Terms of Use

Effective date: January 08, 2017

This document (Terms of Use), including the description of Application provided by the Licensor, is a public offer, by virtue of Art. 437 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (hereinafter - the Civil Code), which is addressed to the general public and expressed in writing, in accordance with paragraph 2 and 3 of Art. 434 of the Civil Code of Russia.
You accept this public offer by purchasing (downloading) this Application or paying the license fee - whichever comes first.
In the event that You accept this public offer, there is a license agreement between You and the Licensor under conditions of this public offer. If You purchase other services, there is a mixed contract, containing the elements of a license agreement and a service agreement.
Any claims arisen due to ignorance of these conditions will not be accepted or considered.
The User has the right to use Application only when these Terms are met. The User (You) is a natural person using Application.
Licensor is a legal person, distributing the Application. Distribution of Application among Users is performed by UNITED WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES.

User’s computer is a computer device in the possession and use of the User and/or his children (wards, persons under care), including: smartphone, mobile phone, etc., which are technically capable to reproduce and to start the Application.

1.  The subject of the license agreement

1.1. Licensor grants Users the right to use Application on the basis of the ordinary
(non-exclusive) license as follows: - right to reproduce Application on the User’s computer; - right to use Application as intended.
1.2. The term of the license agreement: from the date of the purchase of Application until uninstall of Application by the User from all User’s computers or when the Licensor discontinues Application support, including a certain territory.
1.3. The territory of t he license agreement: t he entire world.
1.4. The licensor may also provide services related to the Application functionality. The list of these services (in the case of the provision) is contained in the Application.

2. Payment of the license (license fee) and services. Purchase of the Application

2.1. The date of payment of license fee for the right to use the applications and /or services will apply as a date when corresponding full amount arrives at the account of the Licensor or third parties, authorized by Licensor to receive payments.
2.2. If it is required to perform some actions, described in Application and necessary for its functioning, the User must perform these actions.
2.3. User pays the license fee and/or services in the amount specified in Application and within the timeframe defined by the Licensor in the description of Application or in Application. The User must keep records (including electronic), confirming the payment of the right to use Application and other services.
2.4. The licensor may set a free trial period of the Application use for the assessment of the Application by User. Trial period is defined solely by Licensor and can be found (if any) in the description of Application or in Application. Licensor may change trial period unilaterally at any time and without any notice to the User.
2.5. Rights to use Application granted to the User shall be considered transferred to the User when the User downloads Application or pays license fee - whichever comes first. When exclusive rights are protected by technical means, the rights are considered to be transferred to the User by granting him access permitting unprotect such means, for example, by sending the User means of access via e-mail, postal service or SMS.
Rights to use Application granted to the User cannot be transferred back to the Licensor. If the User stops using Application, the license fee is not refundable.
2.6. Licensor may change the amount of the license fee or fee for services at any time, unilaterally and without any notice to the User.

3.  Pricing

3.1. Payment of the license fee is carried out by making auto-renewable subscriptions in
AppStore or GooglePlay.
3.2. Price of the subscription depends on user country, user will see the price inside the app before subscribe.
3.2. User can subscribe one of variants: 1 month subscription (auto-renews once in the month) or 1 year subscription (auto-renews once in the year).

4. Special terms, warranties and responsibilities

4.1. Licensor shall not be liable for any damages (direct or indirect) caused to the User
due to improper use of the Application.
4.2. Licensor shall be liable under general rules of the Russian Federation, subject to the exceptions provided for in these Terms. In any case, the amount of liability of the Licensor must not exceed the amount paid by the User for license fee.
4.3. Licensor may assign or transfer his rights and obligations, arising from relationships with the User, to third parties, subject to respect the rights and interests of the User.
4.4. User warrants, from the date of the purchase of Application, that he has full legal capacity and powers necessary for the purchase of the Application.
4.5. The relationships of the Licensor and the User are subject to the law of the Russian Federation. All disputes shall be settled by submitting claims. In the event of failure to resolve any dispute using the compliant procedure within 60 calendar days after the claim arises, the Licensor and/or User may apply to the court of the place where the Licensor has his residence.
4.6. User represents and warrants that he purchases Application solely for the purposes for which Application is intended, and that he will not use Application to violate the laws of the Russian Federation or of any other state.
4.7. User represents and warrants that he has no intentions to emulate, decompile, disassemble, decrypt, and upgrade the Application or to perform other actions aimed at revealing the architecture and the logic of the Application. User represents and warrants that he will keep Copyright notices intact.
4.8. Licensor may modify the Application, its functionality, including for the purpose of optimization, customer satisfaction, etc. at any time, unilaterally and without prior notice to Users. Licensor may include in the Application any services, exclude these services, change their order, etc. at any time, unilaterally and without prior notice to Users. Licensor may discontinue Application support at any time.
4.9. Application is provided "as it is" and may contain errors in the code, may not meet the expectations of the User, may not correspond to analogues etc. Licensor shall not
be liable to the User for such errors and inconsistency. At the same time, the Licensor take all available financial, organizational and technical measures to make Application work i n t he most satisfactory way.
4.10. Licensor may change these Terms unilaterally and without any notice t o t he User.
4.11. Licensor has the right to localize (translate into appropriate language) Application for any territory. He is also free not to do so. The User has no right to claim from the Licensor to localize Application for the territory where the User resides. Available languages are specified i n t he description of Application or i n t he Application.
4.12. The launch of Application requires the User’s computer with an Android-based operating system, version 4.0 or higher or I OS 7.1 and higher.
The User’s computer must have a minimum of 80 Mb of free memory.
4.13. If the Licensor becomes aware that the User uses Application in violation of these Terms or the Russian Federation laws, the Licensor has the right to suspend the use of the Application.

5. Provision of information by the User

5.1. The User provides the information requested by the Application for proper functioning. In the event that the User provides information about his children (wards, persons under care), he acts as their legal representative by virtue of Art. 64 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation and / or Art. 31 of the Civil Code. To provide data on children (wards, persons under care), a special authorization is not required.
5.2. The User is solely responsible for the provision of false information, resulting in an inability of the Licensor to fulfill properly his obligations to the User and / or in failure of Application to perform specified functions.
5.3. Licensor does not verify the data, entered by the User.
5.4. The User grants the Licensor the right to process all provided information in the following ways: collection, recording, systematization, accumulation, storage, clarification (update, change), use, transfer (distribution, provision, access), depersonalization, blocking, deletion, destruction for the sole purpose – functioning of Application f or the purposes of its use.
5.5. By providing the Licensor phone number or email address, the User agrees that Licensor has the right, without any payment, to send on a specified phone number or e-mail promotional information on his products or products of his partners.
5.6. The User agrees to receive the newsletter, relating to Application and its functioning (notifications about new versions, new functionality, additional services, etc.).

6. Confidentiality

6.1. User agrees to transfer required confidential data for the processing by the Licensorin order t o r ender a basic essence of service by the Licensor in good faith

6.1.1. The data requested from the user by the Licensor:
- Access to statistics for the application using - in order to display these statistics only in the application of confirmed parent
- Access to the use of location - in order to display this information only in the application of confirmed parent
- Access to the microphone - in order to display this record in the application of confirmed parent
- Access to SMS – without the fact of SMS transmission, in order to send an SMS with settings f rom t he user's phone
- Access to the files - for the purpose of avatar installation
6.2. Licensor undertakes to ensure the confidentiality of all data received from the user in accordance with the policies of confidential data of Google users or Apple users, as well as in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and countries, in which the application is published, in the field of personal data. To use all the technical means available, including data transfer protocol https
6.3. Licensor undertakes to keep any information, received from the user, without joining it with the information, allowing to identify the user and interpret the data as personal.
6.4. Licensor undertakes not to disclose the information, received from the User, with the exception of providing with the information by the Licensor in accordance with the current legislation, as well as agents and third parties acting on the basis of the agreement with the Licensor, in order to perform obligations to the User or for the purpose of clause.
4.5 of these Terms of Use.


Where in the world is Angela?

This week I'm a guest at The Bookshelf Muse. One of the owners, Angela Ackerman is telling the world she's deep into writing her novel for NaNoWriMo. However, some evidence proving the contrary has surfaced.

Is Angela running a NaNoWrimo Fraud?

You'd be the judge of that:


How we can all take a lesson from Shailene Woodley’s arrest

This article discusses arrest of an actress who protested against Dakota Access Pipeline. The article highlights concerns around freedom of speech when incarceration is used to threaten people from raising their voices.

From Arizona State Press:

Activism is prominent on many college campuses this year, with the election, police violence and women's rights all at the forefront of the nation's mind. Everyone wants a peaceful protest, but free speech is often stifled by those who threaten incarceration against activists to intimidate them.

Emma Hobbs, justice studies senior, said students sometimes feel disempowered, but that it’s an incredible experience to be able to demonstrate their power through activism.

Read the full article here.


Lionel bested by Turquaine by J. Allen St. John

Sir Lionel
was the son of King Bors of Gaunes the cousin of Lancelot in the Vulgate Cycle, but in Morte Darthur was the nephew of Lancelot. He was named Lionel at birth, because his mother Evainne saw a strange birth mark on his chest, in the shape of lion. Lionel became Lancelot's squire during Arthur's war against Galehaut. Lionel was knighted after Arthur's war against the Saxons at La Roche (the "Rock").

Lionel, like the other knights of the Round Table, took part in the Holy Grail quest. Lionel was captured by two knights where he was badly beaten. His brother Bors had to choose either to save him or a damsel who was about to be raped. Because his honour as a knight demanded that he save a woman before a fellow-knight, even if the knight in trouble was his own brother. Bors rescued the damsel. Bors discovered later that his brother had managed to escape from his tormentors. Lionel selfishly accused his brother of saving the damsel but not him. Lionel challenged Bors into a duel, who refused to his own brother. A hermit, who tried to intervene and save Bors, was killed. Calogrenant, a fellow-knight had also tried to intervene on behalf of Bors, but he was no match for Lionel, and he too died in combat. Only God saved Bors from Lionel's vengeance by hurling a lightning bolt between the two brothers. Not till then did Lionel realise his error. Lionel buried Calogrenant and the hermit, while Bors continued on his quest, meeting Perceval and Galahad.

Lionel sided with his cousin Lancelot, when there was conflict between his kinsman and Arthur. Lionel took part in the rescue of Guinevere, the war at Joyeuse Guard and the war in Gaune, France.

After the battle of Camlann (or Salisbury Plain), Melehan, the son of Mordred, killed Lionel in the Battle of Winchester according to Mort Artu (Vulgate Cycle).


Thursday, August 23, 2012

1433: Responsibilities and Self-reflection

When I attended my Idulfitri prayers and listening to the Khutba (sermon), I remember the khatib (imam) told us about charity (alms) or what the Muslim called ‘Zakat’. He said “there’s no point of performing our alms if we aren’t able to pray”, and learn the true meaning of being contented and peaceful at the right state of mind. We often think that we only perform zakat only during Idulfitri. Many years ago, I was enlightened by a dear friend who I see her as a soul sister who told me that zakat has many forms. So, I start performing my zakat regularly even in my businesses, I put 5-10% and give it back to the poor. I used to put RM1 Ringgit into the donation box but later few years I start to put more without being calculative about it.

But then this very 1st Syawal of 1433, it hit my head again to understand the meaning behind helping others. Immediately I start to question myself, why did I help strangers yet I barely pay attention to my own relatives who lost their husband or wife or children. Do they have enough to survive? So I immediately go and talk to them, sending my doa and prayers, removing my own bitterness and sadness aside and pay attention to them. I tried to listen to them and try to be there even if it’s just for few minutes. I felt closer. Even Yong Zetty, my cousin called me and sent my encouraging greetings to keep me motivated. She was very helpful. That's all I need.

Being Grateful & Togetherness

While praising our belief, I see many ‘religious’ individual peculiarly rant their anger, their temper-tantrum and whine over something so small to some point take other people’s self-esteem away by demoralizing, harassing, condemning  and blindly judge everyone around them. They forget to compare to those who are more unfortunate. It’s no point if you check into foursquare in churches, temples and mosques but you swear others. It doesn’t reflect you’re better than those who don’t.

An insightful illustration by the talented Ila Fox

I am a strong believer in love and affection, even if deep inside I’m still ‘inattentive’ to relationship; I never neglected my relationship with God, my family relatives and my friends around me despite how imperfect I am. I am so grateful that they are the source of my strength and I will always pray for their well being and prosperity.

When it comes to togetherness, I never wanted to feel like an outcast. Usually I initiate and take a step to bring people together if I don’t receive one. In the family, I will always be the goofy one tried to make a fool out of myself to break tension and stress among my siblings. If they had a quarrel, I will be there to break out any argument or fight. At least.

I always believe that we should be able to migrate to become wiser and mature, not childish when we grow old who’s easily offended and insecure of small things in life. Having said, it’s within our very nature to crave for acceptance. To be accept by family members, to be accept by our friends, to be accepted by our lovers and everyone around us. We tried to hard so that others would acknowledge us, yet when we don't get it, we become demoralize by our very own actions. So, what's the point of seeking for one's acceptance if you aren't able to accept yourself first? Our biggest enemy has always been greed. When you’re not satisfied and seek for more. More attention, more wealth. That’s when we became mentally and emotionally unstable because we can never satisfied. I advise others to get over our gluttony. I encourage people not to live a life in hatred and vengeance. If you're unable to clear your mind and seek serenity at a certain age, you will constantly fall and fail miserably.

So remember, when you do good things in life, never ever expect you’ll be rewarded good things in return. Bring yourself closer to humility and seek serenity. Don’t victimize yourself by saying you have bad karma if luck is not by your side. God chose us to be stronger so that’s why we are given many obstacles so that we will be able to endure it and understand the path we had chosen. And lastly, forgive sincerely and forget. Don't put vengeance in you because it will lead you to a become a darker person. Find a closure, move on to a better, beautiful path of life, take control of your life and take a glimpse back to reflect yourself so that who you are yesterday, made you become a better person today and tomorrow. InsyaAllah.

In life, we need to achieve a good balance. Doesn't mean being good, we are not open to doing bad things. Always make room for mistakes so that you learn. Life is always about learning. There's no such logic by claiming yourself with 'Been there, done that' but you're not humble enough to empty back your glass over and over again. That's why we are born imperfect. Because none of us are truly imperfect.

Accept it, embrace it and inspire from it.


W hen we look at the effects of religion on economic ..

As a Christian Democratic party, we affirm that religious values have played an important role in the history and culture of the United States of America. We also recognize that many of the earliest American settlers were persecuted religious minorities, and respect the long history of religious liberty that has been an essential component of our national identity.

She is evidently the point person in this global effort to unite the world's religions into One.

In the United States, religious attendance rises sharply with education across individuals, but religious attendance declines sharply with education across denominations. This puzzle is explained if education both increases the returns to social connection and reduces the extent of religious belief. The positive effect of education on sociability explains the positive education-religion relationship. The negative effect of education on religious belief causes more educated individuals to sort into less fervent religions, which explains the negative relationship between education and religion across denominations. Cross-country differences in the impact of education on religious belief can explain the large cross-country variation in the education-religion connection. These cross-country differences in the education-belief relationship can be explained by political factors (such as communism) which lead some countries to use state-controlled education to discredit religion.

Economics of religion - Wikipedia

14. What if an employee objects on religious grounds to an employer-sponsored program?

Id. at 619 (finding thatexemption did not apply to manufacturer of mining equipment thatoperated for profit and was not affiliated or supported bya church, even though the company enclosed Gospel tracts inoutgoing mail, printed Bible verses on its commercial documents,financially supported religious organizations, and conducted aweekly devotional service); see also Killinger v. SamfordUniv., 113 F.3d 196, 199-200 (11th Cir. 1997) (exemptionapplied to educational institution that was founded as theologicalinstitution, received seven percent of its annual budget fromBaptist convention, and was recognized by Internal Revenue Serviceand Department of Education as religious educational institution);EEOC v. Kamehameha Sch., 990 F.2d 458, 461-63 (9th Cir.)(significant characteristics of ownership and affiliation, purpose,faculty, student body, student activities, and curriculum reflectedprimarily secular orientation of schools), cert. denied,510 U.S. 963 (1993).

Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice …

That plan includes an effort to create a vast network of support and guidance by holding gatherings all over the world, in early 1997, to allow people from different countries, cultures, religions, and educational, work, and economic backgrounds to meet and help shape the vision of a United Religions.

Questions and Answers about Religious Discrimination …

Employer-employee cooperation and flexibility are key to the search for a reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation solution is not immediately apparent, the employer should discuss the request with the employee to determine what accommodations might be effective. If the employer requests additional information reasonably needed to evaluate the request, the employee should provide it. For example, if an employee has requested a schedule change to accommodate daily prayers, the employer may need to ask for information about the religious observance, such as time and duration of the daily prayers, in order to determine whether accommodation can be granted without posing an undue hardship on the operation of the employers business. Moreover, even if the employer does not grant the employees preferred accommodation, but instead provides an alternative accommodation, the employee must cooperate by attempting to meet his religious needs through the employers proposed accommodation if possible.

Questions and Answers: Religious Discrimination in the Workplace

During this long span of time the Babylonian social structure, economic organization, arts and crafts, science and literature, judicial system, and religious beliefs underwent considerable modification, but generally only in details, not in essence.


1 00:00:13,860 --> 00:00:20,860 so now coming to aircraft wheels as we all know that wheels are a very important part 2 00:00:20,860 --> 00:00:25,900 of any vehicle similarly in aircrafts they are an important components of the landing 3 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:33,620 gear system tires are mounted on these wheels they are use to support the entire weight 4 00:00:33,620 --> 00:00:42,430 of the aircraft during all phases of operation on ground that is during taxing takeoff and 5 00:00:42,430 --> 00:00:52,450 landing a typical aircraft wheel should be of light weight strong and is generally made 6 00:00:52,450 --> 00:01:01,510 of aluminum alloy some of the aircraft wheels are also made of magnesium alloy 7 00:01:01,510 --> 00:01:09,000 now during the old days the aircraft wheels were of single piece construction like we 8 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:19,570 have in the modern automobile wheels but as time progressed the aircraft tires were improved 9 00:01:19,570 --> 00:01:27,460 they were made stiffer so that they can absorb forces of landing without blowing out or separating 10 00:01:27,460 --> 00:01:38,110 from the rim so with improved tires single piece rim was not possible because stretching 11 00:01:38,110 --> 00:01:48,409 of tire would have been a difficult thing with this improved tires with these improved 12 00:01:48,409 --> 00:01:57,740 tires a two piece wheel was developed so you can see in the diagram the wheel construction 13 00:01:57,740 --> 00:02:05,630 the wheel is in two halves this modern two piece aircraft wheel is generally 14 00:02:05,630 --> 00:02:12,870 made of casting or forging from aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy these wheel halves are 15 00:02:12,870 --> 00:02:18,700 bolted together and they contain a groove at the mating surface so at the groove there 16 00:02:18,700 --> 00:02:25,390 is a ma there is a groove at the mating surface for an oring which seals the rim since most 17 00:02:25,390 --> 00:02:31,040 modern aircraft utilize tubeless tires so in the diagram we can see there is an oring 18 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:37,790 a yellow coloured oring in between this oring gets into the groove at the meeting surface 19 00:02:37,790 --> 00:02:45,690 and is used for sealing the rim so that tubeless tires can be used in this slide you can see 20 00:02:45,690 --> 00:02:52,900 the diagram in the diagram you can see there is an outer wheel half see this the outer 21 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:59,200 wheel half the inner wheel half there are two wheel halves the outer wheel half the 22 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,440 inner wheel half we just now mentioned in the last slide an 23 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:09,129 oring in between you can see this the oring then there is a disc which is attached to 24 00:03:09,129 --> 00:03:15,599 one of the wheel half the inner wheel halves then there are bearing con cones bearing cups 25 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:23,080 and cones on both sides on the outer side as well as the inner side then beyond the 26 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:31,550 bearings you can see the grease seal rings and the snap rings to bo to loc lock the grease 27 00:03:31,550 --> 00:03:38,930 seals the inner in the inboard wheel half you can see in the diagram the inboard wheel 28 00:03:38,930 --> 00:03:44,459 half these wheels halves the outboard and inboard they are not identical the main reason 29 00:03:44,459 --> 00:03:50,350 for this is that the inboard wheel half must have a means of accepting and driving the 30 00:03:50,350 --> 00:03:57,870 rotors of the aircraft brakes that are mounted on both main wheels so in the brakes you can 31 00:03:57,870 --> 00:04:03,879 see this disc this is mounted to the inboard wheel half due to this the two 32 00:04:03,879 --> 00:04:10,150 wheel halves are not identical they are different from each other this inner inboard wheel halve 33 00:04:10,150 --> 00:04:20,150 will have disc attached to it where as the outboard wheel half has no provision for this 34 00:04:20,150 --> 00:04:29,610 disc the outboard wheel half bolts to the inboard wheel half to make up the wheel assembly 35 00:04:29,610 --> 00:04:34,439 upon which the tire is mounted so this outboard wheel half is bolted to the 36 00:04:34,439 --> 00:04:40,210 inboard wheel half and this together makes up the wheel assembly on which the tire is 37 00:04:40,210 --> 00:04:49,080 mounted the centre boss you can see here in the diagram in the centre on both the wheels 38 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,270 halves this is the outboard wheel half as well as this inboard wheel half both places 39 00:04:53,270 --> 00:04:59,099 you can see there is a centre boss it is constructed to receive a bearing cup this bearing goes 40 00:04:59,099 --> 00:05:03,749 in this wheel half and bearing assembly as it does on the inboard 41 00:05:03,749 --> 00:05:11,969 wheel half so the centre bo boss is constructed to receive a bearing cup and bearing assembly 42 00:05:11,969 --> 00:05:16,389 on both the wheel halves on both inboard as well as the outboard wheel half the outer 43 00:05:16,389 --> 00:05:24,469 bearing and end of the axle is capped to prevent contaminants from entering this area so the 44 00:05:24,469 --> 00:05:31,020 bearing and the end of the capsule axle is capped so that the contaminants do not enter 45 00:05:31,020 --> 00:05:36,099 this area so what are the inspections we carry out on 46 00:05:36,099 --> 00:05:43,529 the wheel an aircraft wheel assembly is inspected while on the aircraft as often as possible 47 00:05:43,529 --> 00:05:50,029 so generally in all the p flight inspections before every flight we carry out an inspection 48 00:05:50,029 --> 00:05:56,139 on the aircraft on the wheels also a more detailed inspection and any testing or repairs 49 00:05:56,139 --> 00:06:01,029 may be accomplished with the wheel assembly removed from the aircraft so inspections may 50 00:06:01,029 --> 00:06:05,419 be with the wheel on the aircraft or removed from the aircraft 51 00:06:05,419 --> 00:06:11,259 so more detailed inspection is done with the wheel assembly removed from the aircraft now 52 00:06:11,259 --> 00:06:17,029 when the wheel assembly is on installed on the aircraft what inspection do we do the 53 00:06:17,029 --> 00:06:21,900 general condition of the aircraft wheel assemblies can be inspected while on the aircraft any 54 00:06:21,900 --> 00:06:27,219 signs of suspected damage that may require removal of the wheel assembly from the aircraft 55 00:06:27,219 --> 00:06:36,279 should be investigated so when the wheel assembly is there on the aircraft we carry out a general 56 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:42,930 inspection a visual inspection to see that the wheel is securely attached there is no 57 00:06:42,930 --> 00:06:52,490 damage there is no happen damaged on the assembly now coming to tires and tubes the aircraft 58 00:06:52,490 --> 00:07:00,619 tires and tubes the tires may be tube type or tubeless type they support the weight of 59 00:07:00,619 --> 00:07:03,879 the aircraft while it is on the ground and provide the 60 00:07:03,879 --> 00:07:10,990 necessary traction for braking and stopping the tires also help absorb the shock of the 61 00:07:10,990 --> 00:07:20,539 landing and cushion the roughness of takeoff rollout and taxi operations so the tires they 62 00:07:20,539 --> 00:07:26,039 support the weight of the aircraft while on the ground provide necessary traction for 63 00:07:26,039 --> 00:07:33,110 breaking and stopping they absorb the shock of landing and cushion the roughness of takeoff 64 00:07:33,110 --> 00:07:40,979 rollout and taxi operations coming to tire construction in the diagram you can see a 65 00:07:40,979 --> 00:07:47,439 cross sectional view of a tire is given an aircraft tire is constructed for the purpose 66 00:07:47,439 --> 00:07:55,539 it serves unlike an automobile or truck tire it does not have to carry a load for a long 67 00:07:55,539 --> 00:08:02,539 period or of continuous operation so in aircrafts the tires they do not have to carry load for 68 00:08:02,539 --> 00:08:07,439 long period of continuous operation because as soon as the aircraft gets airborne there 69 00:08:07,439 --> 00:08:13,679 is no load on the tire however an aircraft tire must absorb the high impact loads of 70 00:08:13,679 --> 00:08:23,409 landing and be able to operate at high speeds even if only for a short time so during landing 71 00:08:23,409 --> 00:08:30,860 the tire has to absorb high impact loads and has to operate at high speeds during takeoff 72 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:35,760 and landing both the speeds are high so your tire should be able to with stand this high 73 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:41,979 impact loads and it should be able to operate at high speeds the deflection built into an 74 00:08:41,979 --> 00:08:50,990 aircraft tire is more than twice that of an automobile tire in the diagram you can see 75 00:08:50,990 --> 00:09:02,490 the various parts have been mentioned here you can see the breakers this is the tread 76 00:09:02,490 --> 00:09:12,589 these are the tire side balls these are the casing plies you can see these are the casing 77 00:09:12,589 --> 00:09:23,190 plies these are the wheel beads sorry wire beads 78 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:30,410 bead heel this is the bead toe this is the inner liner you can see here the inner liner 79 00:09:30,410 --> 00:09:43,440 then these are the piles so this the cross sectional diagram of the tire showing different 80 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:55,829 layers of piles this enables it to handle the forces during landings without being damaged 81 00:09:55,829 --> 00:10:04,690 so this tire will help in handling the forces during landings so that there is no damage 82 00:10:04,690 --> 00:10:09,490 on the aircraft only tires designed for an aircraft as specified 83 00:10:09,490 --> 00:10:15,180 by the manufacturer should be used it is useful to the understanding of tire construction 84 00:10:15,180 --> 00:10:20,180 to identify the various components of a tire and the functions contributed to the overall 85 00:10:20,180 --> 00:10:29,339 characteristics of a tire now aircraft tires are classified in various ways including ply 86 00:10:29,339 --> 00:10:37,480 rating whether they are tube type or tubeless and whether they are bias ply tires or radials 87 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:44,709 so tire classification is by ply rating they may be tube type or tubeless type they may 88 00:10:44,709 --> 00:10:53,209 be bias pau ply tires or they may be radials tires this is bias ply aircraft tire you can 89 00:10:53,209 --> 00:11:00,899 see in the diagram a bias ply tire has the fabric bias oriented with and across the direction 90 00:11:00,899 --> 00:11:08,689 of rotation and the sidewall since fabric can stretch on the bias the tire 91 00:11:08,689 --> 00:11:18,519 is flexible and can absorb loads strength is obtained by adding plies so the tire is 92 00:11:18,519 --> 00:11:25,700 also classified by ply rating the more the number of plies the more the tire is the more 93 00:11:25,700 --> 00:11:33,199 strength the tire has now radial ply aircraft tire a radial tire has the fiber strands of 94 00:11:33,199 --> 00:11:38,920 the ply fabric oriented with and at ninety degrees to the direction of rotation and the 95 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:45,939 tire sidewall so this is the fabric orientation is ninety degrees to the direction of rotation 96 00:11:45,939 --> 00:11:53,620 and the tire side wall this restricts flexibility directionally and the flexibility of the sidewall 97 00:11:53,620 --> 00:11:59,399 while it strengthens the tire to carry heavy loads now ply ratings 98 00:11:59,399 --> 00:12:06,189 tires plies are reinforcing layers of fabric encased in rubber that are laid into the tires 99 00:12:06,189 --> 00:12:12,920 to provide strength in early tires the number of plies used was directly related to the 100 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:19,689 load the tie could carry but now a days refinements to tire construction technique and the use 101 00:12:19,689 --> 00:12:24,959 of modern materials to build up aircraft tires makes the exact number when determining the 102 00:12:24,959 --> 00:12:30,259 strength of a tire however a ply rating is used to convey the relative strength of an 103 00:12:30,259 --> 00:12:36,640 aircraft tire a tire with a high ply rating is a tire with high strength which is able 104 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:42,579 to carry heavy loads regardless of the actual number of plies used in its construction of 105 00:12:42,579 --> 00:12:50,220 plies tube type or tubeless aircraft tires can be tube type or tubeless tires that are 106 00:12:50,220 --> 00:12:56,519 made to be used without a tube inserted inside have an inner liner specifically designed 107 00:12:56,519 --> 00:13:03,490 to hold air tube type tires do not contain this inner liner since the tube holds the 108 00:13:03,490 --> 00:13:12,040 air from leaking out of the tire bead we will see what is bead the tire bead 109 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:20,019 is an important part of an aircraft tire it anchors the tire carcass and provides a dimensioned 110 00:13:20,019 --> 00:13:27,269 firm mounting surface for the tire on the wheel rim tire beads are strong they are typically 111 00:13:27,269 --> 00:13:32,910 made from high strength carbon steel wire bundles encased in rubber so in the diagram 112 00:13:32,910 --> 00:13:42,240 you can see here this is the bead this is the bead heel this is the bead toe and the 113 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:50,420 beads they are made of wire they are carbon steel bundles which are encased in rubber 114 00:13:50,420 --> 00:13:57,990 so this bead is an important part of an aircraft tire one two or three bead bundles may be 115 00:13:57,990 --> 00:14:04,930 found on each side of the tire depending on its size and the load it is designed to handle 116 00:14:04,930 --> 00:14:11,879 the bead transfers the impact loads and deflection forces to the wheel rim so this bead transfers 117 00:14:11,879 --> 00:14:16,920 the impact loads and deflection forces to the wheel rim 118 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:23,189 tread what is tread tread is the crown area of the tire designed to come in contact with 119 00:14:23,189 --> 00:14:34,089 the ground it is a rubber compound formulated to resist wear abrasion cutting and cracking 120 00:14:34,089 --> 00:14:41,660 it also is made to resist heat buildup most modern aircraft tires tread is formed with 121 00:14:41,660 --> 00:14:48,260 circumferential grooves that create tire ribs so in the diagram you can see these are circumferential 122 00:14:48,260 --> 00:14:58,420 ribs you can see circumferential ribs in the diagram you can see the grooves and these 123 00:14:58,420 --> 00:15:03,759 create the tire ribs the grooves provide cooling and help channel 124 00:15:03,759 --> 00:15:10,930 water from under the tire in wet conditions to increase adhesion to the ground surface 125 00:15:10,930 --> 00:15:17,079 so uh the purpose of the grooves they provide cooling and help channel water from under 126 00:15:17,079 --> 00:15:24,120 the tire in wet conditions to increase adhesion to the ground surface now what are the inspections 127 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:32,649 on tire inflation pressure tread wear and condition and sidewall condition are continuously 128 00:15:32,649 --> 00:15:43,430 monitored to ensure proper tire performance so during the time when the tire is used almost 129 00:15:43,430 --> 00:15:52,889 in daily inspections inflation pressure is tested tread wear and condition is checked 130 00:15:52,889 --> 00:15:58,059 side ball condition is checked these things are continuously monitored so that proper 131 00:15:58,059 --> 00:16:03,980 tire performance can be achieved inflation tire pressure is checked while under 132 00:16:03,980 --> 00:16:10,730 load and is measured with the weight of the aircraft on the wheels a calibrated pressure 133 00:16:10,730 --> 00:16:18,829 gauge should always be used to measure inflation pressure so in the diagram you can see a pressure 134 00:16:18,829 --> 00:16:27,119 gauge has been shown an aircraft tire has designed to flex and absorb the shock of landing 135 00:16:27,119 --> 00:16:33,720 tire pressure should be measured at ambient temperature fluctuations of ambient temperature 136 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:41,360 greatly affect tire pressure generally tire pressure changes one percent for every five 137 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:48,350 degrees fahrenheit of temperature change so we have to be careful at what temperature 138 00:16:48,350 --> 00:16:57,399 we are observing we are checking the inflation pressure generally it is fluctuation of ambient 139 00:16:57,399 --> 00:17:05,819 temperature greatly affect tire pressure now tread condition asymmetrical tread wear 140 00:17:05,819 --> 00:17:12,010 may be caused by the wheels being out of alignment occasionally asymmetrical tire wear is a result 141 00:17:12,010 --> 00:17:17,310 of landing gear geometry that cannot or is not required to be corrected like camber toe 142 00:17:17,310 --> 00:17:24,130 in and toe out it may also be caused by regular taxiing on a single engine or high speed cornering 143 00:17:24,130 --> 00:17:31,640 while taxiing see in the diagram you can see there are various tread wear shown in this 144 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:36,370 diagram you can see this is tread wear on an overinflated biased tire this is the biased 145 00:17:36,370 --> 00:17:44,080 tire cross section shown this is tread wear on an overinflated bias tire and this is tread 146 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:52,250 wear on an overinflated radial tire this is the wear pattern has been shown this is the 147 00:17:52,250 --> 00:18:01,630 bias tire tread wear and this is the tread wear on a real radial tire both ov overinflated 148 00:18:01,630 --> 00:18:09,299 this is underinflated condition and both tread wear has been shown on bias tire as well as 149 00:18:09,299 --> 00:18:20,520 the radial tire you can see the difference now in this diagram this is the normal condition 150 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:28,120 this is worn out this tire is worn out this is under inflation in case if you have been 151 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:37,710 operating your tires under inflation condition so that wear will be of this pattern you can 152 00:18:37,710 --> 00:18:44,750 see the wear and incase your tire is has been operating in the over inflation condition 153 00:18:44,750 --> 00:18:51,080 your wear will be of somewhat like this kind of thing now flat spot this is the result 154 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:55,900 of the tire skidding on the runway surface while not rotating so you can see the wear 155 00:18:55,900 --> 00:19:03,570 here see this this wear pattern this is as a result this is the result of a flat spot 156 00:19:03,570 --> 00:19:13,700 aircraft tubes a tube is there inside to contain the inflation air an aircraft tube must be 157 00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:21,470 inspected for leaks and damage aircraft tire tubes are made of a natural rubber compound 158 00:19:21,470 --> 00:19:26,380 in order to check the leaks remove the tube from the tire inflate the tube just enough 159 00:19:26,380 --> 00:19:32,929 to have it take shape but not stretch immerse a small tube in a container of water and look 160 00:19:32,929 --> 00:19:38,720 for the source of air bubbles again look for the sources of bubbles the valve core should 161 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:46,200 also be wetted to inspect it for leaks this is the normal procedure which we do in our 162 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:55,120 automobiles also so this is just the normal procedure of checking the tubes now when we 163 00:19:55,120 --> 00:20:00,140 assemble the tires and tubes in the diagram here you can see there is a red dot 164 00:20:00,140 --> 00:20:04,890 you can see the red dot here a red dot on the tire identifies the light side of the 165 00:20:04,890 --> 00:20:12,620 tire so this red dot this red dot is indicating the light side of this tire now this is the 166 00:20:12,620 --> 00:20:18,779 tube in this second diagram you can see this is the tube there a yellow dot or a line on 167 00:20:18,779 --> 00:20:26,030 the tube this identifies the heavy side of the tube so this is this is the lighter portion 168 00:20:26,030 --> 00:20:32,850 of the tire this is the heavier portion of the tube if no mark is found on the tube the 169 00:20:32,850 --> 00:20:38,779 valve stem the valve stem is used to align with the red dot on the tire 170 00:20:38,779 --> 00:20:45,049 so incase if there is no mark on the tube the valve stem is considered to be the heavy 171 00:20:45,049 --> 00:20:52,090 part of the tube so while assembling the lighter side of the tire and the heavier portion of 172 00:20:52,090 --> 00:20:57,950 the tube they are aligned so that the assembly is balanced this will ensure that the tire 173 00:20:57,950 --> 00:21:05,370 and tube balance as close as possible before using the tire balancer and adding the necessary 174 00:21:05,370 --> 00:21:11,399 weight on the exterior of the wheel so this is basically required for balancing 175 00:21:11,399 --> 00:21:17,370 the tire and tube assembly by aligning the lighter portion of the tire and the heavier 176 00:21:17,370 --> 00:21:23,750 portion of the tube tire balancing this is also a normal thing as we do in other automobiles 177 00:21:23,750 --> 00:21:30,279 also once an aircraft tire is mounted inflated and accepted for service it can be balanced 178 00:21:30,279 --> 00:21:37,600 to improve performance vibration is the main result of an imbalanced tire and wheel assembly 179 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:43,200 nose wheels tend to create the greatest disturbance in the cabin when imbalanced static balance 180 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:48,220 is all that is required for most aircraft tires and wheels a balance stand typically 181 00:21:48,220 --> 00:21:53,820 accepts the assembly on cones the wheel is free to rotate the heavy side moves to the 182 00:21:53,820 --> 00:21:59,960 bottom temporary weights are added to eliminate the wheel from rotating and dropping the heavy 183 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:08,070 side down so this just as in any other tire this is normal balancing so here in the diagram 184 00:22:08,070 --> 00:22:13,269 you can see a tire balancing patch this is the tire balancing patch on the left side 185 00:22:13,269 --> 00:22:20,500 these are adhesive wheel weights in the centre and a bolted wheel weight you can see this 186 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:25,010 this is the bolted wheel weight on this in this right diagram they are all used to balance 187 00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:29,549 aircraft tire and wheel assemblies as per the manufacturers instructions 188 00:22:29,549 --> 00:22:37,409 now tire storage an aircraft tire can be damaged if they stored improperly a tire should always 189 00:22:37,409 --> 00:22:43,140 be stored vertically so that it is resting on its treaded surface horizontal stacking 190 00:22:43,140 --> 00:22:49,110 of tire is not recommended storage of tires on a tire rack with a minimum three to four 191 00:22:49,110 --> 00:22:56,300 inch flat surface for the tread is ideal and avoids tire distortion now tube storage and 192 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:01,680 inspection an aircraft tire tube should be kept in the original carton until put into 193 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:08,200 service to avoid deterioration through exposure to environmental elements if the original 194 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:13,090 carton is not available the tube can be wrapped in several layers of paper to protect it 195 00:23:13,090 --> 00:23:18,880 alternately for a short time period only a tube may be stored in the correct size tire 196 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:25,290 it is made for while inflated just enough to round out the tube application of talc 197 00:23:25,290 --> 00:23:30,960 to the inside of the tire and outside of the tube prevents sticking remove the tube and 198 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:37,039 inspect it and the tire before permanently mounting the assembly regardless of storage 199 00:23:37,039 --> 00:23:44,960 method always store aircraft tubes in a cool dry dark place away from ozone producing equipment 200 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:59,159 and moving air so these are the general storage steps for the tube with this we end this module 201 00:23:59,159 --> 00:24:04,909 of aircraft landing gear system so in this module we have seen the different types of 202 00:24:04,909 --> 00:24:29,200 landing gears the inspections the tires and the tubes 203 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:41,970 thank you


The West Africa Clean Energy Corridor (WACEC) aimed at accelerating the deployment of utility scale renewable energy into the region, was launched in Cape Town on Wednesday, with a warning for governments and power utilities to play their part to harness benefits of renewable energy.

The launch was part of the African Utility Week Conference currently underway.

Renewable Energy expert at the Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Ecreee) Jansénio Delgado told delegates at least 52% of the population in the region have no access to electricity.

“So we have a big challenge in the region in terms of energy and electricity access,” he said.

According to Delgado the plan is to increase access to at least 88% of the population by 2030, but there are some challenges, he conceded.

Delgado said the region has big potential especially for renewable energy and specifically hydro power.

“The region has big potential in terms of renewable energy from hydro, solar, wind and biomass. These resources are geographically distributed which makes them complimentary.”

He explained there is already a big pipeline of projects underway with Senegal taking the lead.

According to him preliminary conclusions show the development of 10 GW electricity can still be injected into the grid by 2030.

“So the utilities and electrical companies should adapt to renewable energy as a next phase of electricity generation.”

He also foresees the cost of electricity levelling in future as the development of solar electricity generation technology becomes less costly.

“But of course,” Delgado admits, “solar energy also has problems.”

He referred to challenges which include intermittency and non-availability of solar energy at times.

“So we need complimentary with other sources of renewable energy like hydro and that is the reason why we are at the same time also developing a hydro corridor for the region.”

Delgado said another problem is the perception of risk among potential investors and they had to embark on various “derisking activities” in some Ecowas-countries.

This includes strengthening the policy framework by simplifying processes for procurement and pricing.

Delgado insists it is technically possible to inject renewable energy into the grids.

“For me it is not a big problem in terms of connectivity of renewables into the grids. The preliminary results show it is technically possible, he said.

“Of course it is a new concept and utilities are conservative and want to stay in the base concepts that they have that are easiest which is to manage the grid and fossil fuel plans but technically speaking it is possible.”

According to him, utilities are usually reluctant to have intermittence of renewables in their system. There are usually also problems with guarantees because in some regions the guarantees investors want, cannot be given.

But it can be economically viable for the region, he maintains.

Delgado said there is the idea that renewables are expensive. “But the time is coming that renewables will really be a competitive source of energy.”

Senior operations advisor at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Ellen Moran, in turn said it can be done and referred to examples in California where there is already a 50/50 energy mix. “But it has to be complimentary.”

According to Moran the challenge outside developed countries however, is problems with financially sound utilities.

“In many countries where utilities are in bad shape it is because the largest customer is the government and it usually does not pay utility bills regularly. So if governments are interested in growing the economy, they will have to do their bit.”

Henning Wuester, director of knowledge policy & finance at the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) welcomed the initiative and said they are very happy to work with Ecreee on this project.

The WACEC project is based on Irena’s similar initiatives in South and Eastern Africa.

“We want to stress that by creating these renewable energy corridors in ways that you can integrate it into the grid, you can so create regional markets.” He said renewable energy can be more effective in bigger settings and lessen dependence on local options.”


Bezpłatna Ikona Dodaj etykietę

This image represents adding a tag. There is a picture of a tag pointing to the top right of the image. There is a circle in the tag and a circle with a plus sign in the center of it on top of the tag.


Methyl Salicylate

Now in - Methyl SalicylateEmail to a friend

Methyl Salicylate

    Base note

Odor description: Sweet, wintergreen, aromatic.
Taste description: (10 ppm) Sweet, salicylate and root beer with aromatic and balsamic nuances.

CAS # 119-36-8
FEMA # 2745

Fragrance: up to 10.0000 % in the fragrance concentrate.
Flavors: can use up to 8400.0000 ppm in the finished product.


A pinboard by
Shuai Zhang

PhD , University of Cambridge

What are the difficulties that engineers experience in searching for required information?

I am working on the reuse and management of design information. Design can be viewed as an information-rich process, translating technical requirements into product specifications. Studies show that engineers spend significant time on acquiring information throughout this process. To better understand what difficulties designers encounter in information-seeking activities, studies with professional practitioners were conducted to investigate their level of satisfaction with existing search methods/tools. Issues with information searches were identified in the areas of retrieval systems and human sources. Preliminary results show that engineers need assistance to formulate the right questions to ask when conducting information queries, and b) they wish to have systems that can better understand their information needs.

Ontologies for the representation of electronic medical records: The obstetric and neonatal ontology

Abstract: Ontology is an interdisciplinary field that involves both the use of philosophical principles and the development of computational artifacts. As artifacts, ontologies can have diverse applications in knowledge management, information retrieval, and information systems, to mention a few. They have been largely applied to organize information in complex fields like Biomedicine. In this article, we present the OntoNeo Ontology, an initiative to build a formal ontology in the obstetrics and neonatal domain. OntoNeo is a resource that has been designed to serve as a comprehensive infrastructure providing scientific research and healthcare professionals with access to relevant information. The goal of OntoNeo is twofold: (a) to organize specialized medical knowledge, and (b) to provide a potential consensual representation of the medical information found in electronic health records and medical information systems. To describe our initiative, we first provide background information about distinct theories underlying ontology, top-level computational ontologies and their applications in Biomedicine. Then, we present the methodology employed in the development of OntoNeo and the results obtained to date. Finally, we discuss the applicability of OntoNeo by presenting a proof of concept that illustrates its potential usefulness in the realm of healthcare information systems.

Pub.: 22 Jun '17, Pinned: 29 Jun '17


Madhupur Upazila

Madhupur Upazila of Tangail district, having an area of 370 square kilometers and consists of 6 unions. The unions are: Alokdia, Aushnara, Aronkhola, Sholakuri, Golabari, Mirjabari.


Enquire Now
Safari experienceThe MediterraneanOcean viewsMediterranean, Turkey, Istanbul, Antalya, Attaturk, Grand Bazaar, Shopping, TravelCouple in Paris, FranceBlyde River Canyon, MpumalangaNamibian DesertSphinx and the Pyramids of Giza

Enquire > 7 Night Chiang Mai Golf Tour APR17

Please fill in your details below:

Do you have a travel voucher?

Your details are safe - we'll never share them.
Why Travel with Thompsons?


He is the most decorated general in American history—the only five-star general to receive the Medal of Honor. Yet Douglas MacArthur's greatest victory was not in war, but in peace.

As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in postwar Japan, General Douglas MacArthur was charged with transforming the defeated militarist empire into a beacon of peace and democracy, a task he called "the greatest gamble ever attempted." A career military man, MacArthur had no experience in politics, diplomacy, or economics. Vain, reclusive, and self-centered, he had many enemies in Washington who considered him a flaming peacock. Few thought he could succeed, not even President Harry Truman's closest advisors. But MacArthur did succeed—brilliantly—defying timetables and expectations. He announced eleven objectives and achieved them all, establishing a bond between two countries that survives to this day.

Supreme Commander combines political history and military biography, to tell for the first time how MacArthur achieved a nation-building feat never before attempted, nor replicated since. Seymour Morris Jr. reveals this flawed man at his best—as one who treated a defeated enemy with respect; made informed, thoughtful decisions; yet could also be brash and stubborn when necessary, leading the occupation with intelligence, class, and compassion.

Reviewing MacArthur's key tactical choices and accomplishments, Morris presents a detailed, intimate portrait of a great American—a patriot and a man of strong conviction—who proved to be an outstanding and effective leader under extraordinary circumstances.


Ordering of Words in a Sentence
Directions: In the following items some parts of the sentence have been jumbled up. You are required to re-arrange these parts that are labeled P, Q, R and S to produce the correct sentence.

1. (1) Even though he had prepared well
(P) in the examination hall
(Q) and could not do well
(R) for the examination, (S) he got nervous
(6) as well as he had hoped to do.

2. (1) If the question of record of human rights
(P) in the last fifty years or so,
(Q) it is difficult to see how most of the countries,
(R) had been rai3ed in the past,
(S) that have staged the olympics
(6) would have been allowed to hold them.

3. (1) It was obvious
(P) made by him
(Q) submitted at the meeting
(R) from the comments
(S) on the draft proposals
(6) that he was not satisfied with them.

4. Alexander,
(P) was a disciple of Aristotle,
(Q) who was a great conqueror,
(R)whom the world acknowledges as the greatest philosopher
(S) the world has ever known

5. (P) when a chemical substance
(Q) the food poisoning occurred
(R) in the food preparations
(S) was mistaken for salt and used

6. (1) No part of this publication may be
(P) without the written permission
(Q) reproduced, stored in or transmitted
(R) of the copyright owner and
(S) in any form or by any means
(6) the publisher. of this book.

7. I,
(P) one hand before me on the wall,
(Q) unlocked the door,
(R) to guide me in the heavy blackness
(S) and went softly down the stairs

8. (1) The greatest tragedy of Bhopal
(P)we in India
(Q)is that ever after the Bhopal disaster,
(R) have not realized
(S) the necessity
(6) of town planning

9. When rescuers arrived
(P) they had to wait several hours
(Q) before the ground was
(R) at the ruins
(S) cool enough to stand on

10. (1) Those that have seen the Hindus
(P) have naturally no more doubt
(Q) of the existence of other persons
(R) among them in their own country
(S) of their existence than they have
(6) whom they have met.

English Test

1. Ordering of Words in a Sentence - Test-02
2. Ordering of Words in a Sentence - Test-03
3. Ordering of Words in a Sentence - Test-04
4. Ordering of Words in a Sentence - Test-05
5. Ordering of Sentences - Test-01
6. Ordering of Sentences - Test-02
7. Ordering of Sentences - Test-03
8. Ordering of Sentences - Test-04
9. Ordering of Sentences - Test-05
10. Ordering of Sentences - Test-06
11. Sentence Completion - Test-01
12. Sentence Completion - Test-02
13. Sentence Completion - Test-03
14. Sentence Completion - Test-04
15. Sentence Completion - Test-05
16. Sentence Completion - Test-06
17. General Elementary English Test - 01
18. General Elementary English Test - 02
19. General Elementary English Test - 03
20. General Elementary English Test - 04
  • Management Mantras
  • Benefits of Hair Straightening
  • Upcoming New Cars
  • 101 Home Design Ideas
  • Effective Exercises You Can Do Anywhere
  • Tulsidas

  • Forever Young Naturally Lifestyle

    Detoxing Forgiving with flowers

    For emotional detoxing, the best forgiveness flower essence is Dagger Hakea from the Australian Bush Flower range.

    Chourishi Systems


Basic English pronunciation training class in Shinjuku Tokyo 2

 A lot of Japanese can't distinguish pronunciation between "sea" and "she". Especially, "sea" is often pronounced as "she". So, when they want to say "Sit down.", they say "Shit down"! Awful!
 There is a tongue twister "She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells that she sells are seashells I'm sure." This is our good practice sentence to make precise pronunciation of "sea" and "she".
 Last Thursday, I attended the basic English pronunciation training class, after work. The class master gave a knack of tongue position, form of lips and breath. It is said that there are 43 sounds in English vowels and consonants. The number of common sounds in Japanese is only 5 to 6, meaning Japanese are not familiar with about 90% of English sounds.
 I have subscribed "The Economist" for 3 years since my English teacher from UK recommended, however, I can hear the voice "Back to the basics" in my mind.

0 件のコメント:


Need help ASAP!! please -hardest question ever for me-

Try your best please!

- Using a for loop statement to

a. Display the third power of following numbers 1, 2, 3, ..., 50

b. Calculate and display the sum of the squares of following numbers 1, 2, 3, ..., 25

c. Display the following sequence: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ..., 36.

Can you please explain it to me ?

Last edited on
Ehm... what's to explain? What's your level? Do you know what a for loop is? If you do, what can't you understand of that question?
p.s.: no space between "me" and the question mark ;)
Last edited on
Those are actually 3 different questions. Each of (a), (b) and (c) would require its own for loop. You can learn about for loops in the tutorial on this site:

The third power of a number is x * x * x
The square of a number is x * x

This is actually a very straight-forward homework problem. I suggest you look over your text book or lecture notes for examples of using for loops.
Topic archived. No new replies allowed.


Esa-Pekka Salonen on Bruckner: The Memories

“Maybe I should become a musician, if music can be like this”

Esa-Pekka Salonen shares the touching story of how hearing Bruckner on the radio inspired him to pursue a career in music. Hear him bring that personal connection to the concert stage as he conducts Bruckner’s Sixth (27 Sep) and Seventh (30 Sep) symphonies live at Southbank Centre:


Religious Belief in the Era of Modern Astrophysics

When we look out into the depths of the Universe, what is it that we are looking for? What am I looking for? How does this affect me? How does this affect my faith? My relationship with God?

Physical science, which is ordered towards the exploration of the physical world, can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God, who is pure spirit. However, contemplation of the physical Universe can lead people to ask deeper questions about meaning and human existence which can lead them to think deeply about the existence of God and the spiritual life. Contemplation of the Universe can also lead them to develop ideas about God based on their experiences of the physical Universe.

The above idea is highly divisive. Many people believe that modern astrophysical discoveries and ideas about the origin of the Universe exclude the possibility of God. Others cling desperately to a literal interpretation of Genesis and refuse to believe anything of modern science. Somewhere in between is the via media, which embraces both the physical and spiritual realities, which recognizes the distinct, proper contributions, importance and limitations of both.

The Universe has always beckoned us.
— Decadal Review: New Worlds, New Horizons 2010

“The universe has always beckoned us. Over the course of human civilisation, the night sky has provided a calendar for the farmer, a guide for the sailor, and a home for the gods. Astronomy led the scientific revolution, which continues to this day and has revealed that the sky visible to the naked eye is really just a hint of a vast and complex cosmos, within which our home planet is but a pale blue dot. Astronomers continue to explore the universe, learning its amazing history, discovering the richness of its contents, and understanding the physical processes that take place in its astoundingly diverse environments. Today, astronomy expands knowledge and understanding, inspiring new generations to ask, How did the universe form and the stars first come into being? Is there life beyond Earth? What natural forces control our universal destiny? Because of the remarkable scientific progress in recent decades, in particular the explosion over the last decade of interest in and urgency to understand several key areas in astronomy and astrophysics, scientists are now poised to address these and many other equally profound questions in substantive ways. " [Extract from the Decadal Review: New Worlds, New Horizons, 2010]

Find out about what Magi Project and our activities

Learn More →


Your Subtitle text

Elephant Parade America

Article & Images by Christina Bush

The Resorts of Dana Point, CA including the Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa and Doubletree Suites have united for a global and noble cause to help save the Asian elephants.  The four resorts are hosting the legendary U.S. debut of the internationally celebrated Elephant Parade® wildlife conservation event from August 23rd - November 17, 2013 in the lovely seaside destination. This event is the world’s only open-air exhibit supporting Asian elephant conservation and is one that, for two months, will showcase around Dana Point a herd of 40 life size baby elephant sculptures which are hand painted by world-famous artists, acclaimed designers and iconic celebrities.  In an effort to raise funds for The Asian Elephant Foundation, the elephants will be up for auction on November 17th at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa and donations will go to the charity.  Dana Point, CA, is the first of eight U.S. cities that will be hosting The Elephant Parade®.  So far, since inception in 2006, this organization has raised over $6 million around the world to help save this vanishing species.

In 2006 the commitment to preserve Asian elephants began with a very special baby elephant named Mosha, who lost her leg after walking onto a land mine near Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Founder, Marc Spits from The Netherlands met Mosha and was inspired in his heart to help her in any way possible.  He recruited his son Mike and together they created The Elephant Parade® as a charitable enterprise to bring talented people together to raise donations for a noble cause and to help this little Mosha to recover.  A year later, the first exhibition was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands to raise money to help Mosha.  Soon after, she became the world’s first pachyderm to be fitted with a prosthetic limb.   Since 2007 she has outgrown several limbs and will continue to do so as she ages.  While she keeps having to be fitted for limb replacement, she is doing exceptionally well. Fortunately, because of this groundbreaking medical event, another victim of a landmine named Motola received her new leg in 2009 and so have several other elephants since that time.  Mosha, also known as “the miracle elephant”, is the Ambassador for the Elephant Parade®.

Though both the African and Asian elephants are in dire need of help, The Elephant Parade® has chosen to focus on the helping Endangered elephants across Asia from becoming extinct.  Asian Elephants are listed as Endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List and their numbers have declined over 90% in the past 100 years. There remain around 35,000 individuals in the countries of Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.  Only about 1,500 of those elephants reside in the wild.  Their population is quickly declining and without assistance they will soon face ultimate extinction. The Asian Elephant Foundation was created in 2011 by The Elephant Parade in order to distribute funds generated through the art of exhibition sales to charitable causes for Asian elephants. Their mission is to monitor and protect habitats, make sure that all captive elephants stay in good shape and health, and raise awareness to motivate the public to get involved with the conservation and well-being of the Asian elephant species. The Elephant Parade® donates 20% of its net group profits to the Asian Elephant Foundation, as well as all net proceeds from the auctions of each full-size baby elephant statue at the end of each exhibition.

According to The Asian Elephant Foundation, the Asian
elephant population has decreased by 90% in the past 100 years.

Many consider the mighty elephant to be the most well-loved animal in the whole exotic animal line-up.  Aristotle once said that they are “the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind”.  This giant is not only the second largest animal in the world, behind the blue whale, but is also known for being among the most highly intelligent creatures on earth.  With an extremely  high level of insight, elephants have proven to be most industrious and helpful to mankind, evoking a sense of fascination in the minds and hearts of humans for centuries.  They are considered to be a symbol of good luck in many cultures, even modern Western ones. This belief originated in India and south-east Asia, where the Hindu religion honors the intellectual and social superiority of the beautiful elephant.  Because of their incredible capacity for knowledge, understanding, learning and insight, elephants have become both deeply adored and horribly abused by human beings. When dealing with creatures that possess as high a level of understanding and insight, it is imperative that we recognize their value and potential and take the utmost care in protecting them.

Statistics reveal the Asian elephant
population decreases by 3.5% annually.

The elephant has long been held as a totem or good luck charm. Because of the strong family bonds that exist among the family members of the species, elephant totems are said to improve the love and respect among members of the family of anyone possessing them. For thousands of years, African mythology has believed that, by wearing an elephant hair bracelet, you would be prosperous and healthy, never becoming sick or poor.  It is used in rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces and is woven together to form a strong band. Some elephant hair can reach lengths of up to 40 inches, which is impressive for an animal that is officially classified as being hairless.  In ancient times, the massive elephant was sometimes used as an executioner, trained to crush people who were condemned to death.  They were also used in warfare in India, China and Persia over the centuries. This practice arose from Alexander the Great’s experience with warring elephants against King Porus. Only male elephants were used, as they are known to be aggressive and unruly, which was enough to frighten any horse and its rider from the battle scene.  Elephants were used, too, as the ceremonial mounts for royalty and those held in high religious esteem, for safari-style hunting escapades, in circuses and put on display in zoos.

The elephants’ primary habitats are the forests of Africa and Southeast Asia and they also roam browsing the plains in search of food and water.  For this reason they have been nicknamed as “browsers”.  There are two surviving elephant species, the African elephant (which is larger and has bigger ears) and the Asian elephant.  Amazingly the African elephant’s ears are shaped like the continent of Africa and the Asian elephant’s ears are shaped like Asia, making it fairly easy to tell them apart.  According to the Center for Elephant Conservation there are around 600,000 African elephants and around 35,000 Asian elephants left in the wild.  These giants need space, more than another other species, as they can weigh up to 15,000 pounds, stand up to twelve feet tall and are eat up to 700 pounds of vegetation each day.  Nature has made this species fragile, as they are the first to be affected by lack of vegetation or water due to drought.   Some males, known as bulls, have large tusks while the females (cows) and younger males have “tushes”, which seldom extend beyond the upper lip. The tip of the trunk has one finger-like projection that enable the elephants to grasp food and other small objects and to strip vegetation from branches.  Their skin is lightly wrinkled with sparse hair all over their bodies.  They are so powerful that they can uproot and entire tree trunk, tearing down heavy branches and delivering forceful blows in anger or self-defense.  The elephant’s trunk alone has about 100,000 different muscles, allowing it to rip and pull with brute force.

The elephant is the national symbol of Thailand.

Adult males are solitary, while the females and young males all live in a tight-knit family group called a herd, which is led by the matriarch. Herds sometimes split and larger families are separated, depending on the matriarch’s decision. This can be due to excessive numbers or shortages of food or water. When these herds meet at watering holes or breeding spots, they joyfully greet one another. This welcoming reception includes holding their heads up, flapping their ears, trumpeting, screaming and turning around in circles. Elephants who have formed very close bonds with people are also likely to react in this way on seeing their companion after a separation. Another major cause for celebration is the birth of a calf, when the aunts and matriarch gather around the mother in joyful support and celebrations begin with trumpeting and even screams of joy and excitement.  Then the entire herd will join in.

Human population growth & habitat destruction
are the biggest threats to the species.

Research and observation has yielded many fascinating facts about these animals. Some people believe that their intelligence rivals that of human beings.  They are undeniably similar to us, having an emotional makeup much as our own with a sense of family and self.  They also have a similar lifespan to us, of around seventy years and can learn new facts and behaviors, mimic sounds that they hear, self-medicate, play with a sense of humor, perform artistic activities, use tools, display compassion and show self-awareness while understanding their place in the social structure.  Self awareness is another indication of the vast capacity for thinking and intellect that exists in the elephant. They can, in fact, recognize themselves in a mirror, something that is extremely rare in the animal kingdom.

The illegal capture of wild calves and poaching for
ivory remain a problem for elephants across Asia.

Although the largest whale is 20 times the body size of an elephant, its brain is just under twice the size. Part of the reason that elephants possess such a superior level of intelligence is the structure of their brain. Their neocortex is highly developed, as it is in humans, apes and some dolphins. This is generally accepted as an indication of complex intelligence. The elephant’s capacity for memory and emotions is remarkable and is due to the well-developed hippocampus. This is also the area of the brain responsible for emotional flashbacks and is the reason that elephants can experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Problem solving abilities are another impressive facet of their boundless intelligence. They are able to use tools to accomplish a task they cannot perform on their own. They use sticks to scratch their backs when their trunk can not reach, have been known to drop rocks on electric fences to damage them, and unshackle themselves from chain bindings.  Elephants are known to amuse themselves by playing games, either in a group, or with just one player using objects from the environment to toss, twist, or interact with each other in some way. Games are started with loud trumpeting, indicating to those in the herd that a new session is beginning. Playing games is not limited to the youth.  Older matriarchs and bulls have been known to engage in some very playful recreation and have displayed a sense of humor in their games, often tricking and teasing their spectators.

In 2002, the largest seizure of ivory since the 1989 trade ban
resulted in over 40,000 cut pieces which totaled more than 6 tons.

Perhaps the most enticing quality of the elephant is its undeniable similarity to us, manifested by the close bonds they form with family members, their communication abilities, the care of their young and their emotions. The ability to mimic sounds is another indication of the impressive intelligence of these beasts. They have been recorded mimicking the sounds of passing trucks and articulate certain sounds so that they bear a strong resemblance to the spoken word.  Elephants experience many of the same emotions as people do, ones that are usually restricted to being that of humans and are very seldom seen in animals. They are capable of sadness, joy, love, jealousy, fury, grief, compassion and distress.  They are one of a select few animals that have the capacity to be joyful and playful with one another, to grasp humor and to show appreciation.  As social creatures, they will frequently touch one another in affectionate, loving ways. Joy is most often displayed when they greet close friends or family members.  The matriarch, which is usually the strongest, largest and oldest female of the herd, has the responsibility to protect the herd and they loyally follow her. She will defend and protect her family members at any cost, even at that of her own valuable life.

The insight and intelligence of the elephant is particularly visible in their ability to grieve and mourn their dead.  Recently deceased elephants will receive a burial ceremony, while those who are already reduced to a skeleton are still paid respect by passing herds. The burial ceremony is marked by deep rumblings as the dead body is touched and caressed by the herd members’ trunks. The herd takes great care in the honoring the dead, walking back and forth in search of leaves and twigs to be used for covering the body in an act of dignity. Many times they form circles around the carcass and chant as if to be saying prayers and will remain there for days at a time, mourning the loss of their loved one.  The elephant’s capacity for sadness and grief is truly unique amongst members of the animal world. While most animals do not hesitate to leave the weak and young behind to die, elephants are distressed by the situation, and continue to show signs of this grieving for extended periods of time.  When a family member dies, the rest of the herd mourns that death.  Even years later, elephants have been observed revisiting the site where one of their herd or family had died.

The African elephant is not only the earth's largest land mammal, it is also one of the world's most sought after creatures because of its valuable ivory tusks. Ivory is formed from dentine and makes up the bulk of the teeth and tusks of elephants. It has been a valued material since the Stone Age and is used for objects like jewelry, vases and statues. All sales of ivory are banned until 2016 by the United Nations' Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. This does not, unfortunately, mean that it is not used on the black market. Poachers still kill elephants in large numbers for their tusks, which are used in the East for medicinal purposes.  Commercial uses of ivory include use in piano and organ keys, billiard balls, handles, buttons, Scottish bagpipes and small decorative objects of value. In the modern industry, ivory is used in the manufacture of electrical appliances, specialized electrical equipment for airplanes and radar.  In China and Japan, it has been used for opium pipes and in the last few centuries in Europe and North America, ivory has been used to decorate furniture, for small statues and as a surface for miniature paintings.  Another common product used from elephants is that of the leather. This exotic leather is thick and very durable with a course, rippled texture and is made into products including belts, shoes, jackets, furniture upholstery, purses and flask coverings.  All companies selling or dealing with elephant leather have to comply to the strict requirements of the Convention of International Treaty of Endangered Species (CITES).  But, the majority of the sales take place on the underground black market.

While the overall elephant population is about half of what it was 40 years ago, many areas of Africa have more elephants than the populated areas can support.  Years ago, overhunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threat to the species, but fortunately ivory bans, hunting regulations and protected areas for safeguarding the elephants have helped to greatly reduce the poaching problem.  Humane treatment and welfare of the species has become a world priority, which is a blessing.  In the 1970’s, the global demand for ivory threatened to make the elephant population extinct. Poachers with access to automatic weapons derived from international arms sales and civil wars were slaughtering herds of elephants faster than ever before. From 1970 to 1985, the total elephant population of Africa decreased by half, causing many countries to ban or severely restrict the importation and sale of ivory.  At a 1989 CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora) meeting, 115 countries decided to ban the international trade of ivory in the hopes of restoring elephant populations to healthy levels. Elephant populations in Africa as a whole are increasing, in part, thanks to the CITES ban and with elephants being listed on the most endangered species list.

Every piece of ivory is a haunting reminder of a once majestic and proud animal that died to sacrifice his tusks for a trinket. During the 1980’s, poachers killed an estimated average of 200 African elephants every day for their tusks. This caused the population to plummet from 1.3 million in 1979 to 625,000 in less than a decade. In 1990, the ban was placed on the international trade of ivory.  As a symbolic gesture of their support, Kenya destroyed its ivory stockpile valued at over $3 million and has been foremost in the effort to promote elephant conservation. This ban, however, did not affect the domestic sale and use of ivory or reduce its demand on the black market.  Most of the illegal import of ivory has been into China, a non-member of the CITES.  Proudly, the United States was one of the main countries to impose the ivory ban and it continues to oppose the lifting of the ban.

South Africa has one of the best conservation initiatives for the elephant: photo safaris and eco-friendly paper.  Local African residents are now less inclined to kill elephants because they are receiving revenues from photo safari operators who bring in paid tourists to view the animals. They are actually investing resources to defend their elephants against poachers.  The laws of Africa have now made it legal to kill poachers, which has caused a significant decline in the loss of elephants in recent years. The locals are also finding an income stream from eco-friendly paper is made from the elephant dung.  It is collected, boiled it for 3 hours, cleansed, strained and left to dry. Because most of the elephant’s diet passes through its system without being digested, this is a very fibrous material that is easily turned into paper for sale. It has provided employment to disadvantaged local people without much of a capital outlay as the dung is freely available. The paper is sold to local businesses or directly to tourists and some is exported internationally. The demand for this eco-friendly product has grown exponentially in the last 10 years.  Fortunately, international measures for elephant conservation now focus on controlling ivory stockpiles, strengthening the borders against poachers in protected areas, anti-poaching patrols and reduction of human/animal conflicts, creating a very positive change and giving hope for the survival of the mystical elephants.

The scientific name for elephant is Elephantidae.

UK National Tour
Dana Point, CA - USA

Page Visits:  31,115

The Elephant Parade®
Kooltjesbuurt 11
1411 RZ Naarden Vesting
The Netherlands

The Elephant Parade®

The Elephant Parade®
on Facebook


Toy Defense Fantasy

Toy Defense Fantasy APK + OBB + Mod 2.2.8

PoorFairGoodVery goodExcellent

Toy Defense Fantasy Description

Toy Defense Fantasy apk is a tower defense game with the theme of toy soldiers. The game's picture is full of cartoons, the battlefield scenes are different, but the toy style has been running through it, and the effects of shooting, explosion, etc. are also very cartoon, do not have a feeling. Although it is a toy war, the rhythm of the game is very tense, and it takes a careful arrangement to win.-ApkAwarD.cOm


Japanese dancer Carlotta Ikeda dies in France

Bordeaux (AFP) - Japanese dancer and choreographer Carlotta Ikeda has died at her home in France at the age of 73, her dance company said Thursday.

Ikeda, whose real name was Sanae Ikeda, was a leading proponent of butoh, a form of contemporary dance or silent theatre typically performed by white-painted dancers.

She died at her home in the southwestern city of Bordeaux on Wednesday after a long illness, Adrien Joubert, the assistant production director of the Ariadone company, told AFP.

Born in the coastal village of Fukui, Ikeda first attended dance school in Tokyo aged 19. She trained in classical dance before she was converted to butoh by its inventor Tatsumi Hijikata.

In 1974, Ikeda founded Ariadone, the first all-female butoh dance company, in Bordeaux. She guided the company until her death.

She brought butoh to Paris in 1975 with a performance of "Mesu Kasan" ("Female Volcano") and continued dancing for three more decades.

In 2005, when she was well into her sixties, she performed the ballet "Zarathustra".

She gave butoh lessons around the world and regularly travelled to the United States.

Fabien Robert, deputy mayor of Bordeaux with responsibility for culture, said: "It's a huge and signficant loss for the world of dance but also for the city because of the international reputation of this form of choreography and the company."


Are you sure?

'Global fear' over energy plans

The findings from across 19 countries come in the run-up to the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russia, which will focus on energy security. Carried out for the BBC World Service, the poll of nearly 20,000 people indicates concern that some energy suppliers will withhold oil exports. The study also found wide support for alternative energy strategies. The poll illustrates a perceived triple threat from the way the world produces and uses energy. Majorities across all 19 countries indicate that citizens fear: the climate and environment are being harmed, that the global economy will be destabilized and that competition for energy will lead to greater conflict, the poll suggests.

Strong majorities across the 19 countries want governments to actively address energy issues, especially through tax incentives to develop renewable energy supplies (80% favor) and higher fuel efficiency standards for automobiles (67% favor). Fully eight in ten citizens (81%) across the 19 countries are concerned about the impact current energy policy is having on the Earth’s environment and climate. In Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Italy the level of concern topped 90%. The findings back a conclusion by an expert panel recently convened by BBC News that climate change is "real and dangerous" and that politicians were unlikely to cut emissions to prevent global warming.

Doug Miller, president of the poll firm GlobeScan, said: "What's fascinating is that in the midst of historically high energy prices and geopolitical tensions, the number one energy concern in every industrialized country we surveyed is the environmental and climate impacts." Creating tax incentives to encourage the use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power found favor with 80% of respondents. But there was lukewarm support for more nuclear energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. On average, 49% were in favor of building more nuclear plants.

This week's G8 meeting coincides with a new surge in oil prices, which are hovering around $70 a barrel. Majorities of 60% or more in 18 of the 19 countries polled said they feared energy shortages and prices would destabilize the world economy. The least concerned was Russia, a major oil and gas producer, which benefits from higher prices. Both US and EU leaders have warned Russia not to use energy as a tool of foreign policy. Earlier this year, the nation's monopoly, Gazprom, cut off gas supplies to Europe during a price dispute with Ukraine. However, world opinion was evenly divided on whether to trust Russia to honor its energy commitments. On average, 45% said they trusted Russia, while Iran was the least trusted. Some 73% of those questioned were worried that energy shortages would lead to greater conflict among nations. Program on International Policy Attitudes Director, Steven Kull, comments, “The poll shows an extraordinary level of agreement that the way the world is producing and using energy is not viable. People around the world will be looking to the G-8 leaders to address this issue and show a readiness to support significant new steps.” In total, 19,579 citizens were interviewed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine and the US. Polling was conducted for the BBC World Service by polling firm GlobeScan and its research partners. (GlobeScan, BBC)


Hill climbing using SARSA, eligibility traces and dynamic tuning.
Switch branches/tags
Nothing to show
Clone or download
Fetching latest commit…
Cannot retrieve the latest commit at this time.
Failed to load latest commit information.
.gitignore add gitignore Jan 2, 2017
LICENSE finalize project Sep 26, 2017
sarsa.ipynb finalize project Sep 26, 2017

Moutain car reinforcement learning

Using reward-based learning, this project shows how a car agent can learn to climb a steep hill by accelerating forwards and backwards at appropriate times. It analyses methods for hyperparameter tuning and visualizations of the progresses across various plots.

We used a general grid search algorithm across the following parameters. Both $0$ and $1$ have been tried as initialization for weights. Many $\lambda$'s and $\tau$'s have been tested to find a well behaving combinaison: $\lambda=0.05$, $\tau=0.1$ and intialization with $0$. In the following and except for the escape latency, all plots are the average of 8 agents running in parallel with corresponding variances (grey area). The orange line represents the average iteration over the last 60 episodes.

Escape latency

The following shows the learning curve of 20 agents (light blue traces) and the average (dark blue) of those runs with its variance (grey area). The time to solve this task is highly varying at the beginning but as more and more agents are learning it is going down. Although almost all agents are converging from episode 20, some particular one still need longer to terminate. This can be caused either by some bad luck at drawing the initial state or the agent not having enough knownledge on rare or complex path to take.

Q-values visualization

The behavior of the agent is quickly evolving as the learning algorithm converges. On the first plot (10th episode), the agent has already learnt some kind of strategy (i.d. no naive forward action on every state as it was at first, instead some element of balancing) but it is not perfect as some close states are contradictive. One could expect to see some areas leading to a better balancing for achieving the task. This is exactly what the next plots are showing (25th, 50th and 100th episodes). The agent learns a global strategy for balacing upon some states where only going forwards leads to the goal. The "empty" areas describe the states where the agent is rarely going through and thus not well trained.

Left arrow represents backward action, right arrow forward action and dots no acceleration. The four vector fields are ordered at different episodes of the learning algortihm: 10, 25, 50 and 100.

The temperature parameter affects the exploration versus exploitation behaviour. When learning the agent should first explore all states to be able to correctly estimate the corresponding q-values. After learning the agent already knows the optimal strategy according to its experience and therefore should not do any tries and only follow the best action. This can be controlled using the temperature parameter. A null temperature will consider only best action, a $0.1$ temperature will choose very often the best one (as in the first plot $\tau=0.1$) while a higher temperature will choose an action at random (as in the third plot $\tau=10$). Therefore a low temperature is good for exploitation and a high temperature good for exploration. One can vary it from high to low and thus have a mixed agent that learns first and perform seconds (as in fourth plot, it also converges faster).

These learning curves demonstrate the different values of tau. In order we have $\tau=0.1$, $\tau=1$, $\tau=10$ and tau decaying from $1$ to $0.1$.

The first plot shows how tau impacts q-values of ${0.3, 0.2, 0.1}$ against the probability (given by the softmax function) of drawing the related actions. The second shows the tau decay we used from $1$ to $0.1$.

Learning curve and eligibility traces

The eligibility trace helps to converge faster by memorizing and updating all previous states when reaching the goal. By setting $\lambda=0$, we can see that the learning algorithm converges slower when it is not updating previous states. Having a good memory can also be penalizing as bad episodes impact negatively lots of q-values. Thus we found that having a trace decay rate of $\lambda=0.05$ was the best fit.

The plots shows no eligibility trace, an eligibility trace of $\lambda=0$, $\lambda=0.05$ and $\lambda=0.95$.

We expected the initialization of the weights to be the best with some nonzero random jitter but it turned out to be better to start with null weights and let the learning updating necessary ones. One could explain this by assuming that fully connected neural networks (all weights initialized to $1$'s) might require more episode to converge (it requires time to shape correctly those values). Having no connection at start allows the net to only take into account the required ones.

The first two plots start both with $0$ (respectively $\lambda={0.05,0.25}$) while the last used $1$ as initilization (respectively $\lambda={0.05,0.25}$).

Final point

Comparing all parameters combinaisons evaluated by the grid search algorithm allowed us to better see how each one impacted the learning. Even though at first we had issues obtaining a fast convergence, adding a penalizing term to the q-values error delta solved that issue. It enhances the agent by prioritizing the shorter runs over longer (thus worst) ones ending up in a globally better and more precise learning.


Eyewitnesses Say that the Historic Gettysburg Battle Still Rages on in the Form of Unsettled Spirits

Today, Gettysburg is known as the bloodiest and one of the deadliest battles during the Civil War. The fight started on July 1, 1863, and lasted for three days. It is also known as not only of the turning points of the Civil War but also of American history. After the smoke cleared and the battle was over, the Union side has won the victory. However, this victory did not come without the substantial loss of more than 50,000 Confederate and Union soldiers dead or dying. It is also recorded that around 5,000 horses perished in this battle.

While the Union soldiers and the majority of Confederate soldiers received proper burial, it did not stop the unsettled spirits from returning. For over a century, people who have visited and lived near the battle site and in the town of Gettysburg have reported ghostly stories. People have witnessed everything from seeing apparitions to hearing and smelling cannon fire. The battle site has been the subject of many paranormal investigations, including Travel Channel’s own Ghost Adventures. While some Gettysburg tourists don’t think of what they see, hear, or smell, other visitors, are incredibly touched by these events and carry it with them for a long time, if not the rest of their lives.

The Bloody Angle, 1991 Mort Künstler. ©2010 Mort Künstler, Inc. Private Collection / longislandpress.

Cashtown Inn

Cashtown Inn is the location where the first soldier was killed during the Gettysburg Campaign of the Civil War. Today, the owners of this location believe the Cashtown Inn is haunted, and possibly by this soldier. In fact, the owners, Jack Paladino and his wife, have proof of a ghostly visitor which is often at the Cashtown Inn. They not only have photographs which show skeletons but also have witnessed lights turning on and off. On top of this, Paladino says that their guests have reportedly heard strange noises and seen doors locking and unlocking themselves.

Baladerry Inn

During day two of the Gettysburg battle, the Baladerry Inn served as the Union Field Hospital. The owner, Suzanne Lonky, has collected tons of records to prove the Inn is haunted by the ghost of the soldiers who lost their lives. Some of the information Lonky has collected is from her guests, who have not only spoken about their encounters but also snapped photographs. To further prove the existence of ghosts, a psychic went to the location. They psychic believed that much of the inn’s paranormal activity is from Confederate soldiers who were buried under a tennis court near the inn.

Image 2
An abandoned Gettysburg Ghost train. Flickr.

Ghost Train

There are many ghostly tours visitors can take around Gettysburg. However, there is only one tour which will take you across the whole battlefield, and that is the ghost train tour. The ghost train tour is a 90-minute tour where visitors cannot only hear ghost stories, but many have reported their own. The tour guides and many tourists have mentioned seeing spirits wandering around the tracks and on the train. They have also noted a strong smell of cigar smoke on the train when no one is allowed to smoke.