text:
General notes:
Copies of the papers presented at, or published for DCC are available in various ways. A paper printed in the proceedings will be available for purchase in most cases in hard copy as the DCC proceedings. It will in most cases also be available as an individual paper in PDF format as a free download via a link below the abstract (where available) It may also be available on CD-ROM. A paper printed in the proceedings may not have been presented at the conference. Also a presentation at DCC may not be in the printed proceedings. In those cases it may be available on DVD, CD-ROM or as a MP3 download. Links to what is available will be on the page specific to the particular year's DCC.
The price for the TAPR and ARRL 30th Digital Communications Conference 2011 Proceedings is:
$ 20 US +applicable shipping/handling.
- Location:
- Baltimore, MD
- Coordinators:
- Steve Bible, N7HPR,
- Hosted by:
- George Heron, N2APB
30th ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference
September 23-25, 2011
Unfortunately, all the video links below have been broken by a change of ISP for the host. The following will take you to an index at You Tube. (hint: the episode number in the broken link may help you find the video).
- DATVexpress - a Lower Cost Approach to Digital-ATV Transmitter
by Charles Brain G4GUO and Ken Konechy W6HHC
- Abstract:
Modern Digital Amateur Television (DATV) techniques have brought the goal of
producing broadcast quality television within the reach of every amateur.
No longer are we faced with the demons of the old analogue system like ghosting,
poor contrast, improper sync pulse levels and poor colour. The considerable
improvements in spectral efficiency that DATV brings means also we can do more
with our crowded bands. The use of Forward Error Correction (FEC) techniques
also goes a long way to mitigate the adverse effects of the RF channel.
Until now the entry bar to DATV costs has been set very high. For those hams not able to obtain surplus broadcast MPEG encoders and DVB-S transmitters it has meant paying over US$1000 for equipment aimed at the ham radio market. This is all changing, read about the exciting developments in low cost entry level DATV. In this paper we describe our DATVexpress project to develop an inexpensive flexible Digital Television transmitter for the Amateur Service using software defined radio techniques and the power of the personal computer.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- A Shadow Ad-Hoc TEMPn-N Network
by Bob Bruninga WB4APR
- Abstract:
Of course stations and rovers have nearly perfect connectivity using the
existing national APRS network on the established national channel of 144.39.
But the problem is, it is hard to see who is involved in the event among
the other thousands of permanent users there. Or at other times, a temporary
digipeater may be needed because certain key digipeaters might be down during
an emergency and a station needs to use other surrounding stations to get out.
For these reasons, it is nice to have a backup, shadow ad-hoc networking
capability built into every packet station that is always on and ready to be used.
Proceedings Paper Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- CW Mode for the NUE-PSK Digital Modem
by Dave Collins AD7JT and George Heron N2APB
- Abstract:
Operating PSK-31 without a PC has been a big capability of the
NUE-PSK Digital Modem for several years. RTTY support was added
along the way and even more advanced digital modes continue to
be in development. But modem owners are also clamoring for support
of the oldest digital mode of them all ... CW!
This paper describes our open source implementation of this venerable digital mode as an implementation of the Goertzel DSP filtering technique used on the modems dsPIC33F processor. Innovative approaches are used to solve the classic problems of speed tracking (up to 50 wpm!), adaptive weighting adjustment, and tuning.
Proceedings Paper Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- APRS and the Android Smartphone
by Sagar Gupta KC2VSG
- Abstract:
This paper discusses a means of using the android smartphone as a Global
Positioning System (GPS) receiver unit to provide serial location data
to an APRS beacon transmitter. Using an application I developed, an
android smartphone with a GPS receiver sends its location to a laptop
computer via Bluetooth. Through a program written for the laptop the
position data is sent to a serial port in NEMA-0183 format. This serial
data can then be sent to a TNC/radio to transmit an APRS beacon with location
information. After appropriate digipeating, the beacon information reaches
an I-gate station and appears on the APRS Internet System. Although an
APRS App is available for android smartphones, which puts the location
information directly on the Internet, that application is not useful
when there is no cellphone coverage, Wi-Fi access, or one does not want
to pay for the android data plan.
- Practical Implementations of Bluetooth in Microcontroller Circuits
by John A. Hansen, Ph.D. W2FS
- Abstract:
Bluetooth has become the standard technology for external interfacing to laptop PCs and
mobile devices. This paper describes a number of ways to implement serial data
communication using the Roving Networks Bluetooth devices.
Proceedings Paper Presentation Video
- Public Service Event APRS Web Mapping for Wireless Devices
by Ted Jacobson W8KVK and Rob Jacobson KB9AFT
- Abstract:
A case study describing real-time APRS web mapping support for Lead and
Last runner tracking during the 2011 Athens Ohio Marathon. Objectives were:
(a) to provide real-time web-based runner location maps for race officials,
emergency services, and spectators without the use of JAVA or Flash;
(b) to support a wide range ofweb-capable wireless devices; and
(c) to optimize display speeds while reducing bandwidth demands.
- WRC-12 Agenda Item 1.19: Regulatory Considerations for
Software Defined and Cognitive Radio Systems
by Brennan Price N4QX
- Abstract:
As I reported at the 2009 Digital Communications Conference in Elk Grove, Illinois, the
agenda for what was then the 2011 World Radiocommunication Conference includes an item of
potential concern to Amateur Radio experimenters:
1.19 to consider regulatory measures and their relevance, in order to enable the introduction of software-defined radio and cognitive radio systems, based on the results of ITU-R studies, in accordance with Resolution 956 (WRC-07);
Proceedings Paper Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- More experiments with Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking
over AX.25 Networks
by John Ronan EI7IG, Darren Long G0HHW and Kristian Walsh - Waterford Institute of Technology
- Abstract:
Previously the authors gave an overview of a Delay Tolerant Network
Convergence Layer implementation that operates over Connected Mode AX.25,
and detailed the results of some performance tests using it to transfer
data over Amateur Radio channels. These results were compared to both a
native AX.25 and a TCP/IPover-AX.25 implementation. The investigation of
TCP/IP was undertaken because, while it is generally accepted that TCP
is unsuited to wireless links, it has become the dominant protocol in
real-world applications, with over 50% of internet traffic now accounted
for by TCP over port 80 [1].
As some issues were highlighted in experiments leading to the authors prior publication, these have been worked on and have been largely resolved. It was also found that our model for an ideal AX.25 communications channel had deficiencies, so a correction is offered. Additionally, we also tested our Convergence Layer alongside a TCP/IP over AX.25 implementation on both a 1200 and 9600 baud point-to-point link and give comparative results between our Convergence Layer implementation and TCP/IP. Real-world behaviour of the data link still diverges from the model, but the authors provide some possible reasons for this.
- A Further Comparison of Different TCP/IP and DTN Protocols
over the D-STAR Digital Data Mode
by John Ronan EI7IG and Cathal O'Connor - Waterford Institute of Technology
- Abstract:
This work examines the performance of the Digital Smart Technologies for
Amateur Radio - Digital Data mode with various IP and non-IP based protocols.
A throughput comparison was performed between TCP/IP and two DTN convergence
Layers. The experimental results show that the DTN NORM Convergence Layer
exhibits better performance than TCP/IP and TCP based convergence layers, and,
furthermore appears to be more suited for use on difficult radio links.
- Codec 2 - Open Source Speech Coding at 2400 bit/s and Below
by David Rowe VK5DGR
- Abstract:
Codec 2 is an open source, low bit rate codec for speech over HF/VHF digital
radio. Most low bit rate codecs are.proprietary, closed source, and require
licensing fees. Codec 2 is unique in that it is open source, allowing
experimentation and modification. It fills a gap in open source, free-as-in-speech
voice codecs beneath 5000 bit/s and is released under the GNU
Lesser General Public License (LGPL).
This paper describes the motivation for Codec 2, status, and future plans. The Codec algorithm is described using figures, avoiding high level maths and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) theory.
Proceedings Paper Presentation PDF Presentation Video
- PhoneSat: Balloon Testing Results
by Mike Safyan KJ6MVL
- Abstract:
Why use a phone for a high-capability spacecraft? A phone can increase
on-orbit processor capability by a factor of 10-100. A phone can
also decrease cost by a factor of 10-1000. Learn the results of their testing.
Proceedings Paper Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- Modulation - Demodulation Software Radio (MDSR)
Software for the BiLiF computer interface
by Alex Schwarz VE7DXW
- Abstract:
What a year it has been. Last September, we successfully demonstrated
the BiLiF hardware at the 29th.TAPR show in Portland, Oregon. More
recently, the MDSR team has worked on the software transceiver; MDSR
(Modulation Demodulation Software Radio). Since the BiLiF hardware
can be adapted to any 455kHz IF transceivers (adaptations were also
made for the 9MHz IF of the IC-706 series transceivers), the software
is also designed to be flexible and user friendly. This software can
be downloaded from the MDSR website or Yahoo user group and is free
as long as it is used for amateur radio purposes.
Proceedings Paper Presentation Slides
- TAPR Banquet Presentation - Village Telco
by David Rowe VK5DGR
- Abstract:
In many countries mobile phone calls are very expensive; costing $0.25/min
when the Average Income is $1.52/day. Mesh WiFi provides simple advantages over
Regular WiFi. Mesh Potato can provide a solution for poor countries. The first
real world deployment of Village Telco was in Timor, near Indonesia. Learn how
this project is really helping people every day!
Presentation PDF Presentation Video
- Introduction to DIGITAL DATA MODES
by George Heron N2ABP
- Abstract:
So just what is "Digital Mode Communication?" Results of a survey of some
popular digital modes ... What the heck are all those weird-sounding
stations I hear as I tune around the bands? From Packet, RTTY, and
PSK31...through MFSK16, Olivia, and JT65. This is a good introduction to
ham radio digital modes and programs to run them on your rig.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video ALE WAV RTTY MP3 PSK31 MP3 PACTOR MP3
- Introduction to Digital Voice
by Mel Whitten, K0PFX
- Abstract:
An introduction to Digital Voice.
- Introduction to D-STAR Basics
by Mark Braunstein WA4KFZ
- Abstract:
A good introduction to D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur
providing simultaneous digital voice and data on the same signal. Includes an
overview of the D-RATS communication tool.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video WeakSignal D-STAR MP3
- Introduction to APRS
by Bob Bruninga WB4APR
- Abstract:
APRS is for human to human info exchange! A single channel info-resource!
This introduction reviews the capabilities of APRS and the current radios
for APRS. The presentation also overviews FINDU.COM.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- ARISSat-1
by Steve Bible N7HPR and
- Abstract:
ARISS is Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. A detailed description
of SuitSat-2...later named ARISSat-1. The ARISSat-1 was deployed from ISS on
August 3, 2011.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- High Performance Software Defined Radio - OpenHPSDR Project Update
by Scotty Cowling WA2DFI
- Abstract:
The OpenHPSDR Project is a modular, open source hardware and software platform
for development of all components of a Software Defined Radio.
The presentation provides an overview of the OpenHPSDR architecture and modules
and the openHPSDR project status as of September, 2011...including the
availability of the modules.
Presentation Slides Presentation Video
- High Performance Software Defined Radio - Alex LP/HP Filter Board Testing
by Scotty Cowling WA2DFI
- Abstract:
The presentation provides a description of how the Alex RX and Alex TX production
boards are tested.
The following MPEG movies show an Alex RX board test running in real time. One shows a successful PASS result, and the other shows what happens when a board FAILS the manufacturing test.
Presentation Slides RX PASS MPEG RX FAIL MPEG
- FlexRadio - Recent Developments in Software Defined Radio
by Bob McGwier N4HY
- Abstract:
FlexRadio has doubled the shipments of Software Defined Radio (SDR) units and
doubled their office space. The presentation includes discussion of WBIR software
written by N4HY to allow rejection of near-in images with direct-conversion.
Presentation Slides Presentation Vidoe
- Practical Software Radio - Why Things Don't Always Match the Textbooks
by Matt Ettus N2JMI
- Abstract:
An introduction provides an overview of Radio Architectures and Real-world
impairments. The next section covers interpreting Spectrum Analyzer
measurements and SNR-CNR. The following section digs deeper into
Radio Architectures. The last section digs deeper into Hardware Inherent
impairments and Architecture Specifc impairments.
Presentation PDF Presentation Video
- D-Star Ideas
by Mark Braunstein WA4KFZ
- Abstract:
Mark Braunstein WA4KFZ proposes changes that could make D-Star even better.
These proposals including adding Forward Error Correction (FEC) to data-only
modes, providing a 4800 bps data-only mode, and building new models of radios
equipped with a D-STAR-only display mode. There are many other suggestions
provided as "food fo thought".
- Automatic Link Establishment for Amateur Radio - Status Report
by Ken Heitner WB4AKK
- Abstract:
This presentation provides a status report on automatic link establishment, which is referred
to as ALE. The key question today is how does ALE work and how can it be integrated into
automatic voice linking and digital messaging system. This becomes a very important question
for emergency communications.
- Universal Contact by Callsign
by Bob Bruninga WB4APR
- Abstract:
APRS can ptovide human-to-human info exchange and single channel info-resource!
APRS-messaging is a Universal Ham Radio Text Messaging Initiative.
APRS can provide universal VOIP connections via APRS signaling.
APRS is not just for the Maps...its the network!
- Universal Ham Radio Contact via Callsign Workshop - a Round-Table of Ideas
by Bob Bruninga WB4APR
- Abstract:
This round table of ideas for achieving Universal Ham Radio Contact via call sign
discusses many different approaches; including AVRS, APRStt (touchtone), a
call sign database called ircDDB used in D-Star network,and several other approaches.
Presentation Slidws Presentation Video
- FUNcube Dongle
by Howard Long G6LVB
- Abstract:
Amateur Radio from kitchen counter top to mass production.
- Catastrophic Communication:
Which Digital Mode Would YOU Use?
by Curt Bartholomew N3GQ
- Abstract:


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
May 14, 2008
After more than 30 years of service to Wabash College, Psychology Professors Brenda and Peter Bankart have decided to retire. The 2008 Commencement Ceremony marked their last official day, but, like the members of the 2008 senior class, the Bankarts have accumulated memories and established connections that will survive long after they leave.
The Bankarts, who were the first couple ever hired to teach at the college, have experienced many high and low points during their near four decades in Crawfordsville. And the changes they have seen during their tenure have helped them mature as professionals and scholars.
"I think this was a wonderful first career in which I grew a great deal as a professor and as a human being," Mrs. Bankart said. "I owe Wabash a lot."
Mr. Bankart agreed with his wife. "I would say Wabash gave me the opportunities to really develop professionally. I'm leaving here a very different scholar than I was when I came in. I've gone through several phases of that while I've been here. I think a lot of people when they get into jobs end up doing the same thing for 35 years. We have not had to do the same thing for 35 years."
The Bankarts, who recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, met at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, while pursuing their graduate studies in psychology in the mid-sixties. Mr. Bankart, originally from Boston, moved back to his alma mater Dartmouth College with Mrs. Bankart, originally from Toronto, in 1968, the year they were married.
The Bankarts arrived at the college in the early 1970s. Thaddeus Seymour, a former Dean of Dartmouth and the 11th President of the college, had informed them of an opening in the psychology department. Mr. Bankart was hired as a Professor of Psychology in 1971. Although there was not an available teaching position for Mrs. Bankart at the time, the college was instrumental in her becoming the Executive Director of Crawfordsville Disability Services and the Youth Services Bureau. She was hired as an Assistant Professor in 1975.
Among the high and low points of their tenure, the Bankarts include the relationships they have forged, the strengthening of their department, their time in Japan, the increased diversity of the faculty, and the death of their former department chair Dr. Elton Parks.
"I think the high points have been 37 years of very amazing close relationships, with students as well as faculty," Mr. Bankart said. "Another high for both of us was that we had an opportunity to spend two years teaching in Japan. We were both directing an international education program and teaching psychology at Waseda University in Tokyo. Brenda was the first Wabash person and the first woman to be director of that program. That was a pretty phenomenal experience."
Although their experience in Japan was transformative, the distance made dealing with the death of Dr. Elton Parks difficult.
"We had been here for less than a decade when we were in Japan and got the news that our department chair, Dr. Elton Parks, had been killed in an automobile accident," Mrs Bankart said. "That was really devastating. We weren't here to be a part of that. It was very difficult to be so far away and get that news. He was really young. That was a low point for me."
The Bankarts were present to see the college and the psychology department evolve over time. When Mr. Bankart arrived there were no female faculty members and only one faculty member of color.
"To see the tremendous growth in diversity of the faculty over years has been really exciting," he said. "Also, the number of diverse students over the years has increased dramatically."
They were also part of the last co-ed debate in the early 1990s.
"That was a very active time on campus," Mrs. Bankart said. "It was really interesting to be a part of that. I was the chair of the committee that worked up the statement for the pro co-education committee. It was a debate held between gentlemen – if I may call myself that as a part of Wabash faculty. I think it took us time to recover from that but Wabash seems all the stronger for having made that decision to remain single sex. I imagine it's going to be single sex for an awful long time."
The Bankarts actually wanted to retire a few years ago, but they remained to assist what has become one of the youngest departments on campus.
"We're leaving a very strong, young department here," Mrs. Bankart said. "And we feel very proud of the people that are continuing on. It was very important for us to make sure that there was a strong psychology department being developed. We worked pretty hard to make sure we had a great department. And we do. It's going to be in place for the next 25 to 30 years. We feel very pleased with the department we're leaving behind. It's been a great place to work."
Peter and Brenda are moving to Vermont at the end of the May and will be living on a nature reserve. Brenda plans to become a textile artist and use her psychology background to help abused women. Peter plans to continue his writing career and become more involved with environmental issues, especially water quality.
"I guess you could say we'll be living more like Thoreau than Caleb Mills," Peter said.


text:
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text:
That's great information Leo, Thanks so much for writing that out and sharing your experiences. I have two, one I've had for 2 yrs now and one I got this spring. I fed the hell out of them, even in the spring. So yes, I got long needles, but I have back budding and I haven't done any candle trimming yet. I just pruned to more proximal buds on my older this fall for the first time. The second is one of Andy's 'burlap' trees and given that it was just potted up this spring, it grew very well with a fair amount of back budding even! And I haven't done a darn thing to it exc. feed it aggressively. So I've taken a kinda hands off approach to needle reduction, candle trimming etc. so far.
The first one is in mainly pumice that has broken down over the last 3-4yrs since the initial pot up. Stays wet at the bottom of the pot, but is draining well and growing well. I'm thinking of repotting it, but like you said, if it's draining well, then does it really need to be repotted despite the wet feet? I'm unsure and haven't made up my mind yet.
Ponderosa Pines will live a decade or less if you don't get them out of the mountain gunk and you live in a hot or hot and humid climate. We aggressively remove the mountain gunk from trees we get from Andy, Larry or Randy. Get them in to Good soil mix and they will grow extremely well, and reliably. Leave them in goo, they will decline.
Leo I am not sure what it is you plan to do with yours, but bad soil won't help. Treating them like Japanese White Pines is great for getting them to grow in a controlled fashion, whil trying to gt them to back bud and force congested development fertilize them like JBP, early, often and all the time- Walter Pall's approach. It works.
Larry's book is very nice and has very good information in it, even in the chapter that I contributed. John


text:
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Get social with us – follow us on Twitter, subscribe to us on YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter to enter this contest.
*This is a multi-market contest. Contest ends June 7, 2017.
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text:
There is much that could be said about the Lt. Governor's economic development plan and his recent press event announcing his economic plan, but for now I want to comment briefly about one of Mr. Dubie's statements. He said that Vermont's state income tax was higher than Maine, Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
This statement is terribly misleading and should be corrected.
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Copyright 2011 Addison Independent | 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753 | All Rights Reserved
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text:
Now, I know you are thinking I am going to give it a good review because I got a free book and that is what is expected of me. My friends would laugh at that. If it was bad I would just contact the publisher and tell them what I thought and not do the review. In this case, my opinion of 'The Devil's Puzzle' was this: TOTALLY FANTASTIC!
The first paragraph got me. Clare O'Donohue has a sense of people and insight into them that she shares throughout the novel. It just makes you really think. The novel has quilting in it. The author talks about quilting in such a personal way and sees an overall view that we as quilters, don't step back and take a look at. The mystery is good. I did not know until I was told, who committed the murder.
Here is the synopsis of the book:
I was so intrigued by Ms. O'Donohue that I asked the publisher if I could do a Q&A with her, and she consented.
When I googled Devil's Puzzle quilt block, I found that it is a variation of the Drunkard's Path Block and could look like this:


text:
Story highlights
- Once dogged by a crime-ridden reputation, Mexico City has become a refuge
- Some fear that brutal drug violence is closing in on the nation's capital
- Analyst: "Some horrendous recent cases" are making people nervous
- Residents feel unsafe, but the police chief says it's a problem of perception
Near the ruins of an ancient Aztec temple, a woman shouting into a microphone claims Mexican society is crumbling.
"We are no longer free to walk in the streets because of what is happening," she yells.
Demonstrators behind her tape cardboard crosses to a fence in front of Mexico's National Palace. The names of slaying victims are scrawled with black magic marker on each one.
"I want the impunity to end," a leftist lawmaker says, blaming Mexican President Felipe Calderon's five-year-long crackdown on drug cartels for the surge in violence.
A handful of people clap. But throngs walk through Mexico City's massive central square without glancing in his direction.
In this sprawling metropolis, the brutal conflicts between drug cartels and government troops are both strangely absent and omnipresent. They are nowhere to be found and everywhere you look.
At a corner newsstand, the front page of a paper shows a dead man lying in a pool of blood. The cover of a magazine pictures people praying at a funeral.
At an airport gift shop, a book about beauty queens in the drug trade is only steps away from bottles of tequila and souvenir sombreros.
From the halls of his official residence here, President Calderon announced plans in late 2006 to deploy troops in a nationwide crackdown on drug cartels.
Here, too, a peace movement led by a poet whose son was slain has taken root, with protesters staging "caravan" demonstrations that go from the city's central square to some of the country's most violent areas.
But the gun battles, mass graves and fiery road blockades in other parts of the country aren't part of daily life in Mexico's capital.
Organ grinders, food vendors and street performers play to a constant stream of people who flood the sidewalks.
The city, once dogged by a reputation for being crime-ridden, has become a refuge.
"Just a decade ago people in Mexico City would say they wanted to leave and live in the surrounding states to have a more peaceful life. Today, paradoxically, Mexico City has become one of the safest places to live," Mexico City lawmaker Lizbeth Eugenia Rosas Montero said at a recent government meeting. "Now the people who live in the states spend their vacations in the capital to be away from the shootouts, kidnappings and executions."
But crime still creeps in to the heavily policed capital.
The densely populated city and surrounding state of Mexico are profitable turf for drug dealers. Local gangs fighting over sales fuel most drug-related violence there, says Ana Maria Salazar, a former Pentagon counternarcotics official who lives in Mexico City and hosts a weekly television program on the country's security issues..
Murder rates in Mexico's capital are half the national rate of 18 per 100,000 residents, and are lower than homicide rates in U.S. cities like New Orleans and Washington. But that hasn't stifled fears that something bigger could be brewing.
The city saw more than 120 killings related to organized crime between January and September last year, according to Mexico's Attorney General's Office. In the neighboring state of Mexico, the number was much higher, nearly 600.
"Mexico City, for whatever reason, has not been a battleground," Salazar says. "It could very easily become that."
Finding comfort in the chaos
Julia Alonso crammed as much as she could into a suitcase and headed for Mexico City last year.
Extortion threats at her family real estate business forced her to flee the Pacific resort town of Acapulco.
Others in the neighborhood who refused to pay have been kidnapped, she says.
Mexico City is a place where Alonso feels safe doing things she had feared for months, like eating on a restaurant's sidewalk terrace or exploring outside her apartment.
"Here you can still walk in the streets when you want, without worrying about getting kidnapped or being in the middle of a shootout," she says.
Before, Alonso was afraid when she visited the bustling metropolitan area of 21 million. She wouldn't wear a watch, fearing someone would steal it off her wrist.
Now she finds comfort in the chaos.
"It is much more difficult for something to happen to me here, where there are so many people," she says.
That's an increasingly common perception.
More than 6,500 companies set up shop in Mexico City in 2010 after moving from violence-plagued locations elsewhere in Mexico, the capital's business owners association says.
"Other parts of the country are just so unsafe that people are sending their families to Mexico City," Salazar says. "The anonymity of such a large city provides you a higher sense of security than in your hometown."
The city has more than just size going for it.
Mexico City, like the District of Columbia in the United States, is a federal district. And the capital has a strong police force that is easier to control and harder to corrupt than local forces in Mexico's 31 states, where notoriously low salaries and unclear command structures have allowed drug cartels to make significant inroads, says Jorge Chabat, who studies security at Mexico's Center for Research and Teaching in Economics.
The existence of more social programs for youth in Mexico City could also help stop gang violence from spreading, he says.
But Chabat says drug cartels haven't taken aim at the nation's capital -- and won't -- because they don't want to pay the price.
Major attacks in Mexico City -- the heart of the nation's media, political and financial powers -- would draw scrutiny and reprisals from federal forces that drug cartels strive to avoid, Chabat says.
Some also speculate that drug cartels have an unspoken truce when it comes to the capital, so their loved ones can have a safe place to live.
"It's very likely that they have family and homes here. They come here for meetings, for negotiations, to make agreements," Chabat says. "But they know that committing violence in Mexico City would cost them a lot. This is like a neutral territory."
But in a drug war that has claimed more than 47,000 lives, are there any sanctuaries?
"There are some horrendous recent cases, which have a lot of people very nervous," Salazar says.
'A bad sign'
A phone call before dawn led police to the grisly scene.
On a brisk October morning, inside an abandoned car along a busy highway near Mexico's defense ministry, investigators found two severed heads, no bodies and a note.
The lengthy message said a drug gang known as "The Hand With Eyes" was responsible, Mexico City's then-Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera told reporters.
The suspected gang leader who goes by the same name has been in custody since August, when police arrested him after a series of raids in southern Mexico City.
Oscar "The Hand With Eyes" Osvaldo Garcia Montoya was a Mexican navy deserter and former municipal policeman who became a hit man and body guard for some of Mexico's top drug lords, authorities say. Last year he started his own operation, aimed at controlling the lucrative drug trade in Mexico City and the surrounding state of Mexico.
Officials say he was known for chopping off his rivals' heads.
After his capture, he told police he had killed at least 300 people, and ordered 300 more slayings. Garcia said he chose his nickname for a simple reason: "Because I see everything, and I hear everything."
Less than two months later, the note beside the severed heads warned authorities -- and rival gangs -- to watch out, even though Garcia was behind bars.
"It ends saying that the territory of 'The Hand With Eyes' is so extensive that it has reached the metropolitan area and hasn't disappeared," Mancera said at the time.
"For us, that was a bad sign," says David Garcia Flores, who heads a national association of private security companies based in Mexico City. "Now it's reached another level."
Last week investigators found two severed heads in front of a mall in one of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods. Firefighters extinguishing a blaze in an SUV parked nearby found two decapitated bodies inside.
Authorities have not identified the victims. A message left beside the severed heads mentioned the Sinaloa cartel, local media reported.
A problem of perception?
Last fall, local lawmakers filed into Mexico City's Legislative Assembly with another recent crime fresh in their minds.
A few days before, four men -- two dressed as police -- had burst into a restaurant in Mexico City's upscale Polanco neighborhood. They wielded assault rifles and aimed for their targets, two men dining inside. Three people were slain in the shootout that followed.
Swarms of police rushed to the scene and quickly detained the suspects. The next day, they said the shooting was connected to car robberies, not major organized crime.
But that didn't satisfy local lawmakers, who grilled the chief of Mexico City's police force about the matter during his annual report on safety the next week.
"This kind of thing wasn't happening in Mexico City, only in other parts of the country," Rep. Norberto Ascencio Solis Cruz said. "We don't want, by any means, for our city to move toward the types of violence that they are currently suffering in cities in the north of the country, where the spiral started like this, with individual executions that were seen with indifference by society and not given attention by the authorities."
Manuel Mondragon, the city's director of public safety, suggested he shouldn't worry.
If any lesson can be taken from the shooting, he said, it's that gangs should beware. "They see that in minutes 20 police cars with 60 officers arrive," he said.
Several lawmakers praised the police response, but others didn't let up.
One mentioned a university professor's recent study showing that the perception of insecurity in Mexico City was growing. She cited a national government survey that ranked the capital as the place in the country where the largest percentage of people -- two out of every 10 -- say they have been victims of a crime.
"We have to differentiate between perception and reality," Mondragon said, pointing out the common refrain that safety is drawing more people than ever to the nation's capital.
He offered one possible explanation for why people feel unsafe: news from elsewhere in the country makes Mexico City residents uneasy.
"Here everyone watches television showing the country," he said, "and whether we like it or not, it is impacting insecurity."
Some prepare as a specter looms
Joel Ortega, a former Mexico City police chief who is now running for mayor, paints a dimmer picture.
"Organized crime is already in the city," he said at a recent public safety conference. "This is where the country's main airport is, and a large international financial center that facilitates the export of large capital flows that go to other countries, which allows the criminal circle of drug trafficking to continue."
That isn't what most city officials will tell you, says Ortega, who served as Mexico City's top security official from 2004 to 2008.
"The authorities want the city to have another image. They are always trying to downplay it," he says.
As officials tout the city's safety record, stores offering bulletproof clothing and armored cars have sprouted in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods.
Private security companies install panic buttons, provide armed guards -- and even sell tracking chips that can be implanted under your skin in case of kidnapping, a crime that analysts say remains common in the Mexico City area.
At a racetrack a few hours outside the capital, one security company trains business executives and their families how to escape attackers in high-speed car chases.
"It's very practical," says Tom Cseh, deputy director of Vance International in Mexico City. "Not only do we teach people how to escape and evade an ambush ... we teach them how the bad guys are out there watching you, not to make you paranoid, but so you know that there are certain signs for look for."
Right now, he says, the most common risks here are street assaults.
Is it only a matter of time before organized crime strengthens its grip and violence grows?
"There's always the specter of that happening, because there's nothing to guarantee that it won't," says Eric L. Olson, a security expert at the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington.
Still, it's important not to blow things out of proportion, he says.
"You're probably safer in Mexico City, frankly, than you are in New Orleans."
He describes a recent trip to Mexico City, when he walked through the central square in the Coyoacan neighborhood -- known for its scenic cobblestone streets and famous former residents, like artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
"It was like paradise."
Making 'these deaths known and felt'
Lydiette Carrion sits on a sun-soaked balcony. Piped-in piano music plays in the background, punctuated by quiet cafe conversations and the occasional clinking coffee cup.
But the words she writes tell a different story.
Carrion, 36, is a freelance journalist in Mexico City who volunteers for "Menos Dias Aqui" -- a blog that keeps a running death toll of violence victims throughout the country. The blog culls information, including names, if possible, from local media reports.
It's a task, Carrion says, that has made her aware of a world many people in Mexico City don't see.
In one week in April, she counted 312 deaths. Four cab drivers slain in Acapulco. Three decapitated bodies inside a truck in Durango. A bus driver in Ciudad Juarez with 17 gunshot wounds. A 32-year-old worker in a Guadalajara creamery chased by gunmen wielding AK-47s.
Carrion says one incident stood out amid all the violence: a shoot-out in the western coastal state of Nayarit, where six people died, according to local media reports. None of Mexico's national newspapers mentioned it.
"I thought, 'maybe it's made up.' But I checked more in local media, and no, it really happened," Carrion says, "but the reader in Mexico City never even knew about it."
Even at a distance, Carrion says, the violence is never far from Mexico's capital. Everyone has family members in other states. Like her, they remember happy summers spent on beaches that have now become battlefields.
Still, some friends can't understand why she participates in the blog project. One, who found out she was involved from a Facebook status post, responded, "What is it for? It's just a message of death."
Carrion tries to explain why she thinks it's valiant to "rescue" the names of people who could be forgotten. She knows some people believe in her cause.
"But there are also people who think all the violence is an invention of the sensationalist media," she says. "You start to realize that a large part of the population is not spending so much time on these things."
That's why Carrion wants to inform them.
"It's very important to make these deaths known and felt. ... There is a search for creating consciousness. This is the only way society can move forward," she says.
Beside Carrion, on the sunny balcony, a waiter takes another order. Cars whiz by on the street below.
Mexico City is always in motion. There are honking horns and jam-packed sidewalk markets and swarms of people shoving into subway cars.
Carrion wants them to see the way she does.
"There really is an armed conflict in Mexico," she says. "There is a war."


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ABC Heli offers a range of helicopter tours and charters on the beautiful Gold Coast. They have a long history and a very well established scenic joy flight and charter business located on the Southern Gold Coast. Their crew and "VIP" luxury helicopters will ensure your flight is the best possible experience ever.
Leaving from the Gold Coast Airport at 500 feet, this Scenic Joy Flight tracks north along the beach past Burleigh Heads along the beautiful Gold Coast beaches and past the amazing high rise of Surfers Paradise and main beach, flying past local icons such as Jupiter's Casino, the Gold Coast Convention Centre and the Q1 building.
Abeam the main Beach High rise, they climb for the skies and return at 1500 feet over head the Bond University for a touch down at the airport. A great way to see the extensive man made canals and waterfront homes of the Gold Coast.
Come and experience a helicopter scenic Joy Flight along this Spectacular part of the Gold Coast. Taking off from Coolangatta they will head towards the famous Snapper Rocks (home of the Quicksilver and Roxy Pro). Fly 500 feet along the beautiful Greenmount and Rainbow Bay beaches and headlands, taking a glimpse at the surfers riding some of the best waves on the planet.
Banking left at the mouth of the Tweed River and Point Danger, they will begin the journey north. Flying coastal all the way to Burleigh Heads, you will rush along Currumbin Alley, Palm Beach and Tallebudgera Beaches. The Surfers Skyline in the distance is a great sight with it's many high rise buildings, the most prominent being the Q1 standing 1000 feet tall. At Burleigh Headland they will bank the helicopter for the return back to Coolangatta. Looking to your right you will see Mount Warning standing proud in the Tweed Valley, having just overflown the remnants of its eruption some 300 million years ago with the black "Lava Rocks" that peppered the Burleigh Headland.
If you want a flight that showcases so much of the Gold Coast, then this is it!
This is the tour with the lot, a full 30 minute Scenic Joy Flight covering all aspects of the Gold Coast. Initially departing Coolangatta Airport, they will head north along the immaculate beaches to Main Beach and the spit at 500 feet, with full views of the Gold Coast, Stradbroke Island and the thriving Hinterland.
From here, they'll climb up to 1500 feet and head south over Skilled Park, (home ground of the Gold Coast Titans) then the Tweed and Currumbin Valleys and not to mention the stunning views all the way down to Byron Bay. Fly down to the Tweed River where they will descend to 500 feet and follow the meandering river, back to Coolangatta via Point Danger and Snapper rocks.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Watch how to make this recipe.
Arrange the meats, cheeses, and foccacia on a large platter. Arrange a platter of Pinzimonio. Place the Marinated Olives and Roasted Red Pepper Salad in small serving bowls. Serve, allowing guests to compose their own assortment of antipasti on their plate.;
Assorted cut-up vegetables (such as carrots, celery, fennel bulb, radishes, red and orange bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes)
Stir the oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. Serve the vegetables with the dip.
Stir the oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes in a heavy small skillet over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the olives and toss to coat. Add the basil; toss to coat. Serve.
Preheat the broiler. Cover a heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange the bell peppers on the baking sheet. Broil until the skins brown and blister, turning the peppers over occasionally, about 15 minutes. Enclose the peppers in a resealable plastic bag. Set aside until cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Peel, seed, and cut the peppers into 1/2-inch thick strips. Toss the pepper strips, olives, oil, capers, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to combine. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.


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Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Robert Bugg - A Big Talent
Like Dorne, Robert Bugg was equally adept at drawing and painting humorous, caricatured styles as he was at more realistic interpretations. And like Dorne, his work always radiates a certain homey, smalltown charm, even when the subject matter is supposed to suggest an air of sophistication.
But perhaps the most telling parallel is that both Dorne and Bugg were able to create effortless-looking crowd scenes. I've always had the greatest admiration for any illustrator who can do that!
To fully enjoy today's image, make sure you take a moment to look at the details at full size.
4 comments:
Once again, Leif, you've introduced me to a TERRIFIC illustrator I wasn't aware of. I love Bugg's stuff! I think his more humorous stuff is far superior to his more 'realistic' work, which is (to me, anyway) pretty bland. His line work is excellent; like most of my favorite illustrators his drawing ability shines through. Great crowd scenes.ReplyDelete
Have you ever done much analysis of Hank Ketchum's work? I know that question may seem to come out of left field, but look at Ketchum's line work sometime, & I think you'll see similarities.
Thanks again!
I must echo Neil's comments, a real pleasant discovery. I love the quality of his line.ReplyDelete
Hey, thanks for your comments, guys - its great to know you're enjoying discovering Robert Bugg's work!ReplyDelete
Neil; I have been setting aside Ketcham pieces of the non-Dennis the Menace variety for a future series on Today's Inspiration - I think your dead-on with your observation about about his linework. :-)
That's great news, Leif! Dennis the Menace is being drawn by two other guys now (can't remember their names), & they're doing a fine job -- but in my opinion, you simply can't touch Ketcham's line work. I know he did non-Dennis stuff, & I can't wait to see what you've got.ReplyDelete


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Heading into a couple of weeks worth of bowl prep, South Carolina's secondary is suddenly a little thinner both for now and moving forward.
A source has confirmed to The State's Josh Kendall that cornerback Ahmad Christian has decided to take his leave of the football team and will not play in the Capital One Bowl. The sophomore is expected to transfer to another program, although where the Jacksonville, Fla., product will land is unclear.
For what it's worth, the Gamecocks have yet to publicly address Christian's status with the team.
Christian played in 12 games this season, making his first career start in the second game against Georgia. With starters Jimmy Legree and Victor Hampton leaving for the NFL — the paper reports the latter will leave early for the draft — Christian was expected to, at the very least, compete for a starting job next spring.
Christian was a three-star member of USC's 2011 recruiting class.


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Prior to the mid-1970s, Kentucky's judiciary looked nothing as it does today. There were nearly 1,000 courts back then, with many often having overlapping jurisdictions, and there was only one high court to handle all appeals. In a word, it was inefficient.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Henry County Local, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
4/11/19 - We're continuing to fix errors related to the server migration, but we see some people able to upload photos again. If you see a page display an error, you may want to refresh it once or twice, as there seems to be caching enabled on the server side.
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How did we miss this small print during Facebook's recent launch of Facebook Gifts? "Soon, you'll also be able to send wine from Robert Mondavi Winery and Chandon," the company said on its blog.
(Gifts is a new function in which, when someone has a birthday, users can click on a little gift icon and send them something nice.)
In fact, you can already send someone a Mr. Beer home brew kit from Facebook Gifts.
But it appears that booze of all kinds will soon begin flowing regularly within Facebook. It's the perfect medium given that age verification — a constant bugbear for alcohol marketers — is already taken care of.


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FINANCIAL FITNESS: The frugality and investing discipline that the 2008 financial crisis imposed on Americans appear to have instilled permanent changes in behavior on money matters. That's according to survey findings released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.
INSTILLING DISCIPLINE: Fidelity's "Five Years After" survey found that more people are increasing contributions to 401(k) plans, paying down debt and taking greater care to invest wisely.
SURVEY METHODS: Interviews were conducted with nearly 1,200 people who are financial decision makers in their households. Participants had to own investments other than a bank savings account or certificate of deposit.


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Germanic languages
Germanic languages, subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages, spoken by about 470 million people in many parts of the world, but chiefly in Europe and the Western Hemisphere. All the modern Germanic languages are closely related; moreover, they become progressively closer grammatically and lexically when traced back to the earliest records. This suggests that they all derive from a still earlier common ancestor, which is traditionally referred to as Proto-Germanic and which is believed to have broken from the other Indo-European languages before 500 BC Although no writing in Proto-Germanic has survived, the language has been substantially reconstructed by using the oldest records that exist of the Germanic tongue.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- Linguistic Groups
- Common Characteristics
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Language and Linguistics


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Use mouse scroll wheel over image or pinch-to-zoom on touch devices. You can also click and drag around on image.
Fox Racing Toterhome
Parked toFox Racing's Toterhome
byBaja Designs
Fox Racing stopped by today on their way to Silverstate 300. Take a peek at their sweet toterhome with white Squadrons mounted across the top.
Vehicle Info: Mercedes-Benz
More from this Profile:
Garage Total Chaos
Project Diesel Offroad Power Project Build
Garage Fox Racing's Toterhome


text: Create delicate die-cut labels in record time with Framelits dies and the Big Shot. All the stitches a girl could want! Several versatile label pieces and a stitched texture piece that can be used to layer under a focal element make this set a must have. Edgelit pieces add a cross stitch or straight line stitching as a finishing touch to a project.Framelits Dies help you create detailed die cuts with just a few turns of the Big Shot handle. * 10 dies * Largest die: 3-1/4" x 2-3/4" (8.3 x 7 cm)* Use with Big Shot


text: Best known for playing hotshot attorney Mike Ross on the USA Network series, "Suits," Patrick J. Adams is also an avid photographer who enjoys photographing his travels. The Canadian actor phoned for this interview just a few days after his last trip. "I was just in Mexico and Brazil," says Adams, 33. "I was in Brazil for a guys' trip. We did a week of hanging out and it was outstanding. And then my fiancee ('Pretty Little Liars' actress Troian Bellisario) met me in Mexico for another week of traveling. I loved every moment." Fans may keep up with Adams on his website (http://www.halfadams.com/) and on Twitter (


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Physical AccommodationsPage address: http://www.mnsu.edu/access/physical.html
[PDF] Accessibility Map (906 KiB)
Disability Parking and Accessible Transportation
Students and staff with state disability parking permits can purchase a University disability parking permit (blue) from the Cashier's office, 128 Wigley Administration Center.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety issues state permits for disability parking. The application is online at: [PDF] dso/mv_disabilityparkingcertificate.pdf (318 KiB)
A campus map with parking lot locations can be found at: [PDF] www.mnsu.edu/parking/pdf/ACCESSIBILITY.pdf (906 KiB). Accessible parking is available in each lot. If the accessible stall(s) are full, holders of the disability parking permit may park in any gold, purple, green or yellow permit lot stall, or time meter stalls.
Those needing a temporary disability permit must apply at the Campus Hub. Supporting and dated documentation from a physician about the temporary disability is required. The Campus Hub will issue you a "temporary" blue paper hanging permit for your rear view mirror for up to two weeks. The price is $5 a week but this is waived for students and staff who already have an MSUparking permit
Accessible Transportation
The Maverick Shuttle Program will provide accessible transportation for individuals with disabilities during Minnesota State Mankato class days. The Red Eye Shuttle will provide accessible transportation with 12 hour prior notice by calling 507-389-5649. Additional information concerning accessible transportation offered by the university and the city of Mankato can be found at: www.mnsu.edu/parking/bus_shuttle.html
Emergency Evacuation of a Building
We highly encourage students with disabilities to have a thoughtful plan for evacuation each semester of attendance considering the location of your classrooms. For support with an individual assessment and creating a plan for evacuation, please schedule a meeting with staff in Accessibility Resources.
In an emergency situation, it is critical to your health and safety that you are familiar with your needs during an emergency evacuation. All employees and students must evacuate a building when the fire alarm system is activated or when directed to do so by emergency personnel (security, fire deparment, law enforcement, etc.). If time allows, remember to take with you any personal belongings, e.g., vehicle keys, house keys, medications, etc. This is particularly important should the evacuation prove to be long-term.
Individuals with disabilities who require assistance in evacuating shall go to the closest stairwell. They sould tell a faculty or staff member, co-worker, or student who is exiting the bulding to notify emergency personnel in which stair well they are located. Emergency personnel will respond and assist that individual in evacuating the building. Use of the elevator is prohibited except by or under the direct supervision of emergency services personnel.
Individuals with visual impairments should ask for assistance from a fellow student or staff member to exit the bulding. When a visual alarm signal is not available, persons with hearing impairments should request an alternative warning, such as a written note or a flashing of the light switch.
Once outside, proceed to a clear area from the affected building. Keep streets, fire lanes, hydrant areas, and walkways clear for emergency vehicles and personnel. Wait there for further instructions. Security personnel wtill respond to the emergency and, if it is determined that the evacuation is of a short-term nature, you may be directed to return to the building.
If it is determined by emergency personnel that the evacuation will be long-term, you will be instructed to report to the Emergency Assembly Area (EAA). The EAA on this campus is the Taylor Center, Bresnan Arena. Should the Taylor Center be the building being evacuated, the Centennial Student Union Ballroom is the alternate EAA location.
In addition, students are encouraged to contact their residential hall complex directors to discuss evacuation procedures specific to their residence halls.
For your safety and well-being, evacuation of buildings in emergency situations is not discretionary; evacuation of all non-emergency personnel is mandatory.
For further consideration of your personal safety, this Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide is a good resource.
Report Barriers
Minnesota State University, Mankato is dedicated to the principles of equal access in education and works directly with students who are encountering barriers in the design of physical, curricular, and social environments. In the event you encounter a barrier on the MSU, Mankato campus, such as an inoperative elevator or wheelchair lift, bicycles blocking an access ramp, drifting snow or overhanging tree branches, we need you to help us identify them so the University can maintain access by removing barriers as quickly as possible. Please use the following information to call:
Physical Plant
Accessibility Resources
Hours Open
Monday-Friday 8-4:30 (fall-spring); 7:30-4:00 (summer)
24 hours daily
Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30 (fall-spring); 7:30-4:00 (summer)


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IFTLE 110 Samsung Breaks Wall of Silence at DAC 2012
Design Automation Conference 2012
At the design automation conference in June Samsung, who has been on absolute lockdown when it comes to 3DIC materials leaking out of the company, opened the door…just a little bit with Samsung foundry indicating that they will be ready to release 3D TSV Technology and Wide IO Memory Solutions "in early 2013."
Samsung's message as to the major attributes of 3DIC vs a package on package solution (PoP) are summarized in the slide below:
(Click on any of the images below to enlarge them.)
In terms of wide IO memory solutions they report that they will have wide IO DRAM (Non-JEDEC type ball interface) ready for customer sample in early 2013 and will also have JEDEC standard wide IO DRAM2 .
They claim that TSV PDK and Design Methodology has been proven for 32nm node:
Not a lot of info, but at least an official indication that Samsung foundry is getting ready and we should be seeing products in les than a year.
Larger Silicon Interposers are Coming
Up to now, silicon interposers have been limited in x,y dimension to the field size of the steppers being used or 35 mm sq. It is no coincidence that the size of the Xilinx FPGA interposer is 35 mm.
At the recent Semicon West, USHIO (link) introduced a large-field stepper lithography tool targeting interposer fabrication for 2.5D/3D semiconductor packaging applications.
Using a 70 mm projection lens the new litho tool is capable of a 50 x 50 mm field size. They are also indicating that by 2013 they will be introducing 100 mm projection lens, which will increase the field size to 70 x 70mm. Overlay accuracy is reportedly less than 500nm. Alignment is IR transmission based.
EVG Wafer Bonding System first to Pass Equipment Maturity Assessment at Sematech
EVG announced that its GEMINI Automated Wafer Bonding System has become the first product to pass a systematic, rigorous Equipment Maturity Assessment (EMA) implemented within SEMATECH's 3D Interconnect program. The Sematech assessments are designed to determine equipment readiness for high-volume manufacturing (HVM).
The EVG GEMINI exceeded Level 3 equipment maturity requirements – the highest assessment rating awarded before transfer of new manufacturing processes into pilot lines or HVM. Temporary adhesive bonding, silicon fusion bonding, and metal thermocompression bonding processes have been investigated on 300-mm wafer bonding system installed at CNSE in Albany, New York.
SEMATECH qualified wafer bonding alignment accuracy of less than 500 nm exceeding the wafer alignment specs of the ITRS for 2018. Sitaram Arkalgud, director of SEMATECH's 3D Interconnect program indicated that EVG is the first company to pass ISMI's Equipment Maturity Assessment methodology.
For all the latest in 3DIC and advanced packaging stay linked to IFTLE………………….


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Study Abroad - Karachi
- Country: Pakistan
- City: Karachi
- Contact Number: 02134661100
- Posted on: September 30, 2014
Explore your Study Options in United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, Ireland and Cyprus Make your future bright and get a degree with minimum tuition fee.
Complete Application process and visa guidance Visit our office for further assessment.
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We confidently help our clients to overcome all major obstacles which are faced while undergoing overseas education process.
With our experience of providing services, we offer clients a personal and friendly comprehensive solution according to their needs.
We will advise students on the legal requirements, their eligibility, the range and content of documentation required, processing timescales and supplementary matters to ensure that the Visa process runs as smoothly as possible.
Quix Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd
021-34661100, 021-34661101
[email protected]
office # 06 Ground Floor, BB Mall, Gulistan-e-Johar, Block-01, Karachi.
Here you can find out the Study Abroad in Karachi, Lahore. Islamabad and Peshawar. Find out the best Other Classes in Pakistan including Other Classes in Karachi, Other Classes in Lahore, in Islamabad. Study Abroad is the leading way to search the new classified. Hamariweb provides you the best classified for posting new ads and must dimension ads from all over the Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
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- Member Since: April 26, 2014
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- Study In Abroad with Quix Consultants


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the Neutrino Food Labs is raging today, i started an experiment to culture my own cider yeast. over the past few weeks, i have been pining away for a good glass of home brew. we are very lucky locally because about 1 year ago the Pensacola Bay (micro)Brewery opened; they make a fine Brown ale which i have used as a component for my own fine chili. i am also spurred on by the price of a decent beer at the supermarket; last week when i wanted to grab a six pack for a small gathering i was holding the average price for a sixer of my favorites in domestics and microbrews was over $10. oooch! i went with a Leinenkugle specialty brew for about $8.
oi, i was feeling mighty sad this morning when the urge to brew came on strong. i keep missing the brew shop hours, they are closed Sundays and Mondays, because i generally have meetings all the rest of the week. then i saw an instructable by member, creasemaker, where he had sucessfully cultivated his own cider yeast from organically certified apples. not too many months ago i cultivated a strain of yeast for my sourdough breads, following some lore published by Peter Reinhardt. to do this, i soaked some organic raisins in warm water and slowly fed the critters in the tea flour and purified water. similarly, creasemaker took apples and soaked them in a good quality apple juice. my fingers are crossed and i can't wait to report back.
secondly, I was inspired by all the chatter on 'cold brewed' coffee so i started a pot today. i was impatient and i have dug into it after only 6 hours and it is amazing. very similar to a really lovely espresso, i think it is very high octane. i feel like i have taken some speed. lovely, delicious, Pete's French Roast speed, that is.


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- Sensors & Instrumentation
- Fire Suppression Systems
- Racing Accessories
Tachometer Boost Gauge 0-12000
All our professional tachometers have the following features as standard:
- Fast and smooth stepper motor driven needle
- Needle colour changes with user programmable shift points
- Blue or red backlighting (Please select when ordering)
- Night and day programmable backlight brightness
- Small depth only 30mm and lightweight design
- Digital filtering for hassle free connection to any ignition system
- Microprocessor accuracy
- Built in digital tachometer
- Built in Speedometer or gauge (according to model)
- Internal 3 stage programmable shift light
- External 3 stage shift light (optional)
- Maximum recalls
- Black or white dials (Please select when ordering)
- Suitable for 1-16 cylinder engines
All our professional tachometers include kits, which are fully inclusive of all sensors and wiring as well as comprehensive user manuals. If you have any questions about specific tachometers please don't hesitate to call one of our many customer service providers to help find the best instrument for you.
Includes VAT. Please note prices displayed are inclusive of 20% VAT; if outside the EU, VAT will be deducted during payment processing.
If you have any questions about this product, please call +44 (0)1543 434 580 or contact us by email.


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SoCon Wrap & Tourney PreviewPosted by Brian Goodman on March 4th, 2011
Clark Williams is the RTC correspondent for the Southern Conference, bringing you up to speed, with the SoCon Tournament tipping off Friday.
Postseason Preview
College of Charleston remains the favorite to win the SoCon tournament, but Wofford and Furman are able candidates as well. I see Davidson as a possible darkhorse team, with the Paladins also having an outside chance. Here are my predictions:
Friday, March 4:
- Davidson over UNC-Greensboro
- Appalachian State over Georgia Southern
- Furman over Samford
- Elon over The Citadel
Saturday, March 5:
- Davidson over Western Carolina
- Wofford overAppalachian State
- Furman over Chattanooga
- College of Charleston over Elon
Sunday March 6:
- Wofford over Appalachian State
- College of Charleston over Furman
Monday, March 7:
- College of Charleston over Furman


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Dear Amanda, rph, Dee and Kamina. Dear everyone who ever doubted. It works!!!
Still many milestones, still need to see on Wednesday and perhaps afterwards if the numbers double like they should, but it works!!! Many more steps before we tell our friends and families, before we can start feeling a bit more at ease. But right now, I'm as happy as can be. And I haven't been for a long long time.
We started this journey so worried, with such a scary statistic of this type of male infertility. It works!!!
I hope and pray the same for each and every one of you, just this morning I still didn't know. I wish so much I could in some way comfort and assure anyone else with even half my worries.


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Alright, so I just joined this forum to see what it was like and all, figured I could contribute a little bit....well, after observing their "C Programming" forum (which, mind you, covers both C and C++ for some reason), I've noticed so much bad advice it almost made me puke.
In the past hour I've made 9 posts to 9 different topics trying to fix the wrongdoings that have occured. It makes me happy to be a part of a much nicer, closer-knit and well-organized community like CBoard.
So be happy, don't worry, etc.


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Now comes the fun part.
After getting an earful from Vice President Joe Biden in Washington about intellectual property rights and a cuff full of hog leavings at a farm in Iowa, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping now will tour Hollywood and hang with the people closest to the hearts of common Chinese people: movie executives and NBA basketball stars. He arrives Thursday afternoon and leaves Friday night.
Why is he here? "Oh, there must be 15 trillion reasons," quipped Jay Leno on last night's "Tonight Show," referencing the size of the US federal debt (for which China is a major creditor).
But the inside story is that teams of Chinese film-production specialists have been here for months working on a deal to be announced by Mr. Xi on Friday: DreamWorks Animation will jointly build and operate a studio in Shanghai with two state-owned Chinese media companies, Shanghai Media Group and China Media Capital.
Beyond that, Xi will tour the Port of Los Angeles, where the China Shipping Terminal is doubling its space to keep up with the massive US-China trade, which reached $133 billion in 2011.
And Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and California Gov. Jerry Brown want to talk to Xi about Chinese investment in high-speed rail, which has come under scrutiny and has lost some public support here in recent weeks with the release of several studies suggesting major cost overruns.
But the biggest part of the "Mr. Xi goes to Hollywood" story is for him to make as many contacts in the cinema industry as possible. The goal is to jump-start the Chinese industry, says to Clayton Dube, associate director of the US-China Institute at the University of Southern California.
"This is a very, very big issue for the Chinese, who have been very successful in developing their own economy and high-tech products, but their films have not traveled well," says Mr. Dube.
He mentions a recent film called "Flowers of War" with Christian Bale that was the most expensive film ever made in China but didn't do well in China or the US. The Chinese are interested in films that do very well globally – and that has meant big special effects and 3-D movies in the mold of "Avatar" and "Transformers."
Dube says China wants to mimic US "soft power" – its ability to influence world culture.
"Soft power refers to the ability to have people attracted to you, and that is what the US has in abundance and what Xi wants to know more about," says Dube.
He says the Chinese have developed their own "China's Got Talent," with three judges based on the American model. A 65-year-old grandmother recently won by dancing to Michael Jackson's hit, "Beat it."
"The Chinese are very frustrated that it was Hollywood and not them which came up with 'Kung Fu Panda,' " he says, talking of the recent animated hit. "They said, 'Hey, Kung Fu is ours, Pandas are ours. Why can't we do that?' "
Dube and others say that, as the Chinese try to learn to create like Americans, Hollywood will use Xi's visit to talk about Chinese investment in American films.
The L.A. visit will also be a time to loosen the collar a bit, say other analysts.
"This visit is coming at a sensitive time, in that Apple has come under criticism for working conditions at its plants in China, and tensions are escalating as iPads are being seized over a trademark dispute with a company in Shenzhen," says Maria Toyoda, a political scientist at Villanova University in Philadelphia, in an e-mail. "So, piracy may be an issue that would be raised in a delicate way, if at all."
"This visit is mostly about trade," she says. "Xi wants to head off any tensions, business people on both sides are using the coattails of this visit to cut deals, and California mayors are looking for investment and job growth."
After urging the US on Wednesday to reduce its "misunderstanding and suspicion" of China, Xi will have the chance to share hot dogs with Mayor Villaraigosa at L.A.'s other major world attraction that interests the Chinese: the Los Angeles Lakers. They will attend a game Friday night against the Phoenix Suns at StaplesCenter.
Dube says Kobe Bryant's jersey was the biggest selling NBA item in China last year, and even women in rural areas know key statistics, trades, and game nights.
T-shirts and bags in China read: " 'Huren Dui', which means 'Men of the Lake Team,' " says Dube. "Xi will be a very popular man all over China for having gone to see them live on their home court."
And that's just one side of the equation.
"A visit like this is meant to show Xi to Americans as a much warmer and down-to-earth personality, and more approachable" than former President Hu Jintao, says Carla Freeman, professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. "It sends a signal that the Chinese are interested in more than just politics in Washington, but America as a whole and as a people."


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The Local WebOctober 17, 2005
Something I've been thinking about lately is the idea of localized web sites, or sites restricted to a smaller audience by either content matter or technological barriers. Having a global audience is great for meeting new people and being exposed to ideas and mindsets one may not have been aware of, but sometimes that's too much exposure.
For example, as more members of my family slowly become wired, the idea of having a common, family-only place for us all to go and talk and post pictures seems like the next logical step beyond email. I'd actually prefer that to email, given shared common archives and search options, but it might be a barrier for other members of the family who aren't as comfortable with technology.
So it's been interesting watching details emerge about Project Comet, a new product from Six Apart. It's looking as if it might just be exactly what I think our family needs, with features like photo sharing, media lists, and private weblogs. What I'm really interested in seeing is the content creation interface, and how they plan on making it accessible and user-friendly to people who aren't technically proficient.
Also picking up in my neck of the woods are community-oriented sites and weblogs. Locally focused sites with content only relevant to people within a certain geographic region are a niche that hasn't traditionally been done well on the internet. It seems to me that when you have a company driving the local content creation, there has to be a return in order to justify the resources, so you end up with company directory after company directory, maybe some events listings, a bit of weather, and not much else. Craigslist is a notable exception which has been expanding like crazy, but unless you live in one of the earlier cities it added, it's not quite there yet. (Although it was good enough to find us a new place to live last time around, replacing the for-pay listing service I'd used prior.)
But in the hands of passionate individuals who simply want to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the place they live, it's a totally different experience. I've enjoyed watching new local content launch at an increasing pace, mostly in the form of weblogs thus far.
Long-running local favourite VanEats is written by enthusiastic technologist and food critique Roland Tanglao, a name some might recognize from the Bryght team. Also run by the same folks is UrbanVancouver, a sort of local news aggregator pulling from numerous sources around town. (Disclosure: I had a hand in the design a few years back.) Local duo Ianiv and Arieanna run Vancouver Coffee, a subject close to my heart. Neighbourhood-specific blogs kitsilano.ca and Beyond Robson just kicked off this spring, and even the local businesses are getting into the spirit: check out the amount of detail and obvious love for the location that has gone into this site for a relatively small commercial corner of the city at Macdonald and Fourth. The streetscape photo tours are similar to a feature amazon.com launched a while ago, but never found its way north of the border; I wish all commercial streets up here had online tours like these.
I saw Backfence.com the other day that is right now limited to only a few communities, but it's along the same lines of community specific websites.
"Braining weblogging into the mainstream." It isn't already?
Hmmmm, the local Web. That would make for a cool Web 2.0 mash-up. Use Google Maps to index community focused Web sites, add a dash of folksonomy and you could overlay an information terrain over a physical space. It would be an interesting exercise to organize these sites into islands of information - especially, once they get the kinks out, if you add wireless devises to the mix.
You've described a big part of why LiveJournal is so popular. Users can set a post to be visible to only to friends, or even sub-sets of friends (a 'family' set, for example). Add to that a simple aggregator (the LJ friends list) and it's a very simple, useful thing. I hope they incorporated something like into Project Comet.
"especially, once they get the kinks out, if you add wireless devises to the mix"
Oh yeah. I've been saying for a while I'd drop a good bundle on any wireless device that lets me use Google Maps the same as I do in a desktop browser. When I'm street-level, I really wish look up what's around the corner.
And you're thinking along the right lines about extending it toward community-focused web sites. How great would it be to have a wiki layer on Google Maps? (Assuming it's done right, and there's continual editing effort… might be better to just start geotagging Wikipedia articles and not duplicate that effort.)
"How great would it be to have a wiki layer on Google Maps?"
I am so stealing that idea.
Funny you mention the family bit. I just got back from a family wedding and it occurred to me that there is no place online for all the folks in the Mendoza family to all hook up. In that case I felt responsible to give us an online presense and quickly buy our family name before it gets snatched up in the future.
Thanks for the tip on sixApart, I didn't realize they were starting up something just like it with their project comet. I'll have to check it out since the last thing I'd want to do is put a lot of time and effort into something that only the family is going to see.
It conceivable that we wouldn't even need to add geo information maunally to a wiki or site. It wouldn't be that hard for Google to index a blog's location by it's content. If it's community based, a site's content will be riddled with location based information - addresses, landmark & business names, events, etc. Using this information Google should be able to use its mapping technology to triangulate, map and record the radius of the content's physical reach. It would allow you to see how concentrated or diluted a blog's community based content really is, or how wide or small it's physical scope is. This would be really great for indexing - and imagine if you could compare different communities using this information - excellent for planning vacations and family moves.
The web has always held the promise of bringing us closer… and I think it's finally starting to work. I use flickr (www.flickr.com) to post personal photos and comments back and forth with my family. It does more for us than email ever has. Some people are good with words and writing, but everyone understands a photo.
BTW, Thanks for mentioning the site I work on (MacFourth.com) with such a nice description. I'm glad that my enthusiasm for the area comes across.
Thank you for showing us nice local web sites in Vancouver area. I would love to move to the city if I get the chance to do so.
I live in Vancouver and have never known any of these sites. Thanks for the information.
I have been thinking about something similar, but from the other direction; i.e. I have assumed that family content is inevitable and considered the effect that has on the ever decreasing pool of domain names.
I am by no means an expert on this; however, I am sure at some point there will be a need for more than one www.smith.family, or family.singh.london, or any other method of addressing.
If this kind of family / community centric site is to really take off there needs to be a substantial change in the way sites are addressed and I don't see adding more subdomains or sub directories as the answer.
Project Comet is a very funky idea to get non-bloggers into the whole online thing, I'll be very interested to see how the interface works.
I'm just going to throw out a link that I think is a great example of a local, community-based site that works very well.
It's run entirely by volunteers in the community, and it provides a lot of valuable information. However, Davis is a college town and I doubt it would work as well in a different type of community.
I am interested in what you are saying here, but I wonder what happens when you create a slightly different border, bringing people together of different geographical backgrounds or locations and setting them in a conceptual geography of say, art. I am experimenting with a community portfolio for folks who can't afford to create their own, with the crucial additioin of a community blog (appropriately called critique) that will be a place for artists (or what I prefer to simply call workers) can share their ideas, concepts, writing, craft in a way for many to see, some to participate. A slight diversion from your comment about your family blog idea? Anyhow, hmm. Interesting thoughts. Interactivity seems to add some kind of redemption to a medium that seems usually ucerpted by the technology savvy or the product hungry.
Cheers for the article,
Matthew Smith
Thanks for the link to Vancouver Coffee. I think coffee plays a large part to our city - and blogging about it has added a richness to my online experience. Plus, I get to drink great coffee every day!
There is no way to ensure the validity of information shared and edited among strangers; ethical standards relating to personal safety and basic human rights cannot be upheld.
For the last several years I've been having the same thoughts about a personal/family website-cum-network project. It seems ironic on the face of it that I'm not applying to my personal and family life what I know and do on a daily basis here at work. I guess I've just been trying to figure out what to do that isn't another lame website that even my family wouldn't bother with.
I'm also the driver of a van pool, and I have been pondering the creation of a website that my riders could access and would be useful to them as well – helping them to schedule their rides and disseminate other info among them. This would have both private and public access sections ideally, with the public access part helping to promote and encourage van pooling and car pooling. Again I've been trying to figure out how I would do that and what would be the best technology and format for both.
And now I'm becoming involved with the union here at work, (I work for the State of Oregon and am represented by SEIU-OPEU.) and have been tapped to be part of a communications committee. I'm looking at blogging software to help produce a very localized "newsletter" to help promote communications and member recruitment in our agency and beyond hopefully. However, the union is concerned with limiting access to keep the discussion and dialog positive, productive and in bounds and avoid trolling and unnecessary rants and flames.
I think as I learn and develop the union project, the other two will fall in place, and some of the resources being shared here will definitely come in handy.
I am surprised no one has mentioned http://www.placeopedia.com/ yet. It is basically a Google Map where users can pinpoint Wikipedia articles. There is not much else that the site does, but it is decently implemented at least!


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Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania. The name "Zanzibar" is often used to refer to the main island of the archipelago, also called Unguja. The second island by extension is Pemba; then some smaller islands, like the island of the Prison, Bawe, Chapwani, Chumbe, Mnemba, Misali.Zanzibar's name probably derives from the Persian Zang-i bar ("Land of the Blacks"). In the past the archipelago was independent; in 1964 it was joined with Tanganyika to form Tanzania.It has a population of 640,000 inhabitants and it is situated just below the equator. It enjoys a rich history as for decades it was a key trading location for East Africa and it boasts a beautiful landscape and stunning beaches. What makes Zanzibar so different from the thousands of other tropical islands is its capital Stone Town. The colours, perfumes and smells of Stone Town make an enormous impression on visitors. The senses are exalted, sometimes in a rather exaggerated manner.As you visit the area, you will discover its narrow and tortuous roads, its bazaar, the mosques and the imposing Arab houses. One of the typical characteristics of these old houses are the carved wooden doors complemented by impressive bronze ornaments. UNESCO has declared this city to be a Universal Heritage site.There are countless activities to do in Zanzibar, including the visits to the spice plantations, to the Jozani Forest inhabited by endemic species of Colobus monkey and the Sykes monkey, and the snorkelling expeditions along the coast of Bawe island, in front of Stone Town.
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