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Survey 2014 - Sooke
Sooke, we surveyed your municipal election candidates and asked for their responses to the following four statements:
1: PUBLIC INPUT: Before any policies on deer management can be considered you would welcome open discussion with residents in your community.
2: NEIGHBOURS: Deer are extremely vocal when trapped. You agree/disagree that residents should have the option of refusing clover traps to be set on properties that are adjacent to their own.
3: CAPTURE AND EUTHANIZE: You are knowledgeable about the clover traps that the MFLNRO has authorised to capture deer, and about the bolt guns (the same device used in abattoirs to stun bovines in chutes) to kill deer.
4: LETHAL VS. NON-LETHAL: When there are proven non-lethal options for deer management (such as wildlife corridors, fencing, deterrents, public education) they should be implemented instead of lethal options.
They were given the option to "Strongly Disagree," "Disagree," "Neither Disagree Nor Agree," "Agree," or "Strongly Agree." In addition, they were invited to comment on each question or the survey as a whole.
Here are their responses:
NAME: Jeff Bateman
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: SookeCOUNCILLOR
1 (public input): Strongly Agree
2 (neighbours): Strongly Agree
3 (clover/bolt knowledge): Neither Disagree Nor Agree ("No I'm not knowledgeable and need to hear more ...")
4 (non-lethal options): Strongly Agree
COMMENTS: "thanks for the work you're doing. we need to live in harmony with the four-legged. :-)"
NAME: Brenda Parkinson
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: SookeCOUNCILLOR
1 (public input): Strongly Agree ("The District of Sooke is in the process of putting a bylaw in place in regards to the prevention of feeding deer. ")
2 (neighbours): Strongly Agree ("There is no need for the use of clover traps in the Sooke area. ")
3 (clover/bolt knowledge): Agree ("Kind of an odd question. I believe there is no reason to capture and euthanize any deer in the Sooke region unless they are injured." )
4 (non-lethal options): Strongly Agree
COMMENTS: "From my understanding the deer population on Vancouver Island has decreased considerably over the past 20 years."
NAME: Kel Phair
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: SookeCOUNCILLOR
1 (public input): Agree ("In the late 1970's the wolf populations were high and rising. By mid 80's numbers were 40,000+/- as we know wolves eat deer. Deer fled as wolves moved south, seeking protection in so called civilized communities. That was several generations ago. Deer in populated communities now rest easy. With no food, wolves died off and now woods are virtually void of wolves and deer. Deer will survive wherever they are. Trap the deer and relocate to remote areas on the island. This would hopefully satisfy all concerned. A reminder that deer can carry ticks infected with lime disease and that is transmit table to humans.")
2 (neighbours): Disagree ("It's no ones individual right to be their neighbours keeper. Your own land is fine.")
3 (clover/bolt knowledge): Neither Disagree Nor Agree ("See comment one.")
4 (non-lethal options): Disagree ("See number one. Relocate to remote areas. They know what to eat and how to survive. They are wild animals that have been forced into communities. Just move them to areas where they belong. Predators will control populations. Mother Nature will kick in.")
NAME: Kerrie Reay
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: SookeCOUNCILLOR
1 (public input): Strongly Agree ("As well as groups that are informed on practices related to handling deer over-population, I don't need graphic illustrations, just what the options could be so that I can be informed in making decisions")
2 (neighbours): -
3 (clover/bolt knowledge): Strongly Disagree
4 (non-lethal options): Strongly Agree ("Where ever possible, relocations and education would be much more preferable")
NAME: Mark Whiteson
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
1 (public input): Strongly Agree ("Sooke residents must have a say in Sooke decisions")
2 (neighbours): Strongly Agree ("I don't believe we need to go around killing animals for our convenience at all")
3 (clover/bolt knowledge): - ("same comment as above")
4 (non-lethal options): Strongly Agree ("killing for convenience sake shows little sign of humanity")
No responses yet.
The following Sooke Councillor candidates did not respond to the survey yet. Feel free to ask them why:
NAME: Bev Berger
EMAIL: email@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
TWITTER: BevBerger
NAME: Justin Hanson
EMAIL: email@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
NAME: Rick Kasper
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
WEB: RickKasper.com
NAME: Ebony Logins
EMAIL: email@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
WEB: ebonylogins.com
TWITTER: @Ebony_Logins
NAME: Kevin Pearson
EMAIL: email@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke COUNCILLOR
The following Sooke Mayor candidates did not respond to the survey yet. Feel free to ask them why:
NAME: Herb Haldane
EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke MAYOR
NAME: Maja Tait
EMAIL: email@example.com email@example.com
RUNNING FOR: Sooke MAYOR
WEB: www.majatait.ca
TWITTER: @majatait
NAME: David Shebib


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Per Capita Personal Income in Oregon
Per capita personal income also varies between states and counties, and by metro and nonmetro areas. A look at county numbers shows high variability in PCPI. In general, PCPI is higher in the Portland and Bend area and along the Columbia Gorge. Sherman County, a nonmetro area, actually had the highest PCPI in 2016 at $55,846.
The three major components of per capita personal income – net earnings; transfer receipts; and dividends, interest, and rent – make up different portions of counties' PCPI. In general, counties with higher PCPI have a higher percentage of PCPI attributable to net earnings. Per capita net earnings made up 66.3 percent of PCPI in Washington County and 60.4 percent in Multnomah and Clackamas counties. In Malheur County, per capita net earnings made up just 24.6 percent of PCPI.
Areas with a higher concentration of older residents can show lower PCPI. In Oregon, Malheur County ($29,714) and Jefferson County ($32,670) had the lowest PCPI. The reason is that as people leave the labor force, they have likely passed their peak earning years, and therefore have less contribution to the net earnings component of personal income. Remember PCPI represents income, rather than wealth. Older residents may have substantial wealth, but not have as much relative income, unless it was income-generating investments that would show up in the "dividends, interest, and rent" portion of PCPI.

subset: commoncrawl


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GUTHRIE, Okla. - The same company that messed up Kingfisher water meter readings, leaving customers with bills hundreds of dollars higher than usual, has now messed up Guthrie readings as well.
According to Guthrie City Manager Sereniah Breland, Burrell Inc. was contracted for both communities.
Some residents in Guthrie have been enjoying lower water bills over the summer, but now they`re being hit with surprising charges.
'This is this month`s bill and it`s $152.62." Charla Friend said.
Friend was shocked when she got that bill; she says it is almost $100 more than she usually pays.
Sereniah Breland says a contract water meter reader was terminated after they learned he simply did not read the meters, estimated the readings, or underestimated them. The mistakes happened this summer during May, June, and July.
Customers were not charged properly then, and are paying for it now, months later.
"Our goal is to not financially burden our residents, but that they do have to recognize that the water was consumed and it has to be paid for." Breland said.
But Friend disagrees.
"That`s not our problem. We shouldn't have to pay for somebody else`s mistakes. We can`t afford that. That`s just not right." She said.
Right or not, customers now face a one-time charge to correct the previous month's bills. The city has set up a zero interest payment plan for customers to help reduce their bill.
The city wants to eventually install automatic meters to avoid any future mix ups.


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What are the benefits of #CCS & #CCU for the 🇪🇺 economy? What's the role of #CleanHydrogen in a #ClimateNeutralEU?… https://t.co/oxzmuhV2hi
ZEP welcomes the Commission's proposal to introduce design principles for capacity mechanisms as described in the winter package in article 23. ZEP particularly welcomes point no 4 which states that "Generation capacity emitting 550 gr CO2/kWh or more shall not be committed in capacity mechanisms 5 years after the entry into force of this Regulation", and similar for "generation capacity for which a final investment decision has been made after [OP: entry into force]". Our view is that by setting a 5 year trajectory for an emissions performance standard, this proposal will assist asset planning and reduce the risk of future stranded assets. The proposal may also give a valuable (long-term) signal of the requirement for CCS in the power sector. However it is important to highlight that such an emissions performance standard alone will not drive sufficient carbon reduction to meet Europe's targets and will not drive CCS without complementary instruments and policies.


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A healthy reproductive system is a well-tuned machine in which multiple organs and processes work together to create ideal environments for conception and pregnancy. When any part of this system fails or doesn't live up to its ideal role, infertility can occur. The progesterone hormone is one of many reproductive "workers" in the body that can prevent fertility if it's not up for the job.
For example, progesterone is supposed to prepare the endometrium – the inner lining of the uterus -- for receiving a fertilized egg. If it doesn't, the egg will not implant, and the endometrium will continue toward the process of menstruation.
The progesterone hormone also counteracts the negative consequences of unchecked estrogen [source: Project Aware]. So some of the effects of low progesterone in the body are similar to those of high estrogen levels:
- anxiety and mood swings
- tender breasts
- endometriosis
- uterine fibroids
- irregular or heavy periods
Of course, low progesterone isn't the only imbalance that can cause problems in a woman's body. High progesterone can also lead to fertility and health issues. We'll discuss that next.


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100 Series Preschool Chair w/ Chrome Legs (9 1/2" Seat Height)
100 Series Preschool Chair w/ Chrome Legs (9 1/2" Seat Height) is rated out of 5 by 5.
$24.88 each
You Save: $13.12 (35%)
SKU: SPG-SO1009Calculate Shipping
The Sprogs 100 Series Preschool Chair with Chrome Legs provides comfort at a low cost. The high-density polyethylene shell adds a bright pop of color to any classroom. The design promotes good posture, making it easier for young students to sit still, while the sturdy steel frame has a non-corrosive, abrasion-resistant nickel chrome plating.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Pauline Catauto from Great customer service!!! I bought some chairs for my classroom. Quality was great!! I have mad other purchases in years past and the product and customer service was exceptional then too!!
Date published: 2015-03-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kristyn171 from Perfect Height I bought these chairs for our older toddler/two's room. Love the vibrant color and they are just the right height for all of the children. Great quality!
Date published: 2015-03-27
Rated 5 out of 5 by Sandi S from Amazing quality, comfortable and very sturdy. I purchased four chairs and very pleased with the product and service. Excellent company that stands behind their merchandise.
Date published: 2015-09-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by Jsanch26 from Great Chairs I bought these chairs for my grandson and he loves them.
Date published: 2015-06-10
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lorell from Yay! It was exactly what we purchased. Thank you!
Date published: 2015-03-20


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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 4
4 c Bertolli Classico olive oil
10 flour tortillas
1 lb. roast chicken –shredded
1 tbsp. dry oregano
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper- diced
1 ½ qt. chicken broth
The juice from ½ lime
4 scallions –sliced
1/c c fresh basil –chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt + more to taste
¾ c Queso Blanco cheese –grated
1 large avocado –seeded & diced
Cilantro leaves for garnish
Sour cream for serving
Heat 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a heavy bottom pot and sauté the onions and peppers with a pinch of salt until translucent.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, oregano and broth and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the shredded chicken to the pot and cook just until warmed through, a few minutes. Remove from flame, adjust seasonings and stir in the chopped basil and lime juice.
Meanwhile heat up the rest of the oil in a pot over high heat. Add the tortilla strips and fry until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a few tortilla strips, some diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, some of the cheese and green onions. Garnish with a cilantro leaf.


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Last Update December 16, 2018
Iron, even in small quantities, can be one of the most troublesome elements found in water. As little as 0.3 ppm (parts per million) of iron can cause staining of fixtures, sinks, flooring, and also most anything else it comes into contact with. Concentrations below 0.3 ppm can still have profound adverse effects in manufacturing processes.
Iron affects the tastes of foods and beverages, can contribute to the block-age of pipes, and can cause many other unwanted problems. Since it has so many undesirable properties, iron removal is an important phase of water treatment.
State Symbol
Elemental, metallic iron Fe
Ferrous iron Fe + +
Ferric iron Fe + + +
In underground strata, far from the oxidizing effects of oxygen in air, conditions usually favor the reduction of the natural ferric iron deposits to the ferrous state. Since the ferrous salts are highly soluble, ground water supplies frequently carry significant concentrations, and as this ferrous iron is in true solution, the water may be perfectly clear and colorless, with no visible evidence of the iron present. However, when ferrous iron is exposed to the atmosphere, oxygen from the air readily converts it to the ferric state. Ferric iron then reacts with the alkalinity in the water to form ferric hydroxide, the insoluble brown gelatinous matter which causes so much staining.
The corrosion of iron or steel water lines may also add iron to the water. Metal corrosion, an electro-chemical process, converts the elemental metallic iron to the soluble ferrous state. In the absence of oxygen and other oxidizing agents, the ferrous iron may be simply carried away with the water. Where oxidizing materials are present, the insoluble ferric hydroxide forms readily. This, too, may be carried along with the water, or since it is quite insoluble and gelatinous in nature, may deposit and stick inside the water lines. This is true even when natural ferrous iron is oxidized inside of pipes.
Ferric hydroxide which is deposited inside a water line has a tendency to lose water, particularly in hot water lines, according to the reaction:
2 Fe (OH)3 --------------> Fe2 O3 + H2O
This ferric oxide is the same rust which forms when an iron or steel structure is exposed to both air and moisture. During periods of high water flow, these rust particles may break free to cause rust stains on materials which comes into contact with water.
Iron may also be present in water in combination with organic matter. Many natural and man-made organic compounds will react, particularly with ferrous iron, to form heavily colored compounds which can cause severe staining. These compounds are usually very stable, and tie up the iron so that it is not free to react as are other forms. The iron bounds into such compounds called "chelated" or "organic" and clearly present problems in water treatment.
"Iron bacteria" is a term applied to a group of small organisms which appear to convert ferrous iron to the ferric state as part of their metabolism. It is suspected that these organisms may even attack steel pipe to obtain iron, thus causing a form of corrosion. As the iron bacteria grow, they develop masses of gelatinous and filamentous organic matter, which physically trap the ferric hydroxide produced. Heavy growths of these organisms have been known to plug pipes completely, but it is more common for clumps to break away during periods of high flow to produce "slugs" of iron laden water, which can cause all of the previously described staining problems.
Iron bacteria can be identified by a microscopic examination of the turbidity they produce, but the necessary laboratory facilities are not always readily available. However, the presence of a brown, slime-like growth at the surface of the water in a toilet flush tank is a good indication of the presence of iron bacteria in the system.
More water softeners are used to remove iron from household water supplies than any other devices or systems. Many of these installations are successful and consistently remove both hardness and iron. At other installations, intermittent leakage of iron through the softener occurs, but the total water quality improvement is so great that the users are reasonably satisfied. In still other cases, softeners fail to do a satisfactory job, passing iron continuously or in "slugs", or gradually losing capacity due to fouling of the softener bed. Thus, we have several degrees of success with softeners in iron removal.
On some iron waters, it is immediately clear that a softener should not be used. Dissolved organic-iron compounds may simply pass through a softener, unaffected by either ion exchange or the filtering action of the softener bed. Solid organic matter particles frequently contain quantities of precipitated iron, and the combined solids can lead to rapid fouling of the bed. Iron bacteria in water can rapidly foul softener beds, and worse, can grow and pass through the beds in slugs. When such materials are found in the water, softeners should not be applied.
Technically, industrial water softeners can remove dissolved ferrous iron by ion exchange, just as they remove calcium and magnesium. Further, precipitated iron can be removed by filtration. Problems arise, however, in getting the iron out of the softener bed during regeneration. Precipitated iron (ferric hydroxide), formed when soluble ferrous iron is oxidized by oxygen in air, is a gelatinous, sticky material which tends to adhere to the beads or particles in a softener bed. These strictly physical properties make it difficult to rid a softener bed of this material even with a thorough backwash, and it may gradually accumulate in the bed. After a period of this accumulation, slugs of iron may appear in the softened water immediately after regeneration or after abrupt increases in water flow through the softener. Since the materials may also clog the pores of the ion exchange material in the softener bed, it can gradually reduce the hardness removal capacity. Both of these effects create obvious problems for the user of the water.
Ideally, ferrous iron removed by ion exchange should be discharged with the hardness during the usual brine regeneration. In practice, however, it is usual for at least some of this iron to be converted to the ferric, insoluble state by oxygen in the regeneration water or brine. Thus, some of this iron is retained in the softener, and in time, may produce the slugs or fouling previously described above.
Once a softener is badly fouled, it is difficult to clean it except by drastic methods, most of which are not practical. It is frequently more practical to replace the bed with new ion exchange resin rather than to attempt cleaning. Lightly or moderately fouled resin may often be cleaned with a number of proprietary formulations on the market today. These include several mild acids, reducing agents, sequestering or dispersing agents, and blends of several of these materials.
In some installations, large doses of these cleaning materials may be used at extended intervals to rejuvenate fouled beds. Alternately, relatively small doses may be applied with each regeneration in a preventative maintenance program. Some water softener manufacturers have developed automatic dispensers for cleaning agents and have them available either as standard components or as optional accessories.
A number of elements of water softener design can further minimize iron fouling. These include sufficient freeboard above the softener bed to permit full expansion of the bed during backwash, adequate backwash time in the regeneration cycle, and large backwash outlet openings to permit the iron to pass from the softener tank easily. The use of more frequent regenerations with fully automatic softener valves helps to remove precipitated iron before it "sets", and a fast downflow final rinse packs the bed and reduces slugs of iron into the softened water.
Many factors affect the ability of softeners to remove iron successfully; the form of iron and its concentration, softener design, the presence or absence of organic matter and dissolved oxygen, cleaning procedures, regeneration frequency, pH, temperature, and usage characteristics.
As discussed earlier, ion exchange may be used for iron removal, but the method works best when the iron concentration is low and when all or most of the iron is in the soluble state. When the iron in a water supply is largely precipitated, when the concentration is high or substantial organic matter is also present, when the iron is chelated or when iron bacteria are encountered, one of the following methods should be applied.
Relatively high concentrations of inorganic iron, whether ferrous or ferric (dissolved or precipitated), may be removed with iron filters. They are similar in appearance and size to conventional water softeners but contain beds of media which have mild oxidizing power. As the iron-bearing water is passed through the bed, any soluble ferrous iron is converted to the insoluble ferric state and then filtered from the water. Any previously precipitated iron is removed by simple mechanical filtration.
Several different filter media may be used in these iron filters, including manganese greensand, Birm, MTM, multi-media, sand, and other synthetic materials. In most cases, the higher oxides of manganese produce the desired oxidizing action.
Periodic backwashing is necessary to remove the precipitated iron from the bed, and less frequently, regeneration may be necessary to restore the oxidizing power of the filter media. With most media, this is accomplished by passing a solution of potassium permanganate through the bed and then rinsing, a process mechanically similar to the regeneration of a water softener. Usually about four ounces of potassium permanganate is used for each cubic foot of filter media.
A special case exists when sufficient dissolved oxygen can be added to the water and the filter bed then simply serves as a catalyst to speed the reaction between the oxygen and iron. In such installations, the bed must still be backwashed periodically, but no chemical regeneration of the filter media is necessary.
As with water softeners, iron filters do have limitations. Since the oxidizing action is relatively mild, it will not work well when organic matter, either combined with the iron or completely separate, is present in the water and iron bacteria will not be killed. Extremely high iron concentrations may require inconvenient frequent backwashing and/or regeneration. Finally, iron filter media requires high flow rates for proper backwashing and such water flows are not always available.
In those cases where neither ion exchange nor iron filters are applicable, chemical feed pumps and filters may be used in combination with great effectiveness. In such cases, a chemical feed pump may be used to introduce a solution of an oxidizing agent such as sodium or calcium hypochlorite or potassium permanganate, into the feed water. The oxidizing agent will then not only oxidize soluble iron to the insoluble ferric state, but will also attach any organic matter present. When either of the hypochlorites are used, the water will be disinfected at the same time.
These oxidizing solutions should be fed into the water line ahead of a mixing and contact tank to ensure complete reaction with the iron and organic matter and to allow coagulation of small particles into filterable sizes. In most cases, the pressure tank of a private water system fills this need, but occasionally, slowly acting forms of organic matter require additional contact time. In such cases, additional tanks or contact vessels must be provided. Following the mixing and contact, a filter is used to remove the precipitated iron from the water.
Industrial water treatment equipment & service, wholesale water treatment equipment and commercial salt delivery serving the Minneapolis area.


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Evolving 3D Morphology and Behavior by Competition - Karl Sims
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performed which involve competing individuals [1,2]. As examples, Lindgren .... apply to multi-species evolutions where competitions are not performed between ...
Evolving 3D Morphology and Behavior by Competition Karl Sims Thinking Machines Corporation 245 First Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
Abstract This paper describes a system for the evolution and co-evolution of virtual creatures that compete in physically simulated three-dimensional worlds. Pairs of individuals enter one-on-one contests in which they contend to gain control of a common resource. The winners receive higher relative fitness scores allowing them to survive and reproduce. Realistic dynamics simulation including gravity, collisions, and friction, restricts the actions to physically plausible behaviors. The morphology of these creatures and the neural systems for controlling their muscle forces are both genetically determined, and the morphology and behavior can adapt to each other as they evolve simultaneously. The genotypes are structured as directed graphs of nodes and connections, and they can efficiently but flexibly describe instructions for the development of creatures' bodies and control systems with repeating or recursive components. When simulated evolutions are performed with populations of competing creatures, interesting and diverse strategies and counter-strategies emerge.
1 Introduction Interactions between evolving organisms are generally believed to have a strong influence on their resulting complexity and diversity. In natural evolutionary systems the measure of fitness is not constant: the reproducibility of an organism depends on many environmental factors including other evolving organisms, and is continuously in flux. Competition between organisms is thought to play a significant role in preventing static fitness landscapes and sustaining evolutionary change. These effects are a distinguishing difference between natural evolution and optimization. Evolution proceeds with no explicit goal, but optimization, including the genetic algorithm, usually aims to search for individuals with the highest possible fitness values where the fitness measure has been predefined, remains constant, and depends only on the individual being tested.
The work presented here takes the former approach. The fitness of an individual is highly dependent on the specific behaviors of other individuals currently in the population. The hope is that virtual creatures with higher complexity and more interesting behavior will evolve than when applying the selection pressures of optimization alone. Many simulations of co-evolving populations have been performed which involve competing individuals [1,2]. As examples, Lindgren has studied the evolutionary dynamics of competing game strategy rules [14], Hillis has demonstrated that co-evolving parasites can enhance evolutionary optimization [9], and Reynolds evolves vehicles for competition in the game of tag [19]. The work presented here involves similar evolutionary dynamics to help achieve interesting results when phenotypes have three-dimensional bodies and compete in physically simulated worlds. In several cases, optimization has been used to automatically generate dynamic control systems for given twodimensional articulated structures: de Garis has evolved weight values for neural networks [6], Ngo and Marks have applied genetic algorithms to generate stimulus-response pairs [16], and van de Panne and Fiume have optimized sensor-actuator networks [17]. Each of these methods has resulted in successful locomotion of two-dimensional stick figures. The work presented here is related to these projects, but differs in several respects. Previously, control systems were generated for fixed structures that were user-designed, but here entire creatures are evolved: the evolution determines the creature morphologies as well as their control systems. The physical structure of a creature can adapt to its control system, and vice versa, as they evolve together. Also, here the creatures' bodies are three-dimensional and fully physically based. In addition, a developmental process is used to generate the creatures and their control systems, and allows similar components including their local neural circuitry to be defined once and then replicated, instead of requiring each to be separately specified. This approach is related to Lsystems, graftal grammars, and object instancing techniques [8,11,13,15,23]. Finally, the previous work on articulated structures relies only on optimization, and competitions between individuals were not considered.
Published in: Artificial Life IV Proceedings, ed. by R. Brooks & P. Maes, MIT Press, 1994, pp28-39.
Figure 1: The arena.
creature #1 starting zone
creature #2 starting zone
ground plane
A different version of the system described here has also been used to generate virtual creatures by optimizing for specific defined behaviors such as swimming, walking, and following [22]. Genotypes used in simulated evolutions and genetic algorithms have traditionally consisted of strings of binary digits [7,10]. Variable length genotypes such as hierarchical Lisp expressions or other computer programs can be useful in expanding the set of possible results beyond a predefined genetic space of fixed dimensions. Genetic languages such as these allow new parameters and new dimensions to be added to the genetic space as an evolution proceeds, and therefore define rather a hyperspace of possible results. This approach has been used to genetically program solutions to a variety of problems [3,12], as well as to explore procedurally generated images and dynamical systems [20,21]. In the spirit of unbounded genetic languages, directed graphs are presented here as an appropriate basis for a grammar that can be used to describe both the morphology and neural systems of virtual creatures. The level of complexity is variable for both genotype and phenotype. New features and functions can be added to creatures or existing ones removed, as they evolve. The next section of this paper describes the environment of the simulated contest and how the competitors are scored. Section 3 discusses different simplified competition patterns for approximating competitive environments. Sections 4 and 5 present the genetic language that is used to represent creatures with arbitrary structure and behavior, and section 6 summarizes the physical simulation techniques used. Section 7 discusses the evolutionary simulations including the methods used for mutating and mating directed graph genotypes, and finally sections 8 and 9 provide results, discussion, and suggestions for future work.
ture is consistent from contest to contest no matter which starting side it is assigned. Each creature starts on the ground and behind a diagonal plane slanting up and away from the cube. Creatures are wedged into these "starting zones" until they contact both the ground plane and the diagonal plane, so taller creatures must start further back. This helps prevent the inelegant strategy of simply falling over onto the cube. Strategies like this that utilize only potential energy are further discouraged by relaxing a creature's body before it is placed in the starting zone. The effect of gravity is simulated until the creature reaches a stable minimum state. At the start of the contest the creatures' nervous systems are activated, and a physical simulation of the creatures' bodies, the cube, and the ground plane begins. The winner is the creature that has the most control over the cube after a certain duration of simulated time (8 seconds were given). Instead of just defining a winner and loser, the margin of victory is determined in the form of a relative fitness value, so there is selection pressure not just to win, but to win by the largest possible margin. The creatures' final distances to the cube are used to calculate their fitness scores. The shortest distance from any point on the surface of a creatures's parts to the center of the cube is used as its distance value. A creature gets a higher score by being closer to the cube, but also gets a higher score when its opponent is further away. This encourages creatures to reach the cube, but also gives points for keeping the opponent away from it. If d1 and d2 are the final shortest distances of each creature to the cube, then the fitnesses for each creature, f1 and f2, are given by: d2 – d1 f 1 = 1.0 + ---------------d1 + d2 d1 – d2 f 2 = 1.0 + ----------------d1 + d2
2 The Contest Figure 1 shows the arena in which two virtual creatures will compete to gain control of a single cube. The cube is placed in the center of the world, and the creatures start on opposite sides of the cube. The second contestant is initially turned by 180 degrees so the relative position of the cube to the crea-
This formulation puts all fitness values in the limited range of 0.0 to 2.0. If the two distances are equal the contestants receive tie scores of 1.0 each, and in all cases the scores will average 1.0.
Credit is also given for having "control" over the cube, beyond just as measured by the minimum distance to it. If both creatures end up contacting the cube, the winner is the one that surrounds it the most. This is approximated by further decreasing the distance value, as used above, when a creature is touching the cube on the side that opposes its center of mass. Since the initial distances are measured from the center of the cube they can be adjusted in this way and still remain positive. During the simulated contest, if neither creature shows any movement for a full second, the simulation is stopped and the scores are evaluated early to save unnecessary computation.
performed between individuals within the same species. A third compromise is for each individual to compete once per generation, but all against the same opponent. The individual with the highest fitness from the previous generation is chosen as this one-to-beat (figure 2d). This also requires N - 1 competitions per generation, but effectively gives fair relative fitness values since all are playing against the same opponent which has proven to be competent. Various interesting instabilities can still occur over generations
3 Approximating Competitive Environments There are many trade-offs to consider when simulating an evolution in which fitness is determined by discrete competitions between individuals. In this work, pairs of individuals compete one-on-one. At every generation of a simulated evolution the individuals in the population are paired up by some pattern and a number of competitions are performed to eventually determine a fitness value for every individual. The simulations of the competitions are by far the dominant computational requirement of the process, so the total number of competitions performed for each generation and the effectiveness of the pattern of competitions are important considerations. In one extreme, each individual competes with all the others in the population and the average score determines the fitness (figure 2a). However, this requires (N2 - N)/2 total competitions for a single-species population of N individuals. For large populations this is often unacceptable, especially if the competition time is significant, as it is in this work. In the other extreme, each individual competes with just a single opponent (figure 2b). This requires only N/2 total competitions, but can cause inconsistency in the fitness values since each fitness is often highly dependent on the specific individual that happens to be assigned as the opponent. If the pairing is done at random, and especially if the mutation rate is high, fitness can be more dependent on the luck of receiving a poor opponent than on an individual's actual ability. One compromise between these extremes is for each individual to compete against several opponents chosen at random for each generation. This can somewhat dilute the fitness inconsistency problem, but at the expense of more competition simulations. A second compromise is a tournament pattern (figure 2c) which can efficiently determine a single overall winner with N - 1 competitions. But this also does not necessarily give all individuals fair scores because of the random initial opponent assignments. Also, this pattern does not easily apply to multi-species evolutions where competitions are not
a. All vs. all, within species.
e. All vs. all, between species.
b. Random, within species.
f. Random, between species.
c. Tournament, within species.
d. All vs. best, within species.
g. All vs. best, between species.
Figure 2: Different pair-wise competition patterns for one and two species. The gray areas represent species of interbreeding individuals, and lines indicate competitions performed between individuals.
however, since the strategy of the "best" individual can change suddenly between generations. The number of species in the population is another element to consider when simulating evolutions involving competition. A species may be described as an interbreeding subset of individuals in the population. In single-species evolutions individuals will compete against their relatives, but in multi-species evolutions individuals can optionally compete only against individuals from other species. Figure 2 shows graphical representations of some of the different competition patterns described above for both one and two species. The resulting effects of using these different competition patterns is unfortunately difficult to quantify in this work, since by its nature a simple overall measure of success is absent. Evolutions were performed using several of the methods described above with both one and two species, and the results were subjectively judged. The most "interesting" results occurred when the all vs. best competition pattern was used. Both one and two species evolutions produced some intriguing strategies, but the multi-species simulations tended to produce more interesting interactions between the evolving creatures.
Genotype: directed graph.
Phenotype: hierarchy of 3D parts.
(leg segment)
(body segment)
(limb segment)
Figure 3: Designed examples of genotype graphs and corresponding creature morphologies.
4 Creature Morphology In this work, the phenotype embodiment of a virtual creature is a hierarchy of articulated three-dimensional rigid parts. The genetic representation of this morphology is a directed graph of nodes and connections. Each graph contains the developmental instructions for growing a creature, and provides a way of reusing instructions to make similar or recursive components within the creature. A phenotype hierarchy of parts is made from a graph by starting at a defined rootnode and synthesizing parts from the node information while tracing through the connections of the graph. The graph can be recurrent. Nodes can connect to themselves or in cycles to form recursive or fractal like structures. They can also connect to the same child multiple times to make duplicate instances of the same appendage. Each node in the graph contains information describing a rigid part. The dimensions determine the physical shape of the part. A joint-type determines the constraints on the relative motion between this part and its parent by defining the number of degrees of freedom of the joint and the movement allowed for each degree of freedom. The different jointtypes allowed are: rigid, revolute, twist, universal, bendtwist, twist-bend, or spherical. Joint-limits determine the point beyond which restoring spring forces will be exerted for each degree of freedom. A recursive-limit parameter determines how many times this node should generate a phenotype part when in a recursive cycle. A set of local neurons is also included in each node, and will be explained further in the next section. Finally, a node contains a set of connections to other nodes. Each connection also contains information. The placement of a child part relative to its parent is decomposed into position, orientation, scale, and reflection, so each can be mutated independently. The position of attachment is constrained to be on the surface of the parent part. Reflections cause negative scaling, and allow similar but symmetrical sub-trees to be described. A terminal-only flag can cause a connection to be applied only when the recursive limit is reached, and permits tail or hand-like components to occur at the end of chains or repeating units. Figure 3 shows some simple hand-designed graph topologies and resulting phenotype morphologies. Note that the parameters in the nodes and connections such as recursivelimit are not shown for the genotype even though they affect the morphology of the phenotype. The nodes are anthropomorphically labeled as "body," "leg segment," etc. but the genetic descriptions actually have no concept of specific categories of functional components.
5 Creature Behavior A virtual "brain" determines the behavior of a creature. The brain is a dynamical system that accepts input sensor values and provides output effector values. The output values are applied as forces or torques at the degrees of freedom of the
body's joints. This cycle of effects is shown in Figure 4. Sensor, effector, and internal neuron signals are represented here by continuously variable scalars that may be positive or negative. Allowing negative values permits the implementation of single effectors that can both push and pull. Although this may not be biologically realistic, it simplifies the more natural development of muscle pairs.
5.2 Neurons Internal neural nodes are used to give virtual creatures the possibility of arbitrary behavior. They allow a creature to have an internal state beyond its sensor values, and be affected by its history. In this work, different neural nodes can perform diverse functions on their inputs to generate their output signals. Because of this, a creature's brain might resemble a dataflow computer program more than a typical artificial neural network. This approach is probably less biologically realistic than just using sum and threshold functions, but it is hoped that it makes the evolution of interesting behaviors more likely. The set of functions that neural nodes can have is: sum, product, divide, sum-threshold, greater-than, sign-of, min, max, abs, if, interpolate, sin, cos, atan, log, expt, sigmoid, integrate, differentiate, smooth, memory, oscillatewave, and oscillate-saw. Some functions compute an output directly from their
5.1 Sensors Each sensor is contained within a specific part of the body, and measures either aspects of that part or aspects of the world relative to that part. Three different types of sensors were used for these experiments: 1. Joint angle sensors give the current value for each degree of freedom of each joint. 2. Contact sensors activate (1.0) if a contact is made, and negatively activate (-1.0) if not. Each contact sensor has a sensitive region within a part's shape and activates when any contacts occur in that area. In this work, contact sensors are made available for each face of each part. No distinction is made between self-contact and environmental contact. 3. Photosensors react to a global light source position. Three photosensor signals provide the coordinates of the normalized light source direction relative to the orientation of the part. Shadows are not simulated, so photosensors continue to sense a light source even if it is blocked. Photosensors for two independent colors are made available. The source of one color is located in the desirable cube, and the other is located at the center of mass of the opponent. This effectively allows evolving nervous systems to incorporate specific "cube sensors" and "opponent sensors." Other types of sensors, such as accelerometers, additional proprioceptors, or even sound or smell detectors could also be implemented, but these basic three are enough to allow some interesting and adaptive behaviors to occur.
Physical simulation
Control system
3D World
Figure 4: Cycle of effects between brain, body and world. inputs, while others such as the oscillators retain some state and can give time varying outputs even when their inputs are constant. The number of inputs to a neuron depends on its function, and here is at most three. Each input contains a connection to another neuron or a sensor from which to receive a value. Alternatively, an input can simply receive a constant value. The input values are first scaled by weights before being operated on. The genetic parameters for each neural node include these weights as well as the function type and the connection information. For each simulated time interval, every neuron computes its output value from its inputs. In this work, two brain time steps are performed for each dynamic simulation time step so signals can propagate through multiple neurons with less delay.
5.3 Effectors Each effector simply contains a connection from a neuron or a sensor from which to receive a value. This input value is scaled by a constant weight, and then exerted as a joint force which affects the dynamic simulation and the resulting behavior of the creature. Different types of effectors, such as sound or scent emitters, might also be interesting, but only effectors that exert simulated muscle forces are used here. Each effector controls a degree of freedom of a joint. The effectors for a given joint connecting two parts, are contained in the part further out in the hierarchy, so that each non-root part operates only a single joint connecting it to its parent. The angle sensors for that joint are also contained in this part. Each effector is given a maximum-strength proportional to the maximum cross sectional area of the two parts it joins. Effector forces are scaled by these strengths and not permitted to exceed them. This is similar to the strength limits of natural muscles. As in nature, mass scales with volume but strength scales with area, so behavior does not always scale uniformly.
5.4 Combining Morphology and Control The genotype descriptions of virtual brains and the actual phenotype brains are both directed graphs of nodes and connections. The nodes contain the sensors, neurons, and effec-
tors, and the connections define the flow of signals between these nodes. These graphs can also be recurrent, and as a result the final control system can have feedback loops and cycles. However, most of these neural elements exist within a specific part of the creature. Thus the genotype for the nervous system is a nested graph: the morphological nodes each contain graphs of the neural nodes and connections. Figure 5 shows an example of an evolved nested graph which describes a simple three-part creature as shown in figure 6. When a creature is synthesized from its genetic description, the neural components described within each part are generated along with the morphological structure. This causes blocks of neural control circuitry to be replicated along with each instanced part, so each duplicated segment or appendage of a creature can have a similar but independent local control system. These local control systems can be connected to enable the possibility of coordinated control. Connections are allowed between adjacent parts in the hierarchy. The neurons and effectors within a part can receive signals from sensors or neurons in their parent part or in their child parts. Creatures are also allowed a set of neurons that are not associated with a specific part, and are copied only once into the phenotype. This gives the opportunity for the development of global synchronization or centralized control. These neurons can receive signals from each other or from sensors or neurons in specific instances of any of the creature's parts, and the neurons and effectors within the parts can optionally receive signals from these unassociated-neuron outputs. In this way the genetic language for morphology and control is merged. A local control system is described for each type of part, and these are copied and connected into the hierarchy of the creature's body to make a complete distributed nervous system. Figure 6a shows the creature morphology resulting from the genotype in figure 5. Again, parameters describing shapes and weight values are not shown for the genotype even though they affect the pheno-
Figure 6a: The phenotype morphology generated from the evolved genotype shown in figure 5.
0.61 0.27
0.61 0.27
Figure 5: Example evolved nested graph genotype. The outer graph in bold describes a creature's morphology. The inner graph describes its neural circuitry. C0, P0, P1, and Q0 are contact and photosensors, E0 and E1 are effector outputs, and those labeled "*" and "s+?" are neural nodes that perform product and sum-threshold functions.
Figure 6b: The phenotype "brain" generated from the evolved genotype shown in figure 5. The effector outputs of this control system cause the morphology above to roll forward in tumbling motions.
type. Figure 6b shows the corresponding brain of this creature. The brackets on the left side of figure 6b group the neural components of each part. Two groups have similar neural systems because they were synthesized from the same genetic description. This creature can roll over the ground by making cyclic tumbling motions with its two arm-like appendages. Note that it can be difficult to analyze exactly how a control system such as this works, and some components may not actually be used at all. Fortunately, a primary benefit of using artificial evolution is that understanding these representations is not necessary.
6 Physical Simulation Dynamics simulation is used to calculate the movement of creatures resulting from their interaction with a virtual threedimensional world. There are several components of the physical simulation used in this work: articulated body dynamics, numerical integration, collision detection, and collision response with friction. These are only briefly summarized here, since physical simulation is not the emphasis of this paper. Featherstone's recursive O(N) articulated body method is used to calculate the accelerations from the velocities and external forces of each hierarchy of connected rigid parts [5]. Integration determines the resulting motions from these accelerations and is performed by a Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method which is a fourth order Runge-Kutta with an additional evaluation to estimate the error and adapt the step size. Typically between 1 and 5 integration time steps are performed for each frame of 1/30 second. The shapes of parts are represented here by simple rectangular solids. Bounding box hierarchies are used to reduce the number of collision tests between parts from O(N2). Pairs whose world-space bounding boxes intersect are tested for penetrations, and collisions with a ground plane are also tested. If necessary, the previous time-step is reduced to keep any new penetration depths below a certain tolerance. Connected parts are permitted to interpenetrate but not rotate completely through each other. This is achieved by using adjusted shapes when testing for collisions between connected parts. The shape of the smaller part is clipped halfway back from its point of attachment so it can swing freely until its remote end makes contact. Collision response is accomplished by a hybrid model using both impulses and penalty spring forces. At high velocities, instantaneous impulse forces are used, and at low velocities springs are used, to simulate collisions and contacts with arbitrary elasticity and friction parameters. It is important that the physical simulation be reasonably accurate when optimizing for creatures that can move within it. Any bugs that allow energy leaks from non-conservation, or even round-off errors, will inevitably be discovered and exploited by the evolving creatures. Although this can be a lazy and often amusing approach for debugging a
physical modeling system, it is not necessarily the most practical.
7 Creature Evolution An evolution of virtual creatures is begun by first creating an initial population of genotypes. Seed genotypes are synthesized "from scratch" by random generation of sets of nodes and connections. Alternatively, an existing genotype from a previous evolution can be used to seed an initial population. Before creatures are paired off for competitions and fitness evaluation, some simple viability checks are performed, and inappropriate creatures are removed from the population by giving them zero fitness values. Those that have more than a specified number of parts are removed. A subset of genotypes will generate creatures whose parts initially interpenetrate. A short simulation with collision detection and response attempts to repel any intersecting parts, but those creatures with persistent interpenetrations are also discarded. A survival-ratio determines the percentage of the population that will survive each generation. In this work, population sizes were typically 300, and the survival-ratio was 1/5. If the initially generated population has fewer individuals with positive fitness than the number that should survive, another round of seed genotypes is generated to replace those with zero fitness. For each generation, creatures are grown from their genotypes, and their fitness values are measured by simulating one or more competitions with other individuals as described. The individuals whose fitnesses fall within the survival percentile are then reproduced, and their offspring fill the slots of those individuals that did not survive. The number of offspring that each surviving individual generates is proportional to its fitness. The survivors are kept in the population for the next generation, and the total size of the population is maintained. In multi-species evolutions, each sub-population is independently treated in this way so the number of individuals in each species remains constant and species do not die out. Offspring are generated from the surviving creatures by copying and combining their directed graph genotypes. When these graphs are reproduced they are subjected to probabilistic variation or mutation, so the corresponding phenotypes are similar to their parents but have been altered or adjusted in random ways.
7.1 Mutating Directed Graphs A directed graph is mutated by the following sequence of steps: 1. The internal parameters of each node are subjected to possible alterations. A mutation frequency for each parameter type determines the probability that a mutation will be applied to it at all. Boolean values are mutated by simply flipping their state. Scalar values are mutated by adding several random numbers to them for a Gaussian-like distribution
so small adjustments are more likely than drastic ones. The scale of an adjustment is relative to the original value, so large quantities can be varied more easily and small ones can be carefully tuned. A scalar can also be negated. After a mutation occurs, values are clamped to their legal bounds. Some parameters that only have a limited number of legal values are mutated by simply picking a new value at random from the set of possibilities. 2. A new random node is added to the graph. A new node normally has no effect on the phenotype unless a connection also mutates a pointer to it. Therefore a new node is always initially added, but then garbage collected later (in step 5) if it does not become connected. This type of mutation allows the complexity of the graph to grow as an evolution proceeds. 3. The parameters of each connection are subjected to possible mutations in the same way the node parameters were in step 1. With some frequency the connection pointer is moved to point to a different node which is chosen at random. 4. New random connections may be added and existing ones may be removed. In the case of the neural graphs these operations are not performed because the number of inputs for each element is fixed, but the morphological graphs can have a variable number of connections per node. Each existing node is subject to having a new random connection added to it, and each existing connection is subject to possible removal. 5. Unconnected elements are garbage collected. Connectedness is propagated outwards through the connections of the graph, starting from the root node of the morphology, and from the effector nodes of the neural graphs. Although leaving the disconnected nodes for possible reconnection might be advantageous, and is probably biologically analogous, at least the unconnected newly added ones are removed to prevent unnecessary growth in graph size. Since mutations are performed on a per element basis, genotypes with only a few elements might not receive any mutations, where genotypes with many elements would receive enough mutations that they would rarely resemble their parents. This is compensated for by scaling the mutation frequencies by an amount inversely proportional to the size of the current graph being mutated, such that on the average at least one mutation occurs in the entire graph. Mutation of nested directed graphs, as are used here to represent creatures, is performed by first mutating the outer graph and then mutating the inner layer of graphs. The inner graphs are mutated last because legal values for some of their parameters (inter-node neural input sources) can depend on the topology of the outer graph.
7.2 Mating Directed Graphs Sexual reproduction allows components from more than one parent to be combined into new offspring. This permits features to evolve independently and later be merged into a sin-
a. Crossovers:
b. Grafting:
parent 1 parent 1
parent 2
parent 2
Figure 7: Two methods for mating directed graphs. gle individual. Two different methods for mating directed graphs are used in this work. The first is a crossover operation (figure 7a). The nodes of two parents are each aligned in a row as they are stored, and the nodes of the first parent are copied to make the child, but one or more crossover points determine when the copying source should switch to the other parent. The connections of a node are copied with it and simply point to the same relative node locations as before. If the copied connections now point out of bounds because of varying node numbers they are randomly reassigned. A second mating method grafts two genotypes together by connecting a node of one parent to a node of another (figure 7b). The first parent is copied, and one of its connections is chosen at random and adjusted to point to a random node in the second parent. Newly unconnected nodes of the first parent are removed and the newly connected node of the second parent and any of its descendants are appended to the new graph. A new directed graph can be produced by either of these two mating methods, or asexually by using only mutations. Offspring from matings are sometimes subjected to mutations afterwards, but with reduced mutation frequencies. In this work a reproduction method is chosen at random for each child to be produced by the surviving individuals using the ratios: 40% asexual, 30% crossovers, and 30% grafting. A second parent is chosen from the survivors if necessary, and a new genotype is produced from the parent or parents. After a new generation of genotypes is created, a phenotype creature is generated from each, and again their fitness values are evaluated. As this cycle of variation and selection continues, the population is directed towards creatures with higher fitness.
7.3 Parallel Implementation This process has been implemented to run in parallel on a Connection Machine® CM-5 in a master/slave message passing model. A single processing node contains the population and performs all the selection and reproduction operations. It farms out pairs of genotypes to the other nodes to be fitness tested, and gathers back the fitness values after they have been determined. The fitness tests each include a dynamics
simulation for the competition and although many can execute in nearly real-time, they are still the dominant computational requirement of the system. Performing a fitness test per processor is a simple but effective way to parallelize this process, and the overall performance scales quite linearly with the number of processors, as long as the population size is somewhat larger than the number of processors. Each fitness test takes a different amount of time to compute depending on the complexity of the creatures and how they attempt to move. To prevent idle processors from just waiting for others to finish, the slowest few simulations at the end of a generation are suspended and those individuals are removed from the population by giving them zero fitness. With this approach, an evolution with population size 300, run for 100 generations, might take about four hours to complete on a 32 processor CM-5.
fitness 1.0
0.0 25
50 generations
50 generations
50 generations
50 generations
8 Results and Discussion 1.0
Many independent evolutions were performed using the "all vs. best" competition pattern as described in section 3. Some single-species evolutions were performed in which all individuals both compete and breed with each other, but most included two species where individuals only compete with members of the opponent species. Some examples of resulting two-species evolutionary dynamics are shown in Figure 8. The relative fitness of the best individuals of each species are plotted over 100 generations. The rate of evolutionary progress varied widely in different runs. Some species took many generations before they could even reach the cube at all, while others discovered a fairly successful strategy in the first 10 or 20 generations. Figure 8c shows an example where one species was successful fairly quickly and the other species never evolved an effective strategy to challenge it. The other three graphs in figure 8 show evolutions where more interactions occurred between the evolving species. A variety of methods for reaching the cube were discovered. Some extended arms out onto the cube, and some reached out while falling forward to land on top of it. Others could crawl inch-worm style or roll towards the cube, and a few even developed leg-like appendages that they used to walk towards it. The most interesting results often occurred when both species discovered methods for reaching the cube and then further evolved strategies to counter the opponent's behavior. Some creatures pushed their opponent away from the cube, some moved the cube away from its initial location and then followed it, and others simply covered up the cube to block the opponent's access. Some counter-strategies took advantage of a specific weakness in the original strategy and could be easily foiled in a few generations by a minor adaptation to the original strategy. Others permanently defeated the original strategy and required the first species to evolve another level of counter-counter-strategy to regain the lead.
fitness 1.0
fitness 1.0
Figure 8: Relative fitness between two co-evolving and competing species, from four independent simulations.
Figure 9: Evolved competing creatures.
In some evolutions the winners alternated between species many times with new strategies and counter-strategies. In other runs one species kept a consistent lead with the other species only providing temporary challenges. After the results from many simulations were observed, the best were collected and then played against each other in additional competitions. The different strategies were compared, and the behavior and adaptability of creatures were observed as they faced new types of opponents that were not encountered during their evolutions. A few evolutions were also performed starting with an existing creature as a seed genotype for each species so they could further evolve to compete against a new type of opponent. Figure 9 shows some examples of evolved competing creatures and demonstrates the diversity of the different strategies that emerged. Some of the behaviors and interactions of these specific creatures are described briefly here. The larger creature in figure 9b nudges the cube aside and then pins down his smaller opponent. The crab-like creature in 9c can successfully walk forward, but then continues blindly past the cube and over the opponent. Figure 9d shows a creature that has just pushed its opponent away from the cube, and the arm-like creature in 9e also jabs at its opponent before curling around the cube. Most creatures perform similar behavior independently of the opponent's actions, but a few are adaptive in that they can reach towards the cube wherever it moves. For example the arm-like creature in figure 9f pushes the cube aside and then uses photosensors to adaptively follow it. If its opponent moves the cube in a different direction it will successfully grope towards the new location. The two-armed creature in figure 9g blocks access to the cube by covering it up. Several other two-armed creatures in 9i, 9j, and 9k use the strategy of batting the cube to the side with one arm and catching it with the other arm. This seemed to be the most successful strategy of the creatures in this group, and the one in 9k was actually the overall winner because it could whisk the cube aside very quickly. However, it was a near tie between this and the photosensitive arm in 9f. The larger creature in 9m wins by a large margin against some opponents because it can literally walk away with the cube, but it does not initially reach the cube very quickly and tends to loose against faster opponents. It is possible that adaptation on an evolutionary scale occurred more easily than the evolution of individuals that were themselves adaptive. Perhaps individuals with adaptive behavior would be significantly more rewarded if evolutions were performed with many species instead of just one or two. To be successful, a single individual would then need to defeat a larger number of different opposing strategies.
which creatures compete in different environments and different rules determine the winners. Creatures might also be rewarded for cooperative behavior somehow as well as competitive, and teams of interacting creatures could be simulated. Evolutions containing larger numbers of species should certainly be performed, with the hope of increasing the chances for emergence of more adaptive individuals as hypothesized above. An additional extension to this work would be to simulate a more complex but more realistic environment in which many creatures simultaneously compete and/or cooperate with each another, instead of pairing off in one-on-one contests. Speciation, mating patterns, competing patterns, and even offspring production could all be determined by one long ecological simulation. Experiments like this have been performed with simpler organisms and have produced interesting results including specialization and various social interactions [18,24]. Perhaps the techniques presented here should be considered as an approach toward creating artificial intelligence. When a genetic language allows virtual entities to evolve with increasing complexity, it is common for the resulting system to be difficult to understand in detail. In many cases it would also be difficult to design a similar system using traditional methods. Techniques such as these have the potential of surpassing those limits that are often imposed when human understanding and design is required. The examples presented here suggest that it might be easier to evolve virtual entities exhibiting intelligent behavior than it would be for humans to design and build them.
10 Conclusion In summary, a system has been described that can automatically generate autonomous three-dimensional virtual creatures that exhibit diverse competitive strategies in physically simulated worlds. A genetic language that uses directed graphs to describe both morphology and behavior defines an unlimited hyperspace of possible results, and a variety of interesting virtual creatures have been shown to emerge when this hyperspace is explored by populations of evolving and competing individuals.
Acknowledgments Thanks to Gary Oberbrunner and Matt Fitzgibbon for Connection Machine and software support. Thanks to Thinking Machines Corporation and Lew Tucker for supporting this research. Thanks to Bruce Blumberg and Peter Schröder for dynamic simulation help and suggestions. And special thanks to Pattie Maes.
9 Future Work Several variations on this system could be worth further experimentation. Other types of contests could be defined in
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Light and Shade by Karl Fletcher
... my number 12 round brush, I apply it to the wooden areas of the porch, the fascia and the wooden beams; I also paint flower tubs to give them a terracotta feel.
5039-1280-D. A second sale date will be. Online AuctionPortage Self Stor- age, 4998 S. Prospect St, Ra- venna, OH 44266The auction will. b e. h e l d. o n www.storagetreasures.com. Auc- tion ends December 28th, 2017. Purchaser has 72 hours to remove
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(…picking right back up where we left off. If you are just joining, read part 1 and 2 of this series before reading this portion. A continuation of 1 Timothy 3:1-7…detailing what it looks like to be a Godly man…)
"Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach…
…faithful to but one wife,…
Read these 5 words again. Now read them a third time over. The depth of these 5 words could fill the pages of an endless novel. Be reminded, these words are Divinely inspired. These are the Words of God. God is calling man to be faithful to but one wife. Turn to 1 Timothy 3:2…it is right there in black and white. Seems simple enough, right? Ha! You don't get off that easy, guys. You would be doing yourself a great disservice to simply skim over this passage and take these words at face value. There is much to be learned from these 5 telling words.
There is a MASSIVE difference between a Godly man's call to leadership BEFORE marriage verses AFTER marriage. In order to understand this passage, you have to dig back and first understand that distinction. Unless you are married, you are "single" in God's eyes. It doesn't matter if you are dating, it doesn't matter if you are in a relationship, it doesn't matter if you are engaged. Until the day that you and your Divinely designed partner take a vow of unity before God, you are SINGLE. Don't cringe. Being single is an absolutely beautiful thing. This society makes "single" seem like some type of disease. If people hear that you are single, their first response is this muted sigh and pitiful face. Haha, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Their ingrained reaction is to feel pity for you–the forehead wrinkles, the mouth twists into a side-smirk, the first words that roll of their tongue are typically, "Aw man, I'm sorry to hear that." or "Really?! I never would have guessed…" Heck, occasionally you'll even get a sympathetic hug out of it. It's actually pretty entertaining to watch people and see the timeline of thoughts that roll through their minds. Step one: the feeling of sympathy. Step two: they comfort you, as if to assure you that someone will eventually love you someday (haha). Step three: *this step is typically marked by a little glimmer of excitement in their eyes* they recognize that you are most DEFINITELY in need of their match-making services. Step four: the hunt is on. It becomes a mission to find you someone to love. Haha, now maybe I am biased, as a female, and describing mostly how other females react. I feel like in the guy-world they hear that you're single and the typical initial reaction is a high-five. Afterall, now you're a perfect wing-man candidate. And now you can bang out all the chicks that you want, right? You're free to do whatever you want. Or may they feel a little bad for you because you're only gettin' it from your left hand. No steady lay. Isn't that how it works? HA! The humor lies in the truth behind those last few statements.
But there is absolute power in being single. This society typically stamps "single" with a negative connotation. Synonyms include: unattractive, unlovable, desperate…or in my case, VIRGIN. haha. But the fact of the matter is that we should celebrate being single! The label shouldn't carry a negative connotation, it should carry respect and admiration. Why? Because in God's eyes, prior to marriage, you ARE single. Single in your walk with Him, single in your pursuit of faith. That is exactly how He intended it. He is SO jealous for your love and SO jealous for your growth in Him, that He yearns for you to be utterly and completely in love with HIM before you ever get wrapped up in another person. Remember the quote that I shared with you all a while back?
"A woman should never pursue a man. A woman should pursue a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. In turn, God will inspire the one man, designed perfectly and specifically for her, to pursue her heart. And in his pursuit of her, he too will be drawn closer to Christ."
Guys, do you get what that is saying? There is no guess work in your end of the deal. You may not admit it, but I know that men desired to be loved just as much as women do. And so often, single men grab any woman who will give them the time of day in order to create that synthetic love. In order to feel wanted, and to feel that control over another's emotions. To feel that ingrained desire for leadership. But just stop. Take a breath. LOVE GOD. God yearns for your absolute love. Luke 10:27 tells us to "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind…" If you can strive to do that…if you can genuinely seek that love, He will hand you the woman you are intended to marry on a silver platter in HIS timing. He WILL provide for you the woman who will change your life. The woman who is designed from you and for you (think back to the Adam and Eve reference from the last post.) You don't have to search desperately and turn every rock and leave a tattered wake of women behind you in your quest to manhood. You are called to live above that temptation. You are called to train yourself in your single life. Train yourself to be a Godly man. Grow in the Word and dig in the Truth and then APPRECIATE, truly, the magnificence and beauty and grace in the perfect love God presents to you in the form of your perfect wife. Man, powerful stuff.
I've so deviated from my initial point that it's nuts. Haha, sorry, sometimes I just get rolling. I told you there was great depth to those 5 words. Anyways, the reason I talked so much about the glory of single-hood is because your role as a leader in your single life is to do exactly what I mentioned above. Grow, personally. Train yourself, biblically. Strive to know Christ more. Strive to love Christ more. Strive to better yourself and prepare yourself to be a Godly man and a Godly husband–having unshakable faith that God is preparing your future wife in the same way. And recognize, that beyond a shadow of a doubt, your walk is entirely independent with Him. You are called to be a Godly man and to lead by example, but if you are not married, there is an INCREDIBLY fine line as to how much you can lead a woman. Men, the explanation of that could fill a whole other blog post. I encourage you to find a strong, male, believer who can better counsel you in the details of this principle. But, to put it quite simply, your walk and her walk MUST remain entirely distinguished and separate until the day you say "I do." It doesn't matter if you have been dating a girl for 10 years. You're walks are NOT intended to intertwine while you are single. You can lead by example, but it is not your place to become her spiritual leader or spiritual teacher. That can become a messy situation when you intertwine unmarried love with spiritual guidance. A VERY messy and misguided situation.
With all of that said, your role as a leader completely and utterly changes when you say the words, "I do." Now, we will look deeper into the specifics of marriage at a later time, but, for the sake of this transition, let's look back at the book of Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:24 explains marriage very poignantly in saying, "That is why a man leaves his father and his mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." Woah, say what? One flesh? Yes. BOOM. There it is. The Word of God. The reason your commitment to become a Godly man and a Godly leader is SO important–when a man and a woman are married, they literally become ONE FLESH in God's eyes. Their separate walks and united and intertwined. They are viewed as a unit. As one singular flesh. As one entity. Man oh man, men. Do you get what this means? You are called to be FAITHFUL TO BUT ONE WIFE (finally linking it back to the initial scripture). Why is this? Because in God's eyes, when you are married, when you can call a woman your WIFE, you both are ONE FLESH.
Take a look at your body. You are one, whole flesh. If you were torn about a decision–for the sake of a decent example, let's say that you are torn about taking another job–would it be possible for half of your body to rip away and go complete that job, while the other half of your body stays your current career? Could your torso go be a coach, while you legs are still working in a cubicle? (Okay that was a really lame example, but cut me some slack, it's finals week and my brain is fried…) Anyways, no. It couldn't be done. You would be destroyed. Without the guidance of your brain and the mechanics of your body all working together, you would die. And it would be incredibly painful. Apply that metaphor to a marriage. You and your wife are ONE FLESH. If you fail as a leader and take it upon yourself be unfaithful to your wife, you are ripping the legs from the torso. You will be destroyed. That flesh will be mortally wounded. Your marriage could be destroyed. Your merit as a Godly leader would be absolutely destroyed. There is no way around it. There is no excuse or permission. Satan is REALLY good at convincing millions of people across our planet that infidelity is acceptable and that you can get away with it and that it's worth it, but guess what…Satan's wrong. The Word of God explicitly states that a Godly man–a Godly leader–is the brain of that "one flesh" that you and your wife become. YOU are called to be the leader. You are called to possess the character to lead properly. You are called to stifle your human desires and temptations and to be a husband and a man of integrity. You are responsible for leading your walk, as well as her walk, because in marriage they become ONE walk. You are called to be a man of discipline and to love your wife as Jesus loved the church. LOVE and LEAD in a celebrated single-hood. LOVE and LEAD in a faithful marriage.
(to be continued…)


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In 2011 new solar cell technologies from Solar Junction, a company based in San Jose, California, stored a record 43.5 percent of the energy it captured from the sun.
The cells are 1.2 percent more efficient than anything on record, and up to three times as efficient as the off-the-shelf variety.
Solar Junction's record-breaking technology was originally developed by Dr. Homan Yuen and his fellow graduate students while they were students at Stanford University in 2007.
The team found a way to stack and arrange a compound called InGaAsNSbusing a process borrowed from cell phone and LED lighting industries. The process allows thin layers of the compound to be deposited so that there's little mixing between the layers, resulting in minimal contamination of the materials.
The diagram at right shows the difference that this process makes when used as a part of Solar Junction's technology, compared to the results that others in the field have gotten when they've tried similar methods but failed. The layers in Solar Junction's solar cells are clearly defined, not mixed like in a competing cell.
Right now the company is still too early in its development for a full commercial roll-out to be cost-effective.
But Jeff Allen, Solar Junction's Vice President of Business Development, says they could be powering cities across the nation within a few years, thanks to the cost curve of concentrated solar. Solar Junction may be more expensive upfront, but it makes up the costs with how much power it can store.
"You're going to see [concentrated photovoltaic] markets in the southwest U.S. — it's already active in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada," he said. "Japan is also pursuing solar energy companies to help replace their nuclear energy sector. It's a tremendous opportunity."


text: A few days ago the wonderful young ladies over at Desire to Inspire posted the amazing photographs of Roger Davies. I know I had seen some of his images before but didn't know the source. Talk about an amazing portfolio full of modern homes and interiors, there are a couple of homes that are complete stunners. I am really digging on the green geometric carpet in the second pic. Make sure to check out the rest of his work because this is only a small portion.


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|Erin Yvette
|Dark Brown
|Vault Hunter
Con Artist
|Fiona - Sister
Felix - Adopted Father
August - Ex-Boyfriend
Rhys - Love interest (Determinant)
|First Appearance
|Zer0 Sum
|Last Appearance
|Series lifespan
|Zer0 Sum to Present
|Sasha Gallery
- "You still have it? What Felix left me...it looked small. Maybe it's a scope or something. It's been driving me nuts not knowing. You know how hard it was to not look. I'm sure you peeked."
- —Sasha to Fiona and Rhys about Felix's gift.
Sasha is a main character and the sister of Fiona and the foster child of Felix. They've been living in the cave known as Hollowpoint, scamming people out of their money. Sasha was raised knowing not to trust people, especially not Hyperion, who she believes is a corrupt company who brought havoc and pain to Pandora. She also has a certain interest in guns and can handle herself with one. Although, according to her, Fiona is a better shot.
Tales from the BorderlandsEdit
Sasha is one of the main characters in Tales from the Borderlands. Throughout the game, her positive attitude and laid-back view on life provides the player with a powerfull ally, who is not shy of engaging in some comical relief. Sasha is also closely connected to the game's playable characters, Fiona and Rhys, as she is the sister of the former and a potential love interest of the latter.
Killed VictimsEdit
- Unnamed Bandits
Weapons Edit
- Maliwan SMG (Element: Shock)
- Atlas Silver SMG (Unreleased prototype)
- The Desolator (Very rare gun)
- "We had it... we had it in our hands, Fiona. Ten million dollars."
- —Sasha to Fiona.
Sasha and her sister seem to care about each other a lot. When they were kids, they supported each other to survive. It seems they can cooperate really well and have each other's backs during tough situations. Yet they sometimes have their differences. Fiona finds it hard to approve of Sasha's various relationships with guys, perhaps due to her nature of being a protective older sister.
Felix Edit
- "I´m not gonna listen to another second of his bullshit."
- —Sasha angrily ignoring Felix´s message.
Felix met Sasha and her sister when they were trying to steal his wallet from him. He ended up catching them, but showing them how to do it better. They've been working together as con artists ever since. After Felix betrayed both Sasha and Fiona she becomes angry and sad. She starts to ignore that Felix was really part of the family, that he only cared about the money.
August Edit
- "You should never, ever lie to me, Sasha!"
- —August to Sasha.
Rhys Edit
- "I think I missed you too."
- —Sasha to Rhys
Vaughn Edit
They are wary of each other but Vaughn is shown to have respect for her and Fiona.
- When given the choice to aim the pistol at Felix, by not firing and not choosing to warn Felix or by not telling him to "choke on it" will result in his death, however the prompt for "Sasha will remember this/that" doesn't appear.
- She is voiced by Erin Yvette, who also voices Molly in The Walking Dead: Season One, Bonnie in The Walking Dead: 400 Days, The Walking Dead: Season Two and Snow White in The Wolf Among Us.
- Tales From The Borderlands is the first Telltale game to have determinant romance options.


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text:
He did it… Samir Becic ran the entire Chevron Houston Marathon with great success! He ran the marathon (26.2 miles) with his compressed weighted vest and compressed weight shorts equaling 73.5 lbs (bringing his total weight to a living body 330 lbs) with a time of 5:52:48!
We at Health Fitness Revolution want to congratulate Samir on such a phenomenal achievement. To read about how it went step by step, click here.
Here you can watch Samir successfully cross the finish line as the Houston Marathon emcee congratulates him on running a marathon and raising obesity awareness:
But it's not over yet! Samir is planning on running 8 marathons in 8 weeks, with the next one being the Urban Ultra marathon in Dallas on January 20th. Keep checking in on HFR's magazine to see what marathons Samir is doing next, and get updates on all of his new challenges!


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There are many Brian Mulligan's out there, but there is one who stands out above the rest. A man who prides himself on his hard work and dedication within his business endeavors. Featured on many famed publications, his success reigns across America, Brian Mulligan, Director and Member of the Audit Committee for the Ascent Media Group and Chief Executive Officer of Brooknol Advisors.
Most would say that Mulligan is a fortunate human being who spent his life working hard toward his career goals and success. He bathed in ambition set to achieve many career goals such as obtaining Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Chief of Operations and more positions across a multitude of media companies over the span of 30 years.
His laundry list of superb education spans from the University of California, Los Angeles to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
He has served as Co-Chairman of Universal Pictures, CEO of Universal Television, EVP/CFO of one Fortune 50 company, EVP of Strategic Planning, Universal and Vice Chairman and not to mention Chairman of FOX Broadcasting and Cable. These companies being the most notable media and entertainment broadcasting companies in the entire world.
Mulligan considers himself an expert with a fiery interest in the likes of film, music, the publishing of music, television, cable networks, broadcasting, television networks and cable channels as well as video gaming. He has noted that he is passionate about continuing set solid structures these types of companies going forward.
Mulligan serves as a current member of the Los Angeles based business named, Digital Roundtable.
He has accomplished many community outreach endeavors in which have benefit thousands upon millions of people across the United States of America and some other parts of the world. One of Mulligan's biggest accomplishments is known to be his work in the "A Better LA" campaign in which he aided in raised $90 million for education funding in Los Angeles. He also participates in many film and cinema groups, as well as small youth athletic organizations.
He has spent the last ten years or more as Chief Executive Officer for Brooknol Advisors. Within this position he maintains and seeks improvement for Media, Entertainment and Sports. He aids in advising many of these types of companies in strategic business planning, accounts, investments and more.
Mulligan has been known to be a backbone for the California media business. He has taken low companies and made them profitable and thriving, as well as grossing $175 billion in media and entertainment transactions.
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How To Control Moss In Your Yard
What can I do to prevent moss in my yard? It's taking over the grass and spreading to my flower garden. -Sally
Like many other weeds and undesirable plants, moss is a red flag indicating that conditions in your yard are not favorable for turf grass. Once a thick mat of moss gets started, the lawn grass doesn't stand a chance. However, the opposite is also true – moss won't invade a thick, healthy lawn, so the best way to prevent moss growth is to focus on improving your soil and encouraging the grass.
How To Prevent Moss
Moss thrives in cool, shady, damp areas with poor, compacted soil. And as you know, these are the conditions that lawn grasses hate the most! To improve your lawn health and prevent the growth of moss, try these tips:
- Remove the Moss: Dig or rake out the moss by hand, to give your lawn a fresh start.
- Aerate and Top-Dress Lawn: This is particularly important in moss-prone areas, since it increases drainage, add nutrients, and improves soil texture.
- Reseed Lawn: Replace the existing grass in the mossy area with a shade-tolerant grass variety.
- Thin Trees: This will reduce shade while increasing sunshine and air circulation.
- Change Tactics: In areas where grass simply won't grow, outwit the moss by naturalizing the area with mulch – or building that patio or gazebo you've always wanted – to discourage the moss and keep it from spreading to the rest of your lawn.
- Check Soil pH: Overly acidic soil is often a cause of moss growth. Do a soil test and add lime if needed.
- Improve Drainage: Make sure rainwater can drain throughout your yard. Regrade if needed, or install French drains, to route water away from soggy areas.
- Target the Moss: Most moss-control products are either iron-based (such as Moss Out) or potassium-based (such as Bayer 2-in-1 Moss and Algae Killer). Keep in mind, though, that simply killing the moss will not prevent it from returning if you don't improve the growing conditions for your lawn.
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CommentsPlease Leave a Comment
2 Comments on "How To Control Moss In Your Yard"
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Dmitch Says:
April 2nd, 2019 at 11:05 am
Do I water my lawn right after applying moss killer?
b Says:
October 30th, 2010 at 7:55 am
my moss problem is not in the grass or soil its on the yard concreat or tarmate where i walk in and out of the garden
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