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Author: Cristóbal Guzmán, Georgia Tech (USA).
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Complejidad distribucional en optimización convexa no-diferenciable.
Abstract:Los métodos de primer orden (subgradiente) en optimización convexa son una elección natural cuando se trata de resolver problemas de gran escala, donde basta con obtener soluciones de mediana precisión. Los límites de desempeño de estos métodos pueden ser parcialmente comprendidos desde la perspectiva de la complejidad de oráculo en el peor caso.
En esta charla se presentan algunas de las limitaciones del estado del arte, y se introducen algunas extensiones de resultados clásicos al modelo de complejidad distribucional. En dicho modelo, la distribución de probabilidad de encontrar una instancia es parte del input del algoritmo, por lo que estos pueden explotar dicha distribución para acelerar su desempeño. Sin embargo, veremos que en el caso de optimización convexa no-diferenciable esto no ocurre, y tanto la complejidad de peor caso, aleatorizada y distribucional coinciden, salvo por un factor constante (esto cierra un gap logaritmico de la complejidad aleatorizada y de peor caso, que fue probado por Nemirovski y Yudin).
Este es un trabajo en conjunto con Gabor Braun y Sebastian Pokutta.
Author: Mathieu Faure, Université Aix-Marseille.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Economics of Blood Doping.
Abstract:In this talk, we discuss a game-theoretical model of the use by athletes of performance-enhancing drugs. We focus on a two-player game where players are heterogeneous and performances are subject to uncertainty. While the standard setup assumes these drugs increase maximum performances, we assume that they also increase the probability that a given athlete competes at his best possible level. This second effect drives the doping strategies alone, suggesting that focusing on the first effect leads to incorrect conclusions. The characteristics of Nash equilibria in this setup explain why it is so difficult to fight against doping.
Author: Denis Sauré, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Challenges in sequential interdiction under partial information.
In this talk I will discuss the challenges associated with balancing the classical exploration exploitation trade off in the context of interdiction problems. I will first discuss the non-adversarial case, which can be seen as a combinatorial bandit setup, and will present a solution approach. Then I will discuss the additional challenges that arise in the interdiction setup, when feedback from an action follows from the rational reaction of an evader.
Author: Nodari Sitchinava, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: (Dynamic) range minima queries in the external memory and cache-oblivious models.
I will present new results for the one-dimensional range minimum query (RMQ) problem in the external memory and cache-oblivious models — models for designing I/O- and cache-efficient solutions. On a static instance with elements and queries, our solution takes I/O complexity and space in both models. I will also show that an instance of the offline dynamic RMQ problem with updates and queries can be solved in I/O complexity and space in the external memory model.
Author: Natacha Astromujoff, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: A quantitive approach to perfect one-factorizations of complete bipartite graphs
Abstract: In this work we prove that for all , where is the maximum over all one-factorizations of the complete bipartite graph , of the number in . For even , this lower bound is known to be an upper bound, which proves that .
For odd we can improve this lower bound to show that .
Joint work with Martin Matamala.
Author: Jean-Bernard Baillon, Université Paris 1.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: A "simple" matrix problem connected to Riemann's Conjecture
Abstract: In this talk we will discuss a somewhat surprising connection between an apparently simple problem in matrix analysis and Riemann's conjecture.
More precisely, consider the inverse of the lower triangular matrix , e.g.
Can you prove that ?
What about ?
Remark: If is replaced by where
if and otherwise, we have .
Author: Daniel Espinoza, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Large scale networks with side constraints
Abstract: In this talk I present some of the known results and algorithms for solving extremely large problems whose main set of constraints are simple network constraints. We then move on to show how many problems can be modeled using this kind of structure, and then present some challenges on new problems and how to extend the scheme in general (or prove it impossible to extend).
Joint work with Marcos Goycoolea and Eduardo Moreno.
Author: Alantha Newman, EPFL, Switzerland.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: The Traveling Salesman Problem: Algorithms and Open Problems
In the past few years, there has been much progress on the Graphic Traveling Salesman Problem.
In this talk, we will first present the beautiful algorithm of Moemke-Svensson for Graphic TSP followed by some open questions relating to how their techniques can be applied to special classes of graphs.
Then we present a simple algorithm for Graphic TSP based on steiner cycles that yields a tour of length at most 4n/3 when a 2-connected input graph contains a Hamiltonian path. We show that this algorithm can be generalized to yield the same bound on a k-connected graph that has a spanning tree with at most k/2+1 leaves. This suggests the question of how well one can do in general if a graph contains a spanning tree with few leaves: In fact, one can use the Moemke-Svensson algorithm to obtain a tour of length at most 4n/3 + O(k) when the input graph contains a DFS tree with k leaves. We discuss how this approach might be extended to obtain an approximation algorithm for Graph TSP in general graphs.
Author: Fidaa Abed, Max-Planck Institute, Germany.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Network design games
Abstract: In Network design games we have a graph (directed or undirected). In this graph every edge has a weight representing the cost of creating such an edge. Every player in this game is trying to connect two nodes in the graph, the source and the target, with the cheapest path among all possible paths. If more that one player is interesting in creating one edge, the cost is splitted fairly among them.
I will present the known results about the Price of Anarchy (PoA) and the Price of Stability (PoS) for this game. Then I will point out a famous open problem and show a possible direction to attack this problem.
Author: Renaud Chicoisne, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: An efficient algorithm to match GPS data on a map
Abstract: GPS data of vehicles travelling on road networks can be used to estimate road travel times.
This requires the identification of the corresponding paths in the network.
In this work we develop an algorithm capable to identify a path minimizing a special distance with the GPS trajectory even in presence of cycles. This algorithm is theoretically fast but can perform slowly in practice. Mild assumptions over the GPS precision and the use of heuristic steps allow a very fast path finding procedure.
We present computational results comparing these algorithms for over 30000 real and generated GPS samples on a grid graph and real maps of the cities of Seattle and Santiago. We show that on average, the paths returned by our algorithm and the heuristic version have respectively 92.5% and 89% of their edges in a corridor of one meter around the GPS trajectory.
Author: David Conlon, University of Oxford.
Where: Sala Seminarios, CMM, 14.30-16.00
Title: A relative Szemerédi theorem
Abstract: The celebrated Green-Tao theorem states that there are arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions in the primes. One of the main ingredients in their proof is a relative Szemerédi theorem which says that any subset of a pseudorandom set of integers of positive relative density contains long arithmetic progressions.
In this talk, we will discuss a simple proof of a strengthening of the relative Szemerédi theorem, showing that a much weaker pseudorandomness condition is sufficient. Our strengthened version can be applied to give the first relative Szemerédi theorem for k-term arithmetic progressions in pseudorandom subsets of Z_N of density N^{-c_k}.
The key component in our proof is an extension of the regularity method to sparse pseudorandom hypergraphs, which we believe to be interesting in its own right. From this we derive a relative extension of the hypergraph removal lemma. This is a strengthening of an earlier theorem used by Tao in his proof that the Gaussian primes contain arbitrarily shaped constellations and, by standard arguments, allows us to deduce the relative Szemerédi theorem.
This is joint work with Jacob Fox and Yufei Zhao.
Author: Victor Verdugo, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Programación de máquinas no relacionadas con tiempos de instalación
Abstract: Durante el presente trabajo se estudia el problema de programar un conjunto de tareas J en un conjunto de máquinas M, en donde cada tarea puede ser dividida en varias partes y cada parte es procesada de manera independiente en alguna máquina. Las máquinas son no relacionadas, es decir, cada trabajo j toma un tiempo p_{ij} en procesarse en la máquina i y además existe un tiempo de instalación s_{ij} que requiere la máquina antes de procesar cualquier parte del trabajo j. Encontrar la programación que minimiza el tiempo de funcionamiento de las máquinas es NP-hard. En esta charla se mostrará una (3+sqrt(5))/2 – aproximación para el problema basada en redondear una solución extrema de cierta relajación lineal para el problema.
Trabajo en desarrollo, con José R. Correa, Alberto Marchetti-Spaccamela, Jannik Matuschke, Ola Svensson, Leen Stougie y José Verschae.
Author: Jeremy Barbay, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Problemas teóricos en crowd sourcing quality control
Abstract: Recientemente Michael Goodrich presentó (en WADS, "Workshop on Algorithms and Data Structures") resultados teóricos sobre la detección de "slackers" en sistema de crowd sourcing. Me gustaría comenzar a trabajar de manera similar en problemas de crowd-sourcing como los descritos abajo (y otros mas simples pero similares). Propongo presentarlos de manera informal y conversarlos en el seminario, como una preparacion a la charla de Luis von Ahn (acá el link Charla: El futuro de la educación en línea).
1. Calibrated Peer Review:
Digamos que alguien que somete un artículo a una conferencia tiene que revisar x errores de inglés, para cada uno de los cuales se insertaron d errores de manera automática.
- Sus correcciones (distintas de las xd que ya eran conocidas) y su revisión seran considerados para el resto del proceso solamente si él detectó una proporción p de los xd errores ya conocidos.
¿Cuáles son las propiedades deseables de un tal sistema? e.g.
- razón entre errores "de prueba" y "reales",
- razón entre incentivo a someter y trabajo a realizar, etc…
- ¿Cuáles son las valores optimales de d, x y p para estas propiedades?
2. Boot Strapping Database
Un usuario tiene que responder con éxito a un desafio (e.g. validar si n fotos muestran o no un gato) para avanzar en un programa (e.g. tener accesso a fotos etiquetadas en un idioma que estudia). Para una proporción p de las fotos, ya se sabe la respuesta al desafio (e.g. si muestran un gato o no). Para las otros fotos, se quiere validar el criterio con una mayoría calculada de las respuestas de los usuarios. Dado que la probabilidad de responder correctamente al desafío es de 1/2^{pn}, un adversario puede avanzar en el programa despues de 2^{pn} intentos, por lo cual hay que "castigarlo". ¿Cuáles son las politicas suficientes para "castigar" un adversario?
1. doblar la cantidad de fotos a identificar (así el tiempo promedio no converge);
2. doblar la proporcion de fotos para cual las respuestas son conocidas (same argument);
3. estrategia 2 hasta que p=1, y despues estrategia 1.
Author: José A. Soto, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Mixed Robust Matching and Extensions
Abstract: The following zero-sum game is played on a weighted graph G:
Alice selects a matching M in G and Bob selects a number k. Then, Alice receives a payoff equal to the ratio of the weight of the top k edges of M; to OPT(k), which is the maximum weight of a matching of size at most k in G. If M guarantees a payoff of at least alpha then it is called alpha-robust.
In 2002, Hassin and Rubistein showed an algorithm that returns a Sqrt(1/2) – robust matching, which is best possible.
In this talk, I will discuss the variant of this game in which Alice is allowed to use randomization. We show an algorithm that returns a 1/ln(4) -robust mixed-matching which is based on the following nontrivial observation: If all the edge-weights are integer powers of 2, then the lexicographically maximum matching is 1-robust. This property holds not only for matchings but also for any independence system in which OPT(k) is a concave function of k.
This is on-going work with Martin Skutella and Jannik Matuschke.
Author: José Correa, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Maximizando Funciones Submodulares
Abstract: Veremos un resultado de Buchbinder, Feldman, Naor, y Schwartz (FOCS 2012) que (casi) cierra la historia de la busqueda de algoritmos de aproximación para maximizar funciones submodulares. El resultado principal es un algoritmo aleatorizado que entrega una aproximación de factor 1/2, lo que complementa el resultado de Feige, Mirrokni, y Vondrak (FOCS 2007) quienes demuetran que una 1/2 +ε aproximación para este problema requiere una cantidad exponencial de consultas al oráculo que define la funcion.
Author: Gonzalo Navarro, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Encodings para Consultas en Rangos
Abstract: En esta segunda charla mostraremos como extender las Range Minimum Queries en dos direcciones naturales: encontrar el k-ésimo en un rango y encontrar los top-k elementos en un rango. El contexto es el de encodings, es decir estructuras que no acceden al arreglo original. Mostraremos una cota de n log k bits para cualquier encoding de este tipo, una solución para el k-ésimo y top-k en one-sided queries (donde el rango es de la forma [1,i]), y una solución para top-k en two-sided queries (rangos [i,j]). Todas requieren tiempo óptimo o casi óptimo y espacio O(n log k) bits.
Author: Gonzalo Navarro, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Range Minimum Queries
Abstract: Esta es la primera de una secuencia de dos charlas. En la primera describiremos las soluciones al problema de preprocesar un arreglo de números de modo de poder responder, dado un rango, dónde está el mínimo. Este problema ocurre con mucha frecuencia y está relacionado con el de encontrar lowest common ancestors en árboles. Veremos las soluciones más relevantes, llegando a la óptima, en que se necesita tiempo constante y solamente dos bits por entero, pudiéndose descartar el arreglo original. En la segunda charla pasaremos al tema más novedoso de extender estos resultados a encontrar los top-k en un arreglo que no se puede almacenar.
Author: Mauricio Soto, Universidad de Chile.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: c-AND: A (not so) new intersection graph class.
Abstract: In this work, we study the following graph model: vertices are associated to both, an interval in the euclidean line and a representative point in this interval. Two vertices are connected by an edge if and only if for each vertex, its interval contains the other vertex's representative point. We present a combinatorial characterization and an intersection model for the family. Based on these results, we determine the containment relation of the family with other known graph classes. In the particular case where each point is the center of its respective interval, we provide constructive representations for interval, block and outerplanar graphs.
Joint work with Christopher Thraves (GSyC, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos).
Author: Laurent Feuilloley, ENS-Cachan, France.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Maximum independent set of rectangles
Abstract: We study the problem of finding a maximum non-overlapping (independent) set of axis-parallel rectangles and its dual problem, consisting on finding a minimum set of points stabbing all rectangles (hitting set). It is immediate to note that given a collection of rectangles the size of a minimum hitting (MHS) set is at most that of a maximum independent set (MIS), while a conjecture of Wegner [1965] asks whether MIS < 2MHS.
We prove that the conjecture holds in the special case when the upper-right corners of all rectangles lie along a decreasing line. Furthermore, we provide a characterization of the resulting graphs and link them to other classes of graphs including the so-called 2-thin graphs. Finally, we give a polynomial time algorithm to find a MIS in such a special case, which constitutes a nontrivial generalization of the algorithm for MIS in interval graphs.
Author: Alejandro Angulo, Universidad de Chile
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Sequence Independent Lifting for Semi-Continuous Knapsack Polyhedron with Generalized Upper Bounds
Abstract: In this work, semi-continuous knapsack polyhedron with generalized upper bounds is studied. It is an important substructure of many problems in which piecewise linear functions or semi-continuous variables must be modeled. Also, it is a generalization of knapsack with generalized upper bounds where continuous
variables are replaced for semi-continuous ones. A set of valid inequalities for this polyhedron are derived from multidimensional sequence independent lifting of seed inequalities of cover type. It is proved, that under some mild conditions this seed inequalities are facet-defining in the projected polyhedron, so, when
exact lifting functions are superadditive, final inequalities are facet-defining too.
Performance evaluation of these inequalities over a set of randomly generated instances shows that they are strong in the sense of root relative gap reduction.
Joint work with Daniel Espinoza.
Author: Mario Bravo, Universidad de Chile
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Reinforcement learning with restrictions on the action space
Abstract: Consider a 2-player normal-form game which is repeated over time. We introduce an adaptive learning procedure, where the players only observe their own realized payoff at each stage. More precisely, we suppose that the agents don't know their own payoff function, and have no information on the other players. Furthermore, we assume that they have restrictions on their own action space in the sense that, at each stage, their choice is limited to a subset of their action set. We prove that the empirical distributions of play converge to the set of Nash equilibria for zero-sum, potential games and games where one player has two actions. Our analysis relies on recent results on stochastic approximation obtained by Benaim and Raimond (2010).
Joint work with Mathieu Faure (Aix-Marseille)
Author: José Verschae, Universidad de Chile
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Dual techniques for scheduling on a machine with varying speed
Abstract: I will present two types of problems related to scheduling on a machine of varying speed. In a static model, the speed function is (through an oracle) part of the input and we ask for a schedule minimizing the sum of weighted completion times. In a dynamic model, deciding upon the speed is part of the scheduling problem and we are interested in the tradeoff between scheduling cost and speed-scaling cost, that is energy, consumption.
I will shortly introduce the problem and show how it can be interpreted as a problem of minimizing a generalized global cost function on a unit speed machine. After, I'll present the main ideas of a PTAS for the static and dynamic cases. Instead of focusing in the technical details, I will try to give intuition and explain how the notion of dual schedules can be used to derive such a result. Our results are best possible since this problem is strongly NP-hard. I will also mention other complexity results and more efficient algorithms for special cases.
This is joint work with Nicole Megow.
Author: Martin Matamala, Universidad de Chile
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Etiquetados antimágicos universales
Abstract: Una función inyectiva que asigna enteros positivos a las aristas de un grafo se llama etiquetado de aristas. Cada etiquetado de aristas induce un etiquetado de vértices cuyo valor en un vértice dado es la suma de las etiquetas de todas las aristas incidentes con este vértice. Un etiquetado de aristas es antimágico si el etiquetado inducido en los vértices es inyectivo. Un grafo G con m aristas se dice antimágico universal si para cada conjunto de m enteros positivos, el grafo tiene un etiquetado antimágico con ese conjunto de etiquetas.
En esta charla se presentarán las ideas que permiten demostrar que todo grafo con el máximo grado 2, n-1 y n-2 es antimágico universal.
Trabajo en colaboración con José Zamora.
Author: András Sebő, CNRS, Laboratoire G-SCOP, Grenoble, France
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Gaps
Abstract:The difference between the optimal integer primal and dual solutions of a linear program is the duality gap. After some examples including conjectures and recent results we turn our attention to a purely graph-related question: the duality gap of the fractional stable set polytope (described by clique inequalities) of a graph, in a reformulation to a suitable extremal graph theory context ignoring polyhedra :
What is the maximum difference on graphs with n vertices, between the minimum number of cliques covering the vertices of a graph and its maximum stable set (joint work with András Gyárfas and Nicolas Trotignon, 2012). The solution of this problem is based on interesting interplays between Ramsey numbers and matchings.
The subject is full of mysteries that will be shared with the audience through open questions.
Author: Alberto Marchetti-Spaccamela, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Combinatorial Optimisation Problems in Real Time Scheduling
Abstract: Real-time scheduling, a central problem in critical embedded systems, consists in determining the sequence of execution of tasks with deadlines guaranteeing the timing constraints imposed by the surrounding physical system. The main difference between the problems studied in real-time scheduling and traditional scheduling theory is the focus that the first places on recurrent workloads. Namely, a real-time system is usually modeled as a finite collection of independent recurring tasks, each of which generates a potentially infinite sequence of jobs arriving over time that must be completed between its arrival time and its deadline. Different formal models for recurring tasks assume different restrictions on the values of the parameters of jobs generated by each task.
I will focus on the the sporadic task model that is one of the most studied models. A sporadic task i is represented as a 3-tuple (C(i), D(i), T(i)), a worst-case execution time C(i), a relative deadline D(i), and a period T(i). A task generates a possibly infinite sequence of jobs: successive jobs of task i arrive at least T(i) time units apart, with each job having an execution requirement of C(i) and a deadline D(i) time units after its arrival time. A sporadic task system S is comprised of several such sporadic tasks; clearly any sporadic task system may generate infinitely many different collections of jobs each one with possibly infinite many jobs.
A sporadic task system S is said to be feasible if a schedule exists for every collection of job arrivals that may legally be generated by S. For a given scheduling algorithm A, S is said to be A-schedulable if algorithm A meets all deadlines when scheduling every collection of job arrivals that may legally be generated by S.
I will discuss two examples of questions to show the richness in combinatorial challenges of real time scheduling and how known techniques from combinatorial optimisation can be successfully applied.
Author: Flavia Bonomo, UBA (Argentina).
Where: Sala 31, DII, 16.15-17.45
Title: Bounded coloring of co-comparability graphs and the pickup and delivery tour combination problem
Abstract: The Double Traveling Salesman Problem with Multiple Stacks is a vehicle routing problem in which pickups and deliveries must be performed in two independent networks. The items are stored in stacks and repacking is not allowed. Given a pickup and a delivery tour, the problem of checking if there exists a valid distribution of items into s stacks of size h that is consistent with the given tours, is known as Pickup and Delivery Tour Combination (PDTC) problem.
In this work, we show that the PDTC problem can be solved in polynomial time when the number s of stacks is fixed but the size of each stack is not. We build upon the equivalence between the PDTC problem and the bounded coloring (BC) problem on permutation graphs: for the latter problem, s is the number of colors and h is the number of vertices that can get a same color. We show that the BC problem can be solved in polynomial time when s is a fixed constant on co-comparability graphs, a superclass of permutation graphs. To the contrary, the BC problem is known to be hard on permutation graphs when h > 5 is a fixed constant, but s is unbounded.
Furthermore, we will show some results on a graph parameter called "thinness" that plays a crucial role in the design of the polynomial-time algorithm,
Joint work with Gianpaolo Oriolo (Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Italia) and Sara Mattia (IASI-CNR, Italia).
This is joint work with Shi Li.
Author: Ola Svensson, EPFL (Switzerland).
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Approximating k-Median via Pseudo-Approximation
Abstract: k-median is the problem where we wish to open k facilities so as to minimize the average distance each client has to its closest opened facility. The lack of progress on this central problem compared to facility location (a close relative) is partly due to the difficulty of handling the hard
constraint that at most k facilities are allowed to be opened.
In this talk we shall see that we can relax this constraint into a soft constraint with a "violation-dependent" increase in the runtime. This gives a novel point of view for addressing k-median that allows us to give an algorithm that achieves an approximation guarantee of 1+√3 improving upon the decade-old ratio of 3.
This is joint work with Shi Li.
Author: Neil Olver, MIT.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14.30-16.00
Title: Pipage rounding with semidefinite constraints
Abstract: Pipage rounding is a technique for rounding a fractional point of a matroid polytope (e.g., a point in the spanning tree polytope of a graph) to an integral point (e.g., a spanning tree) in a way that has a number of nice properties. I will talk about a generalization of this to a setting involving matrices and a soft semidefinite constraint. This has applications to, e.g., obtaining a "spectrally thin" tree in a graph. This is a spanning trees whose Laplacian is not "too big" compared to the Laplacian of the original graph, a strengthening of the notion of (cut) thin trees which are not "too big" across any cut of the graph.
I will spend a good fraction of the talk discussing background about matrix versions of classical concentration inequalities (like Chernoff bounds), and an open question involving negatively correlated sums of matrix-valued random variables.
(Joint work with Nick Harvey.)
Author: Ambros Gleixner, Zuse Institute Berlin.
Where: Sala 31, DII, 16.15-17.45
Title: Recent Advances in Solving MINLPs with SCIP
Abstract: State-of-the-artsolversforgenericmixed-integernonlinearpro- gramming utilize a linear relaxation within a branch-and-cut search. We will present new algorithmic techniques that help to improve the performance and robustness of various components of the solution al- gorithm: more accurate LP solutions by iterative refinement; propa- gation of Lagrangian variable bounds learnt from optimization-based bound tightening; and the exploitation of so-called covers (small- est sets of variables that render the problem linear when fixed) for primal heuristics and branching strategies. The computational im- pact of these methods is evaluated within the MINLP solver SCIP. This includes joint work with Timo Berthold, Daniel E. Steffy, Stefan Weltge, Kati Wolter, and Stefan Vigerske.
Author: Panayotis Mertikopoulos, CNRS researcher at Labora- toire dInformatique de Grenoble
Where: Sala 33, DII.14.30-16.00.
Title: Entropy-driven dynamics and algorithms for learning in games
Abstract: Starting from a heuristic learning scheme in strategic n-person games, we derive a class of entropy-driven continuous-time dynam- ics whose discretization yields an adaptive learning process that only requires players to be able to observe their in-game payoffs. The continuous-time dynamics satisfy a variant of the folk theorem of evolutionary game theory with the concept of Nash equilibrium re- placed by that of a Quantal Response Equilibrium; in particular, in the case of potential games, it is shown that the dynamics converge to perturbed (quantal) approximations of strict Nash equilibria. Mo- tivated by applications to traffic engineering, we then employ tech- niques from the theory of stochastic approximation to show that the resulting discrete-time learning algorithms retain this property, even in the presence of noisy/delayed observations and/or asynchronous updates.
Author: Tobias Harks, Masstricht University
Where: Sala 33, DII, 14:30-16:00
Title: Resource buying games
Abstract: In resource buying games, players jointly buy a subset of a given resource set. Each player has a predefined family of subsets of resources from which she needs at least one to be available. However, a resource is only available if the sum of payments of all players cover the load-dependent cost of that resource. A strategy of a player is a tupel consisting of one of her resource sets together with a payment vector indicating how much she is willing to contribute towards the purchase of each resource. During the talk, we study the existence and computability of pure Nash equilibria (PNEs) in resource buying games. Resource buying games reduce to connection games in the special case where the costs are fixed and the players resource sets are network-paths connecting two player-specific terminals. While there exist very simple connection games without PNE, we will see that PNEs exist and can be efficiently computed if each players strategy set is the base set of a matroid and the marginal cost of each resource is monotone.
2013-01-11: Seminario conjunto AGCO + Matemáticas Discretas
Author: Mark Braverman, Princeton University.
Where: Sala 33, DII, 16:15-17:45
Title: An introduction to information complexity
Abstract: The (two party) information complexity of a function F(X,Y) measures the least amount of information that Alice who holds X and Bob who holds Y need to reveal to each other about their inputs in order to compute F. While this complexity measure is interesting in its own right – for example in the context of information theoretic security, it is also very useful in studying the communication complexity of problems. We will introduce information complexity, and discuss some of its properties and connections to communication complexity. No prior background will be assumed.
Author: Christian Reitwiessner, U. Técnica Federico Santa María
Where: Sala Multimedia CMM, 6to piso, 14:30-16:00
Title: Necklace Splitting and Multiobjective Optimization
Abstract: Necklace splitting is an area of combinatorics applied by thieves: The general task is to cut a necklace containing various gems of different values stolen by a group of k thieves into k equally valuable parts – with as few cuts as possible. There are even more sophisticated variations of this setting, all with rather surprising solutions. Although they are non-constructive, these results can be applied to obtain a multiobjective polynomial-time approximation scheme for the (multiobjective) maximum matching problem. Furthermore, this scheme can again be combined with another necklace splitting result to improve the deterministic approximation for the (multiobjective) maximum traveling salesperson problem.


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RELATED: BARGAIN BUY: The 10 Best Football Cleat Deals of the Week

subset: commoncrawl


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The spectre of two men hung over proceedings at Victorian Parliament, but neither was in the chamber to hear what was being said.
The first was Geoff Shaw, better known these days by his moniker "the rogue MP for Frankston".
"Patriotism" is meant to be the last refuge of the rogue and scoundrel, to borrow a line from Samuel Johnson. Sadly for Shaw, his bolthole turned out to be a dingy little office up in the rafters of Victoria's crumbling old Parliament House.
There, the rogue MP skipped question time "because it's boring".
Instead, Shaw tuned in via the live feed as Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews hammered Denis Napthine on his "golden bearhug" for the member for Frankston, and outlined just how much he will be paid during his suspension.
Andrews kicked off question time by asking Napthine if he was aware that "a MP to be suspended for 11 days would take home $163,000 between now and November?"
Andrews detailed the volume of pay and entitlements Shaw would still receive between Wednesday and an election in November - the $163,000 "golden bearhug"; $9000 in further vehicle allowances; more than $19,000 in electoral expenses and a full contingent of staff.
Let's hope Shaw - who has demanded that MPs get paid more - can get by on his near-$200,000 package.
As Shaw hid from the spotlight, a second name also hung over the day's proceedings. It was that of Edward Findley, the last man to be expelled from Victorian Parliament back in 1901.
One after the other, Liberal MPs invoked the name and the story of Findley.
First Napthine, then Louise Asher and, at the end, the other major protagonist in this long and bitter drama - former speaker Ken Smith.
All told the tale of Findley, kicked out after just three days for the crime of "seditious libel".
Findley was not a journalist, as claimed, but a newspaper compositor - a profession that, like the man himself, is long dead.
Findley published the journal Tocsin, which had reprinted an article from the Dublin's Irish People on the freedom of the press that libeled King Edward VII.
For that, Findley was expelled by a vote of 64-17.
Liberal Party veterans used Findley's story to illustrate one of their key points - that Shaw's crime paled when compared with that of "seditious libel".
But there is a footnote to Findley's story that the Liberal Party should heed.
After being expelled in 1901, he stood again for Parliament in 1902.
By 1903 he was back and remained in Victoria's upper house for the next 14 years.
Shaw, too, might be down and out for the time being.
Sadly for Victoria's Parliament, he will also be back.


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Looks like Labor Day is drawing near as the flags are up and flying, Don Kings Days is on the horizon, the last polo matches of the season (The Henry Burgess Memorial Cup & Don King Days Cup) are on tap and the Hang Gliders Fly-In will take place at Sand Turn in the Big Horn Mountains.
Here is the Don King Days schedule for Sunday & Monday: 'Old West' rodeo events, featuring match bronc riding, steer roping, wild cow milking, and end-of-season polo. The Big Horn Equestrian Center provides open space & no fence setting in the majestic mountain foothills south of Sheridan. The family-oriented celebration honors renown saddlemaker, Don King. The Sunday schedule: 11:00 am, polo (Henry Burgess Memorial Cup); 12:00 noon, Calcutta (for all events); 1:00 pm, Wyoming Steer roping Finals, Round 1; 2:00 pm, Don King Days Matched Saddle Bronc Riding, Round 1; 3:00 pm, Wyoming Steer Roping Finals, Round 2; 4:00 pm, Don King Days Matched Saddle Bronc Riding, Round 2; 5:00 pm, live music by Sam Munsick. The Monday schedule: 11:00 am, polo (Don King Days Cup); 12:30 pm, Wyoming Steer Roping Finals, Round 3; 1:30 pm, Don King Days Matched Saddle Bronc Riding, Round 3; 2:30 pm, Wyoming Steer Roping Finals, Final Round; 3:30 pm, Don King Days Match Saddle Bronc Riding, Final Round; 4:30 pm, awards ceremony. (All times are approximate.) Admission each day is $10 per person; kids 12 years and under admitted free. For more information, contact Cecile Pattison at (307) 751-5454 or Vicki Kane at (307) 672-9715.


text:
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I've been watching The Good Wife - A LOT of The Good Wife. I'm over on Salt & Nectar sharing my thoughts on this fantastic series.
Great minds think alike. Great minds also apparently engage in simultaneous binge watching. While The Other Sarah has been soaking in the Shakespearean melodrama of Sons of Anarchy, I've been catching up on The Good Wife. By catching up, I mean I've watched four seasons in about week. (Don't judge! I've been sick!)
I've loved every second of getting to know Alicia Florrick and the cast of characters at Lockhart/Gardner. This show has taken the fascinating premise of a political spouse standing by her disgraced husband and turned it into so much more.
Of course my hours of television weren't a complete loss. I learned several valuable lesson from these fabulous characters.
Life is full of gray. Alicia is constantly encountering situations that are a choice between something wrong and something else wrong. In other words, just like real life. Real life isn't a choice between easy black and white choices. Life is full of gray where you just have to pick the choice that is the least offensive.
Dress for the occasion. Alicia and all her cohorts are always dressed to the nines. I'm not saying a new Ralph Lauren suit every day is in the cards for most of us but putting on your fanciest attire can help all of us get through the toughest of situations.
Marriage is a commitment. This is perhaps my favorite aspect of the show (by the way only to Season 4 – NO SPOILERS!). I love that the Florrick marriage is complicated, hits stops and starts, and has gone through its share of trials. Yet, it still stands. Alicia doesn't even seem to know herself why she is still married and I find this to be the most realistic aspect of all. Sometimes we stay. Sometimes we commit. Not for a single simple reason but for a million complicated ones.
Religion is complicated. I absolutely love the way this show deals with religion. No grand ideologies or strong stances. Just characters having honest discussions with those they love about what they believe.
When in doubt, throw some shade. Sometimes I think this show should be called The Good Eyebrow because WOWZA are there some raised eyebrows and stern looks going around. Alicia, Diane, even Eli can give looks that stop even the coldest killer in their tracks. Really, sometimes that's all you really need.
Be Kalinda. Ok, I'm still working on how to actually transform myself into a fictional character. I hope to have it figured out by the end of Season 5. Stay tuned.
Are you a fan of The Good Wife? Let me know!


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Posted march,13th - 2017
Bitlogic MSX in GOTY 2016 Survey
BitLogic in its version #MSX has been third in a survey to choose the game of the year GOTY 2016.
It is a well deserved third place. Thank you very much for your votes and support. You have made Bitlogic the best original and new "game of the year" GOTY 2016 for MSX1.
Congratulations to the champion.


text:
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text:
Today I reversed engineered the control board of the RC Buggy and the results are the schematic attached. I was only interested in the Motor Drive CCT so thats all that is drawn. It looks fairly straight forward to hook up the PICAXE to this board, although the main Driver Transistors are TO-92L type packages, so I suspect the duty cycle of the drive will not be continuous as there are no heat sinks etc.
While I was at it I removed the RF Receiver Daughterboard and the decoder chip (U1 in the schematics), so now the board is all ready to go.


text:
tell it
on the
over the hills
and everywhere!
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born! Joy to
the world, the Lord is come! Let earth
receive her King! Let every heart prepare
Him room, and heaven and nature sing, and
heaven and nature sing, and heaven and heaven and
nature sing. Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see
thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go
by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. The hopes and
fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. Oh come, all ye faithful, joyful
and triumphant! Oh come, ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold
Him born the King of angels.Oh come, let us
adore Him, oh
come, let us adore
Him, oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Wishing you all the joys and blessings of Christmas and the best of all
holiday seasons! May you have the gift of family and the fun of friends. If I could
put the Spirit of Christmas in a jar, I'd give you each a dozen jars, so you
could open one every month during the coming year and
remember what true joy feels like. 'Night, Gramma G.


text:
The folks over at Artsploitation Films know how to pick them. Next week they are set to deliver a festival favorite in Rodrigo Gasparini and Dante Vescio THE DEVIL LIVES HERE. This stunning and graphic dig into the abyss follows a group of three friends set to visit another's family farm. What they don't know is there is pure evil that exists in this place that goes back through many generations. Artsploitation Films will release THE DEVIL LIVES here on DVD and VOD on December 13th. Check out the trailer and details for this can't miss foreign horror.
Four teenagers get caught up in the midst of a deadly war between dark, ancient forces in a far away countryhouse in The Devil Lives Here (aka: O Diabo Mora Aqui, The Fostering). The film enjoyed a world-wide festival run (including Sitges Film Festival, Morbido FilmFest, Brussels International Film Festival) and was the winner of Best Foreign Film at the 2016 FilmQuest.
Three friends, Ale, Magu and Jorge, go on a trip to visit their friend Apolo at his family's farm for a weekend of fun. At the same time, Sebastião and his younger brother Luciano are getting ready to perform the spiritual ritual their family has been tasked with every nine months, for centuries. On the night the two groups meet, they find out that what they thought were scary tales becomes more than real. It is now up to them to prevent evil to be born and take over the world
THE DEVIL LIVES HERE is directed by Rodrigo Gasparini and Dante Vescio and stars Pedro Carvalho, Ivo Müller, Sidney Santiago, Clara Verdier, Diego Goullart, Pedro Caetano, Felipe Frazão and Mariana Cortines.
Categories: Artsploitation Films, DVD Release, Horror Movie Trailer, Horror News, VOD Release


text:
Reaching New Heights
Geelong Roofing Interview
It was a breezy day on the rooftop of 1 Malop Street, but Geelong Roofing's Matt Foss, Dale Tennant, Peter Geels and Paul Coles are used to braving the elements on the top of the new WorkSafe building, which is already the tallest on Geelong's skyline. Kate Stephenson discusses the dizzy heights of pioneering OHS and retaining reputation with Geelong's roofing royalty.
How it all began
Geelong Roofing Pty Ltd began with tiling and metal roofing for residential projects, but quickly grew to more commercial projects. 'We started off small,' says original co-Director Peter Geels, 'That changed very quickly when we won some fairly major projects. We always looked at Geelong Roofing from a long term business point of view. We wanted to make sure we paid all our bills on time and gave the client quality service. We soon realised that employing the best personnel available, paying them well and having them directly on our payroll and not bringing in external subcontractors helped to achieve our goal.'
'We'd seen the history of small subcontracting companies and roofing companies in Geelong that hadn't been a success, and knew we wanted to foster a culture of a company that was in it for the long haul. The key to success is to make sure you pay your suppliers and your workers well and on time. If there was a bit left over from a job we'd make sure we kept it for a rainy day. Our mantra has always been to respect the people you are working with; respect workers, respect your suppliers and respect everyone in between. It stood us in good stead in days gone by, and is still relevant today.'
Longevity like this takes a level of determination and professionalism that only a handful of companies are capable of sustaining. Geelong Roofing was run by Peter Geels and Dale Anderson. Peter was a lynchpin of the business. 'We've been going for over 35 years,' he says proudly. Some companies who do that have to change their names or rebrand. We've been Geelong Roofing Pty Ltd from the very beginning and our reputation has carried us.'
The first jobs Geelong Roofing did were certainly from a time when greater Geelong looked very different to how it does now. Deakin University's fledgling Waurn Ponds campus, The 'Cracker' for Shell, The Capital netball centre and Bay City Plaza were among the impressive portfolio to date. 'We are still in contact with some companies who were around at the very beginning,' says Paul. There are a number of builders we have worked with for over three decades. A lot of the companies we worked for in Geelong at the start aren't there anymore, but many others have taken their place.
Geelong Roofing have played a pivotal role in the evolution of roofing plumbing over the years. They have worked on key Geelong buildings including the Victorian Producers Cooperation, Simonds Stadium, and even Little Creatures Brewery. Over the years, they have seen the practice of roofing plumbing evolve and change in more ways than one.
Taking a new direction
Matt Foss and Dale Tennant joined Peter Geels and Dale Anderson as Directors of the company several years ago. The new directors have been working together to incorporate new technologies and practices to take the business into the future, evolving and improving with the changing times.
'I was supposed to be at university full time,' laughs Matt, 'But I was on the job working with these guys. It was only supposed to be part time work where I could gain some experience in the industry. I have always had a huge appetite for learning and Peter and Dale invested a lot of time in developing my knowledge and skills, encouraging and supporting me to take on more and more responsibility. Many of my peers went on to work for Tier 1 construction companies
(which is where I originally saw myself heading), however the opportunity they gave me here was just too good to pass up. I really like working for the company and enjoy the challenges we face on a daily basis. What we do is really interesting. As well as the new challenges every day, it's the camaraderie and culture of the company that keeps me going.'
Dale echoes this sentiment. 'Having employers that were willing to put back into training and are supportive of your ambition to do so is another reason we gel.'
Safety ambassadors
Geelong Roofing set the standard in safety, before some even knew what OHS was. 'When I first started with Geelong Roofing, the industry had a fairly bad reputation for safety. We joined with Master Plumbers and the unions to slowly but surely advocate an evolution towards safety. Geelong Roofing were the first roofing company in Geelong to use safety mesh, perimeter handrails and stair scaffolds. We've been part of the journey from the very beginning, setting the pace as far as health and safety goes in Geelong and Geelong district.'
'Along with about a dozen others, I attended a meeting at the Master Plumbers HQ in Melbourne in the early days when we were working out the first Code of Conduct for "safe work on roofs" for the roofing industry, we all had input into that and it grew from there.'
'I clearly remember the days when these standards weren't in place,' says Paul 'workers would walk across the purlins with no mesh, no handrail, no anything. 'Even the riggers would walk across the purlins and slide down the columns.' Fortunately, these times have changed.
'Roofing plumbing used to be one of the riskiest disciplines in the industry,' echoes Peter. 'There were companies in Geelong who had lost people. After the provisions that have been put in place, it isn't like that anymore. You'd be quite happy to put your son or daughter up there working for a reputable roofing company that followed the current codes of conduct for safe work on roofs.'
'We pride ourselves on our OHS record, says Dale. 'It costs money to do it properly, but we don't take shortcuts. Every job has its own complexity. It's never a one size fits all approach. We respect that every building is unique.'
As Paul explains, 'We get a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) prepared that is site specific and we add to it constantly. Every morning we have a pow wow, explain what the hazards are before we start work. It's crucial to be aware how the hazards are changing daily. It's our key aim to be on top of this. Our leading hands communicate that with all the staff. It's crucial to be on top of things before they happen.'
'You're often the first point of contact on a job where some of the safety measures aren't in place. You have to review and workshop it and come up with an idea of how to ensure it is suitable. You're often reliant on the trades around you. Not everyone operates at the level we expect.'
'Like any plumber, you have to have your wits about you,' says Matt. 'Every job is different, and they all have their own issues. You need to have workers who are trained and experienced, not just on the job, but in plumbing. And in terms of OHS, problem solving and working safely, it's not about dollars and cents, it's about sending our guys home at the end of the day.'
The industry is booming
It's fitting that Geelong Roofing Pty Ltd have been drafted in to work on 1 Malop Street, the new WorkSafe building. Victoria's unforgiving elements have added an extra layer of challenges to the task at hand. 'The complexity of this job was mainly due to its height and exposure to the elements in winter,' says Matt. 'It was a real battle to complete the plant room because it's 10 metres above the 13th floor and we had a lot of equipment in a small space.'
We were battling to get all the handrails, safety mesh and box gutter support installed, whilst working in and around all the other trades and equipment including the mechanical ducting, steel work, electrical and fire services. Plant rooms such as this one are notoriously difficult with a lot happening in such a small building footprint.'
For Peter Geels, it's been an honour to work on the tallest building in Geelong. 'We anticipated that a lot of our competition would shy away from the job, because they would be afraid of the red tape associated with working directly or indirectly for WorkSafe. We were the opposite. We jumped at the chance. It's part of our ethos to show them how it should be done. That's the way we always operate. Sometimes we miss out on jobs because of our meticulousness, but we won't compromise on safety.'
Big things are happening across the industry at the moment. All you have to do is look to the skies to see the amount of new developments that are popping up. 'The industry is going gangbusters,' says Matt. 'The growth corridor out in the western suburbs of Melbourne, down the coast and out to Torquay is booming. There are new housing developments all over the place and the infrastructure in terms of hospitals and schools is blossoming to match. Following a downturn in manufacturing in the region after the closures of Ford and Alcoa, this is great to see.'
Geelong Roofing are looking forward to getting their teeth into their next project, with the new Metro Tunnel in the pipeline. 'It's going to be an interesting project in terms of its complexity. It basically has to be built from the inside out due to the surrounding buildings. We are constructing an acoustic shed, to allow for the mining equipment to be dropped in to build the tunnels,' says Matt.
Fingers on the pulse
Along with Master Plumbers and three other companies in the area, Geelong Roofing Pty Ltd were among the first companies to be a part of an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA). Peter was an integral part of the process.
'The first time an EBA was written up, nobody even knew what it was. We cobbled together a single page document in a café in Moorabool Street.' And being streets ahead of the rest doesn't stop there.
'We were among the first ones in the roofing industry to sign up to Cbus. When Cbus first came out, we joined within the first few months. Look how big they are now. We have certainly seen the industry change.'
How to win jobs
Peter breaks down the whole concept of roof plumbing work neatly into three sections; winning the job, doing the job and getting paid for the job. Each has its own challenges – but operate wisely and fairly and you will be able to overcome them.
Geelong Roofing Pty Ltd will never compromise on their high standards just to win a job. 'Most tenders go to the lowest bid, so sometimes we miss out, because we are not always the cheapest,' says Peter. 'We trade on our established reputation of excellence and refuse to cut corners.
'We aren't being cocky, we are being realistic. That's why we have lasted in the industry. You need a really good credit history, you need to perform to or exceed the clients' expectations and have a really good safety standard.
You've got to earn your reputation. You can't be complacent.'
Peter sums it up nicely; 'the thing about Geelong is that it is still a provincial country town. If you don't do the right thing in Geelong you are soon found out. In Melbourne and some of the bigger cities companies can hide their mistakes to a certain extent. But here, if you take short cuts or don't do the right thing every time, you soon get found out. Geelong Roofing has existed in its own right for 35 years, some companies have had several name changes in that time because they needed to burn their bridges.
We take a lot of pride in our longevity. Here's to the next 35 years!'
What being a Master Plumbers Member means to Geelong Roofing:
Earlier this year, Geelong Roofing were invited by Master Plumbers to commemorate their 35 year Member Milestone. 'Master Plumbers are a professional organisation. It's good to have that level of support and be Members of a community among other roofing plumbers. We can share knowledge, share ideas and work to improve the industry collaboratively.' Dale Tennant, Geelong Roofing co-Director.


text:
I have written about the terrorist war on Christians in Nigeria before. Nigerian Christians are being subjected to murderous attacks from an Islamic group which calls itself Boko Haram.
Guns, bullets and bombs do not build themselves. Money from the West often turns out to be the source of terrorist funding. These bloody enterprises frequently hide behind the name of "charity."
So, it's not unusual or surprising that Nigerian media accused Al Muntada, a British charity of providing funds to Boko Haram. An article from The Observer says in part:
Peer raises fears over UK charity's alleged links to Boko Haram
British charity is under scrutiny amid claims funds ended up in hands of Nigerian terrorists blamed for killing hundreds
A British charity is under scrutiny amid claims some of its funds have ended up in the hands of African terrorists blamed for killing hundreds of people.
Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group in Nigeria with close links to al-Qaida, has targeted churches and Christians as it seeks to spread terror across the country.
The Nigerian media has reported that the country's state security service, working with local and international agencies, believes money raised by the Al Muntada Trust found its way to Boko Haram.
A charity of that name, which has its headquarters in London, raises money for disaster projects in Africa. It has attracted controversy in the past for giving a platform to radical clerics.
Lord Alton of Liverpool told parliament in July there was evidence Boko Haram carried out 600 murders this year and called for it to be proscribed in the UK as a terror group. Its rise has alarmed Africa experts and prompted concerns of "blowback" for the UK as its supporters return from Nigeria. (Read more here.)


text:
Shipping and Returns
Shipping and Returns
Administrators of www.bijouamani.com can be reached at email@example.com
For orders status, we can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com
The site www.bijouamani.com, is constantly striving to serve the customers with the best quality customer service. Bijou Amani strives to ensure fast and efficient method of processing and shipping out orders. When orders are received during business hours, we will try to get the order out the same day, given all items are in stock. If there are no back-orders, all orders will be processed and shipped out at a minimum of two business days. For shipping rates and arrival times, please visit the shipping carrier with the tracking number that will be provided.
Normal shipping pickup time is 4PM PST Monday through Friday excluding holidays for FedEx & USPS. All orders received before 1PM, will be processed within two business days, unless are pending orders ahead, at which point the order will be shipped ASAP. If expedited delivery is required, email us as soon as possible to arrange changes in shipping. Once the shipment is made it is very difficult to the change it and there will also be extra charge added.
All sales are final. If you are not satisfied with your purchase please return the item within 5 business days of the delivered date. There will be a 30% stocking fee, unless the return is for but not limited to, defective, broken, or wrong items shipped.
All refunds are STORE CREDIT. No Exceptions.
1. You must request an RMA (return merchandise authorization) by email ONLY number within 5 business days of receipt before making a return: To request an RMA number please fill out the form completely and email it to us firstname.lastname@example.com. You can download the RMA form here. Please be sure to let us know in your email: (1) Which item you would like to return. (2) Why you want to return it. The RMA number, once received, must be written in a conspicuous place on the copy of your packing slip.
2. Please note: For a return to be accepted for store credit, items must be in their original purchase condition, including the original product packaging and all accessories. Any item that you received with tags attached must be returned with those tags intact.
3. For any returned packages with failure delivery, i.e., multiple delivery attempts, insufficient address information, or delivery refusal, you will be issued a store credit for the amount of the purchase, minus original shipping cost and return shipping cost, as well as a 30% restocking fee.
When returning the items please return by USPS only, (SHIPPING FEE FOR RETURN ITEMS WILL NOT BE GIVEN FOR ANY OTHER METHODS) pack all items in one package box and have the following items inside the return box:
Please have all items in the original packaging
Please print out copy of the RMA receipt
Please provide copy of the invoice indicating which items are being returned
Please indicate the reason(s) for return
Please note that shipping fee will not be credited for return items.
- All Returns and RMA are only dealt through e-mail. Phone calls made will not be accounted for as having notified us within 5 days.
- The postmark date for the return should not exceed a week from the date the RMA, (return authorization number) , was issued, otherwise the return shall be considered late, and the authorization will be null, voided.
- Returns made without obtaining a RMA number will not be processed, accepted.
- Return Label/Call Tags are not provided.
- No online purchase returns accepted at store. Only Mail-Ins.
*To download RMA request sheet please click here.
Order Cancellation
You may cancel your order as long as your order is still in process. Once your order has been shipped, you cannot cancel your order. Refunds will only be given as "Customer Points". Please allow 5 business days to process the order cancellation.


text:
There is a movement to rebrand kangaroo meat so that people aren't upset at eating skippy? Excuse me? The Kangaroo is culled anyway, why not eat it? Calling it a Skippyburger won't appease the people who say it is cruel (whilst hypocritically tucking into a Big Mac). Surely the bigger wrong is to cull them and NOT use the meat?
If someone is totally vegetarian, then as the Australians say, good on them, it is a self consistent position, but a carnivore getting squeamish about Skippy? Puh-leese! As for carnivores, if the kangaroo was an endangered species, there would be an argument - perhaps.
Surely it would be better for the ecosystem if Aussie farmers farmed the roo instead of the sheep?
A few years back Tesco stocked both Ostrich and Kangaroo, they were excellent meats, and very lean. On more than one occasion I'd overhear a fluffy bunny type would say something about being cruel (whilst buying their battery farmed chicken).
I do accept that the culling method may have been undesirable, I don't know. However, if someone does not have a problem with meat A, then logically meat B should be okay too (if the meat is obtained humanely).
As a result of this, I can no longer buy Kangaroo (I live in the UK). I would like to... it was nice. So, rebrand all you like - and lets see it back on the shelves in the Supermarket! It's good eating.
If anyone does know where good kanga cuts can be obtained in the UK, do pass on the information.


text:
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text:
Bragg, Sara and Buckingham, David
(Version of Record)
Due to publisher licensing restrictions, this file is not available for public download
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This article discusses parents' and young people's accounts of family television viewing, produced as part of a research project into responses to sexual content in the media. The analysis identifies how practices of media consumption, such as parents 'discussing' social issues in drama with their children, are gendered and gendering. These in turn contribute to young people's understandings of gender and sexual identities. The article argues that familiar anecdotes, for example, about the 'embarrassment' of communally watching sexual images on television, can be an occasion for challenging or reinforcing family power relations and making identity claims, both at the time of viewing and of retelling.
|Item Type:
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|Extra Information:
|29/11/2011 Author supplied authors copy to be made available via closed access / reqiuest a copy only
|children; consumption; practices; gender; identity; media; parenting; regulation; television; youth
|Academic Unit/School:
|Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS) > Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport
Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS)
|Research Group:
|Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology (CREET)
|Item ID:
|Depositing User:
|Sara Bragg
|Date Deposited:
|26 Jan 2007
|Last Modified:
|17 Apr 2019 17:07
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text:
Analyzing Social Networks
- Stephen P Borgatti - University of Kentucky, USA
- Martin G Everett - Manchester University, UK
- Jeffrey C Johnson - University of Florida, USA
Designed to walk beginners through core aspects of collecting, visualizing, analyzing, and interpreting social network data, this book will get you up-to-speed on the theory and skills you need to conduct social network analysis. Using simple language and equations, the authors provide expert, clear insight into every step of the research process—including basic maths principles—without making assumptions about what you know. With a particular focus on NetDraw and UCINET, the book introduces relevant software tools step-by-step in an easy to follow way.
In addition to the fundamentals of network analysis and the research process, this Second Edition focuses on:
- Digital data and social networks like Twitter
- Statistical models to use in SNA, like QAP and ERGM
- The structure and centrality of networks
- Methods for cohesive subgroups/community detection
Supported by new chapter exercises, a glossary, and a fully updated companion website, this text is the perfect student-friendly introduction to social network analysis.
|Why networks?
|What are networks?
|Types of relations
|Goals of analysis
|Network variables as explanatory variables
|Network variables as outcome variables
|Paths and components
|Adjacency matrices
|Ways and modes
|Matrix products
|Experiments and field studies
|Whole-network and personal-network research designs
|Sources of network data
|Types of nodes and types of ties
|Actor attributes
|Sampling and bounding
|Sources of data reliability and validity issues
|Ethical considerations
|Network questions
|Question formats
|Interviewee burden
|Data collection and reliability
|Archival data collection
|Data from electronic sources
|Data import
|Cleaning network data
|Data transformation
|Cognitive social structure data
|Matching attributes and networks
|Converting attributes to matrices
|Data export
|Multidimensional scaling
|Correspondence analysis
|Hierarchical clustering
|Embedding node attributes
|Node filtering
|Ego networks
|Embedding tie characteristics
|Visualizing network change
|Exporting visualizations
|Closing comments
|Permutation tests
|Dyadic hypotheses
|Mixed dyadic–monadic hypotheses
|Node level hypotheses
|Whole-network hypotheses
|Exponential random graph models
|Stochastic actor-oriented models (SAOMs)
|Transitivity and the clustering coefficient
|Triad census
|Centralization and core–periphery indices
|Basic concept
|Undirected, non-valued networks
|Directed, non-valued networks
|Valued networks
|Negative tie networks
|Girvan–Newman algorithm
|Factions and modularity optimization
|Directed and valued data
|Computational considerations
|Performing a cohesive subgraph analysis
|Supplementary material
|Structural equivalence
|Profile similarity
|The direct method
|Regular equivalence
|The REGE algorithm
|Core–periphery models
|Converting to one-mode data
|Converting valued two-mode matrices to one-mode
|Bipartite networks
|Cohesive subgroups and community detection
|Core–periphery models
|Reducing the size of the problem
|Choosing appropriate methods
|Small-world and scale-free networks
|Personal-network data collection
|Analyzing ego network data
|Example 1 of an ego network study
|Example 2 of an ego network study
An excellent book for students and established scholars alike who want to seriously get into the analysis of social networks. The authors provide a superb introduction to the field, but also offer the depth that enables the reader to perform state-of-the-art analyses. Each chapter comes with clearly defined learning outcomes and exercises, which makes me recommend this book to all my students. It is one of the best books on the analysis of social networks that I have seen so far.
The first edition of this fine text has quickly become a leading resource for the conduct of social network research and the analysis of social network data, especially for those researchers using the UCINET software to analyse data. So it is especially valuable to see an updated second edition appearing. This is an indispensable guide for researchers in the collection, analysis and interpretation of social network data.
Other books are about social networks. Look here for the best introduction to doing network research. If you want to learn to design a network study, analyze networks, and test hypotheses about social connectivity, this is the book for you.
The first edition of this book was a winner … and this edition is even better. The clear writing, the new glossary at the end of the book, and the exercises at the end of each chapter make this edition a wonderful book to teach from. Highly recommended.
What do rumours, viruses and global trade have in common? They are all transmitted through a network. For some, this is the start of thinking how all networks share similar properties. For me, such platitudes are getting passé; of course networks are everywhere! Finally, this book goes beyond superficial commonalities in networks to provide a coherent framework for the many different kinds of social networks available to the researcher. The authors help us understand which differences matter, how to analyse them and how to make sense of the results. These days its easy to be sold on the power of network analysis, but it is much harder to know which analysis to do and why. Thankfully, Borgatti, Everett and Johnson have given us a text that is as conceptually rich as it is methodologically generous.
Probably the best method-focused book on social network analysis I have ever read. Clear structure, precise language, great examples. Can not recommend this enough for researchers and students who are interested in learning about social network analysis.
I would not recommend it for bachelor level students as it seems too in-depth to be pure introductory material.
a very useful read/text


text:
by Marina Cano | May 13, 2013 | News | 54 comments
54 Comments
Cedric on May 13, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Dear Marina,
Congrats with your new website. It looks fantastic and I like it's simplicity, it's very abstract!
I just ordered your new book through your website, I cannot wait for it.
Mª José Gobantes on May 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Enhorabuena por esta estupenda página. Aunque sabes lo que pienso de tu trabajo te lo digo una vez más: M Á G I C O, M A G N Í F I C O, M E M A R A V I L LA….Reply
MERECE ser MIRADO Y ADMIRADO.
Mari on May 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Vielen dank für die tollen Momente, die ich hier sehen durfte. Ich liebe ihre Fotos .Reply
Viele Grüße von Mari aus Deutschland
Manu on May 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm
ur page is just awesomee.. no words… best clickzzz…..al d bestReply
Mario Moreno on May 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm
WOW !!!! no tenia ni idea de que ya tenias tu web online.
Mahesh Garg on May 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Really delighted to see your website. All the pictures are a life in itself. Now I am dreaming if I could ever be able to click pictures like this ever, but really want too…Reply
Mike Fisher on May 14, 2013 at 10:12 am
congratulations marina and I wish you al ot of success with your beautiful new website!!Reply
Sylvain Gemme on May 20, 2013 at 12:31 am
you have many many beautiful picturesReply
congratulations for your works in photography
Juan L. Tomé on May 20, 2013 at 11:18 am
Un día descubrí tu manera de hacer fotos. Gran fortuna la mía!.
Esta página seguro que le alegrará el día a muchas otras personas.
Gracias Marina.
Juan LuisReply
JO-Anne Whalley on May 25, 2013 at 7:12 pm
What a wonderful web-siteReply
I am happy to have the privileged to see it.
phil kako on July 27, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Ms Maria…Ms Maria ! How do I start this when there are so many , many words to define you SUPER talent ! When we walk through our LIFES paths, we come across many a different opportunities. NOT unlike you and your "Photograph journey. I am so pleased to see your work. I am a retired "LIFEs PERSONEL" AND, LIVIMG on a limited income. But, as I had said before…" if I was wealthy I would see to it that your work was shown all over the world.." , You have such an awe-inspiring photographic-eye that it should be shown around the world. NO…NO….THE UNIVERSE.. I came across you here on this social media, I will try not to loose you. Keep up the GREAT work and happy trails to you dear one… Love Phil K.Reply
Libby Ryding on July 29, 2013 at 2:33 am
Congratulations Marina on your incredible work…. Inspiring and beautiful….. Fantastic website and presentation in all areas…. Brava…. and best wishes for many years of amazing adventures…..Reply
dariosastre on July 29, 2013 at 11:07 am
Mi mas sincera enhorabuena por tú trabajo Marina. Tienes una página realmente genial, repleta de fotones. Tu trabajo en Cabárceno con los animales es realmente bueno! Un día de estos me pasaré por allí a intentar imitarte!!…jeje.
Un abrazo.Reply
Elaine Montague on August 3, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Are you on Pinterest?Reply
Gordi Brown on August 3, 2013 at 8:54 pm
dear Marina
love your pics!
バーバリーブラックレーベル on August 4, 2013 at 3:57 am
very nice post, i certainly love this website, keep on itReply
Alexander Inglis on September 9, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Thank you for allowing me the privilege to view your photography work. You do beautiful work. I think you have an amazing eye for what you do with your craft. Photography has opened many doors for me and has allowed me the freedom to explore places most people only dream about.. It's incredible to see one's perspective through their lens. Thank you!
Alex Inglis
Sally Laws on September 12, 2013 at 10:22 am
I am an absolute giraffe freak and found out about you first on fb. Your photos are incredible and I will soon be ordering a print I believe 🙂Reply
WHYSTYLE on September 13, 2013 at 7:27 am
Hi. we are WHYSTYLE.
And I'm Jong Jin Kim.
I see by chance the your pictures.
your pictures very good and amazing and very beautiful =>
So.. point-blank I want wolf pictures and I want more animals pictures.
I want use your pictures.
Pleses tell me about used your pictures.
I'm looking forward to hearing from your mail.Reply
Roy Schmidt on September 16, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Querida Marina,
¡Gracias por compartir su "link " a su sitio de fotografía! Sus fotos son maravillosas e padres. Mi gusté especialmente de la foto de los bueyes y de las dos grullas africanas. Gustaría de algún día poder comprar algunas de sus fotos. ¡Ojala que puedo! Continua con su trabajo maravilloso.
Roy SchmidtReply
Jody Grenier on September 21, 2013 at 1:54 am
I became a pianist after I heard a Stevie Wonder song, Im becoming a photographer after taking in your images.
Mandy Swanwick on October 7, 2013 at 12:23 am
Your images are by far the BEST I have ever seen absolutely STUNNING You are so lucky to have such a Talent the moments captured tell wonderful tales. Thankyou for sharingReply
Lisa Schermuly on October 26, 2013 at 8:58 am
Dear Marina,
your Pictues are verry verry beautiful!I Love the pictuer with the baby Hippo!
Have you got an exhibition?
Pleas write
Lisa SchermulyReply
admin on May 6, 2014 at 11:26 pm
Thanks Lisa, I have two exhibitions right now: Seul Korea, and La Habana, CubaReply
Bud on October 28, 2013 at 9:32 am
Poignantly painful and delightfully consuming is the ache in the heart as your images touch so many places at once.
Jenny-Leigh Methven on November 28, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Thank you for allowing me to see the utter beauty of Africa where I was born <3Reply
Marcos Ravelo on December 16, 2013 at 3:42 pm
Muchas Felicidades María
Un trabajo extraordinario, digo no ser visto en una exposición.
Una maravilla!
emilio on December 18, 2013 at 9:36 am
me ha encantado el libro DRAMA Y LA INTIMIDAD, enhorabuena por el y gracias por compartirlo con nosotros.Reply
emilio on December 18, 2013 at 9:37 am
me ha encantado el libro DRAMA Y LA INTIMIDAD, enhorabuena por el y gracias por compartirlo con nosotros.Reply
H. Riaz ahmed Saleem on December 21, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Hi Mam,
I came to know your works through social media and the beauty of your work is beyond any measures. Its just AWESOME and you made me to buy a Nikon D5200. Now i have started clicking too. Thanks for the motivation, i really mean it.
God Bless.
Riaz Ahmed. HReply
Peter Stuwe on January 18, 2014 at 12:01 am
Dear Marina,
with your new website everything is perfect and there is now missing of anything. I wish you a great success.Reply
f k on January 19, 2014 at 6:55 am
Your photography is breathtaking. I just posted a link to your website on my facebook page to show my friends what beautiful pictures you take.
Will be ordering your books. Fantastic!
Thank you.Reply
Ania Jones on February 28, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Hi Marina
I have followed you on Facebook for a while now and have just visited this amazing website – your work is truly inspiring and I admire and appreciate every single piece.
Thank you for sharing your travels – it has been breathtaking.
Abhi Shek on March 6, 2014 at 10:38 am
Dear Marina,
Congrats with your new website. It
looks fantastic and I like it's
simplicity, it's very abstract!
I just ordered your new book
through your website, I cannot wait
for it.I also want to be wildlife photographer please help me to become a photographer
Abhi Shek
Jenny Leigh Methven on April 20, 2014 at 4:31 pm
I always return to dreaming of Africa on your website. As we say in South Africa " I left my heart in Africa "Reply
Keith Gypps on May 3, 2014 at 11:26 am
Hi Marina,Reply
I am following you on Facebook, I love your work and hope one day to join you on one of your workshops.
Keep up the good work
vedat on August 2, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Pamela Davis on August 5, 2014 at 1:26 am
I enjoy your work so much. Hopefully someday I will be improved enough to attend one of your workshops.Reply
Alan Barajas on September 23, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Tu trabajo es magnifico, eres una de las mejores fotografas de la vida salvaje.Reply
Solo tengo una pregunta.
¿Para llegar a donde estas estudiaste algo en especifico o
solo seguiste tu pasión y te llevo a todo lo que eres hoy en dia?
Muchas gracias!
D.A. Cano on October 2, 2014 at 7:18 pm
I am very happy to have discovered your site. Amazing work!
D.A. Cano on October 3, 2014 at 1:39 am
Hi Marina-Reply
I was very happy to have to discovered your site. I really enjoy your work!
olivier ripoll on October 4, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Merci, ton travail est juste fantastique…Reply
J'espere un jour avoir la chance de voir une de tes expo..
Briitney Allehissah on October 4, 2014 at 6:05 pm
All of your photos are absolutely gorgeous, and unique in every way, they capture those moments that everyones tries so hard to get on camera but you seem to get them with ease and grace. Beautiful work :]Reply
Robert Eick on December 5, 2014 at 12:00 am
GREAT STUFF you're one of my favoritesReply
Justine O'Keeffe on May 12, 2015 at 11:29 am
Dear Marina,
Please be in touch with me. I have a client who would like some work by you for a decorating job in Johannesburg.
Thank you very muchReply
Carlos on January 12, 2016 at 10:39 am
Siento una profunda lastima ya que admiro tu trabajo pero la web es totalmente insufrible. Con mis 3000 megas de Ono va lento, algunas cosas no cargan, en el móvil totalmente imposibleReply
admin on January 12, 2016 at 5:58 pm
Hola Carlos,
Gracias por tu mensaje, lo he reportado a la empresa que lleva mi web, y parece que le han dado más velocidad.
Podrías escribirme de nuevo si notas alguna mejora?
Te lo agradecería.
Un saludoReply
Tamara Koehn on January 20, 2016 at 7:16 pm
I also left my part of my heart in Africa. I get very lonesome for that part and take every opportunity to visit it. Your photos are amazing! I just bought a calendar of lighthouses. The stormy waves engulfing the lighthouse are incredible! Just curious, where is that lighthouse located and what is it's name? I can't imagine what it must have been to take those! How did you do it? I'm loving your work!Reply
admin on January 20, 2016 at 9:53 pm
Thanks for your nice words Tamara, it's a pleasure.Reply
The lighthouse is in Santander, Cantabria, Spain. Those pictures took me several years, at different storms, angles, weather…
Warm regards
anwar hashmi on February 14, 2016 at 6:12 pm
hello marina nice photosReply
Matt on September 17, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Can you email me? I would like to discuss buying a print.Reply
Aalia El Masri on February 26, 2017 at 9:31 pm
i am very impressed with your page and also on all pictures that take me on a trip around the world of animals smallest detail all the best for your book, and i hope to get a copy of the standing girlfriend from LebanonReply
jasmine on August 17, 2017 at 6:58 am
Thank you for the hard work and dedication. Keep it up and stay safe!Reply
Thomas Andersson on November 24, 2017 at 2:57 pm
Dear Marina !Reply
I just LOVE your photos. Quality in every sense !!!
There is a soul in every picture !!!


text: Named after the village near it where it's located also called Kotumsar. It is a limestone cave formed on the Kanger limestone belt. The main tunnel of the cave is nearly 200 m long with several lateral and downward passages. The cave is subject to frequent flooding during the monsoon season, which generally begins in the middle of June and continues until the middle of October. The site is closed to tourists during this period. Highly advised not to travel during that period.


text: The design and implementation of an autonomous guidance system requires knowledge and an understanding of a wide range of technologies, from the physical dynamics of the vehicle (including mechanical and structural properties) to the accuracies and inaccuracies of the sensors used to guide the vehicle. At the simplest level a guidance system has: - A sensor to generate measurements. - A guidance law to convert the measurements into a requirement (usually a requirement on the acceleration of the vehicle). - A dynamical model/transfer function to convert the requirement into a desired control/command. - A control system to minimise the difference between the desired control and the actual control achieved.


text:
Terri Wright is the director of APHA's Center for School, Health & Education Division of Public Health Policy and Practice where she provides leadership to the strategic development and integration of public health in school-based health care and education. Wright most recently retired from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Mich., where she served for 12 years as a program director for health policy. In this guest commentary, Wright discusses the critical role of school-based health care in ensuring health and wellness among our nation's children and reducing gun violence in our schools.
President Obama has led our nation in the development of a comprehensive response to gun violence and senseless loss of life. One essential component of the plan is increasing access to mental health services. The good news is that this work is possible by placing an enhanced focus on school-based health care, a proven method with bipartisan congressional support as well as that of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.
The nearly 2,000 school-based health centers in operation across the country are an evidence-based, front-line strategy. They cost-effectively identify and provide services for students in need of mental health services, hopefully averting future tragedy. Funding and expanding school-based health care must be part of the plan moving ahead.
President Obama is to be applauded for releasing an urgently needed plan to reduce gun violence earlier this year. It includes a host of common-sense policies that reinforce the notion that "enough is enough" while upholding our Constitution and Second Amendment rights.
Now, the real work begins, and no doubt it will be a tough road ahead, as he rallies the support of our lawmakers to make our streets, schools and communities safer for all of us but especially our children. All the more reason to seize this opportunity before us.
Nationwide, nearly one in five children and adolescents experiences symptoms of mental health disorders. Of those in need of help, only 15 to 20 percent receive services. Left untreated, mental health conditions in children and adolescents lead to higher rates of suicide, violence, school dropout, family dysfunction, juvenile incarcerations, alcohol and other drug use and injuries.
Because of their trusted relationships, SBHC staff, along with teachers and other school personnel, are often the first to notice signs that a student is having trouble. They provide on-site treatment and daily support, making mental health services accessible, proactive and effective.
SBHCs in 48 states and the District of Columbia deliver comprehensive primary and preventive healthcare to more than 2 million students – regardless of their ability to pay – in their schools. Not only does this help improve mental health and stop violence, it helps students stay in school and graduate, combats rising obesity and diabetes rates, and provides the social supports to move past such barriers to graduation as teen pregnancy and chronic absenteeism.
School-based health centers are much more likely to provide mental health services for adolescents than are other providers. In fact, of the children and adolescents who do receive mental health services, 70 to 80 percent receive them in schools. Students report that they trust the confidentiality afforded by SBHCs, and it's certainly easier to get there when the services are just down the hall. Beyond individual students, SBHCs support all students' mental health by creating preventive, school-wide programs to address bullying, violence, anger, depression, and other social and emotional issues that impede academic achievement.
Congress included SBHCs in the Affordable Care Act as a key link in the nation's health care safety net, recently providing $80 million for structural enhancements such as construction, renovation, technology upgrades and equipment for SBHCs. As important as that funding is to build new centers and make capital improvements in existing ones, it doesn't pay for operations. It doesn't fund the nurse practitioner, the mental health therapist, the medical assistant. They are the heart and soul of the centers, the reason students come in, trust the care they receive, and keep coming back.
To fully realize the potential of SBHCs in serving our young people, Congress must appropriate $50 million to support their operation and ensure that countless children and adolescents receive the mental health services they need. This is a specific, immediate step Congress and Secretaries Duncan and Sebelius can take.
It's also one of our best chances we have to avert future violence and tragedy.


text:
Surya Prakash Apartment, Samarth Nagar, Nashik - 422005, Near Shete Hospital Near Parijat Nagar Bus ...
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text:
Have you seen or heard about this series of short videos created by Mennonite Church Canada? If not you might want to check them out. Nick Spaling, an NHL hockey player, is featured in the first video. Zahara Kwaje Ali, from South Sudan and a member at Peace Mennonite Church in Regina, SK shares her story in the second video.
Intended to dispel stereotypes of who Mennonites are and to tell a story along the way, these videos are funded by above budget donations. Mennonite Women Canada has been approached and asked if we would contribute towards the next video which is in the works.
This video will feature a third generation Congolese Mennonite woman, Odette Mkole, who has been living, studying and working in Winnipeg for the past few years. Odette's great-grandfather was a Mennonite – a fact that surprises a lot of people she meets. She has an amazing story to tell!
As an executive, we felt this would be a great project to support and are now asking you to consider giving towards it. We are asking for individual donations as well as donations from your women's group or church, but request that this be above your regular giving. We hope to raise most of the money needed by the end of the year. Please consider supporting this worthwhile project. Designated donations can be made on-line at our Opportunities for Giving page or by contacting our treasurer Lois Mierau at email@example.com.


text:
Please contact us if you have questions with these items or if you need advice.
Freie Universität Berlin
Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie
Arnimallee 22
D-14195 Berlin
|Tue: 10.00 - 13.00 Uhr; Thur: 13.00 - 16.00 Uhr (all year))
Contact to the members of the examinations office
Please consider:
The Pharmazy program is not managed by the department's examinations office, but by the "Landesprüfungsamt" instead.
Hier you will find forms and Information specificly for your study program.
Here you will find general hints and answers for frequently asked questions.


text:
Ethiopian Facebook users have reacted to a mobile phone recorded YouTube video which shows a little girl constantly being abused by her mother. Shortly after the upload of the video, netizens on Facebook organized an online campaign [1] for justice by starting a Facebook group [2] called "Ethiopians Against Child Abuse":
what happened to this little girl is an eye opening experience to all of us. Let's all stand up for other invisible children, and bring awareness to stop child abuse in ETHIOPIA. We are the next generation that can change our country let's start today
As we closely monitor the case of the little girl, we also want to think about on how we can keep on making such great diffrence by very small gestures as we have just done, in these past two days. This community (Ethiopians Against Child Abuse), is a group dedicated to bringing awareness to child abuse in Ethiopia. We are inviting all and any individuals who already work in charity, people who are interested in charity work, and individuals who are ready to make a difference to join our movement.
The following video contains upsetting content:
This update [3] was posted on the group's wall:
BREAKING NEWS: we just got off the phone with Saifu Fantahun and we have learned that: 1. after the reporters left the house, the child got beat again, there are new marks on her body to prove that :( 2. The woman is not her mother, she is her grandmother. 3. The child is 4 years old now and they claim these happened 3 years ago, which is clearly a lie. Because the child was not 1 years old in the video. 4. both the mother and the girl who was recording the incident are both in custody. 4. The child is staying with her aunt for now. 5. The grandmother is claiming that she get's possessed by the devil sometimes and that is why she commits such act.
Another Facebook group is called "Stop child abuse In Ethiopia" [4]:
This is group is dedicated to those children who have been victims of physical assault,mental torture,sexual harassment,abduction, and early marriage. The immediate cause for its existence is the brutal physical torture committed on a little girl by her parents.
The group bears the responsibility to spread the information as wide as possible so as to make the issue the concern of responsible bodies.
Thus Let us try to change the situation by inviting our friends to this group, at least invite two of your friends. tnx
Tsedi Lemma [5], one of the most active Ethiopian social media activist wrote on her Facebook page:
Watch this video and weep. I have nothing to say….this has gutted my ability to speak as a mother and a woman. I didn't know this was the limit of my big mouth…i am just speechless!!
Another Ethiopian netizen, Muson Abdo [4], left a message on the 'Stop child abuse In Ethiopia' Facebook page:
Let's do the simplest possible effort to stop the brutal child right abuse in our country by echoing the message so that the issue will become the concern of our leaders. There are so many similar cases taking place in the country which hampers the natural and healthy growth of the coming generation. You are the one who can stop this disaster from the land. So don't overlook it, it is our responsibility too. We have the ability in our hands to halt it right now. Let say enough is enough. We have suffered/they have suffered/ our country suffered a lot from this epidemic. Speared it as wide as you can.
Dawit Nida [6] [am] said on Facebook:
One local radio station has offered a 10,000 Ethiopian Birr (about US$ 600) reward for any one with information leading to the arrest of the abusive "mother". The girl laughing in the background who recorded the video has finally gave her side of the story.
A local online newsletter [7] [am] reports that the mother has now been identified.
Social media helped Ethiopian netizens discover the video and spread it among themselves. Facebook penetration [8] in Ethiopia is at 111.19%. The country ranks number 93 [9] in the ranking of Facebook statistics by country. According to Internet World Stats, as of 31 December, 2011 there were 622,122 Internet users in Ethiopia.
Recently, mobile phone video [10]footage showing an Ethiopian domestic worker being beaten and dragged by force into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, Lebanon caused angry reactions amongst Ethiopian netizens [11].


text:
Dr. Benito Carrera
Dr. Carrera recently relocated to the Central Texas area. He is an experienced gynecological surgeon whose main interests relate to the endoscopic treatment of endometriosis, pelvic adhesive disorders, surgical treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome and leiomyomatosis uteri.
Dr. Carrera attended Medical School at University of San Luis Potosiand completed his residency at University of North Texas. He completed his fellowship at Tarrant County Hospital at Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. Carrera has also done internship in Frankford Hospitals, Philadelphia, PA. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Carrera has been involved in multiple research studies that have been published in leading medical literature. His particular focus is in providing minimally invasive surgical treatment options to assist patients in their reproductive journey.


text:
Lisa Sylvester has developed the logo and brand identity for South Burlington, VT-based StepAhead Innovations' Mindstream Aquarium Monitoring System. The MindStream monitor will liberate salt and freshwater aquarium owners from the manual, time consuming, unreliable, and less accurate practices of using traditional dip test strips and liquid test kits. The MindStream monitor replaces manual intermittent testing with automated monitoring that is accurate, reliable, and stress free.
Step Ahead Innovations is dedicated to developing and providing innovative aquarium monitoring products and services that enable aquarium enthusiasts to maintain healthy fish and coral ecosystems and more fully enjoy their beautiful aquatic showpieces. The company is focused on deploying advanced technologies in fluorescence indicator science, ultra-sensitive optical measurement circuits, inductive power transmission, networked cloud computing, and mobile devices to reduce the stress and hassles of owning an aquarium or KOI pond.