text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
I should probably slip away from this. I've never even heard of half of these.Hope the game goes awesome for you, though ^_^
Would Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail be a Saber class or Caster?
I have to say this looks very interesting. Actually ironically I am in the middle of Sword art online watching through it for the second time. I am going to throw in my interest but I am going to have to think on the character. Way to many option my brain is already going on overload.
I Remember that show! I only got to watch snippets of it. Oh shit! Now I'm waiting for a Sailor Scout! :p
Regarding magical girls I would say the answer is... probably? For the most part I remember them using a lot of spell type magic and summing effects. As opposed to fighting their enemies in melee combat.But I could be easily persuaded with a YouTube video or something that contradicts how I remember those shows
The sheet is looking good so far, Mac! I'm actually more excited now because my initial character idea was for a Rider class who borrowed powers from the Gurren Lagaan universe. But this lets me brainstorm a different idea!
Hold on then, this may confuse you.:3c
One idea I had was that every so many floors, There is a "Safe Floor/town" where Players don't have to worry about getting attacked, at least by in game elements, and can restock without having to go all the way back down to the first floor. Though the higher you go up the Floors, the further and further apart the "Safe Floors" Become. Like the first floor is safe, and is the "Beginning" town for the Adventures. Kinda think like Konasuba. Then the next safe floor would be the Fifth Floor. Then the next Safe floor may be the 13th. Each Safe Floor could be a Town that is reflective of a specific Anime. Maybe it is a hint to what the next floor is. Perhaps it is an extension of the previous floor. The Safe Floors are connected via transport Pads that can send Players between the safe Floors for various reasons. However, A safe floor must be "Discovered" by a player first, and that player must activate the transport pad. Otherwise other players cant transport to that safe floor. Each Safe Floor is populated by NPCs, and NPC Merchants that allow Players to restock on items they need to progress further. As well as "Smith's,", and Armorers" To improve equipment. Yet these items won't be as powerful as Items crafted by Players. Players may also decide to Set up shop in these towns to sell their crafts to other players for the Game's currency. By "PLayer" I'm referring to the generic people trapped in the game rather than actual Players of the Game, us.WHat does everyone think on of this idea?
Finalized Character Sheet! I opted to go with the Macross Verse as I'm far more familiar with it than Gundam. And I think the Valkyries are just a bit more versatile than a Mobile suit. Though the Gouf Custom is still one of the most badass Mobile suits! As demonstrated here Character Name - Jeremy BlackSuper Dimensional Fortress MacrossRider Appearance/Style Description – Jeremy's personal style is is more relaxed and ultiliarian as he is expected to take care of his mount. Though when he is piloting, he has a special suit he wears to negate the effects of inertia, and G-Forces that would normally crush a human body by the tremendous maneuverability of the VF-25S, particularly when he has one of the Supplemental Packs attached. Jeremy's body type can be described as barrel chested. His face with about a months worth of beard growth. Personality – Is a friendly person that likes to help others, and often throws himself into danger to protect those around him. Works well with a team. Enjoys various types of music, often lounging on the wing of his Mount with a the Radio playing custom play lists from the Macross Franchise. Backstory – The Player known as Jeremy Black, upon discovering that he was trapped in the game, quickly sought to gather those that could help him beat the game to free everyone. Though that was not his only objective. He understood that many of the other players would not be up for the hardship that they would face as most MMOs were not kind to "Casual Players". Having experience with MMO's before, he tried to organize a small army in order to maximize players chances of survival, and getting everyone out. Including training up those that were not as MMO Savvy. Sadly it did not go as planned. Infighting, Backstabbing, and outside interference caused the group to collapse from the inside. Leaving only Jeremy pretty much to fend for himself in an Ambush in the lower floors that he barely escaped out alive. Jeremy still wants to help people, and free everyone from the Game. However, he is aware enough that he can't do it on his own. Powers/Equipment – As a Rider, Jeremy has a "Mount" derived from the Macross universe. A VF-25S "Messiah". While he may not have much in the way of super powers. His "Mount" more than makes up for this with its supplemental equipment. He has access to a Super pack, An Armor Pack, and A "Tornado Pack" Strengths – There is hints that Jeremy Black may have/is currently a Fighter Pilot in real life as he understands military tactics involving Aircraft, Calm in a crisis, Music (Upon hearing certain genre's of music can boost Jeremy's abilites for the duration of the song, particular if sung by an popular IdolWeaknesses – A bit awkward around the Ladies, Can get in over his head at times/Tries to take on more than he can chew, a bit on the lazy side, Pineapple Salad (Macross fans will get this. )
Well, if you're not going to rep the Super Robot Army, someone needs to! Name - Vandal BlackAnime Origin - Getter RoboClass - RiderAppearanceVandal is a big guy for a pilot, standing 6'7" with a cut physique that would look more at home on a professional wrestler. Out in the field, he can usually be found wearing a jet black bodysuit with armored segments built into it, designed to put pressure on the body and prevent its pilot from blacking out in high-G maneuvers. He keeps the sides of his head shaved close, the remaining stripe of his black hair falling forward. Narrow eyes often make him look pensive or brooding when he's on his own, but when with others he seems more at ease. In social instances, he wears a racing jacket over more casual clothes.PersonalityVandal is a boisterous, earnest kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and won't hesitate to speak his mind. Rather than cursing his circumstances or wasting energy hating NPC's, he lays every death directly at Storyteller's feet, and has every intention of paying him back for every ounce of misery once he's flushed out of hiding. Fortunately, Vandal gets along well with most players, seeing them as comrades in arms striving against the same odds. He trusts quickly, but is slow to let go of a slight, which can get him in trouble as he tends to express himself physically.Of course, his expressiveness means that he has a lousy poker face. People who've grouped with him before have noticed that he's kind of awkward with women. Not flustered, exactly, but more like he's not sure how to approach them. It's made him a favorite target of some female players who delight in watching such a big man squirm.Background:The way Vandal tells it, he isn't much of an anime fan, which makes him a bit of an anomaly among those trapped in Awaken Online. His friends, however, roped him in to be the third of their Getter Team. It was a quirk of fortune that allowed him to pick up an early copy, and since he and his friends had intended to share a Mount he decided to go ahead and level it up in preparation for the full launch so they could skip the crowded starting zones. Now he's trapped in Aincrad, doing the best he can with only a third of his strength.Since becoming trapped in Awaken Online, Vandal has mostly been one of the more active players, grinding up trash mobs and acting as an escort for lower leveled characters in exchange for coin. He's also spent time Dueling with other players around the back of the starting town, and taking a cut of the gambling money generated as winnings. Despite his efforts and the meager wealth he's managed to accrue, he's spent surprisingly little, getting by on equipment drops and quest rewards. When asked what he's saving up for, he says there's something he needs from the Cash Shop, but the conversion between game currency and real world money is lousy.In quiet moments, Vandal has been found lying atop the roofs of buildings at night, looking up at the moon and solemnly reaching out to it. He's convinced the devs have the Black Getter up there, the only solo-pilot oriented Getter machine, but he hasn't figured out how to reach it yet.Powers/EquipmentMount – Neo Getter Robo: Designed by Hayato Jin after Getter Ray research was banned by the Japanese Government, Neo Getter Robo uses an alternative plasma-based energy source. Neo Getter Robo is a fifty meter tall Super Robot comprised of three aircraft that can dock with each other in different configurations to create specialized fighting forms. Unfortunately for Vandal, he has no copilots, which locks out the "Open Gate" command. For the time being, he focuses on the land-combat specialist Neo Getter-1, which has the following armaments:Shoulder Rockets: An attack for those pesky long distance foes, the Neo Getter-1 leans forward and launches a pair of explosive missiles from its backpack.Chain Fist: A twist on an old classic, the Chain Fist is a rocket punch that can be launched out to medium range. Unlike the Mazinger clan's iconic attack, however, the Chain Fist has an anchor chair that stretches back to the launching arm. The pilot of Neo Getter-1 can use this to pull enemies into close range where it excels, or swing the fist around at the end of its chain like a flail as necessary.Plasma Thunder: Neo Getter-1's finishing attack, the mecha reaches overhead and channels lightning between its hands, building up a charge that soon becomes a crackling lightning javelin. Though it takes a lot of energy, when thrown the Plasma Thunder attack does heavy damage.Hot Blooded: A classic for Super Robot Pilots of all stripes, when the pressure's on the character only gets more fired up! Parameters increase as HP decreases, allowing for the last-second come backs and clutch saves so often required for saving the world. Chosen by the Getter Rays: A passive skill possessed by all Getter pilots. Already chosen for their exceptional qualities, exposure to Getter Radiation makes the pilots something more than strictly human. Those who are Chosen by the Getter Rays stats are not as badly reduced as other Riders when away from their Mount, and they can withstand the gravitational forces of extreme acceleration better than normal humans. This skill is a prerequisite for other Getter Pilot skills such as Hearts Beating As One, Lost to Getter Radiation, and Master the Getter Rays. It can only be taken by Human characters.StrengthsGuts!: Vandal isn't the sort to back away from a fight, which is exactly why he's in the party to defeat the 1rst Level Boss. He's the kind of person who'd sneer at the gates of hell, the sort who finds a way to fight even when their body is broken, and the type who'll shoulder impossible odds without complaint. If he was simply reckless, he'd be dead a hundred times over by now, no, it's just that his grit allows him to press on where most would falter.In Sync: Vandal hasn't got much of a head for tactics, but he's no lone wolf either. He didn't pick a Getter character for nothing, he has a good sense of his partners' needs on the battlefield. Whether it's guarding a blind spot or creating an opening in an enemy's defenses, Vandal is at his best when fighting with a team.Powerhouse: The Getter Robo isn't just for show, its massive size allows it to strike with incredible force, staggering foes and crushing armor with each blow. This creates a kind of "soft control", making it difficult for enemies to counter-attack when in close, which is necessary as the Neo Getter Robo isn't particularly tough. Sustained ranged attacks are easily the Neo Getter-1's biggest weakness.WeaknessesStubborn: Of course, the other side of Vandal's guts is that sometimes he doesn't withdraw when he really should. He doesn't fight with his head so much as he follows his feelings without regret, and it can be difficult to sway him once he's set on a course.Not At All Subtle : It's not particularly surprising for someone who'd gravitate towards a giant robot, but Vandal hasn't got much patience for doing things the sneaky, crafty way. He tends to state his opinion at full volume, and prefers a head-on battle when there's even a chance for victory.Can't Fully Utilize his Spec: The Getter talent tree has always been one focused on Combination and working in concert with a team. Vandal was the only one of his friends to receive an advance copy of Awaken Online, and as such he's operating without his wingmen. He either needs to link up with some other pilots to get the most out of his unit, find some NPC's to fill out the role, or work out some other combination that he can exploit before he'll be able to get the most out of his build.
Feel free to edit this character sheet form as much as you like!Name – Akiko YukijiAnime Origin – Jojo's Bizarre AdventureClass - Assassin – (WIP, Imma have to draw these)Appearance/Style Description – Akiko has bold features, and tends to dress rather loudly in a sort of neo-hippy aesthetic, complete with a few old bits of jewelry like large, heart shaped earrings, some bangles, and a broach with the figure of a white dove against a psychedelic background. She also carries a large pair of leopard printed headphones. Underneath this exterior, she wears a pair of black tights stitched skillfully with non-lustrous metal, and keeps a black mask and cowl tucked under her shirt. In effect, she can drop the hippy garb and go ninja in needed. While Akiko is professional, astute and a bit reclusive normally, she has a more ostentatious demeanor that seems to come out whenever Pour Some Sugar is active, prompting her to pose flamboyantly. Personality – While Akiko is fairly straightforward and personable in a professional setting, she's actually a bit reclusive. She enjoys history, collecting old objects like coins, and generally keeps to herself. This isn't to say that she's shy, but that she simply doesn't seem to have much patience for people, preferring to nip drama in the bud by simply doing things herself. Video games were simply another part of this. She seems to have a second layer, however, which is more flamboyant and fun loving. This seems to be related to when her Stand, Pour Some Sugar, is active. It may be that this is her true self, or it may be a side effect of picking a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Character.Backstory – Being trapped in the world here has been relatively easy for her, due to the utility of her skill-set. She's made a good business for herself as an appraiser and antique salesman, able to identify strange items even better than some of the local lore-mongers. And she's even made a bit of a reputation for herself as someone who can find leads in quests, making her valuable as a party member. All of this has allowed her to continue a professional, privately reclusive life-style with some measure of success. Of course, this has come with a few problems, such as getting stuck with useless or nigh suicidal parties, getting into trouble when payment for her services is due, and the fact that she misses her collections in the real world.Powers/Equipment – Akiko makes quite a living as an item appraiser, but she has no compunctions about being a little dishonest when she finds something that could be truly valuable to her. As such, she's managed to get her hands on some suitably sneaky light armor, a powerful pair of blades, and a very accurate, silent ranged weapon.Special Abilities - Stand User All of Akiko's special abilities come from her status as a Stand User, or a being capable of projecting a spiritual manifestation of their will and psyche that draws out special abilities. Her Stand's name is Pour Some Sugar. 1) Pour Some Sugar allows her to talk to / listen to any man-made object. The older an object is, the more coherent and vibrant that object is when communicating. The drawback is that this power is always on, which sometimes is extremely annoying. She's taken steps to muffle the noise. 2) Pour Some Sugar allows her to sometimes persuade man-made objects to act in usual ways. For example, asking a dented suit of armor to repair itself, or asking an enemy sword not to hit her. Again, the older an object is, the more likely she'll be able to persuade it. She's never successfully persuaded anything that was 'younger' than 3 years old. 3) Pour Some Sugar is able to manifest itself as a lithe, floating humanoid shade. It is capable of attacking enemies within a 30 foot range, primarily using its fists and legs. Any damage Pour Some Sugar suffers is damage that Akiko herself suffers, as the two bodies are perfectly linked in that regard. However, Pour Some Sugar is capable of moving silently, grasping weapons, scouting an area, and vanishing on command when she has line-of-sight. It makes her a hell of an Assassin. Sadly, Pour Some Sugar's range is pretty short, and the Stand itself cannot talk to or listen to objects while away from her.Strengths – 1) Professional: Akiko gets the job done. She has little patience for people that muck up the works with silly mistakes, and would much rather do a job alone and with precision, where possible.2) Historian: Akiko knows things. In fact, it's because she loves knowing things about the past so much that allows her to do what she does. She often is surprisingly well informed, and has a good memory for such things.3) Bold: When Pour Some Sugar is out, Akiko is courageous, bold, and flamboyant. It often has the right effect on the right people.Weaknesses – 1) Reclusive: Akiko prefers the company of objects to people. She has little patience with humanity, and gets snippy and even petty sometimes if people don't at least do what they are supposed to do.2) Drown Out The Noise: The fact that objects are always talking forces her to listen to music to distract herself, or go into natural settings where there are no man-made objects to get away from it. Conversely, she is more comfortable in a room with antiques than anywhere else.3) Loves Body Builders: Perhaps she even chose Jojo because she likes ripped men in loud, nigh-erotic poses. But she can't help having a weakness for muscle heads in hot positions. 4) Assassin Class: Akiko is useful in a party, but she's not going to break any records in a fight.
I like the idea, Mac! Regular floors will probably have designated "safe zones" where players can rest and restock on supplies without fear of being attacked (probably). But having specific floors that can act as the HUB for player housing, crafting, season events, etc. would make things a lot more organized.Since every 10th floor is going to be a Mega-Floor, significantly harder than all the floors which came before it, it would make sense that the 9th floor was always this Safe Floor. Encouraging players to just stay put and never proceed on.
Since your mech will be shooting missiles and machine guns and whatnot, just a friendly reminder not to be surprised when it is as effective as another player who (without having a mech) only fires a revolver at the enemy.
3. This is a question for you as well Mac. Since your mechs are quite large they would have the obvious weakness of not being able to be used while inside of cramped spaces or buildings (assuming the building can't be blown open). Since you two are the only ones so far who have giant mechs, do you want to make them much smaller than they appear in their anime's (say 2 stories tall or so) so that you don't have to deal with this problem? Or would you rather keep their original full size. I don't think this whole "fighting in a closed space" will be a problem often, but it will come up here and there.
Hmmm, I can most certainly understand the logic behind that but that does kinda put a damper on being a "Rider" Class. May have to reconsider the character all together. I would like to play something that would prove to be useful to the group as a whole, and not simply something that is more flash than substance.
Page created in 0.058 seconds with 26 queries.


text:
Comparing GPS Devices for Mountain Biking
Blog I wrote on Pinkbike comparing some GPS units.
Blog I wrote on Pinkbike comparing some GPS units.
So yah, high frame rate… I want to like new things, in theory it sounds good and 24gps film is an outdated standard from almost 100 years ago, but…. Not sure I like it. I definitely get what a lot of reviews say that it looks like a video game or watching a live play. The scenes with CG, lots of light and a moving camera look fake, lots of movements look sped up, specially close-ups in brightly lit scenes. The first 10min all looked very strange, but after that you start to get used to it. Then there will be a scene that is kinda jarring that reminds you. It defiantly works better with dark low light scenes. It also helps a lot with the 3D, no blurriness, no eye strain and everything is SUPER crisp, maybe too much so at times.
I have to go see the movie again in normal 24fps non-3D to compare. I suspect I will enjoy it more the old-school way
I've been doing a bunch of performance testing for one of my Drupal sites Trailforks.com and decided to compare IIS7 vs Apache 2.4. I host several Drupal websites on Windows Web Server 2008 with IIS7 and love it. I've read more and more articles that show IIS outperforms Apache and other web servers in many situations. But I wanted to make sure I wasn't loosing possible performance by hosting my site with IIS compared to Apache.
I created a local copy of my site and database on my desktop which is an Intel Core i7 920 OC@ 3.3Ghz with 6GB ram and an SSD. I installed the following software: IIS7, MySQL 5.5, PHP 5.3.13 & Apache 2.4. For IIS I also installed Microsofts URL Rewrite plugin. Besides that the IIS7 configuration is default. PHP settings are default besides upping the memory_limit to 256MB. For my first tests I also left Apache with its default config.
I used Microsoft's cool testing tool called WCAT. My tests were to see how many pages each server could load in a 20 second period, with a 5 second warmup. The following is my wcat .ubr settings
WarmupTime 5s
NumClientMachines 1
MaxRecvBuffer 64K
CooldownTime 5s
ThinkTime 0s
NumClientThreads 80
Duration 20s
Comment Test Server
SET KeepAlive = TRUE
classId = 1
weight = 100
server = "localhost"
URL = "http://trailforks.local/"
For the Drupal side, I tested my Trailforks site which contains over 100 modules & a custom theme. I created a blank page with a blank template using a custom module, so its the most basic drupal page. I disabled drupals cache and the Boost module cache. These are the initial results.
I was rather surprised with the results, IIS blew Apache out of the water. The next test was to enable boost and test serving basically just a simple html file.
KeepAlive On
MaxKeepAliveRequests 150
KeepAliveTimeout 5
<IfModule mpm_winnt.c>
ThreadsPerChild 250
MaxRequestsPerChild 0
So once again IIS with Wincache beats out Apache with APC. Also nice to see that the opcode more than triples the performance!
Another quick test was to enable a "web garden" on the IIS application pool for the site. Changed the max worker process to 10. this increased the IIS number even further to 936.
Doing these tests has defiantly reaffirmed my choice to use Windows & IIS for hosting my sites. Not only does it outperform Apache in these specific tests but I find it MUCH easier to manage with the excellent UI's and tools. Ever since Microsoft moved the HTTP.sys into the Windows kernal and rewrote IIS from 6 to 7, its been a solid competitive option. With Windows you also don't have to worry about tweaking TCP like you have to on most Linus distros for optimal web hosting performance. Microsoft has also invested a lot into PHP & FastCGI on Windows over the past several years and PHP on Windows/IIS is just as good as LAMP now. One of my favourite things about IIS is "application pools" and how each site is isolated from everything else, so if it crashes, or is running slow, it doesn't effect the others. This also helps for security and application pools can be configured to recycle when it detects problems. Another huge bonus is most config changes you make with the IIS Admin GUI or by hand editing a web.config file take effect instantly! No restarting Apache every time you change a setting.
I know doing any kind of benchmarks is never perfect and I want to do more tests. I'm planning on running more tests with a higher concurrent to see if that changes the comparative results at all. Additionaly if anyone has any suggestions on how Apache might be better tweaked please let me know!
Easy WCAT setup I created with simple .BAT files to run creating the server & client for testing: wcat_setup.zip
A new blog post on Politwitter detailing some of the background mechanisms that make Politwitter.ca tick. http://politwitter.ca/blog/26/how-politwitter-works
gov.politwitter.ca is a companion tool to Politwitter that tracks social media activity by Canadian government departments, institutions & organizations.
Many of the features, & statistic tracking from Politwitter is now available to help track & analyze how the Canadian government is using social media and how citizens are interacting with it.
Back in 2009 after launching Politwitter.ca I thought about creating sub-sites for local government, newsmedia & government. In 2009 I started creating newstweets.ca but soon realised there was not much interest. I created local.politwitter.ca to start collecting municipal twitter data, but also realised I didn't have the time to maintain a database of all the municipalities in Canada. Keeping Politwitter going with federal & provincial politics is already a big undertaking.
I started on a Government site but with federal & provincial elections on the go I was focused on Politwitter.ca. Well in March 2012 a new site zegov.ca created a directory of Government Twitter & Facebook accounts so it reminded & prompted me to finish the Politwitter GOV site. Keeping a directory of Governments social media is manageable, the numbers aren't huge. But as with the main Politwitter site the directory can be updated by anyone.
Politwitter not only lists government Twitter & Facebook accounts but also includes Youtube, Flickr & indexing of photos & links. Politwitter also aggregates all of this government social media data for permanent archival and analysis, with features & tools people have loved on the Politwitter political side.
Politwitter allows sorting, filtering, searching and statistics of the Government social media. More statistics will become available once more data is collected.
I don't mean to step on Zegov's toes, but I've had this on the backburner for 2 years and already had all the infrastructure built for Politwitter. Using the Politwiter platform gives much more functionality than exists on the Zegov website. I've also seen several projects like these popup over the years that fizzle out or aren't maintained. Politwitter has a proven track record which media, politicians and government already rely on. I can also share data between the government & political sites for deeper analysis going forward.
I'm always open to working with others or having people help develop Politwitter, but for the most part no one takes me up on that offer and it's been a solo undertaking. Of course if you're not a web developer you can always help by keeping the directory updated, telling others about Politwitter or donating.
If you have any suggestions for the new Government Politwitter let me know! If you see a government twitter account missing you can add it here.
Finally pulling the wraps off a project I've been working on called Trailforks.www.trailforks.com is a community-powered mountain biking trail database currently focused on BC.
The core functionality of Trailforks is a database for mountain biking trails. Trailforks is a crowd-sourced community site and users can help populate and keep the database updated. The data & features for each trail is tailed specifically for mountain biking. There is a high focus on getting GPS data for every trail & maps are a big part of the site. Each trail page has a map and GPS data and each riding area has a Google Earth 3D map with all the trails plotted on it dynamically. Just upload a GPS track of a single trail and all the rest is handled automatically. (Example the Mount Fromme Page)
The site has loads of other features like photos, videos, skill parks, news, business directory, local products, events, forums, bike profiles, riding routes, route challenges, group ride planning & more. But one feature I really want to promote is "Trail Reports". A Trail Report is a quick entry posted by users indicating the status of a trail and describing any problems or things needing attention on a trail. A trail report can also be a log of work done on a trail and "trail days". I hope that local riding associations and trail maintainers might start using this tool. Most pages on the site offer RSS feeds and I can create custom widgets for associations so they can display trail status and reports on their own sites. I also have a REST API that accepts and outputs data in XML, JSON or Serialized PHP.
To help encourage people to build the database users earn points for all the content they contribute and credit is given to the user. The site also has points & gaming style achievements that users can unlock by helping contribute content or just by using the site. For example one of the achievements is "Ridden 100 Trails" earned by marking 100 trails as "ridden".
Trailforks now also integrates with my "Ridelog" Facebook App.
I've been trying out different email programs, just to see if something fits better than Outlook which I've always used. I use Google Apps to host my domain email and have to check using IMAP. I find the IMAP in Outlook fairly slow at times.
I tried Postbox & Opera mail and didn't like either, I then tried Thunderbird again. I've tried it several times over the years and it never stuck. But now since I use an Android phone I've been using Google Contacts & Calendar more and more over the Outlook built-in options. I still use Outlook contacts & calendar but use a program called gSyncit to sync changes.
The thing that sets Thunderbird apart is its healthy ecosystem of "addons". There are addons to use Google Contacts & Calendar within Thunderbird. I also find the IMAP much faster and the search and filtering is faster and contains some nice features.
I will try using Thunderbird for a week as my main email client and see if it sticks. One thing I miss already is the ability to right click an email "find related messages" which Outlook has.
Here are the addons I'm using
I have run a computer connected to my TV for many years, started with just normal windows then Windows Media Center 2005, then Vista Media Center then to Boxee and now i'm making the move to XBMC.
I've spent a lot of time the last 3 days pimping out my XBMC Eden setup and organizing my movies and tv shows so they 100% identify and have all the poster, banner, logo and fanart images.
I'm pretty happy with XBMC its very customizable, but I do miss some of the features and apps Boxee had.
I made a video demo'ing my XBMC setup
Here is a pic of my TV setup, my HTPC is a horizontal case under my receiver.
I like to save youtube videos I really like so I can watch on my TV anytime, fun to watch when friends are over and such. There are several extensions for the Google Chrome web browser that add a download button below the video on youtube.com This allows you to quickly and easily download the video in any format available, all the way upto 1080p!
Many of these extensions no longer work and there isn't any in the official Chrome Extension directory. This one currently works great though, the one I was using before stopped working.
You want to download the MP4 versions for best video offline playback, if you run a Windows prior to Windows 7, you may have to install a codec pack to play MP4 files.
I've been working hard on Politwitter this past week, adding many new exciting features along with several bug fixes.
I just finished adding a new statistics page that tracks the sentiment of tweets mentioning MPs. The results are grouped by party and interesting charts are shown.
I created a page listing all the Twitter hashtags for House of Commons committees and will now index all tweets using these hashtags.
I created a list of all 308 federal ridings http://politwitter.ca/riding
You can click on any riding to view that ridings social media page, showing all related content for that riding.
I also started a federal riding hashtag format based on the riding EDID number for people to tag their tweets about local riding issues. To help people find your EDID hashtag I created this lookup tool http://politwitter.ca/page/edid_lookup
I remade the main menu using a multi-column dropdown format, allowing for much more links in a user friendly format.
I created a system to collect the total number of tweets each parties MPs make each week then to automatically tweet out those stats for each party using 4 Twitter accounts I have for each party. So people can follow which ever twitter account they are interested in. The stats can also be viewed on this page: http://politwitter.ca/page/statistics_weekly
I remade the "election fever" page updated for 2011 and switched the charts to use the new interactive Google visualization.
I did some major backend work to allow the site to start tracking MPs & MLAs that are not on Twitter but do have other social networks. Previously everything was tied to a twitter username, so I wasn't able to add MPs without Twitter.
Along with that I started creating new directory pages to list the politicians on other social networks than Twitter
Facebook: http://politwitter.ca/directory/facebook
Youtube: http://politwitter.ca/directory/youtube/mp/house
Also related are the new 'profile overview' pages for tracked users, which give a summary of all their social media content indexed by Politwitter. Example: http://politwitter.ca/profile/joycemurray
I've also added 'Klout' score to all MPs profiles.
I started populating the stats page on MPs profiles, here is an example: http://politwitter.ca/page/userstats/user/MinJK
There is now a "Bills & Votes" landing page http://politwitter.ca/page/bills and I'm working on indexing all tweets relating to any bill in parliament, then listing all the bills with related tweets.
The MP & Riding search was also improved. You can enter an MP or MLAs name, riding name or a postal code and get a list of MPs and ridings that match.
Example: http://politwitter.ca/mp_search.php?search_mp=Peter
And finally I added a new blog post asking for Donations to help fund the continuing development, upkeep and hosting of Politwitter.ca
Read the post here: http://politwitter.ca/blog/14/call-for-donations
Donate here: http://politwitter.ca/page/donate

subset: commoncrawl


text:
About this artwork
Vincent van Gogh so highly esteemed his bedroom painting that he made three distinct versions: the first, now in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; the second, belonging to the Art Institute of Chicago, painted a year later on the same scale and almost identical; and a third, smaller canvas in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, which he made as a gift for his mother and sister. Van Gogh conceived the first Bedroom in October 1888, a month after he moved into his "Yellow House" in Arles, France. This moment marked the first time the artist had a home of his own, and he had immediately and enthusiastically set about decorating, painting a suite of canvases to fill the walls. Completely exhausted from the effort, he spent two-and-a-half days in bed and was then inspired to create a painting of his bedroom. As he wrote to his brother Theo, "It amused me enormously doing this bare interior. With a simplicity à la Seurat. In flat tints, but coarsely brushed in full impasto, the walls pale lilac, the floor in a broken and faded red, the chairs and the bed chrome yellow, the pillows and the sheet very pale lemon green, the bedspread blood-red, the dressing-table orange, the washbasin blue, the window green. I had wished to express utter repose with all these very different tones." Although the picture symbolized relaxation and peace to the artist, to our eyes the canvas seems to teem with nervous energy, instability, and turmoil, an effect heightened by the sharply receding perspective.
- Vincent van Gogh
- The Bedroom
- Netherlands
- 1889
- Oil on canvas
- 73.6 × 92.3 cm (29 × 36 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
- Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection
Reference Number
- 1926.417


text:
DreamFactory Inc., the world's leading publisher of rich applications devoted to maximizing cloud computing deployments, today announced a partnership with Carahsoft Technology Corp., the trusted government IT solutions provider. Under the agreement, Carahsoft will serve as DreamFactory's master government aggregator, making the company's industry-leading Cloud Development Platform and DreamFactory Suite available to the public sector via Carahsoft's GSA schedule.
"We are eager to expand our presence within the federal government," said Eric Rubin, CEO, DreamFactory. "Carahsoft's extensive government sales, marketing and contract expertise–along with its relationship with SalesForce.com and other cloud solutions providers–make Carahsoft the perfect go-to-market partner for us."
DreamFactory maximizes an enterprise's value in its cloud computing initiatives, offering an integrated suite of applications that accelerate the adoption of cloud platforms and extend the reach of deployments into new departments. DreamFactory's web applications connect directly to cloud computing platforms with no additional hosting, offering agencies key advantages in security and deployment speed.
DreamFactory was the first SalesForce App Exchange partner, and has built the most popular teamware and tools suite for the Force.com platform. The suite includes project, document, and performance management for teams; release management and data migration for admins; as well as visual studio for operations; and cloud development for IT.
"DreamFactory offers a robust set of products to maximize cloud computing deployments which is a critical initiative for many of government customers and reseller partners," said vice president Patrick Gallagher, who manages Carahsoft's partnerships with SalesForce solutions providers. "We are excited to expand our cloud computing portfolio with these rich applications and to add DreamFactory's full product line to our GSA schedule."
DreamFactory's solutions are available immediately on Carahsoft's GSA Schedule GS-35F-0119Y. For more information, register for "Lifecycle Management for SalesForce Deployments," a complimentary webcast being sponsored by DreamFactory and Carahsoft at 2 p.m. EST, Thursday, December 13, 2012; or contact the DreamFactory team at Carahsoft at 703-871-8633.
About DreamFactory
DreamFactory Software is the world's leading publisher of rich web applications for cloud platforms. Our products combine the agility of on demand delivery with the performance of desktop applications. The DreamFactory Suite delivers enterprise class project, document and data collaboration software to over 12,000 businesses using Amazon Web Services, Force.com and Windows Azure. Visit us at http://www.dreamfactory.com.
Jennifer Mercer
About Carahsoft
Carahsoft Technology Corp. is the trusted Government IT solutions provider. As a top-ranked GSA Schedule Contract holder, Carahsoft serves as the master government aggregator for many of its best-of-breed vendors, supporting an extensive ecosystem of manufacturers, resellers, and consulting partners committed to helping government agencies select and implement the best solution at the best possible value.
The company's dedicated Solutions Divisions proactively market, sell and deliver VMware, Symantec, EMC, Adobe, F5 Networks, Open Source, HP, SAP, and Innovative and Intelligence products and services, among others. Carahsoft is consistently recognized by its partners as a top revenue producer, and is listed annually among the industry's fastest growing firms by CRN, Inc., Washington Technology, Washington Business Journal, and SmartCEO. Visit us at http://www.carahsoft.com.
Mary Lange


text:
"We stand for a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas."
That was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in January 2010, making what she called "an important speech on a very important subject." And there was more:
We are also supporting the development of new tools that enable citizens to exercise their rights of free expression by circumventing politically motivated censorship. We are providing funds to groups around the world to make sure that those tools get to the people who need them.
Clinton's audience—Libyans, Egyptians, Iranians, Chinese—applauded. For her promises were plausible. Some of the "tools" she mentioned—software programs that enable individuals to evade regime firewalls without detection—were already in use. The money was there, too: Three months earlier, in October 2009, the State Department had received $30 million from Congress specifically to combat Internet censorship.
Yet in the subsequent year and half, none of that money has been spent—not in Libya, not in China, not anywhere. Unfortunately, I am not able to explain why. When asked, an official told me that the department had lacked technical expertise and had been forced to reorganize itself in order to "unify the policy" before issuing a call for proposals (one finally went out this past January; results should be available within a month).
Others see darker motives: Weakness, cowardice, anxiety not to displease the governments that create firewalls, especially the Chinese government, which routinely denounces "Internet freedom" as an anti-Chinese plot. As it happens, the two companies that have written some of the most successful anti-censorship programs, Freegate and UltraReach, were founded by by Chinese exiles associated with Falun Gong, the dissident religious movement.
As it also happens, another U.S. government agency, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, has deployed these two companies' programs with notable success. The BBG runs Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Europe (which now broadcasts to Iran, Afghanistan, and central Asia) and produces plenty of pointless bureaucracy, too. But because its radio stations all run websites, they care whether people can read them. When they received a grant to fight Internet censorship—$1.5 million obtained from an earlier State Department grant in August 2010—they spent it immediately on support for Freegate and UltraReach. Those who use their programs enter via a VOA or RFE site but can then go on to use any other program, including Facebook or Twitter.
The BBG can track its success: At first, it saw an uptick in access in Iran, China, and Vietnam (where there are now some 80,000 users). More recently, UltraReach recorded a 700 percent jump in use of its programs in Tunisia from Dec. 17, when a desperate fruit vendor set himself on fire, to Jan. 12, the day President Ben Ali officially ended Internet censorship in Tunisia, as well as a 6,125 percent increase in use of its services in Egypt from Jan. 21 to Jan. 27, the day the Internet went down across Egypt.
In fact, as of Jan. 30, there were more than 11 million people accessing the Internet via UltraReach's technology, and the numbers have doubled since the BBG's original investment. But expansion might not continue. At the moment, both Freegate and UltraReach lack servers and must therefore limit access so that their systems don't overload. With even a small slice of that $30 million the State Department hasn't spent, however, the BBG's engineers reckon they could get free Internet access for 50 million people, every day.
And yet, despite explicit requests from Congress, the State Department appears determined not to give it to them. Again, I can't explain it. Officials now say they can't give money to another government agency, that they have a broader mandate, that they want to invest in online training for dissidents. The basic fact remains: One piece of the U.S. government has anti-censorship technology but no money to expand its use. Another piece of the U.S. government has money for anti-censorship technology but hasn't spent it. The American political system is too dysfunctional, in other words, to create "a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas."
But American companies are not dysfunctional or at least not yet. A few million dollars is a rounding error in the annual budget of Google or Facebook, and I suspect a large financial reward awaits the company that finds a way to deliver uncensored Internet access to those deprived of it. Their CEOs just need to show a bit more nerve, a bit more appetite for risk than government officials. Given all of the above, that shouldn't be very difficult.


text:
Joking that women "love two things in life, queso dip and true crime," Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski told a podcast that he felt Heavy Rain missed out on bigger sales by not marketing itself more to the fairer sex.
"It feels like such a great game for a girl who wouldn't normally play games," Bleszinski said in Irrational Games' latest podcast (get it here). "You'd see Heavy Rain advertised in PlayStation Magazine and things like that. I'm like, dude, why isn't this in Entertainment Weekly? ... Why aren't you marketing this to the right crowd?"
Bleszinski prefaced his remarks with lots of praise for the game itself. "I fell in love with it," he said earlier, also calling it "brilliant" and complimenting its tight narrative. "There were scenes were I was almost literally dropping the controller it was paced so well," he continued. "If you had that and shipped a disc with all those women's magazines you'd maybe have sold twice as much."
He may have a point, but guy gamers, ask yourself this: How would you feel about a video game outwardly or aggressively marketed to women, however well made or serious it was? Now, I know we all really do have real (i.e. non-inflatable) girlfriends around here, but even if we do and especially if we didn't, "chick flick" is as much a kiss of death to some demographics as it is a moneymaker to others. Likewise, might it be too much of a marketing risk to be seen as tailored for a girl audience, even if it's a crime thriller?
Irrational Interviews Episode 4: Cliff Bleszinski [Irrational Games]


text:
Previous Lecture
Complete and continue
Power Journaling for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
Welcome! Start Here.
Read this first!
Who to Contact with Issues or Concerns
Helpful Free Courses You Can Take at Life Makeover Academy
Gifts from QueenBeeing.com
Support Groups You Can Join
Introduction to Journaling
3 Big Benefits of Journaling
Journaling Your Way to Massive Action and Success
There Are Many Different Ways To Journal – Here Are Some Ideas
Independent Journaling: How to Start
Journaling For Mental Calm and Clarity
Journaling to Keep Track Of Progress & Growth
Journaling As A Learning Tool
Journaling To Practice Mindfulness
Journaling To Encourage Creativity And Out Of The Box Thinking
Getting Into The Habit Of Journaling Daily To Reap The Biggest Rewards
Take The Time To Look Back Through Your Journals
Permission to Print for Personal Use
How Journaling Can Change your Life for the Better
Helpful Videos on Journaling
Why You Should Keep a Gratitude Journal
Journaling to Combat Gaslighting (Yes, It WORKS!)
Bullet Journaling (My New Favorite Way to Journal)
Bonus Material
Have you heard my story?
BONUS: 10 Days of Affirmations
Stories to Inspire You
The Inspiration Workbook/Guided Journal
Gifts from QueenBeeing.com
Lecture content locked
If you're already enrolled,
you'll need to login
Enroll in Course to Unlock


text:
Traveling to Italy can be a fascinating experience. Italy, the land of history, art, beauty, fashion, and culture has been considered as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. In Italy travel, you have the opportunity to see rests of the Ancient Roman Empire, the Medieval Tuscan fortress towns, the Vatican city in Rome and the Venetian Republic. Italy has got culturally very rich history to offer the interested visitors.
Italy is positioned in southernmost Europe; Italy is a peninsula surrounded with the Mediterranean sea. Travel to Italy and visit Rome, Milan, and Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance, Venice – the only town of its kind built in the midst of the Adriatic, the magnificent and outstanding natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast, a place to relax, Naples and the tower of Pisa. Italy is a lovely country, and one reason it is so beautiful is the miles and miles of sea coastline. The Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean


text: Guns Pistols Surplus Pistols Copies Nagant . S W compatible World War II Nagant . Model Revolver Excellent with Holster Kit Smith Wesson or Tula Russia | 676 | 29 | Lc | 46.923ms View Category Nagant .32 S&W compatible World War II Nagant 7.62 Model 1895 Revolver Excellent 1943 with Holster & Kit 32 Smith & Wesson or 32 Tula Russia For Sale from Robertson Trading Post | Positive feedback: 99% View | Verified Seller | 25630 Completed Sales View Sellers Items /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123011.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123011.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123011.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123011.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123011.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123012.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123012.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123012.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123012.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123012.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123013.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123013.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123013.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123013.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123013.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123014.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123014.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123014.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123014.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123014.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123015.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123015.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123015.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123015.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123015.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123016.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123016.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123016.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123016.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123016.jpg /UserImages/87270/957662514 3123017.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123017.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_sm_3123017.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123017.jpg https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/87270/957662514/wm_3123017.jpg Description: HG3765 Here is a specimen from a limited acquisition of vintage WWII issue Russian military revolvers, the model 1895 Russian Nagant Revolver, chambered for the 7.62 Nagant cartridge. It also will chamber and fire both .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long cartridges, commonly available and relatively inexpensive rounds. It will even chamber and fire .32 H&R Magnum ammunition. This revolver has an excellent blue military arsenal finish from its home arsenal in Tula, Russia.All seven cylinder chambers and the bore are bright, clean, and excellent. Specs are traditional double and single action revolver; distinctive hammer nose firing pin; cylinder capacity 7 rounds of 7.62 Nagant and .32 Smith & Wesson / .32 S&W Long ammunition interchangeably. This revolver has a distinctive cylinder lockup with recessed cylinder face that mates to the barrel's forcing cone when the trigger is fully depressed. Cylinder loads to the right side of the frame with a steel serrated loading gate; and the cylinder removes easily by extending the ejector rod and swiveling that assembly to the right for fired case ejection. Construction is entirely blue steel, with 4 1/2 inch barrel, dovetailed partridge front sight and fixed notch rear sight. Trigger pull gauges at around 12 to 15 pounds both in single and double action, no trouble at all when you're staring down a Shmeisser. Weight empty is 28 ounces, center of gravity at the trigger. Grips are original Russian Government Issue checkered with blue steel screws and inlaid wood panels on the front and back straps. Original lanyard stud and ring are intact. This revolver is in its original military configuration, dated from 1943, the Year that the Russian Army defeated the Nazis at Stalingrad. Its only alien marking is Importer R Guns Cartersville IL stamping on the upper left side of the frame, with the R Guns serial number, the number of record for BATF purposes. This revolver has its original holster, cleaning rod and disassembly tool as the photos show. Own this fine, versatile, distinctive Russian Nagant Revolver, complete with its holster and tools, for only $ 149.00. Definitely C&R Eligible; C&Rs in Boston MA California, District of Colombia, Delaware, and certain other jurisdictions are required to transfer handguns through an 01 or 02 FFL, even though they are C&R Eligible. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $10 lower 48; $30 Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, USPS Priority Mail, insured with Delivery Confirmation. Don't let your buddies use your account, that kind of thing smells like felony level straw purchase attempt. MC/Visa/Discover/USPS MO paid orders shipped same day. 7 day hold on checks. FFL ok by fax, e-mail or mail, please ask your dealer to put your name on there. We offer 7 day money back on used guns and items, but No Returns on New in Box guns or on Lay-aways or ammo. We do not pay transfer fees or return shipping. New guns have factory warranties and we are not a warranty station. We accept lay-away with 20% down, balance in 90 days - lay aways not refundable, though. Internet phone hours 8:30 – 4:30 CST Mon - Fri CST. Local pickup available. Robertson Trading Post 117 Front Street PO Box 365 Henderson, Tennessee 38340 We Buy, Sell, or Trade. We always have, since 1952. Read More Condition: Used, Minor Wear Caliber: .32 S&W Location: TN Trades Accepted: We Buy, Sell, or Trade. Always have. Read More Don't let your buddies use your account. Registered user must be the buyer, with his or her own money. Buying firearms and related items for other people can result in felony charges. Don't try, either, to circumvent any law; for example, a California civilian may not buy a high capacity magazine and have it shipped to his brother-in-law in Nevada. That is a felony. GA Pay buyers are NOT charged until we confirm we have the item and are ready to ship it. The same thing is true for phone-in, fax-in, and mail-in payments. In this respect, and in several others, Guns America outshines all its competitors. This is the best firearms website there is, hands down. Shipping Notes: $10 lower 48; $30 AK, HI, PR, USPS Priority. 7 day money back on used items, but No Returns on NIB, Lay-away, or Ammo. Lay-away OK, 20% down, 90 days to pay. We Buy, Sell, or Trade; we always have. Read More Share Item Item #: 957662514 Stock No.: HG3765 Robertson Trading Post Seller Since: Jul. 2007 Identity Verified ( Henderson, TN ) Trusted Seller This seller is an FFL City: Henderson State: TN Price: SOLD (Price reflects 3% cash discount.) This Seller Accepts Online Payment Shipping: $10.00 Accepted Payment Methods: Returns: 7 Days Your Recently Viewed Items


text:
LPGA Tour cancels tournament in Shanghai next month
BY AP • September 14, 2017
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) The LPGA Tour has canceled its event next month in China because of permitting problems.
The Alisports LPGA was set for Oct. 5-8 in Shanghai.
''Unfortunately, we have just received word that the tournament was unsuccessful in obtaining approval from the local district government,'' LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan said Tuesday. ''The hardest part about this news is that we have a title sponsor, a tournament operator, a TV production group and a host venue all set to go.''
In-Kyung Kim won the event last year.
In 2015, the Reignwood Pine Valley LPGA Classic in Beijing was called off 10 weeks before it was scheduled to be played.
share story


text:
Frequent Links
Time value of money
A time value of money calculation is a calculation that solves for one of several variables in a financial problem.
In a typical case, the variables might be: a balance (the real or nominal value of a debt or a financial asset in terms of monetary units), a periodic rate of interest, the number of periods, and a series of cash flows. (In the case of a debt, cash flows are payments against principal and interest; in the case of a financial asset, these are contributions to or withdrawals from the balance.) More generally, the cash flows may not be periodic but may be specified individually. Any of the variables may be the independent variable (the sought-for answer) in a given problem. For example, one may know that: the interest is 0.5% per period (per month, say); the number of periods is 60 (months); the initial balance (of the debt, in this case) is 25,000 units; and the final balance is 0 units. The unknown variable may be the monthly payment that the borrower must pay.
For example, £100 invested for one year, earning 5% interest, will be worth £105 after one year; therefore, £100 paid now and £105 paid exactly one year later both have the same value to a recipient who expects 5% interest assuming that inflation would be zero percent. That is, £100 invested for one year at 5% interest has a future value of £105 under the assumption that inflation would be zero percent.[1] This notion dates back at least to Martín de Azpilcueta (1491–1586) of the School of Salamanca.
This principle allows for the valuation of a likely stream of income in the future, in such a way that annual incomes are discounted and then added together, thus providing a lump-sum "present value" of the entire income stream; all of the standard calculations for time value of money derive from the most basic algebraic expression for the present value of a future sum, "discounted" to the present by an amount equal to the time value of money. For example, the future value sum <math>FV</math> to be received in one year is discounted at the rate of interest <math>r</math> to give the present value sum <math>PV</math>:
- <math>PV = \frac{FV}{(1+r)}</math>
Some standard calculations based on the time value of money are:
- Present value: The current worth of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows, given a specified rate of return. Future cash flows are "discounted" at the discount rate; the higher the discount rate, the lower the present value of the future cash flows. Determining the appropriate discount rate is the key to valuing future cash flows properly, whether they be earnings or obligations.[2]
- Present value of an annuity: An annuity is a series of equal payments or receipts that occur at evenly spaced intervals. Leases and rental payments are examples. The payments or receipts occur at the end of each period for an ordinary annuity while they occur at the beginning of each period for an annuity due.[3]
- Present value of a perpetuity is an infinite and constant stream of identical cash flows.[4]
- Future value: The value of an asset or cash at a specified date in the future, based on the value of that asset in the present.[5]
- Future value of an annuity (FVA): The future value of a stream of payments (annuity), assuming the payments are invested at a given rate of interest.
- 1 Calculations
- 2 Formula
- 2.1 Future value of a present sum
- 2.2 Present value of a future sum
- 2.3 Present value of an annuity for n payment periods
- 2.4 Present value of a growing annuity
- 2.5 Present value of a perpetuity
- 2.6 Present value of a growing perpetuity
- 2.7 Future value of an annuity
- 2.8 Future value of a growing annuity
- 2.9 Formula table
- 3 Derivations
- 4 Examples
- 4.1 Example 1: Present value
- 4.2 Example 2: Present value of an annuity — solving for the payment amount
- 4.3 Example 3: Solving for the period needed to double money
- 4.4 Example 4: What return is needed to double money?
- 4.5 Example 5: Calculate the value of a regular savings deposit in the future.
- 4.6 Example 6: Price/earnings (P/E) ratio
- 5 Continuous compounding
- 6 Differential equations
- 7 See also
- 8 Notes
- 9 References
- 10 External links
There are several basic equations that represent the equalities listed above. The solutions may be found using (in most cases) the formulas, a financial calculator or a spreadsheet. The formulas are programmed into most financial calculators and several spreadsheet functions (such as PV, FV, RATE, NPER, and PMT).[6]
For any of the equations below, the formula may also be rearranged to determine one of the other unknowns. In the case of the standard annuity formula, however, there is no closed-form algebraic solution for the interest rate (although financial calculators and spreadsheet programs can readily determine solutions through rapid trial and error algorithms).
These equations are frequently combined for particular uses. For example, bonds can be readily priced using these equations. A typical coupon bond is composed of two types of payments: a stream of coupon payments similar to an annuity, and a lump-sum return of capital at the end of the bond's maturity - that is, a future payment. The two formulas can be combined to determine the present value of the bond.
An important note is that the interest rate i is the interest rate for the relevant period. For an annuity that makes one payment per year, i will be the annual interest rate. For an income or payment stream with a different payment schedule, the interest rate must be converted into the relevant periodic interest rate. For example, a monthly rate for a mortgage with monthly payments requires that the interest rate be divided by 12 (see the example below). See compound interest for details on converting between different periodic interest rates.
The rate of return in the calculations can be either the variable solved for, or a predefined variable that measures a discount rate, interest, inflation, rate of return, cost of equity, cost of debt or any number of other analogous concepts. The choice of the appropriate rate is critical to the exercise, and the use of an incorrect discount rate will make the results meaningless.
For calculations involving annuities, you must decide whether the payments are made at the end of each period (known as an ordinary annuity), or at the beginning of each period (known as an annuity due). If you are using a financial calculator or a spreadsheet, you can usually set it for either calculation. The following formulas are for an ordinary annuity. If you want the answer for the Present Value of an annuity due simply multiply the PV of an ordinary annuity by (1 + i).
The following formula use these common variables:
- PV is the value at time=0 (present value)
- FV is the value at time=n (future value)
- A is the value of the individual payments in each compounding period
- n is the number of periods (not necessarily an integer)
- i is the discount rate, or the interest rate at which the amount compounds each period
- g is the growing rate of payments over each time period
Future value of a present sum
The future value (FV) formula is similar and uses the same variables.
- <math> FV \ = \ PV \cdot (1+i)^n </math>
Present value of a future sum
The present value formula is the core formula for the time value of money; each of the other formulae is derived from this formula. For example, the annuity formula is the sum of a series of present value calculations.
The present value (PV) formula has four variables, each of which can be solved for:
- <math> PV \ = \ \frac{FV}{(1+i)^n} </math>
The cumulative present value of future cash flows can be calculated by summing the contributions of FVt, the value of cash flow at time t
- <math> PV \ = \ \sum_{t=1}^{n} \frac{FV_{t}}{(1+i)^t} </math>
Note that this series can be summed for a given value of n, or when n is ∞.[7] This is a very general formula, which leads to several important special cases given below.
Present value of an annuity for n payment periods
In this case the cash flow values remain the same throughout the n periods. The present value of an annuity (PVA) formula has four variables, each of which can be solved for:
- <math>PV(A) \,=\,\frac{A}{i} \cdot \left[ {1-\frac{1}{\left(1+i\right)^n}} \right] </math>
To get the PV of an annuity due, multiply the above equation by (1 + i).
Present value of a growing annuity
In this case each cash flow grows by a factor of (1+g). Similar to the formula for an annuity, the present value of a growing annuity (PVGA) uses the same variables with the addition of g as the rate of growth of the annuity (A is the annuity payment in the first period). This is a calculation that is rarely provided for on financial calculators.
Where i ≠ g :
- <math>PV\,=\,{A \over (i-g)}\left[ 1- \left({1+g \over 1+i}\right)^n \right] </math>
Where i = g :
- <math>PV\,=\,{A \times n \over 1+i} </math>
To get the PV of a growing annuity due, multiply the above equation by (1 + i).
Present value of a perpetuity
A perpetuity is payments of a set amount of money that occur on a routine basis and continues forever. When n → ∞, the PV of a perpetuity (a perpetual annuity) formula becomes simple division.
- <math>PV(P) \ = \ { A \over i } </math>
Present Value of Int Factor Annuity
- <math>A=P(1+r/n)^{nt}</math>
- Investment P = $1000
- Interest i = 6.90% Compounded Qtrly (4 Times in Year)
- Tenure Years n = 5
<math> = 1000 \times (1+.069/4)^{({5\ yrs}\ \times\ 4\ {qtrs\ in\ a\ year} )} = 1000 \times (1+0.069/4)^{20} \approx 1407.84 </math>
Present value of a growing perpetuity
When the perpetual annuity payment grows at a fixed rate (g) the value is theoretically determined according to the following formula. In practice, there are few securities with precise characteristics, and the application of this valuation approach is subject to various qualifications and modifications. Most importantly, it is rare to find a growing perpetual annuity with fixed rates of growth and true perpetual cash flow generation. Despite these qualifications, the general approach may be used in valuations of real estate, equities, and other assets.
This is the well known Gordon Growth model used for stock valuation.
Future value of an annuity
The future value of an annuity (FVA) formula has four variables, each of which can be solved for:
- <math>FV(A) \,=\,A\cdot\frac{\left(1+i\right)^n-1}{i}</math>
To get the FV of an annuity due, multiply the above equation by (1 + i).
Future value of a growing annuity
The future value of a growing annuity (FVA) formula has five variables, each of which can be solved for:
Where i ≠ g :
- <math>FV(A) \,=\,A\cdot\frac{\left(1+i\right)^n-\left(1+g\right)^n}{i-g}</math>
Where i = g :
- <math>FV(A) \,=\,A\cdot n(1+i)^{n-1}</math>
Formula table
The following table summarizes the different formulas commonly used in calculating the time value of money.[8]
|Future value (F)
|Present value (P)
|<math>F=P\cdot (1+i)^n</math>
|Present value (P)
|Future value (F)
|<math>P=F\cdot (1+i)^{-n}</math>
|Repeating payment (A)
|Future value (F)
|<math>A=F\cdot \frac{i}{(1+i)^n-1}</math>
|Repeating payment (A)
|Present value (P)
|<math>A=P\cdot \frac{i(1+i)^n}{(1+i)^n-1}</math>
|Future value (F)
|Repeating payment (A)
|<math>F=A\cdot \frac{(1+i)^n-1}{i}</math>
|Present value (P)
|Repeating payment (A)
|<math>P=A\cdot \frac{(1+i)^n-1}{i(1+i)^n}</math>
|Future value (F)
|Gradient payment (G)
|<math>F=G\cdot \frac{(1+i)^n-in-1}{i^2}</math>
|Present value (P)
|Gradient payment (G)
|<math>P=G\cdot \frac{(1+i)^n-in-1}{i^2(1+i)^n}</math>
|Fixed payment (A)
|Gradient payment (G)
|<math>A=G\cdot \left[\frac{1}{i}-\frac{n}{(1+i)^n-1}\right]</math>
|Future value (F)
|Exponentially increasing payment (D)
Increasing percentage (g)
|<math>F=D\cdot \frac{(1+g)^n-(1+i)^n}{g-i}</math> (for i ≠ g)
<math>F=D\cdot \frac{n(1+i)^n}{1+g}</math> (for i = g)
|Present value (P)
|Exponentially increasing payment (D)
Increasing percentage (g)
|<math>P=D\cdot \frac{\left({1+g \over 1+i}\right)^n-1}{g-i}</math> (for i ≠ g)
<math>P=D\cdot \frac{n}{1+g}</math> (for i = g)
- A is a fixed payment amount, every period
- G is a steadily increasing payment amount, that starts at G and increases by G for each subsequent period.
- D is an exponentially or geometrically increasing payment amount, that starts at D and increases by a factor of (1+g) each subsequent period.
Annuity derivation
The formula for the present value of a regular stream of future payments (an annuity) is derived from a sum of the formula for future value of a single future payment, as below, where C is the payment amount and n the period.
A single payment C at future time m has the following future value at future time n:
- <math>FV \ = C(1+i)^{n-m}</math>
Summing over all payments from time 1 to time n, then reversing t
- <math>FVA \ = \sum_{m=1}^n C(1+i)^{n-m} \ = \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} C(1+i)^k</math>
Note that this is a geometric series, with the initial value being a = C, the multiplicative factor being 1 + i, with n terms. Applying the formula for geometric series, we get
- <math>FVA \ = \frac{ C ( 1 - (1+i)^n )}{1 - (1+i)} \ = \frac{ C ( 1 - (1+i)^n )}{-i} </math>
The present value of the annuity (PVA) is obtained by simply dividing by <math>(1+i)^n</math>:
- <math>PVA \ = \frac{FVA}{(1+i)^n} = \frac{C}{i} \left( 1 - \frac{1}{(1+i)^n} \right)</math>
Another simple and intuitive way to derive the future value of an annuity is to consider an endowment, whose interest is paid as the annuity, and whose principal remains constant. The principal of this hypothetical endowment can be computed as that whose interest equals the annuity payment amount:
- <math>\text{Principal} \times i = C</math>
- <math>\text{Principal} = C / i + {goal} </math>
Note that no money enters or leaves the combined system of endowment principal + accumulated annuity payments, and thus the future value of this system can be computed simply via the future value formula:
- <math>FV = PV(1+i)^n</math>
Initially, before any payments, the present value of the system is just the endowment principal (<math>PV = C/i</math>). At the end, the future value is the endowment principal (which is the same) plus the future value of the total annuity payments (<math>FV = C/i + FVA</math>). Plugging this back into the equation:
- <math>\frac{C}{i} + FVA = \frac{C}{i} (1+i)^n</math>
- <math>FVA = \frac{C}{i} \left[ \left(1+i \right)^n - 1 \right]</math>
Perpetuity derivation
Without showing the formal derivation here, the perpetuity formula is derived from the annuity formula. Specifically, the term:
- <math> \left({1 - {1 \over { (1+i)^n } }}\right) </math>
can be seen to approach the value of 1 as n grows larger. At infinity, it is equal to 1, leaving <math> {C \over i} </math> as the only term remaining.
Example 1: Present value
One hundred euros to be paid 1 year from now, where the expected rate of return is 5% per year, is worth in today's money:
- <math> P \ = \ F \times (P/F) \ = F \times \ { 1 \over (1+i)^n } \ = \ \frac{\ 100}{1.05} \ = \ 95.24</math>
So the present value of €100 one year from now at 5% is €95.24.
Example 2: Present value of an annuity — solving for the payment amount
Consider a 10-year mortgage where the principal amount P is $200,000 and the annual interest rate is 6%.
The number of monthly payments is
- <math> n = 10 {\rm \ years} \times 12 {\rm \ months \ per \ year} = 120 {\rm \ months}</math>
and the monthly interest rate is
- <math> i = { 6 {\rm \% \ per \ year} \over 12 {\rm \ months \ per \ year} } = 0.5 {\rm \% \ per \ month} </math>
The annuity formula for (A/P) calculates the monthly payment:
- <math> A \ = \ P \times \left( A / P \right) \ = \ P \times { i (1+i)^n \over (1+i)^n - 1 }
\ = \ \$200,000 \times { 0.005(1.005)^{120} \over (1.005)^{120} - 1 } </math>
- <math> \approx \$200,000 \times 0.01110205 \ \approx \ \$2,220.41 {\rm \ per \ month} </math>
This is considering an interest rate compounding monthly. If the interest were only to compound yearly at 6%, the monthly payment would be significantly different.
An approximate solution
For those who only want a rough idea of the mortgage payment there is a much less intimidating approximate formula here. For the numbers given above we simply compute an approximate annual repayment of 200,000*(1/n + (2/3)*i) where n=10 yrs, i=0.06. So 200,000*(1/10 + (2/3)*0.06) = 200,000*(0.1+0.04) = 200,000*0.14 = $28,000 per year, roughly, via mental arithmetic alone. Note, as this is an approximation we may ignore the subtleties of monthly compounding. Now $28,000 per year is about 28,000/12 = $2,333 per month, which approximates the true answer to within about 5% but has required only mental arithmetic.
Example 3: Solving for the period needed to double money
Consider a deposit of £100 placed at 10% (annual). How many years are needed for the value of the deposit to double to £200?
Using the algrebraic identity that if:
- <math> x \ = \ b^y </math>
- <math> y \ = \ {\log (x) \over \log(b)} </math>
The present value formula can be rearranged such that:
- <math> y \ = \ {\log ({FV \over PV}) \over \log (1+i)} \ = \ {\log ({200 \over 100}) \over \log (1.10)} \ =\ 7.27 {(years)} </math>
This same method can be used to determine the length of time needed to increase a deposit to any particular sum, as long as the interest rate is known. For the period of time needed to double an investment, the Rule of 72 is a useful short-cut that gives a reasonable approximation of the period needed.
Example 4: What return is needed to double money?
Similarly, the present value formula can be rearranged to determine what rate of return is needed to accumulate a given amount from an investment. For example, £100 is invested today and £200 return is expected in five years; what rate of return (interest rate) does this represent?
The present value formula restated in terms of the interest rate is:
- <math> i \ = \ \left({FV \over PV}\right)^{1 \over n} - 1 \ = \ \left({200 \over 100}\right)^{1 \over 5} - 1 \ = \ 2^{0.20} - 1 \ = \ 0.15 \ = \ 15\% </math>
- see also Rule of 72
Example 5: Calculate the value of a regular savings deposit in the future.
To calculate the future value of a stream of savings deposit in the future requires two steps, or, alternatively, combining the two steps into one large formula. First, calculate the present value of a stream of deposits of $1,000 every year for 20 years earning 7% interest:
- <math>PVA \,=\,A\cdot\frac{1-\frac{1}{\left(1+i\right)^n}}{i} \ = \ 1000\cdot\frac{1-\frac{1}{\left(1+.07\right)^{20}}}{.07} \ = \ 1000\cdot {1- 0.258 \over .07} \ = \ 1000 \times 10.594 \ \approx \ \$10,594</math>
This does not sound like very much, but remember - this is future money discounted back to its value today; it is understandably lower. To calculate the future value (at the end of the twenty-year period):
- <math> FV \ = \ PV (1+i)^n \ = \$ 10,594 \times (1+.07)^{20} \ \approx \$ 10,594 \times 3.87 \ = \$40,995 </math>
These steps can be combined into a single formula:
- <math>FV \,=\,A\cdot\frac{1-\frac{1}{\left(1+i\right)^n}}{i} \cdot (1+i)^n \,=\,A\cdot\frac{\left(1+i\right)^n-1}{i}</math>
Example 6: Price/earnings (P/E) ratio
It is often mentioned that perpetuities, or securities with an indefinitely long maturity, are rare or unrealistic, and particularly those with a growing payment. In fact, many types of assets have characteristics that are similar to perpetuities. Examples might include income-oriented real estate, preferred shares, and even most forms of publicly traded stocks. Frequently, the terminology may be slightly different, but are based on the fundamentals of time value of money calculations. The application of this methodology is subject to various qualifications or modifications, such as the Gordon growth model.
For example, stocks are commonly noted as trading at a certain P/E ratio. The P/E ratio is easily recognized as a variation on the perpetuity or growing perpetuity formulae - save that the P/E ratio is usually cited as the inverse of the "rate" in the perpetuity formula.
If we substitute for the time being: the price of the stock for the present value; the earnings per share of the stock for the cash annuity; and, the discount rate of the stock for the interest rate, we can see that:
- <math> {P \over E} \ = \ {1 \over i} \ = \ {PV \over A } </math>
And in fact, the P/E ratio is analogous to the inverse of the interest rate (or discount rate).
- <math> { 1 \over P/E } \ = \ i </math>
Of course, stocks may have increasing earnings. The formulation above does not allow for growth in earnings, but to incorporate growth, the formula can be restated as follows:
- <math> { P \over E } \ = \ {1 \over (i-g)}</math>
If we wish to determine the implied rate of growth (if we are given the discount rate), we may solve for g:
- <math> g \ = \ i - {E \over P}</math>
Continuous compounding
Rates are sometimes converted into the continuous compound interest rate equivalent because the continuous equivalent is more convenient (for example, more easily differentiated). Each of the formulæ above may be restated in their continuous equivalents. For example, the present value at time 0 of a future payment at time t can be restated in the following way, where e is the base of the natural logarithm and r is the continuously compounded rate:
- <math> \text{PV} = \text{FV}\cdot e^{-rt} </math>
This can be generalized to discount rates that vary over time: instead of a constant discount rate r, one uses a function of time r(t). In that case the discount factor, and thus the present value, of a cash flow at time T is given by the integral of the continuously compounded rate r(t):
- <math> \text{PV} = \text{FV}\cdot \exp\left(-\int_0^T r(t)\,dt\right)</math>
Indeed, a key reason for using continuous compounding is to simplify the analysis of varying discount rates and to allow one to use the tools of calculus. Further, for interest accrued and capitalized overnight (hence compounded daily), continuous compounding is a close approximation for the actual daily compounding. More sophisticated analysis includes the use of differential equations, as detailed below.
Using continuous compounding yields the following formulas for various instruments:
- Annuity
- <math> \ PV \ = \ {A(1-e^{-rt}) \over e^r -1}</math>
- Perpetuity
- <math> \ PV \ = \ {A \over e^r - 1} </math>
- Growing annuity
- <math> \ PV \ = \ {Ae^{-g}(1-e^{-(r-g)t}) \over e^{(r-g)} - 1} </math>
- Growing perpetuity
- <math> \ PV \ = \ {Ae^{-g} \over e^{(r-g)} - 1} </math>
- Annuity with continuous payments
- <math> \ PV \ = \ { 1 - e^{(-rt)} \over r } </math>
These formulas assume that payment A is made in the first payment period and annuity ends at time t.[9]
Differential equations
Ordinary and partial differential equations (ODEs and PDEs) – equations involving derivatives and one (respectively, multiple) variables are ubiquitous in more advanced treatments of financial mathematics. While time value of money can be understood without using the framework of differential equations, the added sophistication sheds additional light on time value, and provides a simple introduction before considering more complicated and less familiar situations. This exposition follows (Carr & Flesaker 2006, pp. 6–7).
The fundamental change that the differential equation perspective brings is that, rather than computing a number (the present value now), one computes a function (the present value now or at any point in future). This function may then be analyzed – how does its value change over time – or compared with other functions.
Formally, the statement that "value decreases over time" is given by defining the linear differential operator <math>\mathcal{L}</math> as:
- <math>\mathcal{L} := -\partial_t + r(t).</math>
This states that values decreases (−) over time (∂t) at the discount rate (r(t)). Applied to a function it yields:
- <math>\mathcal{L} f = -\partial_t f(t) + r(t) f(t).</math>
For an instrument whose payment stream is described by f(t), the value V(t) satisfies the inhomogeneous first-order ODE <math>\mathcal{L}V = f</math> ("inhomogeneous" is because one has f rather than 0, and "first-order" is because one has first derivatives but no higher derivatives) – this encodes the fact that when any cash flow occurs, the value of the instrument changes by the value of the cash flow (if you receive a £10 coupon, the remaining value decreases by exactly £10).
The standard technique tool in the analysis of ODEs is Green's functions, from which other solutions can be built. In terms of time value of money, the Green's function (for the time value ODE) is the value of a bond paying £1 at a single point in time u – the value of any other stream of cash flows can then be obtained by taking combinations of this basic cash flow. In mathematical terms, this instantaneous cash flow is modeled as a Dirac delta function <math>\delta_u(t) := \delta(t-u).</math>
The Green's function for the value at time t of a £1 cash flow at time u is
- <math>b(t;u) := H(u-t)\cdot \exp\left(-\int_t^u r(v)\,dv\right)</math>
where H is the Heaviside step function – the notation "<math>;u</math>" is to emphasize that u is a parameter (fixed in any instance—the time when the cash flow will occur), while t is a variable (time). In other words, future cash flows are exponentially discounted (exp) by the sum (integral, <math>\textstyle{\int}</math>) of the future discount rates (<math>\textstyle{\int_t^u}</math> for future, r(v) for discount rates), while past cash flows are worth 0 (<math>H(u-t) = 1 \text{ if } t < u, 0 \text{ if } t > u</math>), because they have already occurred. Note that the value at the moment of a cash flow is not well-defined – there is a discontinuity at that point, and one can use a convention (assume cash flows have already occurred, or not already occurred), or simply not define the value at that point.
In case the discount rate is constant, <math>r(v) \equiv r,</math> this simplifies to
- <math>b(t;u) = H(u-t)\cdot e^{-(u-t)r} = \begin{cases} e^{-(u-t) r} & t < u\\ 0 & t > u,\end{cases}</math>
where <math>(u-t)</math> is "time remaining until cash flow".
Thus for a stream of cash flows f(u) ending by time T (which can be set to <math>T = +\infty</math> for no time horizon) the value at time t, <math>V(t;T)</math> is given by combining the values of these individual cash flows:
- <math>V(t;T) = \int_t^T f(u) b(t;u)\,du.</math>
This formalizes time value of money to future values of cash flows with varying discount rates, and is the basis of many formulas in financial mathematics, such as the Black–Scholes formula with varying interest rates.
See also
- Actuarial science
- Annuity (finance theory)
- Discounted cash flow
- Discounting
- Earnings growth
- Exponential growth
- Finance
- Hyperbolic discounting
- Internal rate of return
- Net present value
- Option time value
- Perpetuity
- Real versus nominal value (economics)
- Time preference
- ^ http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/082703.asp
- ^ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/presentvalue.asp
- ^ http://www.getobjects.com/Components/Finance/TVM/pva.html
- ^ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/perpetuity.asp
- ^ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/futurevalue.asp
- ^ Hovey, M. (2005). Spreadsheet Modelling for Finance. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia.
- ^ http://mathworld.wolfram.com/GeometricSeries.html Geometric Series
- ^ http://ncees.org/exams/study-materials/download-fe-supplied-reference-handbook/
- ^ http://baselineeducation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/annuities-and-perpetuities-with.html
- Carr, Peter; Flesaker, Bjorn (2006), Robust Replication of Default Contingent Claims (presentation slides) (PDF), Bloomberg LP. See also Audio Presentation and paper.
- Crosson, S.V., and Needles, B.E.(2008). Managerial Accounting (8th Ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
External links


text: Holiday Party Jewelry to Light Up the Room December 6, 2016 Natasha Blog (0) With the holiday's coming up, you've most likely received a ton of invites to parties, right? 2016 has been the year of glowing, in terms of both beauty and fashion. Fortunately, holiday parties are the perfect place to light up the room and show off some gorgeous pieces. A little black dress won't do without something sparkling in the shine of those twinkle lights. Well, then you need to shine as bright as that Christmas tree—or even brighter!—so take a look at some jewelry that'll do just that. Endless Diamonds Picture it: an off-the-shoulder dress and this stunning piece drawing all eyes to your neck. If you choose a necklace like this pendant by Gottlieb, then this exquisite row of diamonds will be the only accessory that you need. People won't be able to notice the decorations because you'll be the only thing that's shining. No matter where you go in the room, diamonds are never a bad idea. Up-do and Earrings Sweep your hair up and show off these gorgeous pear-shaped drop earrings this holiday season. Cascading curls will only hide these beauties. Don't forget to wear something strapless so that their eyes are drawn to what matters—these earrings! You'll look like the picture of elegance and grace with the perfect glowing makeup and these hanging from your ears. You'll shine brighter than every light in the room. Make sure to take tons of selfies! A Pop of Red Not a fan of color? If you typically wear black, black, maybe some white, and even more black, than this ring may be just for you. A beautiful oval ruby ring, surrounded by diamonds, will glimmer in the perfect light without overdoing it. With everything red, green, and gold during the holidays, why not give your outfit a little something extra by having a pop of festive red? Have Them At Hello Raise a sparkling hand to greet your host or hostess, and you'll shock everybody from the moment that you walk in the door. This elegant bracelet by Gottlieb & Sons is unique but not too overstated-- yet still impossible to miss! Wear something sleeveless and let your jewelry do the talking for you. Even bringing your hand up to fix your hair will catch them off guard! Bracelets like this beautiful wave bangle are perfect for wowing people when they least expect it. Holidays Ring Bling If you want to completely take over the party, then take a look at Gottlieb & Sons featured item this holiday season. You'll be the brightest thing in any room. Nobody will be able to focus on anything but this beautiful vintage inspired diamond ring. No other accessories will be needed with this stunner on your finger. They might as well put you onto of the Christmas tree, because you'll look like an angel! So, what are you waiting for? Be the talk of every party this holiday season with jewelry that sparkles more than icicles. Sleigh those glittering pieces! The key to dazzling a room isn't the perfect dress, but the perfect accessories to compliment it! You can make any little black dress shine with the right choices on your ears, neck, wrist, or hand! Forget tinsel or twinkle lights—all that party will need is you and your dazzling jewelry.


text:
Archive for Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Food: Nature at work on honeybee farm
October 3, 2012
Kaw Valley Farm Tour
The Kaw Valley Farm Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The annual event celebrates the diversity and availability of locally grown food in northeast Kansas. The 22 farms on this year's tour produce a variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, beef, pork, cheese, wine, sod, flour and milk.
Tickets are $10 per vehicle for the weekend. For more information, a complete list of participating farms or to buy tickets online, visit KawValleyFarmTour.org. Tickets also are available at all participating farms.
Buzzing bees blanket the tray of honeycomb in Richard Bean's bare hands. At close range, their striped abdomens and delicate wings are visible in detail.
After 40 years of keeping bees, Bean still marvels at them.
"Gorgeous creations," he says.
Spotting the queen, Bean pokes his finger into the mass of insects, gently nudging away some of the worker bees to show her off.
"How does she create 2,000 eggs a day?" he muses. "Machinery that we cannot really, in any way, manufacture — natural machinery."
Bean's Blossom Trail Bee Ranch, 669 E. 2100 Road in Baldwin City, will be one of 22 farms open to the public this weekend during the annual Kaw Valley Farm Tour.
Bean sells the honey, bee pollen and honeycomb he raises at the Saturday Lawrence Farmers Market and both Lawrence Hy-Vees, 3504 Clinton Parkway and 4000 W. Sixth St. He harvests his products from about 20 hives he keeps at his home and another 10 or so he has off site.
Bean says he believes bees can sense fear.
Perhaps that's why he gets along with them.
Bean is not a man who is easily agitated. He's tall and thin, and moves quietly and deliberately. His voice is soft. He speaks slowly.
He's calm, even while prying off the lid of a hive of bees whose instincts tell them to sting predators threatening their colony — best in the eye or mouth, the only place they could injure a woolly bear, for example. That's why Bean wears a hat with face netting, just in case.
"Hi girls," he says, as the bees swirl around him.
The beekeeper in his hometown of Beloit taught Bean the trade. His first project was removing a colony of unwanted bees from a resident's shed and moving them into the right equipment so he could keep them for himself.
"Just had a notion I wanted to do it," Bean said of beekeeping. "I think after a while, you sort of realize it sort of fits your personality."
In addition to raising his own bees, Bean teaches beekeeping for beginners and gets called a couple times a month to remove bee colonies from homes and trees. If he can keep them alive, which he tries to do, he can relocate the bees to his own hives and harvest their honey.
From time to time, Bean does get stung. He's learned a little onion juice is the best thing to take the edge off the sting.
"Sometimes I get a little too brave," he said. "But ... I've been around bees long enough that I pretty much respect their instincts."
On a cool, overcast day last week, most of Bean's bees were holed up in their hives. He said they like to be warm and they're more active when it's hot — but not too hot.
Bean recalled observing his bees during this summer's most sweltering days.
They wisely did their work before dawn and after dusk, relaxing in the hive during the hottest part of the day.
"They were pretty much beaten down by the heat," he said. "They respected what it did to them and what it took out of them."
Seeing nature at work is among Bean's favorite things about keeping bees.
"You never stop learning," he said.
Eating honeycomb and bee pollen
Honeycomb can be chewed and swallowed, waxy comb and all, which Bean said is especially soothing for a sore throat. Other suggestions include mashing a piece of comb atop buttered toast, or putting it on apple slices or cheese and crackers.
Eating bee pollen from local flowers is thought to have nutritional and anti-allergenic properties, although some sources recommend consulting a doctor first to avoid an unwanted allergic reaction.
Bean says he eats teaspoons of bee pollen straight from his hives. But he said not everyone likes the grainy texture, preferring to sprinkle it in smoothies or on cereal.
Honeybees — a few facts
• Honeybees perform a waggle dance to communicate the location of food sources that are 100 yards up to two or three miles from the hive.
• In one trip, honeybees visit 100 to 1,500 blossoms to fill their honey crop, an organ separate from their digestive stomach that is used to transport nectar.
• In its entire lifespan, a worker bee produces only 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey.
• In producing just 1 pound of honey, a hive of bees will fly 90,000 miles, equivalent to 1.5 orbits around the earth.
• In winter, bees live on stored honey and pollen and cluster into a ball to conserve warmth, maintaining a hive temperature that's close to human body temperature.
• The beehive is a "super organism" where all the bees work together as a single entity. A lone bee cannot live on its own outside the hive.
— Source: Richard Bean, Blossom Trail Bee Ranch
— Lawrence Journal-World Features reporter Sara Shepherd can be reached at 785-832-7187. Follow her at Twitter.com/KCSSara.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.


text:
FROM AROUND Edgewater
Edgewater Road Rage Shooting Leaves One In Critical Condition
Good News Only Reviewed by Edgeville Buzz on November 28, 2011 . Rating: 0
Good News OnlyNovember 28, 2011 / By Edgeville Buzz
We invite you to comment as Edgeville Buzz's GUEST. We review all submissions before they go live on our site. We encourage civil dialogue. Posts must adhere to our comment policy and we reserve the right to delete posts/ban users for instances of inappropriate language, bullying speech, character defamation, spam, etc.


text:
Posted on :
1 Jun, 2012
1 Jun, 2012
PayPal allows any business or consumer with an email address to securely, conveniently and cost-effectively send and receive payments online. Our network builds on the existing financial infrastructure of bank accounts and credit cards to create a global, real-time payment solution. We deliver a product ideally suited for small businesses, online merchants, individuals and others currently underserved by traditional payment mechanisms.
The size of our network and widening acceptance of our product have helped us become one of the leading payment networks for online auction websites, including eBay. PayPal is also being increasingly used at other e-commerce sites for the sale of goods such as electronics and household items, the sale of services such as web design and travel, and the sale of digital content. Offline businesses, including lawyers, contractors and physicians, have increasingly begun to receive payments online through PayPal. PayPal's service, which lets users send payments for free, can be used from PCs or web-enabled mobile phones.
PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. & Cie, S.C.A is duly licenced as a Luxembourg credit institution in the sense of Article 2 of the law of 5 April 1993 on the financial sector as amended and is under the prudential supervision of the Luxembourg supervisory authority, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, with registered office in L-1150 Luxembourg. Since the service is limited to E-money, which does not qualify as a deposit or an investment service in the sense of the Law, customers of PayPal are not protected by the Luxembourg deposit guarantee schemes provided by the Association pour la Garantie des Dépôts Luxembourg (AGDL).
PayPal Inc. (which is a parent company of PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. & Cie, S.C.A) was acquired by eBay in October 2002, and is located in California, USA.