text:
, Volume 187, Issue 3, pp 268-283
First online:
Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance
- R. R. GriffithsAffiliated withDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineDepartment of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Email author
- , W. A. RichardsAffiliated withJohns Hopkins Bayview Medical CenterCouncil on Spiritual Practices
- , U. McCannAffiliated withDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- , R. JesseAffiliated withCouncil on Spiritual Practices
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Although psilocybin has been used for centuries for religious purposes, little is known scientifically about its acute and persisting effects.
This double-blind study evaluated the acute and longer-term psychological effects of a high dose of psilocybin relative to a comparison compound administered under comfortable, supportive conditions.
Materials and methods
The participants were hallucinogen-naïve adults reporting regular participation in religious or spiritual activities. Two or three sessions were conducted at 2-month intervals. Thirty volunteers received orally administered psilocybin (30 mg/70 kg) and methylphenidate hydrochloride (40 mg/70 kg) in counterbalanced order. To obscure the study design, six additional volunteers received methylphenidate in the first two sessions and unblinded psilocybin in a third session. The 8-h sessions were conducted individually. Volunteers were encouraged to close their eyes and direct their attention inward. Study monitors rated volunteers' behavior during sessions. Volunteers completed questionnaires assessing drug effects and mystical experience immediately after and 2 months after sessions. Community observers rated changes in the volunteer's attitudes and behavior.
Psilocybin produced a range of acute perceptual changes, subjective experiences, and labile moods including anxiety. Psilocybin also increased measures of mystical experience. At 2 months, the volunteers rated the psilocybin experience as having substantial personal meaning and spiritual significance and attributed to the experience sustained positive changes in attitudes and behavior consistent with changes rated by community observers.
When administered under supportive conditions, psilocybin occasioned experiences similar to spontaneously occurring mystical experiences. The ability to occasion such experiences prospectively will allow rigorous scientific investigations of their causes and consequences.
KeywordsPsilocybin Methylphenidate Hallucinogen Entheogen Mystical experience Spiritual Religion Anxiety Humans
Reference tools
- Title
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance
- Journal
Volume 187, Issue 3 , pp 268-283
- Cover Date
- 2006-08
- 10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5
- Print ISSN
- 0033-3158
- Online ISSN
- 1432-2072
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Additional Links
- Topics
- Keywords
- Psilocybin
- Methylphenidate
- Hallucinogen
- Entheogen
- Mystical experience
- Spiritual
- Religion
- Anxiety
- Humans
- Industry Sectors
- Authors
- R. R. Griffiths (1) (2)
- W. A. Richards (3) (4)
- U. McCann (1)
- R. Jesse (4)
- Author Affiliations
- 1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510, Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA
- 2. Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA
- 3. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 2516 Talbot Road, Baltimore, MD, 21216-2032, USA
- 4. Council on Spiritual Practices, Box 460220, San Francisco, CA, 94146-0220, USA


text:
Occupy Wall Street protest coming to Minneapolis
Occupy Wall Street, the broad-based protest that unsettled New York and resulted in hundreds of arrests on the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend, is spreading to Minneapolis this week.
The local version of the protest will officially start at 9 a.m. on Friday, when organizers plan to fill the Hennepin County Government Center Plaza -- or, as they're calling it, "The People's Plaza."
To prepare, the OccupyMN group that's organizing Minneapolis's protest has started an aggressive promotional campaign, with accounts on Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook plugging Friday's activities. Originally, the event was set to take place at the Federal Reserve building. But organizers switched to the Government Center, with its more open and protester-friendly landscape, after a meeting on Saturday.
As for what, exactly, the local arm wants in response to its protest, a series of website postings and Youtube videos are somewhat vague.
Hitting on a point that has dominated the protests in other cities, the original posting to the Occupy MN website praises the New York protesters for "demonstrating against corporate greed and the injustices that we face as the 99%," referring to the 99 percent of people they claim are ruled by the other 1 percent. The message goes on to describe the protest, but is still evasive as to what its goals are:
This is a call to like-minded Minnesotans asking them to dedicate their energy toward this same common goal. Our mission is simple, we intend to start an occupation of our own in Minnesota. We need to let the people who run this country know that the 99% have a voice, and we intend to be heard!
Osha Karow is a spokesman for the local chapter.
In its latest Youtube video, posted yesterday, OccupyMN advertises the event with a series of flashing images -- the Minneapolis skyline, protests in other countries, cash, and the Hennepin County Government Center -- with Nine Inch Nails playing underneath.
"Do you want to help change it?" asks a block of text.
Ultimately a digitally altered voice explains, twice, that the protests will be nonviolent.
"The abuse and corruption of corporations, banks, and government ends here," says the voice. "Join us."
The event's public organizer is Osha Karow, a local actor, artist, and advocate, who lists his activist credentials on his website as work with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, In Defense of Animals, and the Red Cross.
Karow told the Star Tribune the goal of holding the protest at the Government Center plaza is to "reclaim" the site, and had relatively modest goals for a successful protest.
"My goal," Karow said, "is a peaceful, nonviolent occupation."
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|PCT number
|Publication date
|Mar 10, 1998
|Filing date
|Nov 11, 1994
|Priority date
|Nov 11, 1993
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Werner Lautenschlager
|Original Assignee
|Lautenschlaeger; Werner
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (19), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (40), Classifications (14), Legal Events (7)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microwave heating device and more it concerns novel arrangements for moving a container for materials to be heated between loading and heating positions.
In analytical chemistry and in particular for the preparation of materials, preferably specimen materials, or for the transformation of initial materials into reaction products it is common practice to perform the treatment under heat and pressure (excess pressure) as the desired process can only be realized or improved or forced under these conditions.
In a device are described in the DE-A-39 33 992, by irradiation of a gas under pressure with long wavelength electromagnetic waves a shorter wavelength radiation is generated with which the initial materials are irradiated, or the initial materials themselves are placed under reduced pressure and are irradiated directly with the long wavelength electromagnetic waves. For this purpose there serves a device with a heating chamber surrounded by a housing on all sides and closeable in a sealed manner in which an initial material introduced into an open or closeable receptacle can be heated under reduced pressure which is generated by an air pump connected with the heating chamber (FIG. 1 and 4) or, in the case of a closeable receptacle, connected with the receptacle (FIG. 2 and 3 of this publication) by means of an evacuation line.
A device of the kind mentioned in the introduction can be found in DE 40 38 273 A1 in various configurations in which, for the purpose of opening a housing surrounding the reaction chamber, the side wall (FIG. 1), lid (FIG. 2) or base (FIG. 3) of the housing in DE 40 38 273 A1 is displaceable by means of a displacement device between the closed position and an open position. There is arranged, on the respective wall part of the housing which is to be opened, a mounting, e.g. a locating plate, for at least one specimen receptacle, so that the latter can be moved into the reaction chamber or out of it with the respective displacement movement of the wall part. Through this the placement and removal of at least one specimen receptacle in the reaction chamber or the housing is facilitated, but a special mounting for the at least one specimen receptacle is necessary. Also a simple positioning of the specimen receptacle(s) on the floor of the housing is not possible. Furthermore on account of the presence of the mounting device and also for further constructional reasons this known device is not constructed in a way that would allow the placing of the specimen material directly in the housing, i.e. without a special specimen receptacle. A further disadvantage of the known device is to be seen in that in the configuration with a liftable lid for the reaction chamber (FIG. 2) the accessability to the reaction chamber is very much restricted in the open position: although the lid is lifted from the housing, because of its position above the housing the accessability of the upper-side housing opening is made more difficult.
A device of the kind under consideration can be found in WO/93/22650 in several configurations, in which, for receiving several pot-like specimen receptacles, a mounting device is provided in the form of a rotor in a reaction chamber, whereby the specimen receptacle can be inserted, by a horizontal movement, between a positioning plate engaging below the specimen receptacle and a lid which engages above the specimen receptacle--with its upper side opening--thereby effecting closure. The latter lid is part of the mounting device, which remains on the mounting device upon removal of the specimen receptacle. With this known device it is necessary to manually grasp the specimen receptacle upon insertion or withdrawal from the mounting device, which is possible only with difficulty in particular after the material treatment if only on account of the increased temperature. Furthermore it must be taken into consideration that the specimen material must be inserted into the mounting device purposively. Furthermore this known device is not suitable for a reaction chamber of larger dimensions, as manual handling is not possible on account of the resulting weight. In the event that several specimen materials are to be treated simultaneously several specimen receptacles are therefore required with this known configuration, which must be purposively inserted into their working positions with respective horizontal movements and withdrawn again after the treatment.
The object of the invention is further to configure a device of the kind mentioned in the introduction in such a way that a more simple loading of the reaction chamber is possible.
This object is by means of a generally horizontal guide for displacing a material containing housing underpart relative to a lid after a lifting device has begun to lift the lid from a closed or working position and a ready position.
With this embodiment according to the invention the housing underpart which encloses the reaction chamber or its lid is displaceable into an opening ready position not only by means of a lifting device, but the housing underpart or the lid is also displaceable approximately horizontally into a loading position and back again, so that the accessability of the reaction chamber is significantly improved and thus the specimen material or specimen materials can be placed directly or in specimen receptacles into the reaction chamber in a simple and ready way. The displacement of the lid or the housing underpart can be effected manually or by means of a motorised drive. For the approximately vertical displacement of the lid or the housing underpart a motorised drive is advantageous, as the weight involved must be overcome. Furthermore, such a displacement device can at the same time form the closure device for the housing. For the approximately horizontal displacement of the lid or the underpart of the housing a manual displacement in a guide is advantageous for the purpose of simplification of the device and its control.
In the subclaims there are features which contribute to achievement of the object, simplify construction, make possible a simpler, faster and thus more economical and reliable treatment, improve energy consumption and economy and make possible an advantageous and reliable control of the treatment process.
Further, the invention relates to a particular construction of the device which is distinguished not only by a simple and economical and compact construction, and convenient operation, but also ensures a high degree of utilization of the heating energy and can thus be operated economically and reliably.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a further advantageous construction, in which the pressure regulation elements of the device are arranged in a particular constructional component which is separate from the reaction chamber, which may be connected with the reaction chamber merely by means of a connecting line, and to advantageous arrangements of pressure control elements such as valves, which ensure a trouble-free and reliable process development.
Below, the invention and further advantages achievable thereby will be described in more detail with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments and to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a device with a reaction chamber according to the invention in largely schematic sectional side view;
FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of the reaction chamber of the device of FIG. 1 in a vertical sectional view and to a larger scale;
FIGS. 3 to 5 are fragmentary views which show, in schematic, modifications of a lid and container actuation arrangement according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a heating device according to the present invention which incorporates the lid and container actuation arrangement of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing a reaction chamber used in the heating device of the present invention.
The main parts of the device which is generally designated as 1, are the reaction chamber 2, a heating device 3, in particular a microwave heating device, for the reaction chamber 2, a pressure loading device 4 for the reaction chamber 2, a pressure control block 5 for controlling the pressure in the reaction chamber 2, and a control device 6 for the functional control of the device 1, here in particular the heating device 3 and the pressure acting, whereby the respective associated addressable control parts are connected by means of control lines of the control device 6.
The material to be treated can be placed either directly or in one or in several receptacles in the reaction chamber 2. Insofar as one or several receptacles 7 (FIG. 2) are available, it may be advantageous for handling reasons to associate a carrier frame, in particular of plastics or microwave permeable or semi-permeable material, with the receptacle(s) 7, with which they may be readily placed in the reaction chamber 2 and removed again.
For this purpose the reaction chamber 2 has an upper loading opening for the introduction and removal of the material to be treated.
In the present embodiment the device 1 is a microwave-autoclave functioning with high temperature and high pressure for the treatment or preparation of materials, in particular specimen materials for analysis purposes.
For controlling the pressure in the reaction chamber 2 several valves are provided, which are arranged in the separately arranged control block 5 which is connected with the reaction chamber 2 by means of a connecting line 9, which may be either a rigid or a flexible pipeline or a hose line, in particular of plastics.
The reaction chamber 2 is surrounded by a housing 11, which for the purpose of loading the reaction chamber 2 is preferably formed of a pot-shaped housing underpart 12 with an edge flange 12a and a preferably substantially flat lid 13 which is detachably fastenable to the housing underpart 12. The fastening device for the lid 13 on the housing underpart 12 is not illustrated for reasons of simplicity. It may comprise either screws 11a which are schematically illustrated or oppositely arranged locking ring halves 11b of U-shaped cross-section which, horizontally opposed to one another, are moveable between a closing position (shown) in which they engage above the lid 13 and below the edge flange 12a and an outwardly offset release position (not shown) either by hand or by a motorised drive.
The housing 11 is a metal housing. The microwave coupling into the housing 11 is effected from below through a base 14 of the housing, which base is preferably arched downwardly. A cooling device generally designated as 15 is associated with the housing 11, which has one or several cooling lines or cooling channels arranged either inside or outside along the walls of the housing 11, through which a coolant, in this case water, is delivered by means of a pump 16 and can be cooled in a cooler 16a.
The housing 13 is preferably lined on the inside with a corrosion and heat resistant and preferably also heat-insulating lining material. With the present exemplary embodiment a pot-like lining part 17a which is adapted to the inner profile of the housing underpart 12 and a lining lid plate 17b arranged on the lower side of the lid 13 are provided, which lining lid plate preferably engages into the lining part 17a with a projection 17c projecting downwardly.
Preferably there is present between the base part 17d of the lining part 17a and the base 14 of the underpart 12 of the housing an additional plate-shaped lining base part 17e of microwave permeable material and/or plastics. For coupling the microwaves a preferably central opening 18 is provided in the base 14, in or below which a magnetron 19 or a waveguide or an associated radiation element such as an antenna 19a is arranged. On the upper edge of the opening 18 a bowl-shaped or hollow-ball section-shaped radiation element 21 of microwave-permeable material, preferably quartz, is arranged which is positioned in a correspondingly formed recess of the base part 17e. There may also be provided a radiation element in the form of a cylinder having a vertical axis, into which the antenna 19a penetrates in an aperture with play for movement.
A supporting part for the housing 11 is designated as 20, on which the housing is arranged and, if appropriate, fastened.
In the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 there is provided, to improve the sealing between the lining lid plate 17b and the upper edge of the lining part 17a, a sealing lip 17f, which is formed preferably in one piece on the lid plate 17b and engages into the lining part 17a and sealingly bears against the inner wall thereof. The lid plate 17b can also engage over the upper edge of the lining part 17a on the outside, in this case by means of an annular projection 17g projecting downwardly, which engages into an outer recess of corresponding cross-section on the upper edge of the lining part 17a. This upper edge 17a is thus tapered and engages into a corresponding annular groove 17i in the lid plate 17b.
In the present embodiment in particular the base region of the housing 11 is well heat-insulated by means of the base part 17d and the additional base part 17e. Therefore the cooling device 15 is arranged merely laterally next to the reaction chamber 2 in or on the sheath of the housing underpart 12, here in the form of an annular cooling channel 22 in the wall of the housing underpart 12 which in the present case is preferably circular in horizontal cross-section.
Preferably the lid plate 17b sits on the lid 13 with an upper-side centering member 171 in a corresponding lower-side recess. Furthermore, the lid 13 has a lower-side centering member 13a, in the present case a centering ring, which engages into the circumferential wall of the housing underpart 12 thus centering the lid 13 in its closed position.
In the region of the housing 11 two temperature sensors T1, T2 are provided. The first temperature sensor T1 is in the base region of the housing underpart 12 and serves for determining actual values for the regulation of the heating power and thus also of the temperature in the reaction chamber 2.
The second temperature sensor T2 serves for determining the sheath temperature of the housing 11 and for the regulation of the cooling device 15, for the purpose of preventing an overheating of the material of the walls of the housing.
The connecting line 9 is connected with the upper region of the reaction chamber 2, whereby it penetrates the lid 13 preferably centrally in the present embodiment. A relatively thin nominal cross-section suffices for the connection line 9. Preferably this nominal cross-section is approx. 6 mm, whereby the connecting line 9 can preferably be a flexible line of plastics, in order to be able to move the lid 13 on closing and opening.
With the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 the connection line 9 branches in a T-shaped fitting 26 which is fitted or screwed into the housing 11, from above, here into the lid 13, from which a connection line branch 9a extends to the loading device 4 and the other connection line branch 9b extends to the control block 5. In the first-mentioned connection line branch 9a there are arranged an air- or gas pump 20 and a non-return valve 27 which opens in a flow direction towards the reaction chamber 2 and closes in the opposite direction. In the present embodiment the feed-through channel 9c, which forms the common connection line section--here in the lid 13, is lined with a sleeve 28, preferably with an inner flange 28a, of temperature and corrosion-resistant material, preferably plastics. The fitting 26 and associated threaded rings 26a, 26b and the connection line 9 are also of a temperature and corrosion-resistant material, in particular of plastics.
The connection line branch 9b has a first blocking or regulation valve V in the control block 5, the valve member of which opens the branch 9b above a certain pressure or pressure range in the reaction chamber 2 with increasing pressure or closes it with decreasing pressure. The valve body of this valve V can be acted upon through the force of a spring e.g. a plate spring 29 or a spiral spring into its blocking position and can be opened through the pressure in branch 9b. In parallel therewith in the control block 5 two or three bypasses are arranged, in which respective control valves are arranged. An electrically operable valve V1 is associated with a first bypass 9b1 and a preferably smaller cross-sectional, which valve is electrically driven (open/close) or regulated in dependence of the pressure in the reaction chamber 2 in such a way that a certain pressure is not exceeded or a desired pressure value is maintained. A pressure-safety valve V2 is associated with a second bypass 9b2, which valve opens preferably abruptly above a higher, predetermined pressure in the reaction chamber 2. In the present embodiment this valve V2 is a rupture disk, which ruptures when the above-mentioned safety pressure value is exceeded and thus opens the bypass 9b2. The branch 9b is preferably dimensioned to be larger in cross-section than the first bypass 9b1. The second bypass 9b2 is preferably dimensioned to be larger still than the branch 9b.
Preferably a further bypass 9b3 is provided in which an electrically or preferably manually operable valve V3 is arranged, which as a further safety valve serves for the purpose of reducing the pressure in the reaction chamber after a treatment process, by opening the valve, thus enabling the access to the reaction chamber, in the event that the preferably programm controlled valve V1 should not function, with which is also possible to reduce the pressure after the treatment process.
The bypasses 9b1, 9b2, 9b3 are arranged in parallel to one another, i.e. each bypass can function independently of the others, which is ensured by the parallel connection.
In the control block 5 there is also arranged a pressure sensor P1 for detecting the pressure in the reaction chamber 2, arranged in particular in the region of the connection line 9, which faces the housing 11.
In the region away from the housing 11 the bypasses are rejoined to the common connection line branch 9b, the connection line branch 9b discharging into a container or chimney (not shown) in the further course of the discharge direction (see arrow 29).
The material to be treated, in particular specimen material 31, can be introduced loose or preferably in one or several receptacles 7 into the reaction chamber 2. In the present embodiment there are shown two receptacles 7 which are open on the upper side, are in particular of hollow cylindrical shape and have a level receptacle base 7a, in which in addition to the specimen material 31 an additional material e.g. a reaction promoting material, in particular a solid or liquid chemical 32 is further arranged. The horizontal cross-sectional size, in this case the diameter of the like receptacles 7, is only a fraction of the cross-sectional size of the reaction chamber 2, so that between the outer circumferential walls of an individual receptacle 7 and the inner circumferential walls of the reaction chamber 2, or between the latter and several receptacles 7 and between the receptacles, there is a free space which is preferably filled with a microwave absorbent, in particular liquid, indirectly effective heating agent, in the present embodiment water 33, up to approximately the height of the filling level of the receptacles 7.
Preferably a further indirectly effective heating agent of microwave-absorbent material is provided, which in the present embodiment is a level heating plate 34, which rests on the preferably level upper side of the housing base 17d and on the level upper side 34a of which the receptacle(s) 7 are in extensive physical contact and thus in large-area heat conducting contact.
The function of the device 1 is as follows:
For the treatment, in particular the preparation of the material 31 this is introduced into the reaction chamber 2 as described above and the housing 11 is closed. Thereafter the treatment of the material 31 under excess pressure and heat can begin, whereby the excess pressure, the heat and the treatment can be controlled automatically or manually.
For a treatment process the loading device 4 is firstly switched on, in order to generate an initial pressure in the reaction chamber 2, in the present exemplary embodiment an initial pressure of e.g. 80 to 100 bar, which can be maintained through switching on the loading device 4 for a certain time or through the pressure sensor P1 or a further pressure sensor. The pressure is generated through introduction or pumping in of air or a gas, e.g. an inert gas such as nitrogen. Thereafter the heating device 3 is switched on, whereby in the present case the material is heated by microwaves directly from below (in as far as the material concerned is a microwave absorbent material) and the heating agent 33 and the heating plate 34 is likewise directly heated. On account of evaporation or reaction of material there is a significant increase in pressure and temperature in the reaction chamber 2 or in the pressure chamber, whereby the material treatment is performed under these conditions.
Devices are provided with which certain temperature and/or pressure values or temperature and pressure ranges can be set or regulated, in order to be able to carry out the treatment at a certain pressure and/or a certain temperature. Thereby it must be taken into account that with regard to the effects of the above-mentioned measures, there are cross-over effects since the temperature may influence the pressure just as the pressure may influence the temperature (taking into account material reactions).
It is advantageous to associate a processor with the control device 6 of the device 1 and to control the device in accordance with a program in such a way that a material treatment can be automatically performed.
Below, regularly occurring operating process steps or operating process steps which are possible in dependence on pressure and temperature development will be described as an advantageous exemplary embodiment.
In a first processing step a loading pressure which may range from zero to 150 bar is generated in the reaction chamber 2 as a starting condition, by switching on the pump 20. Hereby, an initial gas pressure may be generated which may e.g. be approximately 80 bar.
After reaching the loading pressure, which is detected by means of the pressure sensor P1 which delivers a corresponding signal to the control device 6, the heating device 6 is switched on as processing step two and the material is heated directly or indirectly in the above-described manner. An excess pressure is thereby generated in the reaction chamber 2, in a range up to approximately 150 bar with a simultaneous rise in temperature, whereby the treatment process takes place or is forced. With an excess pressure of e.g. approximately 120 bar the pressure sensor P1 supplies a further pressure signal for the regulation of the electrically controllable valve V1, which in consideration of the pressure desired-value of 120 bar is actuated in the opening direction and in the blocking direction so that the desired pressure value is maintained. With this second processing step the heating power is also controlled or regulated (switch on/switch off) in accordance with a desired temperature value so that the desired temperature value is not exceeded, preferably maintained.
In the case in which the pressure in the reaction chamber 2 exceeds the desired pressure value (120 bar), e.g. on account of a strong process reaction, as a further process step three the heating power is reduced or switched off, e.g. at a pressure value of 140 bar.
In addition, as a further process step four, the pressure limiting valve V is provided, which operates at a pressure higher than the desired pressure value, e.g. at approximately 150 bar, and limits the pressure to this pressure value. The pressure-limiting valve V can be regulated in such a way that it operates only when the regulation or controlling of the valve V1 or the temperature regulation or control fails.
As a further safety valve, in accordance with the next process step five, the safety valve V2 is provided, which for the purpose of explosion protection opens or ruptures upon a sudden large pressure increase.
After completion of the process, the housing or reaction chamber 2 is to be subject to pressure release, in order to make access possible. In accordance with a further process step six, this can be achieved through opening the controllable valve V1 or valve V3. The valve V3, which is arranged in the additional bypass 9b3, is preferably a manually operable valve in order to be able to perform the pressure reduction even in the event that the valve V1 fails to function.
The control block 5, which is preferably pre-installable as a constructional unit B, is of pressure-resistant metal, in particular of steel. For the purpose of corrosion protection the channels 9b, 9b1, 9b2, 9b3 present in the control block 5 are lined with corrosion-resistant plastics. This may be effected in an advantageous manner in that firstly the channels are bored and are then lined with the plastics material, in particular by injecting the plastics. It is also possible to bore out the channels after their lining or to fill them with the plastics and then to bore out the plastics, so that the lining provides the channels.
Below, further details and advantages of the device according to the invention will be described.
The reaction chamber 2 is at the same time the pressure chamber and specimen chamber and it is protected from direct contact between the material and the pressure-resistant pressure wall--in particular of stainless steel --of the housing 11 by means of an insulating lining. The lining is of a plastics, in particular of PTFE, and serves as thermal protection and corrosion protection. The inner lining as well as the circumferential wall can be cooled by means of the cooling device 15, for the purpose of avoiding damage caused by heat. In the reaction chamber, the initial pressure is built up before the beginning of the reaction in order to avoid condensation and losses through evaporation of materials, in particular of solvents. Through the heating of the material 31 with the heating device 3 a further pressure increase to a regulatable operating pressure is achieved. The thus achievable increased boiling points prevent losses of elements and compounds.
With spontaneous exothermal reactions the relatively large overall chamber volume, preferably approx. 3 to 3,5 dm3 provides an additional safety factor, as pressure peaks are avoided. Since, with the present embodiment, on account of the relatively large reaction chamber 2 a large quantity of material 31 can be introduced therein for treatment purposes, a relatively large heat of combustion may be released in the reaction chamber 2 during the treatment, which heat can however be taken up through the heat absorbing capacity of the indirectly effective heating agent 33 and through the relatively large chamber mass, so that temperature peaks arising from this cause are also avoided. Therefore, with the device according to the invention a large quantity of material 31 can be treated without functional problems arising.
With the device according to the invention, the receptacles 7 preferably made of plastics may be of simple and economically producible construction, since they are subjected to the same pressure conditions inside and outside. Thus, differing reactions are also avoided, in as far as they are dependent on differing pressure conditions. Also losses and entrainments from one receptacle to another are reduced to values which can be practically ignored, as the boiling point of the substances (solvents, additional products etc.) is raised greatly on account of the pressure. I.e. treatments can be undertaken at increased temperatures and, despite this, with a closed system.
The measures according to the invention also lead to an automatic boiling point increase through a pressure increase of the liquid medium which forms the indirect heating agent 33. With an initial or loading pressure of e.g. 100 bar a water boiling temperature of 311� C. results. I.e. only when this temperature is exceeded does an automatic internal pressure increase in accordance with the vapour pressure curve of the heating agent 34 arise. Thus, e.g. at a water temperature of 330� C. a vapour pressure of 129 bar ensues. For the application this means that with use of a low boiling-point heating agent a greater pressure automatically arises in the reaction chamber 2 than the evaporation pressure of the material (or components) 31 to be treated in the receptacle 7.
For example, when using water as indirect heating agent 34 and nitric acid as material 31 to be treated or as auxiliary or reaction material. Boiling point of water approx. 100� C. and boiling point of nitric acid approx. 121� C. In this example the vapour pressure of the water is higher and thus prevents volatilization of nitric acid into the gas phase. Thus, condensation of the nitric acid in particular on the inner walls of the reaction chamber 2 is largely prevented. Only gaseous reaction products can theoretically enter the free reaction chamber space. This applies not only to the above-described decomposition example but to almost all chemical reactions with different solvents. This effect can be designated as automatic pressure compensation or adaptation. On account of the direct heat transformation of the microwave irradiation with solid and/or liquid materials (heating agents 33, 34) a sufficiently rapid regulation is possible, i.e. upon reducing or switching off the microwave power the temperature falls comparatively fast and through the control of the parameters the pressure offers a much higher safety standard with a faster reaction than conventional systems.
For the above-described partially microwave absorbing material, a plastics is preferably suitable, in which material components such as particles of microwave-absorbent material, in particular graphite, are mixed or compounded, and which is known under the designation Weflon.
For the lining, sleeve 28 and the heating plate 34 and if appropriate for the base part 17e, a corrosion-resistant material is required which is resistant to acids developing during the treatment of the specimen material, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE/Teflon) or tetrafluoro-mixpolymerisate (TFM) or also quartz, ceramic or glass.
With the exemplary embodiments in accordance with FIG. 3 to 5, the devices 1 can be of the above-described construction and function. The details of the device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are not illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 for reasons of simplicity, as these embodiments are primarily to illustrate a displacement device, generally designated as 41, for the housing 11, with which the housing underpart 12 is easily and conveniently accessible for loading with specimen material or specimen receptacles 7 or auxiliary means 33, 34.
The main parts of the displacement device 41 are an approximately vertically effective lifting device 42 and an approximately horizontally effective displacement device 43, with which a firstly approximately vertical and then lateral relative movement between the housing underpart 12 and the lid 13 can be brought about, such that in its loading position 44a, schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the housing underpart 12 is with regard to the lid 13 relatively laterally displaced towards the operating side 45 and is thus readily accessible from above. With the lifting device 42, which in the embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 5 engages on the lid 13 and engages into the housing underpart 12 in accordance with FIG. 4, these parts of the housing 11 may be separated from one another in an approximately vertical direction so that even if the lid 13 engages into the housing underpart 12 with a lower-side projection 17c, 17t, a relative lateral displacement of these parts from each other is possible. The latter may in each case be brought about by means of the displacement device 43, which in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4 engages into the housing underpart 12 and in accordance with FIG. 5 engages at the lid 13. A guide 46, in which the housing underpart 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4) or the lid 13 (FIG. 5) is movably guided for the relative lateral displacement, may be afforded through the cooperation of the lifting device 42 and the displacement device 43, as is shown e.g. in FIG. 5 or it can also be provided as a particular guide element as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
In accordance with FIGS. 3 to 5, there are further provided the supporting part 20 for the housing 11, and abutments 47, 48, 49 for the lifting device 42 the displacement device 43 and the supporting device 20 for their support. The supporting part 20 and the abutments 47, 48, 49 can be parts of an apparatus into which the device 1 is integrated.
With the exemplary embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 3 to 5 the lifting device 42 and the displacement device 43 are formed by respective pneumatic or hydraulic piston cylinders 51, 52 which can be acted upon in both displacement directions. With the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3 the piston cylinder 51 forming the lifting device 42 is arranged coaxially between the lid 13 and the associated abutment 47 in an approximately vertical position, with the housing 11 closed. The piston cylinder 52 which forms the displacement device 43 engages on the housing underpart 12, whereby it is on the side away from the operation side 45 and extends in approximately horizontal direction. The piston cylinder 51 is preferably rigidly connected with the abutment 47 and the lid 13, so that an approximately vertical guide 50 is provided for the movement of the lid 13. The approximately horizontal guide 46 for the lateral displacement of the housing underpart 12 can e.g. be formed by a longitudinal recess 59 in the supporting part 20 which is formed as a plate, as is shown in FIG. 3, or the guide 46 can also be formed by the piston cylinder 52. For controlling the piston cylinder 51, 52 a pneumatic or hydraulic control device 6a is provided, which is connected by fluid lines with the double-acting piston cylinder 51, 52 and by control lines with the control device 6. For opening the housing 11 firstly the lid 13 is slightly lifted through a corresponding action upon the piston cylinder 51. Thereafter the piston cylinder 52 is activated and the housing underpart 12 is displaced from its working position 44 shown in continuous lines approximately horizontally in the guide 46 into the loading position 44a. The closing of the housing 11 occurs in reversed displacement or control steps, i.e. firstly the housing underpart 12 is displaced back into its working position 44 and then the lid 13 is lowered from its ready position 444b into the closing position.
The exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 4 differs from the above-described embodiment in that the lid 13 is fixedly fastened to the abutment, e.g at the abutment 47, and the supporting part 20 is in this case approximately vertically displaceable by means of the lifting device 42 which is e.g. also formed by a piston cylinder 51. In this embodiment it is advantageous to mount the piston cylinder 52 which forms the displacement device 43 in joints 61, 62 with joint axes running at right angles to the vertical plane of movement, between the housing underpart 12 and the associated abutment 48. With this arrangement, for opening the housing 11, the housing underpart 12 is slightly lowered into the ready position 44b and then the housing part 12 is displaced by means of the piston cylinder 52 into the loading position 44a. The closing of the housing 11 occurs with reversed displacement or control steps.
The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, according to which the same or similar parts are also designated with the same reference signs, differs from the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 in that the lifting device 42 and the displacement device 43 or both piston cylinders 51, 52 engage on the lid 13 and also the piston cylinder 51 which forms the lifting device 52 is mounted in joints 63, 64 with joint axes running at right angles to the vertical plane of movement of the lid 13. The displacement control of the piston cylinders 51, 52 corresponds therewith, whereby however only the lid 13 is firstly displaced into the ready position 44b and then into the open position or loading position 44a away from the operating side 45. On account of the double coupling of the lid 13 an integrated guide 46 results in this case. The piston rod of the piston cylinder 51 can be pushed out upon movement into the open position 58 or can be pulled out by the piston cylinder 52. The closing movement occurs correspondingly in reversed displacement steps.
The apparatus in FIG. 6, generally designated as 71, with the integrated device 1, has a quadratic housing 72 which in its forward region, towards the operating side 45, has an approximately horizontal working plate 73 of a height h, approximately that of a table. In its rearward region the housing 72 is heightened in stepped manner through an assembly 74. The integration or arrangement of the device 1 in the apparatus 71 is such that the housing 11 is in the rear region thereof when in its working position, i.e. below the assembly 74, whereby the housing underpart 12 is displaceable towards the operating side 45 into the forward region of the apparatus 71, so that in the loading position 44a it is in the vicinity of the forward side 75 of the housing 72 and its edge flange 12a is in the region of the working plate 73, preferably projecting slightly upwardly above this plate. For this purpose the working plate 73 has an elongate aperture 76 which extends forwardly from the rear, the elongate aperture mid-points of which are in the working position 44 and in the loading position 44a for the housing underpart 12. Of the displacement device 41, in FIGS. 6 and 7 only the lifting device 42 for the lid 13 and parts of the displacement device 43 for the housing underpart 12 are shown, namely the supporting part 20 in the shape of a carrier ring 20a, in which the underpart of the housing 12 is positioned with a stepped taper on the lower side, and the guide 46, here in the form of two guide rods 46a which are arranged on the two sides of the housing underpart 12, on which the carrier ring 20a is mounted with running sleeves 46b to be freely displaceable by hand between the working position 44 and the loading position 44a. In order to enable the displacement movement of the housing underpart 12 and the lid 13, the signal, control and supply or discharge lines extending thereto are formed flexibly, as in the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 to 5. The guide rods 46a are mounted in their end regions in the housing 72. Of the device 42 the piston cylinder 51 is visible in FIG. 6. The abutment 47 associated therewith is part of the apparatus 71 or of its housing 72 and can e.g. be formed by a tie bar and/or the upper wall of the housing 72.
A suction device 81--not shown in FIGS. 1 to 5--is associated with the device 1 in all present embodiments, for drawing off the vapours which emerge from the opened housing 11. The suction device 81 has a suction opening 82 which is arranged behind the housing 11 at the height of the opening slit which is formed upon the opening of the lid 13, preferably in the form of a horizontal, transversely extending slit, to generate a broad suction stream 83 which extends approximately horizontally, covering the entire width of the opening of the housing underpart 12 and preferably being so strong that it may also draw off the vapours which emerge from the housing underpart 12 in the loading position 44a, in the present embodiment from the front to the rear. The drawn off vapours can be discharged through a continuing discharge line 84, passing through the housing 72 to the outside, outside the building present, or to a chimney (not shown).
A guide sheet 85 extending approximately horizontally is provided on the one hand for improvement of the draw-off, and as a mechanical safety device on the other hand, which is positioned at a small spacing of approximately of few cm above the opening of the housing underpart 12 in the loading position 44a and is mounted displaceably between its working position covering the opening and a release position which exposes the opening. With the present embodiment the guide plate 85 is arranged to be upwardly tiltable from the opening, e.g. to the side or in accordance with FIG. 6 to the rear. For this purpose, there may serve hinges 86, which in the present embodiment are arranged between the rear end of the guide sheet 85 and the neighbouring front side of the assembly 74 and are fastened thereto. Preferably the guide sheet 85--viewed from the front--with laterally angled limbs 85a, has the cross-sectional shape of a U standing on its head, so that the spreading of the emerging vapours to the sides is hindered and the guidance of the suction stream 83 and the suction is improved. The lateral limbs 85a preferably stand on the working plate 73. In its covering working position the guide sheet 85 protects the open housing underpart 12 not only from impurities, which might fall into it, but it is also a protection device against the danger of the hands of the operating person being squashed when the housing underpart 12 is displaced into the loading position 44a. Therefore it is advantageous for safety reasons to design the controller of the device 1 in such a way that the housing underpart 12 can be displaced into the loading position 44a only in the working position of the guide sheet 85. This may be realized by means of a contact maker 87 on the housing, which is actuated by the guide sheet 85 in its working position and is connected with the corresponding control device 6, 6a by means of a signal line.
The guide sheet 85 preferably consists of transparent material, in particular of plastics, such as plexiglas or the like, to enable viewing into the housing underpart 12.
The broad surface parts 85a of the working plate 73, present to the two sides of the guide sheet 85, may serve as placement surfaces e.g. for specimen receptacles 7.
The closure ring halves 11b, which are also present in FIG. 6, can be actuated by a drive motor. They can each be pivotally mounted at their respective ends in a joint 88 with a vertical joint axis 88a, which is preferably arranged behind the housing 11 and is fastened to the housing 72 or to components attached thereto. The drive motor (not shown) can be arranged in the region of the joint 88 or can be integrated therein. Before the opening of the housing 11 by means of the lifting device 42 the closure ring halves 11b or another closure means are to be released, and upon closure are to be closed after the lifting movement.
Preferably the conductive housing underpart 12 which is in particular of corrosion-resistant material such as metal, in particular stainless steel, is fabricated in one piece with its base 14 and is continuously connected thereto, whereby it is very stable.
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|U.S. Classification
|422/129, 422/186.29, 422/186, 422/295
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Sep 25, 2001
|Surcharge for late payment
|Sep 25, 2001
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 25, 2003
Owner name: MILESTONE S.R.L., ITALY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WERNER LAUTENSCHLAGER;REEL/FRAME:013879/0892
Effective date: 20030217
|Aug 9, 2005
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Oct 12, 2009
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Mar 2, 2010
|Surcharge for late payment
Year of fee payment: 11
|Mar 2, 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


text: I am trying to find a good Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. I found two models. The first one was Micromax Funbook that cost around Rs. 6,400 and the second one was Milagrow TabTop 7.4 for Rs.10,990. Now I am getting ICS @ range of Rs.6,000. I am bit confused here. I had never heard about this Milagrow company. I need help to find a nice difference among them. For me investing Rs.10000 on a alien brand is bit difficult. But as I saw the specification I found TabTop good.


text:
The Vanishing of the Director of 'The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga'
"Real life trumped the rest." Tom Roston sets out to learn why 'The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga' filmmaker Jessica Oreck has taken a step back from the documentary film world.
True/False 2014: My 5 Favorite Films
Tom Roston introduces you to five documentaries you'll need to seek out in 2014.


text:
|Advertise On UGHH
Trick Turner: Tricks Of The Trade Vol. 1Black Vinyl Import12" Vinyl Single Record
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Producer: Trick Turner
SummaryA 4 track EP of quality remixes and mash ups featuring 80's icons. "DIRTY ROCK" feats MC LYTE with DON HENLEY, "WHEN DUBS CRY" is a hyped up PRINCE medley, "VOICES" from RUSS BALLARD gets beefed up,and "DON'T STOP THE ACID" is an acid disco MJ remix. Plays from SABO & MARK RAE. Debut on JUXTAPHONE.
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Reviews and Comments


text:
X-Men: Apocalypse
X-Men: Apocalypse is a confused, bloated, mess of a film.
X-Men: Apocalypse is a confused, bloated, mess of a film.
Ryan Gosling's gift of physical comedy, combined with his fantastic chemistry with Russell Crowe, makes "The Nice Guys" worth a look.
"The Ballad of Narayama" is a Japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. What a space it opens…
Patrice Leconte's "Monsieur Hire" is a tragedy about loneliness and erotomania, told about two solitary people who have nothing else in common. It involves a…
Ken Loach's "I, Daniel Blake" wins the Palme d'Or at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
Barbara Scharres on the cats of Cannes 2016.
Roger's Favorites: actress Faye Dunaway.
When I began as a film critic, Jean-Luc Godard was widely thought to have reinvented the cinema with "Breathless" (1960). Now he is almost 80…
Part two of Jana Monji's essay about the portrayal of Asian characters in cinema.
Part one of Jana Monji's essay about the portrayal of Asian characters in cinema.
An interview with Phil Hopkins, founder of the Blu-ray restoration label The Film Detective.
A report from the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
Hank (Andrew Pastides) is handsome, outgoing, and romantic. Asha (Mahira Kakkar) is beautiful, sweet, and vulnerable. Who wouldn't want to watch them get together? James E. Duff's film about these two immensely likable people starts with a found-footage conceit that holds the potential to deconstruct what we know all too well about the romantic dramedy genre, giving viewers a unique take on a timeless tale. And yet as easy as it is to like Hank and Asha, it's impossible to look past the many screenwriting and filmmaking flaws of the film about them.
"Hank and Asha" consists of nothing but "video letters" from Hank to Asha and Asha to Hank. Asha lives in Prague, where she sees a film by Hank that she admires. She waits for the post-screening Q&A to meet the man behind the work but he unexpectedly is forced to miss the meet & greet. And so Asha does something that might be slightly outside of her comfort zone: she sends someone she doesn't know a video introduction. Hank responds from his apartment in New York City. The two rather quickly (almost too much so to be realistic) open up about their lives. Asha criticizes the lack of interior design in Hank's day-to-day, while Hank is often playful and silly, playing guitar or lip-syncing a dance routine. The two form at least a supportive friendship, and possibly much more if they weren't separated by thousands of miles. Hank and Asha's relationship, which never progresses to the Skype stage, goes through many of the ups and downs of a physical one but would have been impossible just a technological generation ago.
The creative potential in the way that the physical development of technology has forever altered love, passion, and romance that Spike Jonze brilliantly mined in "Her" seems like the foundation for a film built on video letters. Which is why the formulaic nature of Duff and Julia Morrison's script can be so frustrating. The structure of "Hank and Asha" puts us right in the middle of what should be an intimate, personal, organic connection. Hank and Asha are speaking to each other but due to the nature of cinema, they are really speaking directly to the movie audience, conveying fears, concerns, and something at least approaching love. And yet Duff & Morrison waste the opportunity for true emotional connection on contrivance.
The first cinematic element that pushes "Hank and Asha" closer to cliché than reality is a matter of technical polish. Nothing here looks nearly DIY enough. Why is Asha opening a door to the already-on camera? Everything past the first few exchanges has the look of a VH1 music video. It's too well-framed, well-lit; yes, Hank is a filmmaker and Asha has an artist's eye, so I can give you that their videos may look better than average but why does she have a better editor than most Slamdance films? And when Duff and Morrison get to the "pop stage", where they twice give each character a "Coffee House" track to adorn their montages, we've reached the point where it feels more like watching a Plain White T's music video than anything else.
The script starts to reflect (or perhaps influence) the film's overly polished manner. Why do they so often respond via video message as if they're talking to each other in conversation when we know they're not? She reveals something and Hank "responds" with "Whoa. Wow. That's huge." as if he hasn't had hours to think about it before preparing his response. Why not embrace the idea that modern technology would alter the romantic conversation instead of pretending that we're in the middle of a dinner date? Use the form to put the viewer in a position that doesn't so often feel like a standard third wheel. "Hank and Asha" tries to replicate the dating process through modern technology but fails to comment on how said technology really changes their behavior (or even just to make the case that it doesn't).
Found footage has been a subgenre often reserved for horror films and yet the worst of them often fall into the same genre traps as their on-film counterparts. The same fate befalls "Hank and Asha," a film with two genuinely likable characters and performers that can't avoid the clichés of the genre it could have so easily deconstructed.
Separating the artist from the art isn't as easy as it sounds.
This message came to me from a reader named Peter Svensland. He and a fr...
Part two of Jana Monji's essay about the portrayal of Asian characters in cinema.
Reviews from Cannes of Cristian Mungiu's "Graduation" and Nicolas Winding Refn's "The Neon Demon."


text:
ARG scientists and their work have appeared in hundreds of articles and interviewed for both radio and television. With expertise that extends across the spectrum of alcohol use and disorders, our staff can provide information on specific topics as well as provide general facts that are relevant to the public.
Explore the resources on this page for the latest press releases, current media coverage, recent news and research findings.
Our communications specialist can connect reporters with top researchers. To request an interview with an expert, contact:
Diane E. Schmidt
Recent Press Releases
March 22, 2016
2008-2009 recession-related job loss may have led to psychological distress and increased alcohol related problems (PDF)
A new study from the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health finds individuals who lost their jobs during the 2008-2009 economic recession reported increased drunkenness and reported more alcohol use disorders. This was especially true for African Americans compared to Whites. See the full press release.
February 24, 2016
The National Alcohol Research Center Receives another 5 Years of Funding (PDF)
The Alcohol Research Group (ARG), a program of the Public Health Institute, is pleased to announce it has received a $7.3M grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to support the continuation of its National Alcohol Research Center. The funds will be dispersed over a five year period beginning 2016 through to 2020. Read more (PDF)
June 23, 2015
Liquor privatization in Washington State results in higher prices and availability for consumers
Results of a recent study that looked at the effects of privatization of the sale and distribution of liquor in Washington State found spirit prices increased significantly, while prices in the bordering states of Idaho and Oregon only showed small increases. Averaging across all of the stores selected, Washington liquor prices rose by an average of 15.5% for the 750ml size and by 4.7% for the 1.75L size. Read more (PDF).
April 20, 2015
Study finds that men who have sex with men (MSM) have an equal or lower risk of hazardous drinking than heterosexual men.
A new study published today in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, found that men who have sex with men (MSM)—defined as gay and bisexually identified men as well as heterosexually identified men who had same-sex partners–reported equal or lower levels of hazardous drinking than exclusively heterosexual men.
This finding dispels the popular assumption that men who have sex with men are more likely to consume alcohol above recommended amounts.
The study results also suggest that the protective effect is enhanced for some racial/ethnic groups. Black MSM, for instance, reported a lower likelihood of binge drinking or heavy weekly drinking compared to both heterosexual Black and White men. Latino MSM, however, were more likely to report heavy weekly drinking than their heterosexual Latino peers but had similar risks of binge drinking and heavy daily drinking. Read more (PDF).
April 14. 2015
Simultaneous drinking and smoking marijuana increases odds of drunk driving and other dangers.
Cannabis is the most commonly used drug among adults who drink, besides tobacco, yet no study has directly compared those who use cannabis and alcohol simultaneously, or at the exact same time, versus those who use both separately and on a regular basis. A new study looks at the relationship between marijuana and alcohol use, finding that simultaneous users had double the odds of drunk driving, social consequences, and harms to self.
Results will be published in the May 2015 online-only issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
"There has been some disagreement regarding whether using cannabis and alcohol together is more dangerous than using either alone," said Meenakshi S. Subbaraman, corresponding author for the study and associate scientist at the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute. "My study is the first to compare how simultaneous and concurrent use of alcohol and cannabis relate to drunk driving and other social consequences among adults, and the first to examine differences between simultaneous and concurrent users in terms of demographics and substance use quantity/frequency. In this study, concurrent means having used both alcohol and cannabis within the previous 12 months, but always separately." Read more at EurekaAlert.
January 20, 2015
Some racial/ethnic groups overestimate the number of drinks they can have before driving.
Black and Hispanic drinkers are more likely to overestimate how much they can safely drink two hours before driving, a new and innovative study examining impairment limits found. The study determined that, on average and controlling for other factors such as weight, education and drinking history, self-reported number of standard drinks one could drink in 2 hours before driving without being impaired were 30% higher for Black drinkers and 26% higher for Hispanic drinkers than for White drinking drivers.
Read more.
October 20, 2014
International study finds acute alcohol consumption causes higher risk of injury for woman than men.
A new study of emergency department patients in 18 countries led by ARG Senior Scientist, Cheryl Cherpitel, made available online by the scientific journal Addiction, shows that the risk of injury caused by acute alcohol consumption is higher for women compared with men. While the risk of injury is similar for both men and women up to three 'standard' drinks (containing 16 ml or 12.8 g of pure ethanol), the risk then increases more rapidly for women, becoming twice the risk to men around 15 drinks.
Read more.
Go to a full list of press releases.
ARG in the News
KGO 810 News: Binge Drinking in the San Francisco Bay Area
Senior Scientist William Kerr commented on a recent study that found increased rates of binge drinking in the Bay Area. He highlights reasons why the increase among women in particular.
The Daily Mail: People who use marijuana and alcohol together 'more likely to drive inebriated'
Associate Scientist Meenakshi Sabina Subbaraman's new study found that people who smoke cannabis while consuming alcohol are twice as likely to drink-drive. They are also twice as likely to suffer social consequences and harm themselves.
The Science of Us/New York Magazine: Why Alcoholics Anonymous Works
"Dr. Lee Ann Kaskutas, a senior scientist at the Alcohol Research Group who has conducted 12-step facilitation studies, explained that while these programs take on different forms, they're generally oriented toward preparing participants for the…culture and philosophy of 12-step programs like AA."
The Washington Post: Having just one drink doubles your risk of getting injured
"A person who has consumed 3 drinks in the past six hours is about 4.6 times as likely to end up in the E.R. as someone who hasn't drunk at all. Even a single drink roughly doubles your odds of going to the hospital."
The Atlantic Monthly: Life with Legal Weed
"Meenakshi Subbaraman has found that cannabis satisfies six of the seven previously published criteria for substitute medications for alcohol.
Vox: The public health case for legalizing pot: it could replace alcohol
"In a recent review of the scientific literature, researcher Meenakshi Subbaraman, of the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, found that marijuana can act as a substitute for alcohol for some people."
KQED Forum: Panel discussion on alcohol and cancer risks
A new study finds that even moderate alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer-related death.


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My Baby Niko
Niko is a 3 year old Shi Tzu and he is the most adorable thing in my life! He's my baby! He has the best temperament and is very mellow. The strangest thing about Niko is that he never learned how to bark! When a normal dog would bark (doorbells, people passing by, etc.), Niko cries! Regardless I love him sooo much, he adds so much joy to my life. Here are a few pics of him doing his favorite thing (sleeping), and after doing a not-so-favorite thing (taking a bath) You can not be upset when you're around him, he's the best!
Saved to


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Find boats to sail on and apply for positions.
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Dog/Cat Waste & Nappy Sacks - 50
Almost 1000 tonnes of dog poo is produced in Britain DAILY - and that's a truly staggering figure. This may be why more and more responsible dog owners are using some kind of plastic bag to pick up dog poo. However, the sheer...
Sunsail F40
These performance race/cruiser sailing yachts are designed to bring you a higher quality sailing experience. With a three cabin, single head layout and large wheel, spacious open cockpit and large sail plan, the F40 is ideally suited to racing. In addition to the standard specifications this outstanding yacht also comes with heating, chart plotter and autopilot. Having a matched fleet means that all the boats are identical and that it's down to your teamwork, skills, tactics and expertise to shine through.
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Thunderbirds is a live-action/CGI action movie directed by Jonathan Frakes, Philip Winchester, and starring Ben Kingsley, Bill Paxton and a young Vanessa Hudgens, released in 2004. It is based on Gerry Anderson's famous Supermarionation show, Thunderbirds. It flopped spectacularly, due in part to the film missing much of what made the TV series so popular.
Thunderbirds provides examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Transom to Brains, apparently.
- Action Girl:
- Lady Penelope, even more than in the series.
- Tin-Tin, unlike in the series.
- Alternative Foreign Theme Song: The Japanese version uses "Thunderbird - your voice -" by V6 for the theme song.
- Butter Face: Transom's introduction has her climbing down a ladder in some very form-fitting Painted-On Pants, complete with Male Gaze... Then she turns around.
- Call Back:
- "Fermat/Alan, my friend, what you don't know can't hurt you."
- And this one:Jeff: Saving lives is a dangerous business. But it's what we do.
Alan: I don't want to save your life. But it's what we do.
- Casual Danger Dialog: Lady Penelope is being attacked by the Hood's Evil Genius. All she has to say is this:Lady Penelope: Do you know how much a manicure costs these days?
- Dangerously Genre Savvy: The Hood.
- When a vital component needed for his plans goes missing, he knows exactly who to blame. Regardless of the fact he supposedly killed them earlier in the film.The Hood: Clever Alan. [henchman looks at him, confused]. It's the children. They have it.
Henchman: No way. They're dead. No one could survive something like that.
The Hood: I did.
- He also doesn't try to storm the International Rescue facilities with the team at home, instead exploiting Chronic Hero Syndrome by setting up an emergency for them to tackle. This leaves their home base completely open for him to walk in and take.The Hood: It would be almost impossible to force the Thunderbirds to leave their facilities; on the other hand, it requires no effort at all to simply let them go.
- When a vital component needed for his plans goes missing, he knows exactly who to blame. Regardless of the fact he supposedly killed them earlier in the film.
- Deadpan Snarker: ParkerHenchman: You've broken my nose!
Parker: Yes, that was the intention of the maneuver.
- Demoted to Extra: The elder Tracy brothers are co-leads in the series. They're Distressed Dudes through most of the film.
- Dude, Not Funny!: A stressed-out Alan takes a hard dig at Fermat's stutter. Brains could probably handle it, but Fermat? NOT COOL.
- Getting Crap Past the Radar: Fermat's comment on how Tintin has "blossomed". Tintin's reaction is justified.
- Girly Bruiser: Lady Penelope gets some Xenafication — and does so while wearing bright pink. She even uses her parasol as a weapon.
- Heroism Equals Job Qualification: Alan Tracy gets made a full member of the team after saving the day... despite the fact he's only 14 YEARS OLD!!
- An Insert: The live-action movie, as an in-joke on the series' use of human hands in close-ups, cuts to a puppet hand pressing a button at one point.
- Large Ham: The Hood.
- Missing Mom: Notably, three fathers are in this show (Jeff, Kyrano, Brains) but no mothers. Grandma Tracy getting Adapted Out means this can even apply to Jeff!
- Parent Service: Lady Penelope is clearly this - her "Hello Boys" scene sticking out spectacularly. She also gets a scene where she delivers orders to Parker while in the bath.
- Phony Newscast: The movie somehow manages to shoehorn a reporter (the same reporter at that, and played by the director's wife Genie Francis to boot) into every scene in which the Thunderbirds appear in the outside world.
- Precision F-Strike: From Brains of all people (in addition to his earlier attempt, after which a track in Hans Zimmer's score is named — "Fafafa... No Way!"):Brains: DAMN IT, JEFF, WAKE UP!
- Product Placement: The Ford motor company provided many of the vehicles used in the film, and they're going to make damn sure you know it.
- Psychic Powers:
- The Hood's powers are given a massive beef-up, from simply reading Kyrano's mind in the show to actual telekinesis and PG-rated Mind Rape.
- Tin-Tin also has psychic powers.
- Race Lift: Kyrano and his family are now from India instead of Malaysia. Still Asian, just a different part of Asia.
- Self-Deprecation: On the DVD Commentary, Jonathan Frakes introduces himself as "the alleged director of Thunderbirds."
- Speech Impediment: B-B-Brains' t-tendency to s-stutter is t-t-t-t-taken t-to r-r-ridiculous e-e-extremes.
- Stealth Pun: Penelope's FAB1 was changed from a Rolls-Royce to a Ford Thunderbird.
- Traveling at the Speed of Plot: In the climax, Thunderbird 2 manages to get to London from Tracy Island (in the freaking South Pacific) in the amount of time it takes Parker to pick a lock, a lock which is even implied to be straightforward for him to pick. Thunderbird 1 proceeds to make the same journey in the amount of time it takes the Mole to drill under the Thames into the "Bank of London".
- Who Watches the Watchmen?: "Who will rescue the rescuers?"
- The Worf Effect: Lady Penelope and Parker deliver an effortless Curb-Stomp Battle to the Hood's goons largely so he can look more impressive when he defeats them with his Psychic Powers.


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The Cape Cod Times Bungles Its Renewal Effort
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
We recently spent the weekend on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod is a dicey market for a newspaper—with roughly 215,000 population that doubles in the summer and is losing people faster than any other region in Massachusetts. The daily edition of the Cape Cod Times has a circulation of 37,522 and 41,902 on Sundays.
Twenty years ago, the paper had 60,000 paid readers while the population of the Cape has grown by 30,000 in that time.
Our friends Jack and Evie retired to Cape Cod 15 years ago, and two years ago decided to subscribe to the Cape Cod Times.
It's a good paper, with all the local goings-on and one of the best sports sections I have ever seen. Jack's deal: $38.40 every six weeks.
The bill would come and Jack would faithfully send a check.
At the end of the most recent six-week period, Jack got a bill for the following amount: 26 weeks for $158.60.
Jack wrote president and publisher Peter Meyer to say he was in receipt of his bill. The gist of Jack's letter:
"I signed up for six weeks at a time. We are retired. As senior citizens we receive our money monthly. We don't want to pay for six months at a time."
A few days later the phone rang as Evie was heading out the door.
The caller was from the circulation department of the Cape Cod Times. The caller said that the publisher received Jack's letter and that the paper was offering a lower price—$25.70 a month.
"That's very nice," said Evie. "Thank you. That will be fine."
"Which credit card would you like to use?"
"We always pay by check."
"This offer is only good if you give us your credit card."
- Companies:
- Forbes
- Paul Goldberg
- The New York Times
- Places:
- Cape Cod
- Massachusetts


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Oklahoma lawmaker hangs picture switch on joke, beliefs
A freshman Republican lawmaker stepped forward Tuesday and said he moved the portrait of President Barack Obama that hangs in the House chamber "to bring levity to what was otherwise a very contentious day." "Why are you guys making such a big deal about something that was just a joke?" asked Rep. Lewis Moore in a telephone interview. "It was totally to kind of ease the pressure off of what was otherwise kind of a really nasty day. It wasn't meant in any harm whatsoever." Moore, of Arcadia, said he switched the Democratic president's portrait with the portrait of Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday, the deadline for House-generated measures to be advanced to the Senate and before a measure critical of Obama's health care reform efforts came up on the floor. "I moved the pictures," Moore said in a statement, which he said was requested by House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. "I apologize if my intent was misinterpreted." Moore, elected in 2008, said he did not apologize for his position "against federal health care and against the liberal policies coming from the Obama administration, which was the sole motivation for moving the picture. I absolutely respect the office of the president, but disagree vehemently with our current president's policies." Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, who brought up the portrait switching as he debated against a measure that would let Oklahomans decide whether to opt out of any proposed federal health care reform plan, said he wasn't moved by Moore's statement. "It just seemed a half-hearted attempt, more of an intentional swipe at the president rather than just humbling himself saying he's sorry and he messed up," Shelton said. "He decided he wanted to take a political stand once again in his apology." Shelton said Moore should apologize from the House floor. "It's a sign of disrespect that has never been seen in the House of Representatives to my knowledge," Shelton said. Shelton, a member of the House black caucus, said he is not sure that Moore was the only one to have moved the president's portrait. The portrait had been swapped with Henry's portrait for several days earlier this session, he said, and he has asked that Benge investigate. Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City, the designated Democratic leader for the 2011 session, also said Moore should apologize from the House floor and that Benge should make available security camera footage that should show any portrait swapping. "This type of childish behavior has no place in the Oklahoma House of Representatives," Inman said. "It's our position that Rep. Moore needs to apologize from the same location in which his actions occurred." Benge said he feels the incident is over. "I have stated this is a matter we will handle internally, and it has been handled," he said. "There has been no conspiracy or criminal activity committed. The pictures have been permanently affixed to the House chamber walls and I have made it abundantly clear that members are not to touch any photos or art in the chamber." Shelton said Thursday a House Republican had moved Obama's portrait because it appeared in the background when the lawmaker spoke during Internet broadcasts of House sessions. This is the first year action in the House chamber is being shown on the Internet. Moore said he apologized to Shelton on Thursday after the health care measure, House Joint Resolution 1054, passed. "I sat down with him and talked to him and said, 'Hey, I did not mean for that to be ugly by any stretch,'" Moore said. Shelton said, "It was never about me. It's about that office of the president."
Portraits securedAfter the incident House Speaker Chris Benge ordered that each portrait be secured to the back wall in the House chamber. They have been bolted to the wall.


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Kokuga is a rare breed of game that finds itself treading new water in its respective genre, yet paying complete homage to the classic titles that it derived inspiration from. It's got a lot going for it, and is now a part of Hiroshi Iuchi's cherished legacy, sitting beside such titles as Radiant Silvergun, Gunstar Heroes, and Ikaruga. And while I found myself enjoying Kokuga for its old-school, tough-as-nails difficulty, I found that there were a few weaknesses in this tank's defenses that might bring it to a halt for some.
Kokuga is a top-down arcade shooter in which you control the titular omnidirectional tank in a series of battle simulations during times of war. It seems that countries "A" and "I" are in conflict, and it's your job to train yourself to ensure that you are up to the task of joining in the battle. The story doesn't manifest itself much beyond the initial demo screen if you hesitate in hitting the "start" button, so you can jump right into Kokuga without the background info if you so choose. After all, arcade shooters aren't necessarily remembered for their narratives. This isn't a side-scrolling shooter, so you are free to move around the battlefield as you wish, seeking out protection from enemies, and appropriate vantage points to shoot from.
Players are able to access a set of 20 cards that allow for short-bursts of varying special attacks and health power-ups. When a card is expended by selecting it via the touch screen, a new card takes its place at random. This adds a deeper sense of strategy to the game, as you will be consistently asked to make the best of a situation depending on what cards you are dealt. The cards never change however, and there aren't any opportunities to expand the deck. Fortunately, the stages in Kokuga are brief enough to where this isn't much of an issue. I can't recall a stage in which I used all 20 cards unless I was trying to go for higher scores, or if I was playing on a harder difficulty.
Speaking of difficulty, Kokuga is downright brutal. You'll find yourself completely immersed in the experience at times, and surrounded by a multitude of enemies, with only your coordination and recognition of the surroundings to serve you, and if you aren't paying attention at all times, you'll surely fail. This is as old-school as it gets folks. There is relief in the form of co-op play, that you can engage in via local or download play with three other friends. Four-player sessions of Kokuga are a blast, and coordinating your card attacks with others makes for some very satisfying gameplay.
Where Kokuga falls short however, lies in its control scheme and level design. I had a difficult time initially controlling my tank with the circle pad, rotating the turret with the L and R buttons, and using the B button to fire simultaneously, and while I acclimated after a certain point, I couldn't help but feel that it took a bit too long to find a comfortable stride. A cumbersome control scheme isn't necessarily a deal breaker per se, as my experience with Kid Icarus: Uprising comes to mind, but when it's coupled with rather bland, and repetitive level design, it becomes more of a concern.
Kokuga features two distinct level layouts: grid-based "training simulations", and "final levels" that are meant to act as real-time combat scenarios, taking place in an urban setting. This is a direct reflection on your experience as a player, as you can't participate in the final levels until you've cleared enough of the initial training stages. What's upsetting here, is that when you've played one level of each, you've essentially viewed all that Kokuga has to offer. There may be variation in the enemies present and obstacles found therein, but that's as much diversity as you're going to get. The 3D effect is rather nice however, as shards of enemy ships will fly at you off the screen upon their destruction.
In conclusion, Kokuga isn't going to be for everyone. Fans of arcade shooters from years gone by will have a lot of fun here, assuming that they can accept and adjust to the awkward control scheme. Others may find its unforgiving difficulty a bit off-putting.
7/10 - Kokuga isn't an essential eShop purchase, but those seeking out a worthy challenge would benefit from having it in their collection.
Review copy provided by G.Rev


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Craftsy Member since August 2011
I'm enrolled in these Craftsy classes:
Strip Your Stash
Craftsy Block of the Month 2012
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Complete Knife Skills
40 Techniques Every Sewer Should Know
2015 Craftsy Block of the Month
Continuous Line Quilting
2014 Block of the Month: Craftsy Color Theory
Traditional Blocks Made Simple
Creative Ways With Whole Grains
Machine Savvy: Tips for Creative Sewing
Mastering Foundation Paper Piecing
The Ultimate T-Shirt
Playful Piecing Techniques
Spectacular Stamping
Create Stunning Birthday Cards
Creative Die Cutting With Your Cricut
Pre-Cut Piecing Made Simple
Piece, Patch, Quilt: Basic Quiltmaking Skills
Machine Embroidered Classics
A New Look at Longarm Quilting
Simple Fresh Quilts
Mastering Zipper Techniques
Sewing Machine Feet from A to Z
Craftsy Block of the Month 2013
Sew Ready: Machine Basics
Machine Quilting with Templates
Magical Jelly Roll Quilts
Beginner Serging
Creative Quilt Backs
The Machine Embroidered Quilt
Modern Buttercream
Quick-Strip Paper Piecing
Pictorial Quilting Techniques
Machine Quilting
Bag-Making Basics: Drawstring Bag & Bucket Bag
Machine Quilting Negative Space
Playing with Curves
Design It, Quilt It
Bag-Making Basics: Reversible Tote & Zipper Pouch
Free Motion Quilting a Sampler
Tailoring Ready-to-Wear
Quilt-As-You-Go Patchwork Bags
Jewelry Workshop
Knit Lab
Free-Motion Quilting With Feathers
Big Techniques from Small Scraps
Beyond Basic Machine Quilting
Perfect Pizza at Home
QuiltCon Lecture Series 2013
Pictures to Pixel Quilts
Shoot It!
Help! How Do I Quilt It?
Easy Piecing, Amazing Design
Artisan Bread Making
Color Play for Quilters
I'm enrolled in these Craftsy workshops:
Hexagon Coin Purse


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Experience your award-winning Indianola Hy-Vee Chinese Express
Western Union. UPS services. Dry cleaning. Check cashing. Bill payments.
Premium deli meats and cheeses sliced fresh daily. Fresh made and ready-to-go deli sandwiches. Meat & cheese trays for any occasion. Largest selection of Imported cheeses in Warren County.
Grocery delivery available on Monday. Orders up to $75 - $6 delivery charge. Orders over $75 - 5% delivery charge.
Offering the services of an in-store dietitian.
FTD & Teleflora available.
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Located at 912 N. Jefferson. Gasoline and diesel fuel available.
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We can cater any event - large or small.
We offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and feature delicious appetizers, salads and sandwiches. Every menu item is made-to-order with fresh ingredients and served by our friendly wait staff. Our bar features a unique variety of beers and wines to complement your meal. On Sundays join us for brunch, which includes an exceptional buffet with a Create-Your-Own Eggs Benedict and Omelet Station.
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Customer Reviews
December 11, 2013Reviewer: Ryan in IndianaWell, where to start with Dymatize screwing this up.....the 'old' Vanilla tasted GREAT, but the 'new and improved' formula is nasty. They had such a terrific product and messed with it. If you wanna' know what the 'new' vanilla tastes like, well it's like Beverly International's vanilla: powdery, chalky, and blah. They have ruined an outstanding product. I used to go through two a month, none now!This review is specific to Elite Fusion 7, Creamy Vanilla Shake


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Win 7 Touch Pack Gives You True Multitouch
By - Source: Tom's Hardware US | 2 comments
Windows 7 brings Surface home.
One of the coolest projects from Microsoft is Surface, which presents a graphical user interface designed specifically for touch input – even resembling some of the things we see in science fiction movies.
The problem with surface is that the setup for it is impractical for home use. Surface is more of a showcase item. But thanks to Windows 7 Touch Pack, upcoming PCs with touch-sensitive screens running the next-generation OS will be able to bring the same Surface-like experience without the need for the large hardware.
Gizmodo recently went hands on and shared its experience along with a video. Check it out here.
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0malphas , 14 July 2009 03:38Why would I want to hold my arms out, getting fingerprints all over my screen when I can just use my mouse with about a thousand times less effort?
0waxdart , 14 July 2009 16:20Well I'd like to be able to child proof that some how. jam and toys being smashed into it. Plus being jumped on!
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Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter
Not Yet Rated| 1 hr. 37 min.
Plot Summary
The San Diego socialite (Meredith Baxter) gains notoriety while on trial for killing her ex-husband and his bride.
Cast: Meredith Baxter, Judith Ivey, Ray Baker, Kelli Williams, Ralph Bruneau, Stephen Root, Wayne Tippet, Clayton Landey
Genres: Docudrama


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Blastcar™ Wheel MandrelOriginal Price:$9.99 Current Price: $6.98Accurately hold the Blastcar™ wheel in the chuck of any drill with this precision machined tool. The shaft includes a step-down that allows Blastcar™ wheels to be mounted with the spokes facing the drill chuck, which makes work on the inside edge of the tread much easier. The knurled and beveled thumb screw eliminates the need for a screwdriver to mount a wheel and ensures an accurate mount. Learn More
Blastcar™ Pro Body ToolOriginal Price:$19.99 Current Price: $13.98Blastcar™ building instantly becomes more precise with this new, dual-function body tool! Designed to assist the builder in drilling axle holes for a square, true ride. Allows car to be built in either wide or narrow configurations. Tool also includes a drill-guide hole in center to ensure your race line loops are aligned for a straight, fast ride. Learn More
Blastcar™ Axle Replacement KitOriginal Price:$1.99 Current Price: $1.38Get it perfect by race day when you use these replacement axles to engineer and test various results from the position of your wheels. Kit contains four official BSA® Blastcar™ Axles, one hex key, and two eyelets. Designed exclusively for BSA®, axles are made with self-tapping ends that allow the Scout to place the axles anywhere on the block. Without the restriction of pre-drilled grooves, axles can be positioned wherever you need them to be. Axles adapt to your custom design, from a wide-body truck style to an aerodynamic dragster! Use only with official BSA® Blastcar™ Racer. Only official BSA® axles are allowed in an Blastcar™ event. For Blastcar guidelines and instructions please click here. Learn More
Blastcar™ Start LauncherOriginal Price:$69.99 Current Price: $48.98This BSA®-exclusive launcher is safe, accurate, and easy to use. Innovative, full-feature design adjusts high and low to accept cars of varying shapes and sizes and allow synchronized starting of any two car designs. Exclusive daisy-chain feature allows multiple launchers to be linked together for synchronized starting of four or more cars, a bonus no other launcher can offer. Packed with great features, this launcher is a great value at a competitive price! For Blastcar guidelines and instructions please click here. Learn More


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My laptop is running Ubuntu Maverick and sounds works great, but when I connect headphones or external speakers, nothing changes. Sounds keeps coming out just from the laptop speakers. I?ve tried all the devices in the "Sound Preferences" and still nothing. How can I solve this?
My Audio card is:
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)