text: Sections View Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Annotate Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Supplementary Content +++ Introduction ++ An important part of the research planning process is the development of a data management plan that specifies how data will be recorded, organized, and analyzed. This plan begins with the research proposal, specifying the research question, hypotheses, and design. These plans will also translate to the data analysis section under methods in a research report. It is not unusual for these plans to change once the project is under way, but nothing should begin without a firm plan in place. This planning requires knowledge of statistical programs, data coding and format requirements. The purpose of this appendix is to describe the process of data management. SPSS will be used to illustrate the process, consistent with the presentation of statistical output throughout the text. +++ Confidentiality and Security ++ The research proposal will include a plan for handling data, including maintaining confidentiality of participant information. All subjects should be assigned a unique ID number that is not related to their name, medical unit number, Social Security number, or other personal identifier. Documents for data collection should include the subject ID only. A list of subject names, addresses or phone numbers and corresponding ID codes can be kept separate from other files in case participants need to be contacted. ++ As part of informed consent, subjects should be assured that their personal information, data from medical records, and data collected as part of the project will be accessed only as necessary for research. The institutional review board (IRB) that approves the project will want to know the type of data to be collected, the purposes for which the data will be used now and in the future, who will have access to records, and what safeguards have been put in place for security and confidentiality (see Chapter 7). Many countries have regulations in place that define these standards. In the United States, these are part of the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),1,2 and the Common Rule.3 In Canada, they are incorporated into the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.4 +++ Monitoring Subject Participation ++ Throughout the project, researchers should have procedures in place to keep accurate and complete records of participants' involvement. Records should indicate how many participants were recruited and why some were not eligible, how many agreed to participate, and how many eventually did participate. Attrition should be monitored and reasons obtained. Initial group assignments and deviations from these assignments should be documented. This information is relevant to the validity of the project and will be important if the researcher wants to complete an intention to treat analysis. This information should also be accurately reported in a flow diagram, including reasons for drop-outs (see Chapter 15). +++ Statistical Programs ++ Depending on the type ... Your Access profile is currently affiliated with '[InstitutionA]' and is in the process of switching affiliations to '[InstitutionB]'. Please click 'Continue' to continue the affiliation switch, otherwise click 'Cancel' to cancel signing in. Get Free Access Through Your Institution Learn how to see if your library subscribes to McGraw Hill Medical products. Subscribe: Institutional or Individual Sign In Username Error: Please enter User Name Password Error: Please enter Password Forgot Password? Forgot Username? Sign in via OpenAthens Sign in via Shibboleth You already have access! Please proceed to your institution's subscription. Create a free a profile for additional features.


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"Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!"
― George Washington
"Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see."
― Thomas Jefferson
"The amount of money and of legal energy being given to prosecute hundreds of thousands of Americans who are caught with a few ounces of marijuana in their jeans simply makes no sense – the kindest way to put it. A sterner way to put it is that it is an outrage, an imposition on basic civil liberties and on the reasonable expenditure of social energy."
― William F. Buckley Jr.
On these very pages of Fox & Hounds Daily (pages in cyberspace, that is) on November 9, 2009, in an article entitled: "Legalize It: Taxing Legal Marijuana Would Add $1 Billion Per Year to California's Budget," I ended by saying: "we live now in the 21st Century, medical breakthroughs have proven the medicinal uses of marijuana better than I can here – let's end the nonsense, legalize this weed already, and do something intelligent to help California's economy." This year, it will happen.
In this, still early, Mid-Term election year of 2014, this Fall's ballot will include Initiatives to fully legalize Marijuana, at long last. Polls show that many important demographics now favor legalization of what is likely California's largest cash crop – $13 Billion, some estimate.
Most importantly for the future, "Fully 65% of Millennials –born since 1980 and now between 18 and 32 – favor legalizing the use of marijuana, up from just 36% in 2008. Yet there also has been a striking change in long-term attitudes among older generations, particularly Baby Boomers. . . . Half (50%) of Boomers now favor legalizing marijuana, among the highest percentages ever. Since 1994, . . . the percentage of Boomers favoring marijuana legalization has doubled, from 24% to 50%."
When voters go to the polls in California in November, and open their ballots, they will see one or more Initiatives on the ballot to legalize Marijuana. No more medical this or that, just flat out legalization, for adults, of course, like in Colorado and Washington. And, guess which political party may have more voters who favor legalizing Marijuana and, therefore, which political party may turn out many more voters, including a surge of new voters, this Fall, simply because this will be on the ballot?
And, guess which political party will be missing out on this surge in voter turnout, unless they too, bite the bullet, and come out strongly in favor of legalizing marijuana, right now? Enough soul searching and teeth gnashing over why Republicans, the party currently out of favor in CA state politics based on offices held, do not seem to have broader appeal, and how the 2012 election was lost. All the 'mea culpa'[ing] in the world cannot take you back in time, to change one single thing.
And yet, Federal law, no matter what Californians do this Fall – and California led the way on recognizing Medical Marijuana in the early 90's, lest we forget – continues to maintain the absolute, unmitigated legal lie that there is no medical use for Marijuana. The Feds are adamant that it should, therefore, properly be scheduled the same as with killer, addictive drugs like heroin, and reserved for the harshest criminal punishments. This, in the face of the clearest legal and medical findings to the contrary, for well over two decades now.
"In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care." Findings of DEA Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young – 1988
Governments which do not tell the truth, suffer the fate of Pinnochio, the puppet boy whose nose grew visibly longer after each lie. But, instead of a lengthening nose, governments which lie to their citizenry, suffer an increasing lack of faith and respect by those governed, a growing lack of credibility, and overwhelming disgust, well evidenced by recent polls:
"When asked if they have a higher opinion of either Congress or a series of unpleasant or disliked things, voters said they had a higher opinion of root canals (32 for Congress and 56 for the dental procedure), NFL replacement refs (29-56), head lice (19-67), the rock band Nickelback (32-39), colonoscopies (31-58), Washington DC political pundits (34- 37), carnies (31-39), traffic jams (34-56), cockroaches (43-45), Donald Trump (42-44), France (37-46), Genghis Khan (37-41), used-car salesmen (32-57), and Brussels sprouts (23-69) than Congress."
President Obama was elected, in part, on his promise (made, primarily, to Millennial and Boomer voters, who responded by electing him) to stop the mad, mad world of Marijuana Prohibition, and get us off that insane, irrational, and economically-self-defeating, merry-go-round. But, he promptly proceeded to take contradictory and hypocritical positions, several times authorizing his Attorney General to raid Medical Marijuana dispensaries in California using the absurdity of full-on SWAT teams, rendering us the pitiable sight on our 24/7 Talking Heads Media, viewed worldwide, of people in wheelchairs, and emaciated cancer victims, buying the herb which helps them cope with their disabilities and gain the appetite to survive chemo, and being publicly arrested and humiliated. Now, Mr. Obama seems also to be able to read the polls and take note of some 20 states which have either legalized or created Medical Marijuana systems, with the state in which I grew up, Massachusetts, just joining the group.
The long, ugly chapter of Marijuana Prohibition, the same drug that Queen Victoria used for her menstrual cramps, and that our nation's Founding Fathers grew, and from which they made all their clothing, paper products, is finally coming to an end. The wreckage left behind on the highway of our nation's legal system, of lives destroyed by incarceration for possession of this weed, and the Billions flushed down a rathole protecting us from the fantasy of the 'Evil Weed with the Roots in Hell,' will now soon end. If only governments could apologize when proven wrong . . . and what could be more wrong than demonizing a weed that grows naturally from the earth, and for which we actually have specifically tuned brain receptors – indicating a very long evolutionary history of homo sapiens using this weed over tens and, likely, hundreds of thousands of years?
Let's move on now to issues which are rational, and which really do need our attention.
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." ― Anonymous, Holy Bible: King James Version

subset: commoncrawl


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Australia v England: Will Eddie Jones be tempted to go back to the future?
Throughout 2021, Eddie Jones regularly referred to 'New England' – a nod not just to a change in personnel in his side but also a shift in style.
Before that year's autumn series, stalwarts such as Jamie George, Billy and Mako Vunipola, and George Ford were dropped as Jones made his move.
And glimpses of 'New England' were clear in the thrilling victory over South Africa as they upset the Springboks with enterprising rugby despite the forwards being overpowered.
But the side's development and identity stalled during the Six Nations, and in the defeat by Australia in Perth, England looked stuck between styles. The forwards were well matched by the Wallabies, and the Marcus Smith-Owen Farrell partnership failed to click.
On Saturday in Brisbane, however, the snarl was back, with the pack on the front foot and England returning to a kicking game to exert pressure. The result was a 25-17 victory that levelled the series.
"We did play differently – it was a bit simpler in the second Test," scrum-half Danny Care, who is back in the England set-up after a four-year hiatus, said on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast he co-hosts.
Inside centre Farrell, who has not been at his best since the 2019 World Cup, was authoritative, and three of the players dropped just eight months ago – George and the Vunipola brothers – played key roles, with Billy Vunipola especially outstanding.
So what does this mean for the series decider in Sydney on Saturday, and for Jones' side over the next 18 months leading up to the 2023 World Cup? Has 'New England' become 'Old England'?
"There are a few things being tweaked at the moment to try and find the perfect gameplan for this team," said Care.
"The first 20 minutes of the second Test is how we want to play, in terms of being confrontational and physical, but then forcing pressure on the opposition through a good tactical kicking game.
"Our big learning from the first Test is we over-thought a lot of things. We thought the game would be played in this type of way, and then it wasn't.
"In the second Test, we took rugby back to its finest form of running hard, winning collisions, winning gain-line and playing quickly where the space was."
But where does that leave fly-half Smith – a natural runner of the ball who ended up kicking the ball 10 times in the second Test? Harlequins club-mate Care hopes Smith will still be given the licence to play, regardless of the gameplan.
"What we have to do as a team is allow Marcus to do his special bits, because he will do the special bits if we do the stuff we talked about – of being physically abrasive, winning contacts, smashing breakdowns and playing quickly," added Care.
"Marcus is one of the most gifted players in England. He can do stuff we can't do, but we have to put him in situations where he has the ability to do that.
"We can't just throw him the ball and say: 'Go and do it.' You have to work out ways to put him in positions where he can then use his unbelievable decision-making and his skill and his execution.
"To do that we have to be the English team we want to be. We want to have the best forward pack in the world and we want to play quicker than everyone, and we have to create spaces for Marcus to do his thing."
Former England wing Ugo Monye added: "I would like to see Marcus play more, but I looked at the Australia back three and wondered what on earth they are doing.
"If I am analysing them, I am getting the ball in behind them [with the boot]. That is a simple tactic where England can really make hay.
"So you have to get through A and B first before you see C, with C being the magic stuff."
Care is also conscious of the need to be flexible and avoid falling into the kick-first trap that stilted England's progress through 2020, when they won matches yet struggled to create.
"We want to have an all-court game," said Care.
"The perfect scenario is you have every single option covered, because we have got guys like Marcus and 'Faz' [Farrell] that can spot things so much quicker than a normal person can."
The second Test win was hugely significant, not just because it ended England's losing streak and got them back into the series, but because it avoided any further scrutiny on Jones' position after four losses in six Tests in 2022.
England also played with the kind of clarity and purpose which had largely been absent over the past few years, albeit still a little short of the killer instinct required to turn pressure into points.
How Jones sets up the team tactically for the series decider in Sydney, and whether he is tempted to go back to the future at next year's tournament in France, will be especially intriguing.


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Daily Drone News – Monday January 11, 2021
Here are today's most important drone news articles. We publish this post every weekday at 5:30 p.m. Some of these stories are from DroneXL.co and some of them will be from other sources. If you'd like to receive this in an email going forward, be sure to subscribe using the form below.
Drone news from DroneXL.co
TEENAGER WITH DRONE RESCUES FOUR DROWNING SEA FISHERMEN FROM INDIA – A 19-year-old student from the Indian province of Kerala uses his drone to save the lives of four sea fishermen whose trawlers had capsized. Initially, rescue workers did not want to take the juvenile drone pilot with them on their search, but a local official convinced them to take the boy anyway.
DJI IS NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE CES 2021 EXHIBITOR LIST – Last year, when CES was still an in-person event in Las Vegas, DJI had a sizeable booth with all their products on display and all the important DJI North America employees, some of whom are no longer with the company, were there as well. This year, during CES 2021 however, DJI is notably absent. What is going on here?
SKYDIO RECEIVES THE CES 2021 BEST OF INNOVATION AWARD FOR DRONES – Skydio receives the CES 2021 Best of Innovation Award for Drones and Unmanned Systems for its Skydio X2 commercial drone.
AUTEL TO LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS DURING CES 2021 – In a post on Instagram, Autel Robotics says, "New Year. New Products.". The post continues to say, "Join us at CES 2021 for the full unveiling," and shows the date of January 12th, 2021. We wonder what new products Autel will be launching at CES 2021.
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Other drone news
- Skydio Advocates for Autonomy to Accelerate Your Part 107 Drone Business
- With grocery store access limited during the pandemic, drone delivery offers a high-tech boost to business
- New Pentagon Counter Drone Strategy: Unify Solutions Search, Avoid Duplicated Efforts
- Sports Book Takes Bets on Drone Races
- Red Cat partners with Skypersonic Completes Long Distance Drone Flight Remotely
- 'Missile-like' object found in Indonesian waters is a Chinese underwater drone, says defense analyst
- Why Iran Is Arming Its Drones With Air-To-Air Missiles
- Incredible drone footage shows a humpback whale swimming near the Isles of Scilly
- Guam and Chicago-based businesses partner for drone delivery service
- Ambarella unveils 8K AI vision processor for car, drone, and robot cameras
- Crescent moon and a drone show: Monday's best photos
- Drone Video Captures Whale Calf on First Migration Near Dana Point
- Draganfly: Drones and a Backdoor Play on Covid-19
- Editorial: Do Authorities Need Search Warrants for Drones?
- Manna Aero applies for new drone operator licence in Ireland
- How to make drones sound less annoying
- Search continues for missing Mississippi County woman
- 2 missing after being swept into dangerous waters off Bay Area coast
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text: 1910 (Apr 27) Plain envelope registered to Darmstadt from N.B. Bagdatly. Pera, Constantinople bearing GB ED V11 ½d overprinted Levant + GB ED V11 30 Paras on 1½d + 1¾ Piastre on 4d all tied British Post Office/Constantinople cds & with matching Registered label No 381 with on reverse Darmstadt (30 Apr) arrival cds


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"It doesn't have to start with 'don't smoke,' but rather the fundamentals of what cannabis is, as a plant within a legal framework."
As more and more states barrel through cannabis legalization (18 states are recreational, 36 have medical programs), it's become easier for adults, namely parents, to open up about their use. There's now even a brand called Dad Grass.
A quick Google search for Father's Day shows an increasing number of recommendation lists that include cannabis products for dads, but not how to bridge that conversation with their kids. Studies indicate more and more parents are using cannabis and working in the medical and/or recreational industry, and the conversation around cannabis in the home is changing.
Don't Deny It
Roger Bloss, interim CEO of MJ Holdings, started using medical marijuana after a car accident left him with chronic pain back in 2009. When he decided to tell his children, they were around 10 and 13-years-old. In his words, he just came out and said it, emphasizing that it was medicine that helped him not only work, but remain a present, doting father.
RELATED: How To Talk To Your Children About Legal Marijuana
"Kids are smart, so if you try to hide it, they'll see it," says Bloss. "They saw it didn't turn me into a monster. I never called it marijuana; I was very cautious and mindful that it was medicine."
Consider Cultural and Community Context
Richard Huang was raised in Taiwan for 10 years before he and his family immigrated to the United States, where he says the societal perception of cannabis is much more negative. The stigma he was taught at home made it harder to form his own opinions until he tried it for himself, and he believes these stigma travel through communities and make it worse.
"We were taught as a child overseas that every drug is a drug," he says. "Culturally, it's ok to be drunk, but not ok to be high. It starts from not knowing. Everyone, no matter their ethnicity, are dealing with the same stigma."
His daughter, now 8, has grown up during a time where there's more information out there than ever, and Huang looks forward to showing her all the good cannabis can do as both a medicine and recreational activity before social pressures inform her opinion.
Take Advantage of Resources
Brian Sekandi, a cannabis recruiting entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada, realized that despite the size of the industry, which is nationally legal in Canada, there were so few resources for discussing what cannabis use and work looks like in 2021. As more and more families become a part of the legal market, new conversations will need to take place. It's why Sekandi wrote Kids of Cannabis, a children's book about the children of cannabis professionals, to get the ball rolling.
RELATED: We Need To Educate Children And Adults About 'Drug Education'
"If parents don't educate their kid on cannabis, someone else will," he says. "We want parents to own that conversation. It doesn't have to start with 'don't smoke,' but [rather] the fundamentals of what cannabis is, as a plant within a legal framework."


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Meet Just Global―a new breed of global agency for a new media universe.
The full-service B2B agency, forged by independents JUST and Enigma only three months ago, has launched an international brand campaign to promote their agency model purpose-built to grow the world's most impactful brands during this time of digital transformation.
Just Global's "Insights Improve" brand campaign centers on 'the power of three' integrated disciplines – media, creative and data – working as one. The campaign was developed to highlight the ever-expanding marketing ecosystem and the role integration within agencies plays in growing their customers businesses.
A charming, animated dog is a storytelling metaphor for what happens to marketing campaigns as they go through the various departments of Just Global. We see elements of the dog's character shift based on A/B testing results and the character gleefully transition digital environments – from banner ads to landing pages – all to demonstrate that aligned integrated capabilities improves performance.
The B2B marketing agency applied their own methodology to developing the work, using real-time media, consumer and cultural insights to inform a collective and responsive campaign strategy. With video consumption at an all-time high, YouTube serves as the primary media channel for the campaign with support across highly-targeted programmatic, direct mail and social.
"It's funny how few marketing agencies market themselves," states Meagan Phillips, Just Global's Director of Marketing Communications. She continues, "What better way to show customers your marketing approach then by serving it right in front of them?"
Using a one-to-few account based marketing approach, their first-ever brand campaign is primarily targeted to existing customers within their key markets of North America, Europe, Australia and Singapore. Secondary targeting includes active new business leads, brands surging in intent data topics related to the core agency strengths and custom CMO persona research.
Creative was developed from the ground up based around this data-driven media strategy. The campaign utilizes a modern and simple illustration method so teams could deploy a sprite sheet method to render creative variants efficiently based on iterative marketing opportunities.


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Tamera Mowry's Missing Niece's Father: 'We're Still Hoping' She'll Be Found Alive After Mass Shooting
Tamera Mowry's niece Alaina Housley is still missing after she was last seen at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, where a masked gunman opened fire and murdered at least 12 people last night.
And now, Pepperdine University student Alaina's father Arik Housley tells RadarOnline.com he still has hope his college student daughter will be found alive several hours after the horrific mass shooting. However, he acknowledged the chances are sadly growing slim.
"They told me that everybody that was getting transferred to the hospitals have been identified, and the only people that have not been identified are the deceased," Arik told RadarOnline.com, choking back tears. "We are still hoping, we are on our way down there right now so to the bar. We are hoping Alaina is not there."
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Sister, Sister actress Tamera, 40, reached out to her niece's classmate on social media in a desperate bid to find her.
"Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information?" she tweeted.
She later updated concerned fans that the family has not yet found her.
Tamera's husband Adam tweeted "Please pray if you believe....pray."
The gunman has been identified as 29-year-old California resident Ian Long. He reportedly killed himself after killing party goers at the bar.
As RadarOnline.com reported, his family has been questioned by the FBI in the aftermath of the tragedy.
We pay for juicy info! Do you have a story for RadarOnline.com? Email us at email@example.com, or call us at (866) ON-RADAR (667-2327) any time, day or night.


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iStop system
Over several years, Mazda's i-Stop engine start-stop feature has helped owners in other markets to save on their fuel budget—and it's helped commuters in some of the most traffic-clogged areas be a little greener.
Slow U.S. Adoption of Start-Stop Systems: The Real Reasons
Sometimes even well-informed industry analysts get it wrong. Or miss the forest for the trees. A recent posting by Pike Research, entlted "Europe Leads, U.S. Lags In Start-Stop Hybrids," correctly notes that adoption of start-stop systems is well advanced in Europe, but lags behind in the U.S. But...
John Voelcker -
Preview: Mazda to Show 2011 Mazda5 Minivan at Geneva Motor Show
We've always been fond of the 2010 Mazda Mazda5 small minivan, which gets rave reviews for its sporty character and good roadholding. Because it's smaller than more conventional full-size minivans like the Dodge Caravan, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna, it has always sold in smaller numbers. But...
John Voelcker -
2011 Mazda2 Subcompact To Launch At Los Angeles Auto Show
We previewed the upcoming 2011 Mazda2 subcompact a couple of months ago, but now we have more details, along with photos of its updated styling. The five-door hatchback will be officially unveiled in early December, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2011 Mazda Mazda2 will go on sale in the U.S. and...
John Voelcker


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Back in 2013, Fit For An Autopsy released Hellbound, an enigmatic deathcore album that made it onto a few of our year end lists here at Heavy Blog. The album was dark, aggressive and is still my favourite deathcore album of this decade thus far. With that in mind, I am more than excited to share with you the news that the New Jersey natives will be releasing a brand new full length this summer. The as yet untitled album will be handled by the bands resident engineering and production maestro Will Putney (Northlane, The Acacia Strain, Body Count) who did a phenomenal job on Hellbound. More info after the jump people.
In the official press release, guitarist Patrick Sheridan shed some light on what we can be expecting from the new material, due to be released by eOne/Good Fight Music. From what he has divulged, expect classic Fit For An Autopsy fury with extra layers to their already "progressive" sound.
"You'll hear a lot of new influences in our sound and a real creative move towards other genres we have never experimented with until now. It's dark, sad and aggressive all at once and we're really happy with the vibe. It's also a very literal and real record and in more of a first person view of the world than we've ever done, and it feels really intense."
This will be the first release without Nate Johnson, who left the band last year. Replacing him is Joe Badalato, previously seen performing with Diamond Cutter. The new line up will be on the road soon and if you're lucky enough you can catch them on the 'Stronger Than Faith' tour with Within The Ruins, Emmure and Suicide Silence.


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An outstretched hand reaches across space and time never knowing if it will remain empty or find fingers intertwined in it again.
Sometimes you get lost wondering about the if, how, what or when and sometimes you accept you won't ever know the answer until the final bell sounds and there can be no mistake in understanding.
Sometimes Your Heart Knows & Sometimes It…
I am not someone who gives up on anything with of value and importance with ease. I play hard to the end and sometimes beyond.
That doesn't make me special, it just makes me human.
It is why I doubt my father will ever come to Texas again and why I think last January is his final time here.
He is human and though the chemo is working I don't think his body will match his will. I think without the benefit of a private jet it will be too hard to get here.
It would be wonderful to be proven wrong. I would be good with that, but I am ok if I am right too.
Ok, because I would prefer he focus his energy on fighting and since it is not endless he should do so at home.
It is not like he didn't get a chance to see what our life is like here.
I sometimes wonder if I somehow knew something when he and mom came to visit this past winter.
Can't say for certain, but I made a point to ask if he wanted to spend a day working with me and it is one of my favorite memories.
We drove all over the Metroplex and he got to see what my life was like here in a way that I can't just describe in words.
It was an ordinary day in about every way you can imagine. There weren't any special calls or crises to handle.
He and I talked about everything.
I asked if he remembered the handful of times I went to work with him 'cuz much of it is vivid to me.
It is easy to remember sitting in the front seat of the car, lunchbox on my lap while I looked out the window and wondered if adults got recess.
I remember his having to make an important telephone call and how I had to go sit outside his office.
That felt like magic to me, looking out at the buildings in downtown LA. I was about eight but remember that magic feeling must be what it was like to be 16 or so.
For a moment I was out in the world, on my own and though I could see dad through the window it was like he was far away.
I appreciated his trust and was careful not to wander off which was something I was quite good at, hell I still am.
Something catches my eye and I go investigate whatever it is without any regard for time passing 'cuz I get lost in my world and time stops.
Since we had already had a ton of barbecue I took dad to Deli News for a late lunch and for a moment time blurred.
He walked ahead of me, cane in hand and I followed close enough to catch him if need be.
Except it wasn't me and him, it was my grandpa with the cane and dad just behind him and then we sat down and time snapped back into the present.
I watched him eat his matza ball soup and realized I had worn him out a bit. Part of me felt foolish because I know he isn't in his thirties or forties anymore.
Hell, I know fifty is a long time ago and that much has changed, but he made it easy to forget because he just did what he wanted.
Maybe he moved more slowly, but he got out of the house, ran errands and traveled. He always moved at his pace so why should now be any different.
Play The Hand Out
We're five or is it six days into the latest hospital stay and dad tells me he is bored.
We talk about the latest outrage from our president and I tell dad he needs to stick around for a while.
"You know this asshole is going to find a way to shock us again. You need to stick around and see what it is. Hell, he has a horrible diet, you might be around long enough to see two, or three more presidents."
Dad laughs and I tell him I never thought I would refer to the president this way.
"I have some people who say I complain too much about him on Facebook."
"Are you forcing them to read what you say? If they are not smart enough to ignore it and move on, fuck 'em."
That makes me smile 'cuz it has a familiar edge. It means dad is right there with me and that hasn't always been the case.
There have been moments where I heard the exhaustion in his voice and wondered.
Can't hold my breath and worry each day, but can't ignore it all either.
Don't know exactly how, what or when it all goes but know I have to do exactly what he and grandpa always said, "play the hand out."
There Is Still Hope & There Is Joy
There was a time of marathon telephone calls and endless emails in which many conversations were had.
A time when many thoughts and ideas were shared and when I began to learn some of the great lessons of my life.
That is when I began to understand the difference between want and need as well as how they might intersect.
It is when I found out how powerful certain thoughts and ideas are and how they might influence and shape lives.
In the midst of the craziness and this is craziness I look at that time and recognize some of the strength I have now is a direct result.
It is part of why I can see so clearly there is still lots of hope and there is still joy.
When I was quite little I used to sometimes wear a cape and run around the house yelling "I have got my power."
I asked dad if he remembered and he said yes.
"Hang 0n a bit and I'll be back in town and you can either see it again or you can have some of my power, I'll share."
I felt him smile and listened as he told me he needed to get some rest, guess I am still wearing my old man out. 🙂
There are still cards to be played before we reach that last hand.
Can't say whether we'll pull aces or jacks.
Can't say whether we'll hit a full house or wind up empty handed.
Won't know until it is done and until then we play hard.


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Used pre-linen post card
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Ian is absent again and Bobby and Carlos are trying to somehow keep it together. Then Mimi Benfiled joins the gang to answer listener questions about the occult, vaginas, and bath salts. We relay the latest news on inadvertent soul selling and animal sacrificing whorehouses. We take a deep dive into the dark history of Manifest Destiny. And finally, we close it all out with indecorous Vermont state laws.
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University Heights clerk clings to life after robbery
A Bronx bodega clerk is fighting for his life Tuesday after he was shot three times, once in the face.
From his window, a neighbor said he saw the 24-year-old worker bleeding on the sidewalk. Police said two armed men held up the R.C. Paraiso Grocery on Davidson Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
The store was closed Tuesday and the investigation remains open with no arrests.
Residents claim criminals are no longer waiting until dark to rob stores in the University Heights neighborhood. Within the past few weeks, businesses along W. 181st Street have been robbed, some in broad daylight.
Neighbors want the NYPD to boost patrols, but city figures show robberies are down nearly 10 percent since last year and felony assaults are down 4.5 percent.


text:
No way! Why not? I don't know? The PLSS, the Colonial States, fifty different legislatures, Ohio State beat Michigan, or the other 49 states can't possibly know how to stretch rope in your holler. Ironically California has perhaps the most stringent state test but a California court can appoint an expert witness land surveyor without a California license.
Let's identify subject matters that are consistent with every state. 1.) Geodesy, 2.) State plane coordinate projections, 3.) topographic mapping, 4.) photogrammetric control surveys, and 5.) construction layout. These are most certainly portable subjects in any jurisdiction. Yeah, sure there are local nuances but these topics are governed by the same science regardless of the jurisdiction. They also lay out well in a textbook, on a test form and flow freely among academia.
I know from firsthand experience that the NCEES does a very good job of assessing minimum competence in the measurement sciences. NCEES is the best game in town when it comes to bulletproofing a fair, accurate, and secure test. Every state accepts the NCEES test credentials as a basis of competence for the portable subjects. So, we've got that part of the machine built and running well.
The traditional challenge for NCEES has been its fifty-plus member boards asserting individual requirements of state mandated survey tests. Local regulations and bodies of law differ from state to state to the extent of requiring a supplemental test demonstrating that a practitioner is familiar with the law. State tests vary from a mail home form to a full day proctored affair.
Colonial and PLSS States routinely divorce themselves from each other because of a stupid blue book. The Colonials have no genuine use for it whereas the PLSS crowd seems to misinterpret their own role under state authority and promote that book as the ultimate adjudicator in a boundary dispute. Well, it's not, nor is that the book's fault. The facts are 1.) most of us will not actually work in the federal arena under Congressional authority and, 2.) the lion's share of patented sections are already subdivided and noticed by deeds. That leads us to a national test addressing the common elements of boundary surveying under every state's authority.
I think we are 90% of the way there with the NCEES. The scientific, mathematical, and mechanical facets are well covered. However, the courts of every state need an assurance that the surveyor is proficient in understanding lawful topics. A detailed national test vetted by judicial subject matter experts (SME) may offer a measure of proficiency across state lines. An NCEES implementation featuring juris doctors and judges in the mix of SME's evaluating a boundary law principles test may ease state's concerns with portability. Formulating test content from a strong handful of exemplary supreme court decisions and leading land boundary law publications may provide fair access to test content and background materials.
We are all experts capable of retracing a boundary under a specific body of law. A look at numerous court decisions reveals fundamental elements across every state when it comes to retracement surveys. I'm not so sure that the courts see much of a functional difference between retracement surveys whether in colonial or PLSS states. The purpose is to recover evidence leading to an accurate reconstruction of the lines as originally marked on the ground. A bigger challenge lies in demonstrating our proficiency through a nationally appealing test of our judicial role as surveyors.


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text:
- Research article
- Open access
- Published:
Man-made blue and purple barium copper silicate pigments and the pabstite (BaSnSi3O9) mystery of ancient Chinese wall paintings from Luoyang
Heritage Science volume 7, Article number: 97 (2019)
Man-made ancient Chinese barium copper silicate pigments: Chinese (Han) Purple, BaCuSi2O6; Chinese (Han) Blue, BaCuSi4O10; Chinese Dark Blue, BaCu2Si2O7 (in summary called Chinese blues), and platelet-like crystals of BaSnSi3O9 were detected on mural paintings of a tomb in Luoyang City, Henan Province, China, dated to Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–8 AD). The pigments of the LY01 and LY02 samples were analyzed by archaeometrical methods: powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM–EDX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. While the artificial nature of the ancient barium copper silicates was undoubted, the synthetic or mineral origin of BaSnSi3O9 of these murals had to be clarified. Involvement of the rare mineral pabstite Ba(Sn,Ti,Zr)Si3O9 from the Tian Shan mountains could be ruled out due to absence of Ti and Zr in the elemental composition. Tin compounds as admixtures to the lead minerals—the latter required as flux additive for the preparation of the Chinese blues—or tin admixtures to pristine barium starting minerals could be excluded, as well as the use of tin containing mineral mushistonite (CuSn(OH)6), primarily intended to be applied as copper source. Related to the findings for the production of Egyptian Blue (CaCuSi4O10), bronze or bronze scrap including also corroded material was used intending copper recycling. For the synthesis of the Luoyang Chinese blues only low amounts of bronze or bronze scrap were required providing the additional advantage to form in presence of air a tin/lead oxide flux with lowered vitrification temperatures and viscosities. This marked the advent of an 'innovative production technology' avoiding addition of large amounts of lead minerals as an effective lead-only flux. Despite of the chemical similarity to production of Egyptian Blue, the tin/lead based developments for the Chinese blues were anticipated to be independent excluding technology transfer from ancient Egypt. For further substantiation of the appearance of pabstite in the Luoyang Chinese blues a contemporary independent synthesis was sought, carried out under conditions similar to those of the barium copper silicate syntheses (1000 °C, but absence of a flux) starting from cassiterite (SnO2), quartz (SiO2) and witherite (BaCO3).
The man-made barium copper silicate pigments Chinese (Han) Purple (BaCuSi2O6), Chinese (Han) Blue (BaCuSi4O10) and Chinese Dark Blue (BaCu2Si2O7) (in summary called the Chinese blues) were widely used as blue and purple pigments in ancient China during the Warring States Period (475–221 BC) until the end of Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). Chinese Blue [1] and Chinese Purple [2] were first discovered on ancient Chinese artifacts by Fitzhugh in 1983 and 1992, respectively. These Chinese pigments were also found in pigment layers of purple, green or blue faience beads [3, 4], mural paintings [5], painted bronzes [1], painted potteries, terracotta warriors and other types of figurines [6, 7] and as compact body materials of octagonal sticks [8] excavated from the Chinese provinces Gansu, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Hebei, Jilin, Shandong and Jiangsu. Chinese Dark Blue (BaCu2Si2O7), the 'third' out of the four BaO–CuO–SiO2 phases, was detected in 2008 on ancient Chinese artwork [9]. The earliest barium copper silicate pigment find was a light green faience bead dated to the late Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) [10] marking the onset of the appearance of man-made ancient Chinese blues. In greater abundance Chinese Purple and Chinese Blue began to appear in late Warring States period [11] as pigment layers of paintings and glazed objects, and as compact body artifacts.
In recent years the archaeometry of barium copper silicate pigments was based on instrumental analyses using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe microscopy analysis (EPMA), Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDX) [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20].
Preliminary SEM–EDX studies searching for barium copper silicates in the pigment layers of a mural from early Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–8 AD) from a tomb of Luoyang City and bulk purplish-blue and yellow-green pigments of a Tomb Guard Jar of late Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) from Sanmenxia City, China, revealed high tin contents. This observation was considered a conspicuous and at the same time mysterious circumstance, which caught our interest and we decided to study two samples of the mural from early Western Han Dynasty (LY01 and LY02) in greater detail by archaeometrical methods.
Experimental part
Selection of the LY01 and LY02 samples of the mural of the Luoyang tomb
The archaeological site is located in Shaogou Village of today's Luoyang City, Henan Province. In Figs. 1, 2 cutouts of the mural of the tomb Luoyang are shown named 'Beating the Ghost' dated to 48–8 BC (late Western Han Dynasty) [21]. Two small pieces of purple pigments samples (LY01 and LY02) were taken from the people's clothes. The sampling areas are circled in red, which included material from the pigment and the plaster layers.
Sample preparation
The samples LY01 and LY02 were embedded into epoxy resin cross-sectioned and polished for micro-Raman spectroscopy. For the SEM–EDX analysis the samples were coated with a thin carbon layer to improve surface conductivity and to prevent accumulation of charge.
Micro-Raman spectroscopy
For the micro-Raman measurements a Renishaw System 1000 Raman microscope was used. This system comprises a Leica DMLM microscope equipped with a 50× objective, a spectrometer with a 1200 grooves/mm or 1800 grooves/mm grating and a NIR enhanced, Peltier-cooled CCD camera. Incident laser beam wavelength 532 nm, output energy at 50%. For the spectra of Fig. 2 baseline fitting was applied.
The powder X-ray diffraction RIGAKU D/MAX-TTRIII (CBO) with Cu-Kα radiation (λ = 0.154 nm) was used. The θ–θ configured goniometer permitted automated collection of intensity versus scattering angle scans. A first attempt was carried out using the following parameters: 2θ angles in the range between 10° and 90° with a scan speed of 10°/min using a locked couple measurement. The X-ray diffraction patterns were simulated using the MDI Jade 6.0 Software.
Philips SEM 515 (PW 6703) Scanning Electron Microscope, operating at 26 kV. The EDX analysis was performed at various points throughout the cross-section by measuring the emitted X-rays with a Tracor Northern 5400 EDX system equipped with a Si/Li detector.
Archaeometrical results
Raman analysis of BaCuSi2O6, BaCuSi4O10 and BaCu2Si2O7
The powdered samples of LY01 and LY02 were studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy (Fig. 2) finding Chinese Purple (BaCuSi2O6), Chinese Blue (BaCuSi4O10) and Chinese Dark Blue (BaCu2Si2O7) in the two samples. The pigments were identified by comparison with spectra of earlier investigations. Raman bands at 990m, 588s, 516m, 459w, 354w, 276w and 183w cm−1 were used to reference Chinese Purple [14], bands at 1102s, 997w, 791w, 562w, 427s and 383w cm−1 to reference Chinese Blue and bands at 1014m, 891s, 673s, 607w, 558w, 458v, 355w, 311w cm−1 to reference Chinese Dark Blue [22].
Raman analysis of pabstite (BaSnSi3O9)
Based on their triangular shapes the crystals of Fig. 3a, b were ascribed to pabstite (BaSnSi3O9). Fortunately, one of the LY02 crystals, which EDX elemental composition was close to the BaSnSi3O9 stoichiometry (Chapter 3c), was large enough to enable detection by micro-Raman spectroscopy (Fig. 2d, top) revealing BaSnSi3O9 Raman bands at 574s, 532s, 474m, 340w and 268w cm−1. Further substantiation that BaSnSi3O9 was present came from the perfect match with a Raman spectrum of material prepared by contemporary independent synthesis (Fig. 2d, bottom). Furthermore, the spectrum was in good agreement with that of mineral pabstite of the RRUFF library (RRUFF, ID R060386). The Raman spectra of the LY01 sample displayed besides the pabstite spectrum an additional small band at 634 cm−1, which was ascribed to the presence of cassiterite (SnO2) (RRUFF, ID R040017) (Fig. 2b) supposed to originate from tin containing starting materials transformed via chemical reactions of the pigment preparation (Chapter 4).
SEM–EDX analyses
SEM–EDX analyses were carried out on the samples LY01 and LY02 using a Philips SEM 515 (PW 6703) Scanning Electron Microscope. The overall composition (at.%) of the pigment layer of LY01 consisted of 36.5 Si, 8.2 Cu, 28.6 Ba, 1.2 Pb, 8.9 Sn, 10.5 Al and 1.8 K, while that of LY02 (at.%) contained 35.8 Si, 7.8 Cu, 29.6 Ba, 2.7 Pb, 4.4 Sn, 10.1 Al and 2.5 K (at.%). The tin and lead contents varied in both samples significantly. The Al values are relatively high, which together with the presence of silicon and potassium (around 2%) are suggested to point to the use of a special potassium alumosilicate plaster. The contents of the elements Si, Cu and Ba of the LY samples were constant within the limits of ± 1%. The contents of silicon, barium and copper of the pigment samples indicate the presence of the Chinese blues. Compared to ancient tin-free samples of the Chinese blues the lead contents of the LY samples are relatively low [10, 16, 17, 23,24,25].
Figure 3a depicts the SEM micrograph of LY01 marking spot-like or 2-dimensional EDX locations. The major EDX elemental contents are listed in Table 1 (at.%) together with propositions for compounds fitting to the given stoichiometries. The EDX2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 areas of LY01 display triangular crystals, which shapes would be consistent with the presence of pabstite (BaSnSi3O9). Also their elemental compositions pointed to pabstite, but the EDX analyses of these crystals varied in composition, thus, not giving full proof for the BaSnSi3O9 compositions. The spot-like measurements EDX8, 9 and 10 display needle-like crystals, which elemental compositions were approx. in accord with the composition of Chinese Purple (BaCuSi2O6). The crystal shapes of Chinese Purple samples obtained by contemporary synthesis are platelets. Apparently, the crystal shapes of Chinese Purple depend on the surrounding lead mixtures, from which they crystallized [10].
Related to Fig. 3a, b displays the SEM image of LY02 with EDX locations indicated. The major elemental contents of these locations are listed in Table 2. The EDX1 and EDX2 areas also show crystals of triangular shapes confirming the presence of pabstite (BaSnSi3O9) (EDX1 and EDX2) and the EDX3, EDX4 and EDX5 areas contain needle-shaped crystals, which elemental compositions would correspond to Chinese Purple or Chinese Blue.
Independent contemporary synthesis of pabstite (BaSnSi3O9)
A contemporary synthesis of pabstite (BaSnSi3O9) was carried out according to the following equation
with the starting components in 1:1:3 stoichiometric ratio. BaCO3 was used as a barium oxide source and SnO2 (cassiterite) as a tin source. The combined solid starting materials were ground in an agate mortar and the mixture was kept for 6 h at 1000 °C, the temperature, at which the barium copper silicate flux synthesis of the ancient Chinese blues was carried out. The resulting white powder was analyzed by XRD (Fig. 4). The obtained line pattern revealed a mixture of compounds with BaSnSi3O9 as the main product and SiO2 and SnO2 as remaining starting materials. A line of low intensity at approximately 20° could not be assigned. BaSnSi3O9 is known to form colorless hexagonal crystals [26], often even under conditions when impure starting materials were used. The bottom Raman spectrum of Fig. 2d corresponds to BaSnSi3O9 prepared by contemporary synthesis. It agrees well with the spectrum of the BaSnSi3O9 crystal of the LY02 sample (Fig. 2d top) and with the reference spectrum from the RRUFF library [27]. Based on the result of the independent experiment and the Raman analysis we conclude that the triangle shaped crystals of the SEM images of Fig. 3 correspond to pabstite.
Egyptian Blue was the first man-made pigment of ancient civilizations, which appeared during the fourth dynasty in the 3rd millennium BC and had wide applications in painting, preparation of faience and of compact body objects of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, the Ptolemaic and Roman times [28]. Saleh reported for a sample of Egyptian Blue a content of 1.7% tin oxide (cassiterite (SnO2)) [29] taken from a pigment cake found in the tomb of Cheruef (reign of Amenophis III, 18th Dynasty). They attributed the presence of cassiterite to an accidental event that the used copper ore was tin contaminated. Later Jaksch [30] argued that Egyptian copper ores do not contain tin in amounts to account for the relatively high tin concentrations in Egyptian Blue samples. Their study additionally revealed that cassiterite crystals were present in many of their Egyptian Blue samples, which pointed to an intended synthetic application of tin admixtures. According to Jaksch tin oxide was found in Egyptian Blue samples of monuments and tombs erected during the reign of Thutmosis III (1479–1425 BC) and in monuments of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties and the Ptolemaic and Roman times. In absence of the trace elements tungsten or molybdenum the appearance of tin oxide marked the use of a reprocessed material and the advent of the introduction of a new preparation technique for Egyptian Blue throughout the periods of the 18th Dynasty till the Roman times. The tin oxide originated from bronze or bronze scrap and was utilized as an opacifier of lead glazes, particularly applied for the glazing of pottery [31]. Upon heating tin oxide dissolves in lead oxide and upon cooling finely divided cassiterite (SnO2) or PbSnO3 [32, 33] crystallizes from the glaze resulting in an opaque white glaze layer. Generally, lead oxide/tin oxide mixtures melt together at elevated temperatures, but two other effects become relevant: lowering of the glass vitrification temperature with respect to a lead oxide-only melt and also lowering of the viscosity of the melt in the mixture. These two properties would be also of great advantage for the use as a flux in the syntheses of Egyptian Blue. To exploit these technological advantages further the application of tin/lead oxide mixtures were established using bronze or bronze scrap in such preparations and providing at the same time the copper source, but some amounts of a lead mineral had still to be added.
For related chemical and physical reasons the described effects of tin oxide/lead oxide mixtures of the Egyptian Blue synthesis could also be advantageous in preparations of the Chinese blues, for instance, when used as a flux. This raised several spontaneous questions: What was the function of the tin content of the starting materials, for instance, to create synthetic advantages or to improve the pigment quality? Was tin intendedly added or was it accidentally introduced as a companion of certain starting materials and why were the lead and tin contents of the LY samples relatively low?
To answer these questions, we want to first find out what were the most probable tin containing raw materials for the preparation of the LY samples. We excluded actually the direct use of mineral tin salts like cassiterite (SnO2), since such ingredients never appeared as starting materials of pigment syntheses in ancient China. BaCO3 and SiO2 were frequently used starting materials.
Trying to trace the tin origin in the LY Chinese Blue pigments we established 5 plausible possibilities:
- 1.
Use of the rare mineral pabstite (Ba(Sn,Ti,Zr)Si3O9) from the Tian Shan mountains [34] to be applied as a barium source or added accidentally in the manufacturing process of the Chinese blues. Pabstite from Tian Shan locations can be ruled out, since it contains considerable amounts of titanium and zirconium and both of these elemental constituents were not detectable in the EDX analysis of the LY samples.
- 2.
The common barium starting material for the syntheses of the Chinese blues was witherite (BaCO3) or rarely barite (BaSO4). Minerals of these compounds never appear associated with tin compounds (RRUFF), which excludes introduction of the tin content into the LY samples by this way.
- 3.
Lead minerals were commonly applied as flux additives in the preparation of the Chinese blues, often in large amounts [8, 10, 16, 17, 23,24,25]. Since tin compounds can be companions of lead minerals we assumed that the tin content could have been introduced as an admixture to the lead starting mineral. But the lead contents of the LY samples are relatively low compared to the majority of original barium copper silicate samples, even lower than their tin contents. The use of a lead-only flux additive and introduction of tin as a minor companion can therefore be ruled out. Another reason, why tin could not have accompanied the lead mineral, is that minerals combining both elements do exist in nature exclusively as sulfides (RRUFF). From this fact follows that in case sulfides were used in the synthesis of the LY samples, the EDX analyses should have revealed at least small contents of sulfur, but even not traces of sulfur were detected.
- 4.
Another possibility is that bronze or bronze scrap (bronze patina or bronze slag considered as bronze scrap) were applied as the copper starting materials for the syntheses of the Chinese blues. In this context it is interesting to note that bronze corrosion has been applied as pigment base materials [35]. Ancient Chinese bronze has relatively high lead contents [36] in contrast to bronze of the Western hemisphere. We therefore put forward the notion that in the firing process of the Chinese blues the alloyed tin contents of bronze or bronze scrap were converted to tin oxide (SnO) or cassiterite (SnO2) by aerial oxidation and the lead contents to lead oxides (mainly PbO). Thus, cassiterite could be generated as the key chemical precursor for the formation of pabstite in the LY samples. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning in this context that bronze patina often contains mushistonite (CuSn(OH)6) [37] formed by weathering and that mushistonite would turn into cassiterite by dehydration upon heating.
- 5.
Mushistonite (CuSn(OH)6) (RRUFF, ID R060153) is found in China as a mineral (Ping Wu, Xuebaoding, Sichuan Province) [26] and could principally be considered as the sole copper starting material for the preparation of the LY blue pigments. Visually mushistonite can be confused with the mineral malachite (Cu2(CO3)(OH)2) (RRUFF, ID 4809), which frequently served as the copper source to prepare the Chinese blues (as well as bronze). Mushistonite as the sole copper/tin starting material seems however less plausible, since its composition would lead to a copper to tin ratio of 1:1 in the LY samples, but in none of the LY samples such EDX values were found.
From the above list of possible ways that tin was introduced into the manufacturing process of the LY barium copper silicate pigments we cannot exclude points (4) and (5) as the tin source, but from these two aspects we favor point (4) even more. Chemically Egyptian Blue is related to the Chinese blues and bronze and bronze scrap was definitely involved in the developments of Egyptian Blue (CaCuSi4O10) and the primary intention to use bronze or bronze scrap was to substitute copper minerals as starting materials achieving copper recycling. The advantages of lowered vitrification temperatures and lowered viscosities via the use bronze or bronze scrap would also hold for the flux synthesis of the Chinese blues avoiding in this case the presence of great amounts of lead-only fluxes [8, 10, 16, 17, 23, 25]. Ancient Chinese bronze or bronze scrap has besides tin low lead content generating a lead/tin oxide flux directly when used as a starting material of the Chinese blues. Due to the small content of lead in ancient Chinese bronze or bronze scrap the lead/tin mixture would be present in only small amounts. The annealed flux would be opaque and had to be considered as an 'impurity' of the pigments. The presence of only small amounts of the flux influenced the overall appearance of the pigments only marginally; rather we expect that the use of bronze or bronze scrap generated higher pigment qualities due to a higher crystallinity of the final product.
Since the Chinese production developments were chemically similar to the Egyptian ones, one could hypothesize that the Chinese invention was triggered by a technology transfer from ancient Egypt to ancient China [17]. However, to substantiate this notion more cases of tin containing samples of the Chinese blues had to be studied. Up to now tin was identified only in one more case of the Chinese blues, which are the bluish-green and purplish blue pigments of a Tomb Guard Jar excavated from Sanmenxia dated to the later period of Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) [38].
The three barium copper silicates Chinese Blue (BaCuSi4O10), Chinese Purple (BaCuSi2O6) and Chinese Dark Blue (BaCu2Si2O7) were identified by archaeometry as the blue and purple pigments of a mural of a Western Han Dynasty tomb of ancient Luoyang City. Platelet-like triangular crystals were characterized as pabstite (BaSnSi3O9). The possibility was excluded that pabstite was added as a mineral from the Tian Shan mountains, furthermore that tin was introduced as a companion of added lead or barium starting minerals, both essential ingredients to the chemical cocktail of barium copper silicate preparations. Also, the mineral mushistonite (CuSn(OH)6) was ruled out as the sole copper/tin component of the starting materials. By exclusion we could thus establish plausibility that the copper starting material for the Luoyang pigments was bronze or bronze scrap providing besides copper also lead and tin. The primordial reason for the use of these materials was the substitution of copper minerals to establish a kind of copper recycling. But moreover, this change in synthesis led to a new production procedure avoiding the use of great amounts of a lead oxide flux. Due to the less viscous lead/tin oxide fluxes the preparations enabled shorter reaction times and lower temperatures, which probably led to higher product qualities in comparison to the high-lead syntheses of the Chinese blues.
Availability of data and materials
The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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We would like to thank Dr. Ferdinand Wild and Dr. Tristan Corbiere from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Zurich for their help in Raman microscopy and SEM–EDX measurements, and the synthesis of pigments. Many thanks are also conveyed to the researchers Weiqing Yang of Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs of Henan Province (China) for providing the samples. This work was mainly carried out in 2007 under the auspices of a visiting research assistant professor provided to Zhiguo Zhang from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
The research is financially supported by Research Project of Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage.
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All the experiments were designed and carried out by ZZ, QM and HB. The data were analyzed by ZZ and QM. The manuscript was written by ZZ and QM, and revised by QM and HB. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Zhang, Z., Ma, Q. & Berke, H. Man-made blue and purple barium copper silicate pigments and the pabstite (BaSnSi3O9) mystery of ancient Chinese wall paintings from Luoyang. Herit Sci 7, 97 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-019-0340-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-019-0340-4


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Elena Galitsyna was born in the Polesye region of Belarus. Since her childhood, she's been up to arts and all kinds of creative work. When Elena turned 16 the beautiful and engaging girl was noticed by a modeling agency. Elena received a job offer and started working as a model, participating in photo sessions and fashion shows all around the world. At the same time, she made a shot at a TV show hosting and got a deserved award as the best TV a host of the year in the Vitebsk region. She also played some different roles in the Theatre of Folk Actor led by Galina Mokrova.
As a part of the TV channel "RTR" crew, Elena moved to Minsk and soon after that, she went to Moscow. There she joined two universities at the same time – Moscow State University of Technology and Management and the Television School of Ostankino. Simultaneously, Elena took a course in acting. Her mentors were the laureate of state prize Elena Borzova and Honoured Artists Dina Grigorieva and Oleg Marusev. Elena started appearing in movies and music videos of such well-known singers as Bosson and Sergey Zverev. Besides, she kept on hosting TV shows and tried herself as a singer. Later Elena moved to London and began living a complicated but very action-packed life of a citizen of two capitals.
Elena got acquainted with many top fashion designers. And their friendship is still lasting.
For example, one of Elena's friends, a world-known designer Jean-Claude Jitrois (who created a unique stretching leather), in 2017 held his very first in many years fashion show in Paris. And after that outstanding performance during the dinner party devoted to Elena Galitsyna Jean-Claude declared that it was Elena who inspired him to organize that fashion show. In London, Elena continued her modeling career. And in Moscow, she opened her photo studio which became the place where Elena spent all her spare time mastering her new hobby, art photography.
Later on, the hobby turned into Elena's favorite profession and her amateur photo studio turned into the professional "Photo Studio of Elena Galitsyna". The first Elena's big project was created there. It was a poetic photo book in two languages for kids dreaming of a pet and for their parents who couldn't yet make their minds to get the pet. Elena Galitsyna worked out her own style and got into Russian celebrity portraiture. Her works started appearing on magazines' covers and pages, music albums covers and posters. åNow Elena is working on her second book and on a big photo project which is meant to be a new big step in her eventful life.


text: Review By Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck Sean Costello has that gritty soulful vocal style that is a perfect fit for blues rockers and his new release We Can Get Together is jam packed with songs that focus on scorching hot blues-rock licks while he belts out every song as if he was living it, with straight from the gut vocals. Costello kicks up some dust and plenty of emotion along the way with this electrifying CD. When you open the CD sleeve there is a listing of the tracks and on the next page is a black and white shot of Sean jamming and looking like is having the time of his life. Once you hear this CD, you will understand why he is smiling. The title track just smokes and it sets the precedence for the entire album. He sings 'We can get together baby, any time you want," over and over then stops for a break and shows off his chops while his band lays down a nice groove for him to fall into and cut loose. At times do they do a little a stutter step to throw off the time, to make it a little more interesting, and it shows how adept Sean is with those changes on his six-string. There are some organ fills in between all of this to keep it jugging right along. "Same Old Game" suggests he has a brand new angle on the same old game (of love), but I can see where it applies to his music as well. There is nothing new about what he is doing, it is just a different voice and a good mixture of tempos and sounds for blues-rock and he is indie, which makes it more intriguing and appealing for those of us that want something different than major label cookie cutter pop crap. This turns out to be his best selling point and strength throughout the recording. This is determined and for real, something a lot of music these days seriously lacks. All 11 tracks are strong including those that slow things down a bit like the love sick "Have You No Shame." You have to love blues players like the young and vibrant Sean Costello, he has the entire world as a stage and he is just starting to dig in. I wish him all the success but I hope it does not go too far and ruin his originality and tough as nails vocals and then his music turns into lifeless mush like so many others that have traveled this road. Stay true to yourself and your music Sean and keep rockin' man! We love ya just the way you are! Enjoyment: Sound Quality: |


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OPERATION: MINDCRIME-Resurrection
Frontiers Music srl
I still find it difficult to grasp that singer Geoff Tate is no longer the main man with Queensryche. Law suits and other problems arose after being the face of the group for more than 30 years… it is hard to understand. Imagine Steve Harris not being in Iron Maiden and the band carrying on without him. But it is what it is. On the bright side we can conclude that there are two good bands now. Todd de la Torre has done a good job with Queensryche replacing the iconic singer and Geoff himself started Operation: Mindcrime with whom he released a debut album 'The Key' in September 2015 working together again with Kelly Gray who left Queensryche some years ago. On 'The Key' Geoff unfolded a new story. At the time he announced that the concept would be a trilogy. 'Resurrection' is the second part of that storyline. I am sure he will tell all about that storyline in upcoming interviews, so let us concentrate on the music. 'Resurrection' starts real sinister with the short title track (more sound effects really) and then runs into the short instrumental ,,When All Falls Away''. And that songs runs into ,,A Moment In Time'' (again very short), like most songs run into each other (normal for a concept album I suppose). After ,,Through The Noize'' things really kick off with the epic tracks ,,Left For Dead'' and ,,Miles Away'', where Geoff shows his vocal talent to the maximum and the sound and built up does remind you of that legendary album that this band is named after. Both songs are really good as is ,,Healing My Wounds'' and ,,The Fight'' were all elements of this band are fully showcased. Melody goes hand in hand with more dramatic sounding parts, colourful keyboards, inventive guitars and above all the oh so recognisable voice of Geoff who is yet again the focus point as he always has been through his long career. I must say that this record is more to my liking. Not that I disliked 'The Key', far from, but 'Resurrection' shows how much this outfit has grown together in only a year. It is hard to pinpoint what has exactly improved, it is more a feeling, a certain something that surrounds this album. Something that makes this CD stand out a lot more than its older brother 'The Key'. 'Resurrection' is a discovery, more adventurous (listen to ,,A Smear Campaign'' a song that has many twists and turns), mystic sometimes, a lot richer in flavour, a more intense experience that will take you in a grip. It is something that you have to experience yourself. 'Resurrection' will bring you into a musical flow and you want to experience that time after time again. Nice job gents, now bring on that third part!
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The posterior retina is a site of oxytocin (OXT) activation of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), according to a study published online.
The posterior retina is a site of oxytocin (OXT) activation of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), which may serve as a paracrine signalling pathway contributing to communication between the retinal pigment epithelium and the cone photoreceptor, according to a study published online in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin (USA), used immunohistochemistry using cell specific markers to localize OXT within a rhesus retina, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry to assess the expression of OXTR in both rhesus and human retinas.
To determine the expression of OXTR in cultured human foetal retinal pigment epithelium (hfRPE) cells, the researchers used single-cell RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. To assess transient mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), the hfRPE cells were loaded with Fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester and studied by ratiometric Ca2+ imaging.
They found that, in the rhesus retina, OXT was expressed in the cone photoreceptor extracellular matrix, and OXTR mRNA and protein were expressed in both the human and rhesus retinal pigment epithelium. In the cultured hfRPE cells, OXTR mRNA and protein expression were observed, and a transient increase of [Ca2+]i was induced by exposure of these cells to 100 nM OXT.
The researchers concluded that OXT and OXTR are present in the posterior retina and OXT causes an increase in hfRPE [Ca2+]i , suggesting that the retina is an active site of the OXT-OXTR signaling pathway.


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Prepared foods manufacturer Bakkavor has reported 'strong' and 'resilient' performance in 2020 amid the pandemic, the company said in a trading update.
The company saw an encouraging recovery in sales at the end of the first half that continued into the second.
However, group revenue for the full year was 4.9% lower than the previous year, the company said.
The Group expects adjusted EBITDA (pre-IFRS 16) for the full year 2020, broadly in line with the £138 million reported in 2019.
Agust Gudmundsson, chief executive officer, said, "These are unprecedented times, but the hard work and dedication of our teams, together with our scale and long-standing customer relationships, has delivered a strong and resilient performance.
"I am incredibly proud of our colleagues who have gone above and beyond in the toughest of circumstances. Their performance has been exceptional, and I would like to thank them once again."
Divisional Performance
In the UK, the company saw a recovery in sales after the first COVID-19 lockdown was lifted.
In the final quarter, volumes were adversely impacted by further restrictions, particularly within the food-to-go category.
Overall, UK like-for-like sales for the full year were 5.3% lower than last year.
The company delivered Christmas volumes in line with the previous year and maintained very high customer service levels through careful planning and preparation.
Bakkavor's US business grew by 12.7% on a like-for-like basis, driven by the growing trend for frozen products and food (FPF) and greater collaboration with customers.
With a strategic restructuring of its operations, this revenue uplift led to a turnaround in performance and secured sustainable and profitable growth in the second half of the year.
In China, the food manufacturer's revenues declined by 21.6% due to the pandemic.
The company added that it is well-prepared for the UK's exit from the European Union.
It collaborated closely with suppliers and customers to put in place processes to mitigate any disruption in supplies.
Gudmundsson added, "Notwithstanding the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we have a sound business model and solid platform that leaves us well placed to navigate the current environment and achieve long-term sustainable growth."
The company will announce full-year results on 16 March 2021.
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By 2011 most of the adult population will be unmarried and living alone.
The traditional family faces a minority role
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
Daily Telegraph, 9jan99, p5
Fresh evidence of the traditional family's decline in Britain came yesterday with figures showing that within twelve years a majority of the adult population will be unmarried.
It would be the first time since census records began in 1801 that those who are cohabiting, divorced, widowed or have never married had outnumbered married adults.
Forecasts from the Government Actuary, whose statistics are used to guide policy on housing and social security, suggest that by 2011 the proportion of the adult population that is married will fall from about 55 per cent today to 48 per cent.
Although the number of people cohabiting is expected to rise, it is predicted that this will not make up for the decline in marriage. As a result, fewer people will live as couples in the first quarter of the next century.
Marriage rates among the under-thirties will continue the steep decline since the Seventies and the proportion of adults who have never married will rise from 32 per cent to 41 per cent for men and from 24 per cent to 33 per cent for women. Half of all men aged between 30 and 44 will have remained single by 2021. It is also estimated that the number of cohabiting couples - now about 1.5 million - will almost double over the next 25 years.
The figures are the latest in a succession of indicators that have confirmed the marked social changes that Britain has undergone in recent years. Divorce rates, births outside marriage and cohabitation have all shown marked increases to levels above anywhere else in Western Europe, although the same trends are apparent there.
Two in every five marriages now is expected to fail, the number of first time marriages is at its lowest level for a century and has halved in fewer than 30 years. Since 1986, there has been a 12 per cent fall in married couple families.
Chris Shaw, of the Actuary Department, said: "These are big changes. What we're projecting in terms of marriage in the future is largely a continuation of changes that have already occurred. We've seen such a big fall in marriage rates at young ages and this is the result.
The figures have profound social end economic consequences. Forecasts of the number of people likely to be living alone in the next century are being revised upwards, which means more houses will be needed to accommodate them.
Three years ago, the Government projected a need for an extra 4.4 million homes; next month, this figure is expected to be revised closer to five million.
On present trends, fewer than one in five households will comprise married couples with dependent children, and, with the age of first marriage rising, a much larger number of single men and women will want their own home. Almost 80 per cent of the demand for extra homes will come from the never-married, divorced and separated.
The growing number of divorces also has implications for the welfare system, since single women with children are increasingly forced onto benefits. Another consequence is the increasing "disengagement" of men from family life. More than half of men aged 30 to 34 will be living on their own by 2016.
Last year, the Government proposed a series of measures ostensibly to support family life but ministers were at pains to avoid preaching the benefits of a particular lifestyle. The Green Paper, however, did concede that "marriage is a strong foundation for stability".
Sociologists are divided over how, or if, ministers should respond to the trends. Some experts believe that politicians should not accept the trends away from marriage as inevitable and should frame policies - including the tax structure - to reverse them.
Others, however, maintain that fewer marriages and greater cohabitation are now facts of life and that the focus of policy should be on parenthood rather than marriage.
Lucy Sellick, of the marriage guidance group Relate, said that more couples were waiting until their thirties to marry, as Prince Edward and his fiancée Sophie Rhys-Jones have done. She said: "The recent announcement of the Royal engagement will do much to boost the image of marriage."


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