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Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel sees a pair of heavily armed Americans travelling to Mexico to blow all kinds of hell out of local drugs gangs. This kind of thing has happened before in videogames in recent memory - Ubisoft and Techland's Call of Juarez: The Cartel sent a trio of US enforcers across the border in search of terrorists, cue wisecracks and many a Frontier-style shoot-out.
The Cartel didn't do so well out of the idea, however - it was savaged by the Mexican State Congress for allegedly "normalising" gang violence that claimed the lives of over 6000 people in one town across 2010. Will Visceral's own stab at the idea fall foul of similar controversy? Or has the Dead Space team managed to re-enact real-world bloodshed sensitively, in the context of a game that harkens back to B-movies of the Schwarzenegger school? We spoke to producer Zach Mumbach for more.
According to Mumbach, the lead characters' stylised hockey masks immediately suggest that the carnage is not to be taken seriously. "I think with the masks, the shift in tone is there," he said. However, Visceral's writers have had to be careful when it comes to the franchise's trademark popcorn-crunching banter. "It's more about right place, right time. They still joke and there's still levity, and they have these light-hearted moments where they share jokes - we're just not doing that in the middle of them fighting for their lives.
"And that's what we sort of had in the previous Armys," Mumbach conceded. "And we did take some criticism for that. Obviously it was a bit much - the fist bumping and the air guitar right in the middle of a deadly fight. It was sort of a sticking point for some fans, and definitely in media as well.
"So we're going to have the light-heartedness - it's just that when me and you are playing the game we're fighting for our lives, and I'm not going to be cracking jokes or coming up behind you and slapping you on the butt or anything like that."
So why is Army of Two following Call of Juarez into Mexico? Is the thought of participating in a drug war really a premise people can relate to? "Well, I think it's real, it's in the news, it's something that's current. The last game was set in a fictional timeline - it was current but it wasn't based on reality.
"And one of the things fans want, and again we focus test a lot - it's clear they want something that's based, if you're going to do a current timing, on a real world thing." One real world setting apparently isn't another, however. "We're certainly not going to take these guys over to the Middle East," Mumbach declared. "It's just not the right setting for an Army game."
I had a chance to try out Army of Two at a recent EA event. Watch out for hands-on thoughts in the next week or so. Here's a bizarre trailer to watch while you ponder the above...


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The Healthy Villi and Beth Israel Deaconess Celiac Center of Boston invite you to the 2011 New England Celiac Conference. This day-long event supports people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.
The keynote speakers' panel will be moderated by Dr. Ciaran Kelly, Director and Founder of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The keynote topics are:
Plus - "It's Not Just About Gluten: Optimizing Nutrition on a Gluten Free Diet." with Registered Dietitians Laurie A. Higgins and Nixie Raymond
Plus - A sumptuous breakfast, lunch and snack for each attendee, all gluten-free.
Plus - 50+ tables of vendors (the Gluten Free Mall) with products to sample and purchase.
Plus - Your choice of 2 out of 8 afternoon workshops covering medical issues, nutrition, cooking, research and travel.
New England Celiac Conference
When: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011
Time: 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Where: Four Points Sheraton Hotel Norwood, MA
Cost: Early Bird Pricing is in effect until September 10th: $45 for Healthy Villi Members and each accompanying family member $65 for non-members
Full Pricing after September 10th: $55 for Healthy Villi Members and each accompanying family member $75 for non-members
*Continuing Education credits are available for Registered Dietitians for an additional $20.
For more information: Visit the Healthy Villi's website
Note: The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) provides information on gluten-free events as a service to the community. Please note that NFCA cannot assure the event participant or restaurant patron of the gluten-free practices or knowledge of the restaurants cited if they have not completed NFCA's GREAT Kitchens program, which provides accredited gluten-free training to restaurants and other foodservice providers. Please call the venue directly to learn more about their preparation processes.
Celiac Disease Symptoms Checklist
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subset: commoncrawl


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Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai
On my first stop in Dubai this past summer, I was hosted by Mövenpick Bur Dubai, which – as the named suggests – is located in the historic district of Bur Dubai.
I was picked up at the airport by one of the hotel's cars, which was equipped with bottled water, magazines, and wifi.
Check-in at the hotel was very quick and in my room I found pretty social-media-inspired petit fours: chocolate & orange slice, millionaire's short bread, coconut biscuit, fruitcake slice, hazelnut feuilletine chocolate cup. An original idea!
And there were fruits and pretzels as well!
Rooms at Mövenpick Bur Dubai are spacious and have simple yet elegant interiors, which very much reflect the Swissness of the hotel brand. The colors of the decor are mainly neutral (white and brown tones).
Breakfast is served every morning from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the hotel's main restaurant in the atrium, Fountain Restaurant.
The buffet is large and contains dishes from different cuisines, including Middle Eastern, Continental European, and North American. I was happy to indulge in hummous, baba ghanoush, and other local yummy specialties.
There are two other restaurants inside the hotel: A Thai and an Indian restaurant. There is also a Starbucks branch.
One cozy spot on the fourth floor is the Executive Lounge. I stopped by the lounge a few times for coffee and snacks. The cakes on the afternoon buffet were really attractive.
In addition to several meeting rooms, the hotel has a well-equipped fitness center (which I checked out once) and a rooftop swimming pool (which I checked out only very quickly because of the heat).
Given its location in Bur Dubai, the hotel is a 30 to 45-minute drive from Dubai's main tourist spots such as The Palm or Marina Walk. To move around town, you can either take a taxi or ask for one of the hotel's cars, which are only slightly more expensive than taxis. There is a free shuttle service to Dubai Mall, the world's largest mall.
Among the attractions closer to the hotel, I definitely recommend checking out Dubai Museum and the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.
My verdict? Mövenpick Bur Dubai is especially suitable for business travelers looking for stylish accommodation in Bur Dubai and close to Dubai International Airport.
Website: www.moevenpick-hotels.com
Address: 19th Street, Oud Metha Area, P.O. Box 32733, Dubai


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About | Projects | Docs | Forums | Lists | Bugs | Get Gentoo! | Support | Planet | Wiki
Jeff Donsbach wrote:[Wed Oct 27 2004, 12:47:07AM EDT] > In my experience, the problem is not the compiler so much as broken > apps. Most of the crashes that I have ever seen and fixed that > crashed due to floating point exceptions on Alpha were caused by > uninitialized floating point variables. Most of them that I've seen are divide-by-zero which is not a fatal exception according to ieee rules. Regards, Aron -- Aron Griffis Gentoo Linux Developer
Updated Jun 17, 2009
Summary: Archive of the gentoo-alpha mailing list.
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Business Challenge
From the touring road company of Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber's Broadway smash hit 'Sunset Boulevard' to the enigmatic onstage antics of Blue Man Group, and from the bustling floor of the NeoCon trade show in Chicago to the quiet dignity of the Jewish Heritage Museum in New York, Scharff Weisberg provides essential multimedia show control services.
Scharff Weisberg Inc. has been active in the audio/video technology business for more than 20 years,' explains Patrick Denny, Systems Integration Coordinator. 'During this time the company has serviced many different kinds of markets and organizations, always adhering to a philosophy espousing technical excellence coupled with a strong commitment to customer service. We feel that technical knowledge and familiarity with the current hardware is only part of a company's ability to provide audio/video services. More important, perhaps, is our staff's ability to respond to your requirements professionally, quickly, and courteously. That is the foundation upon which the company has been built.'
As part of that commitment to customer service, Patrick recently took charge of organizing the day to day functions of a new installation division — and soon realized that the system for tracking business functions required improvement. 'I needed the ability to link different database formats into one centralized location,' he recalls. 'I needed to quickly customize our daily tasks into database form. I was frustrated with trying to manipulate our Visual Accountmate accounting program into reflecting the information being asked of me.'


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Is it safe to take all these supplements once per day? If i bought them all individually and took the recommended dosages.
Top 4 Focus Supplements To Improve Concentration Naturally
There has been a significant rise in the past decade or so of the use of natural focus and concentration booster supplements to improve an individuals ability to stay alert for longer periods of time.Typically individuals who have taken or are taking these kinds of natural brain supplements for concentration report that they feel significantly more focused as their attention span increases.
Focus supplements and other common natural supplements for improving concentration and attention span support brain activity and increase mental energy but do not act as stimulants in the traditional sense.
Focus booster supplements will have a number of different types of brain booster vitamins and brain enhancing amino acids in them. These vitamins and amino acids work together as a catalyst for increasing neurotransmitter activity which in turn improves concentration span and memory recall.
Since most of the more effective brain supplements for improving concentration have a set of several natural focus booster vitamins in them , it is difficult to ascertain which of them is the most active focus booster or whether it's the combination of many of them that are producing the overall result.
This article digests existing research and highlights 4 of the most effective focus and concentration boosting ingredients to look for when considering using a natural supplement to improve your attention span.
Focus Supplements and the Top 4 Most Effective Ingredients to Look for
1. Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
Other Names :
Acetil-L-Carnitina, Acetyl Carnitine, Acétyl Carnitine, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Acétyl-L-Carnitine, Acetyl-L-Carnitine Arginate Dihydrochloride, Acetyl-L-Carnitine Arginate HCl, Acétyl-L-Carnitine Arginate HCl, Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl, Acétyl-L-Carnitine HCl, Acetyl L-Carnitine Hydrochloride, Acetyl Carnitine, Acétyl-Carnitine, Acetyl-Levocarnitine, Acétyl-Lévocarnitine, ALC, Alcar, Carnitine Acetyl Ester, Dihydrochlorure d'Acétyl-L-Carnitine Arginate, Gamma-Trimethyl-Beta-Acetylbutyrobetaine, L-Acetylcarnitine, L-Acétylcarnitine, Levacecarnine, N-Acetyl-Carnitine, N-Acétyl-Carnitine, N-Acetyl-L-Carnitine, N-Acétyl-L-Carnitine, ST-200, Vitamin B(t) Acetate, 2-(acetyloxy)-3-carboxy-N,N,N-trimethyl-1-propanaminium inner salt, (3-carboxy-2-hydroxy-propyl)trimethylammonium hydroxide inner salt acetate
A powerful and effective brain booster that has grown in popularity over the past decade or so Acetyl-L-Carnitine is a very well researched amino acid that is found in a few of the most effective focus and concentration supplements. It works as a brain booster by helping maintain the health and functionality of brain cells, one recent study found that people with early signs of dementia and mild memory impairment benefited from low to medium doses of Acetyl-L-Carnitine over a relatively short period of time.
Anecdotal evidence backs up the clinical studies and demonstrates that Acetyl L Carnitine does improve concentration and mental focus very quickly. With many individuals experiencing a positive effect within two hours of taking it .It is an effective brain booster because it works to make one more motivated, with an ability to concentrate better and get things done faster.
Effective For :
- Reduces age related memory loss in older adults.Acetyl-L-Carnitine is widely used in Europe to treat Altzheimer's and other memory loss related diseases.
- Improving concentration : Recent European studies show that regular use of ALCAR increased concentration memory in adults ages 25-70 and whose use of technology has decreased attention span over time
- Studies show ALCAR is very effective in Increasing blood flow to the brain. Taking just a small dose of Acetyl-L-Carnitine has shown exponential improvements in blood flow in the brains of people who have poor blood concentration and attention span.
Recommended Dosage:
- For treating Alzheimer's disease: 1.5 G-4.0 G per day typically divided into two or three doses during the day.
- For treating age-related memory loss: 1.5 G-2 G per day.
- For depression and mood enhancement : 1.5 G-3 G per day in divided doses.
- For improving Attention Span and Concentration: 2 G per day in divided doses
2. Ginkgo Biloba
A lot of recent research has focused on natural focus booster herbs like Gingko Biloba, the leaf of the ginkgo tree, which is native to China and one of the oldest plants in the world.
Ginkgo operates as a focus booster by improving oxygen flow to the brain. The brain needs oxygen to operate at its optimum best, so it's possible that even a slight lack of circulation can affect its performance.
A recent article published by The University of Maryland (see References & Sources Used) cites that Ginkgo Biloba is often termed as an effective natural 'brain herb' and recent research studies both in the US and in Europe have found the regular use of Ginkgo Biloba as part of a healthy diet and regular exercise can help improve overall memory recall and brain reaction performance in healthy individuals,
Effective For :
- Improving concentration and attention span in older adults : Studies show that taking ginkgo leaf extract significantly improves the attention span and ability to concentrate in elderly people with mild to moderate age-related memory loss or thinking problems.
- The regular use of Ginkgo leaf extract has been shown to improve short-term visual memory and speed of mental processing in individuals suffering from memory loss.
- Improving concentration and attention span in young people. Taking relatively small doses of ginkgo on a regular basis has been shown to improve some thinking skills in young to middle aged individuals. Ginkgo has been shown to significantly improve memory recall and speed of mental processing in individuals who show no signs of memory loss.
Recommended Dosage :
- Treating memory loss : a dosage of 1.2 G – 2.4 G daily of ginkgo leaf extract, divided in two or three doses over the course of the day.
- For improving overall brain function in healthy young people: A daily dose of between 120-600 mg .
- For improving concentration and attention span: A daily dose of 360 MG divided across the day .
3. Huperzine A
Huperzine-A is another focus booster that has been studied as a potential treatment for dementia. It may also work as an effective brain booster in healthy people and as a result Huperzine-A is found in many of the more effective supplements for brain improvement.
Huperzine-A appears to block an enzyme in the brain that breaks down acetylcholine, an essential neurotransmitter (the brains chemical messengers}. Acetylcholine carries information across synapses, the space between brain cells. Huperzine appears to facilitate more acetylcholine in the brain which in turn impacts positively on the brains ability to retain information for longer periods of time.
Effective For :
- Boosting memory performance , brain function, and mental energy in individuals with Alzheimer's disease or senile dementia. Recent Swiss research showed increased memory and thinking skills among individuals with Alzheimer's disease after just 2 months of use.
- Increasing concentration and attention span in healthy adults. A recent Chinese study demonstrated that Huperzine A significantly improved the memory of university students with a history of shortened attention spans.
Recommended Dosage:
- For treating the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other symptoms of declining brain function : 50 Mcg -200 Mcg two times a day.
- For treating declining memory performance and memory loss: 30 Mcg taken 2 times a day.
- For improving concentration and attention span: 200 Mcg per day split into two doses during the 24 hour period.
4. Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)
DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) has been shown to positively effect the brains acetylcholine levels and is another natural brain booster that many cognitive experts believe to be effective and is not just based on anecdotal evidence alone. Many users report that only after an hour or two of taking DMAE that they're thinking much quicker and are able to sustain focus and concentration for longer periods of time.
What is clear is that in addition to existing clinical research into the efficacy of ingredients found in many widely used brain supplements and focus booster formulas there is also a vast amount of anecdotal evidence that demonstrate that the 4 key ingredients outlined above help to improve concentration and memory if taken consistently over time. The key is to research your options carefully and see which brain booster supplements for brain improvement works for you.
About the Author
Sam Jansen is a leading brain scientist, lawyer and author, studying neuroscience, social behaviors and the science of happiness.You can find him at Google+


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I am trying to level the floor of my second floor bath in preparation for tile. The joist that runs under the subfloor has sagged over the years due to plumbers hacking at it. We had a contractor install a post and beam in the kitchen that now supports the sagging joist. Structurally the upstairs bath floor is solid, however it does follow the sag. The joist runs under the bath and continues into an adjacent attic void that would be a major pain to access. I'm thinking of sistering to the portion of the joist under the bathroom in order to level the floor instead of sistering to the entire length of the joist. Will this work or am I missing something? |
Follow-Up Postings:
It worked for me over 20 yrs ago in a bedroom. Due to kneewalls and a 45 degree slope on the ceiling I couldn't go all the way to the end. Floor is solid and level. |
It can work, depending on the reason for the sag in the first place. It also takes a pretty decent number of nails to make sure the two pieces of wood act together uniformly. The first thing you should do is measure the existing joists and consult a span table to see if they were adequate in the first place. |
- Posted by hearthside_im_all_in (My Page) on Thu, Jun 4, 09 at 18:34
Thanks folks, for the feedback. It's good to hear that I'm on the right track. The contractor who installed the beam in the kitchen below (we had to replace our ceiling, which led us to identify the sag initially) was fairly confident that the sag was due to the couple of cuts made in the joist to run plumbing back in the day. The house was built in the 1920's and the rest of the second floor is level, so hopefully that was cause. It sounds like we should check the spans to be on the safe side. We got a good view of the bottom of the joists during that project, but unfortunately didn't realize we'd need to work on the upstairs floor too - too bad, now we can only work on the joists from one direction, above. What advice do you have about hardware? I don't have a compressor, so I'll be pounding in nails old school. Some of the research I've seen suggests using bolts. Are there pros/cons I should know about when deciding to use nails versus bolts (or a combination?) for this project? Thanks again! |
Screw and bolt is the way to go. We had plaster ceiling so nailing would have resulted in a lot of cracks. |
you can use screws and bolts, but the spacing does not change all that much. Bolts larger than 3/8 do not help much. Nails from a nail gun are less damaging to plaster then using a hammer. |
- Posted by hearthside_im_all_in (My Page) on Fri, Jun 5, 09 at 19:21
I'm not quite clear on how the hardware type would affect plaster - the sistering would be covered by the subfloor, so you're putting the final surface on after sistering is complete. Are you talking about the lower surface of the joists on the opposite side from the sister, i.e. potential damage to the kitchen ceiling below? Good point - didn't think about how there could be some vibrations. |
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MKV to MP4 Converter for Mac is the best solution converting MKV video to MP4 format for PS3, iPhone, iPad, Android phone and pad and other MP4 compatible devices using Mac. Only 4 simple steps will help Converting MKV to MP4 format with high output quality.
MKV (aka "Matroska Video") is the most popular video format online, but it is not compatible for most portable devices, such as iPhone, iPad, PS3, Xbox, etc. So movie fans need BEST MKV to MP4 Converter for Mac to transcode MKV files to MP4 format. MP4 is playable on Apple devices, Xbox, PSP, PS3, and most Android phones.
This MKV to MP4 Conversion software is necessary for eight out of ten people, especially for movie fans. Why? Because MKV is a popular container format, which is designed to be a kitchen sink. Users are allowed to throw all video formats inside this container, so they like to stash it full of subtitle files and other sorts of things.
However, popular media devices like iPad, Apple TV, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Roku are not compatible with MKV format, so you have to change MKV to MP4 (compatible format for almost all portable movie players) format.
Mac Version | Size: 9.6 MB |
Windows Version | Size: 9.6 MB |
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I have been looking for a while and I still am at a loss of the best way to convert an HD movie in MKV format to play on my PlayStation 3. I don't care if I have to reencode the file into an MP4, or just remux into a VOB. I'm looking for simplicity and quality.
So what's the best way to get an HD MKV file onto a PS3 using a Mac?
Step 1: Add MKV file(s) by clicking "File".
After free download and install MKV to MP4 Converter Mac OS X accordingly, click "File" button to "Add File(s)", "Add Pictures" or "Add Folder" at your will, batch conversion is supported.
Step 2: Choose MP4 as Video Output Format.
Click Profile drop-down menu to choose "MP4" as output video format, of course, you can also choose other desired format freely. With MKV to MP4 Converter for Mac OS X, all parameters of loaded video can be customized, such as File Name, Video Size, Video Quality, Audio Quality, and Split which will best fit for your portable players.
Step 3: Select Output Folder.
Click the "Browse" button to choose the folder where you want to save the converted MP4 files in.
Step 4: Start Converting MKV to MP4 on Mac OS X.
After finish the above 3 steps, click the "Conversion" button to Convert MKV to MP4 for Mac, you could view the conversion progress and are able to cancel the converting process at anytime


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24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.
M-Net's brand new reality show Power Couple will put relationships to the ultimate test. Read More »
Bear Grylls is to host a new reality show Mission Survive in which eight celebrities will be tasked with the ultimate challenge of survival. Read More »
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Share an Encouraging Thought or Prayer
Submitted by Lisa
Prayer Request:
Please pray for our finances, we are close to losing our home, Due to loss of work., we need extra prayer warriors to lift us up to throne of God.
What is your First Name?
What is your E-Mail address?
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Here's the intense, visceral clip for Brit indie-pop outfit ALT-J's "Fitzpleasure," a video that features some visual trickery as well as one hell of a back tattoo. Stereogum40 commenters, in the immortal words of Michelle Branch: Are You Happy Now? Watch the video below. Guillaume Cagniard directs.
An Awesome Wave is out now on Infectious, and 9/18 stateside via Canvasback.
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Hi All-
My daughter has decided that she wants this card game for Christmas. I know I need to get some sort of expansion for the core game, but which one? Some players say to go in order, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what that is. Could you help me out on what I am supposed to get besides the initial game? Many thanks!


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Download Snooker 09
Click to download: http://www.fontsviewer.com/billiard/billiard07.zip
The most popular of the large variety of pocket games are 8-ball, 9-ball, one-pocket, bank pool, snooker and, among the old guard, straight pool. In 8-ball and 9-ball the object is to sink object balls until one can legally pocket the winning eponymous ball. Well-known but waning in popularity is straight pool, in which players seek to continue sinking balls, rack after rack if they can, to reach a pre-determined winning score. Sometimes the pre-