Can you leap to a 4th on weak beats in 3rd species counterpoint

Question: I am doing a 3rd species 4:1 counterpoint exercise and I was told that on weakbeats you could use consonant or dissonant intervals. If the intervals on the weakbeats are consonant then the melody can leap to the next interval but if not, the melody must move by step. Here is my example, would this be acceptable in counterpoint? You can see the leap from B to G on the second beat making an interval of a 4th with the cantus firmus.
Answer: With a little re-wording you have "If the intervals on the weakbeats are dissonant the melody cannot leap and must move by step." Your example violates that "rule."
Is the clarity of the rule the problem, or do you think your example presents a special case that shouldn't apply?
Personally I don't like procedural stuff like this word as prohibitions and prefer positive statements of what you should do:

move to consonances
use passing motion dissonances
use ligature dissonances
use the cambiata (from Fux)

If you do the things you are supposed to, you don't need to keep second guessing every move you make and proof reading against a list of prohibitions.

Yes, I do think my example presents a special case because that 4th could be a chord tone (G major) so how can it be considered "dissonant"?

This is a counterpoint exercise and so you really shouldn't apply harmonic concepts to how contrapuntal music works. I don't mean harmonic in the general sense of harmonious music, but the specific harmony theory of chord roots, root progression, chord inversions, etc. Those are not concepts for this style of contrapuntal music. Species counterpoint tries to idealize a Palestrina style which predated harmonic chord theory.
You want to harmonically reduce...

...to this...

...but this is counterpoint. You aren't dealing with chords, or in this case implied chords, you are dealing with melodic lines. You actually have only two lines...

...you must treat them as lines, not implied chords, or you be ignoring the whole linear aspect of counterpoint. To make explicit how each quarter note movement in the top line is a distinct contrapuntal event and not a rhythmic elaboration of an implied chord, you could show it like this...

...there literally is no fourth and sixth stacked above a bass. It just one line above another where the top line leaps from a consonant sixth to a dissonant fourth. You cannot invoke the consonance of an imagined second inversion major triad to excuse the leap to a dissonant fourth. You could have a contrapuntal example of such a triad, but first it would need to be three parts, and second the dissonant fourth should be prepared and resolved, like this...

...that would be a bona fide, contrapuntal 6/4 triad.
Treatment of the fourth is tricky and specific point from Fux seems worthwhile to add, because it's not all stated together at the beginning of the book where consonance and dissonance is defined.
Several two part examples like the follow are given for two part 4:1...

...which is the inversion of your example parts. Inverted the dissonant fourth is a consonant fifth and presents no problem.
But fig. 130 for 4:1:1 in three parts gives this...

...where the soprano and alto present the same thing as your example. However, there is one important difference: the Fux example is in three parts putting the fourth formed by the soprano and alto above a bass. This particular situation and how to handle the dissonance/consonance of the fourth is addressed in a footnote 70 pages earlier in the text which then redirects to a comment from Fux nearly at the end of the book for fig. 194. There is no note at all on fig. 130. (Pretty confusing and inconvenient IMO!)

the interval of the fourth in the inner voices is not very prominent; in fact, it rather assumes the character of an imperfect consonance.

Of course your example is two parts and doesn't have a inner voice so the fourth is regarded as dissonant.
To your ears, and mine, there probably will seem to be no difference in sound between these examples. But that isn't the point of species counterpoint exercises. No one writes species counterpoint as actual composition. It doesn't reflect modern musical styles. The point of the study is to show that you understand and can control a rigorous procedure.
Comment: Yes, I do think my example presents a special case because that 4th could be a chord tone (G major) so how can it be considered "dissonant"?
Comment: Let me put this into an edit of my answer
Comment: does fux's comment mean, as long as the perfect 4th is in the inner voices, e.g. not between soprano and bass, it is acceptable, even if it's not in the 6/4 chord situation or with a perfect 5th underneath?
Answer: In strict third-species counterpoint, fourths are dissonant, and leaps into dissonances are prohibited except in one specific circumstance.
In a double neighbor figure, there is a leap from the second beat to the third beat, with the third beat being a dissonance. This is permitted. (See, for example, this summary of the third species rules.)

The double neighbor occurs when beats 1 and 4 in the counterpoint are the same tone, and beats 2 and 3 include the notes a step higher and a step lower than the original tone. For example, C–D–B–C or C–B–D–C.

In the OP example, however, since it is not a double neighbor situation, the leap from B to G, with the G forming a fourth (a dissonance) against the lower voice, is against the rules.


Embed Google Map with branded place markers

Question: How do you setup custom place markers when using Google maps that are embedded on your site?
Answer: It requires the use of the google maps api.  The custom markers are just images that can be used.  The example there is very elegant by moving to a selected marker based on click.
for a full overview of the google maps api goto:
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/index.html
Marc Grabanski has done an amazing job creating a tutorial to acheive the same effect as above using google maps and Jquery.  There are several Jquery scripts that make working with google maps a little bit easier.  Have a look at:
http://marcgrabanski.com/articles/jquery-google-maps-tutorial-basics


How do I phrase my concern so that it suitable for the forum?

Question: I want to solicit ideas how to create a theory of a "transcendental space" where nonlinear models for such things as the weather, neurodynamics, semiotics, memetics, love, and Jungian archetypes can exist in such a way that objects implementing the models can influence each other.  These are all subjects that I have found books or research papers described by nonlinear differential equations.  This may be a question of metaphysics, I am not sure.  I want to take the result and apply it to a science fiction book that I care to write. How would I best pose this question to the philosophy forum, if it is even admissible?
Comment: Could you clarify what your question is, concretely? That you want to use the answer for a book need not be a problem, as long as the question is clearly enlarging knowledge of philosophy, and not just about writing. Perhaps you could write up a preliminary version in a quote block in this question, and we can review that.
Answer: Your best bet for crafting this into on topic questions is to take specific aspects of your idea and ask what canonical philosophers have addressed them in particular, or at least similar concepts.
Answer: I'm not sure that philosophy.meta.stackexchange is a good place to ask "how do I phrase this for philosophy.stackexchange". I can't really make sense of your question exactly as it is, but you could try the following:

 What do philosophers of science say about how models interact in theories?
What important considerations are there in constructing a theory of a
  "transcendental space" [who is the quote from?]. Specifically, how to develop
  "nonlinear models" [what does this mean?] for such things as the
  weather, neurodynamics, semiotics, memetics, love, and Jungian
  archetypes, such that the objects in each model can interact [can you
  give an example of interaction between models?].
Background
All those subjects [weather, neurodynamic, etc.] have been described
  by nonlinear differential equations, by scholars. I'm asking on
  philosophy.stachexchange because it may be question about metaphysics, or maybe philosophy of science, I am not sure. What I learn, I hope to apply to a science
  fiction book that I'm attempting to write.

I'm not promising that the resulting question will not get closed.
You could also try https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/ for further help!


Petition for Adjustment of Status while extension of stay is still pending?

Question: An elderly couple came to the US to visit their daughter on a visitor's visa toward the end of last year.  Due to the coronavirus outbreak, they applied to extend their stay by six months.  Application was received but the outcome still pending.  Since the COVID situation has not blown over and they do not feel it is safe to travel for who knows how long, their daughter (a US Citizen) wants to petition to adjust their status with forms I-130 and I-485.  The question is, can she do this now, while the original extension of stay is still pending?
Comment: We can only answer travel questions. Questions about obtaining a green card and other long-term residence questions can be asked on our sister site [expatriates.se].
Answer: Yes. The couple is immigrating in the Immediate Relative category (spouse, parent, or unmarried under-21 child of US citizen), and are exempt from the bars to Adjustment of Status (I-485) for being out of status at the time of filing (see USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Part B, Chapter 3) or for failure to maintain status in the past (see Chapter 4). Chapter 8, section B summarizes this:

Certain adjustment bars do not apply to an immediate relative,
including the spouse or child (unmarried and under 21 years old) of a
U.S. citizen, and the parent of a U.S. citizen older than 21.
An adjustment applicant applying as an immediate relative may be
eligible to adjust status even if:
[...]

The applicant is not in lawful immigration status on the date he or she files the adjustment application;

The applicant has ever failed to continuously maintain a lawful status since entry into the United States;

Although a pending Extension of Stay application does not by itself count as lawful status for the purposes the bars to Adjustment of Status, this doesn't affect them since they don't have to be in lawful status to file Adjustment of Status in their category. Even if we assume the worst case that their Extension of Stay is denied, and thus they would not have been in status at the time of filing their I-485 (Adjustment of Status), they Adjustment of Status application would still not be affected.


repaired disk/permissions, now imac won't boot into login

Question: My iMac has been running horrendously slow the past couple days, so I booted into the Snow Leopard CD and ran a disk repair and a permissions repair.  Now I can't get past the spinner.  It's been going for about 4 hours now with no shows of progress.  Does any body have any ideas on what else I can try (I already tried doing the repairs again) or is there any way I can debug this?
Comment: Have you tried booting in Safe Mode? http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
Answer: There's a free app called AppleJack that's good for ths kind of thing. If you don't have that, Apple Hardware Test may help.
Comment: +1 AHT.  Hold D while booting your iMac to get into that.
Answer: Try Verbose Boot - Command-V while starting, it will show you what the systme is doing as it starts up instead of a pretty gray face.  If you get anything like "disk0s2: I/O Error" you're looking at a failing hard drive.  Go to the nearest Genius Bar or other AASP.  If you get hung up with some other errors, try re-installing the system from the Snow Leopard DVD.
Answer: When you ran a disk verify (which, IIRC,  you must do before you can run a disk repair,) what were the errors that came up?  You may be looking at a dying hard-drive.  Try to use the iMac as little as possible until we (or someone at Apple/with an Apple certification) can help you figure out what's going on.
Answer: If it'll boot into single-user mode (hold Cmd-S while booting) try repairing it with fsck (filesystem consistency check and interactive repair) -- "help fsck" when you get the prompt.  Work carefully; you'll have root permissions!
Comment: This is what Disk Utility does. Shouldn't make any difference doing this or using the GUI utility on the install disc.
Comment: Most advice I read concerning fsck suggests that it's a poor idea to run it on a mounted file system because the FS can change underneath it, and that it won't fix any errors in that case.  Thus, my recommendation for running it in single-user mode.  See http://hintsforums.macworld.com/archive/index.php/t-2666.html , for example; or Google 'fsck multi-user' for others.
Comment: That's why I said 'on the install disc'. That way, you've booted with the CD and the HDD's fs isn't in the way.


get public key from wallet.dat

Question: Is there a way to get the public key of a given wallet.dat to check the balance in the blockchain to avoid having to install the wallet and read all blocks?
Comment: PyWallet can be useful for this.
Comment: You're going to need programming knowledge to do this task either way. I don't believe there is a simple tool out there to accomplish this...
Answer: First of all, a wallet.dat file does not contain a single public key; it contains multiple keypairs. You can use PyWallet as Meni says, but if it's too technical for you, you can install the wallet but don't have to download all the blocks. Your public keys will show up under "Receive coins" (even if the blockchain is not downloaded), and you can copy each of them into Blockchain.info to check the balance of each address. Adding them all up will give you your total balance.

get public key from wallet.dat


Does Windows Phone roam between wifi access points?

Question: If there is a network composed of access points with the same SSID (such as a business or large house with multiple APs). Does windows phone automatically switch to the strongest signal without dropping connections? Or does it hold on to the current connection as long as possible despite there being a better connection available?
Answer: The phone (and any other Wi-Fi device) won't differentiate between two access points announcing the same SSID. Given there isn't a concept of a persistent connection (so, even if you were streaming media, you're just sending many smaller packets of data, that can be routed however the network needs to). As such it makes this virtually impossible to test, but I don't notice any break in connection when walking from one end of our site to the other, even though I know on the route, I pass five different access points.
Comment: thanks for the test. What you say may be true about any other WiFi device but I do know that the android tablets we use at work hold on to an access point until it drops completely even if a much stronger AP is nearby... it causes us lots of issues. iPads seem to use whatever is closest. I wish there were a more scientific way to test it!
Answer: Yes it sticks to the already connected wi-fi irrespective of better strength known connections available. It won't switch on its own until that network goes out of range. But if you turn off the w-fi and switch on again, it will connect to the strongest wi-fi available


Do we need the [flight-mechanics] tag?

Question: At the moment flight-mechanics has 14 questions. Do we need it?
My opinion is we should get rid of it and use aerodynamics (1,316 questions) and/or aircraft-physics (157 questions).
Comment: A different option is to give the flight-dynamics tag to most or all of the flight-mechanics questions, and eliminate the flight-mechanics tag. See my current answer https://aviation.meta.stackexchange.com/a/4102/34686 for more.
Comment: See also a related answer to a different question --https://aviation.meta.stackexchange.com/a/4229/34686
Answer: It might be misused, but flight mechanics and aerodynamics are very different fields.
Aerodynamics deals with the application of fluid dynamics (the origins of lift and drag, 3D wing theory, etc) while flight mechanics deals with the combination of forces on an airframe as a solid body (effects of lift and drag depending on their location, endurance and range, rates of turn, etc)
If anything I'd rather merge the most of the aircraft-physics questions into flight-mechanics, since most of the aircraft-physics questions look to me like mechanics questions (stability, control, performance). I would volunteer to expand the usage guidelines to clear up the misunderstandings.
Answer: The "flight-mechanics tag" is arguably redundant with the more widely-used "flight-dynamics" tag.  It seems hard to make an argument that the appropriate subject for one tag is merely a subset of the appropriate subject for another tag; they seem essentially the same.
The lesser-used one, which is the "flight-mechanics" tag (31 uses at present), should be deleted, and most questions with this tag should be given the "flight-dynamics" tag (68 uses at present).  If possible (i.e. if they don't already have 5 tags by that point), these questions should also be given the broader (less-specific) "aircraft-physics" tag, but this tag is arguably less useful because of its broadness.
The "aircraft-physics" tag is arguably much too broad to justify deleting BOTH the "flight-mechanics" AND the "flight-dynamics" tag.
Note that the "flight-mechanics" tag has NO usage guidelines at present.
Relevant:
From the Wikipedia entry on dynamics: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamics_(mechanics))

Dynamics is the branch of classical mechanics concerned with the study
  of forces and their effects on motion. Isaac Newton defined the
  fundamental physical laws which govern dynamics in physics, especially
  his second law of motion.

and from the Wikipedia entry on mechanics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanics) (accessed April 21 2020)

Mechanics (Greek μηχανική) is the area of physics concerned with the
  motions of macroscopic objects. Forces applied to objects result in
  displacements, or changes of an object's position relative to its
  environment.

While dynamics seems to be a subset of mechanics, it is hard to come up with examples in the aviation context of questions that would be appropriate for the "flight-mechanics" tag but not for the "flight-dynamics" tag.
Perhaps one could make the case that questions that deal with the forces in a steady-state climb, descent, etc would better described as relating to "flight-mechanics" than "flight-dynamics", strictly speaking, but "flight-dynamics" seems an adequate description of the latter as well.
Would questions about things such as the load paths through structural elements of an aircraft in steady-state flight best described as fitting within the "flight-mechanics" tag but not the "flight-dynamics" tag?  Possibly.  Nonetheless, given the little usage the "flight-mechanics" tag has received, it would seem adequate to tag such questions with both the "aircraft-physics" and "flight-dynamics" tags.  Or better yet, use the "aircraft-structures" tag in addition to the "aircraft-physics" tag for these specific cases.
Also relevant-- on October 31 2019 I posted an answer to this Meta question that stated:
"Yet I see that a user has recently edited three questions to remove the flight-mechanics tag.  Is this wise?  The questions are: What is an acceptable phugoid oscillation duration? , Does lift equal weight in a climb? , Is excess lift or excess power needed for a climb? .  These sure seem like "flight mechanics" questions to me, and when I click on the "flight-mechanics" tab I get lots of other related questions.  "
I now also now notice that the "flight-dynamics" tag was not added to the three questions noted above when the "flight-mechanics" tag was deleted.  This seems to me to represent an unfortunate loss of specificity.  Again, the "aircraft-physics" tag is arguably too broad to be a good substitute for the "flight-mechanics" tag; the "flight-dynamics" tag is a much better choice.  Certainly it does not seem inappropriate to also add the "aircraft-physics" tag to such questions as well, if they still have an unfilled "tag slot" after adding the "flight-dynamics" tag.
As long as the "flight-mechanics" tag exists and there is no community consensus to discontinue it, I may or may not continue using it (in addition to the "flight-dynamics" tag) for questions such as these.  But I would now argue that "flight-dynamics" would be a perfectly acceptable substitute for "flight-mechanics" for most of these questions.
So in conclusion, I would suggest that the "flight-mechanics" tag should be deleted, and most questions with this tag should be given the "flight-dynamics" tag if they do not have it already.
If we decide not to do this, we should come up with some usage guidelines for the "flight-mechanics" tag, so people don't use it to describe in-flight mechanical problems (as has happened at least once) or people who maintain aircraft.  Also, unless we clearly decide to delete the "flight-mechanics" tag, it seems inappropriate to go removing it from questions for which it is well-suited.
Comment: For an alternative approach see https://aviation.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/3934/do-we-need-the-flight-mechanics-tag/4103#4103 . However, I prefer the approach given in the present answer .  If I were allowed to upvote/ downvote my own posts in ASE meta to indicate agreement/ disagreement, I would upvote the present answer.  But I feel that either approach would be better than the approach suggested in the original question, of viewing the "aerodynamics" and/or "aircraft-physics" tags to be sufficient replacements for the "flight-mechanics" tag.
Comment: Here's a related answer to another ASE question that makes the case concisely; I agree with this at present -- https://aviation.meta.stackexchange.com/a/4229/34686

Do we need the [flight-mechanics] tag?


Vegan substitute for cheese

Question: Though I read a lot about vegan substitute of cheese but I have not come across one that can be described as its perfect replacement especially in places where cheese is supposed to melt, like in Pizza. Does anyone has any experience with it ? Is it possible to make such vegan cheese at home ?
Comment: I can't find the article I was looking for (so no answer) but the key will be different products for different uses (e.g. some melt better; I've heard good things about coconut-oil-based products for melting).  If you're cooking for vegans, ask them for recommendations, as tastes vary as well.
Comment: We also have a question on vegan cheese susbtitutes overall, https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/301/what-vegan-substitutes-are-available-for-cheese. The Mozzarella one which I used as a duplicate target is specifically about melting properties, and it is the cheese most used for pizza in some countries. You might want to check both.
Answer: One thing to be aware of with many commercial vegans cheeses is that these work much better for melting over pizzas or casseroles if mixed with some additional liquid (eg by soaking the grated cheese substitute in some soymilk or soy cream and applying both together).
If looking to make your own meltable vegan cheeses, use recipes using plenty of fat and a combination of agar and tapioca starch as a starting point for experimenting.
Be aware that the mouthfeel of melted cheeses is quite a complex matter: It is more or less defined by a set of textures achieved at different temperature points (and probably the delay in texture change!) throughout enjoying a portion (which will cool down during doing so. Body temperature also plays a role here...).
Be aware that cheese melted over casseroles has a functional role in cooking them - once it is melted (melting temperature plays a role here..) it acts as a partial vapor seal, and probably also gives off or binds moisture/salt/fat.
Be aware that the melting behaviour expected of conventional cheese has regional subtleties to it: Somebody used to american-style processed cheese in these roles could be put off by the liquid separation/curdling/firming/hard stringyness effects you get from using natural cheeses, while somebody expecting the latter behaviour would probably consider the more homogenous result from processed cheese as mealy/stodgy/gloopy.
Comment: I would prefer some thing very close to a vintage cheddar cheese. Do we have any recipe for a vegan cheese that resembles it.
Comment: Don't make your own question look like a recipe request. Some of the moderators have an aversion to recipe requests, which they claim to be an allergy.
Answer: There is no perfect replacement for cheese made from plants, as cheese is made from caseine and other milk proteins that just don't exist in plants. That said, you can put your hopes to the Real Vegan Cheese bio-engineering project.
As it is now, you'll have to choose a cheese substitute based on your needs for the moment, for example whether it should melt or not. There are many vegan cheeses available in supermarkets (your mileage may vary, depending on where you live), and recipes are available all over the internet. A specialized facebook group like Vegan Cheese might be interesting to you. Here's a recipe for vegan cheddar cheese I just googled.

Vegan substitute for cheese


Asking about psn membership discount and digital games

Question:
I downloaded Guilty Gear rev2 with the psn membership discount. My question is: if my subscription ever expires, will my digital download game be unusable? I only downloaded it because it has a discount of 19 dollars instead of 29 dollars.
I bought a digital game in playstation store and install it on my psn US account ps4. My question is: what if I decide to buy a new ps4 or let's say my ps4 broke and I need to buy a new one? Can I sign on my US account on my new ps4 and redownload my digital game copy in the library?
Answer:
If you bought a game it's yours. Period. Only the free games you get for having a Plus membership will become unavailable once the membership expires. This also counts for the demo of Guilty Gear Rev2, which is only available for Plus members. And of course all online features will be unavailable as they require an active membership.
The game licenses are tied to your account. If you decide to get yourself a new PlayStation you can just sign in there and play your games as you'd normally do. If you want to get rid of your old console make sure to deactivate it as your primary device first. Doing so will save you a lot of headache.
Comment: 1. Once the membership is reactivated, you can play the games again. 2. I just recently replaced my console and there was absolutely no problem without deactivating my old device first. The new console just asked me to activate it and in turn deactivate the old one


Knowing when bootstrap calculations are invalid

Question: I read these posts and their references:
Recommended reading for understanding when the bootstrap will fail?
Multiple samples vs. bootstrapping
but I am failing to understand. Consider the following example:
You want to know how many people speak each language on earth as a fraction of the total population. To determine this statistic, you take a sample of people, 1 million. Then you resample this population a thousand times creating 1000 sub-samples of 1000 people each. (or does the reampling have to a million samples of a million each? or does it make a difference? But this is an aside not germane to my fundamental question)
Then you measure the language distribution in each sub-sample.
Then you collect the data for a particular language, say English. And you 'do statistics' on this dataset - for example, to calculate the average fraction of people who speak English - you sum the fraction of English speakers from all the sub-samples and divide by the number of sub-samples. My understanding is that bootstrapping says this average should reflect the average fraction on the planet. (Please do not be offended by my naive question and its even more naive exposition.)
Now, what if you collected your initial sample of 1 million from the web pages on the internet? Then your initial sample would not be representative at all of the planet-since the internet is mostly in English. Obviously, this is a trivial example and the method of obtaining the initial sample is biased in an obvious way. In 'real working problems', the method of sampling may have biases which are not so obvious. The way the initial sample is collected has tremendous bearing.
Is there a way to know when the initial sample is not representative of the population? For example in the simple problem above - would you expect that the distribution of averages is a normal distribution but you found the distribution of average fractions is skewed or bumpy - then would you suspect anomaly in the original sample?
Answer:

Is there a way to know when the initial sample is not representative of the population?

The bootstrap cannot detect bias. Bias is a sampling problem which would have to be detected by some other tests.

For example in the simple problem above - would you expect that the distribution of averages is a normal distribution but you found the distribution of average fractions is skewed or bumpy - then would you suspect anomaly in the original sample?

Common sense suggests you look for indications of a problem.
Comment: Well, one of the uses Efron shows originally of the bootstrap is to bias correction ...


Javascript Validation Framework for Backbone.js

Question: Backbone.js comes with model validation events, and I'm looking to integrate it with a lite validation framework.
I just started looking at http://happyjs.com/
any other recommendations?
Answer: jQuery Validate is my favorite its well documented and used by many
Answer: Try the Backbone.Validations plugin
Answer: There are some validations plugins for backbone but I don't like it, I ended up with this:
<code>...
validate: (attrs) ->
  helper = @validationHelper attrs
  helper.check 'name', (v) -> "can't be blank" if _(v).isBlank()
  helper.check 'version', (v) -> "can't be blank" if _(v).isBlank()
  helper.check 'organization', (v) -> "can't be blank" if _(v).isBlank()
  helper.errors()
...
</code>
And here's the helper:
<code>  _(Backbone.Model.prototype).extend
    validationHelper: (attrs) ->
      helper =
        _errors: {}
        check: (name, validator) ->
          return unless attrs and (name of attrs)
          msg = validator attrs[name]
          (@_errors[name] ?= []).push msg if msg
          @
        errors: -> if _(@_errors).any() then @_errors else null
      return helper
</code>


Insufficient memory

Question: I have a 4.2.1 android version phone. In internal storage there is 114 MB free space but I cannot download or update any app because I get an error saying "insufficient memory in internal storage". I tried all the first aid listed in this site but no gain :( .
Answer: Try cleaning cache/junk and unused apps first https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cleanmaster.mguard

Insufficient memory


How to get the current map from a geoprocessing tool execute function?

Question: I'm making a geoprocessing tool with the ArcObjects SDK Java 10.2. I need to modify labeling colors of a layer of the current map.
Is it possible from the execute function to access the map currently opened in ArcMap ?
I need to get the current IMapDocument or IMap in order to set up parameters of the layers (IGeoFeatureLayer).
How can I do that please ?
Answer: You can use getMap() or getMapLayers() methods of the GPUtilities class. Note that this can return null depending on how and where your geoprocessing tool is run.
If you need to specify rendering of an output layer, I believe the correct way to do that is to implement IGPFunction2.getRenderer() method on your GP function class.
Comment: Yes, as my geoprocessing tool extends a BaseGeoprocessingTool, I can access a gpUtilities object and then get the activeView or map if the gp tool is launched in an ArcMap environnement. Thanks a lot for this help !
Answer: .Net function to return the current active IMap, not sure if you can adapt this for java... good luck!
Public Function GetMapFromArcMap(ByVal application As ESRI.ArcGIS.Framework.IApplication) As ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto.IMap

  Dim mxDocument As ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI.IMxDocument = CType(application.Document, ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI.IMxDocument) ' Explicit Cast
  Dim activeView As ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto.IActiveView = mxDocument.ActiveView
  Dim map As ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto.IMap = activeView.FocusMap

  Return map

End Function


When register for push?

Question: Do I need to register for push each time that the app is created? Or is it enough to register once, for example after login? What is the best point to call C2DMessaging.register(getApplicationContext(), C2DMConstants.SENDER); ?
Answer: I think you should register the device on GCM each time user logs in and unregister the device whenever user logs out because user may use devices from their friends to access your applciation. So, it would be better to unregister the device each time user logs out. You also need to update your mapping (most probably on your application server) of user and its devices each time user logs in or out.
Answer: Everytime the app start, check your saved token:
If it is null, send the intent to register for push
If it is not null, you can either check if it has been sent to the server and decide whether to send it.
However, I prefer to send it more often just in case problems happen on the server.
In general, google asked us not to register multiple times. Once you have a token, use it
Answer: No. Its not necessary to register every time when app started. But you have to check whether your registration id is changed by GCM server or not. Because sometimes GCM needs to change registration id and even it does not inform device. So you have to save your registration id in your app and on app start, match the saved id and id returned by GCMRegistrar.getRegistrationId() method. If both are different, save it and also update it on your server.

When register for push?


U.S Laws on Cookie Notices on Websites?

Question: I'm working on a website that will use cookies. I heard that by law I have to add a notice "somewhere" on my site to tell people that it uses cookies and I have to include a page with instructions on how to disable cookies with various browsers. Ive asked people and searched the web for the law about this in the U.S but I only fnd stuff for the EU and that I have to follow EU's laws or I'll be fined. I really don't want to worry about adding this stuff to my website especially since it will not work like how it's supposed to with cookies disabled. What are the requirements for cookies in the U.S and if any, how am I supposed to present the notice on my site?
Answer: As far as I know there is no US law on this.
However, you will have to comply with EU law unless you have some way of preventing anyone in the EU from accessing the parts of your site that use cookies.
Comment: They could file suit against you, obtain a judgement, file that judgement in a US court, the US court would probably give effect to it, they would then pursue you for the debt. Is this likely? No. Is it possible? Yes. It is almost a certainty that they will sue *someone* in a foreign jurisdiction just to show their laws have teeth.
Comment: But what would the EU do about it? The domain and website is in the US and all is managed by US citizens, what could the EU do about?

U.S Laws on Cookie Notices on Websites?


Understanding input shaft torque for a motor without a shaft

Question: I'm looking through this catalog at the motorized rotary tables and it says on page 114 that the maximum input shaft torque is 150 oz-in.The rotary table doesn't have a shaft so I'm confused as to how I should interpret this. Does it just mean that the maximum torque exerted by the motor is 150 oz-in or is there something else I need to be considering?
Comment: so it does not have a shaft in the classic sense - the motor can still produce torque...
Comment: A rotary table obviously rotates, and does so around a certain axis, which you can consider a shaft.The torque there is presumable what they're talking about, but maybe there's a gearing between table and motor, in which case the motors torque may differ from that at the table, likely lower, so it has to rotate faster.
Answer: Seems like the maximum allowable input torque to the rotary table is 150 oz-in. From the catalog description, tables come standard with hollow shafts and mounting for NEMA 23 stepper motors. Pretty much, make sure the motor you install does not exceed the torque and RPM specs allowed by the rotary table.
Answer: This is a complex and apparently mill spec piece of machinery. I would recommend you check with manufacturer. But as a first guess it says its out-put torque and speed are those limits. Now if in the previous sections it has defined other restrictions on configuration and placement of the load or its geometry, it has to be checked.
Usually they set up a short course with appropriate checklists for the operators of these type of machinery. You'd want to look into it.


Problem with PieChart ColorFunction and GrayLevel

Question: Related: PieChart and legending issues
I have the following list:
   list = {{"Nordrhein-Westfalen",
   0.19148936170212766`}, {"Baden-Württemberg",
   0.1466359976998275`}, {"Niedersachsen",
   0.07245543415756182`}, {"Bayern",
   0.1311098332374928`}, {"Rheinland-Pfalz",
   0.05117883841288096`}, {"Schleswig-Holstein",
   0.03220241518113859`}, {"Brandenburg",
   0.08970672800460035`}, {"Thüringen",
   0.0097757331799885`}, {"Sachsen-Anhalt",
   0.006900517538815411`}, {"Hessen",
   0.09200690051753882`}, {"Mecklenburg-Vorpommern",
   0.010350776308223116`}, {"Berlin",
   0.08338125359401956`}, {"Saarland",
   0.014951121334100058`}, {"Bremen",
   0.011500862564692352`}, {"Hamburg", 0.05635422656699252`}}

No problem making a colored PieChart
PieChart[Last /@ list, ChartLegends -> (First /@ list)]

gives:

While playing around I tried:
    PieChart[Last /@ list, ColorFunction -> GrayLevel,
 ChartLegends -> (First /@ list)]

and got:

O.K. its ugly but the legends are not appropriately colored. Can anyone tell my, why?
Remark (2018-03-26): I didn't have seen this as a pure duplicate (- and still do not. The question for me is that given an explicit ColorFunction this is taken to color the pieces of the chart but not the Legends. For me this is not very logical. When specifying a colorfunction I expect that this is not only used to color the Pie but also the legends.
Answer: list = {{"Nordrhein-Westfalen", 0.19148936170212766`}, {"Baden-Württemberg",
    0.1466359976998275`}, {"Niedersachsen", 0.07245543415756182`}, {"Bayern",
    0.1311098332374928`}, {"Rheinland-Pfalz",
    0.05117883841288096`}, {"Schleswig-Holstein",
    0.03220241518113859`}, {"Brandenburg",
    0.08970672800460035`}, {"Thüringen",
    0.0097757331799885`}, {"Sachsen-Anhalt",
    0.006900517538815411`}, {"Hessen",
    0.09200690051753882`}, {"Mecklenburg-Vorpommern",
    0.010350776308223116`}, {"Berlin", 0.08338125359401956`}, {"Saarland",
    0.014951121334100058`}, {"Bremen", 0.011500862564692352`}, {"Hamburg",
    0.05635422656699252`}};

I don't know the cause of the problem; however, you can use
PieChart[Legended[#[[2]], #[[1]]] & /@ list, ColorFunction -> GrayLevel]

For a clearer Tooltip
PieChart[Tooltip[Legended[#[[2]], #[[1]]], Column@#] & /@ list,
 ColorFunction -> GrayLevel]


Parallel Octaves and Fifths in Jazz?

Question: Do Jazz musicians make any effort to avoid parallel 5ths and octaves?
Comment: Can you clarify the context you're thinking of? Are you talking about voicing chords on a piano/guitar, writing harmonies in a combo setting for horns, arranging for a big band, or maybe something else?
Comment: Some do, some don't. I think we may need more context for a better answer.
Comment: @jdjazz I was thinking piano context
Answer: Short answer: no, no effort at all.
Avoiding these are rules of classical music and counterpoint, and they do not apply in Jazz. Quite the contrary in fact : it is very common to harmonize for a 5 sax section with the melody doubled 1 octave below the lead voice, and using e.g. a drop 2 or a drop 2 4 voicing. Same thing with trumpet/trombone sections in big band.
Check for instance http://www.timusic.net/debreved/jazz-melody-and-voicing-part-2/ (section "5 Parts")
Answer: In solo jazz piano, these are definitely not avoided altogether. It's not uncommon to see chord voicings that "double" a single note (e.g., octaves), although too much doubling can take away the texture of the other notes. Parallel fifths are also not avoided, but you're probably not going to see a ton of parallel fifth movement unless the chords are moving up/down the scale one scale tone at a time (eg, | C maj | D min | E7 | F maj |). Monk used 1-5 voicings in the left hand frequently, which could in some cases spell out parallel fifths if you were to analyze just his left hand in the lower register.
If you consider modern jazz piano in a group setting (with bass, drums, and a horn), you'll see basically the same thing on parallel fifths but much less doubling of notes. So octaves are much more likely to be avoided in that context when comping behind a band. There are exceptions, but this is a general rule of thumb that some jazz piano teachers state explicitly to new students.
Comment: @gurneyalex, it might be possible, but the 3rd and 7th are a tritone apart on these dominant 7th chords, which removes one of the more likely places to find the perfect fifth in piano voicings. There are surely still other voicings that have the perfect fifth, but I would think it's a smaller subset compared to a scenario where the 3rd and 7th are a fifth apart.
Comment: a common case of parallel 5th is when 7th chords descend chromatically (e.g. when using tritone substitution on the Circle of 4th: D7 C#7 C7 B7 which is a common bridge variation for a "Rhythm change" tune).
Comment: 9 and 13  are also a perfect 5th apart. And I just love the sound of the tension of a major triad 9 #11 13 on the right hand ;-)
Comment: @gurneyalex, absolutely! I love that sound too on chromatically descending voicings. It may not occur every time, but it definitely will occur sometimes.

Parallel Octaves and Fifths in Jazz?


Ansible with OpenSUSE transactional server

Question: When using an OpenSUSE transactional server, transactional-update must be used instead of Zypper. Is there any way of doing this with Ansible?
Comment: You also need to consider, that all changes in `/etc/` must be applied differently, i.e. in `transactional-update run` (or shell) and you don't have access to all locations from there, e.g. `/home`, where ansible usually stores temporary data.
Answer: I think currently the only way is to use the command (or shell) module, as there's no native support for transactional-updates in Ansible yet.
However, there's a fresh feature request issue: https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/3159
For example:
- name: install a package with transactional-update
  ansible.builtin.command:  transactional-update --continue pkg install man

Multiple package names can be added.
The parameter --continue is important, as otherwise only the last call to transactional-update will get effective.
Another downside is, that a reboot is required, which can be triggered from Ansible, but that kills the Ansible run....


How does one setup a Tor hidden service on android

Question: I am looking for some documentation or guide on setting up a Tor hidden service on android, would I just install Tor? Does it torify everything and act like an app. which has a services like nginx or Apache.
Comment: Well in orbot there are settings for hidden services just enable them and fill in the port.
Answer: Starting with the current beta release of Orbot 15.4.0 beta-2, Orbot has a new menu which makes it very easy to add hidden services.

Open settings menu

Click on "Hidden Services"

Click on "Hosted Services"

Pick a name for your service
Enter Port your service uses locally
Select the port your service is reachable via .onion (choose 80 if it is a web service)

Click on the newly created service in the list
Copy the .onion address
Answer: You could install orbot and use the following proxy settings.

SOCKS 4A/5 proxy 127.0.0.1:9050
HTTP proxy 127.0.0.1:8118
Answer: The first thing if you want to enable a hidden service on your Android phone is that you need Orbot and some application like a webserver or something similar. I assume you have configured a webserver which serves on port 8080.
Now go to the Orbot settings:

Near the bottom you find the settings for hidden services. Activate the configuration for hidden services (Hidden Service Hosting) and click on the entry below (Hidden Service Ports). Here you enter the port number of your webserver (8080 in my example). Now close this dialogue and restart Tor. After some time you'll see a green onion again. Go to the settings again and click on .Onion Hostname. Now you'll see the name for your hidden service and can use Tor Browser to connect to it.
Comment: The current beta release of Orbot ([Orbot 15.4.0 beta-2](https://github.com/n8fr8/orbot/releases/tag/15.4.0-beta-2-multi)) has a new menu which makes it very easy to add hidden services.
Answer: Possibly you can but only serve one client request at a time due to low bandwidth availability on using third party apps.It isn't secured I can assure you that .Its just a toy to play with , just like JSfiddle tools ,
Download an Android based Kws or Palipa server , config part requires some shell scripting know-hows
Download Or not and Orfox to test the hidden service .
Next Download PhpMyAdmin this part requires some knowledge to create working database and point it while using readymade avail. Scripts like mybb phpbb etc.
Don't forget to configure reachable ports as per u set up earlier
Put this Phpmyadmin in pws folder of Palipa server or


Any way to have Safari/Keychain autofill password on a single site with prompting on all sites?

Question: I use a different password manager for most sites, but there is one site it doesn't work correctly on, but Safari/Keychain does work.  I can manually store my password in Keychain for that one site, and it works correctly. However, turning on password autofill makes Safari prompt to save passwords on all sites, which I don't want. Is there any way to tell Safari to autofill passwords that it knows about but not to prompt to save any new ones?
Answer: I'm not sure if this workaround will suit you, but does the site in question offer a "Remember me" type option? If so, you could just manually log into that site and tick the 'remember me' option so that you don't need to log in again.
Assuming the above works for you, then you can keep using your password manager as you do now and also avoid enabling Safari's password autofill function. You can then keep this workaround in place until your password manager supports the site in question.
Comment: Thank you for the suggestion, but this particular site does not have an option for remembering credentials.  That would also not meet the security requirements that I have. Cookie-based credentials are too long-lived (in general) and have dangers of being stolen.


Parents wish on marriage

Question: Is it permissible in Islam to not listen to the parents when what they are asking us to do is against the sharia?
Comment: I don't think this question is a good fit for this site, since this is a situation where what Islam warrants is quite clear and your question per se has more to do with your personal domestic challenges. This is a knowledge-based Q&A site, not an agony-aunt column.
Comment: Hello and welcome to [islam.se]. Thank-you for the question. Please go through the [help/on-topic].
Comment: Ok i have edited the question to a straight forward point.
Answer: Yes sure you can just not listen to your parents regarding marriage but sure you have not to hurt their feelings with your refuse, so you have to be polite in your refuse giving reasonable reasons for why you don't want to be married.
Another thing you have to keep in your mind the Prophet Mohammad say:

النكاح سنتي ومن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني
Marriage is my Sunnah and who refuse my sunnah then he is not on my
  way.

So you can refuse if you have reasonable logical reasons without being refusing marriage at all
Comment: please advice on this http://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/12727/speaking-with-spouse-after-engagement
Answer: Allah says in the Quran that the relations that have the most right on a person after Allah and his messenger is his parents. Disobeying parents is considered a major sin.
Some more references can be found here
One place where the condition of disobeying the parents is mentioned is the following verses.

31:14-15 And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this]
world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn
back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will
inform you about what you used to do.

The ONLY reason to disobey parents is they ask you to commit "shirk" (associating partners with Allah) as this is something that, if you confront Allah, with this sin, then there is no pardon.
If you want to disobey parents against in any other matter, then make sure that is a direct order of God and not your (or someone else's) interpretation of what God ordered. I don't want to stand in front of God on the day of resurrection and He telling me, ... that is not something I ordered, but I ordered you to obey your parents and you did not do that...
I would advise you to take a cautionary approach and unless it is not somethings so blatant as asking you to commit shirk, obey your parents.
Comment: please advice on this http://islam.stackexchange.com/questions/12727/speaking-with-spouse-after-engagement

Parents wish on marriage


I have multiple YouTube links I'm trying to bunch them into a single playlist. Is It Possible?

Question: I'm trying to save time rather than adding each video one by one to a playlist. YouTube doesn't have a feature to dump multiple URLs to convert to a playlist. Is there any script, or program I could use to achieve this task?. I tried using a script beforehand, but turns out it's limited to 50 videos on an unlisted playlist.
Answer: You can use this simple spreadsheet playlist generator: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/
Just add YouTube links in any desired order and press that red text in cell B1 to play it.


Should we have a Rocheworld tag?

Question: We seem to have a fair few Rocheworld style questions accumulating over the years. Is it worth having a tag for them? Would enough people even recognise the tag for it to be meaningful?
Comment: A search only reveals 8 questions that seem like they would merit the tag.
Comment: I've asked a few questions about Rocheworlds and thought there could/should be a tag for it, but maybe its still too small a subject. So what if there was something like a Tidally Locked tag? Rocheworlds fall into that category by definition, but that tag would also fit the broader definition of tidally locked astral bodies of which I'm sure there are many more questions. Just an idea.
Answer: Is that a popular book?
I read a lot, and I had never heard of Rocheworld, so I did a quick search and figured out it's a book about laser driven light sail propulsion to the double planet that orbits Barnard's Star.
Having never read it, even with the wikipedia entry to give me hints, I have no idea what actually makes up a Rocheworld question.
I suggest that instead of having a tag like rocheworld, I think it would be a lot less confusing to have a tag like laser-driven-light-sail, or double-planet, or extra-stellar-spaceflight, or double-planets-orbiting-barnards-star-that-you-get-to-using-a-laser-driven-light-sail, because then it's not ambiguous as to what it means.
tl;dr: no.
Comment: @NofP I think that you might be better off using [this search](https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/search?q=rocheworld+is%3Aquestion), which only gives you questions - there are 8 in total (at time of typing, 1 of which is closed)
Comment: @a4android I'm not actually sure if you meant your comment for me, so if I get this wrong sorry. Ringworld was published in 1970, and I'd guess that a good percentage of people who are into SF have read it, or at least have heard of it. But even if I hadn't, if someone walked up to me and asked "what do you think this book Ringworld is about?" I would guess "a world in the shape of a ring." I don't think that "Rocheworld" has the same universality. Everyone knows what a ring looks like. Not that many people know what a Roche limit is. I really think [tag:double-planet] would be better.
Comment: https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/search?q=rocheworld  ?
Comment: @Mithrandir24601  probably some number in between. Anyway +1 for how to spell specific searches. Thanks!
Comment: @Mithrandir24601 Several of the other questions would justify the tag without using the word inside the question. I don't have a link handy but I remember seeing some.
Comment: This is part of why I asked - to see how meaningful the tag would be. A rocheworld is a binary planet pair, usually tidally locked to each other, orbiting just outside the roche limit but with a shared atmosphere. It's a concept with a lot of interesting possibilities and non-intuitive physics and behaviour.
Comment: @Mithrandir24601 For example this one: https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/4858/could-pluto-charon-support-an-atmosphere-between-them and this one https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/102522/is-this-gas-giant-possible
Comment: More interestingly there may well be examples where both Q & A do not use the word "Rocheworld" and as a result we have no way of associating them with these other related questions unless someone notices and tags them.
Comment: You show search more. While the first book went through three editions, this was part one of a series of five hard-sf novels published between 1984 and 1995. While questions about close binary planets may be, moderately proposed, it's probably only just on the cusp of amost needing its own tag. A lot more questions need to be asked first.
Comment: Good point. "Rocheworld" is obscure & double-planet is much better especially since that tag already exists. I wasn't advocating a Rocheworld tag (except if questions on the topics became common, but a double-planet tag would still be better). Also, Bob Forward's Rocheworld novels seem to have faded into obscurity.
Answer: What would this tag be about? Forward's light sail propulsion system? Flouwen? Rocheworld double planet shape? If it is not clear from the tag name, then it is a very bad tag name. I might agree that propulsion systems and planets with shared atmosphere might, possibly, deserve own tags if there are none already. But I'm sure that Rocheworld is not a name for tag.
Answer: What I've seen is a not uncommon pattern of several questions on a related topic (in this case "rocheworld") coming close together, where one or sometimes two people are producing these questions for a while.
Then it dies down, like a fad.
I'd be afraid that if we make tags for all these subject-of-the-moment type things we'd be knee deep in tags that are hardly used.  We already have useful tags for this type of question - like gravity, planets.  Maybe we should not seek to generate tags unless there's a consistent subject or category that crops up e.g. at least once a week, maybe once every two weeks.
Comment: Also, if it's a specific name, it can easily be searched for. Tags isn't the only way to find questions, though it's a very useful one. Let's use each tool for what it's good at.
Answer: tl dr: Darn Straight - Add It
What is the purpose of a tag? In my approximation it is metadata. What is metadata used for? It's used so people can find subjects for which they are looking. You can have five tags per question. If having an extra tag which says rocheworld brings people from away from Stack Exchange here (through a Google search or what have you), helps others who are asking questions as such (so they don't create duplicates and therefore make more work for others), and makes general sense (can be related to the subject without too much consternation), then why not? IMHO, the only reason to not add it is if there's already something which could be used as a synonym. Just because some people don't know what it is doesn't mean the tag shouldn't be added. That's a very short sighted and snobbish attitude.
To me, as long as there is a good explanation in the Tag Wiki as far as what the meaning of the tag is, then add it. It will pay dividends going forward.
Comment: You might be surprised how many don't read the tag wiki excerpt, let alone the full tag wiki. Also, tags should ideally be discoverable. I'm not sure how discoverable a "rocheworld" tag would be, unless you *already* know the term at which point you might just search for the word...
Comment: @MichaelKjörling - The only reason I stated about the tag wiki is so there's no confusion about what the tag is for (like it's supposed to be). The tag as metadata is discoverable from the real world (as opposed to what we consider this place called SE :o), which brings people here, with more knowledge (read: answers) or more questions (read: content). If there's a spot for a tag on a question and the tag makes sense, there's plenty of room at the inn (space on the SE servers) to house another tag, no matter how much it does or does not get used.

Should we have a Rocheworld tag?


Should I use my university's letterhead for a cover letter for a job application?

Question: I currently teach at University X and am applying for a job at University Y.  Should I write my cover letter on University X's letterhead, or use a blank page?
Answer: No. It is you as a person who is applying, not you as a representative for your university. Univ. Y would probably look very negatively on an application on such lerterhead, as would Univ. X. Letterheads are intended for your official business of your position at X as teacher, researcher etc. Applying for a job or for example writing somewhere for your private business is just that, private. You can, however, create your own private letterhead to use for such instances but this should reflect your private standing and show only private address, phone and e-mail.
So keep the official business separate from your private. As alluded to this also applies to e-mail, something most people forget about. It is good to have your own private e-mail for instances such as this.
Comment: @scottishwildcat: But academia is not always like other employers.  For instance, we have fixed-term jobs (such as postdocs) which are understood to be stepping stones to more permanent positions at other institutions.  In my experience, looking for a permanent position is more or less accepted as part of a postdoc's *job*.
Comment: I find this attitude really different from anything I've encountered.  I have access to some job files right now, and while usage of letterhead was maybe 50/50 (I think mostly because it's a pain to get electronic letterhead that works with LaTeX from most schools), but everyone uses their professional address, email, etc.  and I think it would set off a red flag if someone didn't.  I don't especially care and am not sure I've encountered anyone who does before, but I think this answer may emphasize what *should* be done over what people actually do.
Comment: At least in the dim past of my youth, in academic math people _always_ used letterhead.
Comment: BAM.  That's precisely the dilemma I was trying to resolve.  Thanks.
Comment: Quite. As an employer, I would not be terribly impressed that a member of staff was using my resources, whether stationery, printers or anything else, to negotiate a voluntary move to a different employer. (Had I just had to lay them off or something, that would be a different story.)
Comment: Fully agree with this answer. But like another user commented, it may be dependent upon the job.  If you are a postdoc and looking for a tenure track position, by all means, use the letterhead.  If you are already a tenure track and want to jump the ship to greener pastures, it's highly unethical for you to use your current letterhead. Same thing with email. Email communications at state universities and govt constitute public records and can be requested by anyone using the provisions of FOIA.
Answer: I personally side with Peter Jansson on this one (do not use an institutional letterhead if you're not conducting business on behalf of your institution), but you will have to note that this position is not universally shared. I cite only one example, of somewhat high-profile blogger/consultant, who says:

Your letter must be on letterhead if you have a current academic affiliation of any kind. This is not negotiable.

I think it may be a field-specific and/or generation issue: some people, and some fields (humanities/law/medicine) have more attachement to older traditions and think a letterhead is a crucial part of correspondence etiquette.
Comment: I actually joined academia@stackexchange to be able to upvote this answer. Of course you should use letterhead! If you don't, University Y thinks there is some reason why University X does not want you to be affiliated with them.
Comment: @don.joey well, welcome here! I hope you stay around, it's a very nice community…
Comment: A [separate post by the same blogger](https://chroniclevitae.com/news/50-the-professor-is-in-why-letterhead-matters) indicates that there is regional and disciplinal variation in this convention. (Apparently, it is universal in the US and not used in the UK, Australia and NZ?)
Comment: @my.back Keep in mind that blogger you linked specifically provides this advice for graduate students, where it's perfectly acceptable/encouraged to use the letterhead. This is clearly not the case with other jobs where for example people may be looking to change jobs (from one tt position to another).
Answer: I would ask a senior person in your field.  In my experience in mathematics in the US, no one gives a flying flip how you format your cover letter; in all likelihood, no one will read it.  Using department stationary is common, though far from universal and I don't think affects anyone's thinking one way or the other.
I don't think this advice is universally applicable;  I know in many other disciplines, cover letters are read carefully, and thus their professionalism will have some salutary effect.  My personal feeling is that using your current institution's letterhead, your office address, etc. looks more professional, but obviously this isn't a universal feeling, so all the more reason to check about your field specifically.
Comment: To be honest, regardless of what you use, just make sure that it is a damn good letter. Departments might have practices. Now, here is a question for others - can Bennie just call and ask?
Answer: In academia, if you are applying for an academic position (e.g., assistant adjunct prof applying for assistant prof), regardless of whether it is at the same of different institution, it is absolutely essential that you use the letterhead for the institution with which you are currently affiliated. I realize that this is different for private companies, where "company" letterhead implies official communication on behalf of the "company."  But in academia, the letterhead is an indicator that you are recognized as a member of a scholarly community and you have the rights, privileges, and responsibilities associated with your academic appointment. In academia, it does NOT mean you are conducting official institutional business.  Official institutional business will have "Office of the Chancelor" in the letterhead or "Office of XYZ Department Chair." If the chancellor or department chair were to apply for jobs, they would probably still use institutional letterhead but not have this "Office of the __" line in the letterhead.
Using your institutional letterhead is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL when applying for academic jobs. Even (especially) if you are a grad student. Everyone knows that you are not speaking on behalf of the institute, the letterhead is an indication of your membership in that scholarly community.
Comment: This answer is probably useful within the culture from which it was written, but [academia varies more than you think it does](https://academia.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1203). As such, this answer should be taken with a large grain of salt unless you know for a fact that it applies to your region (cf. e.g. [this link](https://chroniclevitae.com/news/50-the-professor-is-in-why-letterhead-matters)), or unless the answer gets edited to provide suitable confines in both geography and discipline.
Comment: Unless the author of this post can provide clear evidence, I think this advice is misguided and just plainly wrong on more than one level. Not using the current letterhead is not a disqualification for a new job. And using one institutions email to apply to another institution is definitely uncalled for.
Answer: One point that I'm missing so far, but which IMHO makes quite some difference is the position which you are in:

My "default" opionon on this question is not to use your employer's letterhead, nor your email at your employer's.
The reason is that unless your relationship with your current employer is really bad (in which case you don't want to use their letterhead),  (ab)using your employer's letterhead demonstrates illoyality: not only are you not acting in as an official of your employer, but as @scottishwildcat already pointed out, you are presumably acting against your employer's interests.
But in academia, there are certain situations where your old university is anywhere between quite happy with over positively encouraging you to expecting you to apply for another job.
You may be in a stage of your career where a change of university is expected or at least reasonable and you and your employer agree on this (close to finishing your degree, did a postdoc abroad but want to move home again, want to move for family reasons, want to become a professor which in some countries you cannot at your "home" university, ...), or you are on a project position and for external reasons they cannot keep you.
In this case, IMHO you may use the university letterhead (although I'd probably still not do it). But if you do so, you should make sure the university where you apply knows unambiguously that your university is happy with your application for their position, e.g. by naming your current supervisor as reference.

As for the email, free emails are available also with sober username and sober providers, so that shouldn't be a problem, neither.
Answer: Do whatever you want.
There are strong and conflicting opinions on this ("it would set off a red flag" to not use institutional letterhead, etc. vs "I put those letters at the bottom of the pile.")
We should ask ourselves, as academics: if we are evaluating people's job applications using such incredibly fine distinctions in academic etiquette, either:
1) we are prioritizing completely useless information and probably introducing a good deal of bias against folks like international students and first-gen college students along with it!
-OR-
2) academia is so irredeemably petty that getting this right is actually an important sign of success in an academic position.
Either answer doesn't make academia sound like a place you'd want to work. I have faith that people are not actually making such important decisions using trivia. I therefore suggest that the original poster should choose whichever option allows them to make the content of their letter clearer, i.e., if you need the space for more information, don't use the letterhead!
Comment: I completely agree with everything you've written, but it's not an answer to the question.
Comment: @Flyto: While it may be debatable whether this post is an answer, it is certainly not a valid comment. It does not do any of the things comments are for.
Comment: This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post. - [From Review](/review/low-quality-posts/57266)
Comment: Probably not - it's too long for a start. Unfortunately my comment above is that which is automatically posted when one votes to delete with the "not answer" reason.
Comment: I agree the only part that is an answer is the first line ("do whatever you want"), but I think this is a necessary corrective. The question rests on an important assumption (that there is a good answer, and people care about it), which isn't necessarily supported.
Comment: I also added an extra couple of sentences of the implications of the rest.
Answer: I fully understand the notion of not writing on letterhead except in an official capacity, but consider the tradition of using a hotel's letterhead when staying with them as a guest. I appreciate this is perhaps almost akin to sending a picture postcard (and an advertising opportunity for the hotel), yet this clearly is not a matter of the hotel's business activity.
This practice extended to the English with houses large enough to have guest rooms, where the etiquette is to provide headed notepaper of your own for your guests to use.
Comment: Welcome to Academia SE. While your post provides a new and valid outlook on OPs question, I would still like to see how it relates to OPs specific case.
Answer: Completely agree that you should not use letterhead from the academic institution you are trying to leave.  I put those letters at the bottom of the pile when reviewing job applications for teaching positions.  Only caveat is when you hold a postdoc, but if you are tenure track or more, then no, use your own.
Comment: Exactly what part of the criteria listed in the job advertisement makes it reasonable for you to disregard letters written on letterhead? Does it indicate an inability to do research? To teach? Does the advertisement clearly state that applications on letterhead will be disregarded?
Comment: I think inferring poor judgement from the use of a letterhead shows poor judgement. I would not expect a good working environment from an academic institution that uses such practices, and they would be put at the bottom of the pile.
Comment: I didn't say they would be disregarded, just put at the bottom of the pile, like those with bad writing or less than wonderful vitae.  If the rest is amazing it may rise up again but the choice to use letterhead shows poor judgement. If you don't want to be at an institution that is currently paying your salary and expecting you to stay, don't use their letterhead.


Why are amino acids in biology homochiral?

Question: Why are nearly all amino acids in organisms left-handed (exception is glycine which has no isomer) when abiotic samples typical have an even mix of left- and right-handed molecules?
Comment: @yamad.  The site you link to contains the line 'all living molecules are left-handed'. This, of course, is nonsense.
Comment: It's no answer, but Radiolab had a great discussion of chirality and the issue you've brought up. Worth a listen: http://www.radiolab.org/2011/apr/18/mirror-mirror/
Comment: @TomD ha, fair enough. Oversimplifications aside, though, I still like the piece because my memory is that they do a good job giving an intuitive feel for what chirality is and its effects. Of course, its likely that they make more frustrating oversimplifications and I missed them or forgave them in my rapture that a popular show was willing to dig pretty deeply into an idea like chirality for entertainment purposes. Sometimes Radiolab makes major missteps, but in general, I think their stuff is pretty solid as far as popular accounts of tricky scientific concepts go.
Answer: I know that you are referring to the commonly ribosome-translated L-proteins, but I can't help but add that there are some peptides, called nonribosomal peptides, which are not dependent on the mRNA and can incorporate D-amino acids. They have very important pharmaceutical properties. I recommend this (1) review article if you are interested in the subject. It is also worth mentioning that D-alanine and D-glutamine are incorporated into the peptidoglycane of bacteria.
I read several papers (2, 3, 4) that discuss the problem of chirality but all of them conclude that there is no apparent reason why we live in the L-world. The L-amino acids should not have chemical advantages over the D-amino acids, as biocs already pointed out.
Reasons for the occurrence of the twenty coded protein amino acids (2) has an informative and interesting outline. This is the paragraph on the topic of chirality:

This is related to the question of the origin of optical
activity in living organisms on which there is a very
large literature (Bonner 1972; Norden 1978; Brack and
Spack 1980). We do not propose to deal with this
question here, except to note that arguments presented
in this paper would apply to organisms constructed from
either D or L amino acids.

It might be possible that both L and D lives were present (L/D-amino acids, L/D-enzymes recognizing L/D-substrates), but, by random chance the L-world outcompeted the D-world.
I also found the same question in a forum where one of the answers seems intriguing. I cannot comment on the reliability of the answer, but hopefully someone will have the expertise to do so:

One, our galaxy has a chiral spin and a magnetic orientation, which causes cosmic dust particles to polarize starlight as circularly polarized in one direction only. This circularly polarized light degrades D enantiomers of amino acids more than L enantiomers, and this effect is clear when analyzing the amino acids found on comets and meteors. This explains why, at least in the milky way, L enantiomers are preferred.
Two, although gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong nuclear force are achiral, the weak nuclear force (radioactive decay) is chiral. During beta decay, the emitted electrons preferentially favor one kind of spin. That's right, the parity of the universe is not conserved in nuclear decay. These chiral electrons once again preferrentially degrade D amino acids vs. L amino acids.
Thus due to the chirality of sunlight and the chirality of nuclear radiation, L amino acids are the more stable enantiomers and therefore are favored for abiogenesis.

BIOSYNTHESIS OF NONRIBOSOMAL PEPTIDES

Reasons for the occurrence of the twenty coded protein amino acids

Molecular Basis for Chiral Selection in RNA Aminoacylation

How nature deals with stereoisomers

The adaptation of diastereomeric S-prolyl dipeptide derivatives to the quantitative estimation of R- and S-leucine enantiomers. Bonner WA, 1972

The asymmetry of life. Nordén B, 1978

Beta-Structures of polypeptides with L- and D-residues. Part III. Experimental evidences for enrichment in enantiomer. Brack A, Spach G, 1980
Comment: Thanks Gergana. I'll follow some of this up. I can comment on the astronomy angle later.
Comment: Hope these papers are helpful. Let me know what you have found.
Comment: The difference between L and D amino acids does not affect the tertiary structure?
Comment: Because I was bored, I found and added links to the citations from "Reasons for the occurrence of the twenty coded protein amino acids"
Answer: The ribosome holds the peptide-bound tRNA and aminoacyl-tRNA in the right orientation to catalyze the peptidyltransferase reaction.
http://www.pnas.org/content/103/36/13327/F1.expansion.html
If the incoming aminoacyl-tRNA was the other enantiomer, the amino acid moiety would not fit properly into the ribosome active site.  In other words, the shape of the ribosome selects for specific amino acid enantiomers.  In abiotic mixes, the creation of amino acids and their polymerization is non-catalytic, and so there is no specificity or selection for certain enantiomers.
If you're asking the "biogenesis" question, then I think the answer is that we don't know the original selection, and it may just be chance.  But once biochemistry began making and using them, of course they were all the same.  But frankly "why not D-amino acids" makes about as much sense as "why not 22 amino acids, or 23, or 24, or 25?"  Because that's what happened.
Comment: Thanks for the answer @KAM. However, i don't buy your criticism of the biogenesis aspect to the question! Sure,it may have been that "by chance" L-amino acids got selected, but the fact that all life now only uses L-aminos is intriguing. Given an equal probability of L and D aminos, this suggests that life only arose one from L-aminos, or that L-amino life managed to outcompete and eradicate D-amino life. Either possibility sends us in interesting directions.
Comment: But, you still get an upvote ;-)
Answer: As far as I know, it is unknown why we only see left-handed and not right–handed amino acids. A recent article speculates that the weak force could be responsible for a tiny asymmetry in energy levels between the stereo-isomers. However, if the effect is tiny, its hard to see why it should have biological implications. In 2004, Tamura and Schimmel showed that RNA has a preference for L-amino acids, whereas mirrored RNA has a preference for D-amino acids. They conclude:

These results suggest the possibility that the selection of L-amino acids for proteins was determined by the stereochemistry of RNA.

So the next question is: Why do we observe only one kind of RNA? It could just be by chance, that a polymer of one RNA configuration became self-replicating.
Comment: The chirality of RNA enforces the chirality of amino acids, neat. I wonder if there is mirror RNA out there, because the penalty for being mirrored is lower? (is it lower?)
Answer: The normal results of an attempt to assemble proteins with mixed chiral amino acids is a protein that fails to fold.
The general assumption due to this result is a choice has to be made very early on to use all right-handed or all left-handed amino acids. There doesn't seem to be any particular reason to choose one way over the other except for prevalence.
Answer: Using only 1 chirality for the ecosystem simplifies protein formation and folding frameworks. In theory, you could have a codon system with 40 distinct values (and 24 redundant values): glycine, stop codon, and left/right variations of each other amino acid. However, the proteins and nano-"machinery" required to support this would be crazy complex. It's much more efficient to build around 1 chirality and stick with it.
Alternately, you could have enzymes specifically designed to flip proteins of the "wrong" chirality depending on species.
With that in mind, an ecosystem with different species having different amino acid chirality would be digestive chaos. If you eat a dextro-protein steak, your digestion will break the proteins into... dextro amino acids. Best outcome: they fail to absorb and get flushed down the toilet. Worst outcome: they get absorbed and your cells use them to make proteins - causing severe folding errors, nonfunctional proteins, and a host of untraceable health problems that would likely get misdiagnosed as a spirochaete infection (wide-ranging health problems that aren't limited to a specific region and have no discernible pattern).
Comment: Addendum: your immune cells might identify nonfunctional/malformed proteins produced from consuming dextro-amino acids as dangerous foreign matter/invaders, causing widespread allergies
Answer: Most answers to the question of homochirality have considered the reason (if any) for amino acids in proteins being L rather than D. i.e. Why L? I have nothing further to add to that discussion.
A couple of answers have addressed the question of why there is not a mixture of L- and D- amino acids in proteins, i.e. Why all L? Two distinct arguments have emerged. I shall consider them in turn, and attempt to develop them a little further.
@Joshua stated that "the results of an attempt to assemble proteins with mixed chiral amino acids is a protein that fails to fold". I think one can cast this more precisely in evolutionary terms. The α-helical secondary structure component of proteins probably arose early as it involves only the protein backbone, rather than the particular amino acid side-chain. Nevertheless, it is not possible to substitute a D-amino acid in an α-helix of L-amino acids, without disrupting the structure. Hence one can suppose that homochirality was necessary for the creation of standard 'building blocks' for early protein development.
@KAM has considered the question of the stereochemistry of the active site, specifically that of the peptidyl transferase. The stereochemistry of the active site of the interaction of enzymes with their substrates is a strong argument for homochirality, but it struck me that this needs to be addressed before peptide-bond formation — in the synthesis of the amino acids themselves.
It turns out that I was late to the party. In the 2002 edition (I haven't checked earlier ones) of the text book, "Biochemistry", by Berg et al., section 24.2.2 of the chapter on amino acid synthesis is entitled:
A common step determines the chirality of all amino acids
Amino acids are synthesized, directly or indirectly, via reactions catalysed by transaminases (aminotransferases) which convert keto-acids to amino acids:
Oxaloacetate → Asp → (Asn, Met, (Thr→Ile), Lys)
Pyruvate → (Ala, Val, Leu)
Phosphoenol pyruvate → (Phe, Tyr, Trp)
α-Ketoglutarate → Glu → (Gln, Pro, Arg)
3-Phosphoglycerate → Ser → (Cys, Gly)
Ribose 5-phosphate → His
These transaminases have a similar active site involving a lysine and arginine residue and use the cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate. The reaction mechanism (below) may appear a little complex, but the step at which the chirality of the amino acid is determined is the conversion of quinoid intermediate to external aldimine:

To quote from Berg et al. (from which the diagrams are taken):

The chirality of the amino acid formed is determined by the direction
from which this proton is added to the quinonoid form. This
protonation step determines the l configuration of the amino acids
produced. The interaction between the conserved arginine residue and
the α-carboxylate group helps orient the substrate so that, when the
lysine residue transfers a proton to the face of the quinonoid
intermediate, it generates an aldimine with an L configuration at the
Cα center.

So it would seem more likely that the stereochemistry of the active site of peptidyl transferase was an evolutionary response to the existing homochirality  of amino acids, rather than vice versa.


No spark on a Craftsman line trimmer

Question: I have a Craftsman Trimmer and I'm was not getting a spark when starting it.  I tested it with a spark tester and had no spark. I next removed the ground wire from the magneto to isolate it from the starter circuit, but still had no spark.  I removed the magneto completely and was about to replace it, but decided to put it back on after a few days and re-test it by turning the flywheel with a cordless drill. I thought I may not have been turning the flywheel fast enough, well I got spark both with the spark tester and with the spark plug.  I then replaced the ground wire on the magneto, but I got no spark. Then I decided to test the magneto again with out the ground wire and lo and behold, I got no spark.  Reset the gap, but I'm back to no spark.  Could there be something that killed the magneto after I put the ground wire back on?
Comment: I think there is a flaky electrical connection somewhere which you are affecting each time you take parts of or put them back.
Comment: Did you get a new spark plug?  Or did I misunderstand?  Was the only time you got a spark was using the drill?  I had to learn how to maintain, fix these 2 stroke machines and learn fast.  I took my stuff to a great small engine place and HUNG OUT.  They taught a great class (of just me) for free...well, we established a long term relationship, I was able to do simple maintenance and a bit more, put the right gas, mix the right amount of oil, replace filters and keep the dirt out of my machines.  When I HAD to get machines fixed, they put me ahead of others.
Comment: Besides keeping these things clean...keeping dirt out of the works...use non-ethanol gas...one other item for a trimmer (string trimmer for grass edges and light weeds?)...make sure the line doesn't get too long.  If you are using the bump 'n go heads check that the cutter is cutting the line.  I always take this type of head off and replace it with a straight head where I just cut off a line, thread it, adjust the length by cutting and melting the line on concrete or large rock.  You'll hear the engine tune as the line gets to the proper length and balance.  Wear glasses and watch upline!
Answer: You can test your magneto (can also be called a coil) directly to see if it works. If you have the coil off of the engine, you can do a resistance test on it to see if it's fried. I don't know what the exact make of the engine is, since Craftsman power tools utilize many different brands and re-brands them. It could be a Briggs and Stratton, but more than likely it's something else. Here are the testing steps for a B&S, but it should allow you to test yours and get an idea if the coil is at issue:
NOTE: Here is a video of how to test it.

Remove the magneto
Get your ohm meter and set it to 20k ohm setting
Place the positive (red) lead to the metal part inside the spark plug wire lead
Place the negative (black) lead to a ground spot on the magneto body (is usually the laminated metal part which bolts to the engine)
Take the ohm reading

The reading should be between 2.5k to 5k ohms (for a B&S, anyway). If less than that or you have direct connectivity, you most likely have a ground fault where it will not produce a spark (the energy created goes directly to ground). If you have greater resistance than that (higher than 5k ohms or even infinity), there is too much resistance. Either way, you'd need to replace the magneto.
If it is looking good, you may also want to try and move the spark plug lead around while you are testing to see if the reading changes.
From your description it appears your magneto is having a ground fault issue. Until you measure it you won't know for sure, though.

No spark on a Craftsman line trimmer


How does election work according to mainstream Presbyterian thought?

Question: In the Presbyterian church, does election require that we both receive God's call and answer it? Or is it only that we need to have been chosen? Could this be a question of understanding God as not experiencing time as we do and therefore knowing and always having known who will receive him and are therefore elect (supported by Jesus saying, "you didn't choose me, I chose you, from before the foundation of the world). We cannot offer God ANYTHING  But can we not simply respond to Him? I want to understand how this is meant to work from a Presbyterian  perspective.
Comment: Seeing into the future and seeing who will make a choice, is not what the Greek word ἐκλεκτός ['elect' Strong 1588](https://biblehub.com/greek/1588.htm) means. Some were '_chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world_', Ephesians 1:4.'. Which, again, does not mean that some were perceived (by some sort of time travelling perception) to have made a choice themselves. It is God who asserts his own will. Obviously,
Comment: Thanx Nigel J + curiousdannii + person who suggested an edit that I thought I had accepted.  Your replies make election make sense. Emotionally I wonder about those very loving individuals who died, yet I did not know them to have died-in-Christ. Better persons than me. I know we have "ALL fallen short of the glory of God" But I grieve for their ''lost eternity' Yet God is not capricious over His creatures.
Comment: Please ask about Pharoah, Judas, and the spirits in follow up questions, because those questions aren't just clarifications of asking how election works in Presbyterian theology, but are whole new questions.
Answer: Theology has the idea of the Ordo Salutis, or Order of Salvation. A Christian branch like Reformed Theology (of which Presbyterianism is a part) will have a particular way of organising the various doctrines of salvation. The Order of Salvation shows the logical order of these doctrines: how one doctrine leads to and interacts with the others. Note that it is often not a chronological order, and many 'stages' of the Order of Salvation may, from our perspective, happen at the one time.
For Reformed Theology Predestination and Election are the earliest stages and refer to God's sovereign and independent choices. There is nothing that election requires; it is not contingent on anything else. It is purely God's free choice, based on nothing in us.
The Presbyterian doctrine of election is laid out in the Westminster Confession chapter 3.

I. God from all eternity did by the most and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin; nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.
II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all
  supposed conditions; yet hath he not decreed any thing because he
  foresaw it as future, as that which would come to pass, upon such
  conditions.
III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some
  men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others
  foreordained to everlasting death.
IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are
  particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain
  and definite that it can not be either increased or diminished.
V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the
  foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and
  immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his
  will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his free
  grace and love alone, without any foresight of faith or good works, or
  perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as
  conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of
  his glorious grace.
VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the
  eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means
  thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in Adam are
  redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his
  Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified, and
  kept by his power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other
  redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted,
  sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.
VII. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the
  unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or
  withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power
  over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonour and
  wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.
VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be
  handled with special prudence and care, that men attending to the will
  of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may,
  from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their
  eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,
  reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and
  abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.
Answer: I like how @curiousdannii's answer highlights that Ordo Salutis is logical order, not temporal order (not a sequence in time), and that there is nothing we can do or need to do for the election part of the Ordo Salutis.
You asked:

We cannot offer God ANYTHING But can we not simply respond to Him?

Of course people who are included in election will definitely respond to Him and offer a LOT.  In fact, in Reformed theology, it is one of the assurance of election, but it does NOT affect the election part of Ordo Salutis.  I think this article by Tim Keller (well published Presbyterian pastor) point #2 answered your question directly:

2. But if everything is fixed and certain, why pray, evangelize, or do anything at all?
This objection is short-sighted. First, if everything was not planned by a holy and loving God, we'd be absolutely terrified by the prospect of even getting up in the morning. Our actions (always done with very little understanding) could have horrible consequences. Everything would depend on us! If everything was not planned by a holy and loving God, there'd be enormous pressure on Christians when we evangelize. We would know our inarticulateness could result in a person missing his or her one "chance" for salvation. It would be a horrible prospect.
Second, we evangelize and pray because of the privilege of sharing in God's work with him. For example, a father might be able to chop wood for the stove himself, but he asks his children to learn to chop the wood and stoke the fire as well. What if the children say, "We have no incentive to chop the wood. We know that if we don't cut it, our father will do it anyway—he won't let us freeze!" But the father would respond, "Of course I could do it myself, but I want you to share the work with me." The authority and the privilege of working with our heavenly Father is surely plenty of incentive. He wants to work with us and for us.
(rest is skipped)


Use Apache to prevent a PHP script from connecting to a specific domain

Question: Is there a way to prevent apache from connecting to a specific domain e.g. somesite.com?
I have a PHP script that trying to connect to specific host, and I would like to prevent that.
Comment: @Su' Yes, you certainly have a point. My remark was perhaps a bit facetious.
Comment: Don't run _your_ script?
Comment: @w3d If you mean not running the script at all, that's not necessarily practical. I can see a case for this where an application is trying to "phone home" for example. I may want to use the app, just don't want it reporting our server(or anything else) back to the dev.
Answer: If the PHP script is accepting parameters in the URL such as http://www.example.com/thescript.php?somesite.com you may be able to create a re-write in your .htaccess so anytime that URL is loaded it could simply refresh example.com
Or use an iptables rule such as iptables -A OUTPUT -d 0.0.0.0 -j DROP where the 0's are put the IP of the domain you want to block.
Having the php script modified would only be a few bucks on most freelance sites since it's pretty basic to add an if conditional statement that says if the URL entered is somesite.com don't execute.
Answer: I know this is somewhat hackish but it is dead simple to implement. If the script is attempting to connect to a dns based url (not an ip address based url), you could simply set your host file to point to 127.0.0.1 for that dns name only.  This assumes you have no intention on browsing that particular site.
# in /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1  somedomainIwanttoAvoid.com

As a bonus, you can setup a virtual host locally to catch these requests and handle them however you want.
Good-luck!
Answer: Here is an example of how to do this with htaccess. Note that it is relatively easy to circumvent the referer. The same website also has an example on blocking by IP.
Correction: I found this tutorial on IPTables. Perhaps that can get you started.
Comment: This prevents visitors *to* your site *from* some other site. The question goes the other direction: it's about preventing an on-site script from communicating with an external server.
Comment: hi. thank for reply but you didnt understand me. i need to block outgoung conenction to specified host, not incoming.


deleting groups

Question: under contacts, manage groups, delete; the following notiThis group currently has 35 members in it. Deleting this group will NOT delete the member contact records. However, all contact subscription information and history for this group will be deleted. If this group is used in CiviCRM profiles, those fields will be reset. This action cannot be undone.
Comment: Hi - welcome to CiviCRM stack exchange. I don't think you have asked a question, just described a message that you have received which is a standard warning message telling you what will happen when you delete a group. Can you explain what your problem is in a bit more detail.
Answer: if it helps ... 'subscription information and history' simply means the record of when someone was added to the group. no value in keeping this if you are deleting the group. you will not be deleting anything else about the Contact

deleting groups