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Buonanotte restaurant's menu has received a notice from the Office of the French language. Waitress Alexandra Marcil.
Credits: JOCELYN MALETTE/QMI AGENCY
After 20 years of using the word pasta, a single customer's complaint to the Office quebecois de la langue francaise deprived the restaurant of its Italian touch.
It didn't matter how hard the owner fought and how much he spent on lawyers.
Following that story, many other restaurant owners also came out with other ridiculous examples of harassment from the language police.
The Conti Caffe in Quebec City spent $20,000 to replace its menus and outdoor signs since there are two Fs in the Italian spelling of "caffe" and only one in French.
Even the restaurant Portofino had to change its slogan "Pizza, Pasta & Musica!"
And the patrolling did not stop at the entrance or the table.
A French tavern in Old Montreal had to remove the letters WC from its toilet doors.
Even though they matched the original signs in France, WC cannot replace "toilettes" in Quebec, according to the OQLF. We have become the laughing stock of the world.
According to Influence Communication, pastagate generated more than 350 articles in 14 countries, including Italy.
In fact, it received 60 times more coverage than Premier Pauline Marois' trip to New York City last December.
After such a PR disaster, Diane De Courcy, the Parti Quebecois minister responsible for the language law, said on Monday she would review the rules.
How shocked was I Wednesday to then read the new ads for the SAQ, the government monopoly selling alcohol in La Belle Province. It advertises the "festivino" of great wines for the "amore" of "pasta."
We also found out Wednesday that Loto-Quebec - another public monopoly, this one for gambling - sells "Lotto 6/49." Lotto with two Ts is also inspired by the language of Dante.
But no worries, no language police has scrutinized itself yet.
"Do as I say, not as I do" has long been the government's motto.
And those who pretend to love and cherish the French language more than anyone else are now trying to find a scapegoat instead of recognizing their language laws are ludricous.
The president of the nationalist Mouvement Quebec francais, Mario Beaulieu, came out to blame the "English media who are on a cabal to discredit Bill 101."
I don't think Quebec's language police need anyone to discredit it these days. It is doing that itself quite well.
This incident should open the eyes of a few pequiste radicals to the fact that the survival of French in North America is not a matter of bureaucrats, police or politicians. Our language will bloom if, and only if, as individuals we care for it.
Let's hope this whole silly faux-pas will help more and more Quebecers realize we can do away with language police altogether.


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Hey all,
So after a long hiatus, I'm gonna try to get back into AGoT, but I need to figure out if there's even any kind of players around me to make it worth sinking a lot of money into. I'm currently residing in SE Michigan, near Ann Arbor. Does anyone know of play groups within a reasonable driving distance of that, or even in the area itself?

subset: commoncrawl


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Shushuk Mela 2013
On February 8th 2013 the Conservator of Forest, Khulna Circle, inaugurated the fourth Shushuk Mela or Dolphin Festival in Mongla. The floating exhibition anchored at 15 villages in the fringe area of the Sundarbans forest. Over 13,000 visitors were welcomed on board during the month-long event, and around 4500 people attended the 15 evening film shows.
The key messages of this years exhibition were 1) Dolphins are our pride; 2) Dolphins need protection; 3) Together we can protect our dolphins. The Shushuk Mela provided a platform for learning more about our endangered freshwater dolphins, discussing existing protective laws as well as proposed regulations for the new wildlife sanctuaries, anticipated challenges related to the new wildlife sanctuaries for freshwater dolphins, and for exchanging ideas about sustainable fisheries practices and alternative income generating activities.
A team of 10 trained interpreters guided the visitors through the traveling exhibition. New exhibits, including a bioscope showing the live birth of a dolphin calf, a photo opportunity mural for visitors to take photographs of their friends and family (and the dolphin hotline number) with their mobile phone, and a showcase displaying locally produced goods and handicrafts to encourage innovative and creative approaches for income generating activities, attracted lots of attention.
Training workshop for Coastal Fishermen Safety Network
On November 2nd our principal researcher, Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli, assisted by our project director, Brian D. Smith, and our financial manager, Masudur Rahman Saikat, conducted a training workshop for coastal fishermen in Bagerhat. 17 participants, including captains, engineers and senior crewmembers of five fishing vessels learned how to use a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a depth sounder to safely navigate the dangerous shallows of the coastal waters. The participants also learned about the cetaceans of Bangladesh, their conservation status and the correct procedure for releasing entangled cetaceans and collecting samples from dead dolphins. One hand-held GPS, one depth sounder set-up and a sample collecting kit was given to three of the five represented fishing boats. In return for increasing the safety of these fishermen at sea, the fishermen pledged to release entangled cetaceans and collect information from dead animals for the BCDP. A weatherproof training handbook was distributed among the participants as a reference, along with data sheets for collecting information about navigation, sightings and mortalities. A waterproof storage bag was also provided to keep the all equipment and documents safe and dry.
Kick-off for Field Season 2012/13
On November 5th we kicked off the 2012/13 field season. In a first phase the team conducted a blind test with 'pingers', devices emitting a 'ping' sound at about 70khz, to determine changes of behavior for freshwater dolphins. Four confluence areas in the new wildlife sanctuaries were selected as test locations. The experimental study was carried out over a period of 20 days by a team of 6 BCDP members, 7 volunteers, and 7 crewmembers aboard three vessels.
In November the BCDP principal researcher, Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli, started his research work in the coastal waters adjacent of Sundarbans and the deep-sea canyon 'Swatch-of-No-Ground' in the Bay of Bengal. During this years three-month session he conducted sample collection in support of a genetic study of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins, and continued his study on population dynamics of bottlenose dolphins (using photo-identification) and their interactions with fisheries.
Go4BioDiv Youth Forum in COP11 of Convention on Biological Diversity
Our Education and Training Program Assistant, Ms. Farhana Akhtar, was invited as a resource person to participate in the Go4BioDiv Youth Forum from 5th -19thOctober 2012 in the Sundarbans and Hyderabad, India (www.go4biodiv.org). Go4BioDiv is an international youth forum carried out parallel to the Conference of the Parties of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The third Go4BioDiv Youth Forum focused on the theme "Conserving the coastal and marine biodiversity for sustainable life and livelihood". There were four workshops, and Ms. Farhana co-moderated the workshop on Public Outreach, Education and Communication. All the workshops aimed to formulate a declaration presented to the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 11 of CBD). Her efforts to moderate the workshop, manage side events and share her experience from the BCDP Educational Outreach program were greatly appreciated by the organizers and participants.
Student Internship Program
In April of this year we announced a new round of student internships for Bangladeshi students enrolled in Masters and PhD programs. Two students were selected through a thorough process. They are currently receiving logistical, technical and financial support for completing their Master's thesis: Ms. Zenifar Azmeri (supervised by Dr. Mohammed Mostafa Feeroz, JU) is assessing the feasibility of using photo-identification techniques for Irrawaddy dolphins here in Bangladesh, while Mr. Shihab Khaledin (supervised by Dr. Monirul H. Khan, JU) is studying the environmental impacts of mechanized vessel traffic on the new wildlife sanctuaries for freshwater dolphins in the eastern Sundarbans forest. These studies support ongoing research priorities of the BCDP and strengthen our collaboration with national universities, while also building local capacity for designing and carrying out conservation oriented research.
Support for graduate university students
Ms. Mahfuza Afroz successfully completed her Masters dissertation on 'Examination of the stomach contents of freshwater cetaceans and overlap with fish catches in the Sundarbans' in February 2012 at Khulna University. Inspired by her experience working with the BCDP, Ms. Afroz volunteered as an interpreter for the 2012 Shushuk Mela and successfully applied for a ten-month internship through the Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) to coordinate our mortality monitoring network and publish the results of her dissertation in a peer-reviewed journal.
Mr. Zahangir Alom completed fieldwork for his Ph.D. dissertation at Jahangirnagar University on the "Ecological and human use characteristics of freshwater-dependent cetacean habitat in the Eastern Sundarbans Reserved Forest of Bangladesh." Mr. Alom is currently analysing data and writing his dissertation which should be completed before the end of 2012.
NGO Facilitator's Training Workshop
To expand the scope and impact of our educational outreach activities, the BCDP works with a network of social development organizations. Partner organizations were assessed and selected through a series of interviews in October 2011. From 21 - 22 January 2012, the BCDP organized an intensive training workshop for grass-root level facilitators from these NGOs. In addition to the 14 participants from our partner organizations, two representatives from the Forest Department and two students from Khulna University were invited. During the two-day workshop we used games, models and illustrations to communicate basic knowledge about cetaceans, the status and diversity of these fascinating animals in Bangladesh, and the newly established Wildlife Sanctuaries and proposed regulations. The participants greatly appreciated their newly acquired knowledge as well as our innovative educational outreach techniques which they will apply during their meetings and workshops in local communities. All participants were given a training handbook and certificate along with coloring booklets, posters and stickers on cetacean conservation for dissemination among their target communities.
Shushuk Mela 2012
The third Shushuk Mela (or dolphin exhibition) was inaugurated by the Chief Conservator of Forests on February 18, 2012. He was joined by about 30 other senior officials of the Forest Department as well as a large number of representatives from local media and NGOs. During the next 26 days, the floating exhibition traveled to 15 villages and towns, seven of which had been visited during last year's exhibition. These areas contain the homes of fishermen operating in the three new wildlife sanctuaries. We learned as much from interviews conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation, partially supported by funds from FTM, on the ecology and human use of 'hotspots' for freshwater dolphins in the Sundarbans (see below).
A total of 19,128 people visited the floating cetacean exhibition: 55% were under the age of 16 and 28% were between 17 and 40 years old (the primary age range of most professional fishermen). Visitors were guided through the exhibition by interpreters from our exhibition team of three BCDP staff and seven volunteers. Volunteers were recruited from Khulna and Jahangirnagar Universities, the Wildlife Division of the Forest Department, and partner NGOs. All interpreters participated in an intensive one-day training course and received mentoring during daily feedback sessions with the BCDP staff. Several had not worked with our project previously, but they proved to be excellent communicators and are now experienced members of our network of environmental educators. We also engaged interested children and had them serve as 'dolphin ambassadors', assisting our education team in organizing the visitors and attracting more guests. Approximately 10,000 coloring booklets and 3,000 posters on cetaceans and their conservation, along with 15,000 stickers promoting the dolphin hotline for our mortality monitoring network, were distributed during the Shushuk Mela.
The exhibition provided a platform to informally discuss suggested regulations, including strict enforcement of the ban on illegal fishing gear, restrictions on vessel speed, prohibitions on dumping solid waste and contaminated water from commercial vessels, and anticipated challenges in the new wildlife sanctuaries for freshwater dolphins. While most fishermen agreed with enforcement of the ban on illegal fishing gear, they expressed concerns about the current practice of allowing fishing in existing wildlife sanctuaries for 'unofficial payments'. This puts those fishers who support and abide by protective regulations at a disadvantage and undermines conservation efforts.
Assessing the effectiveness of the Shushuk Mela 2011
To assess the effectiveness of the our traveling, vessel-based exhibition on cetacean diversity or Shushuk Mela in 2011, our Educational Outreach Team carried out a Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) survey in four villages: two that we visited in 2011, and two that we did not visit in 2011 but planned to visit in 2012. A standardized questionnaire was used to interview 50 people in each village, including fishermen, children, and women. Results from the survey revealed a considerable difference in the knowledge and attitudes between villages that were visited and those that were not. For example, 60% of respondents living in villages visited by the exhibition knew that Ganges River dolphins are mammals while only 31% of the respondents from villages that were not visited were aware of this fact. About 80% of all interviewed fishermen said they would cut their fishing gear to release a live dolphin caught in their net, with a slightly larger percentage reporting the same in the two villages visited by the Shushuk Mela last year. In the villages we visited last year, no one reported that they would sell a dolphin carcass and only 3% said they would render it for oil. By comparison, in villages we had not previously visited, 16% reported they would sell a dolphin carcass and 7% reported they would render it for oil. These results indicate that the Shushuk Mela has been successful at raising awareness among local people on the conservation of freshwater dolphins, and that our emphasis on reducing by-catch is well-founded and should be strengthened. Another KAP survey will be conducted in June 2012 to assess the effectiveness of the 2012 Shushuk Mela and provide input for improvements to be incorporated into the one planned for 2013.
Declaration of Wildlife Sanctuaries for freshwater dolphin in Eastern Sundarbans Reserved Forest
After months of anticipation, on January 29th 2012 three new wildlife sanctuaries (Chandpai, Dhangmari, and Dudhmukhi) were declared for the protection of threatened Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins by the Ministry of Forests and Environment. The three wildlife sanctuaries safeguard 19.4 mi (31.4 km) of channels with a total area of 4.1 sq mi (10.7 sq km). The locations and sizes of the sanctuaries in the Sundarbans were determined according to a study conducted by the BCDP and published in the journal Oryx in 2010. This study found that the habitat of Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins were clumped in waterways where human activities are most intense. Declaration of the wildlife sanctuaries is a great success for our project and a triumph for cetacean conservation in Bangladesh, but it is only a first step. We are currently collaborating with local communities and government officials to develop and implement a science-based, community informed management plan that aims to conserve threatened freshwater dolphins, provide benefits for local fishermen, and inform adaptive human-wildlife management to cope with the impacts of climate change.
October 2011: A dedicated Survey of the Western Sundarbans completed
Researchers from the BCDP recently completed a dolphin survey of the western Sundarbans in Bangladesh. Supported by a team of students from Khulna and Chittagong Universities, Forest Department officials, and international volunteers, during nine days they searched for these elusive animals in nearly 1,000 kilometers of mangrove channels. An intensive training workshop prior to the expedition gave all team members the skills to search for cetaceans and record scientific data on their occurrence. The observer team reported a total of 128 sightings of cetaceans. The highest numbers of sightings were recorded for Irrawaddy and Ganges River dolphins but a surprising finding was the occurrence of finless porpoises and even a sighting of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, cetacean species that are more often associated with higher salinity coastal waters.
The results of this recent survey will help to identify additional 'dolphin hotspots' in the western portion of the Sundarbans mangrove forest and contribute to the establishment of a protected area network for cetacean diversity in Bangladesh.
September 2011: Invited presentation on the BCDP Educational Outreach Program at Student Conference on Conservation Science in Bangalore, India
Our Education and Training Assistant, Farhana Akhtar, was invited to attend the Student Conference on Conservation Science, 14-16 September, Bangalore, India. Farhana presented a talk titled "Sharing the Challenge of Conserving Bangladesh's Cetacean Diversity with Local Communities". The talk highlighted innovative approaches of the BCDP to communicate information on cetaceans and their conservation. Attending students and conservation scientists included Dr. Andrew Balmford, University of Cambridge (UK), Prof. Yvonne Sadovy, University of Hong Kong, Prof. Raman Sukumar, Indian Institute of Science, and Dr. Ullas Karanth, WCS India. Participants at the conference were particularly enthusiastic about our boat-based, travelling Shushuk Mela or dolphin exhibition. This conference was a welcome opportunity to network with students from neighbouring countries and learn more about conservation activities in the region.
August 2011 - February 2012: Conservation Leadership Programme Intern joins BCDP
Emile Mahabub has joined the BCDP team as an intern to assist with the research and educational outreach activities. He has been taking an active role in planning and conducting an impact survey for evaluating the effectiveness of the educational outreach activities, and more specifically the floating dolphin exhibition. He is currently involved in planning the logistics for the upcoming Shushuk Mela 2012, assessing and selecting new partners for the BCDP NGO Educational Outreach Network, and he will participate in a cetacean survey in the western Sundarbans as well as other BCDP research activities in the coming field season. Emile has a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Management. Since 2005 he has worked as nature guide for The Guide Tours Ltd. in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh. Last year Emile was awarded the Conservation Leadership Programme's Future Conservationist Award. His internship with the BCDP is funded by the Conservation Leadership Programme in affiliation with the Wildlife Conservation Society.
May 2011: GPS navigation Training for Coastal fishermen from Pirojpur
The BCDP program 'Saving Lives – People and Dolphins' aims to assist coastal fishermen by providing safety at sea through navigation equipment and training in the use thereof, in return for minimizing cetacean bycatch and reporting cetacean sightings and mortalities.
On May 29th 2011 the BCDP Principal Researcher, Project Coordinator and Financial Manager traveled to the fishing town of Hularhat/Pirojpur in the south-east of Bangladesh, equipped with several weather-proof copies of a training handbook and cetacean identification charts they had specially developed in Bengali language, appropriate for the elementary level of literacy among fishermen, and two hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) devices that were modified with colored dots for easy reference.
They were met by the fishing vessel captain that has been assisting the BCDP team for the past five years with the survey work at the Swatch-of-No-Ground and in the coastal waters. He introduced the trainers to Mr. Sukhoranjan Das, the owner of five fishing vessels, who kindly offered his home as a venue for the training session. The group was joined by another fishing vessel owner, Mr. Amio Babu. Both owners are very keen on equipping all their vessels with GPS and Depth sounders, and had arranged for their vessel crew members to join the session.
Along with the two fishing vessel owners four captains, three mechanical engineers and five crew members participated in the day-long training. The theoretical part, which elaborated on the contents depicted and described in the manual, was followed by a practical session. The participants clearly enjoyed this part of the training, as they were ecstatic to see the devices at work, and eager to learn how to handle this valuable tool. The third session focused on cetacean identification and completing data sheets. Thereafter all participants boarded an engine boat on the nearby river and practiced their newly acquired skills.
Our Principal Researcher feels confident that two persons from the two boats, which have been provided with a GPS each by BCDP, are now sufficiently competent to handle the devices properly. He plans to visit them again after they return from their first voyage with the GPS to retrieve the collected information and provide clarifications as needed.
May 2011: Working Session for Wildlife Sanctuaries
On May 9th 2011 the BCDP organized a working session with the Forest Department to discuss the establishment of three wildlife sanctuaries for freshwater dolphins in the Eastern Sundarbans Reserved Forest. The session was attended by senior officers from the Forest Department Wildlife and Nature Conservation circle, a representative from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the entire BCDP team. Mr. Ishtiaq Ahmad, Chief Conservator of Forests, chaired the session. The BCDP presented detailed study results compiled in a comprehensive background document supporting the proposed protected areas in the mangrove waterways. The justification and benefits were highlighted in regards to saving endangered species, incorporating climate change impacts, promoting sustainable development and generating local socio-economic benefits. The BCDP presented recommendations for the regulations and management of these new wildlife sanctuaries, which include law enforcement, sustainable fisheries, appropriate infrastructure, improved administration, strengthened collaborations and benefits for local communities. The CCF expressed his positive support for the wildlife sanctuaries to be declared within the coming months, and welcomed the science-based, community-informed recommendations proposed by the BCDP.
March 2011: New Look for BCDP Website
In collaboration with the SBW Neue Medien in Romanshorn, Switzerland, and Kaspar Mühlemann (Design) our website has received a totally new and user friendly look. We are grateful to our volunteer intern from Switzerland, Barbara Mühlemann, for taking on this task with the necessary perseverance and care. All collaborators worked without remuneration for our project, for which we are very grateful!
March 2011: Foundations for Tomorrow – Building Local Capacity for Cetacean Conservation
With financial support from the Foundation for the Third Millennium (F3M) the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bangladesh Cetacean Diversity Project (BCDP) has significantly strengthened its educational outreach and capacity building work. The most noteworthy achievement was convening a boat-based educational exhibition featuring the cetacean diversity of Bangladesh and our conservation activities. The exhibition reached over 5,000 visitors living close to our planned protected area network. We also recruited a full-time educational assistant to help with the exhibition and two workshops held to increase the research skill of our network of volunteer students. Additionally, the BCDP Education and Training Director, Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur, and the Project Director, Brian D. Smith, were invited as guestspeakers to the regional collaborative workshop 'Determining and quantifying threats to coastal cetaceans' from February 22-24 2011 in Kuching, Sarawak.
March 2011: Shushuk Mela 2011 – Sharing the challenge of conserving Bangladesh's cetacean diversity with local communities
Following an overwhelmingly successful cetacean exhibition (Shushuk Mela) held in October 2009 in the capital city Dhaka, we modified the exhibition to convene it on a wooden palm collection boat that traveled to local villages close to our planned Protected Area Network. The event aimed to increase awareness among local communities about cetacean diversity in Bangladesh and to build local constituencies for the establishment of three Wildlife Sanctuaries for Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins in the Sundarbans.
A conservation management plan to address the threats facing these dolphins and to ensure that their habitat is protected is being developed by the BCDP together with the Forest Department and local fisher folk. The 'Shushuk Mela 2011' provided a platform for discussing locally appropriate conservation interventions with community members. Visitors, including fishermen, traders and local leaders, reacted positively to the conservation interventions proposed by the BCDP, which stress the importance of healthy fish stocks and maintaining sufficient freshwater flow for humans as well as dolphins.
A large wooden boat traditionally used for collecting palm leaves harvested from the Sundarbans forest was modified to create a floating exhibition space. Information was presented on thirty panels, with photographs, illustrations and simple Bengali text, and in interactive games that encouraged both children and adults to test their understanding. Life-size models also gave the visitors a closer look at these amazing creatures and their features. Trained volunteer interpreters from local universities guided the visitors through the exhibition, encouraged questions and initiated discussions. Altogether the 'Shushuk Mela 2011' completed a two-week long tour through seven villages adjacent to the Sundarbans mangrove forest. In addition to the more than 5000 visitors welcomed aboard, an estimated 3000 persons enjoyed our nightly film documentary screenings.
March 2011: Internship Program
Ms. Mahfuza Afroz was awarded a BCDP scholarship for completing her Master's degree with the Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Department at Khulna University. She will complete her dissertation, with assistance from the BCDP, on 'Examination of the stomach contents of freshwater cetaceans and overlap with fish catches in the Sundarbans'. For further details regarding the BCDP Internship Program, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
March 2011: Technical Training Workshops
Training workshops were convened for 14 students from Khulna University, 4 local tour operators and 2 Forest Department officers on mortality monitoring and the examination of cetacean carcasses, and for 12 students from Khulna University on calibration surveys for estimating freshwater dolphin abundance from sighting data collected by nature tourism vessels operated by The Guide Tours Ltd. The curriculum for the mortality monitoring workshop focused on postmortem examinations, including species identification, determination of cause of death, documenting and photographing carcass parts, and collection and preservation of biological samples, as well as instructions on how to release live dolphins back into the water and disseminate appropriate educational messages.
The workshop on calibration surveys was held onboard a nature tourism vessel of The Guide Tours Ltd. and consisted of a brief introduction to cetacean conservation efforts and survey methods, followed by practical training on how to systematically record cetacean observations, measure environmental parameters and behave appropriately in the company of tourists. The most promising students were identified as volunteers for participating in upcoming captain's sighting network calibration trips. All workshop participants received comprehensive training manuals and certificates.
March 2010: International Awards for BCDP
The BCDP Principal Researcher, Rubaiyat Mansur Mowgli, has been nominated as new member of IUCN Species Survival Committee Cetacean Specialist Group.
A selected group of BCDP trainees has been awarded this year's prestigious Conservation Leadership Award. More
March 2010: Current Field Work
From January – December 2010 the BCDP team is active during full moon periods and slack tides in the designated dolphin hotspots and randomly selected non-hotspots in the Eastern Sundarbans mangrove waterways. They are investigating the human use patterns and related ecological and socio-economic factors.
The results of this study will enable BCDP to formulate science-based, locally informed recommendations for regulations to be implemented in the proposed Protected Area Network for Freshwater Dolphins in the Sundarbans Reserved Forest by the Forest Department of Bangladesh.
March 2010: Shushuk Mela on Tour
From December 2010 to February 2011 our innovative and interactive 'Shushuk Mela' or Dolphin Exhibition will be coming by boat to the communities in the fringe area of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. If you want our exhibition to make halt in your community, be sure to contact us for early reservations (firstname.lastname@example.com)
March 2010: Internship & Volunteering Opportunities
We will shortly be announcing unique collaboration opportunities for Bangladeshi Masters and PhD students. Stay tuned for the details!


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January 27, 2015 PARSONS — Federal funding will soon allow Parsons officials to address the area's flood problem. more »»
We want to hear from you
November 6, 2013 One of the many functions of a local newspaper is to be the voice of the community. That's why we want to hear from you. more »
OCTOBER OLD-TIME WEEKEND, Friday through Nov. 3, wraps up with an array of talent. The Fiddlers' Reunion Square Dance takes place at 8 p.m. Friday at the Randolph County Community Arts Center in Elkins. Admission is $6. The Fiddlers' Reunion and Dance Contest takes place at 10 a.m. Nov. more »


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posted 3:23 PM
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office:
On Thursday at about 9 a.m, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office was notified of a horse that had been shot with an arrow.
A livestock deputy responded to meet with the horse's owner and a veterinarian who was treating the horse. The horse's owner told the deputy that her horse, named "Cash," is a three-year-old male Appendix horse, which is a Thoroughbred/Quarter horse mix. The owner last checked on Cash on Wednesday, at about 4:30 p.m. and he was fine. Cash was in a pasture at the end of McDermott Street in Alton near the Eel River. When the owner showed up this morning at approximately 7:45 a.m.
Cash was taken to the Veterinarian Hospital for further treatment, however the prognosis is not good at this time. The suspect responsible for this is unknown. The case is being investigated as felony cruelty to an animal.
posted 2:38 PM
Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Lt. Steve Knight said today that law enforcement officers are investigating an apparent case of animal abuse reported earlier this morning.
According to Knight, the sheriff's office received the report at about 9 a.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.


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There are wonderful people across America who are champions of change in school food, cooking, gardening, and making fresh food accessible to all. We want to showcase these individuals' stories and to celebrate their great work by highlighting them as our "Heroes" and "Professionals."
If you know someone whom you think we should feature, please nominate them by completing this form with your information and theirs.


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Desaturated Colour
A Photoshop Tutorial
A Gimmick?
I don't care much for gimmicky effects in Photoshop. I typically do just those things that I've always done in the darkroom — contrast, levels, colour balance, etc. But sometimes what comes out of the camera isn't quite right for the subject.
In late August 2002 I picked up a new Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L lens for my Canon EOS system. (This was a replacement for the 17-35mm f/2.8L that I'd been using for several years, and a significant enhancement. See Fred Miranda's review on this site.)
I was eager to see how the lens performed, and so I drove straight from the dealer to The CNE (Canadian National Exhibition), a Fall Fair with a midway, where I've shot several times before. This is an excellent locale for street shooting.
Normal Colour |
Desaturated |
Vampire — Toronto, 2002
Photographed with EOS Canon D60 & 16-35mm L lens at ISO 100
The Samples
I usually do this type of shooting with an M Leica in Black & White. Colour isn't often my preference for street shooting. But since I was using the EOS D60 which can only shoot in colour, I figured that I would convert to monochrome using Channel Mixer.
As it turned out once I started to review my images I kind of liked them in colour, but I wasn't very excited about the way they looked in B&W. I decided that I'd try and see how they looked with colour that was somewhat less saturated than what the camera produced. Call it a compromise — something between colour and B&W.
Normal Colour |
Desaturated |
Diablo Tilt — Toronto, 2002
Photographed with EOS Canon D60 & 16-35mm L lens at ISO 100
The photographs on this page are my two favourites from the afternoon's shoot. The frames on the left shows them after normal processing in Photoshop. The frames on the right show them with the desaturation effect. The effect makes them look like they are faded — not colour, but not B&W either. Something like a 60 year-old Technicolor movie before being restored.
The Technique
Fig. 1
The steps for trying this technique are very simply. Right-click on the Layers palette and select Duplicate Layer (Figure 1). With the new layer selected go to Image / Adjustment / Desaturate.
Fig. 2
Next, go to the Opacity selection in the Layers palette and adjust the slider to your taste. (Figure 2).
That's it. I find an opacity of somewhat between 50% and 70% usually looks best.
Try it. See if you like it.
The Lens
Oh yes — the new 16-35mm lens. How is it? In a word — "superb". If anything, it is better than Fred describes in his review, and in my opinion well worth the upgrade for existing 17-35mm owners. It may well be the ideal wide-angle zoom for Canon users still in need of one. Expensive, but worth it.
Variation on a Theme
Shortly after this was first published a reader suggested a variation on this technique. It produces results which are a bit too "graphic" for my usual taste, but it's fun to experiment with.
When you're done the above steps, select the background copy and then Filter / Stylize / Find Edges. You can then add a Levels Adjustment Layer to modify brightness and contrast. You can also play with the blending modes. Try Hard Light.
As always with Photoshop it's easy to get carried away. Try and keep what you do as "photographic" looking as possible. Or not. It's up to you.
More on how and where these photographs
were taken
Can be found in an article entitled Enigma


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Deviated Nasal Septum
The nasal septum is the wall that separates the left and right nostrils. A centered septum allows air to flow equally through each nostril. In a deviated nasal septum, the wall is not centered.
A deviated septum may cause no symptoms at all. In severe cases, airflow through one or both nostrils may be blocked. A blocked nostril may cause chronic stuffiness and a tendency to get sinus infections .
Deviated Septum |
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Causes include:
- Present at birth—arose during fetal development (5% of cases)
- Birth injury to the nose
- A blow to the nose, often during an accident or while playing sports
Risk Factors
Risk factors include:
- Contact sports, especially karate or football without appropriate protective headgear
- Trauma is the most common risk factor
Symptoms include:
- Stuffy nose (one or both sides)
- Sinus infections
- Nosebleeds
- Breathing noisily during sleep
- Facial pain or headache
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. The doctor will examine the nasal passages. A nasal speculum will hold the nose open. A thin telescope is passed into the nose.
Most people will not require treatment. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Surgery on the septum alone is called septoplasty . It relieves nasal blockage by centering the septum between the two nostrils.
Sometimes surgery to reshape the nose ( rhinoplasty ) is performed at the same time. The two procedures together are called septorhinoplasty. Children who need surgery usually wait until they have stopped growing, around age 16.
To help prevent a deviated septum:
- Wear seat belts in automobiles and airplanes
- Wear appropriate protective headgear when playing sports
- Marcin Chwistek, MD
- Reviewed: 03/2014
- Updated: 05/01/2014
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Barm-e Dilak |
The first Barm-e Dilak relief |
Barm-e Dilak: site of a Sasanian rock relief in Iran.
The Iranian king Bahrām II (276-293) was not the strongest ruler of the Sasanian dynasty. Having lost a war against the Roman emperor Carus, he accepted the loss of Armenia and Mesopotamia; he had some difficulty in suppressing a revolt by his brother Hormizd II; and he lost power to the Zoroastrian high priest Kartir. Still, Bahrām II left no less than ten rock reliefs. Two of them can be found at Barm-e Dilak, nine kilometers east of modern Shiraz. The first one shows the king (to the right), offering an iris flower to his elegant wife, Ardašir-Anahid (to the left). Such representations of love are very rare in Sasanian iconography, which generally consists of audience, victory, or inauguration scenes. An equivalent image of love was carved at Sarab-e Qandil, where it is the queen who offers the flower to the king. |
The second relief, which is only a few meters to the right of the
first one, shows the king (left) with an important official. Both men
make gestures of respect, which is not surprising for the courtier, but
unusual for a king.
Thanks... to Patrick Charlot for sending some of the photos.A satellite photo can be seen here. |
Jona Lendering for Livius.Org, 2008 Revision: 1 April 2013 |


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Exhibiting Technical Images (A Focus Gallery Course, part II)
- Availability
Spring 2012
- Location
5th Floor Classroom
- Instructor
This seminar is the second part of the Visual Cultures of Knowledge Focus Gallery course. It is conceived as a tutorial that will be structured around questions of curating—the transformation of an idea and its objects into a coherent exhibition display. Pictures and objects found in the office of recently deceased Cambridge-based scientist Benoît Mandelbrot, a mathematics professor at Yale, a noted researcher in various fields, and a former employee of IBM, will provide much of the material we'll work with. Internationally renowned as a popularizer of chaos theory and fractals, Mandelbrot was one of the leading figures in the field of contemporary technical images. The exhibition will draw extensively from the archival resources of computer graphics, but also drawings, mixed media, polaroids, films, and small sculptures. The objects relate to manifold topics such as early digital aesthetics, science and pop culture, programmed simulations of nature (i.e. 'data landscapes'), their postmodern reception, variation and repetition, the question of authorship, computer graphics as material objects, the cross section of analogue and digital media, images without beholder, or 'the waste of science,' and the aesthetics of chance in relation to early computer art. We will also have the opportunity to discuss early digital image production with one of the programmers who worked with Mandelbrot in the 1970s. The course is open for new students. 3 credits.
- Faculty
- Admission Procedures
- Degree Programs
- Course Listings
- Academic Calendar
- Forms + Handbook
- Accreditation
- Faculty News
- Administrative Staff
- Alumni
- Blog: Learning from Things


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what is well draining soil, can i buy it at the store or do i need to make it? |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by borderbarb (My Page) on Mon, May 17, 10 at 19:43
At the risk of getting caught by a punster ... "well draining soil" is soil through which moisture seeps or permeates easily or ie: "well". |
Here is a link that might be useful: Well drained soil
When discussing container culture, soils with a high % of small particles hold water tightly in the small spaces between particles. How much water they retain is a direct function of how large or small the particles are. OTOH, soils with a high % of large particles hold less water between the particles. Small particles might be considered 3/32" or smaller. Large particles would be considered 1/8" or larger. Container soils that drain freely will have a large fraction of soil particles >3/32" and a small fraction (15% or less) of particles <3/32". Mixing a small fraction of larger particles (perlite) into fine particles (peat/compost/coir) has little impact on the drainage characteristics of the soil or the ht of the perched water table. The perlite simply occupies space that would normally be filled with water, reducing the total volume of water any given volume of soil is capable of holding. This does allow air back into the soil faster, but there are still the negative effects of a PWT to contend with. Another way of looking at it is: A free draining soil is made of particles large enough that most of the water the soil holds is held within the particles and not between them. Al |
A well draining soil is one that allows excess water to flow out fairly quickly and does not get water logged. |
- Posted by sheaviance1 6b (My Page) on Tue, May 18, 10 at 8:41
You can buy soil at the store, I don't suppose I have ever seen store purchased soil that didn't drain well. As a matter of fact, I have had the opposite problem with store puchased soil, some dries out too quickly. I think that is why most of the people here either make their own mix or compost. I have purchased topsoil from a mulch company that had a lot of clay in it (Tennessee soil is mostly red clay, I am lucky to not have that problem!!) and it had poor drainage which is why I originally came to gardenweb and lurked about to find out how to improve drainage. I usually judge drainage after a rain. Some parts of my yard will hold water for hours after a rain while others, it drains in a matter of minutes. |
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(based on 2 reviews)
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(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Great product !!!
By jl
from Montevallo, AL
About Me Casual Do-It-Yourselfer
Best Uses
Comments about Screw In Touch Dimmer For Lamps:
Bought for larger lamp I moved into the bedroom.
(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)
Works, BUT
By skyelady
from Florida
About Me Midrange Shopper
I ordered this screw in dimmer for my bedroom, but it wouldn't fit into my lamp. Check the depth of the bulb holder on your lamp before you buy this one because if it is more than a half inch deep this one won't work. I was able to use it in my living room and it works well. I am buying the wall model for my bedroom.


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Tue, Feb 19, 13 at 20:36
I've always wanted a Bonsai for a while and my girlfriend surprised me this valentine's day with a Bonsai. She had it shipped from a place, don't know where from. It didn't tell me what type of bonsai it was but with enough research I narrowed it down to a Juniper. It's small and was delivered in a moderate oval pot that was packed with only black dirt, however, the pot did have drains. My biggest issue is that my apartment does not face the sun at all, no matter the time of day. I've been trying to see what the best solution would be to keep my bonsai healthy. Putting it outside is not an option and my balcony is only good for fresh air. Its winter in Georgia which this time around is cold but no snow. I was hearing mixed reviews about grow lights but it seems like its my only option. I've had the bonsai for 4 days now and I'm noticing it is starting to get some brown/yellow leaves. I watered it once a day for 2 days, keeping the soil moist. However, the soil has stayed moist and I haven't had a need to water it since. Please help me save this little guy. It's my first and I know its typical to lose one/a few as a beginner but I want to keep this one alive if at all possible. I'm ordering a grow light tonight since I have no other option. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks a bunch!! |
Follow-Up Postings:
jac, check out the "Grow Under Lights" Forum. They may help you with information. Aloha |
Here in N.Fl. I keep a small Wrightia Religosa in an old aquarium with a 26watt spiral compact flourescent 5000K (reptile) bulb allmost touching the top leaves. It is doing better that it ever did trying to bring it in every time the temp goes below 65F. Never tried an indoor Juniper. You might try something like that. Junipers don't need a lot of water. FWIW I see a lot of "Bonsai" inside stores that are well on their way to death ,before anyone ever takes them home. Good Luck R |
- Posted by ApprenticeGardener (My Page) on Thu, Mar 14, 13 at 15:35
Water the juniper every other day. Use a light spray to make sure that all the soil if moistened. The extra water should drain out of the holes at the bottom as soon as the soil is completely moist. If it does not drain, then the holes are clogged for some reason and need to be unclogged. This may necessitate taking the bonsai out of the pot and repotting, preferably with a bonsai potting soil. If you are around Atlanta, plan on going to the monestary in Conyers to get the soil. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Link to the Monestary of the Holy Spirit
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Oracle ANSI outer join syntax in SQL queries can be used to bypass ACLs
oracle-ansi-sql-bypass-acl (8855) | Medium Risk |
Oracle9i Database Server could allow a remote attacker to bypass database restrictions. A remote attacker with limited database privileges could create a SQL query that uses the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) outer join syntax to gain unauthorized access to restricted data.
Bypass Security
Apply the patch for this vulnerability, as listed in Oracle Security Alert #33. See References.
- BugTraq Mailing List, Tue Apr 16 2002 - 10:24:45 CDT: ansi outer join syntax in Oracle allows access to any data.
- CIAC Information Bulletin M-071: Oracle9i User Privileges Vulnerability.
- Oracle Security Alert #33: User Privileges Vulnerability in Oracle9i Database Server.
- BID-4523: Oracle 9i ANSI Outer Join Access Control Bypass Vulnerability
- CVE-2002-0571: Oracle Oracle9i database server 9.0.1.x allows local users to access restricted data via a SQL query using ANSI outer join syntax.
- OSVDB ID: 5236: Oracle Database Server ANSI Outer Join SQL Query Information Disclosure
Platforms Affected:
- Oracle Database Server 9.0
- Oracle Database Server 9.0.1
Apr 16, 2002
The information within this database may change without notice. Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. In no event shall the author/distributor (IBM Internet Security Systems X-Force) be held liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of or in connection with the use or spread of this information.
For corrections or additions please email ignore thisxforceignore this@ignore thisus.ignore thisibm.comignore this


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New American Standard (NAS) | New International Version (NIV) |
13 I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia. | 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved. (New American Standard Version - Holy Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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2014-2015 Required Fees for Distance Learners
Education & Technology | Education and Technology fee revenues provide for specialized instructional supplies and services and for scientific and information technology equipment not provided by State funds. |
$18.38/credit hour for Undergraduate $26.67/credit hour for Graduate |
Association of Student Government | This fee is sent to The University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments, a student led advocacy group whose main purpose is to ensure that the benefits of The University of North Carolina are extended to the people of North Carolina, as far as practicable, free of expense. |
$.03/credit hour for Undergraduate $.05/credit hour for Graduate |
Document | This fee generates funds for a successful implementation of the Banner Administrative System. |
$.68/credit hour for Undergraduate $.98/credit hour for Graduate |
TOTAL for Undergraduate | $19.09/credit hour | |
TOTAL for Graduate | $27.70/credit hour |


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June 24 & 25, 2014
@ 4th & Walnut Streets — 234 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Educators, youth leaders, social workers, public health professionals, reproductive health practitioners, faith leaders, academicians, students and anyone interested in improving adolescent sexual health are invited to engage in this professional development opportunity.
This conference has been approved for 12 continuing education hours (CEs) through sponsorship of Temple University Harrisburg, a Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors pre-approved provider of continuing education. These credit hours satisfy requirements for LSW/LCSE/LMFT/LPC biennial license renewal.
Temple University College of Health Professions and Social Work Department of Nursing is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the PA State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. (11.75 hours approved)
For questions about the Conference, please contact Susan Washinger at email@example.com or (717) 232-6400.


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A visit to the hospital can be difficult for anyone. For children, even a routine visit can feel stressful. Child Life Specialists, as members of the health care team, use developmental interventions and play to help patients and their families understand and adjust to their medical experiences.
Child Life Specialists support patients from infants up to 18 years of age during their hospital experience. Brothers and sisters need help sometimes, too. Please talk to the Child Life Specialist if you have questions about the patient or their siblings. You may also wish to contact the Child Life Specialist to support children of adult patients who are struggling with the impact of hospitalization within the family. We encourage family involvement to assist with the patient's ability to cope during the hospital experience.
To speak with a Child Life Specialist from Metro Health, please contact:
Child Life Services
(616) 252-7946
Find out more about:
Pre-Surgical Tours
Preparing Your Family for the Hospital
Child Life Practicum and Internships
The Metro Health Hospital Child Life Program is completely funded through donations to the Metro Health Hospital Foundation.


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The Weekend Shirt is a relaxed style with casual detailing, seen here in a beautiful hand-loomed cotton fabric with an authentic ikat pattern and an irregular slubby texture. Featuring a flap pocket on the chest, contrast gusset inserts and a straight rear hem.
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Practicing is something we all have to face one day or another. Heck, even Miles Davis practiced his instrument at some point!
Like most activities (walking, driving, sports, dancing, cooking, etc.) music has a "learning curve". Jazz guitar is no exception.
If someone's telling you that they found a "shortcut" or that they got "the secret" to avoid guitar practice RUN (don't walk) in the other direction!
In short, practicing is simply the preparatory steps required for the performance of music. In jazz, we also prepare for spontaneous musical creation. Improvisation is soooooo rewarding it's addictive! (-:
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." -Benjamin Franklin
I'd rather be prepared to do some preparation...what about you? Let's go!
There's a difference between focused practicing and playing/performing. In practice, attention is given to a specific set of parameters. For example, practicing a scale you'll try to sound the right notes in the right order.
In performance however, the focus is on what's happening at that very moment. Ideally, the player is not trying to control everything and the performance flows naturally. There's less thinking and more instincts.
The advice here is not to mix them up!!! (for now at least)
Avoid sounding like in a practice
session while playing/performing.
On the other hand, you may wish to "perform" by yourself in a practice session and that is O.K. It's much like a "crowd-less performance" and it won't hurt. All I'm saying is : please avoid the "on stage practice session"!
Always be aware of the relationship between playing and practicing. To conclude:
In practice, find new means of expression, learn new repertoire and improve your technique in order to perform better in the future...
The guitar practice environment is as much (if not more) important than the activity itself. Practicing in the same room most of the time is the key.
The ideal is to have a dedicated "practice space" for your music.
The environment should contain every object you could use during guitar practice. For example:
Having everything in one place is essential to focused jazz guitar practice. Avoid getting up to get "that book" or "that CD" or "the &%/$# tuner"...
The environment influences practicing and helps in creating an habit of practicing. It takes only 3 weeks to develop an habitual behavior. On that same note, I personally using "The Journal" Software to organize ... pretty much everything in my life! Download the free trial here.
We can compare guitar practice to sleeping or eating habits. Set the ball rolling and practicing will become semi-automatic...
In order to move forward (improvement), you need a direction (goal). It's essential to know why you practice guitar! Ask yourself:
How am I sounding right now? How would I like to sound in the future?
Write the answers down on two separate sheets of paper.
Answer the first question honestly acknowledging reality. List your strengths and weaknesses. Acceptance leads to better playing.
Answer the second question with your own personal ideal. What's a "perfect" jazz guitarist to you? Make a list of many aspects.
With the two lists in hand, decide on the weaknesses that you want to make intro strengths immediately. (Choose the most urgent matters. Obviously, we all want all of our weak points to turn strong...)
Use your ideals as a point of reference to set goals!
Goals set? Alright! (-:
Be positive towards improving certain areas. The whole process will be very enjoyable if you keep a smile! The fact that you now acknowledge your strengths, weaknesses and goals will take you to new heights.
Note: From now on, I suggest you write everything down. I've been keeping a log for a long time; I find it amazingly helpful! The log is very personal because everyone has it's own way of keeping track. Find yours and start "logging" today! (Either The Journal for PC, or MacJournal for Mac).
This is the part where you decide what you will practice in order to attain goals. It can consist of anything from sight-reading Bach to transcribing Herb Ellis. Material can also be conceived in the form of exercises.
The musical material to be practiced differs from person to person!
Guitar practice is strictly personal and depends a great deal on the level, taste and general direction of each player. No one knows exactly what you should practice to achieve X or Y result. YOU decide! (-:
Since there's a tremendous amount of information (things to practice...) out there, you are the judge. We'll never plow through even 1% of all music so we have to be selective and choose wisely.
Here are general guidelines to help you pick (or create) what you'll be covering in you jazz guitar practice sessions:
So, did you pick some material to practice? You know exactly what to do now to get to your goals. Congratulations!
Let's see how you should apply this to real life jazz guitar practice sessions!
This is usually where most of my students have difficulties. Here again, it's necessary to perceive reality as it is. You will NOT be practicing 8 hours each day... for the next 10 years!!! (Well... most of us don't)
On the other hand, you are most likely to give a steady 30-45 minutes average per day. It's more than enough to make huge progress... if your time is used properly! (-;
*Special article* Not enough time to practice? Read "Five Ways to Create Practice Time" (guitar practice related) on JazzGuitarLessons.net right now!
Here are points to keep in mind to manage your jazz guitar practice time:
Go ahead and try daily guitar practice sessions for the next few weeks. Take note of what works for you. Write everything down so you can adjust later. Then come back and adjust with...
Keep this jazz guitar practice process in mind as weeks and months go by. I can keep most exercises (and their variations) in my routine for years at a time!
Improvement comes from slow and steady growth.
Come back often, re-visit and adjust your practice environment, your goals, your material and your practice time. Write casual reports on the results you achieve on guitar. Do it often! Acknowledge and improve. Once again, a journaling software works great for this kind of music diary concept.
I also encourage you to personalize my suggestions as much as you can. Experiment and follow your instincts. Discovering your own "improvement mechanisms" is far more important than following any specific method.
And last but not least:


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ANTONIO GALLONI 91 POINTS - "Dark cherries, plums, graphite, tobacco and smoke inform the estate's 2011 Rosso di Montepulciano. This is an especially dark, brooding Rosso with tons of varietal character and plenty of personality. A drop-dead gorgeous wine, the 2011 will give readers e great look at the personality of the vintage. This is without question a delicious wine and a fabulous value. Drinking window: 2013 - 2021"JAMES SUCKLING 90 POINTS - "Delicious soft tannins and juicy berry and chocolate fruit character. Full and round. Well-made Rosso di Montepulciano. Better than many Vino Nobles. Drink now."
There is a new vintage here which represents a new level of achievement for Fattoria del Cerro's entry level Rosso-a delicious, layered Sangiovese with bright floral elements and pure cherry fruit. The wine is also much more competitively priced as the importer came to the table with a price that is about $4/bottle less than the previous release. We also have Fattoria del Cerro's Tre Bicchieri winning Vino Nobile in the store, but for pure value and accessibility, the estate's Rosso is unbeatable.


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Skating Through the Years
Last week, nearly three dozen skaters descended on Sun Valley's two ice rinks to enjoy an annual Adult Skating Seminar. Ranging in age and ability and hailing from all across the United States and Canada, according to Pam Farr of the Sun Valley skating program, "we offer something for everyone!"
The four-day camp includes basics of skating like figures, moves in the field, stroking and edges and more advanced aspects like choreography, jumps, spins, pairs and ice dance. Drop-ins are also welcome and some skaters participate in only a few sessions depending on their interest and schedule constraints.
At a choreography session Wednesday night, professional ice dancer Kim Navarro led a spirited group in a routine that involved lots of turns, tricks and even pom poms. Other skaters and even those enjoying a drink and snack on the Duchin Deck cheered their efforts.
Kim, who mesmerizes the audience weekly skating with partner Brent Bommentre in Sun Valley On Ice, said she looks forward to this week every year. "Working with all the adults is very inspiring," she explained. "To continue to skate through adulthood, juggling work and family in addition to skating, tells me that they have found a satisfaction, love, and passion for our sport. It's very cool! And to take the time out of their busy lives to come to this seminar in Sun Valley also tells me that Sun Valley has a special place in their hearts."
The Adult Skate week has existed in Sun Valley for years but has been going particularly strong for the past decade. This was largely due to the commitment and effort of national ice dance champion Charles Fetter who passed away this summer. His vision for a beautiful gathering place for like-minded adults to enjoy the sport they love was honored this year.
This gathering is not all work and no play, however. According to Pam, "We start the seminar off with an opening social reception to meet and greet everyone." The party usually extends well past its scheduled deadline as skaters who haven't seen each other in a year catch up and new friends are made.
Alison Bers, who with her husband and ice dance partner, attended the Seminar for the first time said it was a terrific experience. The couple, who hail from the San Francisco area, have been coming to Sun Valley to skate in the summer for the past five years, but only this year did they decide to sign up for the camp. "We thought it would be a nice way to meet other adult skaters, to learn something and to have fun," she said.
Alison, who did not start skating until she was 50, said the highlights of the week were the choreography sessions and the twilight dance that she called "superb." "It was really all wonderful," she smiled as she unlaced her skates "We are exhausted!
Joan Kane Josephson from New Jersey, a very sprightly 79-year-old lawyer, said she really enjoyed Adult Skate week. Joan, an ice dancer, skates at least three days a week with the Philadelphia Skating Club but greatly enjoys her time at the Sun Valley rink where she trains with Brent Bommentre. "I was Brent's first student," she laughed. "I love this week because I see people I only get to see in the summer and everyone is so friendly."
Adult skaters are welcome at Sun Valley all summer long and many take advantage of what is called Coffee Club. Coffee Club meets during the week at 9:05 a.m. and provides a group lesson from either a local or show pro, refreshments and free practice on the session that follows. It also provides great camaraderie and has fostered long friendships over the years. As Sun Valley's Marilyn Alcamo explained with a smile, "If you can stand up, you can come skate with us!
Figure skating is a sport that can be enjoyed through the years, whether athletes started skating as children or first laced up boots well into adulthood. There is no better way to show this than the spirited, inspiring group who visited Sun Valley last week. Please come back and see us again next summer!


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Missoula Measures - Immunizations
- Indicator
- Related data
- The Difference Immunization Makes
- Brief background
- What is Full Immunization?
- Spreading infections
- Reaching Every Child By Two
- Related websites
Why this topic?
The increase in life expectancy during the 20th century is largely due to improvements in child survival; this increase is associated with reductions in infectious disease mortality, due largely to immunization. However, infectious diseases remain a major cause of illness, disability, and death. Immunization recommendations in the United States currently target 17 vaccine-preventable diseases across the lifespan. Healthy People 2020
People in the United States continue to get diseases that are vaccine preventable. Viral hepatitis, influenza, and tuberculosis (TB) remain among the leading causes of illness and death in the United States and account for substantial spending on the related consequences of infection. Healthy People 2020
Before widespread immunization in the United States, infectious disease killed or disabled thousands of children each year. Tens of thousands of cases of paralytic polio and an average of 450,000 measles cases were reported annually. CDC Childhood Immunization Facts We have achieved dramatic success in turning those grim statistics around, but our very success can cause some of us to forget about the risk and become lax in immunizing our children.
Although Montana law requires full vaccination before kindergarten, many younger children are left at risk for a variety of reasons: lack of health care coverage, poverty, religious belief, lack of education of parents, or fear of unproven vaccine side effects. Immunization levels at age two reflect the status of the community's commitment to provide accessible preventive health care to young children and families.
Vaccines are among the most cost-effective clinical preventive services and are a core component of any preventive services package. Childhood immunization programs provide a very high return on investment. For example, for each birth cohort vaccinated with the routine immunization schedule (this includes DTap, Td, Hib, Polio, MMR, Hep B, and varicella vaccines), society:
- Saves 33,000 lives.
- Prevents 14 million cases of disease.
- Reduces direct health care costs by $9.9 billion.
- Saves $33.4 billion in indirect costs.
Healthy People 2020
Despite progress, approximately 42,000 adults and 300 children in the United States die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Communities with pockets of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated populations are at increased risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Healthy People 2020
How are we doing?
We compare favorably to other larger Montana towns in making solid progress toward the Healthy People 2020 goals.
In 2009, of the 753 kindergarteners registered in Missoula Dist. 1 schools, only 2 were non-compliant for adequate immunizations, and 9 had no immunizations because of religious beliefs. However, "adequate immunization" rates for two-year-olds are more difficult to accurately assess.
Healthy People 2020 Goals | ||
Base | Target | |
Kids age 19-35 months with recommended doses of standard immunizations * | 68% | 80% |
Adults age 18-64 with seasonal influenza vaccine | 25% | 80% |
Adults age 65+ with pneumococcal vaccine | 60% | 90% |
* = DTaP, polio, MMR, Hib, hepatitis B, varicella, PCV
Related data
The Difference Immunization Makes
Along with traffic safety (seat belts) and not smoking, the childhood immunization program is listed by CDC as one of the top ten public health improvements from 1900 to 1999. Two of the many striking improvements that immunization has made in the lives of children are illustrated below:
(Pertussis is also known as Whooping Cough)
Source: Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: The Pink Book, 6th Ed., January 2000, USDHHS/CDC.
Brief background
What is 'Full Immunization'?
Children need 80% of their vaccinations in the first two years of life, which requires multiple doses of vaccine and about five visits to a health care provider. Full immunization by age two consists of required and/or recommended protection against: diptheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, meningitis, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, hib, and PCV. Hepatitis A protection may be considered for older children.
Spreading infections
Missoula has one or more whooping cough (pertussis) cases almost every year. It is likely that a significant reservoir of pertussis-susceptible adults exists because of waning immunity years after vaccination. Adult cases are usually not recognized, but they can infect others. Of infants with pertussis, 70% need to be hospitalized. CDC Fact Sheet
A 1993 mumps case highlights the need for continuing vigilance. This person was not vaccinated and probably contracted the disease while out of the country. Missoula residents travel to many parts of the world, and Missoula hosts travelers from all over the globe. This increases the likelihood of the introduction of various vaccine-preventable diseases, which still occur at epidemic levels in many parts of the world. MCCHD, Infectious Diseases
And it's not only communicable diseases from which youngsters need protection. In early 1998, a nine-day-old infant contracted neonatal tetanus, a severe, often fatal disease. The baby's mother had never been immunized, so her baby didn't receive any protection during pregnancy which usually protects the child for the few months until the vaccine series begins. MCCHD
Reaching every child by age two
One of the most important steps that anyone can take to improve timely vaccination is to foster public/private partnerships to support immunization efforts. Raising parents' awareness about the need for timely immunizations, developing and coordinating immunization campaigns, and providing assistance with vaccine costs and/or transportation can increase access to immunization. MCCHD Many children are covered by health insurance policies which provide free vaccinations up to two years of age. Sliding fee scales for childhood vaccinations at the Missoula City-County Public Health Department are based on income and size of household, thus furthering accessibility by low income families.
Barriers to children's immunizations
- Parents fear of vaccine-related diseases and disabilities.
- Babies who don't get well-child check-ups.
- Perceived cost.
- Lack of a comprehensive immunization record for each child, especially if they get different vaccines from different providers.
- Health care providers who do not take a firm, positive stance regarding vaccines at the first well-child visit.
- Reluctance of some physicians to allow parents to alter the
vaccination schedule.
Related Websites
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - information on all aspects of immunizations
Missoula City-County Health Dept. Health Services Division
Links to health data, statistics and information from many national sources.


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iPhone 4 for late July
Apple's iPhone 4 will hit the shelves in late July, with the iOS4 update to precede the Australian phone release by a month.
Apple's iPhone 4 will hit the shelves in late July, with the iOS4 update to precede the Australian phone release by a month.
The Notion Ink Adam, one of the more innovative of the new breed of tablet computers, has perhaps succumbed to what now appears to be the Curse of the New Tablets.
With the Speed Track watch, I think the Tokyoflash crew are back to their time-telling-degree-of-difficulty best! See if you can guess how to tell the time without looking at the explanation.
May was the first full month of TechStyles going live, so in honour of our first temporal milestone, here are the top 10 stories viewed for the month.
The Ulysse Nardin Chairman Smartphone – if you've ever wondered what would happen if a luxury watch and phone morphed, here it is.
It's decided, the name of the concept phone generated by the Nokia 'Design by Community – creating the ultimate concept device' competition is – the Nokia U.
Adobe Flash CS5 is out, part of the powerful new suite of CS5 programs, and here is a web designer's assessment of the best new Flash features.
The Lenovo IdeaPad U1, an exciting hybrid computer running two operating systems, and scheduled for a Northern Hemisphere summer release, has been essentially shelved.
Photoshop, Adobe's long time flagship application is now 20 years old and CS5 sees the 12th, & most powerful, version of the industry standard in photo and image editing.
Sony's 2010 range of Bravia LCD TVs includes a high-end design range, using Sony's Monolithic Design, and Sony's first 3D TV.


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34 Pritchett to Department of External Affairs
Cablegram 5 BATAVIA, 6 January 1949
My telegram No. 1. [1] The Consular Commission at its third meting on 5th January agreed, after lengthy discussion, on the text of its cable to the Security Council explaining its inactivity and requesting clarification of its position.
2. The French and the Belgian members [2] again argued that the Commission could not remain inactive and should at least go ahead with that part of its work for which it had a clear directive from the Security Council and the Committee had none, namely the investigation of conditions prevailing in areas under military occupation. They attacked the Committee for its 'overbearing' attitude towards the Commission and claimed that the Committee had no right to use the Military Observers until the clarification requested from the Security Council had been received. They also objected to the text of the cable to the Security Council on the grounds that it appeared merely to voice the opinions of the Committee and represented the Commission as willing to take a back seat.
3. The Chinese member [3] quoted Netherlands statements to the effect that no arrangements could be made for the re-deployment of the Military Observers until the Commission had stated its plans.
Attempts to secure a clear mandate from the Commission to the Committee pending further advice from the Security Council and to authorise the Chairman to tell the Dutch to cease interfering with the Committee on behalf of the Commission were unsuccessful and after further discussion it was agreed that the Chairman should notify Schuurman of the Commission's decision to take no action pending the ruling from the Security Council on the position of the two bodies.
4. It is clear from the disposition of the French and Belgium members and the indecision of the Chinese that should new directions from the Council enable the Commission to function it will be to the substantial detriment of the Committee. Alagappan, the Indian Consul-General, has agreed to advise his Government in this sense and to recommend that the Commission be allowed to lapse. He will also recommend that, should it appear likely that the Commission will function, India should seek membership on the grounds that its interest in Indonesia is recognised by the Security Council and it has a career consular representative here.
He will see Tsiang and attempt to induce him to a more favourable attitude.


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Thanks to everybody that came out to the Underground Lounge last night! We had a BLAST! We were blown away by everyone singing along…you guys are awesome
See ya'll soon.
Thanks to everybody that came out to the Underground Lounge last night! We had a BLAST! We were blown away by everyone singing along…you guys are awesome
See ya'll soon.
So what does it feel like to see your name on a marquee? haha…I'm glad it was a good show…I vote you do more of them so I can go to one You said Detroit was a fun crowd so I think you should maybe come here …or possibly Grand Rapids because it might be safer, I never hear gunshots here, lol…or Ann Arbor would even be a perfect place, it's really artsy there :)…one of my friends used to perform at a coffee house in Ann Arbor pretty often, but I can't remember the name of it.
Couldn't go. And no pick from Jill. My heart is broke.
I'll get over it. I know you were worried. Heehee.
Congrats on a great show.
glad you guys had a great time! wish i could have been there. looking forward to the future j&k shows to come =)
had no idea you two were part of kc's band (a little slow, clearly…helloooo). i came across a song of yours last week and my friend and i decided we were going to check you guys out at ul last night after the landon/kelly show at hub 51. you guys did great! see you again tonight! -s
it was a blast. come back soon…chicago loves you.
I wish I could have come to the show last night, I'm sure you guys were amazing! I downloaded your music from itunes last week after seeing KC in Youngstown and catching up on your vlogs and SOT17s. You guys are very talented and very funny! I haven't stopped listening to your music since I got it, and I have found myself rewatching some of your vlogs. You guys remind me a lot of me and my friends, you know if we had ridiculously good singing voices, haha! I really hope I can catch one of your shows! You should come to the Cincinnati area!
Glad yall had a blast. Wasnt there but heard it was so much fun from so many people. Please continue doing shows : )
Hey lovelies, I am the English chick that came to your Boston gig. Glad to see your latest show was a hit! Keep up the good work and thanks again for a great night in Boston, I had never been there before. You guys and the fact my friends and I found an Italian pizzeria run by indians made my night
glad you guys had an amazing time i hope this means you feel inspired to do more shows more often?! or if not, internationally atleast a few?! hehe. have fun on the rest of the tour X
glad you had a good time! wished i lived near Chi-town
Y'all keep getting amazing reviews. While I wasn't at the show, I have seen a few clips…and y'all are awesome! I love Three Olives Bubblegum vodka, btw. It's a little dangerous, not gonna lie. Ha.
So, I wanna be front and center for when "Bilson Williphs" goes on tour! Y'all need to show the South some love next. Like, I don't know, *cough*AtlantaDecember9th*cough* or something. Just sayin'!
i'm SO happy that y'all enjoyed yourselves and that the crowd sang along!! hope to see y'all be able to do some more shows! i'm excited for you!! wish i could have been there. Chicago is a bit far for me but if I didn't have night class I totally would have figured out a way to get there. y'all are great and definitely deserve the best crowds and i would be more than happy to be a part of them! good luck with your shows to come with KC and the crew! keep up the hard work y'all!! much love! <3
I'm glad you two had a blast, as I'm sure the fans did. I've heard nothing but positive reviews, so congrats on a concert well done!
I was at your show in Chicago. I have to say that not only was is awesome, it was hilarious too! I'd like to attend another one soon. Keep up the good work. Oh and I wanted to say "sickening" too. Ha, ha!
You guys are more awesome! I was at the Detroit show Sunday night (Soundcheck winner whohoo, once again sorry you had to hear that haha) and I came to your show Monday night! So much fun!
Truly wonderful show; you are both so very gifted. It was great to finally hear you sing your songs (and some covers) live!
During the show, a friend noticed the older man next to her smiling and singing along to every word; she praised his jill&kate lyric knowledge as he stated that he got to hear the songs before anyone else. Well, the "older man" happened to be "Katie's dad" and I have to think few things are better than seeing a huge smile on a parent's face as he watches and, in this case, sings along with his daughter as she uses her gift doing something she loves.
Jill, I'm not certain if you had any family there on Monday, but I have to believe you've seen that same smile before.
Thank you for sharing your gifts with us,
AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!! Loved it soooo much! I was singing along to every word and was totally loving every minute! Thank you sooo much for having a show, I've been waiting a very long time! …dont forget to do "tonight" for me
Cant wait to see you guys again soon! Keep it coming!
ps….wanna send you guys the pic that we took, its sooo beautiful!! Lemme know where I can send it!
you guy's were awesomeeee. glad we got in. =]
I know i'm a little behind times here… but just getting caught up on chicago audio!
amazing job <3
Ladies, just catching up with life, but wanted to say great job in Chicago. Love the show, hope you do more soon. My friend recorded audio of the show-don't know if you're interested in lisetning to it but here is the link http://www.sendspace.com/file/7g3mvu . Don't mind me and my friends talking/yelling things…we were having a good time


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Want to Mingle With Zombies? They are so close you can touch them! Zombie Army Productions is staging another spooky haunted house this Halloween at Navy Pier. Rated the #1 Haunted house in Haunted Attraction magazine's 25-must see haunts in 2009 and voted Chicago's #1 Haunted House in 2008, this production company knows how to create a finger biting experience.
You don't want to miss this event, which has something for everyone. The gold days are for the family and offer a 'low-scare' experience for the children and squeamish adults. Thursday, 10/24, Sunday, 10/27 (12-5PM and 7-10PM), Wednesday, 10/30 & Thursday, 10/31 are the remaining days for this event.
For the more courageous, there are two more days left to engage in this fear fest…or should I say 'Fear feast' for the vampires who live in this haunted house waiting for the humans to pass through. Friday, 10/25 & Saturday, 10/26 (12-5PM and 7-10PM) are the last days for this show.
You'll see captured clowns, one of my favorites. Monsters, Vampires, Werewolf's and Zombies take over the Haunted House, some captured and some standing right next to you as your navigate through the dark, ominous house.
Check out the Fear Haunted House for details on tickets and packages still available. Ticket prices range from $20-$125 (5 tickets and parking). This is a fun way to celebrate the Halloween season.


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This entry describes how a RTD encoder (4-conductor connection) is linked to the following analog input blocks:
To modules SM331 6ES7 331-1KF00-0AB0, SM331 6ES7 331-1KF01-0AB0 and SM331 6ES7 331-1KF02-0AB0 only encoders of the type 3-conductor method can be connected. This does not mean that you cannot use 4-conductor encoders. The fourth connector of the encoder remains unassigned with this method. The option of a 4-conductor connection, mentioned in the manual of 6ES7331-1KF0.-0AB0 in "Data for the Selection of an Encoder" refers to the method displayed in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1: 3-Conductor Connection
Please consider in this version, that both, the forth connector of the encoder and the I+ input of the SM 331 analog input block remain deactivated. The I+ input is exclusively needed in the measuring mode "CURRENT" .
To the analog input modules with order numbers 6ES7331-1KF0.-0AB0 and 6ES7331-1PF0.-0AB0 only 4-conductor encoders can be connected with the 4-conductor method (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2: 4-Conductor Connection
NoteIn the case of 4-conductor and 3-conductor connections to the module 6ES7331-7PF0.-0AB0, the module provides a constant current via terminals IC+ and IC to compensate the drop in voltage on the measuring circuits. In order for the compensation to work properly, the resistance of the cables must not exceed 20 Ohm. More information regarding these blocks can be found in the manual "SIMATIC Programmable Logic Controllers S7-300, Module Data" that is available under Entry-ID: 8859629. This manual also describes the 2- and 3-conductor connection of encoders.
Key Words Wiring, Analog Value Recording, Hardware Configuration
Connecting and wiring measuring transducers and M connections to analog modules, compact CPUs and C7 compact devices
When wiring analog input channels you must observe a number of aspects, in particular the ground constellations. In the following we have taken difference measuring transducers (MT) and their wiring as examples:
We make a difference between modules with and without Mana (reference potential of the analog measuring circuit):
1. Sample connection with Mana: SM 331-7KF02
Fig. 01
2. Sample connection without Mana: SM 331-1KF01
Fig. 02
Connecting 2-wire measuring transducers to analog module 6ES7 331-1KF0.-0AB0, a compact CPU or a C7 deviceFor analog modules that can be configured for 2-wire measuring transducers, please refer to the descriptions in the relevant manuals.
This description covers the following configurations:
Definition of the different transducers:
To connect a 2-wire measuring transducer to an analog module (e.g. 6ES7 331-1KF0.-0AB0), a compact CPU or a C7 device, you need an external 24V power supply (Fig. 1). This supply to the 2-wire measuring transducer must be short-circuit-proof. Provide a fuse to protect the power supply unit (Fig. 1). Please note that the analog input is not protected against destruction in case of a measuring transducer defect (short-circuit). For this case, make sure that you take the appropriate protection measures.
Fig. 1: Connecting 2-wire measuring transducers (block diagram)
M+: Positive measuring circuit M-: Negative measuring circuit MANA: Reference potential of the analog measuring circuit M : Ground connection L+: DC 24V voltage supply connection
Description:In order to operate analog channels without interference you must fulfill a number of conditions, in particular when inputs are not used. The following overview lists a number of appropriate measures:
Modules with MANA :
Modules without MANA :
More information on these modules is available in the following manuals:
"Programmable Logic Controllers S7-300 Module Data" Entry ID: 8859629
"Programmable Logic Controllers S7-400 Module Data" Entry ID: 1117740
When operating the module, a maximum voltage of 2V is specified for the difference of potential Ucm (common-mode voltage) between the "M-" input terminals. This data is available in the manual S7-300 Module Data, chapter 6. Link to manual: Entry ID 8859629 The common-mode voltage can be slightly exceeded with open inputs and when potential-free measuring transducers are connected. Therefore you must take the following measures for isolated 4-wire measuring transducers and potential-free voltage sensors:
Measurements for determining the error voltage between the "M-" terminals for determining the Ucm are not practical, because even high-ohm measuring devices cause equipotential bonding.
Wiring:In order to operate analog channels without interference you must take a number of precautions, in particular when inputs are not used. If channels or a channel group are not assigned in the SM 331-7PF01, you must short-circuit them.
Wire break and diagnostics If there is a wire break on channel (n) of a channel group, it might happen that this interferes with the signal of channel (n+1). If inversely there is a wire break on channel (n+1), this does not affect channel (n). To be on the safe side here if there is a wire break on channel (n), you must generate a message for channel (n+1) because the measured value might be incorrect. For example, you can link the diagnostics bits of both channels with an OR.
Description:The common-mode voltage can be slightly exceeded with open inputs and when potential-free measuring transducers are connected. Therefore you must take the following measures for isolated 4-wire measuring transducers, potential-free voltage sensors and isolated thermocouples:
Note:Measured value corruption can also occur with measuring transducers that are working properly if these measures are not taken.
Inputs of a channel group:
Please refer also to the manual:
Compensating boxes are used for performing temperature measurements with thermocouples on analog modules. You require a compensating box whenever you transfer from the thermocouples to a copper wire via a terminal strip. The thermo-electromotive force occurring at this place (reference junction) is measured there with the compensating box and equalized. The influence of fluctuations in temperature at the reference junction can be compensated for by an equalizing circuit. The compensating box (external compensation) is used as an equalizing circuit. The compensating box contains a bridge circuit which is supplied by a mains-operated voltage source. A voltage of opposite polarity is added to the measured voltage and to the thermo-electromotive force, which occurs at the reference junction, thus compensating for the thermo-electromotive forces at the reference junction. The compensating box must be located at the reference junction for the thermocouples and must have a voltage-free supply. Compensating externally by connecting the compensating box to the COMP ports on the module can only be done for one particular type of thermocouple. All the channels which work with external compensation must use the same type. Compensating boxes must be used with a reference temperature of 0°C for the purposes of the compensation of the analog modules.
Note:We recommend that you use a SIEMENS compensating box as the reference junction. The order data depends on the thermocouple you use and can be identified from the table below.
Fig. 1: Order data for the compensating box
The figure below shows how to connect a compensating box to the analog module.
Fig. 2: Connecting the compensating box
In these modules, the compensating box is connected to Pin 10 and Pin 11. If all the thermocouples in a module possess the same reference junction, the connection terminals for the compensating cables on the compensating box have to be short-circuited. When parameterizing the modules in the HW Config, pay particular attention to the settings for the measuring type and measuring range.
Fig. 3: Setting the measuring type in the analog module SM 331 (6ES7331-7KF02-0AB0)
Follow an identical procedure for selecting the measuring type and measuring range on module SM331 6ES7331-7KB02-0AB0.
When you select the measuring type, you can choose between compensation and linearized compensation in the case of both internal and external compensation. If you select linearized compensation, the corresponding value from the voltage temperature diagram is taken directly from the thermocouple characteristic, making it more precise than "normal" compensation. Normal compensation relates to the defined relationship between voltage and temperature.
Note: More information about connecting thermocouples is available in the "SIMATIC Programmable Logic Controller S7-300 Module Data" manual in Entry ID: 8859629.
If the transducer module is plugged in position "D", and the module on Pin 1 and Pin 20 is supplied with external voltage, the supply of a 2-wire measuring transducer continues. The fed current stays constant even with the CPU switched off.
More information about this is available in the manual "SIMATIC Programmable Logic Controllers S7-300 Module Data", Edition Sections 4.4 and 4.22.1. The manual is available in Entry ID 8859629.
The following wiring instructions apply for the analog input/output modules with the order numbers:
Fig. 1: Wiring configuration for the analog inputs
Check whether you are using an ungrounded sensor installed on insulated mountings or whether your sensor is connected to ground.
Sensors installed on insulated mountings:
Connect the ground Mana (Pin 6) to the minus inputs of measuring channels M0- (Pin 10), M1- (Pin 12), M2- (Pin 14) and M3- (Pin 16) and to the central grounding point (CGP) by the shortest possible route (if possible, directly to the front connector).
Grounded sensors: Ensure that there is good equipotential bonding on the sensor. Then isolate the connection from M- to Mana and to the central grounding point. Please place the shield on both sides. As this configuration results in lots of noise during measurement, it would be better to use isolated sensors.
Keywords:Analog modules, Wiring, Measuring connections
Description: The "Overflow" message can also occur when the permissible difference of potential between the ground inputs of the analog inputs is exceeded. When operating the module 6ES7 334-0CE01-0AA0, a maximum voltage of 1V is specified for the difference of potential Ucm (common-mode voltage) between the "M-" input terminals. This data is available in the manual S7-300 Module Data, chapter 6. Link to manual: Entry ID 8859629
If there is no chassis ground connection between MANA and M, then the module switches off and the inputs are read in with 7FFFH ("Overflow"), outputs give the value 0. If the module is operated for a long period without chassis ground connection, this can lead to destruction of the module. Therefore, the analog ground MANA must be connected to the ground of the CPU or the interface module (IM). The analog ground MANA (terminal 15 or 18) is on the module in the terminator area of the outputs.
Note: Make these connections as short as possible and use a cable cross-section of at least 1 mm².
You can connect a potentiometer to the analog module 6ES7 331-1KF0.-0AB0 as follows.
Fig. 1: Potentiometer connection for resistance measuring
More information is available in the manual "SIMATIC S7-300 Programmable Controller Module Specifications" in Entry ID 8859629.


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AbleGamers' web game of the week is titled The Gainful Waltz. I'd like to think that this is a game that will go down in the history books as a classic Flash game. It's short and quirky and best of all, only needs a mouse. It has charming NES graphics and music to accompany the mouse-only gameplay.
The only goal of the game is to get to the top of the castle. You can achieve this by completing a series of rooms. Each room has three items that you can buy, one of which is the key to exit the room. The cheapest item is a heart which restores your life to full. The second item will be something to help your character. For example, one of the items will repel enemy ghosts when they come near you, making it easier to complete each room. To get the actual money is quite simple. Money is constantly being thrown into the air and it's your job to jump around and snatch up as much as you can. All you really need to get is the key to each room, but I'd definitely suggest getting each helpful item as they work in all future rooms and reduce the challenge significantly.
The accessibility of the game is a strongpoint thanks to the controls. There is no keyboard input required - only the mouse. Your character will follow the mouse as you move it around and clicking will make your character jump, making the game accessible to one-handed gamers. There are some reflexes required while jumping and avoiding obstacles, but once you get the item that repels ghosts you only have to worry about fireballs. Also, you can restore your health in each room if you have enough coins. Hearing impaired gamers will be fine since the audio only consists of unimportant bleeps and bloops from a past era. Gamers with low vision may have a hard time seeing the smaller coins or even the small character. Colorblind gamers won't encounter any issues.