colour gamut and better colour reproduciton. Also, it could be unmixable colour such as Pantone metallics or fluorescent to add more effect, or some secret mixture which would be printed onto your paper money for added security.
And as Philip Reagan commented, the fifth colour is usually a crucial colour for the corporate/brand image, such as the "Coca-cola red", "IBM blue" or "Ferrari red"; when the colour is best to be consistent (and not dependent on the mixing).
The most accurate answer, with cost estimates, you can only get from your print rep.
In addition to koiyu's excellent answer, a fifth color might be a "double hit" of a color which is being printed in CMYK, to make it pop. For example, Pantone 186 red might print a little muddy in process, so a fifth plate is added of the same Pantone 186 in spot, to make the red brighter.
I've also heard of the fifth "color" used to refer to a varnish coat, because it's a fifth plate.
Depending on your printer and printing process, 5-color printing does not have to include C, M, Y, or K. I worked in a print shop in 'long ago times' (shortly after Guttenberg got his start) and we would generally not overprint any of the colors, so a very complex job could have 6 or 10 distinct colors that were printed individually. Each of those colors would be distinct and unique, none of them were cyan, magenta, or yellow.
It has become much more economical in modern printing to use CMYK colors to overprint (blend colors on the page) to create the full spectrum of color without having to load the press with a custom or Pantone ink.
It could also refer to a varnish or aqueous coating. Many printers in the CT area refer to this as a 5th color when quoting a job.
Normally this would refer to a spot colour printed alongside process colours. The most common application for this to use spot black ink for text in a process colour document. Process black is translucent and not suitable for printing black text, so a spot black is often used for black text on a process colour document. Many colour glossy magazines are done like this.
Other applications include colours that can't be reproduced in process colour, such as metallics, or specialised inks such as varnish.


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Confetti Collection by ELK Lighting
Enjoy a modern look and feel with the Confetti Collection by ELK Lighting. These circular light fixtures feature an aged bronze finish. The shades have textured etchings on them that offer lots of decorative interest. With three sizes to choose from, this collection can light up any room in your home with style.
There are no products matching the selection.


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Source: Gogo
quote: Looks like the Apple fanboys just can't handle the truth.Apple products are more expensive - factApple users spend more on apps - factPeople generally buy Android phones/tablets because they are less expensive.People who are looking for cheaper products are less likely to spend even more money on apps or expensive wireless service on a plane.
quote: In 2011, only 3.2% of devices accessing the network were Android and so far in 2013, Android accounted for 16% of usage.
quote: Marketshare is a precursor to revenue and profits.
quote: For proof of this, look at the 'loss leader' business model of the ps3 and xbox360. For years, both Sony and MS bent over backwards to establish market share, because marketshare is what it's all about . Both of those companies established this business model because they knew that profits flow from market share, eventually.
quote: Actually Tony, this (like most of your past arguments" needs to be retired as well. The latest #'s are out and now Android has surpassed IOS in usage as well.http://www.itechpost.com/articles/6320/20130309/an...
quote: All that has changed now that Androids make up an astonishing 37 percent of the usage share in comparison to Apple's 25 percent share.
quote: Fast-forward a few months later and Android's usage share has reached 37%, far above Apple's approximate 25% share.
quote: Why is this? I believe it's because Apple users tend to be less technical, less inclined to require good value for the money they spend, and more likely to derive enjoyment out of the fact that they can take their device - which they are proud of - and use it from 30,000 feet. The wonderment of being able to do that makes it worth it for them.


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What is the best way to determine if an element is truly visible on the page? As in pixels are being changed both because the element is not hidden via CSS and is in the visible part of a scrollable area (the window or some overflowing block element)?
I imagine I'll need to first check .is(':hidden') against the element and its parents. I would then need to iterate through all parents and the window, checking for overflow scroll/auto/hidden, then compare that parent element's scroll position and size against the original element's position and size. And I would also need to check for absolute positioning and look at z-indexes, as well.
Is there an easier way?


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The Algiers refinery, located 10 km south of Algiers, in Algeria, is being revamped to increase crude oil processing capacity and ensure it can produce gasoline at specifications similar to those used throughout Europe. Emerson will supply about 600 of its Fisher control valves and regulators.
Technip has selected Emerson Process Management as the main
supplier of control valves for the Algiers refinery
rehabilitation and adaptation project, officials confirmed on
The Algiers refinery, located 10 km south of Algiers, in
Algeria, is being revamped to increase crude oil processing
capacity and ensure it can produce gasoline at specifications
similar to those used throughout Europe.
Emerson will supply approximately 600 of its Fisher
control valves and regulators, including rotary, globe and
butterfly type devices. The valves will be deployed throughout
the refinery, including within the
residual fluid catalytic cracking unit, naphtha processing
units and new LPG storage unit.
"Emerson was selected as the main control valve supplier
because its Fisher valves are proven to provide high
levels of accuracy and reliability in demanding refinery
applications," said Pascal Marette, senior procurement manager
for Technip.
"The level of support offered was also critical," he added.
"Emersons local team includes experts with extensive
experience of providing solutions to refinery
The modernization of instrumentation and
control valves will help the refinery optimize the various
process units. This will help to sustain the production of clean
fuels both for the local and export markets, as well as
reduce maintenance and plant shutdown
costs, according to project officials.
The Fisher valves will be supplied with a range of
trims and silencers. Suitable for severe-service applications,
they are designed to provide long lasting, fast and safe
operation, as well as reduced fugitive emissions.
Emersons new FIELDVUE DVC6200 digital valve
controller, incorporating performance diagnostics and the
latest HART (version 7) communications, will enable control valves to be easily integrated into
the existing control system.
ValveLink software will work with the existing control
system to provide online diagnostics that can help users
identify potential problems so that can be addressed before
operations are affected.
The Algiers refinery was built in 1964 and produces
motor fuels and LPG for the local market and naphtha and fuel
oil for export. The refinery is owned by Sonatrach, which is
the largest oil and gas company in Algeria and Africa.
Technip is the EPC contractor for the
refinery's rehabilitation and adaptation project. The project is part of a broader refinery upgrade program initiated
by Sonatrach for the production of clean
fuels in Algeria.
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A searchable database of project activity in the global hydrocarbon processing industry
Engineers and designers are highly skilled individuals. Forcing them to enter design changes using tables, forms and spreadsheets is unproductive and uneconomical, and it increases the likelihood of human error—this is the way that most instrumentation software systems currently work. For too long, software vendors have denied engineers and designers the simple practicality of a graphical visual engineering interface with "drag and drop" capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring changes are automatically replicated into all the associated data and databases.
Is 2016 the peak for US gasoline demand?
Too soon to tell
July 2016


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Ash's Snivy
this wiki
This Snivy is a Grass-type Pokémon owned by Ash. She is the fourth Pokémon that Ash obtained in Unova.
Snivy is a proud Pokémon, and she also has a great observation. Futhermore, she has a sense of justice. When Iris' Emolga is causing pranks among Ash and his friends, she always mercilessly exposes Emolga's pranks, which makes Emolga fed up, creating their rivalry. Even she barely shows her emotions, she cares deeply for her friends. Still, she dislikes Trainers who don't fit her expectations, especially those who are selfish, which was a reason why she had left her former Trainer.
Just like Sceptile, Buizel, Hawlucha, and Greninja, Snivy is very cool, calm, collected, and serious.
Snivy first appeared in Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!, where it was caught by Ash and the gang stealing food from them. Ash then chased after Snivy through all of the episode, using each member of his team in turn to battle her, however the majority of his team (Pikachu, Oshawott and Tepig) were affected by Snivy's Attract, forcing Ash to recall each of them. It wasn't until Pidove offered to battle did Ash manage to hold his own Snivy, as her Attract had no effect on Pidove. Snivy broke out of the first Poké Ball attempt and fought back, but she decided that Ash was a worthy trainer and allowed Ash to catch her.
She was sent out twice during Ash's five-on-five battle with Trip in A Rival Battle for Club Champ!. She first battled Trip's Servine and won with the help of her Attract. She then battled Trip's Frillish after Pidove was defeated, leaving her as Ash's only hope. Ash had no knowledge of Frillish's Cursed Body ability, Snivy endures Water Pulse easily, but the resulting confusion results in Frillish's Hex knocking her out.
In Emolga and the New Volt Switch!, she battled against Bianca's Pignite after Iris' Emolga summoned it using Volt Switch. It later develops a rivalry with Emolga, as she is unimpressed with Emolga's attitude. It continuously uses Vine Whip to bring Emolga back after she tries to escape and also when Snivy showed the gang who had caused the fight between Ash's Pokémon. However, despite this, Snivy saved Emolga (as well as Axew and Oshawott) from a wild Simisear.
Ash used Snivy to battle against Trip's Servine again in Ash and Trip's Third Battle!. However, this time her Attract was blocked by Servine's Leaf Tornado and her Leaf Blade was overpowered by Servine's Cut.
In Cilan Versus Trip, Ash Versus Georgia!, Snivy was used against Georgia's Pawniard during the second round of the Don Battle Tournament, however, she struggled against the powerful Pokémon, having Attract fail when Pawniard also turned out to be female. However, she managed to defeat Pawniard in the next episode, by somehow using Leaf Blade to hit Pawniard dead-on while avoiding Guillotine and knocked her out with Leaf Storm.
In Battle for the Underground!, all of the Pokémon were captured by Team Rocket. Snivy used her vines to let out several of the groups Pokémon, all of which proved useful for making an escape. She also used her vines to switch the direction of the tracks, allowing the Pokémon to get away from Team Rocket's train car.
In Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!, Ash used Snivy against Elesa and her Emolga. Since they were both female, so Attract proved to be ineffective. While Snivy managed to hit it with Leaf Storm, Emolga finally defeated Snivy with several powerful Acrobatics and Aerial Ace attacks.
In Scraggy and the Demanding Gothita!, Snivy was happy to see Axew and Scraggy getting along despite them both losing in a battle. When Katharine's Gothita and Scraggy escaped and then followed by Axew in the middle of the night, Snivy followed them closely, and saves them from an attack caused by a wild Garbodor.
In Stopping the Rage of Legends! (Part 1), Snivy tried to halt the rampage of Tornadus and Thundurus. She landed a hit on Tornadus with Leaf Storm, but it simply swatted her away with Hurricane.
In Battling the King of the Mines!, Snivy was used in a Gym battle against Clay's Palpitoad. She used Attract to immobilized it and then hitting it with Vine Whip and Leaf Blade and finally defeated it with Leaf Storm.
In Evolution by Fire!, Snivy was disgusted by Shamus, Tepig's former trainer. Snivy saved Tepig, getting knocked out in the process, but her loss brought back his motivation.
In Beauties Battling for Pride and Prestige!, she faced off against the Flower Garden Trio. Ash used Snivy up against Moira's Cinccino in a test of strength on a balance beam. She overpowers Cinccino and throws her into the mud, later her and Cinccino have a real battle and, although Cinccino gave her serious problems, she managed to defeat it.
In Cameron's Secret Weapon!, Snivy was the sixth Pokémon Ash chose to use during his Vertress Conference battle with Cameron, sending her out to face Cameron's Riolu. Riolu started the battle with a Vacuum Wave, which Snivy was easily able to dodge before attacking the Emanation Pokémon with Leaf Blade. While Riolu tried to struggle to his feet and almost fainted, the severe pain resulted in Riolu suddenly evolving into Lucario, a much more formidable opponent, who got his strength back. Snivy bombarded him with numerous brutal Vine Whips, but Lucario caught them and used Circle Throw, and finished her with Aura Sphere, leaving only Pikachu to battle the powerful foe.
In Team Plasma and the Awakening Ceremony!, she was used to battle against two Golurk controlled by Colress. Despite the notable size difference, Snivy is able to bring them down with Leaf Storm, but she had to be returned to her Poké Ball when Colress turned his mind control device on them.
Known moves
|Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!
|Vine Whip
|Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!
|Leaf Storm
|Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!
|Leaf Blade
|A Rival Battle for Club Champ!
|+ indicates this Pokémon used this move recently.*
- indicates this Pokémon normally can't use this move.
Voice Actresses
- Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese)
- Michele Knotz (English)
- She shares traits with Ash's other Grass starters: being a prime battler like Sceptile, being a protector like Bulbasaur, being female like Bayleef and taking charge like Torterra, specifically when the latter was a Turtwig. She like Bulbasaur also never evolved.
- All of Snivy's Grass-type moves are also known by Ash's other Grass-type Starters.
- Vine Whip is also known by Bulbasaur and Bayleef.
- Leaf Blade is also known by Sceptile.
- Leaf Storm is also known by Torterra and Sceptile.
- Snivy has developed a rivalry with Iris' Emolga.
- Interestingly, they are both the only female Pokémon currently on the main cast that know Attract.
- The two have somewhat opposite personalities; Snivy is calm, collected, mature and willing to fight her own battles no matter how tough her opponent may be, while Emolga is childish, deceptive, lazy and unwilling to battle seriously and/or tricks/forces others to battle for her (by using Volt Switch).
- Snivy is Ash's first Unova Pokémon confirmed to be female.
- Snivy's capture marks the first time since Johto that Ash has captured all three of a region's starters.
- ^ BW007: Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!, Snivy used Attract on Pikachu, Oshawott and Tepig (at the time)


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Foundation helps Family Services
The Farid Foundation of Wallingford showed its support to Family Services of Greater Waterbury on Dec. 12 with a generous donation of $35,000.
Established by Tariq and Kamran Farid, the founders of Edible Arrangements International, the foundation was formed as a way to give back to their community and support worthwhile causes.
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Micheal Smith wrote on Mar 4, 2013 10:31 AM:
" Appreciated your efforts Mr. Farid. I read a lot more about you on your blog www.tariqfarid.com and i must say you are doing a great job.
Keep the momentum up!!!
Micheal. "
Keep the momentum up!!!
Micheal. "
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My desktop has a fast wired connection and I would like to set up a sort of "wifi hotspot" that allows mobile devices to connect to my pc and share this fast connection. How would I go about doing this?
The easiest way is creating an Ad-Hoc network. It's really simple (if your hardware drivers support it).
There is a difference between an ad-hoc and a hotspot. Android phones usually don't support ad-hoc connections and some other phones also don't support ad-hoc well. So the best option is to create a hotspot, which is just like turning your computer in to a virtual router, and in ubuntu 11.10 you can create hotspot with a click, provided your driver supports master mode. If it does, then go to "system settings" -> "network" -> "wireless" you will find there an option for creating hotspots -> "use as hotspot", click on it and you are done.
some phones wont connect to ad-hoc networks, get an old router such as an old unused dsl modem with wifi, then configure it so DHCP is turned off. plug it into an extra ethernet port on your computer and edit the connection settings to be "Shared to other computers" instead of "Automatic DHCP" in the IPv4 settings, set IPv6 to off.
you might also be able to have your computer connect over wifi instead of an ethernet cable using the same configuration for the connection.
Now your pc is a wifi hot spot
p.s. to edit your router settings you almost always need to edit your connection settings to be a manual IP address of 192.168.0.9 and then after connecting open a web browser and open web page http://192.168.0.1 on some routers you may need change the 0's to 1's or use completely dif numbers
If you are using KDE Plasma desktop, it is quite easy:
After that, your network is visible and other can connect to it. (Do not forget the last step, you have to be connected on the host machine in order to make the access point appear).
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(All times 5 p.m. unless noted)
Indian Creek at Steubenville
Steubenville Central at Martins Ferry
Madonna at Morgantown (2)
Oak Glen at Edison, 5:35 p.m.
Weir at Brooke, 6 p.m.
Buckeye Local at East Liverpool, 4:30 p.m.
Toronto at Oak Glen
Martins Ferry at Indian Creek
Edison at Cardinal Mooney, 5:15 p.m.
Track and Field
OVAC Qualifying Meet
(at St. Clairsville)
Class 1A-2A and 4A, 4 p.m.
Buckeye Local at East Liverpool, 4:30 p.m.
Wheeling Park at Indian Creek
Brooke at Steubenville
Steubenville at St. John
Indian Creek at St. Clairsville
W.Va. Class AAA
Region One, Section One
Wheeling Park at Brooke
W.Va. Class A
Region One, Section One
(at Lisa's Field)
Bishop Donahue vs. Weirton Madonna
Region One, Section Two
(at Cameron)
Track and Field
OVAC Qualifying Meet
(at St. Clairsville)
Class 3A and 5A, 4 p.m.
Wheeling Park at Edison
East Liverpool at Buckeye Local
Indian Creek at Carrollton
Steubenville Central at Toronto
Martins Ferry at Madonna
Brooke at Bellaire
Harrison Central at Oak Glen
Weir at Shadyside, 5:30 p.m.
W.Va. Class AAA
Region One, Section One
Wheeling Park at Brooke*
*-Game 2 following, if necessary
W.Va. Class AA
Region One, Section One
Weir at Oak Glen (2), 4 p.m.
Regular Season
East Liverpool at Buckeye Local
Carrollton at Edison
East Liverpool at Edison
Buckeye Local at John Marshall
Steubenville at Steubenville Central
Bridgeport at Toronto
Oak Glen at Brooke, 5:30 p.m.
Weir at Madonna, 7 p.m.
W.Va. Class AA
Region One, Section One
Weir at Oak Glen*
*If necessary
Regular Season
Barnesville at Harrison Central, 4:30 p.m.
Toronto at Buckeye Local
Steubenville Central at St. John
Bellaire at Indian Creek
Linsly at Jeff. Co. Christian
Edison at Tri-Valley, 5:30 p.m.
OVAC Championships
(at Steubenville)
Class 2A
Steubenville Central vs. Shadyside
Class 3A
Magnolia vs. Linsly, 7:30 p.m.
Regular Season
Edison at Wheeling Park
Strasburg at Harrison Central
Indian Creek at Weir
Shadyside at Steubenville Central
Jeff. Co. Christian at Toronto
Saturday, May 4
OVAC Championships
(at Steubenville)
Class 4A
Steubenville vs. Harrison Central, 11 a.m.
Class 5A
Edison vs. Cambridge, 1:30 p.m.
Class 1A
Bishop Donahue vs. Madonna, 4 p.m.
Regular Season
Jefferson Co. Christian at Valley (2), noon
Track and Field
OVAC Championships
(at St. Clairsville)
With qualifiers, 10 a.m.


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Given fixed values for $d \leq k \leq v$. I would like to find a set $B$ of $d$-sets of $[v]$ with the following properties:
Every $k$-set of $[v]$ contains at least one element of $B$
Every element of $[v]$ is contained in at most $r$ elements of $B$.
I would like to keep $r$ as small as possible.
This is very similar to the conditions for a balanced incomplete block design, but I only need an upper bound in condition 2. Also, I do not care about the coverage of pairs of elements of $V$.
Does this type of construction have a name? Are there any bounds on $r$ known (constructive or non-constructive)?