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Cars and Light Trucks
Durability Compliance Program
The goal of the Durability Compliance Program is to ensure that manufacturer durability programs accurately predict in-use emission levels and deterioration rates for vehicles they wish to certify. The predictions must reflect in-use vehicle field data and engineering knowledge of the emission control system. The following information is designed to assist manufacturers as they demonstrate compliance with emission standards for the intermediate and full useful life of a vehicle.
Manufacturers may use accelerated deterioration methods and artificial aging techniques to simulate wear on vehicle and emission system components. Manufacturers may also use proprietary aging cycles to conduct their durability program. All manufacturer durability program plans must be submitted to EPA annually for review and approval. In addition, manufacturers that use a unique aging cycle for durability demonstration purposes must develop an equivalency factor (read Equivalency Factors below for more details) that equates their cycle to a standard EPA aging cycle. Specifically, the equivalency factor relates the amount of aging performed on the unique road or bench aging cycle to the amount of aging that occurs over EPA's standard cycles.
EPA will provide a list of manufacturer equivalency factors and other applicable vehicle information for each model year on this web site.
For durability compliance questions please contact: Joel Ball at 734-214-238 (email@example.com).
NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
- Regulations
- Guidance
- Equivalency Factors
- Bench Aging Time (BAT) Calculator
- Presentations
- Related Links
Final Rule and Supplemental Notice for Durability Procedures for New Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Published January 17, 2006)
- Fact Sheet: Final Rule for Emissions Durability Test Procedures (PDF) (3 pp, 33K, EPA420-F-05-061, December 2005)
- Final Rule: Emission Durability Procedures for New Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (PDF) (33 ppp, 361K, published January 17, 2006)
Manufacturer Guidance on Compliance Demonstration with the Emissions Durability Procedures and Regulations (PDF) (5 pp, 49K, April 2007)
Equivalency Factors
The purpose of equivalency factors is stated in the preamble language contained in the January 17, 2006, 71 FR 2818, Final Rule (PDF) (33 pp, 361K, published January 17, 2006)
Manufacturers have three options to demonstrate full useful life durability (120,000 or 150,000 miles) of their vehicles and emission control components:
- EPA Standard Road Cycle or Standard Bench Cycle (SRC/SBC): EPA developed the Standard Road Cycle (EPA SRC: 40 CFR Part 86, Appendix V) and the Standard Bench Cycle (EPA SBC: 40 CFR Part 86, Appendix VII and Appendix VIII) to provide a universal road/bench aging cycle. These cycles are available to all manufacturers for purposes of demonstrating durability. Manufacturers may use a standard EPA cycle without prior EPA approval but must inform EPA of their intent to do so when they submit their durability plan for review.
In addition, EPA has developed a "Bench Aging Time" (BAT) calculator that outputs the bench aging hours and temperature necessary on the SBC to replicate aging and deterioration that would occur on a road cycle (either the SRC or a manufacturer's alternative cycle).
- Alternative Road or Bench Cycles (ARC/ABC): Manufacturers may design their own cycles to mimic the aging or deterioration of emission control components that would occur on real-world vehicles over their useful life. These cycles are typically designed to reproduce useful life aging/deterioration in a shorter period of time. The manufacturer can choose to age the emission control components on the vehicle (i.e., whole vehicle aging) or, to reduce cost and test burden, use a test bench to age the emission control components (i.e., bench aging). Manufacturers must obtain prior EPA approval to use an alternative road or bench cycle.
- Customized Standard Road Cycle or Standard Bench Cycle (Cust. SRC/SBC): Manufacturers may also customize the EPA SRC/SBC to fit their specific in-use vehicle fleet aging/deterioration rates (e.g., higher speeds regimes to achieve more deterioration within the full useful life) or unique test facilities such as changing EPA SRC lap length to accommodate the length of their service accumulation track. These methods also require prior EPA approval.
The standard EPA bench and road cycles represent a baseline or measuring stick for all other cycles since they can be applied to all vehicles. Manufacturer-derived alternative or customized cycles may be more or less severe than the SRC/SBC, depending on the design of the cycle. Therefore, EPA requires manufacturers to develop an equivalency factor, or EF, that can be used for comparison. Specifically, the EF is the ratio of the SBC bench aging hours for a manufacturer-derived alternative or customized cycle and the SBC bench aging hours for the SRC, at the applicable full useful life mileage.
Specific details on how to calculate and use the EF are provided in Manufacturer Guidance on Compliance Demonstration with the Emissions Durability Procedures and Regulations (PDF) (5 pp, 49K, April 2007). Note that manufacturers using the EPA SRC and/or SBC for durability demonstration will simply have an equivalency factor of 1.0.
The equivalency factors must be provided by manufacturers of light-duty vehicle, light-duty trucks and heavy-duty vehicles each model year and will be published semi-annually on this site.
Durability Program Equivalency Factors
- 2008 Model Year Equivalency Factors (PDF) (12 pp, 558K, EPA-420-B-10-021, March 2010)
Bench Aging Time Calculator
The Bench Aging Time (BAT) calculator is used to determine the appropriate aging temperature and time on the EPA's Standard Bench Cycle (SBC) that will replicate aging performed using a road cycle. The BAT calculator requires a catalyst temperature profile generated from an actual vehicle to calculate the aging temperature and time. See below for further discussion on how to create the catalyst temperature profile and how it is used in the BAT calculator.
Bench Aging Time (BAT) Calculator
- Bench Aging Time (BAT) (Excel) (2 pp, 74K, March 2010)
How is the temperature profile created and how is it used in the BAT calculator?
The catalyst temperature profile can be created by driving an actual vehicle over a prescribed road cycle (either EPA's SRC or an alternative cycle) and collecting catalyst temperature information. Thermocouples are inserted in the hottest portion of the catalyst and the temperature is recorded at some frequency over the road cycle to create the temperature profile (e.g.. data set or a plot of temperature versus time). The temperature profile is input into the BAT calculator to determine a single, composite temperature (reference temperature) and amount of time at that reference temperature (time-at-temperature) that represents the range of temperatures in the temperature profile. Using this reference temperature and time-at-temperature, an exhaust system with the catalyst and oxygen sensors, is placed down stream from an engine, or other source that can produce/simulate exhaust gases, and operated in a mode that produces the reference temperature for the determined amount of time. As a result, a bench aging system and the BAT values can be used to achieve equivalent aging to a road cycle. Please refer to the Durability Regulations for specifics on data recording frequency and processing methods for catalyst temperature profiles.
- Emissions Durability Rule Implementation Presentation from May 17, 2006 EPA Industry Meeting (PDF) (12 pp, 33K, May 2006)
- Emissions Durability Rule Implementation Presentation from November 29, 2006 EPA Industry Meeting (PDF) (12 pp, 33K, November 2006)
- Emissions Durability Rule Implementation Presentation from April 26, 2007 EPA Industry Meeting (PDF) (9 pp, 69K, Apirl 2007)
Related Links
- Compliance Assurance Program (CAP 2000)
- Light Duty Vehicles and Emissions Regulations
- Cars and Light Trucks


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Bummis Best Ever Bib$14.99
Bummis Super Whisper Wrap ... long lasting, easy to wash, soft & comfortable.
The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is are our best-selling diaper cover for good reason. The Super Whisper Wrap is renowned for it's leak protection, ease of use, great fit and ability to stand up to multiple industrial-style washing and drying. The rinse and wipe inner fabric allows the cover to be reused multiple times before machine washing.
A Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is the perfect workhorse diaper cover for both the novice and experienced cloth diaper user. Designed for diaper service use, the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is an industrial-style diaper cover that will hold up to machine-washing again and again. Their easy-to-use Velcro closures make them a favorite for the beginner, and with their highly adjustable design, you can get a great fit on your baby each and every time. The durability of the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is unbeatable! Pair with our Unbleached Prefolds for a very economical cloth diapering system, or, use with our Kissaluvs Cloth Diapers for quick and easy diaper changes. The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap makes cloth diapering a breeze.
Why you'll love the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap:
- Highest rated diaper covers among customers worldwide.
- Very adjustable! The Aplix closures have an innovative overlapping design that ensures a custom fit on every baby.
- The gussets are built in! This allows for a customize fit around leg openings which will help to contain leaky messes.
- Soft, smooth polyester knit bindings for a comfortable, stretchy fit & a leak-proof seal.
- Extraordinarily durable industrial polyester fabric that is soft & comfortable.
- Trim fitting even on a newborn!
- A durable, heavy-duty elastic around legs & tummy which will not wear out with repeated industrial washes.
- No special care required! Machine wash & dry.
Made in Canada and designed & created by Canadian moms.
- Not sure which Bummis cover to choose? Here's a quick comparison chart.
Our most popular diaper cover, the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap in available in white and fun prints. The Bummis Super line features extraordinarily durable products that function exceptionally well. The Super Whisper Wrap is made of an industrial polyester fabric that is soft & comfy, as well as easy to wash & dry.
Easy to Use, Easy to Wash, Easy on your Budget.
If you are confused about where to start with cloth diapering, this is the cloth diaper cover we highly recommend. It fits almost every baby well, is easy to wash and made to last. The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is our number one pick for parents that are new to cloth diapering. They make the perfect newborn cloth diaper cover as their use and care couldn't be easier. With their Velcro-style closures, the Super Whisper Wrap is easy to secure on a baby, and these diaper covers can be tossed in the washing machine alongside your cloth diapers, when required. They really do make getting started with cloth diapers easy. For a GREAT complete cloth diapering package that include the Bummis Super Whisper Wraps and the highest-quality diaper service quality prefolds, check out our Bummis Cloth Diapering Kits.
Love the Super Whisper Wrap but prefer snap closures? Try our Bummis Super Snap Diaper Covers.
A Canadian-made Classic Cloth Diaper Cover
The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap has been created with only the highest quality materials. Aplix (Velcro) closing tabs and a super resistant, waterproof laminate, sandwiched between two layers of a soft polyester knit result in a cloth diaper cover that is attractive, comfortable and breathable. Bummis Super Whisper Wrap diaper covers can withstand even the rigors of industrial washing and drying as they have been specially created for diaper service use. The generous cut of these diaper covers makes them suitable to use with any type of cloth diapers - flat cloth diapers, prefolds and fitted cloth diapers with either Velcro or snap closures.
The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap consistently receives top-ratings among moms and dads worldwide for price, fit, function & durability. Our customers LOVE these diaper covers! Some of the more common reviews for the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap include...
- I never have problems with leaks when using my Bummis Super Whisper Wraps. (Kia Coleman, London, Ontario)
- I LOVE that these diaper covers don't feel like vinyl or plastic on my baby. They are so much more soft & comfortable than my Kushies covers! (Liz Moore, Regina, Saskatchewan)
- We've been using our Bummis Super Whisper Wraps for more than 2 years now and they're still going strong! (Marley Thomas, Oakville, Ontario)
- These are such wonderful cloth diaper covers. I'm so proud that they (Bummis) are made in Canada! (Rebecca Strome, Vancouver, British Columbia)
No More Pins with Bummis Super Whisper Wraps
That's right! When using the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap there is no need for pins, anymore, with any style of cloth diaper that does not have it's own built in closures. Bummis cloth diaper covers will hold a prefold or flat cloth diaper in place without the need to fuss with pins or a Snappi Diaper Fastener. Bummis cloth diaper covers are known as "wrap" style diaper covers. This means they are designed to wrap around your cloth diapers, and when secured, they will hold your cloth diapers in place all on their own. This works GREAT with our Diaper Service Quality Prefolds! All you have to do is tri-fold a prefold and lay it inside a Bummis Super Whisper Wrap. No fancy folding techniques required! For a newborn prone to leaky solids we do recommend using an alternate fold, and a Snappi Diaper Fastener to secure the diaper in place, however, this is still not a necessity.
These are NOT your Grandmother's Cloth Diaper Covers!
Rav from Mississauga, Ontario (Canada) asks us...
Q: Is the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap like the cloth diaper covers my grandmother used?
A: Absolutely not! The Bummis Super Whisper Wrap is not to be mistaken for the plastic or vinyl cloth diaper covers of days gone by, or the cloth diaper covers typically found in department stores. These are high-quality cloth diaper covers that will NOT yellow, crack or harden with repeated use. This, however, may be experienced with diaper covers of a lessor quality. Another feature of the Bummis diaper covers are their porous nature, and thus their ability to breathe. Vinyl or plastic diaper covers are not breathable and this can cause a variety of problems for both you and your baby. For the extra 2-3$ you may pay for higher quality diaper covers, you will not regret it. Both Kushies and Gerber make a vinyl/plastic cover that is readily available, but we would highly recommend trying something of a better quality in both fabric and fit. We truly want to help make cloth diapering a success, and poorly made diaper covers are a sure fire way to discourage any parent.
Q: What is the concern about Vinyl (PVC) products?
A: The short answer is that Vinyl (polyvinyl chloride) is a plastic that must contain phthalates in order to create a softer, more flexible finished product. This is where your high school chemistry comes in. These phthalates have been found to outgass, and many studies indicate that this offgassing may contribute to allergies in children, as well as more severe health complications over a longer period of time. Studies on rodents involving large amounts of phthalates have shown damage to the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the developing testes. Many countries have banned the use of PVC products in children's items, however, no such ban is in place in Canada, as of yet. There are many resources online to learn more about PVC and its hazards.
How Many Cloth Diaper Covers will you Need?
A question we are asked on a regular basis is, how many cloth diaper covers should you buy? This will really depend on two things - your budget and/or how often you want to be doing laundry. Yes, you CAN reuse these covers several times without washing unless they are soiled or you notice an odor. When you change your baby, simply hang up the diaper cover you are removing to air out and put on a fresh cover. Ideally, cloth diaper covers should be changed and rotated with every diaper change, so that they can air out in between uses.
For best results, we recommend the following quantity of cloth diaper covers if you are using Bummis Super Whisper Wraps Exclusively:
If you are on a tight budget, you can easily get by with a bare minimum of 4 cloth diaper covers in each size, although we do recommend buying at least 6 small, 6 medium and 6 large, if you are using Bummis Super Whisper Wraps as your main (or only!) cloth diaper cover. You would want to try to reserve 1-2 covers for nighttime use, and rotate between your other covers during the day. With only 4 Bummis Super Whispers Wraps you may find yourself hand-washing a cover daily, if one should get soiled. While the Super Whisper Wrap does dry quickly, this may be more work than the average parents would like to handle. If your budget allows, most parents will purchase 6-10 cloth diaper covers in total, per size, with at least 6 of them being the Bummis Super Whisper Wraps. 8 covers in each size would be ideal for washing every other day.
When using the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap exclusively, keep in mind that they are constructed of a soft polyester knit fabric on the interior. What this means is that the diaper cover may remain a bit damp on the inside if the cloth diaper is allowed to get saturated. In order to avoid odors, you will need to change and rotate these covers often. Having a few extra fresh, clean diaper covers on hand will help to keep odors at bay.
Do you really need to buy Newborn-Sized Cloth Diaper Covers?
This will depend on what type of cloth diapers you are using, and whether or not excess bulk will be a problem for you. The nice thing about the Bummis Super Whisper Wraps is that the size small is not excessively large and bulky, and hence you can use this size on the average newborn. However, for a perfect fit when using Prefolds for the first time, we highly recommend a few newborn covers to prevent leaking while you are getting the hang of folding them on a newborn. Most parents appreciate the great fit of the Bummis newborn diaper covers on their new baby, and will use the newborn covers during the day, and reserve the size small diaper covers for nighttime use. If you are purchasing our recommended number of newborn and small diaper covers, this gives you a total of 10 cloth diaper covers to use during the first few weeks with your newborn. This is when you will be doing the most diaper changes and, more often than not, you will be going through the highest number of cloth diaper covers daily.
Customer Reviews
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Leak proof diaper cover Review by Barbara
Price Value Quality
I've tried a number of cloth diaper covers now and I really like this cover. We really like the cute designs of the Bummis prints. The velcro fasteners make it very versatile, so we were able to use the small size from 7lbs up to about 14lbs.Would you recommend this product to a friend? Without hesitation!
Very easy to wash, just make sure the velcro is closed before you add them to the wash or they will get tangled up in the laundry. (Posted on 7/5/10)
Dependable, economical and easy to use cover that rarely leaks Review by Westee
Price Value Quality
I have a bunch of these covers and I really like them. These covers have avoided numerous blow-out situations! The only time I have had any leak (only urine) was when I didn't make sure all of the prefold diaper was under the cover. The prints are really fun too.Would you recommend this product to a friend? Without hesitation!
They launder very well - just throw them in with the diapers. The velcro is looking a tiny bit pilled after >4months now, but that can be avoided if you line dry. I have found it difficult to get stains out of the velcro but no poop stains anywhere else!
(Posted on 6/30/10)
Great Cover Review by Tara
Price Value Quality
I like this cover, not as much as the Bummis Super Brite though. I prefer the Super Brite b/c it has gussets at the legs. Nice strong velcro, cute prints. This is a great, quality cover. (Posted on 1/1/11)
Took some growing into... Review by Ashley
Price Value Quality
We got these covers in the Bummis Kit when our baby was a newborn. Although the small covers are supposed to work from 8 pounds onwards, our 9-pound newborn was still too small and these leaked a lot in the first week. After dealing with multiple poop-spills out of the legs, I gave up on the small covers for a little while, and came back to them when my son was probably about 6 weeks old and had chubbed-up.Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
After my son grew into these covers, they were absolutely excellent and I can't think of another time they leaked on us. They were easy to put on, easy to wash, never stained or smelled, and I loved the cute patterns. We used them until he grew out of the covers and prefolds and we switched to pocket diapers.
We have another (big) baby due in a few weeks and I'm planning on trying these again once his legs fatten up a bit. Although we're expecting this baby to be as big or bigger than my first child, I'm also trying the "newborn" size this time in hopes that they will fit sooner than the smalls did. Fingers crossed! (Posted on 1/3/11)
Liked the white ones best! Review by CINDY
Price Value Quality
These are a great value and the white ones have been workhorses for me. But I have had trouble with the whisper wrap prints leaking (or wicking?) over time for some reason. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the white Whisper Wraps though. (Posted on 1/3/11)Would you recommend this product to a friend? In the right circumstance.
Great covers! Review by Mom3
Price Value Quality
I recently bought a few more of these covers (they've been working great!) and overall I have been using Bummis Super Whisper wraps for 5 years now. I found that these covers last over time although the velcro can start to curl and not stick as well after long term use (several years). I love that these are Canadian-made and come from such a great company. I do find that for some reason the white ones seem to last better than the prints in terms of starting to pill but this is only cosmetic and doesn't affect their performance.Would you recommend this product to a friend? Without hesitation!
I use these with prefolds and snappis and as long as the prefold is tucked in properly I've never had leaks or diaper blow outs even with a newborn (if it gets out of the prefold the cover catches it). These are the covers I will buy again when I need to replace a few after many years of use, and these are the covers I recommend to anyone who wants to use prefolds. (Posted on 8/20/11)
We never use these Review by Toniette
Price Value Quality
We purchased the Bummis kit before our son was born, and got 4 of the whisper wraps and 2 super brites. We only use the super brites, and found the whisper wraps didn't contain leaks nearly as well. We now only use covers with gussets, as anything else doesn't work for us- but my son has skinny legs as well, so that may be part of the problem. I love the designs on these, and wish they worked for us! (Posted on 1/1/11)

subset: commoncrawl


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CHARLESTON - It would not be far feteched to say that Martinsburg stole a state championship.
Jordan Robinson stepped in front of a Beckley Woodrow Wilson pass with 42 seconds left and fed to ball to Jalen Lewis for a basket to help the Bulldogs escape with a 57-52 win in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday night at the Charleston Civic Center Coliseum.
Article Photos
Jalen Lewis of Martinsburg goes up for a layup in the final minute to help the Bulldogs capture the Class AAA state title Saturday night. (Photos courtesy of Action Images Photography)
Players on the Martinsburg bench get ready to celebrate the Bulldogs' state championship as seconds tick down.
Donte' Grantham puts up a shot.
Jason Hill of Martinsburg works for position.
Jordan Robinson of Martinsburg leaps to secure the basketball.
And escape the Bulldogs did.
Lewis' field goal was the only one of the fourth quarter for Martinsburg (26-2), which won its third state basketball championship in school history and added a state crown to the school's football championship won in December.
The Bulldogs also held off a massive comeback attempt by Woodrow Wilson (23-5) after going ahead by as many as 17 in the third quarter.
"I just reacted to what I thought he was going to do, and I got to the ball," Robinson said. "I saw Jalen release, and I got him the ball."
"I knew when the (Beckley player) got air under the ball, Jordan was going to get it, so I released."
The basket gave Martinsburg a 54-49 lead.
The Bulldogs closed it out from the foul line.
"It's the best feeling in the world," said Martinsburg's Donte Grantham, who had 20 points and 17 rebounds. "We worked hard for this. It's hard to descrbe what this is like."
"It's a great win, and it's great to win the state championship," said Rogers, who had won two previously. "I'm proud of our kids. I told them they could sneak back into town unnoticed, or they could come back to town to fanfare and accolades."
The lights will shine on the ballclub.
"I thought it was fitting that we won the 100th state tournament, after being the only team at the 100th banquet Tuesday night," Rogers said. "I'm proud of this senior class. They are good kids, off the court and on the court."
Martinsburg made 10 free throws in the fourth quarter to break a Beckley run that got the Flying Eagles as close as two points in the fourth.
"We knew they were going to make a run; they are a good team," Rogers said. "They are here for a reason. I thought our kids started playing not to lose again, and when they came back, we had to pick it back up."
Up 30-23 at the half, Martinsburg opened the third quarter with a 15-5 run to go up 45-28, following a three-point play by Donte Grantham, another Grantham basket and a 3-pointer by Lewis.
Lewis' 3 at the 3:13 mark was the final field goal before his layin with 42 seconds left.
In the meantime, Beckley went to the press and went on a 14-0 run.
"I thought we got a little more aggressive and tough," Woodrow Wilson coach Ron Kidd said "We started playing like they were."
Martinsburg broke out early and went up 17-7, after back-to-back 3-pointers by Denzel Cole
Grantham had a pair of free throws and Eugene German, who had six first-half points, added a stickback at the 6:37 mark of the second quarter to give Martinsburg its first 12-point lead.
"Eugene was big. We really hit the boards hard in the first half," Rogers said. "That was great to see."
The Bulldogs would hold that lead on three different occasions, the last time on a Jason Hill basket at the 2:43 mark.
It would be Martinsburg's last points of the half.
Beckley took advantage of the Martinsburg drought, scoring the final five points of the second quarter.
Andrew Johnson had a three-point play and freshman Nequan Carrington had a pair of free throws to make it 30-23 at the break.
Martinsburg outrebounded Woodrow Wilson 41-32 and had a 24-8 advantage in second chance points.
"I thought we allowed (Grantham) to get too many tips, where we should have been checking him at the foul line," Kidd said.
Grantham finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds for Martinsburg and was named to the all-tournament team with teammates Lewis and German.
Lewis finished with 13 points and German had eight.
Carrington, Nabors and Johnson were named from Woodrow and Keldon Bell and Dominique Newman from Washington.
Johnson finished with 19 points. Carrington had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Martinsburg will likely hold a celebration to honor the team Thursday in the Fieldhouse, though there is no official word as of yet.


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Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM reviewTuesday September 11 2012 Lens Review
During DxOMark testing and analysis, we determined the Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM's strengths are:
- Its brightness, with a transmission score of 1.7 T-stop, means the lens' aperture is closer to f/1.7. This will allow for great low light shooting.
- Controlling chromatic aberration. Photographers won't frequently run into color fringing problems, the defect that displays unwanted colors at edges where dark and bright contrast meet.
- Containing distortion, a common strength of prime standard lenses.
- Limiting vignetting or lens shading, with the defect largely absent at apertures f/1.8 and above.
The lens' weaknesses include:
• Resolution, with a score of 44 lp/mm, the lens performed so-so on an APS-C camera body. Sharpness was quite weak at the widest aperture of f/1.4. It reached its optimization at around f/2.8, but still struggled to obtain sharpness at the edges and corners of an image.
• Its cost. At $640 (USD), the price tag for the Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM runs higher than most lenses with similar specifications.
Further readings for the Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM review
To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.
The Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM is a prime standard lens that allows users to dream up pictures with incredible artistic aesthetics thanks largely to its medium focal length and extra wide aperture of f/1.4. The latter also gives it a leg up in dark conditions. But how does the lens compare to similar Pentax lenses, or similar pieces of glass made by its rivals?


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Which sex is the worst about washing up? Why is it so important? We've got the dirty truth on how and when to wash your hands.
New Muscular Dystrophy Treatment Offers Hope
March 23, 2011 -- Exciting findings from an early-stage clinical trial offer new hope to patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, the most common but incurable and devastating form of muscular dystrophy.
Patients who received three months of weekly injections with PRO051 had a modest improvement in their ability to walk, reports a research team led by Judith C. van Deutekom, PhD, vice president for discovery at Prosensa Therapeutics, which funded the study.
"The patients are still on the product, and anecdotal evidence suggests they are functioning better in daily life," van Deutekom tells WebMD.
Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a very common form of the disease, striking about one in every 3,500 boys worldwide. It's a recessive genetic defect, carried by mothers but almost always striking boys.
The defect is in the gene coding for dystrophin, a protein with a major role in muscle function. Normal dystrophin acts like a shock absorber for muscle cells. The defective dystrophin in DMD leads to muscle damage and degeneration, says muscular dystrophy expert Roger W. Kula, MD, head of the neuromuscular clinic at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.
"Duchenne's patients have progressive wasting of muscle," Kula, who was not involved in the PRO051 study, tells WebMD. "The disease affects walking at age 2 to 5 years, confines patients to wheelchair by age 9 to 12, and results in death from age 20 to 30. It is horrible."
Different patients with DMD have different mutations in the gene that codes for dystrophin. One of the most common mutations -- seen in about 13% of DMD patients -- is at a site called exon 51. PRO051 is a string of nucleic acids called an antisense oligonucleotide.
When the body is decoding the dystrophin gene, the drug causes the mRNA that is "reading" the gene to skip over the mutated exon 51. The result is a dystrophin protein that isn't exactly normal, but which works well enough. Muscular dystrophy patients who have naturally occurring dystrophin like this have a much milder form of the disease known as Becker's muscular dystrophy.


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Adhesions are bands of scar-like tissue that form between two surfaces inside the body and cause them to stick together.
Pelvic adhesion; Intraperitoneal adhesion; Intrauterine adhesion
As the body moves, tissues or organs inside are normally able to shift around each other. This is because these tissues have slippery surfaces. Inflammation (swelling), surgery, or injury can cause adhesions to form and prevent this movement. Adhesions can occur almost anywhere in the body, including:
Adhesions can become larger or tighter over time. Problems may occur if the adhesions cause an organ or body part to:
The risk of forming adhesions is high after bowel or female organ surgeries. Surgery using a laparoscope is less likely to cause adhesions than open surgery.
Other causes of adhesions in the abdomen or pelvis include:
Adhesions around the joints may occur:
Adhesions in joints, tendons, or ligaments make it harder to move the joint. They may also cause pain.
Adhesions in the belly (abdomen) may cause a blockage of the intestines. Symptoms include:
Adhesions in the pelvis may cause chronic or long-term pelvic pain.
Most of the time, the adhesions cannot be seen using x-rays or imaging tests.
Surgery may be done to separate the adhesions. This can let the organ regain normal movement and reduce symptoms. However, the risk for more adhesions goes up with more surgeries.
Depending on the location of the adhesions, a barrier may be placed at the time of surgery to help reduce the chance of the adhesions returning.
The outcome is good in most cases.
Adhesions can cause various disorders, depending on the tissues affected.
Call your health care provider if you have:
Munireddy S, Kavalukas SL, Barbul A. Intra-abdominal healing: gastrointestinal tract and adhesions. Surg Clin N Am. 2010;90:1227-1236.
Kulaylat MN, Dayton, MT. Surgical complications. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:chap 13.
Paine R. Rehabilitation and therapeutic modalities: a language of exercise and rehabilitation. In: DeLee JC, Drez D Jr, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:chap 5 section A.
On a mission to heal body, mind and spirit


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on December 16, 2012 - 10:56 PM
, updated December 16, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Members of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Buffalo did their best to re-create the classic creche scene of the infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
The only problem Sunday evening? The weather might have been too nice.
Eleven-month-old Rylie Parry, playing the role of baby Jesus in the living Nativity scene presented on the front lawn of the church, was even able to go hatless for a few minutes.
Rylie stayed composed for a few seconds under the bright lights, then did what babies often do. She cried.
"She screamed her head off. That's what makes it authentic," said Nicole Parry, who was able to calm her daughter quickly once a doll was placed in the manger, and Rylie was handed over to her mom.
Hoping to impart the true meaning of the Christmas season, churches try to be as authentic as possible in their live Nativity scenes.
Salem Evangelical Lutheran brought in farm animals, including a donkey, sheep and llama, to give the look and feel of the earliest moments of Jesus' arrival on earth.
Participants in the portrayal wore period costumes, brought in bales of hay and built a lean-to.
The church on McLellan Circle in South Buffalo was one of several in the area Sunday offering Nativity scenes in an effort to spread the Christmas spirit.
"It's one thing to read about it in a book or hear about it in a song, but it's another to see it live," said the Rev. John L. Pingel, pastor, who was dressed as a townsperson of Bethlehem, the believed place of Jesus' birth.
Church member and youth leader Darlene LaPenna organized the production.
LaPenna hopes the effort was a way to help reverse a slide in reverence for the season.
"I'm really upset with the fact that Christ is being taken out of Christmas," she said.
For a few hours Sunday, in a few areas of Western New York, there was no shopping, no Santa Claus and no Rudolph.
Living Nativity scenes also were held at Church of the Nativity in the Town of Tonawanda and Ebenezer United Church of Christ in West Seneca.
The live Nativity portrayal at Church of the Nativity has become a tradition for Evelyn Cabantog and her children, Benjamin, 8, who is a shepherd in the portrayal, and Amelia, 3.
She said the event provides a nice get-away from all of the talk of shopping and presents and other holiday trappings.
"It brings out the true meaning of Christmas for our family," said Cabantog. "You feel like you're there. It's just a moment away from reality."
The churches don't know what kind of weather to expect, but they forge ahead anyway.
The Rev. Ruth Snyder, co-pastor of Church of the Nativity, said she had never experienced a living Nativity before arriving at the church about five years ago.
The first one she participated in included cold, snow and blustery winds – not quite a blizzard, but close.
"It was just awful," she said.
But the experiences of the live Nativity portrayals have given her new perspective on the whole narrative of Jesus' birth.
"You get the sense that the little romantic picture we have of the Nativity was exactly that – a romantic picture," she said.
The reality, she said, was probably harsher and a little unpredictable – not unlike the farms animals trucked in to Living Nativity displays to help tell the story of Jesus' birth.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Source: Nature Communications
quote: A law is a statement based on repeated observation that describes an aspect of the natural world.
quote: It has no predictive power.
quote: A theory is a statement based on repeated observation that explains an aspect of the natural world.
quote: It makes predictions about the rest of the natural world outside the observed circumstances.
quote: Kindly note that a theory is stronger than a law.
quote: In fact, if a theory is proven false in some circumstances it will be downgraded to a law for the circumstances in which it is proven false.
quote: The reason for the stronger statements with predictive power being labelled theories is because science is obsessed with being correct.
quote: Laws are laws because they make no prediction and are therefore entirely verifiable.
quote: It is a very good theory because what it predicts has been shown in every single fossil discovered and in the anatomy of every living being on the planet.


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Send e-mail, current address and phone number to firstname.lastname@example.com or call (304) 685-7198.
On June 20, a dinner/dance will be at the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg from 6 p.m. to midnight. Dance music will be provided by "The Shades" with Harry Haines. Back by popular demand, "Board and the Boys" will present a new and spectacular floor show.
Guests of classmates and members of the Classes of 1963 and 1965 and their guests are welcome to both events. The cost for the entire weekend is $50 per person.
Addresses are needed for Douglas Houck, Larry Lewis, Cheryl Wilson Hunt, Kenneth Watson, Linda Boyd Hoffman and Patricia Williams Hoffman.
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Former Ignacio resident Tommy J. King died Thursday, July 5, 2012, at his home in Aztec. He was 77.
Mr. King was born to Weaver and Jannie (Terry) King on May 16, 1935, in Tucumcari, N.M. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Oxford. He and his father farmed and raised cattle there. Mr. King graduated from Ignacio High School in 1953.
In 1955, he met his future wife, Janneth �Sis� Baird, and after a two-week courtship, they married on Oct. 7, 1955, in Aztec. He called her �Ole Sweetie.�
Mr. King was a self-taught mechanic and ran gas stations, including the Ignacio Texaco, in Ignacio for more than 30 years. He later went to work in the oilfields for Knight Well Service until he retired in 2006.
He enjoyed hunting and camping.
Mr. King was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Janneth King.
He is survived by his daughters, Cheryl Batchelor of Durango, Brenda Boone in Bloomfield, N.M., and Dena McReynolds of Aztec; sister, Beth Sower, of Bayfield; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 14, 2012, at Aztec Baptist Church, 1219 S. Main Ave. Craig Durham will officiate.
A reception will take place after the service.


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Dark Shine High!!this is a anime program that is based in a high school called Dark Shine there is 6 main charcters that noramly don't see eye to eye but they most become friends to help the school as there is werid things that happen every night .such as monsters, demons, ghosts, gouls and the white shine leader just might wont the students to help him in his path to take of the planet of Kessene.yes this school is for students who have dark shine powers but there not the bad guys unless they use there powers in the wrong way and turn there powers in to the white shine.anyways the school only take on students who have the dark shine oral this is the heart of there powers but not all the students know there true kick ass powers as they are different for anyone as u can have the power of fire, ice, water, earth, mind, sword or the spear and it depens on the students oral as it will come to them in different way so not all the students know what there true power is.so what will ur power be! Characters Ruki (aged 18)Sukio (aged 16)Osamu (aged 17)Li Li (aged 16)Mei (aged 17)Himiko (aged 19)Master Yi (N/A)White Lord Liang (N/A) (evil)Diao (N/A) (evil)Liu (N/A) (evil) Characters detailsRuki: he is 18 and he is very smart and always well dressed and is very shy when it cmes to girls but will Mei change that, his dark shine power is mind as he is smart and he doesnt no yet but soon can mind conrtol and move objects also Sukio is his little sister they have always bin there for one and other ever from there mother died there he was 4.Sukio: she is 16 and she looks up to her big as he is the only 1 that as looked after her but will she always think like that, she is not as smart as her older brother but she will stronger than him he dark shine power as she is the strongest in the group is fire and soon will be able to control fires, and she has a inner power the power of the Bird of fire which ones was the keeper of the sky will she use it for good or evil.Osamu: he is the last and youngest of the boys but what he lacks in age makes up for in skill with the sword and spear he is the stongest in head to head combat but not in the group as he thinks he is the strongest in the group. is very big headed and always thinks he is the best at everthing and doesn't get on with Ruki.Li Li: she is the youngest of the group as she truned 16 two days before she went to Dark Shine High she is a bit oh a out cast of the group and she is very quiet and is very good freinds with ruki but am sure she wonts to be more, her dark shine power is the power of water and soon can call upon the seas to help and also maybe floods or even drouths.Mei: she is the possative and warmhearted and she secrtcly loves Ruki but she thinks that he is in love with Li Li as they are very good friends but she knows Li Li wonts to be much more, she is 17 and will always try and take the most mature path every time, her dark shine power is the power of earth she can cause earthquakes rock falls and even trun in to the spirt of the forset.Himiko: she is the oldest of the group and is very pretty but is there inmature and some times acts like the youngest of the group she is always very loud and very spoiled by her rich parents but she can't have everythin she wants but she has got cold blood and a kiss of ice and she cant always control herself to use her powers as she is not there mature, her power is ice and can call a blizzard or maybe even freeze u if she wants to.Master Yi: he is the teacher at Dark Shine and has mastered every dark shine power there is to learn as he teaches the students at the school and once was in the same class as the White Lord and they was very good friends but took different paths in life as Master Yi choice to teach people to learn the dark shine in the way of good, he is unknow to everyone and noone hows there he was born or came from.White shine Liang: this is the white lord the leader of the white shine and is the most powerfulest person or demon every to walk upon the land of Kessene believed to be half human half demon, he has many demons, ghosts, ghouls, monsters and even humans under his command but his two main officers are Diao and Liu.Diao: this is a office of the White Lord she is very beautiful and is excelling in the martail arts and unrivaled in archery she is known to be a little reckless.Liu: this human/demon is the son of the White Lord and is highly trusted by the White Lord this half human half demon is a master the elements of but also is the White Lord master of strategy.i hope you enjoyed read thislet me no that you think of it
Rickidude that sounds so awesome......i would totaly buy it
sounds vary good you worked hard on it i bet thats good story and every thing really you should thro it at shonen jump or sumthing to do with stater manga artist really go for it
sounds very good i mean better than very good!! a manga i would want to buy keep it up!!
this is on the other forum with two ep to it...check it out.i beleive it's on sitenews or anime."people do not need violence to solve there problems."
Fair good. sounds like you put alot of effort in...
it sounds like it would be really coolnice job
The imagination Knows no bounds and if this came from yours it had to have interested youso not to down courage anyone i will congratulate you for the effort for this seems like a probable answer to illidan16 's topic although you should have posted it close toit.... you for one are safe from my retribution although you should work on your grammar a little more and concentrate really on whatyou want to say... for even the worst story once the englishis brought across clear it is understood... not to say that yours is a bad one...But to a demon all this stuff about white lords...... naaah i wontinsult you over the net.... well not now anyways..... keep up the good work The path to conquest leaves nothing else to be desired!!!!
that is a sick plot. A a friend of mine is really good at coming up with plots like these and ive been putting them into manga novel form for us to give to friends and whatnot, its been slow coming but its a lot of fun. If any of your friends are good artists maybe suggest that to them and do it with the plot you have or like i think ANBU SUSUKE suggested throw it at Shonen Jump and see if they have interest in it. "Don't doubt the darkness, it can be your enemy as well as your friend."


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Top Definition
Something that might get you into trouble if uttered aloud.
You know what I just thought? Oh, wait, nevermind... (innocent face)
додав Balfdor 23 Грудня 2006
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The ultimate mind trick.
Humans are superior lifeforms because they are capable of intelligent thought. If so, why is there so much violence and hate in the world.
додав some punk kid 01 Травня 2005
Past tense of Thinks.
Look at that douchebag in my rear view mirror. He hit the gas extra hard at the stop light because he just HAD to be in front of me. He THOUGHT!
додав SBD 27 Березня 2005
The process of taking in, identifying, and understanding all stimuli that you encounter. Thought can also be described as the systematic way of understanding events and problems and adjusting to them.
Thought is a phenomena that while is very common to us, cannot be explained by any means that tell us how it is caused.
додав launchtime222 02 Червня 2011
Thought it
On subjugation of character essentially lines written, quintessentially in dejection, stating, irreversible irreverent fare thee well, though't may seem irrelevant.
додав Hercolena Oliver 15 Червня 2010
Short for "You read my thoughts". See second definition of ord.
B : I'm starved. Let's head to the Waffle House.
P : Thoughts!
P : Thoughts!
додав P-Diddler 30 Червня 2003


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7 Insane Moments in the World's Most Hardcore Haunted House
Let's get one thing clear right away. I was not excited about visiting the Blackout Haunted House. It's not that I'd heard bad things about the place. It's more that there are only bad things to hear. The Blackout is a haunted house in the same way that Guantanamo Bay is a haunted house. You won't see a guy in a werewolf mask stabbing a rubber baby or anything like that, but you will see lots of nudity and simulated rape.
Schemes at past incarnations of the Blackout Haunted House have produced horrifying stories of patrons forced to suck on bloody tampons and, in some cases, endure a good old American waterboarding. Here's some video, to give you an idea of what kind of ride we're talking about:
Did you hear the girl yelling "Safety!" at the end? That's because they give you a safe word, and that safe word, fittingly, is "safety." It's that kind of place. Some people, after paying ticket prices of up to $50, just have to be rescued from the terror. The last haunted house I'd been to prior to this was at the Playboy Mansion. This was definitely not going to be that.
It was my girlfriend who initially floated the idea of writing a column about the Blackout Haunted House, an offer I graciously declined. Something about the idea of being waterboarded willingly just didn't sit well with me. But then something unexpected happened ... Dan O'Brien said he was going to do it. I'm fine with my girlfriend thinking I'm a pussy, just not a bigger pussy than Dan. So, with my fellow pinup model and columnist Soren Bowie at my side, I decided to check out the Blackout Haunted House.
I'm glad one of us could be bothered to look worried about the possibility of being sodomized.
If you're planning to attend the Blackout Haunted House this year, you might want to STOP READING NOW, because I'm about to tell you all about it (or at least as much as I know). That means this article is going to contain a MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SPOILERS.
Now, with that out of the way, here are seven insane things I saw at the Blackout Haunted House in Los Angeles ...
#7. The Opening Dark
Prior to entering the Blackout Haunted House, a surly man with a goatee (facial hair may not be available at all locations) holds a flashlight in your face and quizzes you about your fears and physical shortcomings. I assured him I was a specimen of superior engineering and proved it by failing to understand that "Now turn and face that wall" meant that I should face the wall he was pointing at with his flashlight. He asked me if I was "fucking stupid," because these people aren't here to keep you from freaking out; they're here to make things worse.
Upon completion of the interrogation, I was pushed through a sheet of plastic and into a hallway, where I was asked if I could see the white line on the ground and told that I should follow it. Of course, I could not see any white line, because a flashlight had been blasting my retinas for the past 45 seconds.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
That was the point, though. I was supposed to wander around confused for a second, because that would make the moment when someone ran up from behind, grabbed me and told me not to move that much more startling. That happened, and it definitely should have scared me more than it did. I think I'd just read too much about this place and was ready for whatever they had for me. A combination of that and my standard mental fitness regimen meant that, on this night at least, I was hard to scare. I imagine it's not like that for everyone. Especially not during the insanity that comes next.
Basically, while you stand there in the dark, still kind of disoriented from the flashlight and being bear-hugged from behind and strong-armed into position, someone you never see walks around the room, occasionally pausing to stroke your face or jab at your neck with a hand in strangle formation or the point of something sharp. You never see any of this coming. It just happens. In the dark. It goes on for so long that some people report feeling as if maybe the staff forgot they were there. Soren would later comment that this was the scariest part of the entire adventure for him. Mine was still a few rooms away.
But first, that same unseen force that was doing all the whispering and hugging and stroking grabs you one final time and tells you to run. And that's when you meet ...
#6. The Woman With the Metal Pail
Lo! There's light in the next room! That's great! And it's from the glow of a television showing what looks like an adorable reindeer having stomach surgery! That's less great!
Those were my initial thoughts upon entering the next section of the Blackout Haunted House. In addition to the television with the unfortunate programming, there was also a creepy woman with tape over her mouth standing in the corner, stirring some sort of concoction in a metal pail. She motioned for me to sit on a folding chair that was positioned in front of the television. I mean, I knew that's what I was supposed to do as soon as I walked in, but for the sake of authenticity, I made her tell me. It's not like I would have just plopped down in that chair in real life if I stumbled into that room unexpectedly, you know? I paid for this shit, my work is done, scary lady.
The scary lady's work wasn't done, though. After sitting down, she made me taste what she was whipping up in that pail. It tasted like nothing, but was still somehow completely gross. And that's when she took my shoe. And my sock. And then looked on in horror as another woman entered the room, removed my belt and led me to another room that, awesomely, featured a floor littered with condoms. I knew that because I was barefoot, you see. But just on the one foot, which is good, because it would have been super weird otherwise. What happened next could best be described as an over the clothes rape. The woman who led me into the room was shirtless and grinding on me and ... that's when my job ruined everything.
"I'd like to discuss some inconsistencies in the haunted house universe you've created here!"
See, one of my professional responsibilities is to notice those little plot holes and inconsistencies that most people don't in movies and TV shows. Sometimes that extends into my daily life as well. So, in the midst of what should have been one of the biggest mind fucks of my life, all I could think was "Man, this chick smells wonderful!" Because she did, and that seemed dumb to me. "A real zombie or whatever the hell she's supposed to be would fucking stink. This is bullshit." That's what goes through the mind of an Internet comedy professional who's just made the transition from being repeatedly punched in the dark to having boobs thrust in his face. You'd think I'd just be grateful. But still, she smelled like grape candy. It was awfully hard to be terrified of that.
I'm pretty sure my purist approach to haunted houses negated the entire point of this room, which was to add some sexual arousal to the overwhelming terror that the entry provides. But for me, the only thing scary about this particular section of the Blackout Haunted House is knowing that this room most likely serves its exact intended purpose on most people. Why is that terrifying? Because it means that I'm the weirdo for not getting a boner in a haunted house.
#5. The Suffocation
After the sexcapades end, you're escorted into another dark room, where your hands are immediately tied behind your back. You're then told to jog in place. Why? Because the plastic bag they place on your head seems a lot more life threatening if you were already having trouble breathing when you put it on. That's right, a plastic bag over your head, just like Mom warned you never to do. You're then forced to your knees. And then you wait, struggling to breathe.
At one point, I contemplated using the safe word, because breathing conditions inside that bag had become so treacherous. That's when I suddenly remembered that I have a tongue and plastic bags are super light and easy to move. So, using my tongue, I moved the plastic bag up just above my mouth. I used the newly free hole to take in lots of delicious air before anyone had a chance to stick a dick in it or whatever. After that, I kept my head down and waited, leaving the person in charge of this room to marvel at my superhuman lung capacity in awed silence.
They didn't do that. Instead, they made me crawl to another part of the room and sit there on all fours for a few more minutes. It was during this time that something most curious happened. From another room, I could hear the sounds of a man being told to scream. That man, in turn, was screaming. I don't know what room this was in, nor do I know what was being done to make this man scream. Apparently, there are parts of the Blackout Haunted House that I was not shown.
That's fine, though, because what I did see next was plenty disturbing in its own right.
#4. The Rapist
"The Rapist" is probably a misleading name for this guy. He was actually just a dude forcing some woman to have sex with him against her will. That's what you see when you walk in. There is literally a guy having sex (possibly simulated) with a woman who is chained to the bed. He's naked. For real naked. You realize this when he comes running toward you with his penis flopping to and fro. If you're a guy who's been reading to this point and fantasizing about all of the women you'll be in physical contact with when you check in to the Blackout Haunted House for yourself, I should probably let you know that you're going to be touching some dudes, too. This particular dude grabs you and makes you sit against a wall while he heads back over to do some more raping.
Oh, and this time the floor is riddled with condoms and shoes. Could your shoe be one of them? Should you take a look around or keep your eyes on the nightmare unfolding on the bed? The rapist, unhelpfully, does not tell you. So you're left to kind of wonder about that while he pounds away at the woman chained to the bed, glancing over his shoulder occasionally to make sure you're watching (you are).
Eventually, you're forced to lie on the bed as well. A lot happens in that bed, and none of it is good. The woman, up to this point, has not made a sound. That all changes. Also, the rapist touches your foot at some point. Creepy, sure, but if you've ever seen my feet, you know that he was the one suffering at that moment.
Dramatic reenactment.
Obviously, this room is going to be uncomfortable for the ladies. For guys, I'm guessing it's more of an inner monologue that centers around one main question: Am I the type of guy who gets excited by the thought of rape?
Fantastic news, I am not. So, this room didn't hold much for me in the way of scares. Also, once again, from the crazy rapist to the woman chained to the bed, everyone in question was super clean and smelled fresh. Maybe that's intentional. I don't know. But it definitely took something away from the experience for me.
Things were about to turn around, though, because what was coming next might have been the creepiest bit of the whole night.


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Top Definition
A fish that is produced when unfertilized eggs on the sea floor are fertilized with the semen who has just knocked one out with his dick underwater
That guy goes down to the sea so much he must have fathered many wankfishes
Por majeed 05 de julio de 2006
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Originating from sexually active fish...
He's a wankfish!
Its raining Wankfish!!
Its raining Wankfish!!
Por Snowy 30 de noviembre de 2004
A insult meaning a fish which can fly into walls for 5 days a year
Arse off wank fish, cos' u be da skankiest ho I ever seen fish-side! Spank
Por bob the pimp ass hoe bitch skank tramp 19 de marzo de 2004


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An inspiration HTML theme that will make your website the first stop when it comes to inspire people to create. A great choice if you want your minimalist website to let the content shine.
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SIZE .56 oz
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Serves 4 |
Prep Time 15 minutes |
Cook Time 10 minutes
1 pound organic extra firm tofu, drainedor firm tofu
1 Tbsp Eden Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/8 tsp ground star anise
Wrap the block of tofu loosely in a clean kitchen towel. Place a cutting board or weight on top and allow to drain for 10 minutes or longer. In a large skillet combine the oil, shoyu, garlic and star anise. Either cut the tofu into tiny cubes or crumble it through your fingers. Heat oil until sizzling, stir in tofu, taking care to distribute the seasoning evenly. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until tofu is golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Use as directed in Eden's Asian Noodles with Golden Tofu Nuggets. recipe. Also delicious in a vegetable stir-fry.
American, Appetizer, Eastern, Good/High Protein, Japanese Food, Macrobiotic, No Sweetener Added, Oils, Side Dish, Vegan


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Top Definition
the act of not being able to sleep due to uncontrollable urge to think about one's sexual fantasies. wild came from the popular video franchise girls gone wild and awake from its original meaning.
i was wild awake last night after seeing my crush.
লিখেছেন- printers 10 de জুলাই de 2010
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Last weekend, I reviewed The Shortest Investment Book Ever by Jim O'Donnell [3] and today I have the opportunity to interview him. I thought that Jim's extensive financial experience and his love to educate was something I should take advantage of and he willing subjected himself to my hard hitting investigative journalism. 🙂
Good morning Professor O'Donnell, I thought The Shortest Investment Book Ever [3] lived up to its billing, being both short and informative in a way that is not intimidating in the least. Often times investing related books assault the reader with a mountain of data, but not so with your book. What led you to write The Shortest Investment Book Ever?
There is no shortage of investment and budgeting books out there already. But they don't address the 401(k) and the 403(b), which is the chief retirement savings tool for about 62 million Americans. My book targets those many, many "savers" who are often overwhelmed by investment choices at work and may, therefore, do nothing or do the wrong thing.
I also don't want people paying additional money (they may not have) to get "help" which often times is, even from honest brokers, a sales pitch. But my book is also intended for those who don't have a 401(k) or a 403(b). It will help lots of people better understand Medicare, Social Security, and IRAs, which are also important aspects of retirement savings.
Were there any chapters that were cut from the book that you would have liked included?
Actually, no. In putting the I book together, my editors and I had some tussles over content. But I wanted LESS, while they wanted MORE, and kept suggesting more chapters that I might develop as briefly as I did the ones we have. Some of the chapters in the book, on, for instance, socially-responsible investing, were not my idea. I think they are good topics. But I didn't think they belonged in the SHORTEST investment book ever.
What led you to leave Wall Street and begin teaching? In your book, I get the feeling that it's a mentor speaking to a mentee; it works quite well in welcoming the novice to the world of retirement and investing.
I was a school teacher for seven years after college. In many ways, I loved it. All my life, I have wanted to have a life-long, and I hope positive, impact on others. I left teaching junior and senior high school, discouraged after our upstate New York community voted down the budget a couple of years in a row. I also seemed to think that my students were more capable of excellence than my administrators thought. I was then – and still am today – a demanding teacher. I'm not in the classroom to serve time and accrue retirement credit. That led to tension and some soul searching with my administrators.
So I went off to Columbia U. in New York City and got an MBA in finance and accounting with the hope of helping people in a new way. I continued to try to do that with clients and staff as I rose in the mutual fund world for a couple of decades. Then, a powerful, reorienting, religious experience in the mid-80s caused me, in time, to leave the business world and invest in the education of the next generation. In a sense, I went back to the classroom, sort of like "back to the future."
With all the talk of a recession, what do you think most people should do to prepare for it and, should we be so lucky, what should we do to benefit from when we exit the recession?
To prepare for the recession that is upon us: We need to examine our own houses. We need to spend less, save more – sometimes LOTS LESS. We need to discipline our sometimes crazy natures to understand the difference between WANTS and NEEDS. I'm convinced that contented people – which should be our goal – don't necessarily get what they want but they learn to live with and maybe like what they get.
For those near retirement, the recent market drubbing is, of course, more challenging. We may need to defer some dreams, keep working a bit longer, and rework our budgets and plans. We may need to learn to live on less and reinvigorate such easily overlooked joys as time with family and friends, being or becoming involved in community or church work, even enjoying simple, cheap pleasures, like a movie at home with friends or family.
We've got to challenge the cockamamy notion that, if I don't spend a lot of money, we can't enjoy life or that we're not a "success". Nonsense! For those of us – even if we're near retirement – and still saving for retirement, check your asset allocations. Get them back in line. Don't let the numbness of the disaster knock us silly or punchy.
Don't chase the "hot" asset of today – cash or Treasuries – as if that will save you. (It won't.) What you can save in your retirement plan today is being accumulated at bargain basement prices. This is especially helpful the farther we may be from retirement, but it can help "oldsters", too. Young people are going to be great beneficiaries of this meltdown, if only they have the courage and discipline to save and accumulate quality, low-priced funds at these once-in-a-lifetime prices.
To benefit when we exit this recession: (And we will!) Read the above comments on preparing fro the recession.
I read a brief biography about you and saw that you had an extensive history of working with wealthy investors during your time at investment powerhouses such as Fidelity. What sorts of things have the wealthy done "right" with their investments that everyone can incorporate into their strategy?
The wealthy also can spend foolishly. But the smart ones are not extravagant. They know that capital is hard to make and still harder to accumulate. Many live very modestly, dressing and driving, for instance, NOT to stand out. Many have strong families and good marriages. A family breakup is a powerful stimulus to poverty, whatever we had before the blowup.
So, stability is something that the wealthy seem oftentimes to have. Many wealthy people I worked with are far less risk-oriented than one might expect. They almost sense that they have been lucky and don't want to test fate. Much of their risk taking may be confined to a business, say, not to their investments. They – the smart ones – don't put too many eggs in one basket, even if the baskets can be very large.
What do they do wrong that we should try to avoid?
Hard to generalize there. But it wasn't investment stuff that marked "what they did wrong." After all, they were paying me for advice. What the most foolish of the wealthy I met or worked with did was to let their pride or arrogance or the certainty that money can fix or buy anything go to their heads. Some feel that money is the standard by which all – including everyone around them – is to be measured. While most wealthy people I worked with were good folks, some were certifiable jerks – just like some of us who have no money. I worked with lottery winners, sports, movie, and TV stars that were princes and princesses and with others in the same fields who seemed to think everyone was a bellhop or a porter, fortunate to be in their presence and to take their abuse.
One question I've often asked myself is, knowing what I know about life in general, what advice would I give to myself ten years ago. Given your experiences and knowledge, what advice would you have liked to give yourself many years ago? (financial, or otherwise!)
What an interesting question, Jim.
First, I'd say that the important stuff is the relational stuff, not the money stuff. The money stuff is just a "funding vehicle" to enhance the relational. In the end, PEOPLE matter, not stuff or things. On the other hand, we have to be good stewards of much of the stuff and things we have been given. I'm a person of faith, so I put my trust in unseen things. I know others of great faith who seem to despise "stuff and things" and seem to value only what is eternal and invisible.
Here, I beg to differ with them. While we are in this world, we must not treasure our "stuff," but neither should we neglect or misuse important, helpful things -even money – we have. They can helpfully serve us and others and, when cared for, can last, making us able to spend more on others or other NEEDED things. I'm uncomfortable with both those who think money is the measure of all things AND, too, with those who think it is the measure of nothing, that it is meaningless. The latter folks practice irresponsibility and think it is faithfulness or praiseworthy selflessness.
Lastly, I would say we all need to do the best we can with the gifts and talents we have been given. I think I used to believe that life would get easier as I grew older. It has not. It's hard. There's trial. There's suffering. There's reversal. There's loss. (See my first book at www.lettersforlizzie.com [4].) But there's lots of joy and lots of beauty. too. We have to manage through it all, not just through the good or the easy. We have to avoid fantasizing, too — a real, real problem in a world of endless pop culture and celebrities.
We need – all of us, young and old – to finally grow up into mature people who can make this broken world a better place for us and others.


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Johnny Depp says his young two children have coped very well with his 2012 split from their mother, his former partner of 14 years, actress and model Vanessa Paradis.
Speaking with Charlie Rose on CBS This Morning Monday, Depp said honesty guided the family in handling the breakup.
"When you have children, there is no room for lies, no room for anything but the truth. Anything other than that is a bad example, I believe," said Depp, father of Jack, 11, and Lily-Rose, 14.
"We were just very truthful with them and they were just incredibly understanding, incredibly accepting. I was extremely proud of them, the way they dealt with it."
Depp, who plays sidekick Tonto to leading man Armie Hammer in the new film adaption of The Lone Ranger, opening July 3, said he's also grown more comfortable as he ages, noting that playing a No. 2-role suits him just fine.
"I would rather be a Keith than a Mick," Depp, a musician who has played in bands, said of the Rolling Stones' hierarchy of Richards and Jagger.
He is also fine with aging, saying his 50th birthday June 9 opened the door for more freedom in his life.
"I suppose the only thing at 50 you can really start to look forward to is just total irresponsibility," he joked about aging. "As you get older you can just sit in a chair, wear anything you want, you know you can walk down; old people dress cool. You know they wear sweatpants. The elderly have it down."
It will be sometime, however before he can shirk parenting duties and let himself go. He said his children have made him grow up and have forced him to stay responsible just a bit longer as they grow up.
"You know you start getting hit with some very interesting situations in life, you as a parent when they approach that teenage area, which is frightening because you still have memories of that age and the things you were doing at that age…. Please don't do what I did."
Johnny Depp Says Honesty Guided Split with Vanessa Paradis
Gregg DeGuire/Filmmagic


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Fedorov would be an idiot not to reach out to Datsyuk and make an offer.
It's not like he did anything underhanded. Even in the article he's professional and completely understanding of Datsyuk's decision. I don't get what people are up in arms about, other than already having a chip on their shoulder about Fedorov.


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Facilitating Experience-based Learning in Groups: A Method for Capturing Lessons Learned
Kopra, Miia-Johanna
Publication type: Doctoral dissertation
Issue date: 2012-10-26
Belongs to: Tampereen teknillinen yliopisto. Julkaisu - Tampere University of Technology. Publication; 1077
University: Tampereen teknillinen yliopisto - Tampere University of Technology
Faculty: Teknis-taloudellinen tiedekunta – Faculty of Business and Technology Management
Department: Tiedonhallinnan ja logistiikan laitos – Department of Business Information Management and Logistics
An increasing number of the organizations use projects and working in teams to achieve their strategic objectives, and to adapt to the changing business environment. When the project teams cannot exploit previously established, organizationally embedded routines and operating practices, they need to develop new ways of working. If the projects do not analyze their experiences to see what worked, what did not, what can be changed and what must be managed, most likely, the group routines remain unchanged and inconsistent with the changed operating environment. Usually, the projects do not engage in the learning by themselves, e.g. due to lack of time and the other responsibilities having a higher priority. Therefore, the learning process needs to be prompted and structured, to be meaningful and useful for the project teams. In this study, a facilitation method is designed for capturing the lessons learned in a group of 5-20 persons, to improve the group routines. The method structures the experiential learning process so, that the group members' experience and knowledge can be articulated, captured and prepared for the use in the own group, or for the transfer to the other group. The method is based on the causal relations of the elements affecting knowledge creation and sharing in the groups. These elements are identified in the theoretical part of the study, and the causal relations of the selected elements are assessed with the case studies in the empirical part of the study. This dissertation contributes to the theory by illustrating the causal relations of the elements affecting knowledge creation and sharing in the groups, and by modifying the 4i framework of organizational learning. Practical implications are twofold. Understanding the causal relations of the elements, helps the organizations plan actions to support the learning activities. The created facilitation method offers a simple and easy to implement tool for capturing experience-based learnings in the groups, thus providing an opportunity for the groups to modify their routines to better match their operating environment. Additionally, the group members' involvement in defining the group routines increases their motivation to follow the routines in the daily work.
Copyright: This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.


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Nightlife Photos
Party Pics: DIFFA Dallas throws a swanky auction preview bash at Candleroom
Photo: Jerry McClure/Special Contributor
Johnny Mowad, Rachelle Ambrose and Larry Hackett at the House of DIFFA preview party Thursday night at Candleroom in Dallas.
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