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HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — We can talk all we want about what we saw in the preseason, but it doesn't mean a thing come Tuesday night. The real NBA season starts then, opening night of the 2013-14 campaign, flush with three matchups that we've all been waiting to see for months.
We get to see contenders in all three instances. The Pacers host the Magic in their opener at 7 p.m. ET (League Pass) as an appetizer for the Heat hosting the Bulls on banner night at 8 p.m. ET (TNT) and we finish things off with the Clippers and Lakers squaring off at Staples Center at 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT), capping a fine opening night with the LA upstarts trying once again to upset the establishment.
We don't have to wait until opening night to unveil our five fearless predictions for the 2013-14 season. We can do that right now with all the certainty in the world that our crystal basketball will serve as our guiding force throughout this season.
Call me crazy (and believe me, you will after this) … but this is what these eyes see on the horizon:
1) The Heat's Three-Peat Dream Will Not Be Realized
No one will dispute the fact that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat have been stellar champions in each of the past two seasons. What they've done, what they have overcome to hoist the last two Larry O'Brien trophies has been nothing short of remarkable, given that they've played with a giant bulls eye on their chests in each of the past three seasons. But fatigue and the competition catches up to the champs this season. They have worthy adversaries within the conference (Pacers, Bulls, Knicks, Nets) and a stacked crew from the Western Conference (Spurs, Clippers, Thunder, Warriors, Rockets and others) ready to tear each other apart to get a shot at the Heat. The Heat make it back to The Finals for a fourth straight time this season but are bruised and battered from a brutal Eastern Conference playoff road when they get there. Another seven-game conference final, this time against the Bulls, pushes them to the limit. They fail to seal the deal in The Finals, falling to an inspired Golden State Warriors team that shot the Houston Rockets out of the Western Conference finals in six games.
2) The Return Of Rose Is Real
Derrick Rose was right and you were wrong. He did not need to rush back last season from ACL surgery and the Bulls will be better this season because of that decision. That also means Rose reclaims his spot among the top five players in the league and as the top (ahem, sorry Chris Paul) point guard in the game with his triumphant return. Go ahead and wipe your eyes and look at it again. The preseason show Rose put on in limited minutes (24 points, six assists, three rebounds plus 50 percent shooting from the floor and 42 percent from deep) will continue as the regular season goes on. The Bulls showed us last season that they were still be a problem in the East without Rose. Now that he's back and they are healthy, with the ranks reinforced, Tom Thibodeau's team will resume its quest to knock off the Heat and earn a long-awaited trip back to The Finals. That's a year off, but the conference finals is a stage Rose gets his chance to shine on this year. While Kobe Bryant, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and others ponder their returns from significant injury, they'd be wise to pay attention to the way Rose handled his (his critics owe him the kind courtesy of admitting they were wrong) and adjust accordingly.
3) Say Hello To Your New MVP … Kevin Durant
One unintended side effect of Russell Westbrook's lingering injury issue will be the appreciation gained by voters in the MVP race for just how unbelievably spectacular Kevin Durant has and continues to play during his climb to the top of the superstar food chain. Durant's two-way game has improved with time and the 2013-14 season will offer him a chance to showcase those skills while Westbrook eases his way back into position as his partner in crime. Durant has sharpened his skills after each season in the league and with every postseason teaching point (you always learn more about yourself when you fail) he has rebounded with yet another quality piece to his growing arsenal of skills. He'll be a better and more aggressive playmaker and rebounder with Westbrook on the mend. And the three-time scoring champ will continue to be the most dangerous scoring machine in the league with Kobe Bryant finding his way back into the mix in Los Angeles and Carmelo Anthony still the doing his thing in New York. Durant's much improved all-around game and the load he'll have to tote for the Thunder this season, however, is what earns him his first MVP trophy.
4) Dwight Howard Is The Best Big Man In Basketball … Again!
We've had our fun at his expense the past two seasons, and rightfully so. When you exit the premises in Orlando and Los Angeles, respectively, the way Dwight Howard did, you deserve whatever vitriol fans in those cities and elsewhere dish out. Lost in the madness, though, is the fact that Howard has maintained a reasonably high standard for a player dealing with all of that extracurricular drama, not to mention the back surgery and recovery he endured during the 2012-13 season he spent with the Lakers. With big man tutors in both Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon and Celtics great and Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, Howard can't help but improve his skill-set and take back the seat Marc Gasol kept warm for him last season. What sets Howard apart, and always has, is the fact that there is not another traditional big man in the league with his combination of size, athleticism and natural gifts from the basketball Gods. Howard swears Houston is the ideal situation for him to finally put it all together. He needed a fresh start, somewhere he could reintroduce himself to the basketball world without any of the excess baggage he's accrued over the years following him. The Rockets and their championship-starved fan base offer just that and more.
5) Yes, The Warriors Shock The World And Win It All!
You thought I forgot about that Warriors prediction from No. 1? Sure, it's a reach for a team whose fortunes depend on the continued good health of several key players (Steph Curry, David Lee, Andrew Bogut, etc.). But an injury to the wrong man can rearrange the short-term and long-term plans of any franchise, just ask the folks in Oklahoma City, Chicago and Los Angeles (Lakers) how that works. What I love about what Mark Jackson and the Warriors have going on right now is their absolute fearlessness in challenging the Western Conference establishment. They don't care that the Spurs, Clippers, Thunder and Rockets all have what appears to be better chances of surviving a cutthroat playoff chase. They have the pieces in place, Andre Iguodala being the most noticeable new face, to challenge conventional wisdom this season. They also play a style that, if sustained, no other team in the West or the league will be able to match in the postseason. Of course, Bogut and Lee have to stay out of the training room as much as possible and Curry has to avoid the recurrence of the foot and ankle injuries that seem to plague him every season. But if ever there was a time to crash the Western Conference party and spice up the championship picture and shock the basketball world, that time is now for the upstart Warriors.


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Educational Foundation
Planned Giving
Sunday May 19, 2019
Washington News
IRS Highlights National Small Business Week
In IR-2018-109, the Service highlighted various resources that may benefit small business owners. These include online tax help, protection against identity theft and the home office deduction.
- Online Services - The IRS website offers multiple options for small business owners. The "Sharing Economy Tax Center" and a video on the Service's YouTube channel titled "Your Taxes in a Sharing Economy" answer various tax questions. The sharing economy includes ride sharing, home rentals, reselling and similar businesses. A common challenge for small business owners is withholding. The number of taxpayers who paid under-withholding penalties increased from 7.2 million in 2010 to 10 million in 2015. The IRS "Pay As You Go" page explains withholding and quarterly estimated tax payments. Finally, the "Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center" has a variety of tools to help taxpayers avoid an IRS audit.
- Avoiding Identity Theft - A small business owner is an attractive target for identity thieves. They may steal Employer Identification Numbers (EIN) and create fake Forms W-2 to file and claim fraudulent refunds. A helpful guide for small business owners is "Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals." It is published by the U.S. Commerce Department.
- Home Office Deductions - Many small business owners have an office in their home. The home office deduction is only available if the home office is the owner's only fixed business location. The regular home office method permits deductions of direct business expenses and allocation of indirect home expenses between business and personal use. The simplified method deducts $5 per square foot up to 300 square feet. Daycare providers must use a special calculation method. The typical deductible expenses for a home office include the pro rated business portion of real estate taxes, mortgage interest, utilities, depreciation, maintenance and repairs.
Published May 4, 2018

subset: commoncrawl


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Kiss Series 2 Retro Action Figures to Reflect 1974 Self Titled Album
Kiss are definitely fond of collectibles in just about every size, shape or form they can come up with. Their latest item to arrive is the Kiss "Series 2" Action Figures.
These latest figures come in both 8-inch and 12-inch sizes, and Figures Toy Company have mirrored them after the posable representations initially released in 1977-78 by the Mego Toy Company.
The new figures have rooted hair, cloth clothing, 16 points of articulation and are based off of the 1974 Kiss self-titled album. CFO Anthony Balasco states, "I never understood why 8-inch Kiss action figures were not produced back in the '70s when the Mego Toy Company had already released the 12-inch versions. Our second release will have the retro look from the '70s, but updated with more detailed costumes."
In addition, there will be variants available for both the Demon and Starchild items. Fans can choose from a variety of packages, with the ability to purchase as little as a single figure or as much as the full 8-inch and 12-inch collection with all the variants. Prices range from $24.99 to $599.88, depending on what package you purchase.
Balasco states that there will be more action figures coming, with the plan to represent all periods from 1972 through 2012. Collectors will be able to find the Kiss Series 2 action figures in toy stores, comic shops, music stores and via online retailers beginning in late October.
For further details or to place an order, check here.


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'Gravity' makes one giant leap with record box office
A heart-pounding new 'Gravity' trailer offers an extended look at Sandra Bullock and George Clooney's new sci-fi thriller. VPC
Dazzling effects propel the sci-fi thriller to a surprisingly convincing win at theaters, while 'Runner Runner' stumbles at the starting gate.
Fueled by the strongest reviews of the year, Gravity hit the stratosphere at the box office this weekend, running rings around the latest thriller from Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.
The Sandra Bullock outer-space saga collected $55.6 million, according to studio estimates.
The haul easily eclipsed analysts' projections of $35 million, and its near-unanimous positive reviews make it an early frontrunner in the awards race, analysts say.
Propelling sales: IMAX theaters, which accounted for $11.2 million, the biggest October opening for any film in the colossal format. Company CEO Greg Foster says that the bulk of the nation's 425 IMAX theaters have booked Gravity for the next month.
MORE: The weekend's top 10 films
"We have a special relationship with space films, beginning with our documentaries, and this is the kind of quality movie our audience expects," he says.
3-D acquitted itself well, too, as it accounted for 80% of ticket sales, according to distributing studio Warner Bros.
Gravity eclipsed the October debut record of Paranormal Activity 3, which opened to $52.6 million in 2011. The film earned an astounding thumbs-up from 98% of the nation's critics, according to survey site Rottentomatoes.com.
Fans were nearly as over the moon: 91% of moviegoers said they enjoyed the movie, directed by Alfonso Cuaron and co-starring George Clooney. Nearly 60% of the audience was 35 and up, and the movie scored an A- with moviegoers, according to pollsters CinemaScore.
Gravity had no trouble hitting box-office heights, despite the unpredictable nature of science fiction films — particularly original ones, says Tim Briody of Boxofficeprophets.com.
The sci-fi thriller 'Gravity' opens in theaters this weekend. USA Entertainment Now host Carly Mallenbaum talks about why people are buzzing about the film and its Oscar-winning star. USA Entertainment Now, USA TODAY, Kaveh Rezaei
But the $100 million picture managed to combine "incredible effects, horror movie-style vibe — seriously, try and watch any scene from it without wanting to hold your breath — an A-list cast and ridiculously positive word-of-mouth to set everything up properly for the largest opening in months."
And it gives the fall season, which often sees sluggish ticket sales until Thanksgiving, critical momentum as studios try to catch last year's ticket sales pace.
"The real question at this point is how high it can go," says Ray Subers of Box Office Mojo.
Gitesh Pandya of Boxofficeguru.com says Gravity drew non-sci-fi fans in part with its high-powered stars, particularly Bullock, who has discovered 2013 is her lucky number. Earlier this year, her comedy The Heat opened to $39.1 million on its way to $159 million. Both Bullock and Clooney scored the highest debuts of their career this weekend.
"Bullock remains a major star, very likable and very bankable," Pandya says.
Affleck and Timberlake couldn't find their way to the bank this weekend as their crime thriller Runner Runner fell well below expectations. The only other newcomer of the weekend — which scored a miserable 8% approval rating among critics, Rottentomatoes.com says — mustered only $7.6 million, good for third place.
The animated comedy Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 took second place with $21.5 million, while the drama Prisoners took fourth with $5.7 million.
The Ron Howard racing film Rush rounded out the top five with $4.4 million.
Final figures are expected Monday.
USA Today Movie Critics Scott Bowles and Claudia Puig discuss "Gravityr" and "Runner, Runner" and tell you whether to "Catch It," "Rent It," or "Skip It" in this week's edition of The Screening Room.


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Log in
Kalamazoo, MI –
It's tornado season, and if you are visiting the library during a tornado warning, there are a few things you need to know to stay safe.
Tornado Watch vs. Warning: A tornado watch means that the weather conditions are conducive for a tornado. A tornado warning means that a funnel cloud has been spotted and you should take cover immediately.
You will hear announcements from KPL staff over the PA system that will notify you of the current weather conditions and what action needs to be taken. KPL staff will also be on hand guiding patrons.
You will hear an announcement over the PA system, which will direct you to the shelter location of the branch. Staff will help to guide patrons the shelter location. Patrons who do not wish to take shelter must leave the building. This message will be repeated. Please follow KPL staff guides to the shelter area.
Yes, the library doors will not be locked. There will be signage on the door indicating that the library is closed due to the tornado warning, and giving directions to the shelter location for the branch you are visiting.
You are not required to seek shelter in the library, but you will not be able to stay in the building. You will be required to leave.
Once an all-clear is received, patrons will be allowed to return to their previous location, unless the building has sustained damage that prevents re-opening. In this case patrons will be asked to leave while staff work to address the situation.
You will find a permanent link to this information under About the Library.
Post a Comment


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Thursday, September 13, 2012
On September 14, 2012, Baptist Medical Center received Mississippi's first and only Advanced Certification in Disease-Specific Care for Inpatient Diabetes by Joint Commission.
In 2006, the American College of Endocrinology and the American Diabetes Association challenged health systems to tackle the problem of diabetes with inpatient populations. This call to action led the Pharmacy Department at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. to implement the Multidisciplinary Diabetes Management Team. The team includes physicians, pharmacists, diabetes nurse educators and dietitians.
"The project recognizes glucose control as one of the key components for ensuring optimal care of patients, especially those in the postoperative period," said Baptist Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Tripp Dixon, PharmD. "Originally, we focused on patients that underwent coronary artery bypass grafting on days one and two following surgery. We achieved intensive glycemic control in these patients and saw decreased infection rates."
Over 12 percent of hospitalized patients in the US have diabetes included in their discharge diagnoses. Between 30 and 40 percent of all hospitalized patients have hyperglycemia, resulting in hospital stays averaging one to three days longer than for those patients without hyperglycemia. Mississippi is ranked number two in the nation for diabetes, and the number of Mississippians with diabetes has doubled from 1994 to 2010. (See reference)
Baptist began its efforts in 2008. Due to the success of the team with cardiovascular surgery patients, the project has expanded to manage all types of patients with elevated blood sugar. The team receives referrals from a variety of specialty physicians to control patients' blood sugar from admission to discharge. The goal is to maintain blood glucose levels within the standards set forth by the American Diabetes Association.
"This concept of care is exceedingly novel. It's truly a collaborative effort where we as pharmacists have the ability to manage insulin therapy and oral diabetes medications," added Baptist Diabetes Management Pharmacist Anna Baldwin, PharmD. "We work with our patients and their primary care providers to tailor a regimen that works best for them both in the hospital and after they are discharged."
The diabetes nurse educators train patients on managing their care while dietitians educate patients on dietary habitats and the best nutrition options to help control diabetes long term.
"Diabetes leads to many complications; if we have better control of it while patients are in the hospital, we can reduce their short term risk for adverse events and improve long term quality of life," added Dixon.
The team's success led to them receiving the "Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award" during the 2012 Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists annual meeting.
Reference Source:
Moghissi E. Hospital management of diabetes: beyond the sliding scale. Cleve Clin J Med. 2004; 71: 801-8. Umpierrez GE Isaacs SD, Bazargan N, et al. Hyperglycemia: an independent marker of in-hospital mortality in patients with undiagnosed diabetes. J Clin Endocinol Metab. 2002; 87: 978-82. Mississippi State Department of Health. Diabetes in Mississippi. http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/43,0,296.html (accessed 2012 Sept 11).
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Sunday, September 25, 2011
17 comments:
- Ben J Greene said...
Oh man, I really like the oddity of this critter's design. Nice!
- September 25, 2011 at 10:56 PM
- Andy Christofi Illustration said...
The neck and underbelly design is really cool! Beautiful painting.
- September 26, 2011 at 2:36 AM
your level of rendering is amazing! do you use any mediums with your acrylic paint?
- September 26, 2011 at 4:19 AM
- ed said...
Stunning piece, Jeremy!
- September 26, 2011 at 4:40 AM
- Adam Rex said...
Somewhere a Magic: the Gathering art director just woke up in a cold sweat, wondering why he suddenly feels so dissatisfied with every artist he's ever hired.
- September 26, 2011 at 10:45 AM
- Jeremy Enecio said...
Thanks so much guys!
David - I usually do, but in this one, I worked with the acrylic like watercolor washes, which doesn't need any medium.
Adam - Hahahah! I actually did a bunch of Magic: the Gathering cards a few years back.
- September 26, 2011 at 12:27 PM
- Matthew Lewis said...
Love the textures and neck-folds!
- September 29, 2011 at 6:22 PM
- Tom Scholes said...
- September 30, 2011 at 3:51 PM
- ayo said...
How many washes does this take? I imagine this taking a long time with a precise brush no?
- October 1, 2011 at 4:00 PM
- Craig said...
Haha I literally had the exact same thought as Adam Rex. every aspect of this creature is so well considered. awesome!
- October 8, 2011 at 4:17 PM
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- October 15, 2011 at 4:01 PM
- Carlos Caminha said...
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. I just can't stop looking at it. Masterpiece.
- November 21, 2011 at 3:44 PM
- Rin said...
I loved this piece in the show, and i'm still amazed at the careful washes you manage to make. :)
Curious though...what kind of paper do you use? I've been trying to work more in inks lately, and have been battling between arches hot press, and rives bfk, in terms of which is better with light/smooth washes.
again, you = really amazing!
- December 27, 2011 at 1:30 PM
- bill said...
This is beautiful. I look forward to showing with you at Nucleus.
- December 31, 2011 at 6:33 AM
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- December 31, 2014 at 1:37 PM
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- August 16, 2015 at 6:59 PM
- Love Kpop said...
I like to get up early to go out and breathe fresh air. I feel that it is good for health and a good habit
- November 23, 2017 at 7:36 PM


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Locally born 'Conjuring' horror franchise scares up third spinoff
Five years after it filmed in Wilmington, "The Conjuring" horror franchise no signs of dying off as it plans another expands to its growing cinematic universe.
New Line, which produces the series, has announced plans for a third spin-off of the horror franchise based around the legend of "The Crooked Man," The Hollywood Reporter reports. This would mark the sixth film in the franchise.… Read More »


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Video courtesy Republican Jewish Coalittion
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. (RNS) Michael Goldstein voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and supports gay marriage and an assault weapons ban. Before moving to New Jersey 11 years ago to raise a family, the Brooklyn native fit right in with other lifelong Democrats in Manhattan's Upper West Side.
But Goldstein now says he has buyer's remorse. And last week the 48-year-old East Brunswick man became the face and voice of a national campaign aimed at converting fellow Jews who voted for Obama four years ago into supporters of Republican Mitt Romney.
In a video on the Republican Jewish Coalition website, rjchq.org , Goldstein talks about his disappointment in Obama's handling of the economy and U.S. relations with Israel.
"I was a big Obama supporter. I really believed in him and believed in what he stood for," Goldstein says in the video. But, he continues, "when he gave the speech about the '67 borders, it was nothing that had come up in his campaign originally. That really changed my mind about him." The "Remorse" campaign is the latest effort by Republicans to win over Jewish voters, who traditionally lean Democratic and supported Obama 78 percent to 21 percent in 2008.
On Monday, the coalition launched what national director Matt Brooks called an unparalleled $6.5 million ad campaign, titled "My Buyer's Remorse," targeting Jewish voters in battleground states who have changed their minds about Obama. The launch coincides with Romney's visit to Israel.
"It's in the context of the individual who feels that they made a choice and now they feel let down," Brooks said. "It doesn't have anything to do with buying someone's vote" or the presidency.
Democrats blasted the "My Buyer's Remorse" campaign as being orchestrated and paid for by a few influential GOP leaders, and ridiculed the notion that it represented widespread sentiment among Jews who voted for Obama.
"This is not a grass-roots campaign, this is AstroTurf," said Assemblyman John Wisniewski, chairman of the New Jersey state Democratic Party.
In response to the "Buyer's Remorse" campaign, the National Jewish Democratic Council offers a quiz on israelquiz.org. The quiz aims to show Obama's support for Israel compared with Romney and former Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.
In his video, Goldstein, a community college administrator (he declines to say where) and father of two, cites several reasons why he regrets voting for Obama. He mentions the scarcity of jobs, particularly for recent college graduates, and Obama's 2011 assertion that the 1967 Middle East boundaries should be the starting point for negotiations over a separate Palestinian state.
Goldstein said he was recruited to give his testimonial by a work colleague who is active in Republican Jewish circles. Since going public, Goldstein said the wall of his Facebook page has been smeared with negative comments. Supporters, he said, send him private messages rather than risk the stigma of a wall comment.
"It takes a lot for a liberal Jew to come out and say this," Goldstein said. "There's a lot of people who hate me. But there are lots of other people who say I'm saying what they feel but they can't say." Barbra Siperstein of Edison, N.J., a member of the Democratic National Committee, said she doubted the campaign would sway anyone.
"I think most Jews are a little too intelligent to buy that baloney," said Siperstein. "As far as I'm concerned, it's unkosher baloney."
(Steve Strunsky writes for The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J.)


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The New York Family Business Center will hold one of its member meetings featuring a presentation by Professor Tom Lumpkin, the Witting Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School of Management.
The Family Business Landscape is a research-based "map" of seven major family business concerns and how they relate—strategy, governance, succession, family dynamics, family business roles, social and economic impact, and performance. Many family businesses focus on just one or two concerns even though research shows that the most successful family business have a long run perspective that integrates all seven concerns. With examples and evaluative tools in a workshop setting, Professor Lumpkin will help participants learn how to navigate the family business landscape in ways that align business goals with family priorities and maintains a focus on long term success.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
When you buy a car, follow a recipe,
or decorate your home, you're using math principles. People
have been using these same principles for thousands of years, across countries and continents. Whether
you're sailing a boat off the coast of Japan or building a
house in Peru, you're using math to get things done.
How can math be so universal? First, human beings didn't
invent math concepts; we discovered them. Also, the language
of math is numbers, not English or German or Russian. If we
are well versed in this language of numbers, it can help us
make important decisions and perform everyday tasks. Math
can help us to shop wisely, buy the right insurance, remodel
a home within a budget, understand population growth, or even
bet on the horse with the best chance of winning the race.
Join us as we explore how math can help us in our daily lives.
In this exhibit, you'll look at the language of numbers through
common situations, such as playing games or cooking. Put your
decision-making skills to the test by deciding whether buying
or leasing a new car is right for you, and predict how much
money you can save for your retirement by using an interest
Ready to get started? Find out about
beating the odds in "Playing
to Win."
"Math in Daily Life" is inspired by
programs from For
All Practical Purposes.
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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|Quantum mechanics
|Uncertainty principle
|Introduction · Mathematical formulation
Quantum mechanics (QM) is a set of scientific principles describing the known behavior of energy and matter that predominate at the atomic and subatomic scales. QM gets its name from the notion of a quantum, and that quantum value is the Planck constant. The wave–particle duality of energy and matter at the atomic scale provides a unified view of the behavior of particles such as photons and electrons. While the notion of the photon as a quantum of light energy is commonly understood as a particle of light that has an energy value governed by the Planck constant, which is quantized for an electron is the angular momentum it can have as it is bound in an atomic orbital. When not bound to an atom, an electron's energy is no longer quantized, but it displays, like any other massive particle, a Compton wavelength. While a photon does not have mass, it does have linear momentum. The full significance of the Planck constant is expressed in physics through the abstract mathematical notion of action.
The mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics is abstract and its implications are often non-intuitive. The centerpiece of this mathematical system is the wavefunction. The wavefunction is a mathematical function of time and space that can provide information about the position and momentum of a particle, but only as probabilities, as dictated by the constraints imposed by the uncertainty principle. Mathematical manipulations of the wavefunction usually involve the bra-ket notation, which requires an understanding of complex numbers and linear functionals. Many of the results of QM can only be expressed mathematically and do not have models that are as easy to visualize as those of classical mechanics. For instance, the ground state in quantum mechanical model is a non-zero energy state that is the lowest permitted energy state of a system, rather than a more traditional system that is thought of as simple being at rest with zero kinetic energy.
The word quantum is Latin for "how great" or "how much".[1] In quantum mechanics, it refers to a discrete unit that quantum theory assigns to certain physical quantities, such as the energy of an atom at rest (see Figure 1). The discovery that particles are discrete packets of energy with wave-like properties led to the branch of physics that deals with atomic and subatomic systems which is today called quantum mechanics. It is the underlying mathematical framework of many fields of physics and chemistry, including condensed matter physics, solid-state physics, atomic physics, molecular physics, computational physics, computational chemistry, quantum chemistry, particle physics, nuclear chemistry, and nuclear physics. The foundations of quantum mechanics were established during the first half of the twentieth century by Werner Heisenberg, Max Planck, Louis de Broglie, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Erwin Schrödinger, Max Born, John von Neumann, Paul Dirac, Wolfgang Pauli, David Hilbert, and others.[2] Some fundamental aspects of the theory are still actively studied.[3]
Quantum mechanics is essential to understand the behavior of systems at atomic length scales and smaller. For example, if classical mechanics governed the workings of an atom, electrons would rapidly travel towards and collide with the nucleus, making stable atoms impossible. However, in the natural world the electrons normally remain in an uncertain, non-deterministic "smeared" (wave–particle wave function) orbital path around or through the nucleus, defying classical electromagnetism.[4]
Quantum mechanics was initially developed to provide a better explanation of the atom, especially the spectra of light emitted by different atomic species. The quantum theory of the atom was developed as an explanation for the electron's staying in its orbital, which could not be explained by Newton's laws of motion and by Maxwell's laws of classical electromagnetism.
In the formalism of quantum mechanics, the state of a system at a given time is described by a complex wave function (sometimes referred to as orbitals in the case of atomic electrons), and more generally, elements of a complex vector space.[5] This abstract mathematical object allows for the calculation of probabilities of outcomes of concrete experiments. For example, it allows one to compute the probability of finding an electron in a particular region around the nucleus at a particular time. Contrary to classical mechanics, one can never make simultaneous predictions of conjugate variables, such as position and momentum, with accuracy. For instance, electrons may be considered to be located somewhere within a region of space, but with their exact positions being unknown. Contours of constant probability, often referred to as "clouds", may be drawn around the nucleus of an atom to conceptualize where the electron might be located with the most probability. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle quantifies the inability to precisely locate the particle given its conjugate.[6]
The other exemplar that led to quantum mechanics was the study of electromagnetic waves such as light. When it was found in 1900 by Max Planck that the energy of waves could be described as consisting of small packets or quanta, Albert Einstein further developed this idea to show that an electromagnetic wave such as light could be described by a particle called the photon with a discrete energy dependent on its frequency. This led to a theory of unity between subatomic particles and electromagnetic waves called wave–particle duality in which particles and waves were neither one nor the other, but had certain properties of both. While quantum mechanics describes the world of the very small, it also is needed to explain certain macroscopic quantum systems such as superconductors and superfluids.
Broadly speaking, quantum mechanics incorporates four classes of phenomena that classical physics cannot account for: (I) the quantization (discretization) of certain physical quantities, (II) wave–particle duality, (III) the uncertainty principle, and (IV) quantum entanglement. Each of these phenomena is described in detail in subsequent sections.
The history of quantum mechanics began with the 1838 discovery of cathode rays by Michael Faraday, the 1859 statement of the black body radiation problem by Gustav Kirchhoff, the 1877 suggestion by Ludwig Boltzmann that the energy states of a physical system could be discrete, and the 1900 quantum hypothesis by Max Planck.[7] Planck's hypothesis stated that any energy is radiated and absorbed in quantities divisible by discrete "energy elements", such that each energy element E is proportional to its frequency ν:
where h is Planck's action constant. Planck insisted that this was simply an aspect of the processes of absorption and emission of radiation and had nothing to do with the physical reality of the radiation itself.[8] However, at that time, this appeared not to explain the photoelectric effect (1839), i.e. that shining light on certain materials can eject electrons from the material. In 1905, basing his work on Planck's quantum hypothesis, Albert Einstein postulated that light itself consists of individual quanta.[9]
In the mid-1920s, developments in quantum mechanics quickly led to it becoming the standard formulation for atomic physics. In the summer of 1925, Bohr and Heisenberg published results that closed the "Old Quantum Theory". Light quanta came to be called photons (1926). From Einstein's simple postulation was born a flurry of debating, theorizing and testing, and thus, the entire field of quantum physics, leading to its wider acceptance at the Fifth Solvay Conference in 1927.
Predictions of quantum mechanics have been verified experimentally to a very high degree of accuracy. Thus, the current logic of correspondence principle between classical and quantum mechanics is that all objects obey laws of quantum mechanics, and classical mechanics is just a quantum mechanics of large systems (or a statistical quantum mechanics of a large collection of particles). Laws of classical mechanics thus follow from laws of quantum mechanics at the limit of large systems or large quantum numbers.[10] However, chaotic systems do not have good quantum numbers, and quantum chaos studies the relationship between classical and quantum descriptions in these systems.
The main differences between classical and quantum theories have already been mentioned above in the remarks on the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox. Essentially the difference boils down to the statement that quantum mechanics is coherent (addition of amplitudes), whereas classical theories are incoherent (addition of intensities). Thus, such quantities as coherence lengths and coherence times come into play. For microscopic bodies the extension of the system is certainly much smaller than the coherence length; for macroscopic bodies one expects that it should be the other way round.[11] An exception to this rule can occur at extremely low temperatures, when quantum behavior can manifest itself on more macroscopic scales (see Bose-Einstein condensate).
This is in accordance with the following observations:
Many macroscopic properties of classical systems are direct consequences of quantum behavior of its parts. For example, the stability of bulk matter (which consists of atoms and molecules which would quickly collapse under electric forces alone), the rigidity of solids, and the mechanical, thermal, chemical, optical and magnetic properties of matter are all results of interaction of electric charges under the rules of quantum mechanics.[12]
While the seemingly exotic behavior of matter posited by quantum mechanics and relativity theory become more apparent when dealing with extremely fast-moving or extremely tiny particles, the laws of classical Newtonian physics remain accurate in predicting the behavior of large objects—of the order of the size of large molecules and bigger—at velocities much smaller than the velocity of light.[13]
There are numerous mathematically equivalent formulations of quantum mechanics. One of the oldest and most commonly used formulations is the transformation theory proposed by Cambridge theoretical physicist Paul Dirac, which unifies and generalizes the two earliest formulations of quantum mechanics, matrix mechanics (invented by Werner Heisenberg)[14][15] and wave mechanics (invented by Erwin Schrödinger).[16]
In this formulation, the instantaneous state of a quantum system encodes the probabilities of its measurable properties, or "observables". Examples of observables include energy, position, momentum, and angular momentum. Observables can be either continuous (e.g., the position of a particle) or discrete (e.g., the energy of an electron bound to a hydrogen atom).[17] Generally, quantum mechanics does not assign definite values to observables. Instead, it makes predictions using probability distributions; that is, the probability of obtaining possible outcomes from measuring an observable. Oftentimes these results are skewed by many causes, such as dense probability clouds[18] or quantum state nuclear attraction.[19][20] Naturally, these probabilities will depend on the quantum state at the "instant" of the measurement. Hence, uncertainty is involved in the value. There are, however, certain states that are associated with a definite value of a particular observable. These are known as eigenstates of the observable ("eigen" can be translated from German as inherent or as a characteristic).[21] In the everyday world, it is natural and intuitive to think of everything (every observable) as being in an eigenstate. Everything appears to have a definite position, a definite momentum, a definite energy, and a definite time of occurrence. However, quantum mechanics does not pinpoint the exact values of a particle for its position and momentum (since they are conjugate pairs) or its energy and time (since they too are conjugate pairs); rather, it only provides a range of probabilities of where that particle might be given its momentum and momentum probability. Therefore, it is helpful to use different words to describe states having uncertain values and states having definite values (eigenstate).
For example, consider a free particle. In quantum mechanics, there is wave-particle duality so the properties of the particle can be described as the properties of a wave. Therefore, its quantum state can be represented as a wave of arbitrary shape and extending over space as a wave function. The position and momentum of the particle are observables. The Uncertainty Principle states that both the position and the momentum cannot simultaneously be measured with full precision at the same time. However, one can measure the position alone of a moving free particle creating an eigenstate of position with a wavefunction that is very large (a Dirac delta) at a particular position x and zero everywhere else. If one performs a position measurement on such a wavefunction, the result x will be obtained with 100% probability (full certainty). This is called an eigenstate of position (mathematically more precise: a generalized position eigenstate (eigendistribution)). If the particle is in an eigenstate of position then its momentum is completely unknown. On the other hand, if the particle is in an eigenstate of momentum then its position is completely unknown.[22] In an eigenstate of momentum having a plane wave form, it can be shown that the wavelength is equal to h/p, where h is Planck's constant and p is the momentum of the eigenstate.[23]
Usually, a system will not be in an eigenstate of the observable we are interested in. However, if one measures the observable, the wavefunction will instantaneously be an eigenstate (or generalized eigenstate) of that observable. This process is known as wavefunction collapse, a debatable process.[24] It involves expanding the system under study to include the measurement device. If one knows the corresponding wave function at the instant before the measurement, one will be able to compute the probability of collapsing into each of the possible eigenstates. For example, the free particle in the previous example will usually have a wavefunction that is a wave packet centered around some mean position x0, neither an eigenstate of position nor of momentum. When one measures the position of the particle, it is impossible to predict with certainty the result.[25] It is probable, but not certain, that it will be near x0, where the amplitude of the wave function is large. After the measurement is performed, having obtained some result x, the wave function collapses into a position eigenstate centered at x.[26]
Wave functions can change as time progresses. An equation known as the Schrödinger equation describes how wave functions change in time, a role similar to Newton's second law in classical mechanics. The Schrödinger equation, applied to the aforementioned example of the free particle, predicts that the center of a wave packet will move through space at a constant velocity, like a classical particle with no forces acting on it. However, the wave packet will also spread out as time progresses, which means that the position becomes more uncertain. This also has the effect of turning position eigenstates (which can be thought of as infinitely sharp wave packets) into broadened wave packets that are no longer position eigenstates.[27] Some wave functions produce probability distributions that are constant or independent of time, such as when in a stationary state of constant energy, time drops out of the absolute square of the wave function. Many systems that are treated dynamically in classical mechanics are described by such "static" wave functions. For example, a single electron in an unexcited atom is pictured classically as a particle moving in a circular trajectory around the atomic nucleus, whereas in quantum mechanics it is described by a static, spherically symmetric wavefunction surrounding the nucleus (Fig. 1). (Note that only the lowest angular momentum states, labeled s, are spherically symmetric).[28]
The time evolution of wave functions is deterministic in the sense that, given a wavefunction at an initial time, it makes a definite prediction of what the wavefunction will be at any later time.[29] During a measurement, the change of the wavefunction into another one is not deterministic, but rather unpredictable, i.e., random. A time-evolution simulation can be seen here.[1]
The probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics thus stems from the act of measurement. This is one of the most difficult aspects of quantum systems to understand. It was the central topic in the famous Bohr-Einstein debates, in which the two scientists attempted to clarify these fundamental principles by way of thought experiments. In the decades after the formulation of quantum mechanics, the question of what constitutes a "measurement" has been extensively studied. Interpretations of quantum mechanics have been formulated to do away with the concept of "wavefunction collapse"; see, for example, the relative state interpretation. The basic idea is that when a quantum system interacts with a measuring apparatus, their respective wavefunctions become entangled, so that the original quantum system ceases to exist as an independent entity. For details, see the article on measurement in quantum mechanics.[30]
In the mathematically rigorous formulation of quantum mechanics, developed by Paul Dirac[31] and John von Neumann[32], the possible states of a quantum mechanical system are represented by unit vectors (called "state vectors") residing in a complex separable Hilbert space (variously called the "state space" or the "associated Hilbert space" of the system) well defined up to a complex number of norm 1 (the phase factor). In other words, the possible states are points in the projectivization of a Hilbert space, usually called the complex projective space. The exact nature of this Hilbert space is dependent on the system; for example, the state space for position and momentum states is the space of square-integrable functions, while the state space for the spin of a single proton is just the product of two complex planes. Each observable is represented by a maximally-Hermitian (precisely: by a self-adjoint) linear operator acting on the state space. Each eigenstate of an observable corresponds to an eigenvector of the operator, and the associated eigenvalue corresponds to the value of the observable in that eigenstate. If the operator's spectrum is discrete, the observable can only attain those discrete eigenvalues.
The time evolution of a quantum state is described by the Schrödinger equation, in which the Hamiltonian, the operator corresponding to the total energy of the system, generates time evolution.
The inner product between two state vectors is a complex number known as a probability amplitude. During a measurement, the probability that a system collapses from a given initial state to a particular eigenstate is given by the square of the absolute value of the probability amplitudes between the initial and final states. The possible results of a measurement are the eigenvalues of the operator - which explains the choice of Hermitian operators, for which all the eigenvalues are real. We can find the probability distribution of an observable in a given state by computing the spectral decomposition of the corresponding operator. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is represented by the statement that the operators corresponding to certain observables do not commute.
The Schrödinger equation acts on the entire probability amplitude, not merely its absolute value. Whereas the absolute value of the probability amplitude encodes information about probabilities, its phase encodes information about the interference between quantum states. This gives rise to the wave-like behavior of quantum states.
It turns out that analytic solutions of Schrödinger's equation are only available for a small number of model Hamiltonians, of which the quantum harmonic oscillator, the particle in a box, the hydrogen molecular ion and the hydrogen atom are the most important representatives. Even the helium atom, which contains just one more electron than hydrogen, defies all attempts at a fully analytic treatment. There exist several techniques for generating approximate solutions. For instance, in the method known as perturbation theory one uses the analytic results for a simple quantum mechanical model to generate results for a more complicated model related to the simple model by, for example, the addition of a weak potential energy. Another method is the "semi-classical equation of motion" approach, which applies to systems for which quantum mechanics produces weak deviations from classical behavior. The deviations can be calculated based on the classical motion. This approach is important for the field of quantum chaos.
An alternative formulation of quantum mechanics is Feynman's path integral formulation, in which a quantum-mechanical amplitude is considered as a sum over histories between initial and final states; this is the quantum-mechanical counterpart of action principles in classical mechanics.
The fundamental rules of quantum mechanics are very deep. They assert that the state space of a system is a Hilbert space and the observables are Hermitian operators acting on that space, but do not tell us which Hilbert space or which operators, or if it even exists. These must be chosen appropriately in order to obtain a quantitative description of a quantum system. An important guide for making these choices is the correspondence principle, which states that the predictions of quantum mechanics reduce to those of classical physics when a system moves to higher energies or equivalently, larger quantum numbers. In other words, classical mechanics is simply a quantum mechanics of large systems. This "high energy" limit is known as the classical or correspondence limit. One can therefore start from an established classical model of a particular system, and attempt to guess the underlying quantum model that gives rise to the classical model in the correspondence limit.
|In the correspondence limit of quantum mechanics: Is there a preferred interpretation of quantum mechanics? How does the quantum description of reality, which includes elements such as the "superposition of states" and "wavefunction collapse", give rise to the reality we perceive?
When quantum mechanics was originally formulated, it was applied to models whose correspondence limit was non-relativistic classical mechanics. For instance, the well-known model of the quantum harmonic oscillator uses an explicitly non-relativistic expression for the kinetic energy of the oscillator, and is thus a quantum version of the classical harmonic oscillator.
Early attempts to merge quantum mechanics with special relativity involved the replacement of the Schrödinger equation with a covariant equation such as the Klein-Gordon equation or the Dirac equation. While these theories were successful in explaining many experimental results, they had certain unsatisfactory qualities stemming from their neglect of the relativistic creation and annihilation of particles. A fully relativistic quantum theory required the development of quantum field theory, which applies quantization to a field rather than a fixed set of particles. The first complete quantum field theory, quantum electrodynamics, provides a fully quantum description of the electromagnetic interaction.
The full apparatus of quantum field theory is often unnecessary for describing electrodynamic systems. A simpler approach, one employed since the inception of quantum mechanics, is to treat charged particles as quantum mechanical objects being acted on by a classical electromagnetic field. For example, the elementary quantum model of the hydrogen atom describes the electric field of the hydrogen atom using a classical Coulomb potential. This "semi-classical" approach fails if quantum fluctuations in the electromagnetic field play an important role, such as in the emission of photons by charged particles.
Quantum field theories for the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force have been developed. The quantum field theory of the strong nuclear force is called quantum chromodynamics, and describes the interactions of the subnuclear particles: quarks and gluons. The weak nuclear force and the electromagnetic force were unified, in their quantized forms, into a single quantum field theory known as electroweak theory, by the physicists Abdus Salam, Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg. These three men shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 for this work.[33]
It has proven difficult to construct quantum models of gravity, the remaining fundamental force. Semi-classical approximations are workable, and have led to predictions such as Hawking radiation. However, the formulation of a complete theory of quantum gravity is hindered by apparent incompatibilities between general relativity, the most accurate theory of gravity currently known, and some of the fundamental assumptions of quantum theory. The resolution of these incompatibilities is an area of active research, and theories such as string theory are among the possible candidates for a future theory of quantum gravity.
In the 21st century classical mechanics has been extended into the complex domain and complex classical mechanics exhibits behaviours very similar to quantum mechanics.[34]
The particle in a 1-dimensional potential energy box is the most simple example where restraints lead to the quantization of energy levels. The box is defined as zero potential energy inside a certain interval and infinite everywhere outside that interval. For the 1-dimensional case in the x direction, the time-independent Schrödinger equation can be written as:[35]
The general solutions are:
or, from Euler's formula,
The presence of the walls of the box determines the values of C, D, and k. At each wall (x = 0 and x = L), ψ = 0. Thus when x = 0,
and so D = 0. When x = L,
C cannot be zero, since this would conflict with the Born interpretation. Therefore sin kL = 0, and so it must be that kL is an integer multiple of π. Therefore,
The quantization of energy levels follows from this constraint on k, since
As of 2010 the quest for unifying the fundamental forces through quantum mechanics is still ongoing. Quantum electrodynamics (or "quantum electromagnetism"), which is currently the most accurately tested physical theory,[36] has been successfully merged with the weak nuclear force into the electroweak force and work is currently being done to merge the electroweak and strong force into the electrostrong force. Current predictions state that at around 1014 GeV the three aforementioned forces are fused into a single unified field,[37] Beyond this "grand unification", it is speculated that it may be possible to merge gravity with the other three gauge symmetries, expected to occur at roughly 1019 GeV. However - and while special relativity is parsimoniously incorporated into quantum electrodynamics - the expanded general relativity, currently the best theory describing the gravitation force, has not been fully incorporated into quantum theory.
Even with the defining postulates of both Einstein's theory of general relativity and quantum theory being indisputably supported by rigorous and repeated empirical evidence and while they do not directly contradict each other theoretically (at least with regard to primary claims), they are resistant to being incorporated within one cohesive model.[38]
Einstein himself is well known for rejecting some of the claims of quantum mechanics. While clearly contributing to the field, he did not accept the more philosophical consequences and interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the lack of deterministic causality and the assertion that a single subatomic particle can occupy numerous areas of space at one time. He also was the first to notice some of the apparently exotic consequences of entanglement and used them to formulate the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox, in the hope of showing that quantum mechanics had unacceptable implications. This was 1935, but in 1964 it was shown by John Bell (see Bell inequality) that Einstein's assumption was correct, but had to be completed by hidden variables and thus based on wrong philosophical assumptions. According to the paper of J. Bell and the Copenhagen interpretation (the common interpretation of quantum mechanics by physicists since 1927), and contrary to Einstein's ideas, quantum mechanics was
The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox shows in any case that there exist experiments by which one can measure the state of one particle and instantaneously change the state of its entangled partner, although the two particles can be an arbitrary distance apart; however, this effect does not violate causality, since no transfer of information happens. These experiments are the basis of some of the most topical applications of the theory, quantum cryptography, which has been on the market since 2004 and works well, although at small distances of typically 1000 km.
Gravity is negligible in many areas of particle physics, so that unification between general relativity and quantum mechanics is not an urgent issue in those applications. However, the lack of a correct theory of quantum gravity is an important issue in cosmology and physicists' search for an elegant "theory of everything". Thus, resolving the inconsistencies between both theories has been a major goal of twentieth- and twenty-first-century physics. Many prominent physicists, including Stephen Hawking, have labored in the attempt to discover a theory underlying everything, combining not only different models of subatomic physics, but also deriving the universe's four forces —the strong force, electromagnetism, weak force, and gravity— from a single force or phenomenon. One of the leaders in this field is Edward Witten, a theoretical physicist who formulated the groundbreaking M-theory, which is an attempt at describing the supersymmetrical based string theory.
Quantum mechanics has had enormous success in explaining many of the features of our world. The individual behaviour of the subatomic particles that make up all forms of matter—electrons, protons, neutrons, photons and others—can often only be satisfactorily described using quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics has strongly influenced string theory, a candidate for a theory of everything (see reductionism) and the multiverse hypothesis. It is also related to statistical mechanics.
Quantum mechanics is important for understanding how individual atoms combine covalently to form chemicals or molecules. The application of quantum mechanics to chemistry is known as quantum chemistry. (Relativistic) quantum mechanics can in principle mathematically describe most of chemistry. Quantum mechanics can provide quantitative insight into ionic and covalent bonding processes by explicitly showing which molecules are energetically favorable to which others, and by approximately how much.[39] Most of the calculations performed in computational chemistry rely on quantum mechanics.[40]
Much of modern technology operates at a scale where quantum effects are significant. Examples include the laser, the transistor (and thus the microchip), the electron microscope, and magnetic resonance imaging. The study of semiconductors led to the invention of the diode and the transistor, which are indispensable for modern electronics.
Researchers are currently seeking robust methods of directly manipulating quantum states. Efforts are being made to develop quantum cryptography, which will allow guaranteed secure transmission of information. A more distant goal is the development of quantum computers, which are expected to perform certain computational tasks exponentially faster than classical computers. Another active research topic is quantum teleportation, which deals with techniques to transmit quantum states over arbitrary distances.
Quantum tunneling is vital in many devices, even in the simple light switch, as otherwise the electrons in the electric current could not penetrate the potential barrier made up of a layer of oxide. Flash memory chips found in USB drives use quantum tunneling to erase their memory cells.
QM primarily applies to the atomic regimes of matter and energy, but some systems exhibit quantum mechanical effects on a large scale; superfluidity (the frictionless flow of a liquid at temperatures near absolute zero) is one well-known example. Quantum theory also provides accurate descriptions for many previously unexplained phenomena such as black body radiation and the stability of electron orbitals. It has also given insight into the workings of many different biological systems, including smell receptors and protein structures.[41] Even so, classical physics often can be a good approximation to results otherwise obtained by quantum physics, typically in circumstances with large numbers of particles or large quantum numbers. (However, some open questions remain in the field of quantum chaos.)
Since its inception, the many counter-intuitive results of quantum mechanics have provoked strong philosophical debate and many interpretations. Even fundamental issues such as Max Born's basic rules concerning probability amplitudes and probability distributions took decades to be appreciated.
The Copenhagen interpretation, due largely to the Danish theoretical physicist Niels Bohr, is the interpretation of quantum mechanics most widely accepted amongst physicists. According to it, the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics predictions cannot be explained in terms of some other deterministic theory, and does not simply reflect our limited knowledge. Quantum mechanics provides probabilistic results because the physical universe is itself probabilistic rather than deterministic.
Albert Einstein, himself one of the founders of quantum theory, disliked this loss of determinism in measurement (this dislike is the source of his famous quote, "God does not play dice with the universe."). Einstein held that there should be a local hidden variable theory underlying quantum mechanics and that, consequently, the present theory was incomplete. He produced a series of objections to the theory, the most famous of which has become known as the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox. John Bell showed that the EPR paradox led to experimentally testable differences between quantum mechanics and local realistic theories. Experiments have been performed confirming the accuracy of quantum mechanics, thus demonstrating that the physical world cannot be described by local realistic theories.[42] The Bohr-Einstein debates provide a vibrant critique of the Copenhagen Interpretation from an epistemological point of view.
The Everett many-worlds interpretation, formulated in 1956, holds that all the possibilities described by quantum theory simultaneously occur in a multiverse composed of mostly independent parallel universes.[43] This is not accomplished by introducing some new axiom to quantum mechanics, but on the contrary by removing the axiom of the collapse of the wave packet: All the possible consistent states of the measured system and the measuring apparatus (including the observer) are present in a real physical (not just formally mathematical, as in other interpretations) quantum superposition. Such a superposition of consistent state combinations of different systems is called an entangled state.
While the multiverse is deterministic, we perceive non-deterministic behavior governed by probabilities, because we can observe only the universe, i.e. the consistent state contribution to the mentioned superposition, we inhabit. Everett's interpretation is perfectly consistent with John Bell's experiments and makes them intuitively understandable. However, according to the theory of quantum decoherence, the parallel universes will never be accessible to us. This inaccessibility can be understood as follows: Once a measurement is done, the measured system becomes entangled with both the physicist who measured it and a huge number of other particles, some of which are photons flying away towards the other end of the universe; in order to prove that the wave function did not collapse one would have to bring all these particles back and measure them again, together with the system that was measured originally. This is completely impractical, but even if one could theoretically do this, it would destroy any evidence that the original measurement took place (including the physicist's memory).
The following titles, all by working physicists, attempt to communicate quantum theory to lay people, using a minimum of technical apparatus.
More technical:
quantum mechanics (uncountable)
Redirecting to Quantum mechanics


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Trading Standards
Trading Standards works to protect the public from unfair and unsafe trading practices.
Consumer advice
From knowing your consumer rights, doorstep crime, to what the law says we provide a range of information and guidance.
Businesses and Trading Standards
Trading Standards can help your business comply with consumer protection laws. We help provide a level playing field for businesses.
Scams and Cons - How to protect yourself
Every year many people are conned into parting with their money by well-organised tricksters.
Contact Trading Standards and Citizens Advice
Address for correspondence only to Nottingham City Council Trading Standards Service c/o LH Box 43 Loxley House Station Street Nottingham NG2 3NG
Council Trading Standards in partnership with Checkatrade
Nottingham City Council Trading Standards and Checkatrade are working in partnership to provide an approved trader scheme to help consumers choose a trader they can trust
Doorstep Crime and Rogue Traders
Avoid being a victim of rogue traders and what to do if you are approached
How to Report a Business or Trader
If you believe that a business or trader is in breach of trading standards legislation then there are different ways to report this.
If You Have Been Bitten By A Loan Shark
Loan sharks or illegal money lenders as they are also known are dangerous and acting illegally.
Nottingham City Council Act 2003 dealing with 2nd Hand Goods
Under this legislation, all dealers in second-hand goods in the city of Nottingham must be registered with Trading Standards. Also, all occasional sales held in the city must be notified to Trading Standards.


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2511 Country Club Way
Albion, Mi 49224
Listing Office: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate
Disclaimer: The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of SWMRIC, LLC. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than @properties are marked with the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
Albion is a city in South Central Michigan. Located in Calhoun County, the area has a population of just over 8,500 people. The community is situated on the convergence of the north and south Kalamazoo River sections. It is home…Learn More
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There may be something bigger behind Apple and Microsoft's argument over SkyDrive and in-app purchases than SkyDrive itself -- Office. Microsoft is reportedly trying to pressure Apple into cutting a special deal over Office 365 subscriptions. With Office for iOS still rumored to be coming next spring, and with Office 365 subscriptions rumored to be required to perform any real creative functions, there could be a considerable amount of money on the line for both companies. John Paczkowski of All Things D reports:
So [Microsoft] has been pushing Apple to adjust the 70/30 revenue split in its developer license agreement. Predictably, Apple has refused to comply. It's not yet clear what sort of concession Microsoft is seeking, but whatever it is, Apple's evidently not willing to consider it. Indeed, I'm told it's taken a "the rules are the rules" stance, which would suggest it's not at all willing to negotiate a different split. Apple's position: If a customer comes through its gateway, it feels it is deserved the commission outlined in 11.12 of its developer license.
Now, it's possible that it's less straightforward than Microsoft wanting a lower rate. That's undoubtedly true, yes, but in paying for Office 365 through their iTunes account, even if a user switched to a different platform such as Android or Windows Phone, unless they also changed their payment method, Apple would still take a 30% cut of the subscription revenue.
It would be understandable for Microsoft to be concerned about this. But Apple won't create special rules for different companies, at least not any time soon. A similar arrangement already exists for other companies that provide subscriptions to their services through iTunes, including Netflix, Hulu, and Rdio. The best that Microsoft can do in that particular situation is heavily encourage users to change their payment method away from iTunes.
So it could come down to who needs Office on iOS more -- Apple or Microsoft?


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Saturday, August 18, 2007
My bash Profile
Far and away the handiest customizations are the short question-mark aliases for history | grep and ps ax | grep.
Update: here's a Pastie where I use both the ? aliases. I try to start Mongrel, but it won't start. I can't remember if I left it running, so I do a ps? mongrel and find out no, it's not running. Then I do a ? mongrel to see what I've done with Mongrel recently.
Obviously this is easy stuff, but compacting it down makes it really quick and fun to use. Also, since it becomes a habit to just hit ? when you want the system to tell you something - which is very intuitive - you have that option even in situations when you're tired from overwork and wouldn't naturally remember something that clever. It kind of turns the clever part invisible.
5 comments:
- Ben SmithAugust 18, 2007 at 5:13:00 PM PDT
Did you really have to say "(with some client-relevant stuff deleted)"? I mean, do your readers really care?ReplyDelete
Well, um - One of my readers obviously has an opinion about it, that reader being you. I don't know, it just seemed precise.ReplyDelete
You might want to try bash completion. It does ssh hosts completion too, and a lot more! Just "sudo port install bash-completion" if you are using MacPorts on Mac OS X.ReplyDelete
"ps aux | grep"ReplyDelete
You should find out about the magic that is pgrep.
Also, as I learned in my forays into the emacs, ctrl-r will start a reverse-incremental search on your bash history (or at least, as much as is in your up-arrow memory).
I'm a fan of pgrep because it can be found on any system, but it's just not as good as 'ps | grep'.ReplyDelete
For example, say I'm running a ferret drb server that I started using script/runner. If I pgrep for 'ferret', I get nothing. I'll have to pgrep for 'ruby' to get anything, but I'll get all my ruby processes. In contrast, 'ps aux | grep ferret' ('psg ferret' in my bash profile) returns the process I'm looking for.
You'd think pgrep would be cooler, but it ain't.


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[Halászbástya and Matthias Church]
Description: Photograph of the Halászbástya and Matthias Church in Budapest, Hungary. The church is visible in the left foreground. A section of the Halászbástya is visible beside the church in the left middle ground.
Date: 1980
Creator: Gough, Ray
Item Type: Refine your search to only Photograph
Partner: UNT College of Visual Arts + Design


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full size
Product Details
Spun from local wool in Scotland's Outer Hebrides for almost 200 years, Harris tweeds are marked by their rich textures and iconic patterns. Starting with a distinctive Black Watch weave, we crafted this double-vented sportcoat in our modern Ludlow fit (think narrow lapels and a trimmer silhouette), then added traditional tailor-made details to make it even better. Some of the carefully constructed finishing touches you'll find include interior pickstitching and suiting-fabric trim at the welts—they're not details you can see from the outside, but we think they make all the difference.
Size & Fit Details


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MIAMI — Elements™, the South Beach, FL-based fitness and lifestyle brand for women, is opening a showcase club in Alpharetta, GA, an Atlanta suburb, next month.
"Atlanta is a great fit for the upscale Elements brand," said Christopher Palumbo, development director for the company. "Elements has unique offerings, many of which will be firsts for the market."
The boutique-style club was designed by Ruby Martin, an award-winning interior designer, and will feature four distinct lifestyle zones, including diet coaching, yoga and Pilates, private exercise and circuit training. The club will also feature European-designed Smartcard™ equipment, which record and track the progress of each member.
A second club is scheduled to open in November in the mid-town area of Atlanta. Elements™ is a national upscale diet and fitness brand for women, offering membership-based fitness and weight loss services throughout a network of wholly owned and licensed health clubs.


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War for women's votes in Pa. race
PHILADELPHIA — She is a favorite of national women's groups, a Democrat who once ran a clinic that offered abortions and now says she wants to bust open Pennsylvania's "old boys' club" by becoming the state's first female governor.
Her target is the country's most vulnerable GOP governor, a man pilloried for once telling women opposed to state-mandated ultrasounds to just close their eyes.
Story Continued Below
If Rep. Allyson Schwartz lands on the ballot against Gov. Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania this fall – still a big "if" ahead of the May 20 primary – it could turn the Keystone State into ground zero in the battle between Democrats and Republicans for women's votes this fall. Each is itching to take on the other as an ideological extremist: Schwartz calls the incumbent's stance on women's health issues far outside the mainstream; Corbett's allies believe they could paint Schwartz as an abortion-loving liberal from Philadelphia.
( POLITICO's On the Ground series)
Democrats are charging the GOP is waging a "war on women" – a critique that dovetails with a larger national strategy to galvanize female voters and blunt the effects of Republican attacks on Obamacare. In Pennsylvania, women in Philadelphia and its suburbs – who generally are culturally liberal but economically more conservative – are the linchpin to winning statewide office.
In fall 2010, Corbett managed to split the female vote with his Democratic opponent on his way to victory. This year, Democrats believe he's especially vulnerable on issues that are most important to women — education, health care, reproductive matters — whether his opponent is Schwartz or someone else. The governor recognizes the challenge, recently launching a "Women for Corbett" coalition.
Meanwhile, Schwartz, a decade-long House member who ditched her safe Philadelphia-area seat for a chance to take on Corbett, is presenting her candidacy as part of a larger cause for women in a state with a paltry record of electing them. But she's found herself in a dogfight for her party's nomination, despite entering the primary as the nominal frontrunner.
( On the Ground: How Lindsey Graham outmaneuvered the tea party)
"It wasn't a long-term strategy of mine," Schwartz, 65, said in an interview at her field office in northeast Philadelphia. "Although I think in some ways, it is the next step for women, to use our skills, to use our experience, to see ourselves as governor, and to take on that executive role. It feels like it's time for us to do this."
On the campaign trail, she emphasizes her gender at every turn. At an April "women in politics" fundraiser in Philadelphia, the congresswoman told the mostly female crowd of 250 that she won't win without them.
"I need you now … You are my base," she said, shortly before leaving the stage to the tune of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."
'Call it determined'
Pennsylvania may be Democrats' best shot at toppling a GOP governor this year — Corbett's approval ratings stand in the 30s or even the 20s in some polls, and he trails all the Democratic opponents in head-to-head match-ups.
( On the Ground Colorado: GOP civil war)
The Republican has been criticized for everything from cutting education funds to rejecting the federal Medicaid expansion. But he infuriated women's groups in particular when in 2012 he told those upset over a proposed bill forcing women seeking abortions to undergo fetal ultrasounds that "you just have to close your eyes." The remarks ricocheted on the Internet and gave ammunition to Democrats alleging Republican policies hurt women, a claim the GOP denies. The bill was eventually shelved.
Corbett also faces lingering resentment over his handling of the Penn State sex abuse scandal when he was the state attorney general, with some having questioned why it took his office some three years to arrest Jerry Sandusky, the football coach later convicted in the case, after the first accuser came forward. Others were angered by Corbett's reaction to the NCAA sanctions placed on the school's football team, saying he should not have initially given in. (Corbett eventually sued the NCAA over the spat.)
Schwartz's decision to take on Corbett wasn't a surprise to those who have followed her career.
The congresswoman was born in Queens, New York, to a mother who survived the Holocaust in Austria and a father who served in the Korean War. Her mother killed herself when Schwartz was 26 — the same year Schwartz helped found the Elizabeth Blackwell Center, a women's health clinic in Philadelphia whose services included abortions.
( On the Ground Arkansas: Democratic legacies on line in 2014)
Schwartz was the third woman elected to the state Senate, serving in the 1990s and early 2000s, before winning a House seat in 2004. She is now the lone woman in Pennsylvania's 20-member congressional delegation, serving on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
After Kathleen Kane won the attorney general's race in 2012, giving Pennsylvania a woman in statewide office, "there was this feeling that it's time for a woman to finally be governor, particularly on the Democratic side," said Charlie Lyons, a longtime staffer for Sen. Bob Casey. "That may have propelled [Schwartz] early, and also may been part of her decision-making process."
Schwartz has been invoking gender in her TV ads — one has Schwartz promising a group of female supporters that she'll take on the Pennsylvania "old boy's club." That ad takes a page from the successful 2012 blueprint of Kane, who used the same language to great effect. Schwartz's pollster, Pete Brodnitz with Benenson Strategy Group, did Kane's 2012 polling as well.
( On the Ground Mississippi: Anatomy of a takedown)
But while her tenure in politics has earned her a reputation as a "fighter," it also meant she racked up her share of detractors — including some in her own party who described Schwartz as pushy or overly ambitious.
A Philadelphia Magazine piece in December delved into some of those criticisms (http://www.phillymag.com/articles/doesnt-like-allyson-schwartz/), turning to a mix of unnamed and named sources who present a view of Schwartz as someone primarily concerned with "buffing and shining her own image." Some of the on-the record sources suggest, for example, that her claims to be the main visionary behind the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are overstated.
Others wonder, however: Would any of these issues — which have a familiar ring to them for many women in positions of authority — be coming up if Schwartz were a man?
"Many [people] ask the question: Could you really do this?" Schwartz says of her gubernatorial campaign. "I don't think they would ask a man with my experience that."
At her Philly fundraiser, she pushed back against the characterization of her as an overly assertive, aggressive figure. "Some people have called me pushy," she said, to applause and cheers. "Well, I call it determined."


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November 2, 1998
Mr. Jeff Yabuki
American Express Financial Advisors
733 Marquette Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Dear Mr. Yabuki:
It has come to the staff s attention that your affiliation with certain accounting firms that practice before the Commission may subject you to the application of the independence rules set forth in Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
At the request of the SEC staff, the Independence Standards Board ("ISB") has undertaken the issue of alternative firm structures which may address your particular facts and circumstances. However, pending a decision by the ISB, any accounting firm and the acquirer ("acquirer") of that accounting firm that employs any accountants that work on SEC clients of the accounting firm should continue to fully comply with the SEC's independence requirements Further, both the accounting firm and acquirer should ascertain that adequate systems of quality control are in place to ensure compliance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, including but not limited to independence.
Rule 2-01 (b) of Regulation S-X states the term "member" means (i) all partners, shareholders, and other principals in the firm, (ii) any professional employee involved in providing any professional service to the person, its parents, subsidiaries, or other affiliates, and (iii) any professional employee having managerial responsibilities and located in [the engagement office] or other office of the firm which participates in a significant portion of the audit. The independence requirements set forth in Rule 2-01 apply to all accountants associated with financial statements filed with the Commission.
In determining whether an accountant may in fact be not independent with respect to a particular person, the Commission will give appropriate consideration to all relevant circumstances. Including evidence bearing on all relationships between the accountant and that person or any affiliate there or, and will not confine itself to the relationships existing in connection with the filing of reports with the Commission. See Rule 2-Ol(c) You should be aware that the Commission, in applying the independence requirements, may deem a "person who, directly or indirectly, controls" a member to be a member under Rule 2-01. See section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The staff is aware that certain states have set forth specific requirements addressing alternative firm structures. The staff is also aware that the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant's ("AICPA's") Professional Ethics Executive Committee has issued a draft proposal addressing these structures. You are advised that neither the Commission nor its staff has stated any position with respect to the guidance set forth by any state or the AICPA.
If you have any questions with respect to your particular facts and circumstances, pending an ISB decision, I strongly encourage you to contact Scott Bayless of my office to set up a meeting to discuss these issues with you.
Lynn E. Turner
Chief Accountant
cc: Alan Berkeley


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Jeffrey Lynn Green (born August 28, 1986) is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft. He was selected fifth overall by the Boston Celtics, and was subsequently traded to the now defunct Seattle SuperSonics in a trade including Ray Allen. The SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma following his rookie year and became the Oklahoma City Thunder. On February 24, 2011, Green was traded along with Nenad Krstić and a future first round draft pick to the Boston Celtics for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson.
Jeff Green was born in Cheverly, Maryland to Jeffrey Green Sr. and Felicia Akingube. He attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he led the NHS Wildcats to the state basketball championship in 2004.
Green was recruited to Georgetown University by coach Craig Esherick in 2003. However, Esherick was fired before Green arrived on campus and John Thompson III was hired as the new coach. The two top recruits of Esherick's tenure, Green and center Roy Hibbert, would be the key components of Thompson's future success.


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Separate PTC & Wifi projects going on at the same time but not coordinated. Both installing fiber, one underground, one above ground. Example of incompetence and waste, and the Wifi towers are controversial as notice and public hearings processes were improper. I think there is another thread.RenegadeMonster wrote:yeah, they have been real busy.
They have been doing a lot of tree clearing as well.
Speaking of work, PTC work is going on as well.
What I don't get is why at Salem Station did they put up telephone poles and a single wire when the power lines / existing signaling is underground. The poles look goofy placed along the metal inbound/outbound train markers. What's even odder is they appear to be burying the PTC line at River Works and running it with the exiting underground power/signal wires.
Return to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
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(Reuters) - A corpse on a gurney slid out of the back of a coroner's vehicle and onto a busy street in an eastern Pennsylvania town, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.
The body, which was covered and stayed strapped to the gurney, came to rest at an intersection in Feasterville. Cars drove around the gurney before it was placed back inside the coroner's vehicle and driven off, the Bucks County Courier Times said.
"Care was taken to respect the deceased individual in this instance. The Bucks County Coroner's Office deeply regrets this incident and will take steps to ensure that it is not repeated in the future," the office said in a statement, the paper reported.
The office believes a broken rear door latch may have been behind the incident on Friday.
The coroner's office was not immediately available for comment.
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Peter Cooney)


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As usual, Apple reported record breaking earnings yesterday. Nothing new there. However, CEO Tim Cook did make the news with a few interesting comments he made during the first-quarter earnings call. For starters, he said that he hates litigation, hinting that Apple is more willing to settle its patent infringement cases in a Post-Steve Jobs era. But his comments on devices and operating systems that attempt to merge tablets and PCs may become quite controversial. He basically said that Apple has no plans to merge the Mac with the iPad.
Below is a full transcript of Cook's statement, transcribed by PC Mag.
"Anything can be forced to converge," Cook said. "But the problem is that the products are about tradeoffs, you begin to make tradeoffs to the point that what you have left at the end of the day doesn't please anyone.
"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user. So our view is that the tablet market is huge; we've said that since day one, we didn't wait until we had a lot of results. We were using them here, and it was already clear to us that there was so much you could do, and the reasons that people would use those would be so broad, and that's precisely what we've seen. The iPad has taken off in not only consumer in a meaningful way, but in consumer, in education, enterprise, and its sort of everywhere you look now. And the applications are so easy to make very meaningful for someone, and there's such an abundance of those, that as the ecosystem gets better and better, and as we continue to double down on making great product, I think that the limit here is nowhere in sight."
"Now – through last quarter, I should say, which is just two years after we shipped the initial iPad – we shipped 67 million. And to put that in some context, it took us 24 years to sell that many Macs. And five years for that many iPods. And over three years for that many iPhones. And we were extremely happy with the trajectory on all of those products. So I think iPad – it's a profound product, the breadth of it is incredible, and the appeal of it is universal. So I could not be happier with being in the market, and the level of which we're innovating with the ecosystem and the marker here is incredible."
"Now in terms of the market itself, IDC and Gartner and Forrester had some numbers out there, and Gartner is saying there's 3.25 out there by 2015, Forrester is three seventy-five, basically they're in the mid-three hundreds, about where the PC market is today. And 2015 is only three years from now. So I think that even the you know more formal predicters outside of us are beginning to see these lines cross. So I strongly believe that they will."
"Now having said that, I also believe that there is a very good market for the MacBook Air," Cook concluded. "And we continue to innovate in that product. But I do think that it appeals to someone who has a little bit different requirements. And you wouldn't want to put these things together because you wind up compromising both and not pleasing the user. Some people will prefer to own both, and that's great there. But I think to make the compromises of convergence, we're not going to that party. Others might. Others might from a defensive point of view, particularly. We're going to play in both."
This is an interesting rant, obviously aimed at both Windows 8 (which is built both for tablets and PCs) and Android keyboard tablets like the Asus Transformer Prime. It's also very Jobs-like in that it's already kind of a lie. Steve Jobs famously contradicted himself quite often, even saying that Apple would never build a netbook or tablet, not long before it actually did both of those things with the MacBook Air and iPad. Cook is saying that the Mac and iPad will never merge, but every update to OS X (which runs on Macs) lately has been aimed squarely at making it look and act more like iOS, which runs the iPad and iPhone. It seems only a matter of time before both products meet each other in the middle. The iPad keeps getting more functional as a PC and Macs keep getting easier to use, like an iPad.
Perhaps what Cook is really saying is that Apple isn't going to release an iPad with a keyboard attached to it. Why? Well it's probably less about refrigerators and toasters than it is simple economics. You don't want to eat into your own market. Right now, Macs are selling very well as are iPads. Why destroy one of them?