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Review: Crayon Physics Deluxe
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Watch your drawings come to life - without the need for mind-altering substances!
"Expecting it to take off" whilst firing rockets at each other?
Is that a pun I hear Susan? :)
i still actually found this game strangely annoying because of its music and the fact you would also sometimes do something that would make it so that you wouldn't be able to complete the puzzle, and the puzzles are alot easier then they think they are. but all in all its a fun game, i like world of goo better
Rock, Paper, Shotgun and PixelVixen 707 both made a point about the game that I can't shake off: it's really easy to break the puzzles. You just slap two bolts onto a platform and then draw whatever bridge you need to the star, then nudge the circle along.
The question I get stuck on is if the game has an obligation to make me be more creative, which is possible, or let me suffer by rendering the whole thing dull. It's sorta like Far Cry 2, the game is boring if you don't experiment and take your time. Is that a bad thing?
Any game can be made un-fun by a knucklehead with a chip on his shoulder. Anyone with an older brother knows what I'm talking about. I don't see it as the obligation of the game designer to create an environment in which it's impossible to side-step the objective. If your solution is to draw a straight line and nudge, then, go you. I suppose that's an accomplishment of some sort.
I remember playing a little flash game of sorts like this game. I found it rather amusing to play and it was always kind of fun to find a wacky way to get the circle from about A to B.
I agree that you can definitely level break any open ended game but at least with Metroid Prime or GTA you know you're breaking the level. I like the game, I'm not shooting it down, it's just that I've never seen a puzzle game that required me to motivate myself to make solving the problem more complicated than it has to be.
It's just a sort of Gordian Knot dilemma, the reaction is to slice it with a sword not untie the knot.
Can you use the crayons to draw Occam's Razor?
I don't necessarily think the game requires you to come up with the most complicated solution - it's more a question of what you find fun at the time. In your case, it seems like collecting stuff quickly and unlocking new levels is more fun than simply messing around in the sandbox. That's completely understandable - I ended up using the same pulley system for what felt like a couple dozen levels jut because it worked so well (and I was on a deadline).
I think Crayon Physics will likely prompt many of the same criticisms that LittleBigPlanet has - mainly, hardcore games will wonder, "Why am I playing this? Where's the game here?" There's nothing wrong with preferring a more structured experience.
I present, Exhibit A on why this game is brilliant:
At first I wasn't terribly interested; intrigued by the concept, yes, but I really didn't feel any overriding need to play Crayon Physics. But it just occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, it'd work on my mini-Tablet PC... *scribbles madly with stylus, tongue sticking out of the left side of his mouth*
-- Steve
very good, might have to check this out
What platform is this game out on?
Played the demo.
It's a nice toy, but not a good game. Like L.B. Jeffries pointed out, you can draw any shape you like and break the puzzles quickly. Being able nudge the ball left and right with a click makes it only worse. There's almost no sense of accomplishment. The abilities of the player could be more limited. Maybe restricting the number of objects and bolts you could use per level to spice things up.
It's fun for while, but it could have been more.
I really don't like the art style.
Enough pointless ranting ;)
It's out for the PC and the iPhone/iPod Touch, although I haven't had a chance to play it on the latter.
I can't wait to hear the piracy rate on this game (It's not free, right?). Will it beat World of Goo?
You can break any game if you try hard enough. The game shouldn't have to put a leash on you to prevent you from not playing it the way it was intended.
Erm, there are a lot of staff interested in this one, so I'm not trying to be troublesome or anything. Even with this complaint there are a couple of levels I can't even beat yet despite fooling around for a while.
It's not that you can break the game, it's that there is no incentive to not break it. That just strikes me as unusual. There's no "Cheating is For Losers" incentive, there's no challenge to breaking the game like Metroid Prime. Honestly I don't even know if I'd say I was breaking the game, just focusing on beating the level to the exclusion of other incentives. If I really am supposed to draw elaborate robots and contraptions to play it the way it was intended, why the lack of coercion?
I wouldn't exactly call it "cheating," but it's probably not what the designer intended. Even after you've collected all 81 stars, it doesn't really feel like you've "beaten" the game. You can go back to your favorite puzzles and think up new solutions, muck around with the level editor or take a look at other people's levels (some of which are pretty amusing).
On that last point, I spoke with Purho about the Playground and thought I'd post his responses:
1) Will you be patching the Crayon Physics client to allow direct access to the Playground without having to use a browser?
"I'm planning of continuing to update both the game and the Playground. There are plans to integrate the playground directly into the game so that a web browser wouldn't be necessary, but I don't know about the schedule yet."
2) How do you plan to make the best/most intriguing levels more visible to players who may not have the time to sort through them by hand?
"There's the sorting by ratings, but also stuff like featured levels planned."
3) Will there be a way to load Playground files without saving them to your hard drive?
"I hope so :)"
"I'm hoping that it will grow to have a life of it's own with a huge number of interesting levels. It's looking very promising for a week-old community with limited tools. I'm excited to see what will come out of it in the future."
i can not believe this, but i might just have to get this game!!!
Yes but in crayon physics it's far too easy to break the rules. In most demo levels it's enough to draw an irregular shape fitting neatly in the abyss between the ball and the star and then just nudge the ball once. No need for swinging hammers and unfornately not much fun. Sure you could try something more elaborate, but there's no incentive to do so.
Any game imposes some kind of limitation on the player. It's not to force the player to play the game in the one and only way intended by the designer or to punish him, but to make the choices within these restrictions meaningful, getting the player to think about them, challenge him time and time again. For me the crayons physics demo achieves that in only a handful of levels. That's why I think it's a nice toy to be creative, but not a great game.
Crayon physics Delux follows the same vein as World of Goo in that the original idea began as a simple tech demo which became popular.
I give credit to these independent developer companies. Who calls for a Wii version? I think it would suit.
And before anyone calls me out mentioning this guy's bad luck in getting a dev kit, I see that these two guys were patient and had a huge Wii success.
Ah I love this review and can't wait to play the game!
Can you buy the game online somewhere or is it free? I'm kinda interested in it.
An interesting and well thought-out counterpoint. I see what you're saying...not sure I necessarily agree, but I appreciate your taking the time to better clarify your point of view.
I have only played the demo and it does look quite good to be honest.
You can buy it online for $20. Here's the official website.
Thanks. I will try the demo first.
Yup, true to his word the issue has been resolved. There are now different rewards for solving the puzzles without using bolts or string in addition to an 'awesome' award.
My favorite bit is that he decided the awesome prize is self-awarded. When you create a solution that you feel is artsy enough to deserve the prize, you give it to yourself.
You don't need to use mind altering substances, but when you do...
Hmm...that raised an interesting point. You don't need to come up with elaborate means to solve a puzzle, but when you do...
Sure, you can hack through the whole game in a mere afternoon if you choose to... but that isn't what this game is about. I don't want to use the "you don't need to understand this game, you have to feel it" cliché, but it certainly stands for Crayon Physics. The game, at least for me, radiates some wild emotional content.
Some say the music is annoying, the gameplay is childish and the whole game is too easy, pointless even. For me, the music is soothing, calming (strangely resembles the music from the Sims, somehow), the graphics, the vibrant crayon colors and the doodles are somehow make me feel like a kid again. For reasons undisclosed, I didn't really had a childhood like most people. I'm not that old, but (sadly) I'm an adult now, and this game takes me back to the childhood I never had. Combining it with some weird physics puzzles, that brought some much needed joy into my life, at least for a few evenings.
I think immersion, emotion and imagination are a must have part of any game.
Seems interesting enough, but I'm not likely to shell out 20 bucks when there is an almost identical physics engine game called Phun that is completely and utterly free. It doesn't have any nifty puzzles, but just for shear physics craziness, I'll stick with it.
This game is a brilliant little time waster. Really clever but extremely frustrating at times.
There are people who buy games in order to play them, or even to play in them. Then there are players who buy games to beat them.
Players who play the games will enjoy the play mechanics, explore the levels, poke around, and generally view the games as toys or even media for their own expression; these are the map explorers, the physics abusers, the machinamists. Players who beat games will seek the most efficient way to progress through the game, seek to be challenged by obstacles preventing completion, and view the games as tests of their playing skill; these are the pro players, the trophy collectors, the competitive leading edge.
Players who play the games don't necessarily care if the game is "too easy", so long as the game gives them enough to do/explore/use within it. Players who beat games will care.
Know your market, and target your games appropriately.
-- Steve
There are games for these people. I don't mean to polarize, but there are those "mindless shooters", like Painkiller and Serious Sam kinda "games" where there are you, a huge gun, and hordes upon hordes of enemies to slaughter in the cruelest way possible. And that's it. Nothing else. No story whatsoever, no immersion, no imagination, no "game world" to speak of, just a big arena and things to shoot at. These "game beaters" you speak of usually enjoy these games. A lot. And while they tend to play other games, they usually in it for the challenge, to actually beat the game in fastest, most efficient way possible. Speedplayers are like this.
But. This efficiency and being fast, this achievement driven gaming, when you beat a game only to have all the unlockables, Live achievements or rise to the top of the ranking list, to "finish the game already"... this defeats the purpose of many games, IMHO. It's same as life: It's not the destination that matters, but the journey. While it's only natural to want to know what's behind the next door, what's in the next chapter or on the next level, and yes, the ending is usually the best, but to play a game just to beat it, to be able to tell "yea, I finished that game in a day, am I good or what?", it's not good. Progression, character development (even yours in front of the screen), the story, the little things. I personally can't imagine to play a game like Mass Effect, KotOR, Oblivion or other RPGs, without going through the game at lest twice to hear all the dialog options, to see the story from every imaginable perspective, to play the game to it's fullest.
When I was playing Morrowind back in the day, I stumbled upon a speedrun video, where they went from the intro to the outro in mere 17 minutes, there were comments for that video with people praising the guy doing the speedrun, people who managed to do in 16, and some tricks to hack the game to finish it faster. (I managed to finish that game in almost a month, and I was playing almost every day.) For me, that video was a bullet to the brain, and I had only one question... "why?". Speedrunning the (then) longest, most immerse, imaginative, most impressive and awesome RPG of all time seemed like an insult, a kick to the crotch. This is just one lame example, but I think it's almost the same to say Crayon Phisics is a "meh." if you just beat it, it's like speedrunning Morrowind. Sure it may be fun for some people to "beat" the game, but that's not what that game is about.
Just my $0.02
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This class will have you making wall art to compliment any room in your house. Dina hangs out at The Verge Center for the Arts.
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Bushing, Bronze Tilt Pin
Racing Spec.
Part #XMDA-0787-A01
Compatible With:
- INDY Stern Drive
Bushing, Bronze Tilt Pin
WARNING: This product can expose you to engine exhaust, during operation, containing chemicals including carbon monoxide, benzene, and lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65warnings.ca.gov/marine.


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Honesty and Integrity
Get answers to questions about the standards of the Church. Choose a topic above to see more.
What's so wrong about cheating in school?
"Cheating in school is a form of self-deception. We go to school to learn. We cheat ourselves when we coast on the efforts and scholarship of someone else" (James E. Faust, "Climb High," New Era, June 1997, 6).Close
If it doesn't hurt anyone, what's wrong with telling a lie?
"No man will ever be totally free who is living a lie. Only he who bears or who has borne such a continuing burden can relate appropriately to such a declaration. We should ever bear in mind that a wrong isn't right just because many people do it. A wrong deed isn't right just because it hasn't become visible.
"May our Heavenly Father help us to have the courage to acknowledge and cast aside the living of a lie or the perpetuation of lies. Honesty is more than a policy. It is a happy way of life as we deal with our fellowmen, and particularly as we live with ourselves" (Marvin J. Ashton, "This Is No Harm," April 1982 general conference).Close
What does it mean to be honest?
"To be honest means to be sincere, truthful, and without deceit at all times. . . . Being honest often requires courage and sacrifice, especially when others try to persuade you to justify dishonest behavior. If you find yourself in such a situation, remember that the lasting peace that comes from being honest is more valuable than the momentary relief of following the crowd" (True to the Faith, 84).Close
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"When you are honest in every way, you are able to enjoy peace of mind and maintain self-respect. You build strength of character, which allows you to be of service to God and others. You are trustworthy in the eyes of God and those around you.
"On the other hand, if you are dishonest in your words or actions, you hurt yourself and often hurt others as well. If you lie, steal, cheat, or neglect to give the full amount of work for your pay, you lose your self-respect. You lose the guidance of the Holy Ghost. You may find that you have damaged relationships with family members and friends and that people no longer trust you" (True to the Faith, 84).Close


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I found this first in the German 'Spiegel' magazine, then in English on http://blog.wired.com/27BStroke6/
It's not surprising that an expert hired by EFF should produce an analysis that supports the group's case against AT&T. But last week's public court filing of a redacted statement by J. Scott Marcus is still worth reading for the obvious expertise of its author, and the cunning insights he draws from the AT&T spy documents.
An internet pioneer and former FCC advisor who held a Top Secret security clearance, Marcus applies a Sherlock Holmes level of reasoning to his dissection of the evidence in the case: 120-pages of AT&T manuals that EFF filed under seal, and whistleblower Mark Klein's observations inside the company's San Francisco switching center.
If you've been following Wired News' coverage of the EFF case, you won't find many new hard revelations in Marcus' analysis -- at least, not in the censored version made public. But he connects the dots to draw some interesting conclusions:
My bullet points don't come close to conveying the painstaking reasoning he lays out to back each of his conclusions.
Perhaps the most interesting -- and, in retrospect, obvious -- point Marcus makes is that AT&T customers aren't the only ones apparently being tapped. "Transit" traffic originating with one ISP and destined for another is also being sniffed if it crosses AT&T's network. Ironically, because the taps are installed at the point at which that network connects to the rest of the world, the safest web surfers are AT&T subscribers visiting websites hosted on AT&T's network. Their traffic doesn't pass through the splitters.
With that in mind, here's the 27B Stroke 6 guide to detecting if your traffic is being funneled into the secret room on San Francisco's Folsom street.
Note: This room is physically only accessible to NSA (National Security Agency) staff.
I found this article on Wired.com and performed the test on my machine, with the same result.
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For $7.5 million: Defaulting Bundoran claimed on courthouse steps
Bundoran, a defaulted open-space-oriented development in southern Albemarle, was taken away from its developer June 29 on the courthouse steps when the lender, Wells Fargo, valued it at $7.5 million. There were no other bids at the Wednesday afternoon auction. Subsequent to the foreclosure, the developer announced that it would continue developing– just with Wells Fargo as the owner.
"We know they'll be good stewards," said Charles Adams of Celebration Associates, a firm which had been a 50/50 owner of this so-called "preservation development" near the village of North Garden. The other owner was Qroe Preservation, a New England-based concern that began developing the farm as Edge Valley Preservation LLC. Adams said he did not know the amount of the debt but conceded that the property had been in default for "over a year."
The foreclosure is just the latest in a trio of setbacks that began with tragedy on a rainy day in 2006, when a small private airplane carrying Qroe founder Robert H. Baldwin and piloted by Qroe associate David Brown crashed in fog, unable to find the grass landing strip on the property. Both men died.
After that, the real estate market deflated, causing the place to go an entire year without a single sale, according to a candid interview in March when the developers defaulted on an adjacent parcel, the historic Upper Bundoran.
In response to a reporter's question, Adams noted that Celebration Associates is losing another of its vaunted developments within days of losing Bundoran. The Homestead Preserve, a planned community adjacent to the famed Homestead resort, will be taken over by Wells Fargo by a deed in lieu of foreclosure, Adams said.
Bundoran lies on the same side of Charlottesville as another infamously defaulting property, the 1,200-acre Biscuit Run. There, another set of developers found a lifeline in the form of conservation tax credits when they sold it for use as a state park. While that sale provoked public outrage and touched off a state investigation, officials may have closed their files on that deal.
Curiously, the much larger Bundoran– which covers approximately 2,300 acres– did not attempt to use conservation tax credits, says Adams.
"And there were no federal tax deductions either," notes Adams. "We just wanted to see the land stay in the present land pattern."
Adams said that 30 of the approximately 100 platted lots at Bundoran have sold with five houses standing and two more under construction. The Bundoran plan has been to keep most of the acreage under conservation easement as pasture, forest, and orchards.
The developers bought the property in 2006 for $31 million from Fred Scott, who attended the auction but who did not appear to participate.
Adams said that the Wells Fargo purchase should be comforting to homeowners. "We know they'll be in good hands," said Adams.Read more on: biscuit runbundoran farm
4 comments
Another banking take over. And they needed a bail-out ?
Quite a contrast between this and Biscuit Run. I hope the Biscuit Run investigation is not over.
Wells Fargo was actually one of the banks that remained solvent throughout the banking crisis...if that's what you were referring to :)
Sure the banks remained solvent, with a huge infusion of taxpayer dollars, and that's exactly what happened at Biscuit Run, a taxpayer bail-out.


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Boy Scout Brett Merillat was presented with a challenge and he met it. His success led to a long-held dream of becoming an Eagle Scout.
The Hudson resident will celebrate his achievement Aug. 18 at ceremony in Morenci.
Brett wasn't a Cub Scout for long before setting his sights on earning the Eagle badge. As he worked his way up through Scouting's ranks, it was finally time to develop an Eagle project.
Brett worked with the Lenawee County Chapter of the American Red Cross to do more than just organize a blood drive; he was challenged to double the usual amount of donations at Morenci bloodmobile visit.
With the help of other Scouts in Morenci's Troop 681, the challenge was met—despite the added challenge of a power outage the day of the drive in 2006.
Brett was a member of the Hudson's Scout group through the first four years of Boy Scouts. When Hudson Troop 650 discontinued, he joined Morenci's troop to finish out his Scouting career.
The 16-year-old is a senior at Hudson High School and intends to become a mathematics or science teacher. He is the son of Gene and Kathy Merillat.
• Friends of Brett are invited to attend his Eagle Scout ceremony at the Morenci Church of the Nazarene at 2 p.m. Aug. 18.


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Discover for free which first names would suit you or your baby !
Meaning of name Launo
Etymology : Possibly a Finnish diminutive of KLAUS
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Origin : Finnish (Rare)
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Gender : boy
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Who is he?
Reserved and secretive, Launo doesn´t always like to follow tradition. Original or even quite unconventional, he appears distant and unemotional when in truth he is a shy and nervous man. who only really opens up once he feels comfortable with his company and environment. He is eclectic and just like an iceberg, there is a lot more to his character than meets the eye. He could be cheerful, light-hearted, playful, charming and apparently carefree one moment; then a few minutes later become solemn and serious, thoughtful and much more profound than one had imagined him to be. There are days when he is fun-loving and outgoing, eager to please, enthusiastic and happy to indulge in life´s pleasures; and others where he is introverted and asocial, seeking solitude in order to resource and relax, meditate or contemplate Launo is a sensitive creature but he tends to hide behind a more or less wry smile and cutting, caustic attitude; which he considers less dangerous than revealing his tender and vulnerable true nature. He uses humour as a shield and as an outlet for his creativity, and this can make him very enigmatic - especially since he himself cultivates this mystery and is fascinated by the unknown and unusual aspects of existence. He is curious and prefers to listen to what others have to say, since he considers that they are more interesting than him. Launo is endowed with a rational and scientific mind, but he nevertheless possesses strong intuitive abilities and if he would just take the time to listen to that small voice inside, he could be pleasantly surprised. As a child, Launo could be quite a dichotomy. On the one hand, he is inquisitive and into everything, lively, mobile and possibly a little unsettled or changeable (especially if he was born on a 5th, 14th, 23rd, in May, or if his life Path Number is 5). The other side of his personality is often more prominent, and makes him inclined to reflection, internalization and isolation (especially if he was born on a 7th, 16th, 25th, in July, or if he has a life Path Number of 7). He therefore needs to be able to fully experience both of these aspects of his personality, which is possible through the practice of strategic, logical games (chess, computers) and sport. Parents, be attentive and encourage him to communicate, especially during adolescence; otherwise he could become withdrawn and cut himself off from the world.
What does he like?
Although it isn´t necessarily obvious, Launo is a tender and affectionate soul who seeks the company of others, friendship and love. If he lives his number of inwardness at the vibrational level of his master number 11, he will be the "leader" in his romantic relationships. He will have a tendency to want to take care of others towards whom he will display a friendly manner and over whom he will have a certain ascendancy. If he lives at the level of the 2, he will seek external support and understanding, and will be more or less dependent on his close friends and family. When in love, Launo is conciliatory, charming and good at psychology; however, he isn´t always particularly demonstrative.
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What does he do?
There are several possibilities for this multifaceted individual, and it isn´t unusual for him to change his mind a few times before finding his true calling. He will lean towards the technical, specialized or cutting-edge professions, those involving advice and consultancy as well as occupations requiring mobility or manaual dexterity...
Discover others boys first names : Laban Labhrainn Labhrás
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It sometimes happens that two different first names have the same meaning. This has nothing surprising: both first names have the same figures of numerology. It is as in astrology: two persons belonging to the same sign present the same characteristic...
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Your Name Horoscope !
Thanks to the numerology, we propose you daily a horoscope personalized for your first name. Love, money , Shape: discover what waits for you for today. In Bonus every day find your daily lucky figure .. Horoscope of the first names
Love :Couples: The complicity between the two of you will be reinforced. Singles: An admirer will make themselves known.
Money :You are trying to decide whether or not to make a property investment. Take your time.
Health:You won't see any results without some effort Launo .
Your Lucky number : 80


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Biotech Center Issues $595,325 in Research Grants
The North Carolina Biotechnology Center has issued $595,325 in Biotechnology Research Grants to eight scientists at seven institutions from Charlotte to the coast.
The grants, providing a maximum of $75,000, support novel research projects at academic and non-profit research institutions. Scientists gather preliminary data that enable them to attract additional funding. Historically this program has leveraged $2.46 in additional funding for each $1 granted.
This year's awarded projects range from an exploration of a new anti-viral compound found in a tiny marine creature to research into developing a promising new material that can be absorbed by the body while closing cleft palates.
Grants awarded are:
- $73,500 to Mingxing Wang, Ph.D., of Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, to improve the delivery vehicle of therapeutics used to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other diseases.
- $73,790 to Beth Thompson, Ph.D., of East Carolina University, to develop techniques that can control floral development in maize plants, potentially a way to increase yields.
- $75,000 to Shengmin Sang, Ph.D., of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, to study the combination of aspirin and a natural compound found in blueberries, which may create a more effective way to prevent colon cancer.
- $75,000 to Jonathan Sexton, Ph.D., of North Carolina Central University in Durham, to develop a new way to screen compounds to treat diabetes.
- $75,000 to Adam Hall, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, to develop a device to examine DNA-associated proteins as a diagnostic tool.
- $75,000 to Nicholas Oberlies, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, to explore natural products found in fungi for useful compounds, such as anti-cancer medicines.
- $74,961 to Jeffrey Wright, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, to conduct chemical and biological studies on a new anti-viral compound derived from marine dinoflagellates, a type of micro-algae, grown in the lab.
- $73,074 to William Wagner, Ph.D., of Wake Forest University Health Sciences, to develop a new material that can be absorbed by the body while closing cleft palates.
More than $3,042,000 in Biotechnology Research Grants have been awarded to 44 North Carolina scientists at 12 institutions since the program was started in 2006.
Scientists at the main campuses of Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are not eligible for these grants. They are eligible for other Biotechnology Center funding programs.
The pre-proposal deadline for the 2011-12 funding cycle is at noon on Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
Thu, 08/11/2011 - 04:00


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After multiple high precision detections (ACT, SPT, Planck) gravitational lensing has become a new source of relevant cosmological information: combining it with other probes (e.g. the large scale structure) can give significant insight on the evolution of the Dark Energy component. Developing new algorithms of estimate of this signal will allow the community to exploit this observable as a new and independent probe in cosmology. In my talk I will present the reconstruction of the lensing shear pattern and its angular power spectrum from total intensity and polarised CMB maps obtained using Born approximated ray-tracing through N-body simulated structures.The recovered spectra are in agreement with predictions of the underlying ΛCDM with no visible bias, on a scale interval which extends from the arcminute to several degrees over the sky. This demonstrates the feasibility of CMB lensing studies based on large scale simulations of cosmological structure formation in the context of the upcoming large observational campaigns.


text:
Summary Report for:
43-3021.01 - Statement Clerks
Prepare and distribute bank statements to customers, answer inquiries, and reconcile discrepancies in records and accounts.
Sample of reported job titles: Account Services Representative, Bookkeeping Assistant, Data Processor, Item Processing Clerk, Operations Clerk, Reconciling Clerk, Statement Clerk, Statement Distribution Clerk, Statement Processor, Statement Services Representative
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
- Post stop-payment notices to prevent payment of protested checks.
- Verify signatures and required information on checks.
- Retrieve checks returned to customers in error, adjusting customer accounts and answering inquiries about errors as necessary.
- Route statements for mailing or over-the-counter delivery to customers.
- Monitor equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Fix minor problems, such as equipment jams, and notify repair personnel of major equipment problems.
- Weigh envelopes containing statements to determine correct postage and affix postage, using stamps or metering equipment.
- Compare previously prepared bank statements with canceled checks and reconcile discrepancies.
- Take orders for imprinted checks.
- Encode and cancel checks, using bank machines.
- Load machines with statements, cancelled checks, or envelopes to prepare statements for distribution to customers or stuff envelopes by hand.
- Maintain files of canceled checks and customers' signatures.
Technology Skills
- Access software — Image Deposit Exchange Check Station; Remote deposit capture software
- Customer relationship management CRM software — HelpIT Systems addressIT
- Data base user interface and query software — Microsoft Access
- Document management software — Check processing software; VECTORsgi Check Management Solution
- Electronic mail software — Microsoft Outlook
- Financial analysis software — Accuity EPICWare; IPS of Boston DoubleCheck; Positive pay software
- Graphics or photo imaging software — Check imaging software; Fiserv PEP+ reACH; Image replacement document IRD printing software; Mitek Systems ImageNet Payments (see all 6 examples)
- Industrial control software — Check sorting control software
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Operating system software — Microsoft Windows
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software — Optical character recognition OCR software
- Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
- Project management software — Microsoft Project
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used
- Check endorsing machines — Check and document signers; Check cancelling machines
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Digital image printers — Magnetic ink character recognition MICR printers
- Filing cabinets or accesories — Check filing cabinets
- Franking or postage machines — Digital postal meters; Mechanical postal meters
- Letter folders — Paper folders
- Mail opening machines — Envelope opening machines
- Mail sealing machines — Envelope sealing machines; Envelope stuffers
- Microfilm cameras
- Optical character recognition systems — Magnetic ink character recognition MICR encoding machines; Magnetic ink character recognition MICR readers
- Paper sorting machines — Paper collaters
- Postal scales — Shipping scales
- Scientific calculator — Proof machines
- Sorters — Check sorting machines
- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Work Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Detailed Work Activities
- Provide information to coworkers.
- Verify accuracy of financial or transactional data.
- Maintain financial or account records.
- Weigh parcels to determine shipping costs.
- Reconcile records of sales or other financial transactions.
- Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
- Execute sales or other financial transactions.
- Operate office equipment.
- Route mail to correct destinations.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Maintain office equipment in proper operating condition.
- Report maintenance or equipment problems to appropriate personnel.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context
- Contact With Others — 95% responded "Constant contact with others."
- Time Pressure — 77% responded "Every day."
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 85% responded "Extremely important."
- Face-to-Face Discussions — 65% responded "Every day."
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- Telephone — 73% responded "Every day."
- Work With Work Group or Team — 61% responded "Extremely important."
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 14% responded "Important."
- Electronic Mail — 52% responded "Every day."
- Freedom to Make Decisions — 67% responded "Some freedom."
- Physical Proximity — 44% responded "Slightly close (e.g., shared office)."
- Letters and Memos — 11% responded "Once a year or more but not every month."
- Spend Time Sitting — 52% responded "Continually or almost continually."
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 37% responded "Continually or almost continually."
- Deal With External Customers — 27% responded "Extremely important."
- Frequency of Decision Making — 34% responded "Once a year or more but not every month."
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 36% responded "Minor results."
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 34% responded "Once a year or more but not every month."
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 48% responded "Continually or almost continually."
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 53% responded "Every day."
Job Zone
|Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
|These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
|Related Experience
|Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
|Job Training
|Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
|Job Zone Examples
|These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
|SVP Range
|(4.0 to < 6.0)
Interest code: CES Want to discover your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
- Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Styles
- Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
- Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Work Values
- Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Related Occupations
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wage data for Billing and Posting Clerks.
Employment data for Billing and Posting Clerks.
Industry data for Billing and Posting Clerks.
|Median wages (2019)
|$18.63 hourly, $38,740 annual
|State wages
|Local wages
|Employment (2018)
|486,300 employees
|Projected growth (2018-2028)
|Faster than average (7% to 10%)
|Projected job openings (2018-2028)
|State trends
|Top industries (2018)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data and 2018-2028 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2018-2028). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Job Openings on the Web
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.


text:
Monday, October 26, 2020
75-year-old woman hospitalized after Israeli army sprayed her home with "skunk" water
Charlotte Drax
- July 01, 2014
Main News
] [
Life under Occupation
Collective Punishment
] [
civilian casualties
] [
] [
Aida refugee camp
Send by email:
A water canon, that could be used to spray skunk, installed by the Israeli army on the Wall, near the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem.
First used by the Israeli army in 2008, "skunk" is a putrid-smelling liquid developed for dispersing demonstrations. The company behind the creation, Odortec Ltd., initially specialised in "scent-based pest control," later choosing to focus its "resources and efforts on developing non-lethal, eco-friendly tools for law enforcement." The toxicity and lethality of this substance, however, has recently been called into question. On Sunday, 75-year-old Rubhiya Abd al-Rahman Darwish of Bethlehem was hospitalised after Israeli forces sprayed her home with "skunk."
In an interview with
Ma'an News Agency
, Rubhiya described how she was starkly awoken from her nap by the sound of shattering glass in her small apartment in Bethlehem's Aida Refugee camp. "I saw a burst of water breaking through the window, when suddenly an intense odour hit and I passed out from the smell, so they had to take me to the hospital. They [doctors] gave me a shot, but the poison started coming out of my mouth and nose. I started screaming because my back was hurting, and it hasn't stopped," she said.
Although its developers insist that the substance "poses no health hazard despite the outrageous smell," some people who have come into regular contact with "skunk" argue otherwise. "I don't know what's in it, but it's really bad. On some clothes it can take years for the smell to go away," a photographer at the weekly Bil'in protest told Palestine Monitor. One resident of al-Eizariyah, on the outskirts of Jerusalem situated right next to the Wall, stated that she has known four pregnant women miscarry after inhaling the fumes given off by "skunk."
According to the online
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
, "skunk" is composed of water, yeast and sodium bicarbonate. At the pH level of sodium bicarbonate, "the yeasts synthesise some amino acids causing heavy odour." The company boasts on its
that "skunk liquid is perfectly safe to consume," however, the MSDS lists "irritation to the skin, redness and pains to the eyes and abdominal pain if ingested" as "major hazards." It also stipulates that it should be used when there is "good ventilation," an open-space environment very unlike the small apartment in which Rubhiya was sleeping when the "skunk" seeped in.
It was reported by locals that this daytime incident was completely unprovoked and unexpected. Many were shocked by the fact that Israeli forces had covered the refugee camp in a layer of the unknown, repulsive substance. Nidal Al-Azraq, a volunteer at the Lajee centre, told
Ma'an News
that although he was unsure of the purpose of the Israeli raid, he believed that they had done it in order to pressure residents into stopping protesters in the camp, who often throw rocks at the Israeli soldiers stationed nearby.
Al-Azraq went on to add that many people were resigned to such attacks by military forces. "It's useless to say that this is against our human rights, because that is not a language that Israel knows. What use is it to ask why they do this to people?"
Back to Top
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text:
Joining us today is Ryan Schneider, CTO and co-founder of Acceleware, a company that provides tools for using graphics-processing units (GPUs) to address general-purpose computing tasks.
DDJ: Ryan, what is "GPU computing"?
RS: To Acceleware, GPU Computing means using Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to perform the calculations traditionally performed by Computer Processing Units (CPUs) to solve the math required for data processing and scientific simulation ("Technical Computing" and/or a lot of the problems being solved in HPC today). By virtue of what GPUs have been optimized to do historically (many integer and/or floating-point operations, in parallel = fast, high quality frame rates in a game, with amazing new features/lighting/shading/whatever, every year) they are now very suited -- much more so than alternatives -- for addressing computationally-intensive, parallel problems.
While this new approach to computing has its roots in GPGPU (General Purpose GPU), at least early on as we followed this area, most applications were focused on enhancing the visual image quality (High Dynamic Range Lighting) or putting something cool on the screen (Mark Harris/Ian Buck's 2D Navier-Stokes, fluid-flow model). One of the key things to point out is that, with our definition of GPU Computing, we do not display anything to the screen. The perfect analogue to how we view GPUs and GPU Computing are the math/floating-point/multiplication co-processors that were attached to the 386/486 processors. When certain mathematical functions were required and a co-processor was present, instructions were shipped off to the co-processor, which arrived at the answer much much sooner than its parent would have. Now, it is possible to migrate entire kernels and large-scale algorithms onto these GPU "co-processors". Again, to reiterate the above point, there is now a class of applications that will "compute" for minutes to hours at a time on GPUs without ever displaying a single thing.
There is one more subtlety that I'd like to point out: In Acceleware's current implementation of GPU Computing, this is really a heterogeneous computing environment. We still work within the boundaries of an operating system and definitely leverage the capabilities of CPUs both as infrastructure as well as in cases where the CPU is the best processor for the job. Some people would like to view GPUs/GPU Computing as some kind of "replacement" for CPUs, but we disagree and view them to be complementary. All of our solutions contain multi-core CPUs and "multi-core" GPUs, and we maximize both technologies to achieve commercially-relevant performance. GPUs will likely never be good at running an operating system. On the other hand, there are some computing tasks for which GPUs will always excel at compared to CPUs. With this symbiotic nature, we actually look forward to improvements on the CPU side because that can allow us to achieve higher performance from the existing GPUs.
DDJ: What types of applications are suitable for GPU Computing?
RS: There are really a few answers to this. We believe that most problems that are running on HPC clusters (to differentiate from "business"/database/web servers) today, could be suitable targets for GPU Computing. Similarly, HPC applications that run for hours to days on multi-core systems and clusters due to either memory bandwidth or computational constraints could benefit from GPUs. The last ingredient is that the application/algorithm needs to be parallel-izable (Sorry not a word...:)). One of the main difficulties that programmers and ISVs face today is that they were lulled by the Moore's law performance gains of single threaded computing in the past. With multi-core as the answer to scale performance within a given heat/power envelope, now ISVs are facing massive overhauls of legacy code. In order to be successful, it would probably be "better" if companies started their algorithmic development from scratch, with parallelism in mind... and then they would need to find people that were well-schooled and understood the parallel computing paradigm. We believe these kinds of people/skills are scarce and Acceleware is hoarding them.
DDJ: Can you give us an example of a unique GPU computing application/system?
RS: "Unique" makes it tricky to answer. Acceleware has been solving problems uniquely using GPUs, in several verticals. In the beginning, we used FPGAs and then GPUs to tackle a finite-difference method for Maxwell's equations, which model electromagnetic propagation. Now, we are the de facto standard for using GPUs to solve electromagnetic problems using finite-difference. It doesn't sound that sexy/impacting but the top six cell-phone manufacturers use our technology today to design better cell phones. And Boston Scientific, Philips, etc. are employing our technology to model MRI machines, etc. There were a lot of ISVs in this space before Acceleware, some for more than 15 years; this is why I had trouble with "unique". They were running on traditional Intel/AMD machines and transitioning to multi-core. We provided GPU-aware libraries that allowed them to offer order of magnitude performance increases to their end users. It was like night and day.
Acceleware was also the first company to ship a production/commercial product that used 4 GPUs attached to a single workstation -- our Quad or Q30, which was released in June 2007. The first market that Quad was employed was in electromagnetic, although you can think of it as a "4-core" system. Acceleware was also first to launch a commercial product for Kirchoff Time Migration (the seismic processing market's workhorse) using GPUs.
One of the big things about GPU Computing and the whole accelerator space is that many companies and chip vendors are currently espousing the benefits of this technology. People also show crazy speed ups for one part of an algorithm and research groups are definitely engaged. The difference for Acceleware is that we have real industrial/enterprise end-users who are solving real problems, and seeing a speed up even with I/O and the whole workflow running on a heterogeneous system. On top of that, Acceleware has been serving those enterprises for nearly three years.
Again, I am not sure quite how to answer your question... if by unique, you are asking: Is this technology really useful? Then Acceleware can definitely follow up with ALL kinds of examples -- large pharma companies who used to have to wait a week to reconstruct images from their million dollar scanner and now it's all done in half an hour... and so on.
DDJ: It seems like a system running, say a NVIDIA GPU and a many-core CPU could get pretty complicated to program for. If so, what's a developer to do?
RS: Hide. Look for a different job. Day trade on the stock market... Personally, I find that the fetal position helps. :) In all seriousness though, this is a nasty problem. Your question really describes a heterogeneous system, and most ISVs etc. are probably having enough trouble squeezing decent performance/multiples out of a quad-core CPU without adding another, different beast into the mix.
While we're on that train of thought, I'll throw a few more wrenches into the machinery. Accelerators and GPUs also have their own drivers and nuances. (What about backwards-compatibility as the technology progresses?) Speaking from experience, Acceleware has invested huge efforts into maintaining compatibility for our GPU-aware software libraries across evolving device drivers, operating systems (Windows vs. Linux vs. Vista), and computer systems (to the point that we certify very few). As the heterogeneous computing paradigm evolves, everyone is pushing the boundaries of what motherboards, drivers, and operating systems were envisioned to do. To get good performance, you need to get close to the hardware, but in doing so, you get closer to Pandora's box too. Most ISVs stayed away from "hardware" for a reason; Acceleware manages these complexities so that end users can solve their problems -- the "how" is less important to them.
Back to answering your question though: Numerous companies are trying to solve this problem: RapidMind and formerly Peakstream, for example, but I don't recall anything that deals with heterogeneous processors right now. Similarly, there is a lot of focus on individual processors and technologies but what about when you want to move to clustering? There is a ton of value to solving any of HPCs varying needs -- i.e., a lot of people are investing a lot of money to solve problems via computation -- so I think there will always be more than one way to skin the cat.
It's always possible for developers to make use of what Acceleware provides. (So I guess the answer is: Leave the nastiest to someone who is equipped to take it on.) Acceleware abstracts the hardware complexity AS WELL AS the changing hardware landscape from the programmer, such that they don't have to worry about these details. We do this by providing very high-level libraries for very specific verticals. We also reserve the right to add/remove new technologies (be that multi-core, multi-GPUs, Intel's Larrabee, AMD's Fusion, etc.) in the future, below the API.
One final comment: Languages, tools, etc. are mainly for developers to express themselves and their design. Definitely tools help but I think it still comes back to the developer. The best possible things a developer could do are to either 1) become skilled in "parallelism" both at the algorithmic as well as implementation levels or 2) partner with companies, like Acceleware, that have those skills. Companies and their developers have more than enough problems to solve without needing or having the luxury to become experts in parallel/HPC programming -- which also seems to be a moving target.
DDJ: Is concurrency now in the mainstream of software development?
RS: Depends on the definitions of "mainstream" and "software development"...Is concurrency probably the biggest problem facing any developer who is measured by "performance" and/or runtime? Yes!
Are the expectations built by CPU vendor marketing teams (Quad-core = 4X) and the legacy expectations of Moore's law + single thread hard to achieve in today's parallel world? Yes!
Is concurrency well understood and/or being dealt with well by ISVs and programmers? Doubtful.
Is it here on the hardware side? Heck yeah!
Current "parallelism" is the tip of a Titanic-sinking iceberg. 16-core, 32-core, 80-core are in the near future... Heterogeneity is a given too...
DDJ: Systems like those developed by Acceleware -- GPU, Clusters, etc -- demand tools and techniques (algorithms) that are based on multithreading, concurrency, parallelization, or whatever term is used. The tools are coming along, right? What about the algorithms, which also need to be parallelized it would seem. Thoughts?
Easy problems would have been solved already. Ultimately there is no easy solution to developing parallel systems. The tools and techniques for developing clusters have been around for awhile but the algorithmic level remains a challenge. Acceleware is well equipped to take on that challenge. Acceleware has proven its success in algorithms and that's why we work with partners such as CST, Synosys, Agilent, SPEAG. We have also hired parallel programming experts in the electromagnetic, seismic and imaging verticals and we are confident that this strategy will deliver the best possible solution for the end user.
DDJ: Is there a web site that readers can go on for more information on this topics?
RS: Of course, there's our company's web site: www.acceleware.com. A few others include: www.gpgpu.org, Intel/AMD's resources for multi-core training, David Kirk's course notes on parallelism, and NVIDIA Tesla.


text:
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Event Summary
In this presentation, Brianna talked about the myriad career paths available to scientists outside of academic or industry research. Participants were able to consider what their own career paths in these so-called "non-traditional" areas might look like. The discussion touched on the types of alternative careers available, how to parlay your current skills and values into a new area, ways to research career options, and how to develop the skills you might need.
Questions? E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com
See all Outreach Events


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GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a long-term (chronic) digestive disorder. It happens when stomach contents flow back up (reflux) into the food pipe (esophagus).
GERD is a more serious and long-lasting form of gastroesophageal reflux (GER).
GER is common in babies under 2 years old. Most babies spit up a few times a day during their first 3 months. GER does not cause any problems in babies. In most cases, babies outgrow this by the time they are 12 to 14 months old.
It is also common for children and teens ages 2 to 19 to have GER from time to time. This doesn't always mean they have GERD.
Your baby, child, or teen may have GERD if:
GERD is often caused by something that affects the LES, the lower esophageal sphincter. The LES is a muscle at the bottom of the food pipe (esophagus). The LES opens to let food into the stomach. It closes to keep food in the stomach. When the LES relaxes too often or for too long, stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. This causes vomiting or heartburn.
Everyone has reflux from time to time. If you have ever burped and had an acid taste in your mouth, you have had reflux. Sometimes the LES relaxes at the wrong times. Often your child will just have a bad taste in his or her mouth. Or your child may have a short, mild feeling of heartburn.
Babies are more likely to have a weak LES. This makes the LES relax when it should stay shut. As food or milk is digesting, the LES opens. It lets the stomach contents go back up to the esophagus. Sometimes the stomach contents go all the way up the esophagus. Then the baby or child vomits. In other cases, the stomach contents only go part of the way up the esophagus. This causes heartburn or breathing problems. In some cases there are no symptoms at all.
Some foods seem to affect the muscle tone of the LES. They let the LES stay open longer than normal. These foods include:
Other foods cause the stomach to make more acid. These foods include:
Other things that may lead to GERD include:
GERD is very common during a baby's first year of life. It often goes away on its own. Your child is more at risk for GERD if he or she has:
Heartburn, or acid indigestion, is the most common symptom of GERD. Heartburn is described as a burning chest pain. It begins behind the breastbone and moves up to the neck and throat. It can last as long as 2 hours. It is often worse after eating. Lying down or bending over after a meal can also lead to heartburn.
Children younger than age 12 will often have different GERD symptoms. They will have a dry cough, asthma symptoms, or trouble swallowing. They won't have classic heartburn.
Each child may have different symptoms. Common symptoms of GERD include:
Other symptoms may include:
GERD symptoms may seem like other health problems. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Your child's healthcare provider will do a physical exam and take a health history. Other tests may include:
Treatment will depend on your child's symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.
In many cases, diet and lifestyle changes can help to ease GERD. Talk with your child's healthcare provider about changes you can make. Here are some tips to better manage GERD symptoms.
For babies:
For children:
Other things to try:
Your child's healthcare provider may also recommend other options.
Medicines. Your child's provider may prescribe medicines to help with reflux. There are medicines that help reduce the amount of acid the stomach makes. This reduces the heartburn linked to reflux. These medicines may include:
The provider may prescribe another type of medicine that helps the stomach empty faster. If food doesn't stay in the stomach as long as normal, reflex may be less likely to occur.
Calorie supplements. Some babies with reflux can't gain weight because they vomit often. If this is the case, your child's healthcare provider may suggest:
Tube feedings. In some cases tube feedings may be recommended. Some babies with reflux have other conditions that make them tired. These include congenital heart disease or being born too early (premature). These babies often get sleepy after they eat or drink a little. Other babies vomit after having a normal amount of formula. These babies do better if they are constantly fed a small amount of milk. In both of these cases, tube feedings may be suggested. Formula or breastmilk is given through a tube that is placed in the nose. This is called a nasogastric tube. The tube is then put through the food pipe or esophagus, and into the stomach. Your baby can have a tube feeding in addition to a bottle feeding. Or a tube feeding may be done instead of a bottle feeding. There are also tubes that can be used to go around, or bypass, the stomach. These are called nasoduodenal tubes.
Surgery. In severe cases of reflux, surgery called fundoplication may be done. Your baby's provider may recommend this option if your child is not gaining weight because of vomiting, has frequent breathing problems, or has severe irritation in the esophagus. This is often done as a laparoscopic surgery. This method has less pain and a faster recovery time. Small cuts or incisions are made in your child's belly. A small tube with a camera on the end is placed into one of the incisions to look inside. The surgical tools are put through the other incisions. The surgeon looks at a video screen to see the stomach and other organs. The top part of the stomach is wrapped around the esophagus. This creates a tight band. This strengthens the LES and greatly decreases reflux.
Some babies and children who have GERD may not vomit. But their stomach contents may still move up the food pipe (esophagus) and spill over into the windpipe (trachea). This can cause asthma or pneumonia.
The vomiting that affects many babies and children with GERD can cause problems with weight gain and poor nutrition. Over time, when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, it can also lead to:
Adults may also have long-term problems from inflammation of the esophagus. These include:
Many babies who vomit outgrow it by the time they are about 1 year old. This happens as the LES gets stronger. For other children, taking medicines and making lifestyle and diet changes can reduce reflux, vomiting, and heartburn.
Call you child's healthcare provider if your baby or child:
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your child's health care provider:
Vidant Health can connect you to health care professionals to help you understand your condition and guide you through the treatment process. Let's chat.


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