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Making haste to buy stuff that makes waste
At long last, our dream has come true, freeing us from a drudgery that has oppressed so many people over the past 500 years or so – namely, having to use our hands to open a bottle of wine.
Yes, the electric corkscrew is here, and just in the nick of time for that fabulous New Years Eve party you're throwing! Not just one high-tech cork-puller is offered, but an entire bazaar of wine-opening gizmos is available from such enterprising purveyors of completely-unnecessary convenience as Epicureanist, Metrokane, Oster, Ozeri, Waring, and Wine Enthusiast. New York Times writer William Grimes describes the devices as "sublime pointlessness." He has a point there, since popping a cork is not one of life's great burdens, since beaucoup, super-cheap, super-simple extractors have long existed. These manual tools are not merely low-tech, they're no-tech. Even drunk people can use them.
But where's the pizazz in those? As Grimes describes the zippy, battery-powered cork gadgets, one places the cylindrical device atop a wine bottle's cork, presses a button and," with a hum or a whir, the corkscrew spiral, known as a worm, insinuates itself into the cork, easing it upward and out of the bottle." This is showbiz, baby – and one-upsmanship, too, for you're quietly saying to bedazzled guests: "Hey, I've got one of these and you don't!"
However, if you want to counter such smugness, here's a free tip: many good wines now come with twist-off screw caps, so bring one of those, and you'll be sipping your fruit-of-the-vine while electronic-man is still trying to position his worm.
Does anyone really need this stuff? Of course not – zillions of them will end up in landfills in a year's time. To wean yourself and others from such excess, check out Annie Leonard's website: www.StoryOfStuff.org.
"It Comes With a Twist," The New York Times, December 13, 2012.


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OC Open 2014
June 6, 2015
Edison High School
21400 Magnolia Street
Huntington Beach, California 92646
Contact: Malinda "MO" Ota at 714-906-1809
Email: email@example.com
Web Site: http://www.ocopen.info/
Malinda "Mo" Ota Presents the 6th anniversary addition of the
Orange County Open Martial Arts Tournament on Saturday, June 6, 2015. This tournament is sanctioned by SMAA and operated under SMA Events management system
Pre-Registration Special: Martial Arts Divisions – $40.00 for first division and $10.00 for each additional division.
Once again this year – .Sport Muay Thai & Kick Boxing
Online Registration now Open – Pay by credit card.
Parents who volunteer to be certified Scorekeepers can have their children compete for free!!!
Judges – Please show your respect to the arts and come dressed in uniform.
Registration opens at 8:00AM and Competition starts at 9:30AM sharp.
Make checks payable and mail to:
Malinda Ota
10331 Dove Court
Garden Grove, CA 92840
OC Open Flyer
OCO 2014 SMT-SKB Flyer
Online Registration Open now

subset: commoncrawl


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A vice chairman of Hyundai Motors said South Korea's biggest car maker has no plans for any pure electric vehicles, and even expressed skepticism about the future of this much-touted technology. Well, someone had to I suppose.
Instead of trying to lead the pack, the Korean carmaker has decided to dive back into the 20th century to focus on diesel vehicles, and then later, plug-in hybrids.
While Hyundai has chosen the oily path of diesels and hybrids, it's affiliate Kia Motors, plans to sell a pure electric car in South Korea by the end of this year.
While General Motors, Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor are betting big on electric or hybrid electric cars, Hyundai and Kia, which together rank fifth in global car sales, have been slow in tapping into the segment, focusing more on fuel-efficient gasoline & diesel models.
Having test-driven their new diesel vehicles I would be lying if I said I wasn't impressed. You get many people who drive their diesel clunkers in denial, stating, "You can't tell it's a diesel" – always lying through their teeth of course, but in Hyundai's case you really can't tell it's a diesel.
Their engines are reasonably economical (for internal combustion engines) and quite quiet (again, for internal combustion engines). Compared to an all-electric vehicles however they cost an arm & a leg to run, and sound like tractors – but in such a comparison so do all internal combustion engined vehicles.
Yang Woong-chul heads the research and development centre at Hyundai and Kia, and said that it would be difficult for electric cars to replace those equipped with internal combustion engines, citing limited battery technology and infrastructure, reports said. He obviously doesn't have electricity at his home.
In an attempt to not be left behind completely, Hyundai this year started selling an hybrid version of its Sonata sedan in the United States, its first overseas hybrid model, as well as South Korea.
A Kia Motors spokesman has also said the company plans to roll out an A-segment all-electric car in South Korea but not overseas, which is almost useful. It sounds to me as if they have invested heavily in ICE technology and need to make it work at any cost.
Kia's upcoming electric car, code named "TAM", can travel a completely predictable range of 160 kilometers (100 miles) per charge. A stunted range which all oil-burning car makers limit their electric cars with in order to channel more sales to the more labour intensive (and hence more profitable) ICE-powered vehicles. Nothing new there, then.
I expect it'll be up to the start-ups with nothing to lose when it comes to long-range all-electric cars, such as the Tesla Roadster, the Model-S, and the upcoming Coda Sedan.
Lloyds predict $200 USD per barrel of crude oil by the end of next year, thanks to global demand starting to outstrip supply. This means car makers still investing in ICE technology will be left behind. This simple theory rests on the premise that the price of oil will keep rising, which is a complete certainty, so keep your eyes peeled for a rapidly changing vehicle market in 2011 & 2012.


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WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- The Super Bowl kicks off in the Big Easy, this weekend.
But the Better Business Bureau says beware of buying tickets to the big game in New Orleans online.
Tickets listed on Craig's List offer no guarantees and the seller is not required to provide their identity.
The BBB suggests sites like Stub Hub and Ticketmaster.
And that way, your tickets are guaranteed to be authentic.
The Better Business Bureau also offers the following tips to avoid Super Bowl scams.
Don't take an offer that sounds too good to be true. Tickets, especially last minute tickets, are going to be expensive.
If the salesperson or website is using overly pushy sales or tactics or offers products that are low in quality, then it's likely to be a scam.
Never perform a wire transfer. Once the transfer is made, it is impossible to recoup your money or to trace the funds.
And, only make purchases from legitimate sites. Most of the item, tickets and products won't be cheap, but you know you are dealing with a trustworthy vendor.


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A former Colorado Springs teacher will stay in prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student, after an appeals court upheld a ruling revoking the man's probation.
A judge sentenced William Leon Pirraglia to six years probation in August 2000 after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault.
But an El Paso County District Court judge revoked Pirraglia's probation slightly more than three years later -- saying he left the county without approval, was slow to register as a sex offender, and failed to make progress in court-ordered treatment.
That judge sentenced Pirraglia to eight years in prison.
Pirraglia claimed his treatment program was improperly determined, but a three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals disagreed and upheld the prison term.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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This job posting is no longer available on Indeed.
Find similar jobs:Service Technician jobs
- ENERCON Services Nova Scotia jobs
Unlimited energy sources such as the sun, wind and water are at the world's disposal. Today, one of our most challenging responsibilities is to capture and make full use of these vast resources. ENERCON, Germany's largest wind turbine manufacturer, is ready to meet this challenge. With production facilities on three continents and a market representation in 32 countries, committed employees are working towards ENERCON's success on a global scale. Our wind turbines are equipped with highly sophisticated technological features which ensure that we remain at the forefront of the wind energy industry.
To Support our teams in Canada, we are looking to recruit for the position of:
Service Technician
Your mission:1.Servicing and maintaining mechanical parts of the wind energy converters.2.Physically demanding labor as well as carrying out all tasks relating to the installation and commissioning of wind turbines3.Responsibility for the handling, checking and quality of all components as well as recognizing interconnections within the system's architecture4.Material & tool management and inventory5.Customer and subcontractor contacts
Your profile:1.Journeyman Certification as Millwright or Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic, rigging certificate an asset but not required2.With minimum 5 years experience3.Excellent physical health and not suffer from vertigo4.Clean Driver's license mandatory5.High mobility (willingness to travel), flexibility, openness and team spirit6.Willing to work shifts


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Register with us or sign in
in The potting shed
Tina- think you meant to say 'you weren't offensive' to punkdoc!!!
Yes - hope you're feeling better soon Panda. It's all that bamboo you're eating...
I've spoken to Pennies on the other thread and told her about this one....
It seems we will need to watch out for more than just spam adverts and kitchems fron now on I shall always be a bit of a .
Dove, I am leaving my runners in a bit longer yet to get enough seed for next year, and this year I started my broads in small pots in the GH, and it gave them a flying start in February, my best crop ever..
I can't picture you as a little Woody...more of an
Hi Woody.
Punk you didn't offend that's my job. I did get a bit cross as I went to dear friends funeral on Tues and this is first time I've felt like joing in & we got that stuff.
Panda, soz to hear you're poorly, get well soon...I could do with a spell in bed, bought Rod Stewarts biography and would enjoy reading it but I keep falling to sleep at night.
Tina good luck with ruse, I can be there to help in about 5 hrs if traffic good. Cannas!! wot you like talking about plants & trees ? I noted earlier Eucalypus post.
Matty, jam sounds good, just got apple sauce reducing, first of season, all the wind delivered lots of windfalls.
Hope no one in my family gets a bean allergy as they have a lot to eat. No one wanted them fresh but all happy to have now sorted & frozen
Hello to Chicky when she appears. Hope family dog has been for a recent visit.
Off to sort out a pasta bake for later.
is much more fun , and we have the best music too.
WW. Yes, and it's warm. No worries about heating bills.
It's up to you Kef. I will be in bed when you get here, so will leave everything out in readiness. Bet you were shocked to see me posting about a gardening subject but, the point was, everyone else was wrong! Hope no-one reads this). Think I would fall asleep reading Rod Stewart's biography too.
"and it's warm. No worries about heating bills."
Good idea - this is the plan - all OAPs to be as in order to avoid heating bills in the afterlife
Will save the Government the cold weather payments so we get a tax cut too
Less of the OAP's Dove, after all, we are all only 27
Pennies from heaven and Dove's from above = we come from the same place! A joke!
Oh dear - sorry you didn't get it. No one's mocking you Pennie but why the religious references on a gardening messageboard please?
This is a friendly place but you've been talking about the sinful and punishment
That's not friendly and not sure what you expect anyone to think.
People have gone out their way to welcome you, help you to find the new Chat thread and to involve you - what's not to your liking?
Woody, I'm poor and don't pay tax, so I quite like the heating allowance. Means I can have it on 24 hours a day when it gets really cold. Hope everyone is going Ahhh. and feeling suitably sorry for me. All donations gratefully accepted. I will post my bank details later.
Pennies, it's not cliquey on here, everyone is relaxed and friendly and enjoys a joke - mostly. A bit of banter goes a long way towards cheering people up and there will be people on here who's only contact with others will be through the discussions they have on here. We try and keep it that way
Of course Pennies, as the title says it's a friendly place where all are welcome
A trouble stirrer I think, and well practiced at the art.
Not worth worrying about.
Definitely Pennies
Lot of trick or treaters about today
Do you reckon FB?
I feel like saying 'You're Lobby Lud and I claim my £5!"


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Can i ask question?
can i find here a tutorial on how to make an application such as MICROSOFT WORD, UTILITY SOFTWARE for thesis? I'm hoping for your response
this is the same like our topic in GUI.
pls post some sample game code.
GUI & AVL Tree
i want to get the algorithm of avl tree & it is applyed using gui
for every one can help me,pleass!
Regarding GUI Applications
Ask java count
GUI-based Applications
ask java - Date Calendar
Java AWT Package Example
java gui


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Bolivian Butterfly Ram
I am getting 2 free bolivian butterfly rams, any information??
I've never kept them, but this should help:Bolivian Ram, click the shaded name, I'll take you to it's profile.
okay cheers, I know most about them
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You know why you hate GWYNETH PALTROW. I know why I hate Gwyneth Paltrow. But why doesCINDY MCCAIN, wife of Senator JOHN MCCAIN, hate Gwyneth Paltrow? Check it out HERE
Here's a cool website for you to check out . . . or DISTURBING, depending on how you want to look at it. It's called Porktrack.com, and it figures out the song your parents were listening to when you were CONCEIVED. Sort of. It's really just the number one song nine months before you were born.
The lady who sat next to EMMA WATSON when she graduated from Brown University in Rhode Island this past weekend looked a little older than the other grads. And that's because she wasn't a graduate at all. She was Emma's SECURITY GUARD . . . but she was INCOGNITO in her very own cap and gown. After the ceremony, the woman took off her disguise, and revealed her UTILITY BELT, which was equipped with a badge, a walkie talkie, mace and some other holsters. It's not clear if she was PACKING HEAT. Check out the pics HERE.
There's obviously something perverted about having public sex with an inanimate object. But public sex with TWO inanimate objects . . . that's just magical. Check out this strange story HERE.
A girl called in a bomb threat to a College graduation, so that her parents WOULD NOT FIND OUT that she actually dropped out! Get the full story HERE!
A If you're an insurance adjuster, you must worship at the alter of Mark Zuckerberberg every day. Facebook might be the BEST WAY to figure our when someone's scamming you. Check out this story HERE


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People Power
The WTO and the Myth of Activist Violence
by Rebecca SolnitNov 25, 2009
- The people who have made our world through direct action have been treated as dangerous, even if they are revered when their radical acts are at a safe distance.
Waking Up to the Dangers of "Free Trade"
by Fran KortenNov 25, 2009
- WTO+10: When Fran Korten first started warning people about NAFTA, many had never heard of it. But the 1999 protests in Seattle showed that Americans were learning what many in the developing world had known for years: free trade agreements are not just esoteric rules about what goods can cross borders. They are about who rules—corporations or people.
The Meaning of Seattle: Truth Only Becomes True Through Action
by Walden BelloNov 25, 2009
- WTO+10: Before 1999, the momentum of globalization seemed to sweep everything in front of it, including the truth. But in Seattle, ordinary women and men made truth real with collective action.
The World Turned Out in Seattle
by Anuradha MittalNov 25, 2009
- WTO+10: The 1999 protests changed America's image in the eyes of the world, crippled the WTO, and energized an international civil movement for social and economic justice.
Last Mountain Standing: Coal River Valley Residents Fight for Wind Farm
by Jed GrubbsNov 24, 2009
- The last intact mountain in West Virginia's Coal River Valley is slated for mountaintop removal coal mining. Local residents have other ideas.
One More Thing Seattle's WTO Shutdown Taught the World
by Sarah van GelderNov 24, 2009
- Among the many ripple effects of the successful shutdown of the WTO in Seattle in 1999 is one that few know about. The organizing that went into the direct action, marches, media center, and forums inspired the organizers of the World Social Forums, which have become some of the world's most important centers of people power.
Giving Thanks for What We Share
by Jay WalljasperNov 23, 2009
- The sharing ethic of the commons is woven into American traditions.
Climate Direct Action Camp
Nov 16, 2009
- In June 2008, activists gathered in Montana for the Climate Ground Zero Citizens Direct Action Training Camp, where they learned skills including the history and practice of nonviolent direct action, campaign strategy, and community organizing.
A Conversation About Nonviolence
by Eric StonerNov 13, 2009
- Eric Stoner responds to Stephen Zunes: Yes, nonviolent movements have achieved important democratic and political reforms. But if they fail to address the divide between rich and poor, are they really success stories?
Public Attitudes, Knowledge, and Values Around the Climate
Nov 13, 2009
- "The Energy Learning Curve", a Public Agenda poll, and additional polling data show America's changing attitude to climate action.
The Yes Men Fix the World :: Film Trailer
Nov 12, 2009
- Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno take on the world.
Investing in the Right Relationships
by Colin BeavanNov 11, 2009
- Because we have invested so much in our relationships with corporations, community and familial relationships are weakened—to the point at which they can't provide sustenance when the corporate bond breaks.
Climate Hero Sharon Hanshaw
by Kate SheppardNov 10, 2009
- Left homeless after Hurricane Katrina, she fights for communities that will suffer most from climate impacts.
Climate Hero Marcus Ryan
by Kate SheppardNov 10, 2009
- A former Obama campaigner helps neighbors find talented green workers to make their homes climate-friendly.
People Power Brought Down the Berlin Wall
by Sarah van GelderNov 09, 2009
- Some say it was Ronald Reagan's toughness that forced down the wall. But detente between East and West and grassroots people's movements deserve the credit.


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This State Profiles is not fully compatible with Internet Explorer browsers earlier than Internet Explorer 9.
This website provides detailed national and state-level information on Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantees, providers, and clients. Reauthorized by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds primary care and support services for people living with and affected by HIV disease (HIV negative clients and partners, those with unknown HIV status, and other family members of an individual who is HIV positive) that lack health insurance or financial resources to pay for their care. In 2012, an estimated 536,219 people (commonly referred to as "clients") received at least one Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funded service. The program also funds training, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to advance the work of funded agencies.
Every year, recipients of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds are required to report, via several program Parts,* to the Health Resources and Services Administration's HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA/HAB) regarding how those funds have been used to provide services to low-income and underserved individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services Report (RSR) is the annual reporting instrument that agencies and organizations receiving Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds complete to describe:
These Profiles include information on each state's total population and the state's HIV/AIDS epidemic. Data from the Ryan White AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), as well as the Dental Services or Oral Health Programs, are included in this State Profiles. However, the ADAP and the Dental Services Programs (Dental Reimbursement Program and the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program) are not part of the RSR. Their data are reported separately in this State Profiles. The profiles also include HAB performance measures based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' key indicators and factors for HIV/AIDS as well as each state's progress in achieving the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
Totals in the U.S. Profile (excluding overview data) include data for all states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other U.S. territories are not included. The overview section only includes data for the 50 states and Puerto Rico.
To learn more about the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, please visit hab.hrsa.gov.
For additional state and national HIV/AIDS information, including new AIDS cases, AIDS deaths, HIV testing statistics and policies, funding for HIV prevention, and more, please visit the Kaiser Family Foundation website.
Note: Numbers reported in the following tables and charts reflect the information submitted to HAB by Grantees and Providers. HAB does not impute missing data, nor perform any weighting or modeling to remediate missing information or null values.
Note: **Indicates suppressed data due to small cell sizes. For confidentiality, cells with <10 clients are not included in the column, row, and percentage calculations. However, for charting purposes, a value of 9 has been assigned.
*Part A provides emergency assistance to Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs) that are most severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Part B provides grants to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and five U.S. pacific territories or associated jurisdictions.
Part C provides comprehensive primary health care in an outpatient setting for people living with HIV disease.
Part D provides family-centered care involving outpatient or ambulatory care for women, infants, children, and youth living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Part F provides funds for a variety of programs:
The Special Projects of National Significance Program grants fund innovative models of care and supports the development of effective delivery systems for HIV care.
The AIDS Education and Training Centers Program supports a network of 11 regional centers and several national centers that conduct targeted, multidisciplinary education and training programs for health care providers treating people living with HIV/AIDS.
The Oral Health Programs provide additional funding for oral health care for people with HIV. Funds from all Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants can support the provision of oral health services. Two programs, however, specifically focus on funding oral health care for people with HIV: the Dental Reimbursement Program (DRP) and the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program (CBDPP).
The Minority AIDS Initiative provides funding to evaluate and address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on African-Americans and other racial/ethnic minorities.
Note: ***Excerpted from the 2014 RSR Instruction Manual
Stable Permanent Housing includes the following:
Temporary Housing includes the following:
Unstable Housing Arrangements include the following:
These definitions are based on:


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Each month, direct to your email inbox, we'll send the best camping news, tips, recipes and more, to enhance the camping lifestyle that you love so much. Learn More
Is your RV flooring looking old and tired? In this RV DIY video, KOA Reside...
We're proud to announce the winners of our March Caption Contest on Faceboo...
Plan the perfect trip from home or on the road with the official KOA app. Learn More
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Camper Rating 4.5 out of 5


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Matt,it hurts my heart to know that just the other day i saw you,and now all i have is memories.i know u r n a better place now. May God rest your soul. Remember,take nothing or noone for granted,cuz the time now could b the last.
I trust you are at peace now. It breaks my heart for you as well as your family to hear of your death. Watching you and your brothers grow up seems like yesterday...prayers going out to you and yours.
I went to school with John. I cannot tell your family how sorry I am that you have lost your child at his young age. Please accept my condolences. You have my thoughts and may you be surrounded in love during this time of grief.
Essie, Jim and Family,
I can't believe that you are having to go through another loss so soon. You have our deepest sympathy through this very sad time and my family is thinking of you and praying for you all more than you know. God Bless and keep you!
Essie, Jim and Family
To hear of your loss saddens us. You all have had so much loss lately. Each and everyone of you are in our thoughts and prayer.
God Bless.
Kathy, we are indeed sorry to hear of your lose. You and your family will be in my prayers. You have our deepest sympathy.
R.I.P. You will be missed by many, and my condolences to the family. God Bless.
Love anf prayers to the family. We never want to see our childhood friends leave this world so early.
My prayers are with you and your family at this time.
I am so sorry for your loss, he was so young. Your family are in my thoughts and prayers!
Kathy, Lance & family
So sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers...Sending love and hugs. Becky
Matt I will miss you. I enjoyed talking to you even tho we didnt see each other that much. Rest in peace Matt, you deserve it.
Our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with you. May you feel God's love and strength from unexpected sources . . .
Warm thoughts and prayers,
Doug, Rosy, Jeffrey, and Thomas
From our family to yours. Our thoughts & Prayers are with you guys From Tina Jones Family
Aunt Essie, Jim and family. Our hearts go out to you all and you are in our prayers daily. We are thinking of you in this time of sorrow. We love you all very much.
You have our condolences and our prayers
Kathy iam so sorry for your loss of John you and ur family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Please know that our thoughts & prayers are with you all during this time of grief & sadness. May you lean on God for comfort only he can give.
With all our love & sympathy,
Essie,Jim and family:
I've been thinking of you since I heard the news,and am saddened by your unexpected loss. It is so tragic. You have my deepest sympathy.
Love you all,


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Xbox One's Kinect camera at work (Credit: Microsoft)
The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced legislation that could force the console to visibly alert users that they are being monitored.
The "We Are Watching You Act of 2013" bill (honest, that's the name) isn't just aimed at consoles, however. Its broader focus is any set-top box device that includes a camera capable of monitoring the activity of users.
Introduced by Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.) and Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), the proposal would require companies using a camera-equipped box to display the message "We are watching you" whenever viewers are being monitored for any reason. Companies would also need to provide a camera-free service at the customer's request -- a move that could have big implications for the Xbox One, which requires the Kinect camera to function properly.
[Related: Xbox One hardware images]
Microsoft, of course, isn't alone here. Other companies that could be affected include Intel (which is working on an Internet delivered TV service) and Samsung (which has many sets with cameras installed in them).
The Xbox One has been a big focus of privacy advocates since its announcement. The Kinect sensor remains on in a semi-permanent state, listening for commands like "Xbox On" to fully power up the system.
The company responded to those concerns a week and a half ago in a message posted on its site:
"You will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup. The system will navigate you through key privacy options, like automatic or manual sign in, privacy settings, and clear notifications about how data is used. When Xbox One is on and you're simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded."
That may not be enough for lawmakers, who are looking to force video providers to display the message anytime data is being collected, as well as a description of exactly what data is being gathered and how it will be used.
For game news, free codes and more, Like us on Facebook and follow @yahoogames on Twitter!
- Technology & Electronics
- Mike Capuano
- Microsoft
- Xbox


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Aired July 14, 2011
Do you know someone who is constantly speaking their mind and making a scene wherever they go? What would you do if that person were your own mother?! Our expert shows you what you need to do ... and still keep the peace!
Around the Web


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Margie Wright is hanging it up. We knew it was coming, but we still were not prepared for it.
With her at the helm of the Bulldog softball program, it was like knowing the Christmas tree would always be there with presents underneath. But with her departure, we find ourselves wondering if this will now be replaced by a stocking filled with coal.
Unless athletic director Thomas Boeh and university president John Welty put aside their differences with Wright and make the choice that is best for the program, that's just what we might get.
After 27 seasons orchestrating the Fresno State softball program, the 59-year-old architect of one of the most successful teams in the history of college athletics will no longer be a fixture at Bulldog Diamond...


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Spices and Medicine
- Home
- News
- Conference (May 2013)
- Seminar Series (2014)
- About
- Contact
Seminar Series (beginning 2014)
We aim to host a seminar series on the broad theme of spices and medicine in 2014. Both researchers and students are invited to present their work. If you are interested in participating, please send a query to firstname.lastname@example.com
The 'Spices and Medicine' series is a new initiative at UCL that aims to showcase interdisciplinary research relating to the history of science in Europe and the 'Orient' to the present day and its relevance across different academic fields, and to foster collaborations within UCL and between institutions around the world.
Page last modified on 03 oct 13 23:59


text: Quick View PlushCraft - Heart Pillow by Orb Factory $16.95 In stock online Create a Plush rainbow pillow! Follow a simple numbered legend and use the stylus to punch glittering fabric ? no sewing required! This fabric-by-number kit contains special glittering fabric pieces, meaning your rainbow design is certain to shine. See Details was


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Youth Programs/Centers
200 West Castle Street
Bldg 2310
Fairchild AFB, WA 99011-9678
Phone 509-247-5601
Phone (DSN) 312- 657-5601
Fax 509-247-4556
Fax (DSN) 312-657-4556
Youth Services
Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) Youth Programs offers a wide variety of programming to meet the needs of school-age children, pre-teens and teenagers. In addition to center-based programming there are also opportunities for youth to be involved in Youth Sports, instructional services, and several special events held throughout the year. Youth Programs at Fairchild AFB are affiliated nationally with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and 4H. All of the programs focus on developmentally appropriate activities for children that address cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and recreational skills and abilities. Information and calendars are available on the website.
School Age Program
The FAFB School Age Program (SAP) provides before and after school care for children in grades 1 - 6 (ages 6-12). The program is open Monday-Friday from 6:30 am-6:00 pm. Program fee categories are established by the Air Force and are based on total family income. Enrollment packets are available at the Youth Center. Extended, full-day programming is available during regularly scheduled school breaks. A summer day camp is also offered.
Teen/Pre-Teen Center
The FAFB Teen and Pre-Teen Center provides open recreation and planned activities for youth ages 9-12 and ages 13-18. Teens may continue to participate in the program as long as they are enrolled in and attending high school. The Teen and Preteen programs are two individual programs co-located in one building. Program hours are after school Monday - Friday, and later in the evening on Fridays for teens. Extended hours are available during regularly scheduled school breaks and during the summer months. Membership is required for participation in the program, and a membership fee is required. Some activities and field trips require a fee for participation. Membership packets are available at the Teen/PreTeen Center.
Youth Sports
The FAFB Youth Sports programs offers team-based league sports for youth ages 5-12 and small-group developmental programs for youth ages 3-4. League sports include basketball, soccer, flag football, volleyball, T-ball, baseball, and indoor soccer. The Start Smart programs offer developmental instruction to youth ages 3-4 (or 5-6) that includes parent participation. Start Smart programs include soccer, basketball, baseball, football, and golf. League sports are $50 per youth, and Start Smart programs are $45 per youth. Each season lasts approximately 8 weeks and registration packets are available online at the FAFB Force Support website or at the Youth Center. The FAFB Youth Sports Program also offers a variety of clinics and camps for youth ages 5-18. Registration materials for the camps are located online or at the Youth Center.
Instructional Services
Piano lessons are available for youth. Classes are available on Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30pm to 6:00 pm. Instructional fees are $15.00 per 30 minute session. Registration packets are available at the Youth Center. Additional instructional services may be available at various times throughout the year.
Air Force Wide Programs & Specialty Camps
FAFB Youth Programs participate in annual Air Force programs and Specialty Camps through the year. The programs and camps include, but are not limited to, Fit Family, One Page at a Time, World Wide Bowling, Youth of the Year, Teen Aviation Camp, Space Camp, and Missoula Children's Theater. Participation and registration requirements vary for each program. Contact the Youth Center or the Teen/PreTeen Center for more information.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America and 4H
FAFB Youth Programs are affiliated with the BGCA. Several year round and annual programs are offered at the Youth Center and Teen/Pre-Teen Center. These programs include the Youth of the Year, Fine Arts, Photography, Digital Arts Suite, Triple Play, Day of Play, Day for Kids, the Torch Club, the Keystone Club, 4H Cooking Club, 4H Photography, and Community Service Projects. Participation in these programs is included with registration and membership in Youth Programs.
Youth Sponsorship
FAFB youth can sponsor an incoming youth or be sponsored by another youth if they are PCS'ing to a new base. Youth Sponsorship materials and assistance are available at the Youth Center and the Teen/PreTeen Center. Sponsorship information is also available online at the FAFB Force Support website.
Youth Employment Programs
The Youth Employment Skills (YES) Program is an on-base volunteer program for high school students. This program, underwritten by the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS), is a joint effort between AFAS and Air Force Airman & Family Services Flight to offer high school students an opportunity to learn valuable work skills, "bank" dollar credits toward their post-secondary education/training, and have a positive impact on their base community. Participation information is available at the Teen/PreTeen Center.
Youth Religious Programs
Club Beyond is a Fairchild AFB Chapel based program specifically for middle school and high school aged youth to have fun and hear a message about Jesus from staff and volunteer leaders who care about military teens and understand military lifestyle. Weekly Club Beyond meetings include fun mixers, crazy games, hilarious skits, energetic music and a short message. Club Beyond also offers smaller group meetings for teens to grow deeper in their faith or learn more about Jesus. Finally, Club Beyond camps and retreats remove teens from their daily pressures and concerns to spend a weekend or entire week in an environment of excellence, excitement, and energy. Many teens say their time at camp was the best week of their life.
Boy and Girl Scouts
For placement into a Boy Scout troop/pack/den on base, call the Inland Northwest Council at 509-325-4562 and ask for the Chinook District Executive and there website is Northwest Scouts. For placement into a Girl Scout troop on base, call the Program and Membership Development Coordinator at 509-747-8091, ext. 208. Girl Scouts is open to all girls in grades K-12. Please visit the Girl Scouts Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho website to register, volunteer and for more information.
Call your relocation manager »
Or, for 24/7 assistance, call Military OneSource. »


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Original Apollo Soyuz NASA Documents & Photos 1970's
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: -
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Nov 30, 2006
- Channel: Auction House
This is a collection of hard to find original NASA information that was released before and after the July 15th 1975 launch. This was the personal collection of the head of the Aero Space writers Association. Apollo Crew: Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand, Donald K. Slayton. Soyuz Crew: Valeriy Nikolayevich Kubasov, Alexei Arhipovich Leonov. This pile weighs about 40 lbs.The paper work starts with a NASA release from Oct 1971 on a US Soviet Meeting. It includes a complete Joint Crew Activities Plan book plus the Flight Data, Mission time line, Mission schedule, Press kit, A Russian Flight Plan in Russian, ASTP Mission Chart in color, Northrop folder with t press releases, Apollo Soyuz Test Project Press Kit, ASTP for the press on the recovery, Rockwell International Space Division Fact Sheet book, 2 other fact sheet booklets from 1974 & 1975, A print out of the 4- 11-1975 USA USSR Press Conference, 1000's of pages of the communication transmissions between the space craft and the control center. Also includes joint docking space systems discussions from 1971, 12 Change-of-shift debriefings, a stack of NASA News, paperwork on the experiments, Docking mission design, US-USSR Agreement and so much more. It has 24 official photos. 20 are in color from NASA and include the Soviet ship the astronauts and cosmonauts in taken in space. I will also toss in the original Press pass. Everything is in very good condition. Some paper items will have minor problems. This is a rare find of a historic moment in cold war history. For more info on some of the history and items in this package look at www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/astp/astp.htm. It will be shipped in 3 to 4 boxes and cost about $30.00 in the lower 48. I guarantee my items as described. I accept pay pal, checks and money orders. Please check my other auctions. I ship once a week. I will insure at cost and multi ship at A discount, Thank you.


text: Win an HTC Sensation with Wired.co.uk and Orange! 14 November 11 by Wired Fancy winning an HTC Sensation smartphone on Orange? We've got one to give away thanks to Orange's Do Some Good app.Here's how Orange explains its new application: Do Some Good features a diverse range of charity 'actions' which can be completed in five minutes. For example, people can use the app to upload a photo of a rundown green space for guerrilla gardeners to renovate, or complete a five question survey to help the Samaritans gain a better understanding of the nation's wellbeing. As an added incentive, users will get an Orange RockCorps reward when they complete 60 actions. Plus if one million people dedicated just five minutes of time to complete an action, we'd create a decade of volunteering.To win the HTC Sensation, all you need to do is answer a very simple question. About 'Do Some Good' The 'Do Some Good' app allows convenient, bite-size volunteering through a mobile phone, enabling users to do a good deed at a time and place that suits their lifestyle - all in less than five minutes. It's the UK's first mobile volunteering initiative, harnessing the power of mobile technology to transform the way people give time to good causes. Do Some Good is a free app available on iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia and Android platforms and on any UK network. More information This competition has closed. Latest on wired.co.uk


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Budding actress Elizabeth Michael 'Lulu' (18) is being held at Oysterbay Police Station in Dar es Salaam in connection with the sudden death of actor-cum-producer Steven Kanumba (28) on Friday night.
Kinondoni Regional Police Commander Charles Kenyela said Lulu was arrested yesterday after 8 am in the morning following reports that her boyfriend Kanumba collapsed and died after she pushed him off while they were together.
Kenyela said the accused will appear before the court once investigations into the incident are completed.
He said the police force were told of Kanumba's death by a younger brother of the deceased who was staying with him at Sinza Vatican area. The young man called the police after noticing that Kanumba was in a critical condition after he fell off in a pushing tussle with his girlfriend, Lulu.
The pushing arose from a telephone call that Lulu had received while Kanumba was in the bathroom, and noting the talk he demanded to see what person made the call, so the pushing started for the phone.
As he was from the bathroom he stumbled and fell, hit the back of his head and disrupted some key brain organs, household sources noted. Kenyela said after getting the call they went and found Kanumba unconscious and the girl having bolted from the house.
The RPC said the artist's death resulted from the shoving from the girl.
The late Kanumba's body was being preserved at the Muhimbili National Hospital for autopsy and eventual burial arrangements by his family.


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My uncle went to Germany last week, and I asked if he'd be so kind as to take a picture of my book in a bookstore; I have several copies of the German edition, but I didn't have any that simple, meaningless proof that it's actually on a shelf somewhere. He kindly obliged, and sent me the following:
I was immediately struck, not by the book itself but by the books next to it: that's Bernard Cornwell! I think that's even the Saxon Tales, which is my favorite series by Bernard Cornwell! I did a little geek-out happy dance and decided to post this for everyone to see and rejoice in.
There's a lot of really awesome stuff that happens when you finally get published, but this is one of the best: seeing your work on a real shelf in a real bookstore, right next to one of your favorite authors. It's crazy and surreal and completely awesome. Thanks to you guys, the readers, for making this possible.


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Cognitive behavioral therapy was developed by psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck and is now internationally favored as a practical means of overcoming longstanding and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors. Even when our situation does not change, if we change the self-defeating ways we think, we can make ourselves feel better. This positive, pragmatic approach is popular with therapists and patients alike.
The accessible, straightforward, and practical books in this series outline affordable and easy-to-follow treatment plans, and have provided tens of thousands of readers with the help they need to overcome self-defeating behavior and lead happier lives.
Books in the Overcoming Series:
* highlight the history and background of the disorder, who is likely to be affected, and what the main symptoms are
* provide a structure ideal for personal use or in a program using guided step-by-step self-help techniques like recordkeeping and problem-solving
* include diagnostic questionnaires, case studies, and workbook-style interactive exercises
* offer authoritative, commonsense solutions to pervasive, difficult emotional problems"
- Publisher: Basic Books (AZ)
- Publish Date: January 2009
- Page Count: 211
Series: Overcoming ...
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Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone say both counties are bracing for this weekend's nasty winter blast. Mangano will activate the county's non-emergency hotline at midnight tonight. The number to dial for non-emergency situations is 1-888-684-4274. In addition, Mangano said those who may need housing assistance can call the county's Warm Bed Hotline at...
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text:
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Battlefront Funnies 7 (or 8) (Comic Book)
Marking another departure from his typical fare, redmrcrayon has created another Powerpoint slideshow of humorous screenshots, though these have a common theme and dialogue. It's like a picture
Show All
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story, sort of. Anyway, this one centers around a stormtrooper squadron searching for Rebels in Mos Eisley. The dialogue is all right, though it is a little hard to understand in some places- something that the author might want to work on. Go ahead and give it a download if you've enjoyed these sort of things in the past. -Jedikiller
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- battlefrontfunnies2.zip
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- 05-16-2010
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OXCGN @ EB Games Expo 2013
Day Three Snapshots
by Daniel Geikowski
©2013 Daniel Geikowski
The final day of the EB Games Expo saw OXCGN get a look at some titles they might have missed over the weekend.
It was a day to relax and take in the whole spectacle. Walk around, chat to gamers about their favourite experience so far, and go back for a second round of what games we enjoyed the most.
When OXCGN wasn't lining up for their 37th round of Titanfall, we got a look at these upcoming games.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Hectic
Thoughts: I didn't really know what to expect from Tecmo Koei's Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, other than assuming it would have some hack-and-slash, combo-chaining gameplay.
Were my expectations blown out of the way.
Not only does Yaiba provide this type of gameplay, but it turns everything up to 11.
Yaiba exists in the same Ninja Gaiden universe as the previous titles, with players taking on the role of the ninja Yaiba.
The beginning sees Yaiba and series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa doing battle, in which Ryu slices apart the brazen Ninja, killing him.
Yaiba is then rebuilt with cybernetic parts from a mysterious organisation, who then goes on a quest for revenge, all the while dealing with a zombie infestation.
Ninja Gaiden Z is a more adult take on the series, with Yaiba himself full of profanites and violent tendencies.
The atmosphere follows suit too.
One section I got to experience saw me tasked with blowing up a Panty Store. Instead of using simple explosives, Yaiba threw a zombie behind the wheel of a truck carrying flammable liquid, which proceeded to launch it between the fake legs above the roof.
The legs spread as the truck smashes through, exploding the store in a shower of panties.
It's this balance between violence and humour that makes Yaiba stand out from the crowd. The visual style really assists Yaiba in this regard, while also adding a more unique feel.
In a first for the series, the game utilises a cell-shaded cartoon effect, which really makes it feel like a graphic novel.
Vibrant red blood covers the screen as the player hacks through hordes of the undead, and combat is quite fun to experience.
It's really easy to chain together combos, using both light and heavy attacks, interspresed with grabs and finishing moves.
While my time with Yaiba was relatively short, fans of the hack-and-slash genre will no doubt find enjoyment with the game.
The visuals are still a little choppy, but I have no doubt Yaiba will be a fantastic title once it recieves some dedicated polish.
The Crew
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Decent
Thoughts: For those racing fans who might not totally enjoy the simulated racing experience, Ivory Tower's The Crew may interest you.
The Crew is an open world racing title that caters to both single and multiplayer experiences.
I got a hands-on demo in a Nissan Skyline, connected with three other players. Well all started in different points across America, where we could explore the open world.
As I drove across the world, there were various objectives littered across the map I could interact with.
As I screamed down the highway on route to a marker, I could earn experience by weaving through highlighted slalom gates.
I then took a detour through a canyon, which dynamically saw me enter a race with 8 A.I racers. After showing them who's boss, all myself and the three other players were notified to head to Miami.
This prompted the multiplayer component of The Crew.
We were tasked with working together in order to take down a drug runner driving a Hummer. Our sports cars would be no match for it, so we therefore needed some modifications.
Our cars slipped into the garage, where it was visually taken apart and rebuilt with off-road components.
It's a nice touch seeing all the detail in the cars' internal components before it's all slapped back together.
Multiplayer was different than other racers. While we had to work together to take the Hummer down, we competed against each other to earn the most points.
This greats a dynamic new layer to the tired racing series.
Overall, the cars look great, but the open world has left a little to be desired. There was a lot of clipping through objects, especially random pederstrians who'd run in front of my vehicle.
The driving felt a little off to me also. While it was sufficient for the most time, at certain points it felt really slippery, constantly sliding all over the place even at low speeds.
Collisions are a bit weird too, but it may be because I'm used to simulated racers. While some direct collisions see your car totaled in a nice dynamic camera angle, most collisions see you bounce off with very little loss of speed.
The Crew looks to be refreshing title, even with these issues. It was pretty thrilling to watch all four of us players take different routes in order to cut off the drug runner.
That seems to be the hook for The Crew, providing players with a open world experience that encourages both single and multiplayer gaming.
It could be one of those surprise hits for racing fans looking for something new.
Forza Motorsport 5
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Polished
Thoughts: Forza Motorsport 5 may very well be the premier racing game out there.
What immediately hits you is the high quality of detail put into each and every component. Whether it be the menu system, the Career Mode overhaul, the tracks, or most importantly the cars, Forza 5 oozes polish and style.
The developers themselves put it best. They believed the car detail in Forza 4 was perfect. Maybe too perfect, and in order to make them perfect, they need to be imperfect.
The guys at Turn 10 explained that real world cars show signs of human touch. Whether that be the signs of machining on the wheels, Armor All missing on sections of a tyre, or wax buffed onto the car body.
It really works to make the vehicles in Forza 5e realistic than ever before. Light shines differently off of the car's various materials, of which the player can explore every inch.
But most of all, Forza 5 is still a real joy to play.
Cars handle superbly, and the demo I played had me race around Laguna Seca in the new flashy McLaren P1.
Cars feel really solid, with the controller on the Xbox One working to provide precise feedback to the player.
For example, you can feel the rumble in each side of the controller as the car shudders from side to side under sudden braking and acceleration.
Tracks have received a nice coat of paint as well, being pain-stakingly recreated by the guys at Turn 10 to ensure the definitive, realistic racing experience.
Each virtual track has the exact same camber, corner apex, dip, rise and imperfection of their real world counterpart.
After the one lap dash, I have nothing but praise to give to Forza 5. It looks of the highest quality, thanks in part to the technology of the Xbox One.
Racing fans will not be disappointed when picking up the game on the Xbox One's November 22nd launch.
Battlefield 4 Multiplayer
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Excellent
Thoughts: Battlefield 4 is a real step up from Battlefield 3 in scale and power and DICE should be commended on it.
The EB Expo 2013 demo of Battlefield 4's multiplayer mode featured a single map, Paracel Storm, and pitted two opposing teams, Russian and Chinese military forces, against each other. The map is not currently available in the BETA.
This map features two large dynamic set pieces; a dangerous tropical storm that provides mobility, and visibility changes and destroyer that can be crashed into the island chain, causing the map layout to change.
The game mode that was demoed is called "Obliteration". The two teams must first race to collect a bomb, which appears randomly around the central area of the map, then run the bomb to one of the enemy's MCOM stations and protect it until it can be detonated. The first team to destroy all three of the enemy's stations wins the round.
This game mode worked very well on Paracel Storm as there are MCOM stations on the small islands surrounding the main island, creating small channels for attack boats, jet skis and turrets to protect the MCOMs. In the centre of the map buildings and courtyards allowed for plenty of infantry based long and close range combat.
The map really feel like it was built to accommodate a vast amount of player choice in what role they play on the battlefield. Using a sniper rifle I could easily match kill numbers with people using shotguns, assault rifles and those driving vehicles, it all feels very balanced.
The weapons and weapon customisation in Battlefield 4 are also quite successful, delivering the players a lot more choice than provided in previous iterations of the series. The guns also feel powerful and have a great sound to them, you really feel the feedback when you pull the trigger.
Battlefield 4 is shaping up to be one of those multiplayer games that plays so diversely that pretty much every player will have their own tales of action packed moments to share with friends, and with deeper Battlelog usage in game these tales can reach even more people. If you enjoy vehicles, carnage and FPS action, you can't go wrong here.
Battlefield 4 is also in open BETA right now so you can check it out for yourself on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC!
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Promising
Thoughts: Infinity Ward's new Call of Duty title, Ghosts, provides some new innovative gameplay and some more diverse game modes, but time will tell if that's enough to break the monotonous nature the series has begun to fall into.
In the multiplayer demo I played two different and new game modes to the Call of Duty franchise, called 'Cranked' and 'Blitz'.
Cranked is a game mode designed to speed up gameplay and eradicate camping and predictability. Once you get a kill you then have thirty seconds to kill another player or you will explode. Upon killing someone the timer resets. From a potential tactical start the game soon turns into a frantic rush of players trying to reset their timer.
I found that for the most part there was less camping, but it also ended up degenerating into a crazy shooting fest without much thought to players' moves.
Blitz is an objective mode where players attempt to run through the enemy's objective, while protecting their own. Upon stepping into the highlighted circle your team receives points and you are teleported back to your spawn. I found this mode more fun than Cranked as it encourages fast paced gameplay, but you also need to protect and defend your base.
The new weapons introduced are quite fun, especially the new 'marksman rifle' weapon class. Ghosts also introduces a host of new customisation that really was only teased in the demo, as only the very first weapons, attachments, perks and personalisation options were unlocked.
The maps and environments look great on the Xbox One, you can note a higher visual quality in Ghosts on next gen. One new feature that comes with the new consoles is the dynamic map elements. They occur on a much smaller scale than in Battlefield 4, but for the first time in a Call of Duty game they are certainly welcome and allow some tactical variations in the game maps.
Overall I did enjoy my time with Call of Duty: Ghosts, but it will be interesting to see if the full game will be enough to refresh the franchise. Keep this one on your radar.
Killzone: Shadow Fall Multiplayer
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Impressive
Thoughts: As the flagship SONY exclusive FPS, Killzone: Shadow Fall has a lot to live up to in order to succeed as a part of the PS4's launch. Like most FPS titles at EB Expo, only the multiplayer portion was playable, but if first impressions are anything to go by, come November 29 I think I'll be spending a fair amount of time in Shadow Fall's multiplayer.
A fast pace is always nice in a shooter, but I found Killzone's pace to actually be quite slow. This is a good thing, in my opinion. Sure, you can still run and gun with the stunning looking SMGs and shotguns, but I found myself having a lot more fun with the game when played at a more slow and tactical pace.
From slinking around the dark map with an assault rifle to peering through the scope of a rifle, it felt good to use the gadgets available to you and really plan out your moves.
I started in a sniper role, landing several fast headshots in the early part of the match. Whilst the enemy is not tagged there are no bright visual markers to point to an enemy, a keen eye and patience is rewarded as players soon began to use the environment and gadgets to plan out attacks. Whilst going for the objectives I saw a few people running the whole way out in the open and they were usually mowed down fast. The people working together and maximising their grouped abilities faired much better.
The game looks and feels really good on the PS4, from incredible in-game graphics to meticulously designed weapons you have to admire. The maps have been designed to accommodate multiple play styles with a variety of elevated positions and secluded underground passages.
I'm very excited to play the full game when the PS4 launches. I really enjoyed the refreshing change of pace in the game, rewarding the cautious and thoughtful FPS player.
Pokemon X & Y
Preview: Hands-On
Impression: Brilliant
Thoughts: Pokemon X and Y represents a major game changer for Nintendo. As a game series that has been immensely popular the games haven't seen a great deal of change, until now. Overloaded, in the best possible way, is probably how I can best describe this game.
From the jump to 3D on the 3DS platform to riding Pokemon and mega evolutions, this game is jam-packed with new content for fans young and old to enjoy. The EB Expo demo did not show any story details but took the player through an area that showcased many of the new features, and left you hungry for more.
First off the 3D graphics and Pokemon models look fantastic, as does the game world. The world feels more alive than ever before; besides the usual trainers out in the world to battle, Pokemon will roam around and live in the world unfolding right before your eyes, even reacting to the player. You can even ride some of them, and yes, it's as cool as it sounds.
Another new feature of the game is an addition called Pokemon Amie – a nintendogs-esque minigame that allows you to use the 3DS' touchpad and cameras to interact, feed, train and bond with your Pokemon like never before. Even though it feels aimed at a younger audience it felt good to give your Pokemon a scratch on the belly or a pat on the head after they succeeded in battle.
Add into the mix Pokemon who can now mega evolve in battle, customisable Pokemon and trainers, plus some brilliant looking multiplayer and Nintendo have found the recipe for a great and innovative game in a fan favourite series. It all plays so well.
If you own a 3DS and love Pokemon you can add X and Y to the ever growing list of games to play this year. I can't wait to play the full game when it releases in less than a week, on October 12th.
Thanks once again for checking out our thoughts of the latest and greatest at this year's EB Games Expo. Be sure to stay tuned to check out our detailed previews and interviews from the expo!
©2013 Daniel Geikowski


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Instructional Resources
Series Info
Episodes: 4
Length: 30 min.
Grade Levels:
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Social Studies
Native Americans & Frontiersmen Series
Witness Native Americans, Europeans, and Anglo Americans in conflict during the early days of the United States. Watch as shifting alliances and new battle tactics secure our nation's future. Peter Coyote narrates the little known tales of Native Americans and Frontiersmen in compelling programs that dramatize: Chief Pontiac's rebellion, George Rogers Clark's secret mission against the Redcoats, Rogers' commando-style tactics against the British and the French, and Tecumseh's defeat..
Episode Guide
1. Long Knives — A dramatic reenactment of George Rogers Clark's daring raid during the Revolutionary War to capture British forts and neutralize their efforts on the frontier west of the Alleghenies. His victories helped bring Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and other Midwest states into the US after the War.
2. Pontiac — Stirring action scenes illuminate the complex interactions among the European and North American powers. Pontiac and his people had been treated with more dignity by the French than by the British, so they often sided with the French during the pre-Revolutionary War conflicts among European powers. Though Pontiac's confederacy had many successes, it ultimately had to accept defeat along with the French.
3. Roger's Rangers — Powerful and bold action scenes show how Robert Rogers became a part of the French and Indian War on the British side, fighting the Native Americans. From them, he learned that guerrilla warfare was more suited to the frontier, and later went on to lead many successful tactical maneuvers for the American side.
4. Tecumseh — This powerful docudrama illustrates how Tecumseh distinguished himself as a great Native American leader in battle as a young man. When he was persuaded that Indians had to resist the newly independent Americans who were coming into his land, he took sides with the British in the War of 1812. He died heroically in this losing cause.
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Nelsen: Confidence crucial for QPR
QPR defender Ryan Nelsen believes that Harry Redknapp's biggest task will be instilling some confidence into his new players.
The Rangers have played 14 matches in the Premier League so far this term and are yet to pick up a win, losing nine of those, but the new boss got off to a respectable start with a 0-0 draw against Sunderland on Tuesday.
"I know Harry and he and his staff will be doing their utmost to get us points," Nelsen told reporters.
"Obviously, he hasn't had much time. He is still getting to know every player.
"He has to cast his own eye on everyone and that won't happen overnight. He is just trying to keep everyone positive.
"None of us has been in this position before. It's horrible but Harry will bring in his own ideas, bring in some confidence. We just have to start producing on the field and get some points.
"Of course, it is going to be very difficult but anyone watching us against Sunderland would not have known which side were at the bottom of the table.
"We will have to get 10 more wins at least. We can't worry about other teams winning or losing. We just have to concentrate on ourselves and just try to win as many games as we can.
"That's all we have to do, try to go on a run, try to secure wins and points and after 38 games we will just have to see where we are."
The New Zealander added of Redknapp's sacked predecessor, Mark Hughes: "It was very sad to see Mark go because he has transformed QPR."
"It may not look like it from the outside but, inside, it's a different club. It's a Premier League club now but, unfortunately, the results didn't go for him and I felt really bad for him.
"Harry has come in and his credentials speak for themselves. It is up to us now to bring in results for him, start producing on the field and getting some points."


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Escalating Ringtone
by: Appdictive | 208
All Android applications categories
All Android games categories
by: Appdictive | 208
Escalating Ringtone gradually increases ringtone volume on incoming calls and makes it easy to: setup, forget and enjoy!
Escalating the ringtone volume is well known from older mobile phones and Escalating Ringtone makes it easy to achieve the same effect - customizable to just the way you want it!
So don't worry about about remembering to turn your volume up before calls - Escalating Ringtone will do it for you!
Also avoid the risk of having an embarrasingly loud ring, by having Escalating Ringtone make calls start at a low volume each time, and then escalate until you notice the call.
* Easy to setup and customize
* Simulate to test settings right away!
* Start and end volume settings
* Respects silent and vibrate modes
* Vibrate before turning on volume
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Wellcome Trust and National Institutes of Health Four-year PhD Studentships
This scheme provides opportunities for the most promising postgraduate students to undertake international, collaborative four-year PhD training based in both a UK/Republic of Ireland (RoI) academic institution and the intramural campus of the National Institutes of Health at Bethesda (Maryland, USA).
This is a partnership between the Trust and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), uniting the two organisations through their shared interest in promoting the training of exceptional students in international collaborative biomedical research.
The programme will provide successful candidates with the support to train in some of the best laboratories in academic institutions in the UK/RoI and the USA. We will fund up to five studentships per annum.
Students will undertake a collaborative project and be co-mentored by supervisors at both locations. It is envisioned that the student will spend an equal amount of time in both laboratories, although the specific division of time will be dictated by the nature of the research project. Students funded under this scheme will be integrated with the NIH Graduate Partnership Programme, and will have access to the excellent support and benefits that the programme provides.
Watch the video below to hear from two of our former students about the scheme and what it's like to be on the programme.
Running time: 6 min 9 s
What's included
The studentship is awarded for four years with support provided by the Wellcome Trust (equivalent to 24 months in the UK/Republic of Ireland) and the NIH (equivalent to 24 months in the USA).
Our funding will provide support for the student's stipend [PDF 14KB], PhD fees at UK/EU rate, college fees (if required) and a contribution towards research costs.
NIH will provide awards to students that include a level of financial support and applicable travel costs commensurate with that provided to other graduate students consistent with the customary practice for NIH training programmes.
You should be a UK/European Economic Area (EEA) national with (or be in your final year and expected to obtain) a first- or upper-second-class honours degree or an equivalent EEA graduate qualification.
You must have:
- a suitable doctoral supervisor at an eligible academic host institution in the UK or Republic of Ireland. The host institution must be able to confer doctoral degrees
- a suitable supervisor at a NIH institute. The NIH supervisor should hold a tenured or tenured-track position for the proposed period of the award and should be willing to provide funding for the student whilst at the NIH
Application process
The application form for the Wellcome Trust and National Institutes of Health Four-year PhD Studentships [639KB] should be completed and submitted by the closing date – see 'Deadlines'.
- An electronic copy (as a Word document) should be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
- One signed hard copy should be addressed to the 'Wellcome Trust-NIH PhD studentships' at the Trust's postal address – see 'Contacts'.
Late applications will not be accepted.
Please see the guidance notes [Word 264KB] and a document outlining the responsibilities and obligations of supervisors [Word 46KB] for additional information about this scheme. Clinically qualified candidates will need to refer to the Clinical specialties list when completing the application form.
Successful candidates will be shortlisted for interview within two months of the application deadline. Interviews will be held at the Wellcome Trust offices in London.
This is an annual competition.
Details of the 2015 round:
- Deadline for applications: 2 November 2015
- Shortlisted candidate interviews: 25-26 January 2016
Please send completed applications and direct queries to:
Wellcome Trust-NIH PhD studentships
Wellcome Trust
Gibbs Building
215 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE, UK


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By clicking on the link marked with asterisk (*), you will leave the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked website.


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Investigative Case - "The Sky is Falling"
Developed for Lifelines Online by Tiffany Davidson, Sharlonne Rollin, and Nicohl Shelton. (www.bioquest.org/lifelines/)
Students will generate maps of ozone concentrations, graph air quality indices, and propose solutions to problems with the ozone and air quality, specifically smog.
Problem-Based Learning: UV Menace
Rebecca Teed, Wright State University-Main Campus
Students work as a team to determine the causes, effects, and solutions to ozone depletion. They work out what they need to know, and split the team up to research different parts of the issue. -
Writing a hypothesis and designing an experiment for a high altitude balloon flight
David Kobilka, Central Lakes College-Brainerd
This is a small part of a much larger project in which students complete an high altitude balloon flight (HAB). In this part they complete a series of steps that encourage collaboration, communication, cooperation, ...
Yellowstone Fires
Rebecca Teed, Wright State University-Main Campus
This module enables students to take a problem-based learning approach to wildfires, in particular whether a "let-it-burn" policy makes sense in Yellowstone National Park. -
Using Data to Teach Earth ProcessesAn Illustrated Community Discussion at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America
Dan E. Olson/Tina Johnson Edgewood College / UW-Madison
Dan E. Olson/Tina Johnson Edgewood College / UW-Madison - Semester long research projects as a partial substitute for traditional laboratory exercises have been implemented in two, two-semester long Introductory ...


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A Self Balancing Creature
I've been finishing up the last few courses for my MSc degree (next year I will fully devote to research). This means that I didn't have time to create original content for this blog. But for one of the courses (Master Level Game Physics) by Nicolas Pronost I created a self balancing creature. This was quite a cool project so I'd like to share the video with you guys.
The creature keeps balance by trying to keep the center of mass above the center of support. This is done by feeding the joint errors into PID-Controllers. The gains for the PID-Controllers were found using a self-learning algorithm (based on Simulated Annealing). The simulation also contained a muscle-actuated version (not shown in the video).
We used the Bullet Physics Engine to make this all work, however I cannot really recommend it. The documentation is horrid and we encountered a few very nasty bugs regarding joint constraints and motors.
Farseer physics 3.3.1 and XNA: Joints
In the previous tutorial, which you can find here, we created static and dynamic bodies. In this second tutorial we are going to take a look at joints. Simply said a joint is used to make a connection between two bodies or a body and the background. The place where a joint is attached is called the anchor. Usually a joint has two anchors. One placed on the first body and one placed on a second body or on the world itself. Farseer uses the following naming convention for this. If a joint is 'fixed' it provides a joint between a body and the background/world. If a joint is not fixed it is used to connect two separate bodies to each other. So a RevoluteJoint connects two bodies and a FixedRevoluteJoint connects a body and the background/world.
Overview of joints
There are quite a few types of joints in Farseer:
Standard joints
Angle joints
Keeps a body at a fixed angle from another body or the world.
Distance joints
Keeps a body at a fixed distance from another body or from an anchor in the world.
Friction joints
Applies translational and angular friction to a body.
Line joints
A line joint can best be seen as a spring. It linearly connects to bodies (or a body and the background) together and tries to keep them at a fixed distance. It does not limit relative rotations but it does limit translation over one axis. They can be a bit tricky to place since the mass of the bodies themselves already affects the distance between the two bodies so setting the 'at rest' state is a bit of trial and error. Note that Line Joints are a new addition to Farseer and are not available in Box2D.
Prismatic joints
Enforces that two bodies can only slide in a linear motion (one degree of freedom) with respect to each other. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prismatic_joint
Revolute joints
The most standard joints. Allows a body to rotate around an implicit axis coming from the screen (Z-Axis). Can be used to connect a body to the background or to another body. Can be motorized.
Slider joints
A sort of prismatic joint that doesn't limit the bodies to just linear motion. Best described as a combination of a revolute joint and a prismatic joint. Note that Slider Joints are also not available in Box2D.
Weld joints
Connects two bodies together disallowing any form of relative rotation/translation.
More complex joints
Gear joints
Connects two revolute joints or a revolute joint and a prismatic joint. Simulates that they are connected by gears so if the body on the first revolute joint rotates the body on the second revolute joint will rotate in the opposite direction.
Pulley joints
Used to create a pulley system. (Two bodies both connected to a rope that runs over a pulley). Can be used to create sophisticated elevators.
If you would like to know more about the joints Farseer offers you can check the Box2D documentation here (Farseer is a C# implementation of Box2D, and although it's growing slowly to become more than that the best place for documentation is still the Box2D website).
Refactoring last week's example
After doing some coding I found that I need access to the world-to-screen and screen-to-world conversion methods for the joints and they are currently members of the DrawablePhysicsObject class. So before we start creating or own joints we must first refactor last week's example.
Create this new helper class:
public static class CoordinateHelper { // Because Farseer uses 1 unit = 1 meter we need to convert // between pixel coordinates and physics coordinates. // I've chosen to use the rule that 100 pixels is one meter. // We have to take care to convert between these two // coordinate-sets wherever we mix them! public const float unitToPixel = 100.0f; public const float pixelToUnit = 1 / unitToPixel; public static Vector2 ToScreen(Vector2 worldCoordinates) { return worldCoordinates * unitToPixel; } public static Vector2 ToWorld(Vector2 screenCoordinates) { return screenCoordinates * pixelToUnit; } }
And then update the DrawablePhysicsObject class to use the helper class.
Some setup
Last week we added a list to store all the boxes that we randomly spawn. This week we're going to create 'paddles' connected by joints. To store the paddles we're going to need another list. So open Game1.cs and add the following field:
List paddles;
Then add the following three lines to draw the paddles:
foreach (DrawablePhysicsObject paddle in paddles) { paddle.Draw(spriteBatch); }
I've also added another image to the content project called 'Paddle.png'.
Adding some bodies and joints
Now to demonstrate how to use joints I'm going to create three paddles. The first paddle will just be a simple body connected with revolute joint to the background. This means that it can spin freely. The second paddle is almost the same, but it will be motorized, adding some interaction to the scene. Finally we combine two line joints to create a trampoline. After this you should have a basic understanding on how joints work in Farseer.
A simple revolute joint
Add the end of the LoadContent method initialize the list we use to store the paddles. Then after that add the following code to create the first paddle:
// Create a simple paddle which center is anchored // in the background. It can rotate freely DrawablePhysicsObject simplePaddle = new DrawablePhysicsObject ( world, Content.Load("Paddle"), new Vector2(128, 16), 10 ); JointFactory.CreateFixedRevoluteJoint ( world, simplePaddle.body, CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(new Vector2(0, 0)), CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(new Vector2(GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width / 2.0f - 150, GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Height - 300)) ); paddles.Add(simplePaddle);
As you can see we first create a simple body, just as in the previous tutorial. The body is 128 pixels wide and 16 pixels high (note that the constructor of the DrawablePhysicsObject converts these units to world coordinates). It has a mass of 10KG. Note that we don't have to set the position of the body. This is implicitly done by the joint, which fixes the body on the background at the anchor positions.
Next we create the joint. The first argument is our physics simulation and is used to register our joint to the simulation. We then pass the body this joint should be applied to. Since this is a Fixed joint we don't need to pass a second body. The joint will connect the first body to the world. We then have to give some coordinates. We pass the center of the body (0,0) and somewhere in our world. Note that we use the conversion methods to go from pixel to world coordinates. Also don't forget the last line, where we add the paddle to our list of paddles, else it won't show up for drawing.
You can now run the simulation. Again press space to drop crate, you will see that we've create a small paddle that rotates freely when hit by a crate.
A motorized joint
The motorized joint is very similar:
// Creates a motorized paddle which left side is anchored in the background // it will rotate slowly but the motor is not set soo strong that // it can push everything away. DrawablePhysicsObject motorPaddle = new DrawablePhysicsObject ( world, Content.Load("Paddle"), new Vector2(128, 16), 10 ); var j = JointFactory.CreateFixedRevoluteJoint ( world, motorPaddle.body, CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(new Vector2(-48, 0)), CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(new Vector2(GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width / 2.0f, GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Height - 280)) ); // rotate 1/4 of a circle per second j.MotorSpeed = MathHelper.PiOver2; // have little torque (power) so it can push away a few blocks j.MotorTorque = 3; j.MotorEnabled = true; j.MaxMotorTorque = 10; paddles.Add(motorPaddle);
Again we create a body and a Fixed Revolute Joint. But this time we store the joint created by the joint factory in the variable j so that we can access the properties of the joint. The revolute joint exposes a few interesting properties. The most interesting one is to motorize it. We've set a motor speed of pi/2. This means that the every second the joint will rotate the connected body by pi/2 radians, or a 1/4 of a circle. We also have to set the torque to give the motor enough power to rotate the body and to keep rotating even when a few crates are blocking the paddle. We also set the max motor torque and enable the motor. Again in the last line we add the paddle to our list of paddles so that it will be drawn.
A trampoline
To create a trampoline we will use two Line Joints (a sort of springs) to connect a paddle to the ground. This way we create some sort of trampoline. Add the following code:
// Use two line joints (a sort of springs) to create a trampoline DrawablePhysicsObject trampolinePaddle = new DrawablePhysicsObject ( world, Content.Load("Paddle"), new Vector2(128, 16), 10 ); trampolinePaddle.Position = new Vector2(600, floor.Position.Y - 175); var l = JointFactory.CreateLineJoint ( floor.body, trampolinePaddle.body, CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(trampolinePaddle.Position - new Vector2(64, 0)), Vector2.UnitY ); l.CollideConnected = true; l.Frequency = 2.0f; l.DampingRatio = 0.05f; var r = JointFactory.CreateLineJoint ( floor.body, trampolinePaddle.body, CoordinateHelper.ToWorld(trampolinePaddle.Position + new Vector2(64, 0)), Vector2.UnitY ); r.CollideConnected = true; r.Frequency = 2.0f; r.DampingRatio = 0.05f; world.AddJoint(l); world.AddJoint(r); paddles.Add(trampolinePaddle);
Now the creation of the body should look really familiar now. Note that this time we do have to set the position of the body. The line joint will try to keep the paddle and the ground at roughly the same position as the starting position from each other so it needs some initial position.
We create two joints, they are exactly the same, except for where they connect to the paddle. One is anchored on the left side of the paddle and one on the right side. So I will only explain the first line joint.
We start by passing the body of the first body the line joint should connect to, the floor. We then pass the body of the paddle. We tell the line joint to connect to the paddle at the given relative coordinates. We then give the axis of freedom the line joint should offer. In our case the Y-Axis.
We also set some properties, CollideConnected means that the paddle and the floor can collide with each other. Handy now but for a wheel inside a car you might want to keep this at the default, turned off, state. We also set a nice frequency and damping ratio. Finally we add the joints to the world. Don't forget this step! Only Fixed joints are automatically added to the world. We also add the paddle to our list of paddles to draw.
You can now run the simulation again. Try to drop a few crates on the trampoline, you will see that it behaves quite nicely.
Joints in Farseer are fairly easy to use and can add a dynamicity lot to your scene. Try playing around with all different joints to get a feel from them. All joints in Farseer are created using a way similar as shown in this tutorial. In the next tutorial we will add a controllable character and create a small platformer.
Farseer physics 3.3.1 and XNA
A physics engine, like Farseer, is a piece of technology that allows you to simulate real-world-physics inside your game. It enables you to incorporate elements like gravity, weight, collision detection/response and much more into your game without having to rediscover and implement the laws of physics yourself.
Farseer is one of the most used physics engine for 2D games in C# and XNA, it's tries to mimic the functionality of the popular Box2D physics engine which was built with C++ in mind. Note that you can also use Farseer if you're not using XNA, it also has bindings for Silverlight and plain C#/.Net.
A while ago I wrote a tutorial for Farseer 2.X on how to create and manipulate a character and how to setup a few platforms and a seesaw. That tutorial still remains popular but since then a lot of things have changed in the newer versions of Farseer so I think it is useful to revisit this topic.
This tutorial is the first in a series. The end result will be the same as the old platformer tutorial but we'll get there in byte sized pieces this time and I'll try to go a bit more in depth. Anyway, let's get started!
Setting up Farseer and XNA
Ok so first things first, start visual studio and create a new XNA 4 Windows Game Project. You can then download the Farseer Physics Engine from here. At the time of writing the latest version was v3.3.1. Extract the archive and open the Visual Studio solution named 'Samples XNA'. Switch to Release mode and build the project named 'Farseer Physics XNA'. Now in the output directory (bin/x86/release) find the file 'FarseerPhysicsXNA.dll' and copy it to your game project. Switch back to the your own game project (you can close the other Visual Studio window). Locate the references in the solution explorer, right click it and click 'Add Reference…' browse to your project folder and select 'FarseerPhysicsXNA.dll'. You can now use Farseer in your XNA project!
Setting up a simple physics simulation
Now let's get some physics going. Open Game1.cs and add the following using statements at the top of the file.
using FarseerPhysics.Dynamics; using FarseerPhysics.Factories;
Also add the following member to the Game1 class.
World world;
The World class is the most important class in Farseer. It represents the entire physics simulation. Every object that influences the simulation should be registered with your instance of the world class. Of course to make it work we have to instantiate it and tell it what kind of gravity we want. To do so add the following to your LoadContent() method.
world = new World(new Vector2(0, 9.8f));
As you can see I've chosen a gravity of 0m*s^2 on the horizontal axis and 9.8m*s^2 on the vertical axis. Just as on earth!
The world object needs to do some work every frame to keep the simulation going so add this to your update method:
Now we still wont see anything, there aren't any objects, or bodies as they are called in Farseer, yet in our simulation. Lets remedy this situation by adding a crate. Add the following member to Game1.cs
Body body; const float unitToPixel = 100.0f; const float pixelToUnit = 1 / unitToPixel;
And add the following code at end of the LoadContent method
Vector2 size = new Vector2(50, 50); body = BodyFactory.CreateRectangle(world, size.X * pixelToUnit, size.Y * pixelToUnit, 1); body.BodyType = BodyType.Dynamic; body.Position = new Vector2((GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width / 2.0f) * pixelToUnit, 0);
Now as you can see we use a handy factory to create a rectangular body, we pass the world object so that it can be registered to it. However when passing the size of the body we first multiply this by the newly introduced constant pixelToUnit. Farseer uses Meters, Kilograms and Seconds as units while we are using pixels. So we need to convert all sizes and lengths to meters when we pass them to Farseer by multiplying them with pixelToUnit and, vice versa, when we get data back from Farseer, for example the position of a body, we need to convert back from meters to pixels. We use the same idea when setting the body's position.
We also set the body type to Dynamic. This is a normal body, you also have Static, which means that it is immovable and Kinematic which means that it has no mass and some other properties (we wont use it).
Anyway add an image for the crate to your content project, I've named mine 'Crate.png'. Then add the following member to Game1.cs.
Texture2D texture;
Now we can finally draw something to the screen. Add the following code to your Draw method
spriteBatch.Begin(SpriteSortMode.Immediate, BlendState.Opaque); Vector2 position = body.Position * unitToPixel; Vector2 scale = new Vector2(50 / (float)texture.Width, 50 / (float)texture.Height); spriteBatch.Draw(texture, position, null, Color.White, body.Rotation, new Vector2(texture.Width / 2.0f, texture.Height / 2.0f), scale, SpriteEffects.None, 0); spriteBatch.End();
When you run the game now you should briefly see a crate fall to its doom before it disappears from the screen.
A more interesting simulation
Now of course this is a bit of a boring simulation to see something interesting happen we would need at least two objects, and preferably much more. Now we can duplicate the code a couple of times but I believe that you should never have to write the same code twice. Delete the following lines.
- The line that starts with spriteBatch.Draw(…) in your Draw method
- The members unitToPixel and pixelToUnit
- The body member and everything that involves the body in the LoadContent method.
Now create a new class called DrawablePhysicsObject. This class will be a wrapper around a body object. We will automatically convert between pixel coordinates and the coordinates used by Farseer and we will make drawing a bit easier. Since there are no new concepts introduced in this class I'll just place the code right here:
public class DrawablePhysicsObject { // Because Farseer uses 1 unit = 1 meter we need to convert // between pixel coordinates and physics coordinates. // I've chosen to use the rule that 100 pixels is one meter. // We have to take care to convert between these two // coordinate-sets wherever we mix them! public const float unitToPixel = 100.0f; public const float pixelToUnit = 1 / unitToPixel; public Body body; public Vector2 Position { get { return body.Position * unitToPixel; } set { body.Position = value * pixelToUnit; } } public Texture2D texture; private Vector2 size; public Vector2 Size { get { return size * unitToPixel; } set { size = value * pixelToUnit; } } ///The farseer simulation this object should be part of ///The image that will be drawn at the place of the body ///The size in pixels ///The mass in kilograms public DrawablePhysicsObject(World world, Texture2D texture, Vector2 size, float mass) { body = BodyFactory.CreateRectangle(world, size.X * pixelToUnit, size.Y * pixelToUnit, 1); body.BodyType = BodyType.Dynamic; this.Size = size; this.texture = texture; } public void Draw(SpriteBatch spriteBatch) { Vector2 scale = new Vector2(Size.X / (float)texture.Width, Size.Y / (float)texture.Height); spriteBatch.Draw(texture, Position, null, Color.White, body.Rotation, new Vector2(texture.Width / 2.0f, texture.Height / 2.0f), scale, SpriteEffects.None, 0); } } }
Now lets set this code to work!
Create the following members in Game1.cs
List<DrawablePhysicsObject> crateList; DrawablePhysicsObject floor; KeyboardState prevKeyboardState; Random random;
And add this line to the end of the LoadContent method.
random = new Random(); floor = new DrawablePhysicsObject(world, Content.Load("Floor"), new Vector2(GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width, 100.0f), 1000); floor.Position = new Vector2(GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width / 2.0f, GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Height - 50); floor.body.BodyType = BodyType.Static; crateList = new List<DrawablePhysicsObject>(); prevKeyboardState = Keyboard.GetState();
You see that we create one DrawablePhysicsObject with a Static BodyType. That's going to be our floor. We also create a list of crates and do some keyboard logic. Lets create a method to fill that list of crates. Add this method to Game1.cs
private void SpawnCrate() { DrawablePhysicsObject crate; crate = new DrawablePhysicsObject(world, Content.Load<Texture2D>("Crate"), new Vector2(50.0f, 50.0f), 0.1f); crate.Position = new Vector2(random.Next(50, GraphicsDevice.Viewport.Width - 50), 1); crateList.Add(crate); }
This method will spawn a random crate somewhere at the top of the screen. We will trigger this method by a pressing the spacebar. To do so add this to the update method before base.Update().
KeyboardState keyboardState = Keyboard.GetState(); if (keyboardState.IsKeyDown(Keys.Space) && !prevKeyboardState.IsKeyDown(Keys.Space)) { SpawnCrate(); } prevKeyboardState = keyboardState;
And finally add these last few lines in between spriteBatch.Begin() and spriteBatch.End() in your draw method so that we can see what's going on.
foreach (DrawablePhysicsObject crate in crateList) { crate.Draw(spriteBatch); } floor.Draw(spriteBatch);
Run the simulation and start hammering on the spacebar you should see something like this:
This concludes this tutorial. In the next tutorial we will talk about springs and joints and ways to make compound bodies so that you can have more interesting simulations!
You can download the source code for this tutorial here: Farseer v3.3.1 XNA Tutorial 1
Thanks to Ryan Foy for pointing out some errors in the code that somehow made it onto this blog
XNA Farseer platformer physics tutorial
My XNA Farseer platformer physics tutorial is up and online at MadGameDev.com
Below is a sneak preview, but follow the above link for the complete article.
Today I'm going to introduce you to a neat 2D physics engine for XNA called Farseer. With the help of this 2D physics engine we are going to create a small platform 'game' while introducing the important concepts of Farseer like bodies, geometry, joints and springs.
By the end of the tutorial, you'll be able to build something like:
Update 11-09-2012: links fixed
Hollandia and Farseer physics
I don't know why I didn't break this to everyone before. But I've been the lead developer of Hollandia for a few weeks already. Click the link to find out more :).
For Hollandia I'm doing a rewrite of the engine. Since it's a platformer the characters need to be able to jump onto things. So I had a choice to either write my own mini-physics-engine for this or to look for a valid alternative that I could easily plug in into the code that I had already written. Luckily I chose the last option and came across Farseer physics and I'm completely hysterical about it. After only one day of using it I've donated $10,- to show my support. Ok the manual pages could use a bit of work, but to aid in that I'm writing a Farseer physics platformer tutorial for the Sgt. Conker XNA Article Contest in which I will put everything that I've found out about Farseer so far (see it as a gentle introduction, since once you 'get it' Farseer is very easy).
Anyway some who follow my youtube channel might've seen this already, but I made a small video where you can see that I've implemented Farseer physics into the engine. Things are really starting to come together (Screen managers, Scene Graphs, Layered system etc… unfortunately you can't see any of that in the video). Especially the artwork is really nice, but since I didn't make the art work, I've turned it off for the below video. (I'm just showing the physics bodies).
And no, this is not the 4×4 all terrain infinite horsepower brutal Segway of doom ©. This is actually our main character walking around. (It doesn't look so silly if you imagine a texture of a Dutch girl moving around instead of these funny boxes :). The idea to do it this way came from this blog article by Bryan Dismas which in turn is based on this blog article by Robert Dodd