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A Better Lithium-ion Battery on the Way
Simulations Reveal How New Polymer Absorbs Eight Times the Lithium of Current Designs
September 23, 2011
Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, in smart phones, laptops, an array of other consumer electronics, and the newest electric cars. Good as they are, they could be much better, especially when it comes to lowering the cost and extending the range of electric cars. To do that, batteries need to store a lot more energy.
A team of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has designed a new kind of anode — a critical energy-storing component — capable of absorbing eight times the lithium of current designs. The new type anode has maintained its greatly increased energy capacity after over a year of testing and many hundreds of charge-discharge cycles.
The secret is a tailored polymer that conducts electricity and binds closely to lithium-storing silicon particles, even as they expand to more than three times their volume during charging and then shrink again during discharge. The new anodes are made from low-cost materials, compatible with standard lithium-battery manufacturing technologies. Using supercomputers at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), the team ran ab initio calculations of the promising polymers until they achieved this result. The research team reports its findings in Advanced Materials, now available online.
"We had the experimental evidence, but to understand what we were seeing, and its relevance to the conductivity of the polymer, we needed a theoretical explanation, starting from first principles," says Wanli Yang of Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS).
High-capacity expansion
"High-capacity lithium-ion anode materials have always confronted the challenge of volume change – swelling – when electrodes absorb lithium," says Gao Liu of Berkeley Lab's Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD), a member of the BATT program (Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies) managed by the Lab and supported by DOE's Office of Vehicle Technologies.
Says Liu, "Most of today's lithium-ion batteries have anodes made of graphite, which is electrically conducting and expands only modestly when housing the ions between its graphene layers. Silicon can store 10 times more – it has by far the highest capacity among lithium-ion storage materials – but it swells to more than three times its volume when fully charged."
This kind of swelling quickly breaks the electrical contacts in the anode, so researchers have concentrated on finding other ways to use silicon while maintaining anode conductivity. Many approaches have been proposed; some are prohibitively costly.
One less-expensive approach has been to mix silicon particles in a flexible polymer binder, with carbon black added to the mix to conduct electricity. Unfortunately, the repeated swelling and shrinking of the silicon particles as they acquire and release lithium ions eventually push away the added carbon particles. What's needed is a flexible binder that can conduct electricity by itself, without the added carbon.
"Conducting polymers aren't a new idea," says Liu, "but previous efforts haven't worked well, because they haven't taken into account the severe reducing environment on the anode side of a lithium-ion battery, which renders most conducting polymers insulators."
One such experimental polymer, called PAN (polyaniline), has positive charges; it starts out as a conductor but quickly loses conductivity. An ideal conducting polymer should readily acquire electrons, rendering it conducting in the anode's reducing environment.
The signature of a promising polymer would be one with a low value of the state called the "lowest unoccupied molecular orbital," where electrons can easily reside and move freely. Ideally, electrons would be acquired from the lithium atoms during the initial charging process. Liu and his postdoctoral fellow Shidi Xun in EETD designed a series of such polyfluorene-based conducting polymers – PFs for short.
When Liu discussed the excellent performance of the PFs with Wanli Yang of Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS), a scientific collaboration emerged to understand the new materials. Yang suggested conducting soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy on Liu and Xun's candidate polymers using ALS beamline 8.0.1 to determine their key electronic properties.
Says Yang, "Gao wanted to know where the ions and electrons are and where they move. Soft x-ray spectroscopy has the power to deliver exactly this kind of crucial information."
Compared with the electronic structure of PAN, the absorption spectra Yang obtained for the PFs stood out immediately. The differences were greatest in PFs incorporating a carbon-oxygen functional group (carbonyl).
"We had the experimental evidence," says Yang, "but to understand what we were seeing, and its relevance to the conductivity of the polymer, we needed a theoretical explanation, starting from first principles." He asked Lin-Wang Wang of Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division (MSD) to join the research collaboration.
Wang and his postdoctoral fellow, Nenad Vukmirovic, conducted ab initio calculations of the promising polymers at the Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). Wang says, "The calculation tells you what's really going on – including precisely how the lithium ions attach to the polymer, and why the added carbonyl functional group improves the process. It was quite impressive that the calculations matched the experiments so beautifully."
The simulation did indeed reveal "what's really going on" with the type of PF that includes the carbonyl functional group, and showed why the system works so well. The lithium ions interact with the polymer first, and afterward bind to the silicon particles. When a lithium atom binds to the polymer through the carbonyl group, it gives its electron to the polymer – a doping process that significantly improves the polymer's electrical conductivity, facilitating electron and ion transport to the silicon particles.
Cycling for success
Having gone through one cycle of material synthesis at EETD, experimental analysis at the ALS, and theoretical simulation at MSD, the positive results triggered a new cycle of improvements. Almost as important as its electrical properties are the polymer's physical properties, to which Liu now added another functional group, producing a polymer that can adhere tightly to the silicon particles as they acquire or lose lithium ions and undergo repeated changes in volume.
Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy at the National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM), showing the anodes after 32 charge-discharge cycles, confirmed that the modified polymer adhered strongly throughout the battery operation even as the silicon particles repeatedly expanded and contracted. Tests at the ALS and simulations confirmed that the added mechanical properties did not affect the polymer's superior electrical properties.
"Without the input from our partners at the ALS and in MSD, what can be modified and what should not be modified in the next generation of polymers would not have been obvious," says Vince Battaglia, Program Manager of EETD's Advanced Energy Technologies Department.
"This achievement provides a rare scientific showcase, combining advanced tools of synthesis, characterization, and simulation in a novel approach to materials development," says Zahid Hussain, the ALS Division Deputy for Scientific Support and Scientific Support Group Leader. "The cyclic approach can lead to the discovery of new practical materials with a fundamental understanding of their properties."
The icing on the anode cake is that the new PF-based anode is not only superior but economical. "Using commercial silicon particles and without any conductive additive, our composite anode exhibits the best performance so far," says Gao Liu. "The whole manufacturing process is low cost and compatible with established manufacturing technologies. The commercial value of the polymer has already been recognized by major companies, and its possible applications extend beyond silicon anodes."
Anodes are a key component of lithium-ion battery technology, but far from the only challenge. Already the research collaboration is pushing to the next step, studying other battery components including cathodes.
"Polymers with Tailored Electronic Structure for High Capacity Lithium Battery Electrodes," by Gao Liu, Shidi Xun, Nenad Vukmirovic, Xiangyun Song, Paul Olalde-Velasco, Honghe Zheng, Vince S. Battaglia, Lin-Wang Wang, and Wanli Yang, appears in Advanced Materials and is available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201102421/abstract.
Materials research for this work in the BATT program was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The ALS, NCEM, and NERSC are national scientific user facilities supported by DOE's Office of Science.
About NERSC and Berkeley Lab
The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility that serves as the primary high-performance computing center for scientific research sponsored by the Office of Science. Located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the NERSC Center serves more than 7,000 scientists at national laboratories and universities researching a wide range of problems in combustion, climate modeling, fusion energy, materials science, physics, chemistry, computational biology, and other disciplines. Berkeley Lab is a DOE national laboratory located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy. »Learn more about computing sciences at Berkeley Lab.


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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at email@example.com.
The box: 2016-17 Panini Studio NBA cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 60
Base set completion: 49 of 300 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Notable players on base cards – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James (two types), Julius Erving, Stephen Curry, John Havlicek (two types), Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Kevin Love, Brook Lopez
Rookie Cards (14) – Ben Simmons, Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray, Marquese Chriss (two types, Denzel Valentine, Buddy Hield, Dragan Bender, Brandon Ingram, Taurean Prince, Patrick McCaw, Isaiah Whitehead, Juan Hernangomez, Henry Ellenson, DeAndre' Bembry

subset: commoncrawl


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Buddhist Bhutan Proposes 'Anti-Conversion' Law
ICC Note: Already suppressed Christians say bill is designed to control growth.
7/22/10 Bhutan (CompassDirectNews) – Christians in this Himalayan nation who are still longing to openly practice their faith were disheartened this month when the government proposed the kind of "anti-conversion" law that other nations have used as a pretext for falsely accusing Christians of "coercion."
The amendment bill would punish "proselytizing" that "uses coercion or other forms of inducement" – vaguely enough worded, Christians fear, that vigilantes could use it to jail them for following the commands of Christ to feed, clothe and otherwise care for the poor.
"Now, under section 463 [of the Penal Code of Bhutan], a defendant shall be guilty of the offense of proselytization if the defendant uses coercion or other forms of inducement to cause the conversion of a person from one religion or faith to another," reported the government-run Kuensel newspaper on July 9.
"There was always a virtual anti-conversion law in place, but now it is on paper too," said a senior pastor from Thimphu on condition of anonymity. "Seemingly it is aimed at controlling the growth of Christianity."
Kuenlay Tshering, a member of Bhutan's Parliament and the chairperson of its Legislative Council, told Compass that the new section is consonant with Article 7(4) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, which states, "A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. No person shall be compelled to belong to another faith by means of coercion or inducement."
He said that the National Council had proposed that offenses under the proposal be classified as misdemeanors, punishable by one to less than three years in prison.
Tshering said that the amendment bill "may be passed during the next session of Parliament, after the National Assembly deliberates on it in the winter session."
Asked if he was aware that similar "anti-conversion" laws in neighboring India had been misused to harass Christians through vague terms of "inducement," he said he was not.
Authorities usually act on complaints by local residents against Christian workers, so frivolous complaints can lead to their arrest, said another pastor who requested anonymity.
Of the 683,407 people in Bhutan, over 75 percent are Buddhist, mainly from the west and the east. Hindus, mostly ethnic Nepalese from southern Bhutan, are estimated to be around 22 percent of the population.
There are around 6,000 Christians, mostly ethnic Nepalese, but there is neither a church building nor a registered Christian institution. The Bible, however, has been translated into the national language, Dzongkha, as well as into Nepali.
The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the government has not officially recognized the presence of Christians, whose practice of faith remains confined to their homes.
The Drukpa Kagyue school of Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion, with Hinduism dominant in the south, according to Bhutan's official website, which adds, "Some residues of Bon, animism and shamanism still exist in some pockets of the country," but makes no mention of Christianity.
Still, since Bhutan became a democracy in 2008 after its first-ever elections – following more than 100 years of absolute monarchy – people have increasingly exercised their freedom, including religious choice.
'Why More Religions?'
Home and Culture Minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorji told Compass that Bhutan's government had "no problems" with Christianity or any other faith.
"But Bhutan is a small country, with a little more than 600,000 people, and a majority of them are Buddhist," Dorji said. "We have Hindus, also mainly in southern parts. So why do we need more religions?"
Buddhism is closely linked with political and social life in Bhutan. Dorji's office sits in a gigantic monastery in Thimphu known as Tashichho Dzong. Buddhism unites and brings people together, Dorji said, explaining that the social life of a village revolves around its dzong (monastery).
Dorji said India's multi-religious society had led to tensions and bloodshed.
"India can survive riots and unrest," he said, "but Bhutan may not, because it is a small country between two giants [India and China]."
With leaders who have been proud that they have not allowed it to be colonized, Bhutan historically has been keenly concerned about its survival. Bhutan's people see their distinct culture, rather than the military, as having protected the country's sovereignty. And it is no coincidence that Dorji's portfolio includes both internal security and preservation of culture.
The constitution, adopted in July 2008, also requires the state to protect Bhutan's cultural heritage and declares that Buddhism is the spiritual heritage of Bhutan.
A government official who requested anonymity said that, as Tibet went to China and Sikkim became a state in India, "now which of the two countries will get Bhutan?"
This concern is prevalent among the Bhutanese, he added.
Sikkim, now a state in India's northeast, was a Buddhist kingdom with indigenous Bhotia and Lepcha people groups as its subjects. But Hindus from Nepal migrated to Sikkim for work and gradually outnumbered the local Buddhists. In 1975, a referendum was held to decide if Sikkim, then India's protectorate, should become an official state of the country. Since over 75 percent of the people in Sikkim were Nepalese – who knew that democracy would mean majority-rule – they voted for its incorporation into India.
Bhutan and India's other smaller neighbors saw it as brazen annexation. And it is believed that Sikkim's "annexation" made Bhutan wary of the influence of India.
In the 1980s, Bhutan's king began a one-nation-one-people campaign to protect its sovereignty and cultural integrity, which was discriminatory to the ethnic Nepalese, who protested. Their non-compliance, however, resulted in a harsh crackdown by authorities, leading to the expulsion or voluntary migration of over 100,000 ethnic Nepalese, many of whom were Christians, to the Nepal side of the border in Jhapa in the early 1990s.
"Bhutan did not want to become another Sikkim," said a local resident, explaining why the government did not tolerate the protests.
Bhutan is also rigorous in implementing its laws related to the use of the national language, the national dress code and the uniform architectural standards throughout the country to strengthen its cultural integrity. Bhutanese men are required to wear the gho, a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a cloth belt, when they go to work or attend a public function. Women have to wear the kira, an ankle-length dress clipped at one shoulder and tied at the waist. Non-compliance can lead to fine and imprisonment.
Brighter Future
One hopeful pastor said he expects the government to officially acknowledge the existence of Christianity in Bhutan in the near future.
"Religious freedom will be good for both Christians and the government," he said. "If Christians are not officially acknowledged, who will the government go to if it wants to implement an executive decision related to religious communities?"
Explaining the reason for his hope, he recalled an incident in the Punakha area in January, when a house under construction was demolished after rumors that it was used as a church.
"The house owner, a Christian, went to his majesty [King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck] and told him he was not constructing a church but would have worship with other believers on Sundays," the pastor said. "The king allowed him to build the house."
He also said that a delegation of Christians met with Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigmey Thinley in May 2009, who reassured them that there would be more freedom soon.
Christianity is gradually growing, but through word-of-mouth – testimonies of those who have received healing from sickness – and not public preaching, he said, adding that Christians needed to understand and be patient with the government, "which cannot and should not make changes or give freedom overnight."


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By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com
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The following article is property of DefenseReview.com (DR) and is copyrighted material. If you are reading this article on another website other than DefenseReview.com, please email us the website address/URL (where the unauthorized DR article reprint is located) at defrev (at) gmail (dot) com. Thank you.
August 29, 2013
While DefenseReview (DR) was walking the floor at SHOT Show 2013, we ran into our friend John Hwang, owner of Rainier Arms, right by the Bullet Bunker booth, and he showed us the Rainier Arms Raptor Ambidextrous Charging Handle by AXTS that was designed and developed in collaboration with AXTS Weapons Systems for AR-15 Tactical Carbine/SBRs, so we took a minute to photograph and handle it. The AXTS AX556 and AX762 Ambi AR Lowers, which utilize the AXTS A-DAC ambi-lower receiver system, where the first products DR covered from SHOT Show 2011 because we thought the A-DAC was so interesting.
The Raptor Ambi Charging Handle looked well-designed and quality-manufactured to us, which didn't surprise us, since Rainier Arms is known for carrying quality products. Upon examining it, we were immediately curious as to how the Raptor stacks up against both the Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) BCMGUNFIGHTER Ambidextrous Charging Handle (5.56mm/.223) w/ Mod A44 (Ambi) and the Phase 5 Tactical Ambi Battle Latch/Charging Handle Assembly (ABL/CHA), the latter of which Defense Review mentioned in our 2012 article on the Legion Firearms LF-15D and LF-15C.
Defense Review hasn't yet run any of the the above-mentioned ambi charging handles, yet, but we'd certainly like to run them all at the range under high round count, and compare them. Perhaps someon out there has already done a high-round-count side by side test and evaluation? Regardless, DR is an ambi charging handle proponent, since ambi charging handles provide shooters with greater versatility. Your humble correspondent has been taught how to shoot ambidextrously in force-on-force dynamic CQB/CQC (Close Quarters Battle/Close Quarters Combat) environments by the great Dave Maynard of Combative Concepts, so I appreciate anything on my gun that gives me any speed or weapons-handling advantage whatsoever in a gunfight. Gunfighting is no joke, so you want to have every advantage available to you.
By the way, speaking of Legion Firearms, DR came across a Rainier Arms Raptor .308 AR Ambi Charging Handle on the Legion Firearms LF-10D 14.5″ 7.62mm NATO/.308 Win. DMR-type tactical AR-10/SR-25-format carbine at their booth, shortly after we ran into the Rainier Arms boys. So, the boys at Legion must like it, too.
If you'd like to order a Rainier Arms Raptor Ambidextrous Charging Handle by AXTS, DefenseReview highly recommends you order it from either Brownells, or, interestingly, Bravo Company USA, which also carries the Raptor Ambi Charging Handle in their catalog, even though they've designed and developed their own their own in-house-developed BCMGUNFIGHTER ambi charging handle.
Both Brownells AND Bravo Company are great companies.
The following are the Raptor's description and specs from Brownells:
"Rainier Arms Raptor™ ambidextrous charging handle by AXTS. The Raptor™ is truly revolutionary in design & function. From rapid palm "blading" or finger thumb charges of the weapon, the motion is fluid & fast from either strong or support side. Made in the USA from aircraft grade 7075 aluminum and milspec anodized.
SPECS: Available for AR15/M16 or 308 upper receivers. 7075 aluminum construction, matte black anodized finish. AR-10/.308 versions will fit the following rifles: Armalite AR-10, DPMS 308, KAC SR25, MK11, M110, Larue OSR, Noveske 308, and POF 308. 7.62 version may not fit Rock River Arms or Sig 7.62/308 rifles."
Company Contact Info:
Brownells Inc.
200 South Front Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
General Office: 641-623-5401
Ordering: 800-741-0015
Technical Support: 800-741-0015
Fax: 800-264-3068
Email Contact Page: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/general/Contact_Us.aspx
Website: http://www.brownells.com
Rainier Arms
2504 Auburn Way N.
Auburn, WA 98002
Toll-Free: 877-556-4867 (GUNS)
Phone: 253-218-2999
Fax: 253-218-2998
Email Sales: [email protected]
Email Contact Page: https://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/contact
Website: https://www.rainierarms.com
Bravo Company USA, Inc. (BCM)
PO Box 341
Hartland, WI 53029-0341
Toll Free: 877-272-8626 (BRAVO CO)
Phone: 262-367-4009
Fax: 262-367-0989
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.bravocompanyusa.com
AXTS Weapons Systems
Phone: 503-893-2987 (AXTS)
Fax for FFL's: 877-766-9148
Email Support: [email protected]
Email Orders: [email protected]
Website: http://axtsweapons.com
© Copyright 2013 DefenseReview.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without receiving permission and providing proper credit and appropriate links.
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AXTS A-DAC Ambidextrous Dual Action Catch AR (AR-15/AR-10) Lower Receiver Series for Improved Speed and Handling/Ergonomics: Meet the AX556 and AX762 Ambi AR Lowers


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Happy Monday, everyone! Hope y'all had a nice weekend. I skipped the cinema again this weekend as it's quite a hectic one with my hubby Ivan's triathlon on Saturday morning and we also had people over for dinner this weekend.
But Friday night we had a chance to check out the documentary we've been wanting to see for a while. I posted the trailer a while back, check it out if you haven't already.
This is an insightful and thoughtful documentary produced and narrated by none other than Keanu Reeves. I've always thought that Keanu is one of those actors who are far more intelligent than meets the eye, and despite his stoic style, I quite like him as an actor and enjoyed a lot of his movies. Here he collaborated with Christopher Kenneally who previously worked with him as production manager in Henry's Crime to direct the film. I think Keanu is the perfect person to conduct all the interviews, not only has he worked with a variety of directors in over 50 films, he's also got that friendly, laid-back personality that would help make all the directors feel at ease discussing this hot-button issue. It's nice to see Christopher and Keanu's passionate curiosity on this topic as they asked some honest questions on both sides of the spectrum.
Oh I'm sure Nolan would be happy to continue making more 70 mm films, but man those are expensive!!
Does digital kill film?? That's the key question that's running through the vein of this film as it investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation. It was certainly insightful for people like me who don't really know much about the technical aspect of film and just what it took to get a film from the set all the way to the reels being delivered to our local cinemas. It does get quite technical at times which went over my head a little, but it's always fascinating and they did a good job presenting it in layman's terms with simple charts and graphs. There are also some footage from participating directors shown as examples.
Keanu had a pretty impressive list of filmmakers discussing digital vs. film, George Lucas, James Cameron, David Lynch, David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh, Danny Boyle, the Wachowskis, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, etc. as well as famed cinematographer such as Wally Pfister, Vittorio Storaro, and Anthony Dod Mantle who won an Oscar for his cinematography work in Slumdog Millionaire. There's also a fascinating interview with Anne V. Coates who edited the 70 mm film of Lawrence of Arabia! I read in Movieline.com that apparently Nolan was the toughest to get for this film, but he got a kick out of Keanu's snail mail letter using an old-fashioned typewriter. So Nolan agreed to be interviewed during filming The Dark Knight Rises in L.A.
As a cinephile, of course the best part is listening to the arguments each of the filmmakers makes on each of the two form. It's no surprise that Nolan and Pfister would be the biggest defense of celluloid and that Lucas and Cameron are the champions for digital. But most of them realize the art and beauty of traditional film, but yet can't deny the power of digital, not to mention the financial benefit and convenience of being able to film scenes that were impossible to do before. For instance, Danny Boyle shared the filming of the exquisite Westminster Bridge scene [undoubtedly one of my favorite scenes in London], and how it'd have been impossible to film those without the use of digital cameras. Scorsese seemed gleeful at the infinite possibilities storytelling could go with digital technique, having just been immersed in 3D technology with HUGO. Seems to me that according to this documentary, there are more filmmakers who are more pro-digital, even David Lynch likes the fact that digital cameras allows him to film for more than 10 minutes at a time.
The film seems pretty comprehensive in discussing the merit of the two forms, it even went briefly into related aspects such as coloring and archival process. Yet it seems to gloss over what it'd all mean to the local movie theaters and the effect of the digital process affect them as more movie studios are pushing to abandon 35 mm film. My dad used to work as a projectionist before he got into film, but that's surely going to be obsolete now, as most films are going to be projected digitally in no time.
Wherever you are in the film vs. digital debate, this documentary is a must-see for you. No matter how articulate one's argument about 3D though, I'm still not fond of it until they can figure out how people could see 3D films without those pesky glasses. And for me, whichever form they go with, the most important thing about a movie is still and will always be, the story. I sure hope no matter how advanced film technology goes, filmmakers won't ever forget the art of storytelling.
|4 out of 5 reels
Have you seen this film? Thoughts on the digital vs. film topic?


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Planning for a Career in Computer Programming?
The IT sector in the country has provided jobs to a larger amount of people. The technological advancement has increases the career opportunities around the world. There is always a great demand for programmers throughout the world. The skill and subject knowledge of the individual matters a lot when it comes to a career in Computer programming. When analyzing the present market trend the demand for computer programmers is increasing each day. There are Associates online Degrees, online Bachelor's and Masters degree and even online PhD Degree.
In the year 1950 FORTRAN language was developed and then came COBOL which was the first language used for commercial application. In the year 1996 for teaching the undergraduates BASIC was introduced. C was developed by Dennis Ritchie of Bell Laboratories. The most widespread computer languages are C++ and JAVA. With a lot of these computer languages and the need of other application development tools the demand for programmers has increased. Presently there are also some active tools for developing applications like Visual Studios, Eclipse and ERP. You can also have a great career in graphics if you are interested. Therefore you can either have a career in software as a software engineer or as a graphics cad or cam designer.
If you are interested in computer programming you can easily build up a career in banks, research organizations, hospitals, schools etc. It is not necessary that you need to work in a software company if you are a programmer. The government will also offer jobs for computer graduates and post graduates. There are a variety of fields inevitable with computers nowadays. The computer languages that are presently in demand are Microsoft.Net, Asp .Net, VB .Net, C# and J2EE. As the technology advanced the programmers need to update their knowledge in the field.


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Zach Parise named captain of US hockey team
Associated Press
Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild will be the captain of the U.S. men's hockey team at the Sochi Olympics.
Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter and Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings will be the alternate captains, U.S. general manager David Poile announced Friday.
The 29-year-old Parise was an alternate captain at the Vancouver Olympics four years ago, scoring the goal that sent the gold-medal game into overtime.
U.S. coach Dan Bylsma says Parise's blue-collar approach is exemplary of the attitude he wants for his team.
Brown is the longtime captain of the Kings. Suter's father, Bob, won a gold medal with the "Miracle on Ice" team in 1980.
The American team will hold its first practice in Sochi late on Feb. 10, three days before its first game.


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Extracting the Determinant from the Characteristic Polynomial
This one's a pretty easy entry. If we know the characteristic polynomial of an endomorphism on a vector space of finite dimension , then we can get its determinant from the constant term.
First let's look at the formula for the characteristic polynomial in terms of the matrix entries of :
Now we're interested in , which is exactly what we calculate to determine if the kernel of is nontrivial. But the kernel of is the eigenspace corresponding to eigenvalue , so this should have something to do with the characteristic polynomial at . So let's see what happens.
This is just times our formula for the determinant of . But of course we know the dimension ahead of time, so we know whether to flip the sign or not. So just take the characteristic polynomial, evaluate it at zero, and flip the sign if necessary to get the determinant.
There's one thing to note here, even though it doesn't really tell us anything new. We've said that is noninvertible if and only if its determinant is zero. Now we know that this will happen if and only if the constant term of the characteristic polynomial is zero. In this case, the polynomial must have a root at , which means that the -eigenspace of is nontrivial. But this is just the kernel of is nontrivial. Thus (as we already know) a linear transformation is noninvertible if and only if its kernel is nontrivial.
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[…] of any choice of basis. The leading coefficient is always , so that's not very interesting. The constant term is the determinant, which we'd known from other considerations before. There's one more coefficient […]
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So yeah, another looonnnggg absence and I am so annoyed at myself. It felt so good to get back into the swing of blogging again. But I do have a bit of an excuse, I was seriously job hunting again. I have never in my life had such a difficult time finding a job! I have always, ALWAYS gotten the job I wanted before now.
And now that I am thinking about it (and just because I want to) I am going to reminisce about my past jobs…
Age 16: First job, Hastings. I LOVED this job. It is a big Pacific Northwest chain of book/music/video stores. I had so much fun working here. I remember when DVD's first started trickling onto our shelves. Loved it!
17/18, Schlotzsky's, went to work there because one of my best friends was working there. Another super fun job, loved it. I ended up getting promoted to baker which was awesome. Got there at like 6 am to bake all the bread and pizza crusts.
17/18, Also worked at ol' Papa John's for awhile. I will always, always tip delivery drivers well because of this job.
18, I worked as a cocktail waitress for about 5 minutes at a country club at a golf course. Never really liked it.
-Big move to Virginia-
First week in VA, walked into a Petco, filled out an app got interviewed and hired on the spot. Worked at Petco for three years, becoming assistant manager and meeting the man I was going to marry my first day of work.
After Mckenna was born I started working at a vet's office part time while Omar went to boot camp. I really enjoyed it but then it was time to move again, this time down to Virginia Beach.
I didn't want to work outside the home so I started nannying which was great. I got to make some money but still be home with Mckenna. Once again, every family I interviewed with wanted to hire me! I am an awesome interview!
When we moved to Spain Omar was a baby so I wasn't rushing into work anytime soon and the job market is seriously limited. When he was almost 3 I was ready. I applied at the commissary (one of the few jobs on base) and got hired.
After a year I moved over to the CDC which was even better, I was full time M-F and I could pop in on Omar anytime. I loved working the CDC the coworkers and families were awesome.
Then the move to Hawaii.
What a disheartening time I had.
For the first year I wasn't really looking too seriously. Omar was deployed and I wanted to be home for the kids.
But then I started looking for real and I didn't hear back from anyone! I sent out resumes, even got called in for a few interviews and NOTHING!
I know I had a gap in employment and no one really likes to hire military spouses because we move all the damn time, but come on!
I finally updated my resume once again to make it a skills based resume to highlight all my insane skillz, and redid my cover letter and finally got some nibbles again!
I interviewed with a local company and got hired on the spot. FINALLY!
And no, this isn't my dream career or anything close to it, it's just admin/accounts receivable (crazy enough I was actually an accounting major before decided I would kill myself if I had to do it for the rest of my life and ended up finding my passion in environmental management. Joke's on me.) It's a big parts wholesaler, with a million delivery drivers, but the clerical staff is just me and 4 other ladies. All who are super nice (so far!)
I love the hours, I work four hours in the morning (after dropping the kids off at school) then come home, eat lunch, pick up the house, laze around watching tv for a bit, then time to pick up the kids again. So far it's working out perfectly. And I am really enjoying being in the ranks of the employed again!
I Am Employed!
So yeah, another looonnnggg absence and I am so annoyed at myself. It felt so good to get back into the swing of blogging again. But I do have a bit of an excuse, I was seriously job hunting again. I have never in my life had such a difficult time finding a job! I have always, ALWAYS gotten the job I wanted before now.


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Waiting. Just Waiting.
City Hall At Night
It's here.
So, technically, this isn't Toronto, it's Mississauga, the city that borders Toronto to the west. These two condos are about 15 minutes from home and we have been watching them go up for the past 18 months so, both are currently half finished. The project has won a lot of international architectural design awards, I think for obvious reasons. Unofficially they are known as the "Marilyn Buildings" because supposedly the architect designed them with Marilyn Monroe's figure in mind.
Royal Ontario Museum, Bloor Street West and Queen's Park Circle
"Under the protection of Cherry Blossoms"
West Road, High Park, Bloor West Village, Toronto
Sugar Beach, one of Toronto's urban beaches
Humber River Arch, Humber Valley Park West, Toronto, Ontario
Casa Loma, Toronto, Ontario
This is Casa Loma, it's Toronto's castle complete with a hundred or so rooms, secret passages, stately towers, an 800ft underground tunnel, stables, resident ghost. It's a Gothic Revival style house in midtown Toronto, and is now a museum and landmark.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir complex in Toronto
"Not so good today"
HTO Park, one of Toronto's two urban beaches
Toronto skyline from Centre Island.
The Humber River, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Canada
Sunrise from Humber Bay Park West
Cavalcade of Lights, City Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"A Walk in the Woods"
"Leaving on a jet plane" - Pearson International Airport
"Morning Serenity"
Centre Road, High Park, Bloor West Village, Toronto
Toronto Skyline from Polson Pier
"Morning Serenity"
Centre Road, High Park, Bloor West Village, Toronto


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These are the winners of the 89th annual Academy Awards.
Best Picture: "Moonlight"
Actor: Casey Affleck, "Manchester by the Sea"
Actress: Emma Stone, "La La Land"
Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, "Moonlight"
Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, "Fences"
Animated Feature: "Zootopia"
Cinematography: "La La Land"
Costume Design: "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Direction: Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"
Documentary Feature: "O.J.: Made in America"
Documentary Short: "The White Helmets"
Film Editing: "Hacksaw Ridge"
Foreign Language Film: "The Salesman"
Makeup and Hairstyling: "Suicide Squad"
Score: "La La Land"
Song: "City of Stars" from "La La Land"
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Production Design: "La La Land"
Animated Short: "Piper"
Live Action Short: "Sing"
Sound Editing: "Arrival"
Sound Mixing: "Hacksaw Ridge"
Visual Effects: "The Jungle Book"
Adapted Screenplay: "Moonlight"
Original Screenplay: "Manchester by the Sea"


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Most Gluten-Free Snacks For Kids Are Unhealthy, Study Says
If you're choosing snacks for your kids, you might be more inclined to buy a snack that's gluten-free. If it's gluten-free, it must be healthier, right? But according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, gluten-free snacks for kids might not be any healthier than their glutenous counterparts.
The researchers looked at the sugar, fat, and sodium content of 347 snacks marketed towards children. Some of the snacks were specifically advertised as "gluten-free," while others were not. The study excluded "junk foods" such as candy and potato chips.
They used the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Nutrient Profile Model to rate the healthfulness of each snack. The PAHO model rates foods based on factors such as the amount of sugar, salt, total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat.
Eighty-eight percent of gluten-free snacks were rated as having poor nutritional quality. Of the snacks that did not make the "gluten-free" claim, 97 percent had poor nutritional quality.
In other words, just because a snack is marketed as gluten-free doesn't guarantee it's a healthier choice.
According to registered dietitian and nutritionist Keri Gans, the idea that gluten-free eating is healthier for children is somewhat misguided.
"The only reason to choose a gluten-free snack is if your child has been diagnosed with either celiac or a gluten intolerance," Gans told The Daily Meal. "A lot of parents these days are anti-gluten for reasons that either aren't based on any concrete evidence or are using themselves as a guide." Parents who feel better without eating gluten assume that their child will feel the same — but that's not necessarily true.
"Just because they feel better without gluten doesn't mean it will make any difference for their child," Gans explained. "Unless that child also has a gluten intolerance."
One interesting aspect noted in the study was that gluten-free snacks often had excessive amounts of sugar. Of the 66 products labeled as gluten-free that were researched, 80 percent had high sugar levels. In a food with high sugar levels, at least 10 percent of the calories come from sugar.
Rather than a gluten-free label, parents can make healthier choices at the grocery store by looking at nutrition labels and reading ingredients, Gans advised.
"'Gluten-free' has this halo effect," she said. "If you want to choose something gluten-free, there are a lot of really great gluten-free options! You just need to dive deeper, because a lot of gluten-free snacks have lots of added sugar and sodium."
In fact, many healthy snacks that adults and children can eat are gluten-free by nature, even if they aren't necessarily marketed with a gluten-free label.
Gans recommends Kind bars for a packaged snack option, noting that both the Kind Kids bars and the Pressed by Kind bars are nutrient-dense. Other healthy snacks that are gluten-free are yogurt, which provides calcium that a growing child needs. Additionally, Gans says she would give a child snack options such as almonds or peanuts, string cheese, or fresh fruit.
Lots of healthy snacks are gluten-free — but, as Gans and this study both point out, a gluten-free label doesn't make a snack healthy. That's one of the many myths about gluten people should probably stop believing.


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I saw a blue post responding to the idea of creating a small island or prison for the WoW accounts that get banned and permabanned.
As a silly expansion on that idea how about:
- A set of stockades in front of major cities where the toons are captive for their non-permanent bans. We can go there and throw fruit, let our pets relieve themselves on them, and generally celebrate these people as being shamed.
- A wall or book of the unhonorable which lists the characters on that realm who broke the terms of service so badly they are banned permanently. An example that their behaviour is not tolerated.
- Or if the folks are still playing but banned for a time, then give them a specific realm of shame where they can login but they cannot login anywhere else. These characters are "stuck" at level 1 and cannot chat or communicate outside that realm. Kind of like putting all the convicts on the same boat and shipping them to Australia.
- Perhaps an in-game debuff that marks all character when they are unbanned for a while…"disgraced".
I know that reads like rewarding the negative behaviour, so not the best. Just a thought.


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Never forget a Face(book) memory for online posts beats faces and books
People's memory for Facebook posts is strikingly stronger than their memory for human faces or sentences from books, according to a new study.
The findings shed light on how our memories favour natural, spontaneous writing over polished, edited content, and could have wider implications for the worlds of education, communications and advertising.
The research, authored by academics at the University of Warwick (Dr Laura Mickes) and UC San Diego (including Professors Christine Harris and Nicholas Christenfeld), tested memory for text taken from anonymised Facebook updates, stripped of images and removed from the context of Facebook, and compared it to memory for sentences picked at random from books and also to human faces.
The researchers found that in the first memory test, participants' memory for Facebook posts was about one and a half times their memory for sentences from books.
In a second memory test, participants' memory for Facebook posts was almost two and a half times as strong as for faces.
Lead author Dr Laura Mickes of the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick said: "We were really surprised when we saw just how much stronger memory for Facebook posts was compared to other types of stimuli.
"These kinds of gaps in performance are on a scale similar to the differences between amnesiacs and people with healthy memory."
A further set of experiments delved into the reasons behind this. It seems that, as one might expect, Facebook updates are easier to memorise as they are usually stand-alone bits of information that tend to be gossipy in nature.
However, the study suggests that another, more general phenomenon, is also at play. That is, our minds may better take in, store, and bring forth information gained from online posts because they are in what the researchers call 'mind-ready' formats – i.e., they are spontaneous, unedited and closer to natural speech.
These features seem to give them a special memorability, with similar results being found for Twitter posts as well as comments under online news articles.
Professor Christine Harris suggests: "Our findings might not seem so surprising when one considers how important both memory and the social world have been for survival over humans' ancestral history.
"We learn about rewards and threats from others. So it makes sense that our minds would be tuned to be particularly attentive to the activities and thoughts of people and to remember the information conveyed by them."
Our language capacity did not evolve to process carefully edited and polished text, notes author Professor Nicholas Christenfeld.
"One could view the past five thousand years of painstaking, careful writing as the anomaly. Modern technologies allow written language to return more closely to the casual, personal style of pre-literate communication. And this is the style that resonates, and is remembered."
Dr Mickes added: "Facebook is updated roughly 30 million times an hour so it's easy to dismiss it as full of mundane, trivial bits of information that we will instantly forget as soon as we read them.
"But our study turns that view on its head, and by doing so gives us a really useful glimpse into the kinds of information we're hardwired to remember.
"Writing that is easy and quick to generate is also easy to remember – the more casual and unedited, the more 'mind-ready' it is.
"Knowing this could help in the design of better educational tools as well as offering useful insights for communications or advertising.
"Of course we're not suggesting textbooks written entirely in tweets, nor should editors be rendered useless, – but textbook writers or lecturers using PowerPoint could certainly benefit from using more natural speech to get information across.
"And outside these settings, at the very least maybe we should take more care about what we post on Facebook as it seems those posts might just be remembered for a long time."
The paper, Major Memory for Microblogs, is published in the journal Memory & Cognition.
For a copy of this study please email Dr Mickes or Anna Blackaby at the University of Warwick.
Dr Laura Mickes is available on + 44(0) 24 761 50468 or L dot B dot Mickes at warwick dot ac dot uk
University of Warwick press officer Anna Blackaby is on +44 (0)2476 575910 or +44 (0)7785 433155 or a dot blackaby at warwick dot ac dot uk
The paper, Major Memory for Microblogs, is published in the journal Memory & Cognition.
For a copy of this study please email Dr Mickes or Anna Blackaby at the University of Warwick.
Dr Laura Mickes is available on + 44(0) 24 761 50468 or L dot B dot Mickes at warwick dot ac dot uk
University of Warwick press officer Anna Blackaby is on +44 (0)2476 575910 or +44 (0)7785 433155 or a dot blackaby at warwick dot ac dot uk


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Dajjal (The Anti-Christ)
by Abu Rahmah
Research, Critical Analysis, and Commentary
This book deals with details about Dajjal, the Antichrist, including its description, appearance, emergence, trials and tribulations, and whether it is a person or a system, or both. The aim is to present the topic in a systematic and understandable manner and clarify doubts and misconceptions along the way through a study of the Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet Muhammad] and without resorting to outside matters such as theories and current affairs unless really required and explicitly in sync with the events prophesied. There is much more that can be said and connections to events from our times may be added to further elaborate on some matters but that has been refrained from, unless absolutely necessary, and the book only focuses on Hadiths and their study. Take, for example, this: greedy corporations seek to control water world over and do not consider it a human right. Such people and their policies fit right into the system of the Dajjal but this book only studies Hadiths; linking of current affairs with Hadiths is left to the reader to make on their own and if they have a clear and better picture of Hadiths free of misconceptions, myths, and legends, the analysis they make would be closer to accuracy than otherwise.


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Rays rally in 9th to beat Verlander, Tigers 4-2
DETROIT – Last week, the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to win against Mariano Rivera.
On Wednesday, they beat Justin Verlander — after the Detroit ace had looked untouchable for most of the afternoon.
"They are never going to give up," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Say what you want about this team, but they play nine hard innings."
Ben Zobrist hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the top of the ninth Wednesday, and Tampa Bay scored four runs in its final at-bat to beat Verlander and the Tigers 4-2. Verlander took a one-hitter into the ninth and hadn't allowed a run all season before the Rays broke through.
Verlander allowed a run on a wild pitch, then Evan Longoria tied the game at 2 with a single to left on Verlander's 104th and final pitch.
The Tigers (4-1) lost for the first time this season.
"Once a couple guys got on, really the first time I've cranked it up like that — and lost a little bit of my consistency that I'd had all day," Verlander said. "It's inexcusable. This loss rests solely on my shoulders today."
Daniel Schlereth came on and allowed a walk to load the bases, and Zobrist singled up the middle off Jose Valverde.
James Shields (1-0) allowed six hits and two runs in eight innings. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his third save.
"We know now what kind of team we have," Shields said. "We don't fear anyone, because if we keep fighting, we'll win more than our share."
For most of the day, Verlander was marvelous. He took a no-hitter into the fifth and had thrown just 81 pitches through eight.
But pinch-hitter Jeff Keppinger started the ninth with a single, and Desmond Jennings added another one an out later.
"When you go against Verlander, if you get the ball in between the giant white lines, you've accomplished something. You know he's going to beat you most of the time, but you just hope he makes a mistake and you can take advantage," Jennings said. "Kepp gave us a lot of confidence. We hadn't been doing anything before that, but he got a hit and we got things going from there."
Carlos Pena drew a walk — with ball four skipping past catcher Alex Avila for a wild pitch that made it 2-1.
Verlander's final pitch to Longoria was clocked at 100 mph, but the star third baseman was able to hit a sharp single through the left side of the infield, and neither Detroit reliever was able to stop the rally until it was too late.
"I got away from what I'd been doing all day," Verlander said. "I'd been playing to those guys' aggressiveness, getting them out in front on off-speed stuff and then just got away from it there in the ninth for no reason."
Verlander allowed four runs and four hits in 8 1-3 innings. He walked two and struck out seven. Verlander, last year's AL Cy Young and MVP winner, pitched eight scoreless innings against Boston last week. He didn't get the win that day either — Valverde squandered the lead, although the Tigers did win that game.
Wednesday was Verlander's first regular-season loss since July 15.
"Kepp was the whole key to the inning. If Verlander gets him out, the game's over," Maddon said. "He shuts the door on you in that situation, but getting a hit there made the whole difference. I think, after that, Verlander started to tune up the velocity and he lost a bit of command in the process."
Shields, who finished third in last year's Cy Young voting, allowed an RBI single in the first to Miguel Cabrera. He also balked in a run in the fifth.
Shields bounced back from a shaky first start, when he allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings against the New York Yankees.
The Rays are 4-1 for the first time in franchise history. They beat Rivera in their season opener, part of a three-game sweep of the Yankees. The Tigers were trying to start 5-0 for the first time since 2006, when they won the American League pennant.
Notes: Detroit LHP Drew Smyly will make his major league debut Thursday when he takes the mound against Tampa Bay RHP Jeff Niemann. The Tigers announced they will purchase Smyly's contract before his start and designate OF Clete Thomas for assignment. ... Detroit's Andy Dirks doubled in the fifth and scored on the balk by Shields.


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Table of Contents
Why Binghamton University is One of Our '12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech'
By now, I hope you've had a chance to read our list of the "12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech," which we highlighted on The Huffington Post last week. Our "Dirty Dozen"—which is made up of the six colleges and universities on our Red Alert list, as well as six other institutions that have shown a profound disregard for free speech rights over the years—has quickly generated a good deal of attention and response.
Peter explained on Friday why DePaul University was one of the schools outside of our Red Alert list to be selected for this dubious distinction. Today, we take a look at Binghamton University (BU) in New York, formerly SUNY Binghamton. Like all of the schools that comprise the "Dirty Dozen," BU's selection is well deserved.
BU earns its place on our list thanks in large part to its treatment of Social Work graduate student Andre Massena. Massena was suspended in 2008 for putting up posters protesting the Department of Social Work's employment of a faculty member who Massena felt was responsible for social injustice. Massena spoke out against David K. Tanenhaus, an adjunct professor who also served as executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA). Massena claimed in his posters that BHA had unjustly evicted a mother and her children from their home, drew attention to the fact that Tanenhaus had been hired by BU's Department of Social Work, and encouraged concerned citizens to call the department "to let them know what you think."
Massena even chose anonymity for his posters, having heard stories from other students in his department about students being unjustly "advanced" (meaning "expelled") from the program. When he was interrogated about the posters, Massena exercised his right to anonymous speech by declining to acknowledge that he had made or put up the posters-a decision ultimately cited as the department's official reason for punishing him. His punishments, however, went well beyond this rationale. In a "Written Plan" that he received one week after being interrogated—one that failed to specify any alleged violations—Massena was ordered to leave the university for two semesters, with his return contingent on "departmental approval." He was additionally required to present a formal statement to university and governmental officials retracting his previously stated opinions, to submit formal apologies to a pre-approved list of people as evaluated by two members of the faculty, and to complete a critical reflection paper of ten to twelve pages on the topic of ethics in social work.
As Adam said in our press release at the time:
"These outrageous requirements focused on the content and the embarrassing effects of the posters, not on Massena's alleged failure to identify himself as author of the posters," Adam Kissel, Director of FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program, said. "The department was demanding no less than abject groveling from one of its own students."
Indeed, this laundry list of conditions for reinstatement was cut down only a little on Massena's appeal; an appeals committee upheld the suspension (with no guarantee of return) and the required paper while apparently waiving the other requirements. When Massena appealed a second time, this time to the College of Community and Public Affairs Ethics and Integrity Committee, he found out he would be facing a series of brand-new allegations. In addition, Professor Laura Bronstein, Chair of the Department of Social Work, now recommended that Massena should be expelled altogether.
Once FIRE took the case public, the department dropped the charges against Massena, in rather summary fashion. Shortly after his final appellate hearing, Massena received a one-sentence e-mail from Bronstein, reading, "Due to procedural misunderstandings, the case pertaining to you is no longer being pursued." It wasn't clear at the time—and it still isn't—what exactly these "procedural misunderstandings" were, but if that was the Department of Social Work's attempt to save face in light of its obvious transgressions of First Amendment rights, so be it.
That wasn't the end of the department's shoddy treatment of Massena, however, as a pseudonymous student reported that classmates had noticed changes in how professors were treating and grading Massena. We had no choice but to publicly expose and embarrass BU in our advertisement last year in U.S. News & World Report's college rankings issue, highlighting Massena's plight at the hands of the Department of Social Work. Happily, Massena graduated in the end, but not before BU's reputation for free speech had been heavily damaged.
Proving that the Andre Massena case was no fluke, BU's Department of Social Work expelled graduate student Michael Gutsell following two incidents in which his classroom speech drew complaints from other students. Despite the fact that the speech was relevant to the class and broke no university or department rules, Gutsell's hearing panel recommended his dismissal. On appeal, Gutsell learned that these two incidents were "not the primary basis" for his expulsion and that BU may have determined that he was unfit for social work because he was not conforming to others' subjective expectations about individuals' proper conversational style, even outside of the professional context. The appeals panel upheld his expulsion without explaining to Gutsell what other factors it may have considered or giving him an opportunity to defend himself against them.
Perhaps most appalling was the fact that the department had forced Gutsell to sign an agreement earlier in the semester stipulating that the department could never hear that he had made any fellow students or instructors "uncomfortable." Talk about an impossibly broad, far-reaching mandate! As a consequence of his expulsion from the program, Gutsell had to leave the United States and return to his native Canada.
The cases of Andre Massena and Michael Gutsell cemented BU's place on our "Dirty Dozen," and for good reason. It is difficult to think of too many individual academic departments or units at any college or university in the country that have had a more checkered recent past in terms of student free speech than the Department of Social Work at Binghamton University.
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23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
23. Omnes enim peccaverunt, et destituuntur gloria Dei;
24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
24. Justificati gratis ipsius gratia per redemptionem quæ est in Christo lesu:
25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
25. Quem proposuit Deus propitiatorium per fidem in sanguine ipsius, in demonstrationem justitiae suæ, propter remissionem delictorum,
26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
26. Quæ prius extiterunt in tolerantia Dei; ad demonstrationem justitiae suae, in hoc tempore; ut sit ipse justus et Justificans enum qui est ex fide Iesu.
23. There is indeed no difference, etc. He urges on all, without exception, the necessity of seeking righteousness in Christ; as though he had said, "There is no other way of attaining righteousness; for some cannot be justified in this and others in that way; but all must alike be justified by faith, because all are sinners, and therefore have nothing for which they can glory before God." But he takes as granted that every one, conscious of his sin, when he comes before the tribunal of God, is confounded and lost under a sense of his own shame; so that no sinner can bear the presence of God, as we see an example in the case of Adam. He again brings forward a reason taken from the opposite side; and hence we must notice what follows. Since we are all sinners, Paul concludes, that we are deficient in, or destitute of, the praise due to righteousness. There is then, according to what he teaches, no righteousness but what is perfect and absolute. Were there indeed such a thing as half righteousness, it would yet be necessary to deprive the sinner entirely of all glory: and hereby the figment of partial righteousness, as they call it, is sufficiently confuted; for if it were true that we are justified in part by works, and in part by grace, this argument of Paul would be of no force — that all are deprived of the glory of God because they are sinners. It is then certain, there is no righteousness where there is sin, until Christ removes the curse; and this very thing is what is said in Galatians 3:10, that all who are under the law are exposed to the curse, and that we are delivered from it through the kindness of Christ. The glory of God I take to mean the approbation of God, as in John 12:43, where it is said, that "they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God." And thus he summons us from the applause of a human court to the tribunal of heaven. 118118 Beza gives another view, that the verb ὑστεροῦνται, refers to those who run a race, and reach not the goal, and lose the prize. The "glory of God" is the happiness which he bestows; (see Romans 5:2;) of this all mankind come short, however much some seemed to labor for it; and it can only be attained by faith. Pareus, Locke, and Whitby give the same view. Others consider it to be "the glory" due to God, — that all come short of rendering him the service and honor which he justly demands and requires. So Doddridge, Scott, and Chalmers But Melancthon, Grotius and Macknight seemed to have agreed with Calvin in regarding "glory" here as the praise or approbation that comes from God. The second view seems the most appropriate, according to what is said in Romans 1:21, "they glorified him not as God." — Ed.
24. Being justified freely, etc. A participle is here put for a verb according to the usage of the Greek language. The meaning is, — that since there remains nothing for men, as to themselves, but to perish, being smitten by the just judgment of God, they are to be justified freely through his mercy; for Christ comes to the aid of this misery, and communicates himself to believers, so that they find in him alone all those things in which they are wanting. There is, perhaps, no passage in the whole Scripture which illustrates in a more striking manner the efficacy of his righteousness; for it shows that God's mercy is the efficient cause, that Christ with his blood is the meritorious cause, that the formal or the instumental cause is faith in the word, and that moreover, the final cause is the glory of the divine justice and goodness.
With regard to the efficient cause, he says, that we are justified freely, and further, by his grace; and he thus repeats the word to show that the whole is from God, and nothing from us. It might have been enough to oppose grace to merits; but lest we should imagine a half kind of grace, he affirms more strongly what he means by a repetition, and claims for God's mercy alone the whole glory of our righteousness, which the sophists divide into parts and mutilate, that they may not be constrained to confess their own poverty. — Through the redemption, etc. This is the material, — Christ by his obedience satisfied the Father's justice, (judicium — judgment,) and by undertaking our cause he liberated us from the tyranny of death, by which we were held captive; as on account of the sacrifice which he offered is our guilt removed. Here again is fully confuted the gloss of those who make righteousness a quality; for if we are counted righteous before God, because we are redeemed by a price, we certainly derive from another what is not in us. And Paul immediately explains more clearly what this redemption is, and what is its object, which is to reconcile us to God; for he calls Christ a propitiation, (or, if we prefer an allusion to an ancient type,) a propitiatory. But what he means is, that we are not otherwise just than through Christ propitiating the Father for us. But it is necessary for us to examine the words. 119119 On this word ἱλαστήριον, both Venema, in his Notes on the Comment of Stephanus de Brais on this Epistle, and Professor Stuart, have long remarks. They both agree as to the meaning of the word as found in the Septuagint and in Greek authors, but they disagree as to its import here. It means uniformly in the Septuagint, the mercy-seat, כפרת, and, as it is in the form of an adjective, it has at least once, (Exodus 25:17,) ἐπίθεμα, cover, added to it. But in the classics it means a propitiatory sacrifice, the word θῦμα, a sacrifice, being understood; but it is used by itself as other words of similar termination are. It is found also in Josephus and in Maccabees in this sense. It appears that Origen, Theodoret, and other Fathers, and also Erasmus, Luther and Locke, take the first meaning — mercy-seat; and that Grotius, Elsner, Turrettin, Bos, and Tholuck, take the second meaning — a propitiatory sacrifice. Now as both meanings are legitimate, which of them are we to take? Venema, and Stuart allude to one thing which much favors the latter view, that is, the phrase ἐν τω αἵματι αὐτου; and the latter says, that it would be incongruous to represent Christ himself as the mercy-seat, and to represent him also as sprinkled by his own blood; but that it is appropriate to say that a propitiatory sacrifice was made by his blood. The verb προέθετο, set forth, it is added, seems to support the same view. To exhibit a mercy-seat is certainly not suitable language in this connection.
Pareus renders it "placamentum — atonement," hoc est, "placatorem," that is, "atoner, or expiator." Beza's version is the same — "placamentum;" Doddridge has "propitiation," and Macknight, "a propitiatory," and Schleusner, "expiatorem — expiator."
The word occurs in one other place with the neuter article, τὸ ἱλαστήριον, Hebrews 9:5, where it clearly means the mercy-seat. It is ever accompanied with the article in the Septuagint, when by itself, see Leviticus 16:2, 13-15; but here it is without the article, and may be viewed as an adjective dependent on, "whom," and rendered propitiator. Had the mercy-seat been intended, it would have been τὸ ἱλαστήριον. — Ed.
25. Whom God hath set forth, etc. The Greek verb, προτίθεναι, means sometimes to determine beforehand, and sometimes to set forth. If the first meaning be taken, Paul refers to the gratuitous mercy of God, in having appointed Christ as our Mediator, that he might appease the Father by the sacrifice of his death: nor is it a small commendation of God's grace that he, of his own good will, sought out a way by which he might remove our curse. According to this view, the passage fully harmonizes with that in John 3:16,
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son."
Yet if we embrace this meaning, it will remain still true, that God hath set him forth in due time, whom he had appointed as a Mediator. There seems to be an allusion in the word, ἱλαστήριον, as I have said, to the ancient propitiatory; for he teaches us that the same thing was really exhibited in Christ, which had been previously typified. As, however, the other view cannot be disproved, should any prefer it, I shall not undertake to decide the question. What Paul especially meant here is no doubt evident from his words; and it was this, — that God, without having regard to Christ, is always angry with us, — and that we are reconciled to him when we are accepted through his righteousness. God does not indeed hate in us his own workmanship, that is, as we are formed men; but he hates our uncleanness, which has extinguished the light of his image. When the washing of Christ cleanses this away, he then loves and embraces us as his own pure workmanship.
A propitiatory through faith in his blood, etc. I prefer thus literally to retain the language of Paul; for it seems indeed to me that he intended, by one single sentence, to declare that God is propitious to us as soon as we have our trust resting on the blood of Christ; for by faith we come to the possession of this benefit. But by mentioning blood only, he did not mean to exclude other things connected with redemption, but, on the contrary, to include the whole under one word: and he mentioned "blood," because by it we are cleansed. Thus, by taking a part for the whole, he points out the whole work of expiation. For, as he had said before, that God is reconciled in Christ, so he now adds, that this reconciliation is obtained by faith, mentioning, at the same time, what it is that faith ought mainly to regard in Christ — his blood.
For (propter) the remission of sins, 120120 The words are, διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν. They seem connected, not with the first clause, but with the one immediately preceding; and διὰ may be rendered here in; see a note on Romans 2:26; or more properly, perhaps, on account of. "For a proof of his own righteousness in passing by the sins," etc., Macknight; "In order to declare his justification with respect to the remission of sins," Stuart
What is God's "righteousness" here has been variously explained. Some regard it his righteousness in fulfilling his promises, as Beza; others, his righteousness in Christ to believers, mentioned in chapter. 1:17, as Augustine; and others, his righteousness as the God of rectitude and justice, as Chrysostom Some, too, as Grotius, view it as meaning goodness or mercy, regarding the word as having sometimes this sense.
It is the context that can help us to the right meaning. God exhibited his Son as a propitiation, to set forth this righteousness; and this righteousness is connected with the remission of, or rather; as the word means, the preterition of or connivance at sins committed under the old dispensation: and those sins were connived at through the forbearance of God, he not executing the punishment they deserved; and the purpose is stated to be, — that God might be or appear just, while he is the justifier of those who believe in Christ. Now, what can this righteousness be but his administrative justice? As the law allowed no remission, and God did remit sins, there appeared to be a stain on divine justice. The exhibition of Christ as an atonement is what alone removes it. And there is a word in the former verse, as Venema justly observes, which tends to confirm this view, and that word is redemption, ἀπολυτρώσις, which is a deliverance obtained by a ransom, or by a price, such as justice requires.
Both Doddridge and Scott regard the passage in this light; and the latter gives the following version of it, —
"Whom God hath before appointed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his justice, on account of the passing by of sins, that had been committed in former times, through the forbearance of God; I say, for a demonstration of his justice, in this present time, in order that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." — Nothing can be clearer than this version.
The last words are rightly rendered, though not literally; τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ιησου — "him of the faith of Jesus," or, "him of faith in Jesus." Him of faith is him who believes, as τοῖς οὑκ ἐκ περιτομὢς — "them not of circumcision" means "them who are not circumcised," Romans 4:12; and τοῖς έξ ἐριθείας — "those of contention," signifies, "those who contend," or, are contentious, Romans 2:8. — Ed. etc. The causal preposition imports as much as though he had said, "for the sake of remission," or, "to this end, that he might blot out sins." And this definition or explanation again confirms what I have already often reminded you, — that men are pronounced just, not because they are such in reality, but by imputation: for he only uses various modes of expression, that he might more clearly declare, that in this righteousness there is no merit of ours; for if we obtain it by the remission of sins, we conclude that it is not from ourselves; and further, since remission itself is an act of God's bounty alone, every merit falls to the ground.
It may, however, be asked, why he confines pardon to preceding sins? Though this passage is variously explained, yet it seems to me probable that Paul had regard to the legal expiations, which were indeed evidences of a future satisfaction, but could by no means pacify God. There is a similar passage in Hebrews 9:15, where it is said, that by Christ a redemption was brought from sins, which remained under the former Testament. You are not, however, to understand that no sins but those of former times were expiated by the death of Christ — a delirious notion, which some fanatics have drawn from a distorted view of this passage. For Paul teaches us only this, — that until the death of Christ there was no way of appeasing God, and that this was not done or accomplished by the legal types: hence the reality was suspended until the fullness of time came. We may further say, that those things which involve us daily in guilt must be regarded in the same light; for there is but one true expiation for all.
Some, in order to avoid what seems inconsistent, have held that former sins are said to have been forgiven, lest there should seem to he a liberty given to sin in future. It is indeed true that no pardon is offered but for sins committed; not that the benefit of redemption fails or is lost, when we afterwards fall, as Novatus and his sect dreamed, but that it is the character of the dispensation of the gospel, to set before him who will sin the judgment and wrath of God, and before the sinner his mercy. But what I have already stated is the real sense.
He adds, that this remission was through forbearance; and this I take simply to mean gentleness, which has stayed the judgment of God, and suffered it not to burst forth to our ruin, until he had at length received us into favor. But there seems to be here also an implied anticipation of what might be said; that no one might object, and say that this favor had only of late appeared. Paul teaches us, that it was an evidence of forbearance.
26. For a demonstration, 121121 There is a different preposition used here, πρὸς, while εἰς is found in the preceding verse. The meaning seems to be the same, for both prepositions are used to designate the design, end, or object of any thing. This variety seems to have been usual with the Apostle; similar instances are found in Romans 3:22, as to εἰς and ἐπὶ, and in Romans 3:30, as to ἐκ and διὰ. "By both," says Wolfius, "the final cause (causa finalis) is indicated." Beza renders them both by the same preposition, ad, in Latin; and Stuart regards the two as equivalent. There is, perhaps, more refinement than truth in what Pareus says, — that εἰς intimates the proximate end — the forgiveness of sins; and πρὸς, the final end — the glory of God in the exhibition of his justice as well as of his mercy. There is, at the same time, something in the passage which seems favorable to this view. Two objects are stated at the end of the passage, — that God might appear just, and be also the justifier of such as believe. The last may refer to ἐις, and the former to πρὸς; and this is consistent with the usual style of the Apostle; for, in imitation of the Prophets, where two things are mentioned in a former clause, the order is reversed in the second. — Ed. etc. The repetition of this clause is emphatical; and Paul resignedly made it, as it was very needful; for nothing is more difficult than to persuade man that he ought to disclaim all things as his own, and to ascribe them all to God. At the same time mention was intentionally made twice of this demonstration, that the Jews might open their eyes to behold it. — At this time, etc. What had been ever at all times, he applies to the time when Christ was revealed, and not without reason; for what was formerly known in an obscure manner under shadows, God openly manifested in his Son. So the coming of Christ was the time of his good pleasure, and the day of salvation. God had indeed in all ages given some evidence of his righteousness; but it appeared far brighter when the sun of righteousness shone. Noticed, then, ought to be the comparison between the Old and the New Testament; for then only was revealed the righteousness of God when Christ appeared.
That he might be just, etc. This is a definition of that righteousness which he has declared was revealed when Christ was given, and which, as he has taught us in the first chapter, is made known in the gospel: and he affirms that it consists of two parts — The first is, that God is just, not indeed as one among many, but as one who contains within himself all fullness of righteousness; for complete and full praise, such as is due, is not otherwise given to him, but when he alone obtains the name and the honor of being just, while the whole human race is condemned for injustice: and then the other part refers to the communication of righteousness; for God by no means keeps his riches laid up in himself, but pours them forth upon men. Then the righteousness of God shines in us, whenever he justifies us by faith in Christ; for in vain were Christ given us for righteousness, unless there was the fruition of him by faith. It hence follows, that all were unjust and lost in themselves, until a remedy from heaven was offered to them. 122122 A parallel passage to this, including the two verses, Romans 3:25 and 26, is found in Hebrews 9:15; where a reference, as here, is made to the effect of Christ's death as to the saints under the Old testament. The same truth is implied in other parts of Scripture, but not so expressly declared. Stuart makes here an important remark — that if the death of Christ be regarded only as that of a martyr or as an example of constancy, how then could its efficacy be referred to "sins that are past?" In no other way than as a vicarious death could it possibly have any effect on past sins, not punished through God's forbearance. — Ed.
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text: Highly detailed, realistic 3d model of a Heineken Beer Bottle Tin Cap, originaly modeled in Rhino4 3D and rendered with Vray. The objects are grouped by material thus offering easy customization according to your decisions. High resolution textures included, making the model ideal for close-up renderings. The rendering setting is not included in the files …Soon more to come. Feel free to communicate for support… I will be glad to help! Any feedback will be appreciated. Available formats: .3dm .max(2011), .c4d(R12), .3ds, .obj Textures: Included Materials: Vray materials for .3dm .max(2011), .c4d included. Basic shaders for .3ds, .obj


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7601 S. Minnesota Ave.
Directions Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Here at Schulte Subaru, our friendly Subaru sales associates take pride in offering high-quality transportation for drivers throughout the Buffalo Ridge, Brandon, and Hartford, South Dakota region. Whether you visit our Sioux Falls Subaru dealership for a new Subaru SUV or sedan, you are sure to discover a wide variety of durable vehicles in many trim packages and paint finishes.
Are you looking for an adventure companion for all of your weekend outings? Whether you need to hit the trails for some off-road thrills or simply want to shine on the streets of Sioux Falls, browse our inventory to find your next new Subaru sedan or SUV. We house a massive variety of new SUVs for sale, ranging in size from the compact Subaru Crosstrek to the Subaru Forester and Subaru Outback models. The new Subaru Crosstrek is an excellent option for drivers that enjoy the adaptability of a SUV paired with the efficiency and style of a sedan. Drivers that want extra space for passengers to stretch out after a long camping adventure can enjoy the spacious Subaru Forester model lineup. If you need to tow a trailer for your recreational gear or hook up a kayak to the top of your Subaru SUV, our new lineup of Subaru Outback models are set to exceed your expectations.
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BRONCHO On World Cafe
The fun, aggressive pop band BRONCHO is reminiscent of both The Ramones and Weezer. Straddling the line between pop and punk, the band's 2011 debut Can't Get Past The Lips has 10 songs but clocks in at just 20 minutes.
Even though the songs are on the shorter side, they're still full of gritty '70s influences. Based in Norman, Okla., lead singer and guitarist Ryan Lindsey was also a member of the indie-pop band The Starlight Mints, but he began touring with BRONCHO as a side project in 2010. On this installment of World Cafe, the men of BRONCHO explain the meaning behind their name, describing it as more of a feeling than an actual thing.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Hunter Pence hopes this sequel has a better ending.
The Philadelphia Phillies traded the two-time All-Star right fielder to the San Francisco Giants for three players on Tuesday. It's the second time in two years Pence went from last place to first place right before the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Phillies got outfielder Nate Schierholtz, minor league catcher Tommy Joseph and minor league right-handed pitcher Seth Rosin.
"Thank you Philadelphia for all your support and passion. Excited to see what awaits me in San Francisco!" Pence wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, the cost-cutting Phillies sent two-time All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino to Los Angeles for two pitchers.
Pence is batting .271 with 17 homers and 59 RBIs this season. He fills a major need for the Giants, giving them a right-handed hitter with power.
Philadelphia acquired Pence from Houston on July 29 last year for the same reason San Francisco wanted him. The Phillies were desperate for a right-handed power hitter to bat fifth behind Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Pence fit the description perfectly. He batted .324 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in only 54 games for Philadelphia.
The Phillies won a franchise-record 102 games and captured their fifth straight NL East title, but lost to St. Louis in the NL division series.
Now they rebuild and Pence gets another chance at the postseason.
"I don't think anyone really anticipated the season that's gone on," Pence said in Washington after the trade. "It was the perfect storm of injuries and things didn't go right for us, so that's the way the business of the game is and you have to understand that.
"Everything is understood. The Phillies are going in a different direction. We had a great run at it. Now I'm going a different way."
Pence will help replace the injured Pablo Sandoval in the lineup and presumably bat fifth behind Melky Cabrera and Buster Posey. Sandoval was placed on the disabled list last weekend with a hamstring strain.
Schierholtz is hitting .257 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 77 games. The left-handed hitting right fielder likely will get more playing time in Philadelphia the rest of this season. He hit .270 with 23 homers and 119 RBIs in 503 games over parts of six seasons in San Francisco. Schierholtz was 2 for 12 in the 2010 postseason when the Giants upset the Phillies in the NLCS and beat Texas in the World Series.
Joseph was San Francisco's No. 2 ranked prospect by Baseball America. He's hitting .260 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 80 games for Double-A Richmond. Rosin was 2-1 with 10 saves and a 4.31 ERA in 34 games (five starts) for Single-A San Jose.
Pence is making $10.4 million this season and stands to get a raise in arbitration next year. He was an instant hit with Phillies fan upon arriving in Philadelphia last year, and the team still plans to give out his bobblehead on Aug. 21.
The 29-year-old has a strange way of doing things, and he looks awkward because he has long arms, long legs and runs oddly. But he had plenty of success no matter how weird he looked doing it.
"He is the most unique player that I've ever been around and kind of different," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said before a game against the Nationals. "And I mean that in a good way. I do not mean that in a bad way at all. This guy is so is aggressive. He doesn't cut down nothing on his swing. He's just railing away. But the biggest part about him, though, is he can hit."
Pence has a career .290 average with 131 homers and 471s RBI in six seasons with the Astros and Phillies. Though he struggled defensively in Philadelphia, his 61 outfield assists since 2008 are second in the majors.
Pence led the Phillies in hits (108), homers, RBIs, runs scored (59), total bases (178) and walks (37).
"I am surprised," Pence said. "You understand the circumstance."
AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
Rob Maaddi can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/RobMaaddi
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text: Apple and Samsung's CEOs are scheduled to meet on May 21st to discuss a possible settlement to the widely-publicized on-going legal battle, FOSS Patents reported. The two companies have been in a bitter patent war since last April that includes more than 20 cases in 10 countries. Despite the scheduled settlement talks, however, the Korean manufacturer asserted eight additional patents against the Cupertino-based company last week. Apple CEO Tim Cook told analysts during the company's earnings call that he would rather settle lawsuits than fight them in court. "I've always hated litigation, and I continue to hate it. We just want people to invent their own stuff," the CEO said. "I would highly prefer to settle versus battle. But the key thing is that it's very important that Apple not become the developer for the world." If the two companies cannot come to an agreement, a trial is scheduled for July in the United States.


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I love teens and I love this post!
Photo taken by (and used with permission from) my son Sevrin at his high school sailing team practice.
As I write this, there are seven teens asleep in my basement. My son and his friends came back from their high school dance in high spirits last night. Laughing and joking loudly, they boisterously descended on my kitchen, devouring everything within reach (even some chips that I thought I had hidden pretty well). These guys were the human equivalent of an invading colony of army ants, foraging insatiably through my refrigerator.
Now these boy-men are dead to the world, asleep in a puppy pile on my basement floor. And I have to be honest – I am loving every single thing about these teens. In fifteen plus years of parenthood, I have grown accustomed to – perhaps, in some ways, inured to – the many and diverse aspects of wonder in…
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Residents being asked to evacuate as wind gusts fuel wildfire in northeastern Minn.
Residents and campers near the Boundary Waters fire are being asked to evacuate as a wildfire burning in northeastern Minnesota continues to grow.
Fueled by dry trees and winds gusting to near 40 miles per hour, the Pagami Creek Fire has at least doubled in size, and some estimates say it may have tripled since the weekend.
It is now spreading south outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
"We're expecting higher winds again tomorrow coming out of the northwest," said Becca Manlove, public information officer with the Pagami Creek Fire Information. "We would rather people have a little time to think and gather things and move rather than asking them on very short notice.
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The blaze grew to over 16 thousand acres over the weekend, and it's expected to spread outside the BWCA, but heavy smoke makes it difficult to accurately estimate the size of the blaze, or know exactly where the edge of the fire is.
Shifting winds have caused erratic fire behavior, Jean Bergerson, fire information officer for the state.
"We do know that we've had significant spread, our wind just started to switch from the south to west," Bergerson said. "And it appears to have gone down just slightly from what it was earlier today but it's supposed to pick up again this evening."
Officials have closed a section of Highway 1 southeast of Ely, part of the Superior National Forest north of the highway, and several lakes and entry points in the Boundary Waters.