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Psychology Study Blames Games for Aggressive Behavior
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Psychology Study Blames Games for Aggressive Behavior
Psychologists "prove" that violent games incite aggression with a strangely designed experiment.
Academia's battle against videogames continues apace. While there are many studies that point out that games have no effect on the psyche of players, there always seem to be pop-pyschologists who want to play the aggression card and pass that off as encouraging violence. These scientists sound like disgruntled parents who have never had fun playing games, and feel compelled to prove that their kids play them too damn much. At least that's how associate professor Bruce Bartholow from the University of Missouri sounds when he describes his experiment that attempts to prove the correlation between violent games and aggression. The aggressive behavior that Bartholow measures is the volume of sound used in friendly competition between test subjects. Bartholow's study will be published in the "Journal of Experimental Social Psychology."
The experiment Bartholow conducted exposed some young adults to violent games like Call of Duty and Killzone (not sure which versions) while others played non-violent games. Bartholow then showed subjects violent images and neutral images - the examples given were a dude with a gun in his mouth and a man on a bike - and measured their brainwaves to gauge their reaction. The group of subjects who played the violent games had a demonstrably lower reaction to the violent image, which Bartholow said proves they were "desensitized" to violence.
In the next phase of the experiment, subjects engaged in a competition where they could blast noises at each other at whatever decibel level they chose. The group who played the violent games employed louder noises than the control group, which Bartholow believes proves that games cause aggression.
"More than any other media, these videogames encourage active participation in violence," said Bartholow. "From a psychological perspective, videogames are excellent teaching tools because they reward players for engaging in certain types of behavior. Unfortunately, in many popular videogames, the behavior [rewarded] is violence."
While I encourage people like Bartholow to design experiments to test whether there is a link between violence and games, I think he missed the mark with this one. First off, blasting more sound at someone is hardly an accurate measure of aggression and probably speaks more to the sound design of the games played. Call of Duty is likely way louder than whatever game the control group played and probably affected the experiment more.
The only thing that does give me pause is Bartholow's claim there is a statistical correlation to the lack of response in violent images and the blast of sound given. The fact that he was able to predict just how loud the subject was going to blast his opponent based on the reaction to violent images is a bit troubling.
Bartholow also mentioned that subjects who already play a lot of violent games had less reaction to the violent imagery, which apparently means something more significant than mere familiarity. "Those individuals are already so desensitized to violence from habitually playing violent video games that an additional exposure in the lab has very little effect on their brain responses," he said.
I'm sorry, this makes no sense to me. If someone watches a lot of CSI, and then is shown a picture of a dead body, of course they are going to have less of a reaction than those who have never seen anything like that. That doesn't mean that these people are "desensitized" to violence, it just means there is a basic familiarity with those kind of images.
To his credit, Bartholow admits that violent games are not the sole reason that humans can become aggressive, but he is ready to claim victory nonetheless. "Many researchers have believed that becoming desensitized to violence leads to increased human aggression. Until our study, however, this causal association had never been demonstrated experimentally," he said.
I suggest that Associate Professor Bartholow keeps working on it.
Source: Missouri University
Video games can potentially cause desensitization to violence and a temporary increase in aggression? Gasp! This is me trying to sound surprised.
Bitch please. De-sensitized to virtual violence is not the same thing as being de-sensitized to real life violence. Just ask Penn and Teller.
My lawnmower makes me violent its a piece of crap. THey should study my brainwaves while trying to mow the lawn, they would be frghtened to death.
I have a question for him.
How many movies don't involve at least one death?
I mostly see video games as interactive movies, so yeah. Anyway, I agree with Greg's point about CSI. Bartholow should try the same experiment again, but this time with violence in movies (and sex on TV!) and see if the subjects become 'desensitized' from that.
Yeah, as a former psych major, I'm calling BS on this one. Unless you show real violence happening to real people, and their reaction is the same to videogames, I'm not buying that it's a direct coorelation.
Sure, it does desensitize to violence to a certain degree, but I don't really think it'd be any more so than movies would. I'm not even sure that the fact that you're the one dishing out the pain in videogames has any more effect that watching a movie. I find it amusing that some people say, "They're disassociating themselves from people by playing as this character." and some of the same people turn around and say, "They're becoming more violent because they play these games." People need to make up their minds.
This test is BS, the results are BS, and this is exactly why I want to do sociology and social psychology, so that I'll be able to come up with better and more comprehensive tests than these. Ever think about looking into someone's background before allowing them to participate in the tests? For instance, someone that came from an abusive household might internalize it more than someone that comes from a "normal" family? There are so many outside variable here that it sickens me that this was allowed to be published.
Seriously? Come on. Being desensitized to violence doesn't make you do violent things. What about horror/gore flicks? You're not controlling what happens, but you're still exposed to it.
Also, yeah, you're rewarded for smashing a guy's head in in a video game. The reward is points/money/upgrades, though... not real life things (yes, money is a real life thing, but not game money... you know what I meant). It scares me that psychologists think people are stupid enough to associate in-game rewards with real life situations. Stabbing someone is going to get your ass thrown in jail, not rewarded. People generally understand this.
...Damn it! Ninja'd by the second poster! Has to be that pony avatar...Giving some kind of poster bonus...
OT: Geez, It's not like this study has been done a couple of time with the same result. And as Eri here wrote that virtual and real life violence is DIFFERENT.
I think "blames" is a strong word to use in the headline.
Same as any sport, assholes, delays, annoyences. etc....
Well i ought to show em liars... if I could only get my hands on some sort of firearm, I'd kill them all!!! And then go back to playing violent videogames!!! Roar!
But in all seriousness, that's a interesting research, i suppose. But there are oh so many other things that can have the very same effect.
I don't see why this is still something that even needs investigating. Playing violent games can make violent imagery less shocking. Makes sense. Just as watching Bones every week makes me freak out a little less each time they show a rotting corpse. Etc. etc.
And I don't doubt for a second that violent games can act as triggers for violent behaviour, but again, so can a lot of things. All they do is trigger something that's already there. Give a man a brick, he may build a house. Give a different man a brick, he may bludgeon my face in. I'm not gonna blame the brick.
I'm sure the test sample was random. We don't know enough about the gathering methods to say for sure. Actually, that is my main argument. Of course video games desensitize people to violence to some degree. But so does every other medium. I've yet to see tests that cross examine this to see the varying differences between media.
The reason why there is less brain activity, I think, is because the subject violence has already been ''primed'' in the brain, because it has recently been activated. Thus, there is less activity upon seeing the images. What also means is that its more likely for someone who has been ''primed'' to resort to violence. This is very obvious in kids, I remember doing a lot of mock fights with friends after seeing the matrix and whatnot, they get all excited.
However, what I think is most important about this, is that the change isn't permanent. It's just a temporary state of mind which changes after some time, just like being angry. I don't think it has any big effects on ''violence in society''.
In before the people covering their eyes screaming "La, la, la" that show up in every thread like this.
Same with Watching The Expendables, listening to Eminem, Fox News, the list goes on.
If you address violence in ANY medium, you will desensitize those in your audience who see it a lot. I KNOW i'm extremely desensitized to violence and gore. due to all the violent movies, games and angry music i've consumed over my life. I like action and thrillers but its not all I enjoy. not even close.
My day so far; I played La Noire and avoided violence at all costs, then I played around for a few hours driving on the pavement trying to hit people haha.
What does that make me? not sure. This guy was mature about it though. He said that it wasn't the cause of society's downfall like Fox News or something.
All these scientists claiming video games increase agression, makes me want to bash their heads in with a crowbar.
Who said video games make people agressive! What a load of shit!
I'll kill them!
Why is it so hard for you (common gamers) to believe that seeing violent imagery in motion affects you senisitivity towards violence? Even more if you're actively causing it ("playing")...
Latest study proves X affects Y. Z people are bored to tears and wish they'd get on with something like saving the world's resources, kicking the criminals out of high power or teaching our damn kids; rather than wasting pointless resources on re-affirming their own narrow little minds.
Because us common gamers long ago established the difference between fantasy violence and real-life violence. That's why we common gamers tend not to partake in real-life violence.
Simple. They're not real. Your brain has had millenia of practice working out that little nugget rationally.
This. Also has a nice avatar.
Frankly I'm surprised people are still DOING research like this, on either side of the fence. Video Games are art now, right? (legally I mean) Can the flak storm stop now? Shouldn't we be focusing the attention games keep getting and point it towards hating on the next new, say, Micheal Bay film? Something constructive and useful?
Not to say experiments and such isn't constructive and useful, but only when it's done by people haven't already made up their minds before they start warming the beakers.
I wrote an article in my high school paper and I talked to three different psychologists and they all said the same thing: Video games will only cause violence in people who have some sort of mental imbalance. People who play games won't just get up and kill someone.
I feel that unless these people are given ample opportunity to engage in real violence during testing, then their "heightened aggression levels" cannot be properly measured. At least it's not that sensationalist.
this reminds me of how "studies" have shown that coffee can both increase and decrease cancer rates.
Because my brain knows the difference between fictional violence and real violence.
The other day, I was chopping mutated humans into little pieces in Dead Space 2 without blinking an eye.
The other week, I saw a man with a broken leg, the bone sticking out of the skin and I almost threw up.
It's all about context.
I like how people complain about this guys science before watching the video. The flood of posts comparing the violence in game vs the violence in other media are evidence of this. He says at the end, games are not the issue its everything together.
I agree that my playing violent video games, or watching violent movies desensitizes me to violence on screen, and I can watch some pretty gruesome stuff on TV, but it hasn't desensitized me to real world violence. I still get light headed when I see open wounds in real life, but I'm fine with it on screen, so I would say that there is a difference, based on personal experience.
I'm sorry, but was any of that even remotely necessary? Not only do you miss his point, you try to inject common sense into a field where that can easily be challenged. This is my main grievance when discerning between whether the Escapist wants to be an editorial site or a news one, and this is just demeaning to journalism. We don't care if any of this makes any sense to you, you're not a trained psychologist or cognitive researcher. You are an objective journalist, you are not in a position to say whether it makes sense or not and doing so is purely opinion based, making it not an objective news report. Not only that, but you clearly attempt to paint Mr. Bartholow as one of those "anti-game" radicals against all things fun, which is hardly what his point was. He even states that all media does the same and that it would be silly to think that video games are the sole factor. But it is a factor, and that is the crux of his research. And yes, familiarity with violent imagery is exactly what desensitization is. And in the end, you insultingly attempted to catch "victory" just as you claimed Dr. Bartholow had when he did no such thing. I suggest that you, Mr. Tito, keep working on this, and I say this with utmost sincerity.
Instead of just simply stating your opinion, ask us our opinion. Go "So what do you think? Is this study bunk, or does it warrant some notice? What do our scientists thing about the write-up? Leave your comments below!" or something like that. Don't give us your (obvious biased, as this is a gaming site) opinion on whether it has merit or not as that just puts us in the unmovable mindset that "this man is wrong! He is doing everything wrong!"
On top of that, every single time we get some sort of "anti-game" research statement, all of a sudden we all get defensive. We always go "Dude, like, we already knew that! Of course games cause you to be more aggressive, that's, like, common sense yo!" and go on and demonize them because they're "wasting money on something so clearly obvious!". And every time there is a "pro-game" research, we all go "Oh ho ho! This proves that games aren't as bad as the naysayers say they are!" and completely disregard any negative effect that they may have. It's absolutely hypocritical of us. This study, while done before, was, as far as I can see, much less agenda driven and put forth with the data at interest, not because they wanted to prove something.
Here's the thing; games have both positive and negative effects, that is absolutely undeniable. When it comes to aggression and/or violent behavior, what we haven't found out is whether those effects are long- or short-term. Of course someone who has played Call of Duty 10x as much as someone else can become more aggressive, but the question is why does it affect him more than someone else? Other people play Call of Duty the same amount of time yet are totally chill. This is all a mystery to us, and the dramatic effects that video games, and all media, cannot be denied.
Now, when the politicians and agenda-driven researchers come in, they tend to blow things out of proportion. Those are studies try to push their own beliefs as to what video games can do, and this if prevalent on both the anti- and pro-gaming sides. Whenever there is a "video games cause aggression" research thing, we always get defensive and point out every single flaw it has while bemoaning the fact that they're "wasting time!" not researching about cancer or some bullshit, and yet when a "video games help eyesight" suddenly, and hypocritically, we're all for it and mock the others for even thinking that video games could somehow be negative in any way and we don't scrounge the experiment with the same amount of scrutiny as the previous one. It's disgusting, to be frank.
I don't mean to question your science but if you do manage to prove a significant correlation between how loud sound is played and types of games then the only thing you prove is that violent games make people play loud sounds. You have to link loud sound to increased violent tendency before you jump all the way over there. Also, brain wave activity is a subject with so many variables that trying to prover a link like this is kind of sketchy. It would take a very controlled test to positively prove anything and even then might not hold up to future research. The fact that nobody has been able to prove this either way should tell us something about the exercise as a whole.
I find it interesting how he starts with the statement that "scientists have known for years that playing violent videogames causes players to be more aggressive" and then goes on to use this conclusion to back up his later claim. Did I miss the part where this was actually established rather than being a very contentious issue?
No its because you though he was going to mutate into a necromorph and you have no plasma cutter.
Yes, thank you mister scientist.
No, not here. On the railroads.
Now punch him in the face and see if THAT makes him temporarily aggressive.
Do we NEED to test the obvious?
What was the Control? or was one not defined .. some individuals have slow neurological responses to stimuli regardless of Medium
If you were playing Viva Pinata and all of a sudden somebody showed you a pic of somebody with a gun of course you are going to be more SURPRISED (which is a sensitive reaction) then if you were playing a game as gun-filled as Call of Duty. And CoD is neccesarily violent; just full of guns.
Its like showing a picture of a dead body to somebody who just watched CSI and somebody who just watched My Little Pony.
Or showing punching a Professional Boxer in the chest and punching a 12 year old in the chest.
And 25 minutes? Come on, there is no way you can get any fesible amount of data from almost anything after 25 minutes.
If I slapped you in the face for 5 minutes youd be much more "de-sensitized" to a slap at 5:01 minutes than somebody I had been giving hi-fives to for 5 minutes then slapped.
Edit: Plus, if you played a violent video game for 25 minutes (lets say mortal kombat 2011) if 5 hours later somebody whips off their face and yells "Toasty" you are probably just as likely to shit yourself as the person next to you.
Also, I'd like to know how many people they had in their study, you only see one.
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Former Sen. Joseph Bruno's next corruption trial figures to be costly
ALBANY -- A retired state senator who was one of New York's most powerful politicians faces only two fraud charges in his second scheduled trial, but a federal judge is expecting another weeks-long proceeding.
Meanwhile, prosecutors and defense lawyers have been wrangling over a questionnaire aimed at expeditiously weeding out potential jurors who may have bias about retired Sen. Joseph Bruno. The 83-year-old Bruno, a Rensselaer County Republican, was Senate majority leader for 13 years until stepping down in 2008, six months before he was indicted.
"I think I should tell that jury they should anticipate two to three weeks," U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe told both sides at a conference last week in his chambers.
A jury acquitted Bruno in 2009 of five counts of "honest services fraud," accused of improperly using his office to enrich himself and denying constituents his honest services, and deadlocked on a sixth count. An appeals court overturned his two convictions, based on a subsequent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, saying prosecutors must prove direct bribes or kickbacks under the federal statute.
His lawyers have challenged this year's new indictment on those two charges, arguing it presents a bribery theory prosecutors abandoned at the first trial and violates his constitutional rights. Prosecutors responded that the first two convictions were dismissed because of jury instructions about what to consider, arguing this is not a case of unconstitutional double jeopardy.
"Where there has been a reversal of a conviction because of a defective legal theory, double jeopardy does not bar retrial on the correct theory," Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Coombe wrote.
Although the dismissal motion is still pending, Sharpe last week guided discussion on preparations for the new trial scheduled to start Feb. 4, including content of the questionnaire to go to potential jurors in the greater Albany area.
One question Sharpe approved is whether they, close friends or family ever directly sought assistance from Bruno.
Bruno's mark is on public works projects like the baseball stadium on the Hudson Valley Community College campus in nearby Troy, also home to a minor league professional team. He championed state financial support for the GlobalFoundries project, a $4.6 billion chip-manufacturing plant built 20 miles north of Albany that employs more than 1,000 people.
Defense lawyers objected to a question prosecutors wanted to include about whether potential jurors had ever contributed to Bruno's legal defense fund. Attorney William Dreyer said the fund was limited, with only Bruno's friends contributing, and a prosecution attempt to call attention to his legal fees. Attorney E. Stewart Jones Jr. said the question was prejudicial.
"There's been lots of press," Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Coombe said. "I think we should expect they have heard about it."
Bruno's legal fees from the first trial were estimated at $2.5 million.
Sharpe agreed to strike the question, noting other questions will elicit that information. He has imposed a gag order on the lawyers, saying he won't have this case tried in the press, similar to restrictions he imposed the first time. Bruno himself talked to a phalanx of reporters daily during breaks in his first trial, arguing that, like nearly every other part-time state lawmaker in New York, he maintained outside business interests and did nothing wrong. He had a sideline consulting business.
According to the superseding indictment, prosecutors alleged that businessman Jared Abbruzzese and his companies paid Bruno $360,000 of consulting fees in 2004 and 2005 and that Abbruzzese gave him the equivalent of $80,000 for a worthless racehorse. They say Bruno in return took several steps in his Senate position to benefit Abbruzzese, including directing a $250,000 grant to Evident Technologies, a company in which Abbruzzese was an investor, and a $2.5 million grant to the Sage Colleges that benefited Evident.
Abbruzzese, testifying with immunity from prosecution except perjury in the first trial, said he wanted Bruno for his contacts and got guidance in improving his skills dealing with people. Abbruzzese, whose main business was fixing troubled technology companies, said Bruno was paid $20,000 a month for 18 months, totaling $360,000.

subset: commoncrawl


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In other news, I keep hearing from people in the states who are frustrated by being so far away and desperately wanting to do something tangible to help.
So far, all I've been able to tell you to do is donate money to LDS Philantropies or the Red Cross. But today my friend Cami told me about Operation Backpack. You can put together a backpack of goodies for a Japanese child and send it to the Misawa Girl Scouts for distribution. I believe this idea originated at a different American base in Japan but was adopted by our Girl Scout Troop here.
I'm excited to put some of these together with my boys! This is a great project for kids to help with. Here is some of the information:
We will be collecting packs and items until 15 May 2011.Example of items for a backpack could include:
Please no clothes and provide extra batteries for electronic items.Please indicate whether your backpack is for a girl, boy, or either sex.
Also indicate the general age.
The backpacks can be a clean, used backpack or a new one.
Questions can be sent to:
Click here for the COMPLETE details! :)
If this idea doesn't appeal to you, consider holding an auction or fund raiser and donating the money. I know it's not the same as giving a coat or blanket directly to someone in need, but it amounts to the same thing!
Thanks everyone for your prayers, good wishes, kindness and generosity!!!


text:
All about the culture and lifestyles of the 70's, 80's and 90's
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Can't find a suitable category for your memory? Try posting here. This is the place for miscellaneous discussion relating to the 70's, 80's and 90's.
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text:
Mirova Core Infrastructure Fund acquires a majority stake in "Aton"
Mirova Core Infrastructure Fund ("MCIF") managed by Mirova, the Natixis Asset Management subsidiary dedicated to responsible investment, has completed the acquisition of a majority stake (85%) in Aton.
Aton is an Italian concession company in charge of the construction and operation of a cogeneration plant station as well as a district heating network serving the Udine Hospital and north-west area of the city of Udine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Aton's revenues are mainly derived from the provision of heating and air conditioning services, as well as solutions for third-party users, mostly households, which the company connects to its own distribution system.
MCIF is Mirova's first fund devoted to brownfield Public-Private Partnership (PPP) regulated infrastructure investments in continental Europe. To date, the fund has already committed to or invested in 18 assets for a total amount of €425m*, predominantly in European PPP and infrastructure concessions, spanning from transportation to broadband networks, and including a wide range of social infrastructure projects.
The purchase agreement was concluded with Siram S.p.a, a wholly owned subsidiary of Veolia Environment in Italy, which also serves as operator for this project and will own the remaining 15% shareholding. The deal was signed in June 2016 and has fulfilled all the customary closing conditions since then.
Mirova's Head of Infrastructure Funds reacted to the news: "This transaction demonstrates Mirova's ability and willingness to deploy capital across all continental Europe on behalf of our investors; it is the second transaction Mirova has carried out outside France over the course of the year, after the acquisition of a 24.7% equity interest in the Malaga subway project back in June 2016."
* Source Mirova at 11/24/16
More about Mirova Core Infrastructure Fund
More about Mirova
More about Aton (website in Italian only)
Natixis Asset Management – Asset management company regulated by AMF under n° GP 90-009 – Limited Liability Company with share capital of €50,434,604.76 – RCS Number Paris 329 450 738 – Registered Office: 21 quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris.
Mirova is a fully-owned subsidiary of Natixis Asset Management. Mirova – Public limited company with share capital of €7,461,327.50 – RCS Number Paris 394 648 216 – Approved by AMF under n° GP 02-014 – Registered Office: 21 quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris.


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I'm using TeXnicCenter 2 Beta 1 (on a Windows Vista machine) and I am trying to use the forward search. It is configured with SumatraPDF so that when I press F5 to
View Output, SumatraPDF comes to the front and highlights the section where my cursor lives.
However this only works correctly when I execute
View Output from the main file; if I try to execute
View Output from an input file in the project, I get an error saying Forward Search cannot execute, and Sumatra appears saying that there is an error loading the nonexistent
Is there any way to get forward search to work from included files using TeXnicCenter?


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Second team Name School Class Pos.Ben AntoineCypress BayJr.FBenji BellBlanche ElySr. GJavaris JenkinsDeerfield BeachJr.FZach JohnsonMiramarSo.GKendall RobertsSt. Thomas AquinasSr.FJustin SatchellPembroke Pines CharterJr.F Honorable mention
Archbishop McCarthy: Robert Barreras, Nick Thorn, Paul Smith; Blanche Ely: Dallas Cameron, Anterio Smith, Khalil Thomas, Derek Walker; Boyd Anderson: Antonio Long, James Payne; Coconut Creek: Junior Jeannot, Aaron Shakes; Cooper City: Dylan Cohen; Coral Glades: Mario Lewis, Kebin Rosuck; Coral Springs: Sean Gordon, Michael Trotman; Cypress Bay: Andres Aleman, Matt Edenberg; Deerfield Beach: Marvin Jean-Pierre, Marcus Owens, Brandon Powell; Douglas: Gary Wexler, Noah White; Everglades: Josh Eite, Orlando Perez; Flanagan: Will Perez, Shane Young; McArthur: Brian Cabdelario, Jose Santos; Miramar: Cornelius Henry, Lance Tejada; Monarch: Josh Balogh; Northeast: Wilson Alerte; Nova: Tevin Dailey, Vance Houston, Kevin Youne; Piper: Jonathan Kerr, Michael Madourie; Plantation: Tyler Butler, Roderick McCree; St. Thomas Aquinas: Tanner Bombich, Papa N'Diaye, Tyler Palov; South Broward: Kemsey Sylvestre; South Plantation: Henry Brand, Raynier Mendez; Stranahan: Antyon Almonor, Matthew Villanueva; Taravella: Dyland Angelo, David Torrance; West Broward: Joshua Carson, Hannif Cheatham, Kevin Rodriguez; Western: Stef Alvarez, Mike Consuegra.
Coach of the YearMelvin Randall
Blanche Ely
Comment: In his 11th season at Ely, Randall led the Tigers to one of the best seasons in school history. Ely finished with a 30-2 record and dominated its way through the district, regional and state tournaments to claim the Class 7A state title with a 78-46 victory over Oak Ridge. The Tigers were consistently ranked among the top 20 programs in the nation in the ESPNHS Powerade Fab 50 and earned an invite to the ESPNHS National High School Invitational in Maryland.
Coach's quote: "I call them the 13 best kids to represent Blanche Ely High School and the six All-American coaches. That's why this year was so special. The staff really prepared these kids and the kids stepped up. We had goals set and they accomplished them."


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Relaxing in Philly
Pat — one of Team Fatty-Philly's finest — has been shuttling me around the city today. Showing me around, helping me pick up a bike, and just making the day in general great.
I tell you what: it is so great to have a local who's worked as a bike messenger in the city show you around. Now a chemistry teacher, Pat is also a history buff and told me all about the city as he showed me all around town, weaving through traffic comfortably and effortlessly.
Pat is a great guy.
After picking up my bike, we swung by Philly Jen's — co-captain for Team Fatty-Philly — house to pick her up.
Until I met her in person, all I had to go on to figure out Jen's personality was her email. And from that, I had figured that in person she'd be a ball of energy.
Boy, was I wrong.
As it turns out, "ball of energy" is far too mild a term. Jen is more like a supernova of energetic happiness. Check out the photos I took and see if you can notice a pattern.
Here's Jen in front of her house as Pat and I picked her up:
And here's Jen doing the Rocky pose at the art museum:
And here's Jen, Pat and me, not doing the Rocky pose at the art museum:
Yeah, I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something … consistent about Jen's expression.
Teasing aside, Jen deserves huge props for the incredible amount of work she's done to get Team Fatty Philly together and organized, as well as for the remarkable fundraising job she's spearheaded.
One More Thing
I saw this in the hotel parking lot:
Whoever did that, thanks.
Team Fatty is so awesome.


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Each industry use temperature control differently, some examples include:
- Domestic applications with simple on-off functionality and sensors manage temperature through heating via radiators or cooling via air conditioning, refrigeration, and freezers.
- Industrial manufacturing monitor and maintain both high and low temperatures throughout their processes within set tolerances for plastic moulding, metal smelting, ceramic firing, and composite curing.
- In packaging, temperature sensors are deployed throughout the process of sealing, forming and wrapping,
- Food and beverage industries use temperature control for storing, cooking, chilling, heating, and processing.
Types of temperature control systems and controllers
Open loop systems deliver a control signal with no reliance on an input signal to act as a basis for on-off decisions. These can be simple non-contact devices with a Digital Temperature Controller display built into your system or temperature probes used in quality assurance.
Closed loop, on the other hand, uses an incoming signal to regulate its output according to a predetermined setpoint defined by the user or a higher-level controller Closed-loop temperature controllers can then be split into three sub-varieties: on/off, proportional and PID
- On-off Sensors like thermostats will action a simple on-off decision and make a correction before the process temperature exceeds the acceptable tolerance, much like a domestic thermostat controlling your heating system.
- Proportional controllers add more specific control. Instead of using a simple on/off signal they can deliver appropriate correctional actions, heating or cooling, to achieve control within the temperature tolerances; the idea being that eventually, they will reach a steady state with little or no fluctuation (hysteresis).
- PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controllers are more intelligent and add further control. PID controllers use the difference between the temperature level and the desired setpoint and then cycle the power until this difference is minimised. Like proportional controllers, they apply the corrective action to the offset from the setpoint, but in addition, they use an integral function to control the offset error, while the derivative function suppresses overshoot
... Read more


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"A Better Example," Liahona, June 2012, 58–59
A Better Example
I wish we would have listened to our leaders' instructions, but we didn't think they applied to us.
Our Young Women leaders decided that an overnight trip was just the thing to get us ready for camp. They chose the banks of the San Pedro River in southern Arizona, USA, to set up our practice camp.
After rolling out the sleeping bags, the other girls and I wanted to explore and get into the water. The leaders thought some discussions on safety and first aid should come first. So we all sat in a shady spot near the river for the lesson.
Paying attention wasn't easy when we could see the river shining in the sun. The breeze was playing in the cottonwood trees as Sister Brown (names have been changed) talked. We had all heard the lesson before, and I just couldn't understand why we needed it now. We knew all about putting pressure on a wound to stop the bleeding, but there she was telling us again.
Before they let us go, the leaders repeatedly told us not to go in the river without shoes. "You never know what's in there, and you've got to protect your feet."
As I got to the edge of the river, some of the other girls were already splashing in the water. The water was brown with mud. It was less than a foot deep all the way across, and I couldn't believe that it was dangerous.
I decided to take off my shoes. I had brought only one pair, and I didn't see the sense in getting them wet and having soggy shoes all day. My two best friends, Martha and Elizabeth, both reminded me of what the leaders had said. I took my shoes off anyway and explained my reasons. Martha took hers off too. Elizabeth was more hesitant. I waded out into the water and with a sarcastic tone said, "Keep them on if you want to."
She sat down, took off her shoes, and ran into the water. After about five steps she stopped, turned pale, and calmly said, "Oh, no." When she pulled her foot out of the water. I could see blood streaming out of a cut. She had stepped on a broken bottle.
The sight of blood made my brain go numb. Even though I had just been listening to a lesson on first aid, I had no idea what to do. I decided to run for help. Two others helped her out of the water.
I found Sister Brown and told her what had happened. She thought I was kidding. But when she saw Elizabeth sitting in the trail with blood gushing from her foot, she ran toward her shouting, "Put pressure on that cut!"
The lesson of 10 minutes before began to sink in. The girls, who had been standing around Elizabeth and watching her bleed, elevated her foot and put pressure on the wound.
Elizabeth was taken to the hospital, where she was told that she had almost cut her foot in half. It required numerous stitches and would take a long time to heal. The next time I saw her she was using crutches.
I never thought I could or would ever convince my best friend to do something that would hurt her that badly. I had never seen myself as a bad influence before.
Now I'm trying to be a better example to my friends, and I'm more willing to listen to my leaders. They know what they're talking about.


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The Only Dedicated Integrated Chemical Sourcing and Spend Management Solution
Chemical inventory control is crucial to pharmaceutical and life science organizations. These materials are the backbone of critical research, fueling the engine of discovery. Their flow from suppliers to individual labs should be seamless to maintain the rapid pace of research and development. Hundreds of labs across the world have selected JAGGAER's unique, integrated solution to source chemicals and manage and them through their entire lifecycle.
JAGGAER provides the only enterprise-ready chemical inventory lifecycle management solution designed specifically for the efficient processing of reagents. Locating the chemicals needed, when they're needed, through an intuitive, easy to use platform powered by the industry's first triple-federated search, allows researchers to make better decisions, faster—and at the optimal price point.
The chemicals necessary to the innovation of new, life-saving drugs can pose health, environmental, and security risks, and are highly regulated. JAGGAER allows organizations to gain visibility into the acquisition, tracking, reporting and disposal of chemicals and ensures they are compliant with applicable regulations, certifications, and purchasing limits. With the robust capabilities of this toolset, it's no surprise eight of the top 10 global life science companies trust JAGGAER with the procurement and management of materials and building blocks, key to their groundbreaking discoveries.
Case Study
A large Life Sciences company needed a solution to empower its 65,000+ employees to take advantage of cost savings and efficiencies in their purchasing activities. There was no ability for the organization to assure that large, global contract discounts were being taken advantage of on a regional level, because an easy, searchable set of catalogs did not exist. Users missed out on the cost savings from preferred vendors, and suffered through an inefficient ordering process that collectively eroded productivity and profitability.
The Company needed a solution that would play nicely with existing technology investments and seamlessly integrate with SAP in over 15 countries. With annual company revenues near $25 billion, this was no small feat.
Help arrived in the form of JAGGAER's ERM and eProcurement Life Sciences bundled solutions, which the Company integrated with SAP in North American, European, Asian, and Australian locations. In less than 90 days, JAGGAER helped the Company develop over 100 supplier catalogs replete with company-negotiated pricing for more than a million items. The Company was able to control more than 95 percent of spend with the solution, and increased contract compliance by 50 percent—all within the first year. JAGGAER helped track and manage inventory and provided built-in compliance checks, leading to further efficiency and lower risk. Combined, these solutions led to an ROI upwards of 100 percent in the first year.
"We've been using JAGGAER's business automation solutions for years, and the Enterprise Reagent Manager adds another critical layer of efficiency and automation. The compounds we develop require near-immediate access to appropriate supplies and materials. ERM facilitates that access."
RTI International
What Sets Us Apart
JAGGAER's industry unique Life Sciences solution suite enables labs globally to discover, innovate, and marketize their latest products in an unprecedented manner. Our solutions drives agility in labs through optimized sourcing, contracting, purchasing, and inventory control while ensuring health and safety regulation compliance.
JAGGAER has set the standard for Life Science and Pharmaceutical organizations for over 20 years. Our fully automated chemical inventory control bundle manages workflow for requisitioning, approving, receiving, and reconciling research materials. Collectively, these solutions manage and track the research process from purchase to disposal, while maintaining complete compliance.When it comes to software selection, vertical matters.
Enterprise Reagent Manager (ERM) is the industry's leading chemical inventory control solution and is used by 8 of the top 10 global Pharmaceutical companies—with 100 percent customer renewals.
ERM allows organizations to:
- Find, source, and track materials throughout their lifecycle in an intuitive, tile-based UI; a triple-federated search—the first and only of its kind—allows users to search by supplier, chemical structure, or description, across internal inventory, libraries, web services, commercial databases, supplier catalogs, and negotiated preferred pricing;
- Reduce operational and reporting time, as requests are routed directly to fulfillment or purchasing and data is integrated automatically, reducing the chance of errors; and
- Optimize chemical inventory use and manage the risk of using hazardous materials, promoting regulatory compliance with built-in checks on certifications, purchase limits, and proper handling of chemicals.
eProcurement integrates with ERM to create a powerful tool to manage chemicals from sourcing all the way to disposal and drive organizational spend toward preferred, strategically contracted suppliers.
Features of eProcurement include:
- An intuitive shopping environment with thousands of active supplier integrations available in a dynamic and responsive interface;
- Compliance built into the process of acquiring materials, with automated audit trails;
- The ability to influence buying decisions and improve spend management across the whole company; contract compliance enables buying against contracts to save time and money.
JAGGAER integrates seamlessly with more than 40 ERP systems, including Oracle, SAP, McKesson, Infor, Banner, Workday, Colleague, and PeopleSoft.
The Solution Suite
Life Science organizations utilizing JAGGAER's ERM and eProcurement bundled solutions have saved time on sourcing, acquisition, and compliance activities for their needed chemicals. The net results from these inventory control management tools include:
Net Results:
- 100%+ return on investment within the first year
- 90%+ of spend under management
- 50% or more increase in contract compliance
- Over 1 million items with company-negotiated pricing made available in searchable supplier catalogs
Achieve Sustainable Management of Research Chemicals – A Guide to Critical Capabilities
Contact Us Today
Fill out the form below, and one of our solution experts will be happy to help you.


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With nearly 10,000 people turning 65 every day over the next 20 or so years, it's not hard to imagine a new reality show called "Extreme Social Security Claiming Strategies and Tactics", especially in the wake of news that beneficiaries will be getting just a 1.7% increase in their benefit in 2013. That show, sadly, is not yet a reality.
But what is real is this: There are a dozens of lesser known, often overlooked Social Security claiming strategies and tactics that are worth sticking in your back pocket, just in case there's an audition call.
And case in point No. 1 is what Bill Meyer refers to as the "rat holes," the ages at which a single retiree should never, ever, ever claim Social Security. Or at least not claim Social Security if they want to maximize the present value of their Social Security benefits.
Read related story: Social Security checks to rise 1.7% in 2013.
Single retirees whose full retirement age (FRA) is 66 and who aren't affected by the earnings test should not claim Social Security in any month near FRA nor three years prior to FRA, according to Meyer, who is the co-author of "Social Security Strategies: How to Optimize Retirement Benefits," and CEO of Social Security Solutions, Inc.
And the reason, according to Meyer, has to do with the pattern of reductions in benefits for beginning benefits before FRA and delayed retirement credits for delaying benefits until after FRA.
"If the single retiree begins benefits at FRA, she (or he) receives his Primary Insurance Amount or (PIA)," Meyer wrote in a recent paper. "If she begins benefits before FRA then her benefits are decreased by 5/9 percent of PIA per month for the first 36 months plus 5/12 percent of PIA for each additional month. Delayed retirement credits are 2/3 percent per month for each month benefits are delayed from FRA to 70."
And, without going to deep into the weeds, that math causes what Meyer refers to as the "rat holes," those ages at which single retirees should not claim Social Security.
In essence, what happens is this: The total value of your stream of Social Security benefits—the present value—would be greater if you didn't claim at FRA or three years prior to FRA.
There are plenty more of these little-known and underused claiming strategies and tactics. Here's a look at some of them.
Benefits for minors and spouses
In a relatively rare instance when a worker claims Social Security and is married to someone who is taking care of a child under the age of 16 or taking care of a disabled child, that spouse can collect 50% of the benefits regardless of the spouse's age, said Lita Epstein, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security. And if the worker dies, the spouse's benefit, even if the spouse is younger than 62, would increase to 75% as long as he or she is still caring for children under the age of 16, she said.
In addition, Epstein said, unmarried children under the age of 18 (or up to 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school full time) are eligible for benefits if their parent is retired, disabled or deceased. "An eligible child can be a biological child, an adopted child or a stepchild," she said. "And, a dependent grandchild can also qualify.
To be fair, there is a limit to the total amount a family can receive on a worker's benefit, Epstein said. And the limit varies depending on individual circumstances, but is around 150% to 180% of a worker's Social Security benefit. "If the total for dependent family members is greater than the family limit, the amount each family member receives is reduced proportionately," Epstein said. "The worker's benefit is not affected by this adjustment.
Dennis Heywood, the owner of Social Security Solutions, gave this example: If the wage earner's age 66 benefit is $2,000 per month, the family maximum benefit would be about $3,400. The wife and children would receive half of the $2,000 up to $3,400 per month total for the family. He would get $2,000 while the wife and children would split the $1,400.
Along the same lines, Heywood said another strategy is for grandparents who adopt a grandchild. "The grandchild is eligible for child's benefits when the adoption is final," Heywood said.
Overlooked survivor benefits
Since the earliest age of retirement is 62, most people believe this applies to survivors as well, according to Donna Clements, a manager with Social Security and Medicare Services at Mercer. "A surviving spouse can receive benefits at age 60—assuming there are no eligible children," said Clements. "This is two years earlier than for retirement and can be a major financial windfall, particularly if the surviving spouse did not work."
Another overlooked benefit in the case of survivor benefits is this: A surviving-divorced spouse qualifies for a benefit if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, according to Clements. "The benefit is the same as the current surviving spouse but is not included in the family maximum, unless the benefit is based on caring for the worker's eligible child. If the surviving-divorced spouse remarries before age 60, benefits aren't payable unless (and until) the subsequent marriage ends. Remarriage after age 60 does not stop entitlement to benefits."
Overlooked criteria for disability benefits
To receive disability benefits, Clements said the worker needs to have earned a minimum number of credits based on their year of birth with some credits earned in recent years. In 2012, one credit is received for each $1,130 earned in covered Social Security employment, up to a maximum of four credits per year, she noted. "For example, if you retired at age 50 with a company pension and then became disabled seven years later; you would not be able to receive Social Security disability benefits because you have not earned enough recent credits," Clements said. "You would need 20 credits within the last 10 years and this person would only have 12 credits.
Another one is this: "A non-working spouse that becomes disabled is not eligible for disability benefits based on their spouse's work record," said Clements. "Workers are eligible if they have earned a minimum number of credits based on their own earnings from Social Security covered employment."
Two spouses, one worker
Epstein said another quirk is that more than one spouse can collect on a worker's benefits. "A divorced spouse who was married for 10 years or more is entitled to collect on an ex-spouse's benefit," she said. Of course, there's a catch: In most cases, you cannot be remarried.
Epstein said the earliest a spouse can collect on his or her former spouse's work record is the age of 62. "If the ex-spouse applies for benefits before his or her full retirement age, the benefits will be permanently reduced," she said. "Spousal benefits end when the worker dies unless the ex-spouse is taking care of children under the age of 16 who belong to the worker or are eligible for benefits because of a disability." In this case, survivors' benefits will be possible for the ex-spouse and the children, she noted. What's more, the ex-spouse may be eligible for widow or widower's benefits after the ex-spouse dies.
Bottom line: "Someone who has been married to more than one person for at least 10 years and is now unmarried or a widow or widower, can collect survivor's benefits on the ex-spouse who has the highest earning work record," Epstein said. "Each person can only get one check."
So if there are multiple marriages, the person must pick which work record on which they want to collect. Obviously, they want to pick the work record that will get them the largest check. If a person remarries before the age of 60, they can't collect on an ex-spouse's record unless that second marriage also ends in divorce or from death of the second spouse. The one exception is a divorced spouse who is collecting disability benefits can remarry as early as age 50 and still collect survivor's benefits.
File and suspend
If you are at your full retirement age (FRA), you can continue to work and suspend your benefit so your current spouse can collect a spouse's benefit and you can earn delayed retirement credits (DRCs), said Clements. "The voluntary suspension is only for the months beginning after the month the request is made. A current spouse cannot claim a benefit on the worker's record until the worker has applied."
Andy Landis, owner of Thinking Retirement and the author of "Social Security: The Inside Story, 2012 ed.", posed this question: Did you know you could apply for Social Security at 62 and draw four years of Social Security payments, and then suspend your payments at age 66?
"A handful of people know you can apply at 66 and immediately suspend your payments, which allows your spouse to file on your record," he said. "But you can also suspend payments already in force, any time from age 66 to 70. Why? The win is that while suspended, your eventual payments are growing in the background at 8% per year."
Claim spouse's benefit now and worker's benefit later
It's not as quirky as other tactics, but it's well worth mentioning for those who might be unfamiliar with this one: If you are married and attained FRA, you can claim a spouse's benefit and then switch to a benefit based on your own work record at a later date, according to Clements. "This allows a person to collect a spouse's benefit now while earning DRCs up to age 70 on their own work record," she said. "People that are younger than FRA aren't allowed to do this.
She gave this example: A husband and wife are both at FRA, age 66, and have covered Social Security earnings. The husband's monthly benefit is $1,400, and the wife's monthly benefit is $1,000. The husband files for benefits. The wife can now claim a spouse's benefit of $700 (50% of her husband's benefit) and continue working and contributing toward her own Social Security benefit. At age 70 she files for her own retirement benefit that has earned DRCs and is $1,320 a month. Her spouse's benefit stops and her higher retirement benefit amount starts.
Parent benefits
If parents have been receiving one-half support from a child for the 12 months prior to his or her retirement, they can receive a benefit on the child's account at age 62, according to Heywood. "Not too many of these around anymore because most people have worked or are covered as a spouse for a higher benefit," Heywood said.
Though it happens rarely in reality, a variation on this quirk is this. A parent can collect on a child's work record if the child is deceased, said Epstein. "The parent would have to show they were dependent on the child," she said. "Once the dependent parent reaches the age of 62, he or she can apply for benefits on the child's work record if the child is deceased."
The start-over
If you are already receiving Social Security retirement benefits, Clements said you can start your benefit over within 12 months of the first month of entitlement and limited to one withdrawal. "You can file a 'Request for Withdrawal of Application,' or Social Security Form 521, and your benefits stop immediately when you file," she said. "The SSA will tell you how much you are required to pay back including any family members that received benefits based on your work record. After your repayment, you would reapply for benefits. The advantages of doing this are your monthly benefit amount will be higher based on your current age and the SSA does not charge interest on the repayment."
Gimmicks undermine Social Security
For the record, there are those who aren't so fond of claiming strategies that are gimmicks or abuses of the system. "I was always on the lookout for unique claiming strategies, in part because I'm fascinated by the financial aspect of claiming strategies, but also so I could suggest reforms if there was a strategy that seemed unfair and more of an abuse or gimmick," Jason Fichtner, who is now a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and formerly acting deputy commissioner at the Social Security Administration.
Fichtner noted, for instance, that the SSA limited the ability to get an interest-free loan from the government via the so-called "do-over" strategy a few years ago, when he worked for the government.
What's more, Fichtner was quick to say that Social Security is intended to be "insurance," which is why it's called the "Old-Age and Survivors Insurance" program. "It was never intended to be the sole means for people to live off of in retirement," he said. "It's insurance against the possibility that you'll run out of saving by living too long."
While we often don't discuss the three-legged stool enough anymore, Fichtner said there's a personal responsibility aspect to the program where individuals are supposed to have some personal saving. "Gimmicks that treat Social Security as a lottery where big bucks can be won not only negatively affect the solvency of the program but also undermine the societal support for Social Security."
Robert Powell is editor of Retirement Weekly, published by MarketWatch. Learn more about Retirement Weekly here. Follow his tweets at RJPIII.


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Poets on Poets: Patrick Phillips, Ross Gay, and Philip Metres
Submitted by rc-admin on
Romantic Circles is pleased to announce the latest edition of its Poets on Poets archive and podcast. This quarterly edition contains audio and text files of readings by three contemporary poets: Patrick Phillips reading Wordsworth's "A slumber did my spirit seal" and from The Prelude XII; Ross Gay reading from Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell; and Philip Metres reading Shelley's "Ozymandias" and from Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. As always, the readings are available as free MP3 downloads from the Website:
--or as a podcast using our RSS feed or via iTunes. (See instructions on the Web page).


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Welcome Movellians, Loyal Fans, Newcomers, Top 5...
Nine in Water, Many Beyond4527618
- by Ms Holly
- Rating:
- Published: 16 Aug 2016
- Updated: 22 Sep 2016
- Status: In Progress
In the tongue of the Karicarya, their world means 'Adoring Sunrise'. In the Saenoch's speech, it is 'Open Palm'. The name of this world is unknown as of this writing, but most other subjects...well, that's a different story.
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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TGI Fry-Day: Spring Rolls at Cong Ly
Explorations of the frying arts.
When you find a spring roll that's more crisp than greasy and actually full of flavor, it's cause for celebration. So break out the party hats and head down to Cong Ly in Chinatown, a Vietnamese joint with friendly staff and a good command of the fryer.
The spring roll ("Cha Gio"; $4 for 4 and $7 for 8) wrappers are flaky and deeply crisp, with blistered layers that make for a hefty crunch. There's just a little grease, enough to make the wrapper glisten but still feel light. Inside is a ground pork filling mixed with mushrooms and vermicelli noodles—a little sweet, a lot porky, and plenty savory. The texture is compact but a little loose, like a freshly stuffed sausage.
The wrapper stays crisp and hot even after dousing in nuoc cham (diluted fish sauce with sugar), so you may want to consider ordering the Bun Cha Gio ($5) for a full meal. Chopped spring rolls come in a bowl of thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, scallions, peanuts, and some fresh herbs. Toss on the sauce, and maybe some chili paste, and you have yourself a full meal that balances fried excess with cool, clean flavors. Like a salad—almost.
Cong Ly
124 Hester Street, New York, NY 10002 (map) 212-343-1111
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Are you new to JSF and like to learn everything from basics to advanced topics? This book is yours.
Are you familiar to JSF 1.2, you want to update? This book is yours.
Do you think you know a lot of JSF? Be sure to get some additional information. This book is yours, too.
Do you prefer sketchy books, which can be read within few hours? Don't buy.
This book is divided into three parts. Part one covers the foundation like concepts, background, user interface components as well as the backing logic build upon beans and expression language. Ed Burns et. al. describe everything well detailed and added lots lot of code fragments to get a quick understanding. With assistence of this book, the impatient may quickly create her/his own JSF application and then dive into the details. Full source is available by download.
Part two introduces a bigger application (virtual trainer) to show common aspects like authentication and authorisation, different user roles, edit and store information. Then going on to user defined components as well as AJAX.
Part three covers all the details of configurating a JSF app and the tags. The part is intended to be a reference for your daily work. But it does not only contain a short syntax description. Even this is a reference, you'll find a lot of additional information.
Don't be afraid about more than 700 pages. This book is easy to read and to understand. Great work!
Latest reviews on this site:


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Re: Republic Commando: Alpha Squad
ooc: nice disguises guise. The mask and dyed hair i particularly liked. and thanks for changing that Mandal. works better now.
ic: Kad was confident that he had lost his pursuers. The ACP mines had taken down several, and he had heard Deece sniper fire that could only have come from Jag--and he knew that every shot had been a hit. So he took advantage of the time given him. He took his armor off, and went out in his bodysuit. He received a few odd glances, but no one bothered him. He purchased some average civilian style clothes. He bought some gray hair dye, and added just enough to "age" himself over 30 years. He added a mustache, and bought an attache case for his assorted smaller weapons and items, and several larger suitcases containing his armor pieces and his Deece. He also met up with Tal and got an ID saying he was a buisinessman from Commenor. After his disguise was complete, he checked in a room on the backside of the third floor of the hotel.
--Captain Dynamic--


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Announced at CTIA Fall 2010, the Motorola Droid Pro takes aim at business users (and BlackBerry) by offering a full QWERTY keyboard and touch screen and enhanced security features. This combination certainly makes the smartphone the most business-friendly Android device out there and also gives Verizon customers their first Android-based world phone. In addition, the handset offers a better Web browser and a larger selection of apps than BlackBerrys. However, the latter still holds the upper hand in terms of messaging, enterprise support, and battery life, which may prevent some business users from ditching their BlackBerry. Still, for those ready to make switch in exchange for some of the reasons mentioned above, the Droid Pro is very much a worthy competitor. The Motorola Droid Pro is available now for $179.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.
The Motorola Droid Pro features a slate design that combines both a touch screen and full QWERTY keyboard. It's not particularly striking, though it's not necessarily meant to be, either, as a business device. Instead, it's got a classic black and silver chassis and at 4.69 inches tall by 2.36 inches wide by 0.46 inch wide and 4.73 ounces, the smartphone is not petite but still pocketable. In the hand, it feels solid, but it would have been nice to see a soft-touch finish on back instead of an all-plastic battery door, just to give it more of a premium feel. We also noticed that the phone can get a bit warm with use and while charging.
The Droid Pro's screen measures 3.1 inches diagonally and has an HVGA (320x480 pixels) resolution and support for up to 16 million colors. Though not as sharp (pixels were slightly more visible and graphics didn't look quite as smooth) as some of the WVGA displays on the market today, we still found the smartphone's screen bright and easy to read. The screen did fade a bit when viewed outdoors, and it's on the smaller side, but the phone offers a built-in accelerometer and pinch-to-zoom support so you can increase the viewing size using those methods.
The touch screen is responsive. It registered all our touches, and we were able to smoothly navigate through the various home screens and menus. Like the Motorola's recent Android devices, the Droid Pro uses a scaled-down version of Motoblur with resizable widgets and offers seven customizable home screens. Just below the screen are the standard Android shortcuts--menu, home, back, and search--and just beneath those is the QWERTY keyboard.
Anyone coming from a BlackBerry will feel right at home with the Droid Pro's keyboard, as it's remarkably similar to the one found on RIM's devices. The four-row keyboard features rectangular buttons with a slight ridge to them, so they're easier to press. Numbers and symbols share space with the letter keys with one shortcut button (voice search) included on the bottom row. Overall, we found it pleasant to use; the keys were large enough that we didn't have many mispresses. The phone doesn't feel top heavy while you're typing, but we did have to adjust a bit because the keyboard is so close to the bottom.
There are some other physical controls on the smartphone, including a volume rocker and Micro-USB port on the left spine, and a user-customizable shortcut key on the right. On top of the device, you'll find the power button and 3.5mm headphone jack and as always, the camera and flash are located on the back.
The Motorola Droid Pro comes packaged with an AC and three international adapters, a USB cable, a SIM card, a 2GB microSD card, and reference material.
The Motorola Droid Pro has a couple of distinctive features compared with Verizon's other Android devices. First of all, it offers dual-mode functionality, meaning that the phone supports both CDMA and GSM technologies for world-roaming capabilities. Domestically, the smartphone will operate on Verizon's CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A network, but will then automatically detect and switch to the international GSM bands, allowing you to make calls and receive data while traveling abroad. (The Droid Pro offers overseas 3G support.)
Now, while Verizon ships the Motorola Droid with a SIM card, the carrier will unlock the SIM as long as you've been a Verizon customer for more than 60 days and are in good financial standing. This means you'll be able swap out the included SIM for one you buy from an international carrier, which can often be cheaper. Regardless of which option you choose, be sure to check out Verizon's international coverage map and roaming rates, so you're fully informed and prepared before you make your trip.
The other key feature of the Droid Pro is the enhanced security capabilities. This includes the ability to remotely wipe your device and SD card in case your phone gets lost or stolen. The smartphone now also supports complex passwords and comes preloaded with a VPN client. In addition to these features, Motorola plans to add device and SD card encryption in early 2011, meaning that if someone were to hack your password, the content of your smartphone would still be unreadable. Still missing, however, is data encryption for anything sent over the network, which is an advantage RIM and BlackBerry have over Android and other mobile operating system.


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Agathis australis
Agathis australis (Kauri) is a coniferous tree native to the subtropical northern section of the North Island of New Zealand and is the biggest species of tree in the country, with trunk diameters that rival Sequoias. They attain heights of 40-50 meters and have smooth bark and small oval leaves. Other common names to distinguish A. australis from other members of the genus are Southern Kauri and New Zealand Kauri.
Although kauri forests are among the most ancient in the world, their territory decreased considerably due to heavy logging in the past. Kauri today are much less common than in pre-European times. The small remaining pockets of kauri forest in New Zealand are a remnant of the estimated 1.2 million hectares covered before human arrival. The forests have survived in areas that weren't burnt off by Māori settlers and were too inaccessible to European loggers. The largest area of mature Kauri forest is Waipoua Forest in Northland. Mature and regenerating Kauri can also be found in other National and Regional Parks such as Puketi and Omahuta Forests in Northland, the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland, and Coromandel Forest Park on the Coromandel Peninsula.
The most famous specimens are Tane Mahuta and Te Matua Ngahere in Waipoua Forest in Northland, a 2,500 hectare forest which contains three quarters of New Zealand's remaining kauri. Named after the Māori forest god and 'Father of the Forest' respectively, these two trees have become tourist attractions due to their size.
A considerable number of kauri have been found buried in what are today salt marshes, resulting from ancient natural changes such as volcanic eruptions, sea level changes and floods. Such trees have been radiocarbon dated to originating as far back as 50,000 years ago or older.
The text in this article excerpt is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Agathis australis".
© 2020 Spirit Wrestler Gallery. All Rights Reserved.


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Our mission has always been to save the world from mediocre coffee. Back in 1971 most people thought this was a noble yet hopelessly unachievable task.
Hand-making a cup of coffee is an art that takes time and skill to perfect.
We do great coffee at Costa, but that's not all, we do lots of other great drinks too, why not come in and try something new?
Feeling the heat? Why not pop in store and try one of our delicious new Ice Cold Drinks.
Imagine sitting in your favourite armchair, in your favourite Costa, sipping your favourite coffee and eating your favourite food. Wonderful thought isn't it? And now with our carefully created range, it's a wonderfully tasty reality too.
If you need a boost but are too busy to come along to one of our Costa Coffee stores, why not take advantage of our Delivery Service.
We want our coffee to leave a lasting impression on you, not our environment. That's why we do everything we possibly can to look after the communities we serve, and the world we live in.
On a grey day in London in 1971, an incredible thing happened: a cup of Costa coffee was poured for the very first time.
A New Kind Of Cold
COSTA Cold Brew is a smooth, chilled drink made from 100% single origin Arabica Colombian beans. Designed for a rich and balanced flavour, the carefully selected beans are immersed in fresh filtered water and brewed in-store for 20 hours to bring out the coffee's natural sweetness.
The coffee to unite all coffee lovers.
The first coffee drink of its kind to be introduced to the UAE market. Richer than a Latte. Creamier than a Cappuccino.
We have given our cold drinks range a luxurious makeover. Capturing the smooth, rich taste of our hot drinks range, we have added a dash of style and luxury to give you an indulgent experience, whatever the weather.
A combination of fresh skimmed milk and the brand's signature Mocha Italia blend, the Costa Light offers coffee lovers a highly anticipated smooth and mellow alternative to traditional coffee based drinks.
You've probably already enjoyed our warm and welcoming atmosphere as a Costa customer. Well, we're glad to say you'll find that same friendly feeling as a member of our team too. So whether you're looking for a career opportunity in our stores or an office role, you can find it here.
Costa baristas really know their beans. With technical skill, personality and passion for coffee, they have all the right ingredients to make a perfect cup, time after time.
Our store loyalty card is our way of showing some love to all you Costa coffee lovers out there.
Pick up a Loyalty Card from your nearest store and start your love affair with Costa today.
Login to check your balance, edit your details and manage your account.
Ever wondered what goes into creating the distinctive, fuller flavour and stronger aroma of a Costa coffee? Discover the journey each cup has been on before reaching you.


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Personally I am a builder than aggressor. Before Titans came out I was quite happy with Norse. The only reason I play with Atlanteans is I don't have to worry about drop sites but I think their military is quite low powered compared to other civilizations.
Apart from drop site, are there any other advantages to Atlantean workers?


text: Capitalism at Risk: Rethinking the Role of Business The spread of capitalism worldwide has made people wealthier than ever before. But capitalism's future is far from assured. The global financial meltdown of 2008 nearly produced a great depression. Economies in Europe are still teetering. Income inequality, resource depletion, mass migrations from poor to rich countries, religious fundamentalism--these are just a few of the threats to continuing prosperity. How can capitalism be sustained? And who should spearhead the effort? Critics turn to government. In Capitalism at Risk, Harvard Business School professors Joseph Bower, Herman Leonard, and Lynn Paine argue that while governments must play a role, businesses should take the lead. For enterprising companies--whether large multinationals, established regional players, or small start-ups--the current threats to market capitalism present important opportunities. Capitalism at Risk draws on discussions with business leaders around the world to identify ten potential disruptors of the global market system. Presenting examples of companies already making a difference, the authors explain how business must serve both as innovator and activist--developing corporate strategies that effect change at the community, national, and international levels. Filled with rich insights, Capitalism at Risk presents a compelling and constructive vision for the future of market capitalism.


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Nasir Sobhani's hairdressing qualifications from Victoria Polytechnic landed him a job he loves, and a way to help others.
Nasir is now employed in a high-profile barber shop in the city.
In his spare time Nasir is The Streets Barber, giving free haircuts and shaves to homeless people.
Nasir said barbering had taken his life in a new positive direction, and provided an opportunity for him to give less fortunate people a clean cut, and clean start.
Lauren Saylor's career goal since she was a teenager was to work in radio, and TAFE helped get her there.
She completed a course in screen and media at Holmesglen, and has used it to gain work as a breakfast radio producer for a popular FM station.
Lauren did further study, and took up a lecturer role at Holmesglen TAFE, teaching the course she completed there.
Lauren said TAFE allowed her to hone skills she learned through work experience in community radio.
Nasir Ali's path to a career in accountancy started with a TAFE course at RMIT.
It helped prepare him for further study, including a business degree and chartered accountancy course.
Nasir is now a corporate accountant and settlements officer in the grain industry.
He credits his earlier TAFE studies for empowering him with the skills and knowledge to continue taking steps towards his career goal.
Melinda Lethbridge's love of hands on learning and work led her to Swinburne University of Technology after completing her VCE.
The decision set her on a path to becoming a qualified – and nationally recognised - fitter and machinist.
Melinda won a gold medal in turning at the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition.
She combined her TAFE studies in engineering and mechanical trade with an apprenticeship, and went on to complete a second, related TAFE course.
Melinda took out Swinburne's best in first and third year awards, has been a Victorian and Australian Apprentice of the Year, and served as an Australian Apprenticeships ambassador.
Janelle Low's TAFE studies in photography helped her win the photographic equivalent of the Archibald Prize for portraiture.
Janelle was just 22 when she won the National Photographic Portrait Prize in 2013.
She said the award and her career as a freelance photographer specialising in art documentation would not have been possible without TAFE.
Janelle completed a Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT.
She has returned to RMIT as a sessional lecturer in photography, and is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts there.
Patrick Janes achieved outstanding results as an apprentice welder, and went on to buy the business where he trained.
His efforts as part of a Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade saw him named the Australian Apprentice of the Year at the 2013 Australian Training Awards.
He was also an Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador for the Australian Government.
Patrick now looks forward to training his own apprentices.
He studied at the University of Ballarat, now Federation University.
Matthew De Ruiter's career change was achieved through Bendigo Kangan Institute.
He worked in several fields before turning to TAFE to pursue a passion for building and construction, sparked years earlier by a home renovation project.
Matthew now runs his own building company employing four full-time apprentices.
His said qualified and experienced TAFE teachers helped set the foundations for his new career.
Francoise Zaninka's passion for education took her to The Gordon in Geelong.
After arriving in Australia as a refugee from Africa in 2010, she enrolled in a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, which she completed in 2015.
She was one of the TAFE's top students that year, presented with the CEO Award at the annual Gordon Awards for Excellence.
Her qualification led to full-time employment at a childcare and kindergarten centre.
Francoise hopes to study a Bachelor of Education in future.
Elke Hardy chose a course at Box Hill Institute as her starting point for a rewarding career in nursing.
She is now an enrolled nurse on rotation in an oncology ward, helping care for people with cancer.
Elke completed her course as a mature-aged student, and has since taken on further study.
She recommended the Diploma of Nursing to people of all ages contemplating a career in nursing, saying it taught the skills and knowledge needed to work as an enrolled nurse in a range of health care settings.
James Bennett, 18, used TAFE to fast-track his career plans.
The tractor enthusiast started his school-based agriculture apprenticeship through Wodonga TAFE in Year 11, and is following it up with an agricultural mechanical technology course at Sunraysia Institute in Swan Hill.
James combines his studies with work as an agricultural machinery specialist, diagnosing and repairing tractors and more.
In future, he wants to use his qualifications to work in agriculture while travelling overseas.
Chris Malcolmson's plumbing course at Holmesglen TAFE built on what he had learned through his family's long background in the trade.
He finished his studies with a high distinction, and is now director of his family's almost 40-year-old commercial plumbing business.
Chris, who did a plumbing apprenticeship with his father, said TAFE broadened his perspective of the industry, and sparked his passion for the trade.
He still has contact with the TAFE, and has found apprentices through it.
Jessi McEwan's cookery course at GippsTAFE (now Federation Training) set her up as a leading young chef.
Jessi was named Australia's first Young Chef Ambassador in 2014, and represented Australia at the World Chefs' Forum as part of the role.
The next year, she received a Victorian Young Achiever Award recognising her many culinary achievements.
Jessi said the training, support and encouragement she received at TAFE had been the perfect base for her career.
Crystal Jones has gone from being a cookery student at William Angliss Institute to an award-winning chef catering for royalty.
Since completing her TAFE course she has been a Chef de Cuisine for the royal family in Bahrain, and worked in top international restaurants.
Crystal, whose culinary skills have been recognised with numerous industry awards for excellence, is now a Chef de Cuisine in Melbourne.
She said TAFE built on the knowledge and skills she learned on the job as an apprentice.
Crystal completed her apprenticeship at one of Australia's top fine dining restaurants.
Indi Clarke's certificate IV in Business from Sunraysia Institute of TAFE opened up more opportunities for him to make a difference.
TAFE has taken Indi to the position of Manager at the Koorie Youth Council.
He previously used business skills learned at TAFE during his work at an organisation providing health and family services to Koorie people in the Mallee region.
In 2016, Indi was named the region's Citizen of the Year for his commitment to his culture and community, and was the Aboriginal Student of the Year at the Victorian and the Australian Training Awards.
Sevag Parseghian's decision to defer a university degree to pursue his life-long interest in hands-on mechanical work has paid off – big time.
He completed Certificate III in Automotive Mechanical Technology (Light Vehicle) at Kangan Institute, combining this with an apprenticeship through a group training organisation, at a luxury car manufacturer.
In 2012, Sev was recognised as one of Australia's best apprentices, and worked his way to the position of Technical Service Manager at Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
He said pursuing a career in something he was passionate about was the key to his success.
Jennifer Peart's outstanding achievements in a veterinary nursing course at The Gordon TAFE gave her the stepping stone she needed to take her passion for working with animals to the next level.
Jennifer is now a qualified veterinary nurse, and has been accepted into university to study zoology and animal science.
She was named the Victorian Vocational Student of the Year for 2016.
Tim Such's desire to advance his career saw him study an online management course at Chisolm Institute.
The course helped Tim achieve a promotion to a management role.
He is now considering studying a Master of Business Administration.
Tim said TAFE was ideal for people who had reached the ceiling of achievement in a role, and wanted to take their career to the next level.
For Tim, studying the Diploma of Management online as a mature-aged student worked ideally around his other work and family commitments.
Gemma Olsen's fascination with animal behaviour led her to TAFE.
She was six months into a psychology degree when she changed direction and enrolled in an Applied Science Animal Technology Diploma at Box Hill Institute.
The move paid off, with Gemma quickly finding work as an animal technician and research assistant.
She also used TAFE as a stepping stone into further study.
Gemma now runs her own animal education and therapy business.
Chris Henbery's career change was made possible by TAFE.
He left a career in banking to follow his green thumb to a horticulture course at Swinburne University of Technology, and an apprenticeship at a retail nursery.
Chris' work has been recognised with awards from the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria, and Swinburne. In 2015, he was named the Victorian Apprentice of the Year at the Australian Training Awards.
Chris now buys for a major garden nursery chain, and hopes to one day open his own retail nursery to give apprentices the same opportunities he had.
Sandra Lamonaca used to take photos as a hobby. Now, she does it as a career.
Sandra completed a Diploma of Photo Imaging part-time at Melbourne Polytechnic after originally enrolling in a short photography course.
Her images were recognised at two separate major Australian photography awards in 2016, the year she graduated.
Sandra, who now runs her own photography business, credited her success to a decision later in life to pursue her passion for photography at TAFE.
She recommended TAFE to others, saying it was never too late to start.
Loretta King's TAFE experience gave her a head start in the beauty industry.
Loretta studied a beauty course at GOTAFE while studying VCAL at school.
She went from head make-up artist for her final high school production to retail manager for a leading make-up brand.
Loretta now runs her own freelance make-up business, and has make-up education and film sets in her sights.
She really enjoyed the hands on learning and creative aspects of her TAFE experience.
Ryan Sessions' rise to fame as one of Australia's top chefs started at South West TAFE.
He used a cooking course as a pathway into an apprenticeship and has not looked back.
He first came to public attention at another restaurant, awarded Regional Restaurant of the Year and two Chef's Hats in the Good Food Guide in 2010.
Ryan is a finalist in the Good Food Guide 2017 Chef of the Year award, for his work at the Port Fairy restaurant he owns and runs.
A TAFE course allowed Jessica to get started on her career in the disability sector while she was still in school.
Mental health worker Oly says TAFE changed his life for the better.
TAFE helped Robyn, a mum of four, re-enter the workforce to pursue a career in mental health.
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Preface :
A few days back, during lunch time; I was listening to a wonderful TEDx talk about how we as humans have the natural tendency to look at the negatives and getting stuck in them. It was quite true and the speaker Miss Alison offered a simple technique on training to focus our mind on the positives in life – a gratitude journal or thinking of what made us happy that day !
Life is indeed cyclical and so are our days. During a day, we experience several highs and lows. I have tried to start a project for myself, where in I list down at least 5 things/ people/ incidents which made my day a "Happy" day and I've decided to call it "The Happyness Project (THP)". Starting August 2nd, each day I will post a short synopsis of what made me happy that day and let the people behind that moment know that I treasure that moment. So, essentially; it is happyness, gratitude & thankfulness all practiced together. These posts will not be pinned to my blog home page but will be published under the menu "The Happyness Project".
Today was a happy busy day, because :
- Waking up early on a weekend morning gives you so much more of the day to enjoy ! My day began at 7:30 AM courtesy to an errand, I had to attend to 🙂
- Morning walk for 50 minutes in the gentle sunlight which was a perfect start to the day. My brother accompanied me to collect some stuff sent from my parents
- Afternoon nap 😀 Such a rare luxury it is !
- Catch up over lunch with one of my seniors, who is a mentor to me. The lunch was sumptuous but our conversations on a variety of topics (more than the number of food items we were served) were the highlight
- The lunch reminded me of my friends – Nidhi & Dipu who I have to catch up with since long. I texted them that I missed our dinner @ Chappan Bhog & the fun times and talks. Immediately I got a text from them saying we will plan a dinner evening soon and whether I had some lunch on their behalf as well – this is REAL friendship ! 😀
- Created my profile on Sarahah – an app for anonymous feedback. The first message I received was a Hello from my Mom and some other interesting messages. The funny part was that though the messages were anonymous, I could easily know who the sender was except in 1- 2 cases. Thank you Fred, for the lovely message. Truly made me smile 🙂 You too, can leave me a message on my page : www.Himalis49.Sarahah.com
- Extra long evening walk by the Creek side – 17193 steps #yo!
- Prayer time @ Mandir & Gurudwara
- Talking over voice notes with my friend while walking – Idea should make me their brand ambassador for #WalkWhenYouTalk campaign 😛
- Making a new blogging friend – Dewin Nefol. I loved reading your poem and interacting with you. Namaste


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12 Tantalizing Holiday Main Dishes
Beer-Braised Brisket
Compared to classics like turkey or roast beef, which require precise timing, brisket is an amazingly forgiving holiday main dish. (It actually tastes better when made ahead and reheated!) Not to mention, it actually makes its own gravy as it cooks, a luscious sauce that's begging for mashed potatoes.
Cornish Game Hens with Root Vegetable Hash
A marinade made of rosemary, orange juice and sorghum (a syrup that is stronger tasting than honey but less bitter than molasses) infuses the dish with sweetness and color. Chef Edward Lee swears by sorghum''s flavor, but if you can''t find it, molasses works.
Big-Batch, All-Day Pasta Bolognese
This incredible pasta is the showpiece of the annual anniversary party at The Rieger restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. Start to finish, it takes 8 hours, mostly hands-off and none of it hard. You'll make 18 cups of sauce-enough to serve 24 or to freeze for meals all winter long.
Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Filet
At the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, cheddar and mushrooms flavor indulgent steaks.
Mustard-Crusted Rack of Pork
Perfumed with rosemary and sage and served with white wine gravy and whole-roasted garlic and shallots, this succulent roast delivers drama at a bargain price. We recommend ordering this roast in advance. Ask the butcher to remove the chine bone and to French the roast-trim fat and meat from the bone. The whole garlic bulbs are edible but intended as a garnish. If you want to skip them, just roast one for the gravy.
Allow us to introduce you to fennel pollen. This favorite of pros has hints of licorice and citrus. Find it in specialty stores or online, then use it to flavor pork belly. Serve Salsa Verde over potatoes or with porchetta.
Classic Lasagna
With its rich meaty sauce and creamy cheese layers, this lasagna is always a favorite main dish.
Cider-Brined Turkey with Roasted Apples
Even better than the pretty glazed fruit and crazy-juicy bird? The appley gravy made from the drippings.
Rolled Spinach Pork Loin
Roll a filling of bacon, chopped spinach and Parmesan cheese in pork loin roast to create this appealing holiday main dish, from Turkey Run Inn in Terre Haute, Indiana. When checking the temp of this roast, move the thermometer around so it's resting in meat, not filling.
Herbed Chicken With Wild Rice
For the holidays, guests savor this herbed chicken and vegetable main dish at the Lodge of Four Seasons in Lake Ozark, Missouri. Chefs cook and stir their own Alfredo sauce, but we skipped that step and used purchased sauce as the base.
Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb
With its short cook time, this Mediterranean-inspired roast leaves plenty of time (and space in the oven) for preparing side dishes. The recipe comes from chef Anne Kearney.
Tomato Pesto Turkey and sides
A homemade pesto mixed with parsley, rosemary and walnuts creates a nutty rub for turkey breast. Pair with adobo-flavored potatoes and lemony Brussels sprouts.