text:
Report a doctor's dubious practices, go to jail?
Althought I and other SBM bloggers have criticized state medical boards for not doing enough to protect patients from physicians who practice pseudoscientific medicine and quackery, they do nonetheless serve a purpose. Moreover, critical to medical boards doing even the limited amount of enforcement that they do is the ability of health care providers or other citizens to submit anonymous complaints against physicians who are not practicing up to the standard of care or who may be in other ways taking advantage of patients. Unfortunately, the other day I found out via one of the that I frequent of a very disturbing case in Kermit, Texas. Two nurses who were dismayed and disturbed by a physician peddling all manner of herbal supplements reported him to the authorities. Now, they are facing jail:
In a stunning display of good ol' boy idiocy and abuse of prosecutorial discretion, two West Texas nurses have been fired from their jobs and indicted with a third-degree felony carrying potential penalties of two-to-ten years' imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10,000. Why? Because they exercised a basic tenet of the nurse's Code of Ethics — the duty to advocate for the health and safety of their patients.
The nurses, in their 50s and both members of the American Nurses Association/Texas Nurses Association, reported concerns about a doctor practicing at Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit. They were unamused by his improperly encouraging patients in the hospital emergency department and in the rural health clinic to buy his own herbal "medicines," and they thought it improper for him to take hospital supplies to perform a procedure at a patient's home rather than in the hospital. (The doctor did not succeed, as reportedly he was stopped by the hospital chief of staff.)
How can this be? This is how:


text:
Thank you for showing interest in this item. You will be notified by email as soon as this item is available to purchase.
The item you selected has already been subscribed to notify to this email.
System error: Failed to submit email, please contact website administrator.
(based on 3 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Reviewed by 3 customers
Displaying reviews 1-3
Back to top
Just what I was expecting!
By MK
from Pennsylvania
About Me Educator
Best Uses
Comments about Learning Resources Primary SAFE-T® Ruler:
I bought these rulers to make learning to measure to the nearest inch, half inch, quarter inch, and centimeter easier for my students to measure more accurately. I look forward to sharing them with my class!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Comment on this review
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
great manipulative for grandchildren
By love to teach
from Virginia
About Me Education Oriented, Grandparent
these were purchased to allow grandchildren to share with classmates
Primary Safe-T Ruler
By petitchevi
from North Carolina
About Me Education Oriented, Parent Of Two Or More Children
I am using this product for introduction of measuring. This is perfect for little hands and grasping the concept of using a ruler. Measurements start right at the edge of the ruler, so it is simple for the little ones to understand. Basic and simple.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Fujifilm HS50 EXR sits at the top of Fuji's long-zoom offerings, with a 42x zoom and EXR technology. Find out how it performs in the What Digital Camera Fujifilm HS50 EXR review
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR review – Features
Fujifilm states, for example, that the HS50 EXR boasts the world's fastest AF system of any compact camera in its High Performance mode, with focus times being as short as 0.05 seconds. This is partly thanks to the incorporation of sensor-based phase-detect pixels, which, with the more standard contrast-detect method provide an Intelligent Hybrid AF system, but it's also attributed to the HS50 EXR's processor.
Dubbed EXR Processor II, this is said to achieve processing times twice the speed of the previous-generation EXR Processor. Fujifilm also claims this enables a start-up speed of just 0.5 seconds, while also facilitating an 11fps burst mode (at full resolution) for up to six frames.
The HS50 EXR 1/2in 16MP EXR CMOS II sensor works on the same principle as previous EXR sensors, in that it can alter its colour filter array depending on the shooting situations. Its three modes allow it to switch between High Resolution, Wide Dynamic Range and High Sensitivity and Low Noise options.
LCD screen
Other features of the HS50 EXR include an articulated LCD screen which presents details with 920k dots. Above this there's an electronic viewfinder, with an equally impressive 1.44m dots, while the top-plate's hotshoe allows external flashguns to be used with the camera.
The HS50 EXR is one of the few superzoom cameras to also offer a Raw shooting option for those who want to take processing into their own hands, while full HD video recording can be set to capture at up to 60fps. There's also the option to shoot at 11fps (at maximum resolution for up to five frames), as well as focus peaking when manually focusing.
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review – Design
The HS50 EXR breaks away from the norm somewhat by having a rubber-like casing, in contrast to the more matt plastic finishes of its peers, which feels pleasing. The grip is significant, as is the space on the rear devoted to the thumb rest, and as both are lined with a mottled rubber the user is able to get excellent purchase.
It's also great to find the indicator lamp bright and prominently positioned in the back, something which is sadly not found across all such cameras as standard.
The rubber ring around the lens also has a deeply ridged texture and is around an inch-and-a-half long, which goes some way to providing a DSLR-like handling experience.
The command dial moves easily when turned with the thumb, while the mode dial shows just enough resistance to keep it in place throughout general carrying around and operation. True, it's not a small camera, but it's largely because of this that it can be handled so well.
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review – Performance
Fujifilm's claims of speedy focusing with the HS50 EXR are borne out through testing; at the wideangle end in particular the camera confirms focus in a remarkably short time, and even at the other end it copes admirably, despite the hunting common to all such models in low light. Focusing is also remarkably silent, which makes the camera more suitable when discretion is required.
The HS50 EXR's write times are also excellent, with no slowdown when capturing JPEGs on their own in quick succession, and only around seven or eight simultaneous Raw and JPEG captures starting to slow the camera down. Fujifilm also claims that the camera's shot-to-shot time is just half a second; even when shooting Raw images it appears to be about this fast. Shutter lag is also virtually non-existent.
The performance of the HS50's viewfinder is perhaps the camera's most impressive feature. It's detailed enough for manual focusing, even at longer focal lengths, while the LCD only really falters when used in particularly bright conditions (although a Sunlight-specific brightness option is on board).
There's little that really lets the camera down, aside from the slight lagging throughout menu operation, which makes selecting options in a hurry slightly more difficult.
Image Quality
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR review – Image Quality
The HS50 EXR's metering system is generally sound, although it does have a slight tendency to underexpose at times, particularly when faced with large, bright areas such as skies. Typically this only requires exposure compensation to be adjusted by no more than 1EV stop, although it does have the effect of keeping details in highlights and retaining colour in skies.
Colours are relatively lifelike, although the Auto White Balance system can at times render the scene with a slightly cold cast. This is easily remedied by the WB Shift function which allows a slight bias to be applied towards specific hues.
Noise control is perfectly reasonable throughout the ISO range, although the highest few settings are JPEG only, and images captured at ISO 6400 and above are output at a lower resolution. Naturally there is some loss of detail through noise reduction, which leaves images a little smooth, but then the same is true of many other cameras when pushed to their highest sensitivities. Nevertheless, a good amount of detail prevails, and if you shoot Raw images you can eek even more out with some careful post-production.
Sadly, the HS50 EXR is let down by relatively poor video quality. Although footage is smooth, there's far less detail than in video from similar models, and worse audio quality too. It's also awkward to operate the zoom as this needs to be adjusted manually by turning the ring around the lens, which introduces camera shake.
Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR review – Verdict
The HS50 EXR is one of the most fully-featured superzoom cameras currently available, with a superb focusing system, excellent viewfinder and ergonomic design to recommend it.
Despite sub-par video quality, images are detailed and relatively noise-free throughout the range and the ability to capture and process Raw files only furthers the standard achievable from the camera. It's not the smallest or lightest superzoom currently available, but it's certainly one of the best for around the £400 mark.


text:
Meryl Davis and Charlie White became the first Americans to win Olympic gold in ice dancing on Monday.
The reigning world champions beat out defending ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada, who finished with the silver medal.
Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia finished third for the bronze medal.
The medalists finished in the same order they were in following the short dance portion on Sunday.
Davis and White, both from Michigan, won silver at the 2010 Winter Olympics and are the reigning world champions. The two have been skating together since 1997.
They also won a world championship in 2011 and are six-time (2009-2014) U.S. champions and five-time (2009-2013) Grand Prix Final Champions.
They gave a hint of what they are capable of with their performance in the ice dance portions of the team figure skating event, topping the field with both their short and free skate programs. Despite their performance, Team USA finished with bronze in the event's Olympic debut.


text:
"The work of Catholic Answers was instrumental in bringing me back to the Church. With the help of God's grace, I was then able to help bring my wife back too. Keep up the good work!"
~ Daniel, Harrogate, Tennessee
0 results sorted by popularity
"Love men, slay error; without pride be bold in the truth, without cruelty fight for the truth."
~ Augustine of Hippo, prescribing sincerest love for the erring with keen repugnance for the error to which they cling, anticipating the very definition of true civic tolerance, as detailed in the article Religious Toleration.


text:
- 21 & over
- Two item minimum
Denver, CO
Comedy Central Certified
Share with your friends:
James Johann
Purchase Tickets
Show Details
- Ticket Price: $0.00
- Door Time: 6:30 PM
- Show Type: Stand Up
21 & over
Two items minimum
Performing Artists (Click on Artist for Reviews and Previews)
James Johann
James Johann is now among one of the most popular acts touring the nation today. With a hometown charm and a deliciously quick wit, James has been a long-time staple of the Midwest comedy circuit. From Chicago to Houston, Erie to El Paso James' small town upbringing makes him a familiar favorite in the heartland of the country. However, James is just as comfortable playing the biggest stages and events up and down either coast and has made several appearances on national television and radio shows. James' "Rural Genius" persona is gaining popularity daily as more and more fans find that they can relate to his self-deprecating style of homespun horse sense.
James has delivered powerful performances alongside some of the top-grossing names in the comedy industry: Jeff Foxworthy, Larry The Cable Guy, Ron White, Lewis Black, Tracy Morgan and Kevin Nealon to name just a few. He is comfortable on any size stage and never leaves a crowd disappointed. James has been a national touring headliner in his own right for nearly ten years, during which time his writing and performance skills have only grown stronger. Don't be fooled by his boyish grin or midwestern charm; James is no backwoods rube. James relies more on his brain than the profane and he just may be one of the nation's best kept secrets.
In July 2004 James performed in the New Faces of Comedy category at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. James was featured on Comedy Central's Premium Blend in 2005. Additional appearances include The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in 2006 and CMT's Comedy Stage in 2008. James just completed taping Byron Allen's Comedy TV which will air later this year.
Upcoming Shows
- Sun 12.4.16 - 7:30 PM Faizon Love Buy Tickets
- Wed 12.7.16 - 6:00 PM A Freaking Fun Funny Time with Olan Buy Tickets
- Thu 12.8.16 - 12.11.16 Finesse Mitchell Buy Tickets
- Thu 12.15.16 - 12.18.16 brandt Tobler Buy Tickets
- Thu 12.15.16 - 12.18.16 Jeff Dye Buy Tickets
- Tue 12.20.16 - 12.23.16 Dante Buy Tickets
See All Shows


text:
So far in the cryptosystems series, we have taken a look at general cryptographic terminology and the SSH cryptosystem (including configuration). In today's article, I'll start off with how VPNs work and then concentrate on the IPSec standard.
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a cryptosystem that allows you to secure your data as it travels over an insecure network such as the Internet. While this may sound similar to the SSH cryptosystem, VPNs have a different purpose. SSH was designed to allow a user to login securely to and remotely administer another computer. A VPN is designed to allow a user to access transparently the resources of a network. As far as the user is concerned, she will be able to do anything she normally would be able to do, even when she is away from the network. Because of this, VPNs are popular with telecommuters and with offices that need to share resources over physically separate locations.
Before configuring a VPN, you should be aware of the terminology it uses and some of the configuration pitfalls. Let's start with some terminology. A VPN always consists of a point-to-point link known as a tunnel. The tunnel itself occurs over the insecure network which is usually an Internet connection. A point-to-point link means that it is always between two computers which are referred to as peers. Each peer is responsible for encrypting the data before it enters the tunnel and decrypting the data as it leaves the tunnel.
Even though the VPN tunnel is always between two peers, each peer can set up tunnels with other peers. For example, if three telecommuters were to establish a VPN to the same office, there would be three separate VPN tunnels to that office. However, each tunnel would share the same office peer. This can occur because it is possible for a peer to encrypt and decrypt data on behalf of an entire network as seen in Figure 1:
Figure 1 -- a VPN gateway to a network
When this occurs, the VPN peer is also known as a VPN gateway, and the network behind the gateway is referred to as the encryption domain. It makes sense to use a gateway for several reasons. First, all users are required to go through the same device, which makes it easier to administer a security policy and control which traffic is allowed in and out of the network. Second, it would quickly become unworkable to set up separate tunnels for every PC a user wanted to access. (Remember, a tunnel is a point-to-point link). With a gateway, the user initiates a tunnel to the gateway and is then allowed access to the network, or encryption domain, behind that gateway.
It is interesting to note that no encryption occurs within the encryption domain. This is because that portion of the network is considered to be secure and under your administrative control while the Internet is considered to be insecure and beyond your control. This also makes sense when using two VPN gateways to connect two offices. It ensures all data is encrypted as it traverses the insecure link connecting the two offices. Figure 2 shows a VPN connecting two offices:
Figure 2 -- a secure network over an insecure network
Network A is considered to be the encryption domain of VPN Gateway A, and Network B is the encryption domain of VPN Gateway B. When a user on Network A wishes to send data to Network B, VPN Gateway A will encrypt the data and send it over the VPN tunnel. VPN Gateway B will decrypt the data and send it to the destination in Network B.
Remember transport mode and tunnel mode from Cryptographic Terminology 101? Whenever two VPN gateways are used to connect two networks, they always use tunnel mode. This means that the entire IP packet is encrypted and a new IP header is added. That new IP header contains the IP addresses of the two VPN gateways. This adds an extra benefit in that a packet sniffer will only see the IP addresses of the gateways. There is no way to identify a source computer in the first encryption domain or a destination computer in the other encryption domain.
Compare this to Figure 1, which shows the other use of a VPN, allowing remote users with laptops and users who work from home to access the resources at the office network. In order for this to work, the user needs VPN client software installed on their PC to negotiate a VPN tunnel with the office VPN gateway. In this scenario, tunnel mode is still used as the remote user wants to access the resources within the encryption domain rather than the resources on the VPN gateway itself. The only time transport mode is used is when one computer wants to access another computer directly.
There are many options for VPN gateways and VPN clients. There are hardware VPN appliances and VPN software that can be installed on routers or PCs. Your FreeBSD system comes with software that allow you to set up either a VPN gateway or act as a VPN client. There are also additional applications in the ports collection, which allow interconnectivity with other VPN peers on non-FreeBSD systems.
Fortunately, there are also plenty of VPN resources, FAQs and configuration tips on the Internet. My favorites include Tina Bird's VPN Information, VPN Labs, and the Virtual Private Network Consortium (VPNC).
Regardless of the VPN software being used, all VPNs share the following behaviors:
There are several standards which dictate how the above occurs. You may have heard of some of them: L2TP, PPTP, and IPSec. Since IPSec is the standard that most VPNs support, and it also has the most acronyms to wade through, I'll devote the rest of this article to IPSec.
The IPSec standard was designed to add security to the IP protocol. It does this by using protocols which add additional headers, also called encapsulations, to an IP packet. Since IPSec is an Internet standard, there are RFCs (Request For Comments) for IPSec and the protocols it uses. If you are interested in the inner workings of IPSec, the following RFCs are useful references and can be found at http://www.rfc-editor.org/:
RFC 2401 IPSec
I'll give a brief overview of each, so you will have the necessary information you'll need to understand the next article when I demonstrate configuring an IPSec VPN using a FreeBSD system. Let's start with the acronyms and then see how they fit together to create an IPSec VPN.
AH is the Authentication Header protocol. It provides integrity by ensuring that none of the bits in the portion of the packet being protected were tampered with during transit. I won't get into the details of which portion of the packet is protected and where in the packet the AH header is added as that depends upon the encryption mode and is covered in detail, with diagrams, in the RFC. Additionally, using AH can be problematic, especially if the packet passes through a NAT device. NAT changes the IP address in an IP packet to allow a private source address to access the Internet. Since the packet changes, it won't match the AH checksum. Also, AH was designed only to provide integrity. It does not provide privacy by encrypting the contents of the packet.
ESP is the Encapsulating Security Protocol and it provides both integrity and privacy. In transport mode, the ESP header is placed between the original, clear text IP header and the TCP or UDP header. In tunnel mode, the ESP header is placed between the new IP header and the original, completely encrypted IP packet.
Related Reading
Virtual Private Networks
Since both AH and ESP add an additional header, they have an associated protocol ID so the IP header knows to look for an AH or an ESP header. You may remember from TCP Protocol Layers Explained that each type of header has a number associated with it. For example, TCP is 6 and UDP is 17. If you are using IPSec behind a firewall, you have to remember to create a rule allowing the AH and/or ESP protocol ID. AH has a protocol ID of 51, and ESP has a protocol ID of 50. When making your firewall rule, remember that a protocol ID is not the same as a port number.
The third protocol used by IPSec is IKE, or the Internet Key Exchange protocol. As its name suggests, this protocol is used to manage the exchange of keys between the two VPN peers. While it is possible to generate the key manually, it is better and certainly much more scalable to allow the IKE protocol to do this for you automatically. Remember, you want the keys to change often, and you don't want to rely on yourself to remember to find time to do this manually on a regular basis. However, do remember to create a rule in your firewall to allow UDP port 500 as this is the port used by IKE.
The SA, or Security Association, is the IPSec term for a connection. When a VPN is established, one SA pair is created for each protocol used (i.e. one for AH and one for ESP). SAs are created in pairs as each SA is one directional, so two are required (one for each direction). These SA pairs are stored at each peer. If your peer has SAs, it means that a VPN tunnel has successfully been established.
Since each peer is capable of establishing multiple tunnels with multiple peers, the SAs have a unique number so you can tell which SAs belong to which peers. That number is called an SPI or Security Parameter Index.
SAs are stored in a database which is called, surprisingly enough, the SAD or Security Association Database. We will see this database again when we set up an IPSec VPN.
Each IPSec peer also has a second database, the SPD or Security Policy Database. This database contains the policy you have pre-configured on the peer. Most VPN implementations allow you to create multiple policies so you can choose the algorithm combinations which are suited to each peer with which you want to establish.
What sort of configuration goes into a policy?
When creating the policy, it is usually possible to create an ordered list of algorithms and Diffie Hellman groups. The first to match on both peers will be used. Remember, it is very important to ensure that everything in the policy will allow for a match on the peer. Even if everything else in the policy matches but one portion does not match, the peers will be unable to negotiate the VPN. If you are configuring a VPN between two different types of systems, you should take the time to research which algorithms each system supports, so you can choose the most secure policy from what is available.
Now, let's see how all of this works together. Establishing and maintaining an IPSec VPN tunnel occurs in two phases. In Phase One, the two peers negotiate an authentication method, encryption algorithm, hash algorithm, and Diffie Hellman group. They also authenticate each other. All of this can occur in either three clear text packets (known as aggressive mode) or in six clear text packets (known as main mode). Assuming this is successful, a Phase 1 SA (also called an IKE SA) is created and the peers move on to Phase Two.
Also in FreeBSD Basics:
In Phase Two, the keying material is generated, and the two peers agree upon the policy that will be used. This mode, which is called quick mode, differs from Phase One in that it can't occur until after Phase One is successful and all of the Phase Two packets are encrypted. This makes troubleshooting a little more difficult as it is possible for Phase One to be successful but Phase Two to fail. If Phase Two is successful, it will result in a Phase 2 SA, also called an IPSec SA, and the tunnel will be fully established.
When does all of this occur? The very first time a packet arrives at a peer with a destination in another encryption domain, the peer will initiate Phase One with the peer associated with that other encryption domain. Assuming both peers successfully establish the tunnel, the tunnel will stay up, ready to receive packets. However, the peers will re-authenticate each other and re-compare their policies at a pre-configured time. This time is known as the Phase One or IKE SA lifetime.
The peers will also re-negotiate the key that is used to encrypt and decrypt the data at another pre-configured time known as the Phase Two or IPSec SA lifetime. The Phase Two lifetime is shorter than the Phase One lifetime as you do want to change the key often. A typical Phase Two lifetime is 60 minutes. A typical Phase One lifetime is 24 hours.
It is your job to ensure both peers are configured with the same lifetimes. If they are not, it is possible for the tunnel to be established initially, but then cease to work when one of the mis-matched lifetime periods arrives. You will also encounter strange problems if the Phase One lifetime is shorter than the Phase Two lifetime. If a previously working tunnel appears to hang, one of the first things to check is the two lifetime settings on each peer. Also, if you do change a policy on a peer, it won't take effect until the next time Phase One occurs. If you want your change to take effect immediately, you need to remove the SAs for that tunnel from the SAD. This will force a renegotiation using your new policy parameters.
We now have enough background information to create an IPSec VPN on your FreeBSD box. A demonstration of the required configurations is the subject of the next article.
Dru Lavigne is a network and systems administrator, IT instructor, author and international speaker. She has over a decade of experience administering and teaching Netware, Microsoft, Cisco, Checkpoint, SCO, Solaris, Linux, and BSD systems. A prolific author, she pens the popular FreeBSD Basics column for O'Reilly and is author of BSD Hacks and The Best of FreeBSD Basics.
Read more FreeBSD Basics columns.
Return to the BSD DevCenter.
Copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.


text:
Musical Fidelity EB-50
"Hi, I've recently got my EB-50, and straight out of the box, I had to adjust my ears to the flat sound signature. the sound is clinical and dry but very true. Coming from the luscious RE-262 (difficult to drive, mid-centric but with extremely great soundstage), the EB-50 were extremely fast and I loved the soundstage that as a out-of-the-head feeling that almost seems not coming from the..." --Kressel
SI500 - Sound Clarity Sound Isolating In Ear Earphones w/Linx Audio and Remote/Mic - Copper
The SI500 Sound Clarity Noise Isolation In-Ear Headphones with Mic/Remote from Able Planet provide lifelike sound in a compact and lightweight design. The headphones have a triple-element architecture with 15mm and 7mm neodymium drivers and magnetostrictive Linx Coils to provide clear audio with a wide frequency response. They also have the patented and award-winning LINX AUDIO technology,...


text:
"You have helped me in so many intangible ways! I have grown in my knowledge and wisdom by reading your excellent materials and viewing your videos. I have passed along insight to my friends and family. I'm proud, blessed and happy to be an avid (ardent, dedicated, enthusiastic, keen) Catholic!"
~ Carmen, Simi Valley, California
"It must be understood that the bishop is in the Church and the Church in the bishop and he is not in the Church who is not with the bishop."
~ St. Cyprian of Carthage, bishop, martyr; in early writings (Epist., lxvi, 8; circa A.D. 250), noting that a man was rightly considered in schism when he disregarded the authority of his own bishop.


text: Is there still room in your carry-on for a travel guidebook? Both the recession and digital changes have cut into guidebook sales. The result: Google (GOOG) is reportedly pulling the plug on the print editions of Frommer's travel guides. The BBC has sold Lonely Planet. What do you rely on? Some Web-savvy travelers still wouldn't dream of heading out without advice in print. Others have gone all digital. Where do you stand? Are you a guidebook junkie or an app-only traveler? Take our survey below and add your thoughts.


text:
Yield: 56 cups. 1 carton Golden Grill™ Russet Premium Hashbrown Potatoes as needed, hot water (140°F to 160°F) 3 lb. smoked bacon, coarsely chopped 6 lb. coarsely chopped onions 31⁄2 qt. corn kernels 2 qt. coarsely chopped poblano chiles, veined and seeded 2 gallons reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 Tbsp. salt 4 qt. half & half 3 Tbsp. liquid smoke 31⁄2 lb. shredded Pepper Jack cheese for garnish, paprika Fill carton of potatoes to fill line with hot water. Close carton. Let stand 10 ...
Register to view this Article
Why Register for FREE?
Registering for Premium Content on Food Management will give you INSTANT access to invaluable articles and media content that industry professionals rely on. You will have access to our special reports, feature articles, and industry analysis. It's FREE, easy and quick.


text:
The Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital Auxiliary will be sponsoring their annual Tamale Sale on Friday, 22 November 2013. Tamales will be sold on a first come/first served basis @ $8.00 per dozen with regular and spicy flavors available. Tamales should be arriving at the Hospital Lobby (3349 Highway 181, Kenedy, TX) at approximately 8:00 am Friday morning. Come and get 'em while they're hot!
All proceeds from this, or any of our fund-raising efforts, directly benefit theOtto KaiserMemorialHospital. We thank you in advance for your continued support of Auxiliary efforts.


text:
GV Now
Campaign kicks off with '50 reasons for giving'
Posted on February 03, 2011
Grand Valley's Faculty Staff Campaign for 2010-2011 kicked-off this week. Campaign leaders hope to surpass last year's record setting achievements.
Last year the Faculty Staff Campaign reached its goal of having 50 percent of all faculty and staff giving to Grand Valley, setting a university record and making Grand Valley the most generous university community in Michigan. The goal was set as part of the university's 50th anniversary celebration.
More than $579,000 was raised to support student scholarships, a variety of general and programmatic funds and capital projects like the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons.
This year's kick-off events, held at both the Allendale and Pew campuses, provided materials and support for more than 140 volunteers who help lead the campaign campus-wide.
For more information on the campaign, titled 50 Reasons to Give, visit www.gvsu.edu/giving/fscampaign.


text:
Dear members,
Thank you, NarutoBase Staff
What would be your dream team SH crew?
I'd like every1 they have now, but Bon-chan added 2.
zoro shanks luffy ace dragon jinbei hancock robin rayleigh
Last edited by ringleader; 11-01-2009 at 04:22 PM.
What's the limit?
I'd like to keep the monster trio and then probably add; Jinbei, as he is a powerful non-df user and helpful in the water; Red Haired Shanks, as he is a emperor and knows how to have a good time; Hancock, as she and Luffy make a cute couple and you need at least one woman; Dragon, since he appears to be a wind or storm logia type and his powers would definitely help navigate; and probably Rayleigh as he a veteran of the seas and is one of the most knowledgeable out there.
Forum Rules


text:
Courtesy photo: Cannon Air Force Base 27th Special Operations Wing Commander Col. Tim Leahy said he expects the aircraft fleet at Cannon Air Force Base to grow to 100 in the next five years. The 27th Special Operations Wing took over command of Cannon from the 27th Fighter Wing in Oct. 2007.
By Gabriel Monte: CNJ staff writer
Cannon Air Force Base officials said significant strides have been made in modifying infrastructure and adding personnel and aircraft during its first year as an Air Force Special Operations Command installation.
The air base was marked for closure in 2005 by the Base Realignment and Closure Committee. But a successful community effort to keep the base open landed it a new mission with the Air Force Special Operations Command.
The 27th Special Operations Wing took over command of the former fighter base Oct. 1, 2007.
"I am pleased with the progress so far at Cannon Air Force Base," 27th Special Operations Wing Commander Col. Tim Leahy said. "In the year we've been here, we've focused on building up the number of people and infrastructure needed to support Air Force Special Operations Command missions."
Base officials said the base population is expected to reach 4,000 to 5,000 people by 2010.
There are 2,600 airmen and officers currently stationed at the base, according to Cannon Public Affairs Spokesman Staff Sgt. Brandon Seals .
Seals said 1,000 more personnel will be added by next summer.
In addition to personnel, Leahy said he expects the base's aircraft fleet to grow to 100 in the next five years. The present fleet at Cannon includes six C-130 aircraft and five light and medium aircraft such as the PC-12.
Leahy said infrastructure at the base including taxiways and hangars have been modified to accommodate assigned aircraft .
Local community leaders and business owners said the transition is making an impact on the community.
Weichert Realtors owner Carolyn Spence said she noticed base personnel are occupying a majority of rental residences in Clovis since July. She said military personnel are waiting for home prices to drop before purchasing a home.
Brewer Jeep Mitsubishi General Manager Loran Hill said a steady stream of special operations personnel have dropped by the dealership.
"The Jeep Wranglers and the Mitsubishi Lancers are both real popular with those guys," he said.
Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield said she is pleased with the growth of the base.
"I think it's been really beneficial for the community. It's been beneficial for the city, and we've got a good working relationship with them," she said.
She said Cannon personnel have taken steps to be involved in the community, pointing to the participation of 174 Cannon airmen Saturday during a community-wide clean up effort.
"They seem like they want to work with the community and help improve it, even so much as helping beautify (it) and things like that," Brumfield said.
President Bush signed a bill last week that included $26.4 million for construction projects at Cannon and the purchase of 10 aircraft, including six CV-22 Osprey and four C-130 aircraft, that will be assigned to the base.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who announced last year he would not seek another term for health reasons, is optimistic about Cannon's future.
"We've made good headway in getting AFSOC the resources it needs to configure the base to meet its needs, as well as overall funding to ensure the aircraft it needs are on the way," Domenici said.


text:
"Award-winning Chef Akira Back's menu of authentic traditional and modern Japanese cuisine dishes includes seasonal fish and ingredients flown in daily from the finest markets and purveyors around the world, showcased in sushi, sashimi, tempura, and hand rolls." Photo Credit: Getty Images
Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel combines the "classic cuisine of Aureole with the theatricality of Las Vegas in dishes like Olive Oil Poached Oregon Petrale Sole with Truffled Brussels Sprouts and Ahi Tuna and Veal Shank "surf and turf"" Photo Credit: www.charliepalmer.com/Properties/Aureole/LasVegas/
boucon restearunt
Bouchon is the vision of world-renowned chef Thomas Keller, who was named " America' s Best Chef" by Time magazine. Photo Credit: Bouchon.com
Miss America Contestants Visit Buca Di Beppo Restaurant
LAS VEGAS - JANUARY 23: A general view of a sign at a Buca di Beppo restaurant welcoming contestants in the 2010 Miss America Pageant January 23, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pageant will be held at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on January 30, 2010. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for BRAINtrust)
Tony Danza Prepares An Italian Feast For The Cast Of "The Producers"
Actor Tony Danza (L) and Jean Joho, chef and owner of the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, share a laugh as they prepare an Italian meal at the Paris Las Vegas October 30, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Danza made his father's Sunday sauce, which included meatballs, sausage spare ribs and braciole, for his co-stars in the production of "The Producers" at the Paris. Danza will release a father-son cookbook, "Don't Fill Up on Antipasto" on May 13, 2008. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Nove Italiano Meatball Cooking Lesson With Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola
LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 23: Television personality Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola (L) and executive chef Geno Bernardo taste meatballs as Bernardo gives the "Jersey Shore" star a meatball cooking lesson at Nove Italiano restaurant at the Palms Casino Resort October 23, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Vegas Uncork'd By Bon Appetit's Grand Tasting At Caesars Palace
Food from Rao's Restaurant is displayed at Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appetit's Grand Tasting event at Caesars Palace May 6, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment)
"Award-winning chef Luciano Pellegrini leads the kitchen of both Valentino and the casual Grill at Valentino, personally overseeing the daily changing menus and supervising the preparation of his inspired tasting menus." Photo Credit: valentinorestaurantgroup.com
Categories: Food & Drink Photo Galleries Top Spots


text:
My son has been having solids since about 6 months. He used to take them ok from me but now whenever I put him in his high chair for lunch or tea, he gets upset and when I try and feed him he takes a couple of mouthfulls and then just wants to make a mess and chuck his food all over the place. If I give him finger foods he will eat a small amount and then throw it onto the floor. I know that mess is all part of learning and I understand this but whenever my mother in law comes over, he eats all of his food with no trouble at all and never makes a fuss! He also eats his breakfast for his daddy with no trouble!
could it be that because I let him have his own spoon and let him try and feed himself that he now won't let me fed him?
My dh usually just feeds him with a spoon and lo doesnt ever try and grab the spoon or want to make a mess.
I don't understand this behaviour and it is really starting to stress me out. I dread mealtimes. Please help!


text:
Did somebody say McDonald?
They say first impressions mean everything.
James McDonald's first impression with Pirates fans was as beautiful as his performance on the mound.
Pittsburgh defeated the Rockies 5-1 thanks in part to the Southern Califonia native's stunning debut.
McDonald went six full innings allowing just four hits and one walk. The golden number for McDonald on Thursday was eight.
The newly acquired Bucco struck out the side to start the first inning. Came out firing in the second mowing down two more and at one point after facing just seven batters McDonald fanned six of them.
I was very excited to turn on FSN Pittsburgh to watch his debut. Las Angeles used him mostly as a reliever but the 25 year old has been fairly touted throughout his career as a future starter. I was proud of the Pirate's decision to give him the starting nod and all who watched the game cheering for the black and gold were pleased as well.
While I was excited I was also nervous. Listening to the pre game show on TV McDonald seemed very timid and not sure of himself. He was very soft spoken and only talked in that "player speak" giving vague responses.
He let his pitching to the talking.
What is even more impressing is that his battery mate is also new to the club. It's not like he was throwing to someone he was used to or somebody within the organization who is used to the ways and tendencies of PNC Park.
McDonald solidified himself as the Pirate's ace with his masterful start tonight. He has earned a spot in a struggling rotation and has the potential to be the leader that trickles strong starts into other pitchers.
PHOTO CREDITS: Gene Puskar, espn.com
7 Comments
As excited as I was for his performance, I think I'll hold off on saying he "solidified himself as the Pirate's ace" until a trend develops.
Well with the struggles of the Pirates pitching, maybe that 1 dominant start was enough for him to be the Ace! Congrats to McDonald🙂
I guess people now know why the Rays were giggling with excitement when the Dodgers wanted to talk about a deal with McDonald involved. Great that he made such a great immediate impact on getting a win for the Pirates.
No matter what ends uphappening for the rest of the year, this is a solid and great sign of a possbile rotation highlight for 2011.
9 weeks can change a lot of the attitude and karma of the Pirates….I see the sun rising brightly for them soon.
Rays Renegade
I hope so Matt…. Something has to give. I hope after him there will be more to follow.
I still think the Pirates have good rotation capabilities, maybe now they'll find themselves a pitching coach worthy and come back next year and suprise the sh-it out of everyone…
Have not been here in awhile, but I just found this post. Best wishes to JMac, but I must say the Dodgers did give him plenty of opportunities to establish himself as a starter. Maybe he just needed a change of scenery to thrive. Do you know the last 3 guys we've sent you in trades are all not just ex-Dodgers, but native Angelenos as well?–Lambo, McDonald and Delwyn Young.
On another subject–I wanted to ask if you've seen the movie "Chasing 3000" and if so, what you thought of it. Saw it twice here in S.D. over the last couple of weeks and really enjoyed it.
Saw it twice here in S.D. over the last couple of weeks and really enjoyed it. Premier UK stockist of men's Diesel clothes, view our extensive full range of Diesel clothing. Here at The Menswear Site,
Diesel Jeans and Diesel shirts
diesel jeans
uk diesel


text:
Public Speaking Workshop
1 day, $100 (breakfast and lunch included)
Learn the basics of message construction and delivery, and finally understand how the best communicators do it.
You'll receive practical lessons and personalized feedback, and participate in in-class exercises to make you a better, more confident public speaker.
Your instructors are communications professionals with decades of experience in public speaking instruction, so you'll benefit from their insight, real-world examples, and practical advice.
You'll learn to:
- deliver speeches professionally
- overcome common fears about speaking in public
- organize and prepare effective speeches
- think on your feet in impromptu speeches


text:
September 4, 2013 —
I sit writing this under the stars on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii. We have set up a small compound of three tents surrounding a small fire. The waves crash loud and soothing in the distance.
There are six of us, old college friends, visiting Hawaii because two of us (Emily and Andrew) are running the 26.2 miles of the grueling Kauai Marathon. (I use "us" loosely as I am part of the support team.) They have both been training for months and counting down the days to this end-of-summer Hawaiian adventure.
After two six-hour flights, I find myself the farthest west you can go without leaving the country. It feels and looks like the other islands I've been to, in the Caribbean. Side note: Spielberg shot most of "Jurassic Park" on this island, and for the first few days of exploring, we take turns getting the theme song stuck in our heads.
We spend those first few days venturing to various beautiful beaches as Emily and Andrew register for the race, drive the route and mentally prepare. We swim with sea turtles and drive up the coast to a beautiful spot called Queens Bath. It's all got an amazing sense of danger unlike anything I've experienced in the rest of the country. There are warning placards many places, and we often hear the refrain "when in doubt, don't go out." But beyond that everything seems to be free rein.
Late in the day, the sunset over the Napali Coast is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever seen, and the next day we notice that the very same view is captured on a painting hanging in our hotel room.
The weather is perfect for the most part, though the sun is hot, and despite being careful, I get a bit too much of it on my face and back. Emily patiently applies aloe, and I am much more careful over the next few days, feeling at first ridiculous, but then perfectly content in a long sleeve button-up shirt and a silly camo trucker hat that I buy from a Mexican taco stand we visit for burritos.
The day of the race we wake up early to drive Andrew and Emily to the starting line. I find it completely inspiring to see the runners lined up as the sun starts to peek up over the horizon. At 6 a.m. sharp, the race begins; the crowd moves slowly at first, but gradually picks up, and before we know it, the starting line area is empty.
Standing near mile 11 next to some Hawaiian drummers, we cheer on the runners with Hawaiian chants and a groovy beat. The only recognizable words chanted are a repeated "go go go go." Andrew passes first and kisses his girlfriend, Sam, as we all cheer and snap photos. It is lightly raining and 15 minutes later Emily smiles and waves as she passes.
We hear much about the hills in the later part of the course, and Andrew alternates back and forth with a fellow runner who passes him on every downhill only for Andrew to overtake him going back uphill moments later. There is a sense of camaraderie palpable in the air, a certain respect that the runners share for each other. It's a race, sure, but overall they are all in this together; just to finish is quite a feat.
"Here comes number 338, all the way from New York City." The announcer is having a good time as he calls out each runner's name as they cross the finish line, and local cheerleaders form a row to welcome the incoming runners.
Andrew finishes 60th in just over four hours, and Emily finishes half an hour later in four hours and 40 minutes with the largest smile on her face I've ever seen. It was surprisingly emotional because I know how much hard work went into this moment. I'm so proud of her.
Amazingly, we are back at the beach a few hours later, I'm tired just from watching them run. I don't know how Emily and Andrew are still standing.


text:
view full screen
Jet Flower Chain Belt
Style: 570106091
Out of Stock
Faceted jet teardrops form a stunning bloom on this goldtone chain belt stationed with jewels.
- 2.6" wide. Side claw closure. Soft goldtone hardware. Pearl and jet embellishment. Adjustable chain.
- Sized to wear at the hip.
- Manmade materials. Imported.
Read more… Read less…


text:
Round and round we went. I passed the 50k mark in 3:53 which was 7 minutes ahead of CR record pace. I kept telling myself to focus on my time and chill the heck out. I didn't feel like I was pressing though and I didn't feel tired, so I just kept running. In a loop course, I just start mentally pulling myself along from one landmark to the next to break up the loop. I could feel myself mentally fatiguing though my physical energy was fine. By the 50k mark, I was full out funky. I was having a "crisis of motivation". I just suddenly could not for the life of me figure out why I was running this race. I decided that my coach had pressured me into it and I didn't really want to be there. I was feeling like a petulant child and complained to Pam that I wasn't sure I was self-motivated to be there at around the 55k marker. She responded, "well, if you didn't want to be here at least a little bit, you wouldn't be here" and ran off as I eased my pace back a bit hoping that maybe an easier pace would make me more into it. By the time I came into the start/finish area at 60k, I said to Beth and Sam (Chad Rickleff's wife- another 100k teammate) "I need some motivation!!!! I am not into this!". Sam told me just to chill out and focus on my time. I took my sweet time going through the start/finish area and was 30 seconds back from Pam. I started my 7th loop, took an FRS chew from my pocket and hoped that a dose of caffeine might change my mind. I could feel my mind start to lift, I realized that I would soon be on my favorite laps and was less than a marathon from the finish. I knew that I just had to get enough momentum to get out of the 7th loop and I would find my killer instinct. Thanks to the FRS, I found it about 65k and I swallowed up the distance between Pam and I pulling along side her on the small climb up to the mile 4.2 aid station. I told her I appreciated her comment because she was right: if I didn't want to be there, I wouldn't have been there. I did want to be there and I definitely wanted to qualify for the team. She said she was feeling a bit tired and I tried to encourage her along. I was speeding up though and left her behind shortly after the aid station.
I came into the start/finish line and said, "I've stopped being a punk! I was just being a punk!". I knew I was about to turn into a machine. Even though, when I stopped to think about it, I had 18 miles remaining, I felt like I was launching my kick. I was easily maintaining my pace and had to start holding myself back in my 8th and 9th loops so I didn't get to crazy. I was still way ahead of my spilts on my hand and I started to actually consider that I might not only make the team, but win the national championship and set the course record.
I was shocked how good my legs felt. I just kept cranking, smoothly and comfortably. I zoomed around and finally made it to 90k. I wasn't sure how far up I was on Pam but I knew I couldn't take any chances. I went through the start/finish in 7:01 and got ready to hammer it home. I could hear the announcer when Pam came into the start/finish, I was 3 minutes up and knew that was not enough to rest on my laurels. I took an extra caffeine gel at the start of the loop to not take any chances bonking. I passed once more by each significant marker that had pulled me through each loop, thanking the volunteers and the spectators including one awesome lady who stood at the top of a one of the longer hills and cheered us up for the entirety of the second half of the race. It was awesome. I got to the 5k marker and saw I was on pace for my fastest lap and I felt myself growing stronger and stronger. I was excited and I was happy. I was present and enjoying the moment. It is a cool feeling to go far beyond what you thought you could. I grabbed a sip of coke at the final aid station and zoomed down the small hill on the other side. The "Arb" was my favorite part, I had about 2.2 miles to go. "Less than 18 minutes until I am done, less then 15 minutes until I am done, less than 10 minutes until I am done". I could see the start/finish through the trees, even though it is 5 minutes away. I pushed, I cranked, I extended myself. My body, surprisingly, let me.
I hit the finishing stretch and gave it a nice kick up. I could see the finishline, I checked over my shoulder a couple of times before allowing myself a smile, a huge goofy grin as I barreled into the finish line in 7:46:33. National Champion in the 100k, a new huge PR in the 100k (and in the 50 mile with a 6:17 split) and an automatic qualifier for the 100k Team USA! (Also turns out it was the 11th fastest time for an American women in the 100k-cool!)


text:
Thomas Riker
this wiki
Ad blocker interference detected!
Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers
Wikia is not accessible if you've made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected.
|Thomas Riker (2371)
|Maquis; formerly Federation Starfleet
|Imprisoned in a Cardassian labor camp (2371)
|Stardate 12286.5 (2335)
Duplicated in 2361
|Kyle Riker
|Betty Riker
|William T. Riker (transporter duplicate)
|Marital Status:
|Other Relative(s):
|Thaddius Riker (ancestor)
|Played by:
|Jonathan Frakes
|Lieutenant Thomas Riker (2369)
Thomas Riker was a result of a transporter accident in 2361 that created two William Thomas Rikers, genetically indistinguishable from each other, with personality and memories identical up to the point of the duplication. One of the duplicates continued to be known as William Riker. The other chose to use his middle name and be known as Thomas Riker.
Transporter accidentEdit
Thomas Riker's life and experiences were the same as William T. Riker's prior to 2361. In that year, William Riker, at the time a lieutenant assigned to the USS Potemkin, was leading an evacuation mission on the planet Nervala IV. The planet was notorious for its atmospheric distortion field which prevented the use of transporters and shuttles except for brief periods every eight years. During Riker's transport from the planet's surface, a second confinement beam was initiated to overcome these difficulties, with the intent of reintegrating the two beams in the transporter buffer prior to rematerialization on the ship. However, the modulation of the distortion field caused only one transporter signal to correctly materialize on the Potemkin – the second signal bounced off of the field and rematerialized on the planet's surface, unbeknownst to the rest of the crew. As a result, two identical William Thomas Rikers were created. One materialized aboard the Potemkin, and the other was left on the planet's surface, his existence going unnoticed by the crew of the Potemkin. Because the split between signals resulted in an equal distribution of Riker's transporter pattern, both of them had an equally legitimate claim to being the "real" William T. Riker.
The existence of this other William Riker (hereafter referred to as "Thomas") was discovered on Nervala IV eight years later in 2369 when the USS Enterprise-D returned to retrieve scientific research that had been left behind. With the aid of Thomas, who had altered the computer systems on the planet to aid in his survival, the Enterprise away team was able to access the information and return to the ship with Thomas.
Relationship with Deanna Troi Edit
During the time he spent on the planet, Thomas had remained deeply in love with Deanna Troi, his girlfriend at the time. Thomas had planned to meet Deanna on Risa the year of the transporter mishap, a fact upon which he had dwelt while stranded. In contrast, the Riker that beamed off-planet eight years prior was soon promoted and made his career a priority over their relationship, and never made the trip to Risa with Deanna.
Upon his rescue, Thomas told Deanna that he could not believe he had failed to meet her as planned and that he was hoping their relationship could resume. Initially, Deanna was opposed to the idea, but found herself won over despite her objections. In the end, however, Thomas decided that he could not remain on the Enterprise, while Troi's feelings for him were not strong enough for her to leave the Enterprise with him.
Divergent personalityEdit
Thomas and William clashed almost immediately due to the resentment each felt towards the other. The eight years of living different lives made them entirely different men – William evolved into a cautious and duty-driven officer while Thomas remained impulsive and reckless. As a result of conflicts with William – who was by that time a superior officer (a Commander) – Lieutenant Riker decided to leave the Enterprise. He chose to use his middle name, Thomas, to distinguish himself from his transporter duplicate. Captain Jean-Luc Picard managed to get Thomas a posting on the USS Gandhi where he could continue his Starfleet career. Upon Thomas' departure, William seemed to have accepted Thomas' existence and gave him his trombone as a parting gift. (TNG: "Second Chances")
Maquis affiliationEdit
In 2370, Thomas expressed dismay at the Federation's policies towards the Cardassians and the Federation colonies in the Demilitarized Zone, and later joined the Maquis resistance. In early 2371, Thomas, posing as William Riker, came aboard Deep Space 9 and stole the newly commissioned USS Defiant.
With Major Kira as his unwilling passenger, Thomas took the Defiant to the Orias system, deep in Cardassian space, where the Maquis believed that the Cardassians were building a fleet of warships. Major Kira accused Thomas of still acting like a Starfleet officer instead of a terrorist; more concerned with intelligence reports and interstellar politics than with simply hurting the enemy. Trying to locate the Defiant with the assistance of Commander Sisko, Gul Dukat swore that he knew nothing of the fleet in the Orias system. He was telling the truth, as the fleet had been constructed by the Obsidian Order in direct violation of Cardassian law. As the Defiant arrived at Orias, it was intercepted by a number of Cardassian warships.
Sisko achieved a compromise with Dukat and negotiated Thomas' surrender – in exchange for the Defiant's sensor scans of the secretive Orias base, Thomas' sentence would be reduced to life imprisonment in a labor camp on Lazon II, while the Defiant would be escorted back to the Federation-Cardassian border returning the rest of the Maquis crew to the Federation for trial. Thomas was initially wary of accepting the terms offered to him, but Kira pointed out that it would accomplish his mission and let his crew escape Cardassian imprisonment, even challenging his reluctance as some kind of death wish, a desire to go out in a blaze of glory in order to distinguish himself from the other, more successful William Riker.
Immediately after Thomas surrendered the Defiant to the Galor-class cruisers of the Cardassian Central Command, the Kraxon extended its shields around the Defiant to protect her from the fast approaching ships from Orias (upgraded Keldon class cruisers with markedly higher top speeds than regular ships of its class). Upon seeing this, the ships from Orias – under the command of the Obsidian Order and not technically part of the Cardassian military – turned around and returned to the Orias system.
Just before Thomas transported over to the Kraxon, Kira promised to return for him one day, but it is not known whether she ever did. (DS9: "Defiant")
Appendices Edit
Appearances Edit
- TNG: "Second Chances"
- DS9: "Defiant"
Background Edit
According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, the TNG writing staff toyed with the idea of killing off Will Riker in "Second Chances," permanently replacing him with Thomas Riker as the new ops officer and moving Data to the first officer position.
Actor Jonathan Frakes, who portrayed both Will and Thomas Riker, described Thomas as being "much less confident than Will. But he's also tender and sweeter. I think I like Tom better". (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion) The DS9 Companion also notes that Thomas' return was on a list of stories the DS9 writers were not interested in hearing pitches on.
In an interview with Jonathan Frakes provided with the TNG Season 6 DVD box set, he states that he had approached Ronald D. Moore regarding a Thomas Riker DS9 episode involving Damar's rebellion. However, this idea was not brought to fruition by the conclusion of the series.
Towards the end of DS9, a rumor that Tom was to be revealed as a member of Section 31 emerged, although Ronald D. Moore said it was not true. (AOL chat, 1998)
The name Thomas is of Aramaic origin and means twin.
Apocrypha Edit
In John Vornholt's novel Quarantine, set in 2371, Thomas transferred from the operations division to the sciences division after a conflict with the USS Gandhi first officer. He wore a blue Starfleet uniform and served as a medical courier pilot. It was in this function that he abandoned Starfleet for the Maquis, joining Chakotay and B'Elanna Torres' cell after working with them to stop a dangerous virus. According to Quarantine, it was Chakotay's idea to steal the Defiant from Deep Space 9.
In Peter David's novel Triangle: Imzadi II, also set in 2371, Thomas was freed from the Lazon II labor camp by Romulans, and had a brief affair with Sela, who believed that he was the original Riker. Driven by jealousy over news of Worf and Deanna's recent engagement, Thomas was manipulated into aiding an assassination attempt on Klingon Chancellor Gowron and Emperor Kahless, but it was averted due to Odo's interference, as Riker and Worf managed to replace the bottle that Thomas had been given – he had been told it contained poison that would only kill Gowron but it actually contained a dangerous nanovirus that would annihalate the Klingon race – with Odo. Thomas managed to escape capture, but his actions actually strengthened the Klingon-Federation alliance; believing the bottle to be poison, Thomas had been prepared to drink it himself before Gowron, thus prompting Gowron to reflect that there was still value in the alliance with the Federation if even a discredited Starfleet officer was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of their alliance. This novel also featured some reflections on Thomas's reasons for abandoning Starfleet, including the idea that he sees himself as an 'alternate' for Riker; having witnessed what Riker became as a loyal Starfleet officer, he decided to find out for himself how he would do as something else.
In the Malibu Comics Deep Space Nine title, two stories were published extending Riker's story. "Sole Asylum, Part One" and "Part Two", set at the end of 2371, showed that Riker had been taken to Cardassia Prime and that Cardassian scientists were trying to discover the secret of his duplication in order to create an army of duplicates. It was also revealed that Riker's cells were only nine years old, suggesting their complete creation at the time of the accident. Unable to rationalize the accident against the Law of Conservation of Mass and proven transporter theory, one of the scientists, a Dr. Nol, told the Cardassian High Council that he must be from an alternate dimension. Because of this, the Council decided to send him back to a labor camp.
In the computer game Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Dominion Wars, set between 2372 and 2374, a Federation Alliance mission involves rescuing Thomas from a Cardassian convoy, after which point he is available as a commander for your ships. A Dominion mission in the same game requires the player to destroy the Galaxy-class starship under his command.
In Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens' novel series Millennium, an alternate timeline found Thomas rescued from the labor camp by the Grigari. Feeling abandoned by Starfleet, Thomas joined the Bajoran Ascendancy, although he secretly worked as a double agent for Starfleet. By 2399, he was the commanding officer of the USS Opaka and was killed on Christmas Day of the same year after failing to kill Kai Weyoun. This timeline was later reset thanks to Benjamin Sisko and the crew of Deep Space 9.
The eBook "A Weary Life" revealed that, shortly before the events of Star Trek: First Contact, Will Riker still felt betrayed by Thomas' actions in stealing the Defiant. In a conversation with Deanna Troi, it was revealed that Thomas had left the USS Gandhi and her crew to join the Maquis. Thomas had been recaptured by the Cardassians after the attempt to assassinate Gowron, and had been returned to the labor camp on Lazon II. All of these feelings had Will questioning his inclusion on a mission to the DMZ assigned by Picard. The feelings came to the surface again when Will met with Kalita and discovered that Thomas had allowed himself to be captured to save his Maquis conspirators. Discovering this led Will to feel pride for his "twin," the first positive feeling he'd had since Thomas joined the Maquis.
In Star Trek Online, Thomas' son Joshua Riker can be met in the Badlands. He explains that the labor camp was eventually abandoned and that his father had led the survivors to build a community. Thomas died several years later of heart failure while carrying his critically injured wife back to camp where she died.
According to the Star Trek: Titan novel Fallen Gods, it was commonly believed by 2382 that Thomas Riker had died while in Cardassian custody during the Dominion War.
External linksEdit
- Thomas Riker at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
Featured revision (725473) • Diff to current • Blurb
es:Thomas Riker fr:Thomas Riker it:Thomas Riker nl:Thomas Riker ru:Томас Райкер


text:
Talks Offered by Our Speakers
Speakers and Events
For additional information or to book a speaker contact a Seminars Representative.
"Your threats do not terrify us, for Christ is our life, and death is our gain."
~ Saints Crispin and Crispinian, to Emperor Maximianus after he had attempted to bribe them into renouncing Christ; they were martyred for their faith


text:
See Real Housewives Alex McCord on an Old Blind Date Episode
Before the days of white wine cruises and $7,000 food-sack corsets.
Before the days of white wine cruises and $7,000 food-sack corsets.
The 10 Best Movies of 2016 — and 6 More
The 10 Best TV Shows of 2016
James Marsden Is One of the Best Actors of His Generation. Why Hasn't Hollywood Noticed?
Westworld Creators Reveal Whether Maeve Is in Control When She Gets Off the Train
Tom Ford Maintains His Position That All Men Should Get Penetrated at Least Once
What's New on Netflix: December 2016
Our Biggest Questions After the Westworld Finale
The 15 Best Albums of 2016
The 10 Best Songs of 2016
The 10 Best TV Episodes of 2016
Moore: "I live in Michigan, I don't live in the bubble."Joe Biden Denies a 2020 Presidential Run to Colbert Then Teases: 'Never Say Never'
"Hell, Donald Trump's going to be 74, I'll be 77 — and in better shape."Chris Pratt's Santa Takes a Rather Frisky Turn During a Tonight Show 'Mad Lib Theater'
"Then why did Rudolph see you spanking on the roof?"Pandora's Premium On-Demand Streaming Service Is Coming in Early 2017
For $10 a month.Natasha Lyonne and Will Arnett to Star in Show Dogs
There will also be a Rottweiler NYPD police dog voiced by Ludacris.Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Recap: Out of Your Element
Ghost Rider is starting to feel like a cheat code.Weather Channel Rains Down a Fact-Storm on Breitbart: 'Earth Is Not Cooling, Climate Change Is Real'
"To all my fellow scientists out there: lets make the facts louder than the opinion."This Is Us Recap: A Christmas Story
Beth and Randall Pearson forever.The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season Premiere Recap: Studio Fifty Bore
Don't have high hopes for this seventh season.The Safe Progressivism of This Is Us
This Is Us deals with socially significant issues. But, at its midpoint, it's still taking the easy road too often.
She may be starring as well!Fresh Off the Boat Recap: Star-Crossed Lovers
Poor Eddie Huang learns the course of true love never did run smooth.Damian Lewis Is in Talks to Play the Villain in Ocean's Eight
He will play Sandra Bullock's ex-lover and target.Will Ferrell Scores Starring Role As A Competitive Gamer in Upcoming Comedy
Ferrell will plays a middle-aged man with "exceptional hand-eye coordination."Sturgill Simpson Wishes His Grammy Nomination Went to Frank Ocean
What a humble guy.8 Best New Songs of the Week
John Legend and Donald Glover have gifted us with some late-year gems.Andreas Gursky Predicted the Future — and Present
Artists often channel the future.Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!" Is the Best P-Funk Album in Years
This is, without a doubt, the most accomplished batch of songs of Donald Glover's musical career.Weiner, O.J. Simpson Doc Make Oscars Feature-Documentary Short List
Is this the race Weiner wins?5 Things We Want From Westworld Season Two
1. Stop living in the past.


text:
Nikon Df Review - Is the new full frame Df the Nikon purists have been waiting for? Find out in the What Digital Camera Nikon Df review
Nikon Df Review
It's perhaps thanks to the likes of Fujifilm and Olympus, with their retro-inspired models such as the beautiful X100S and OM-D E-M5, that's tempted Nikon to have a stab at a retro-tinged DSLR after witnessing the success and excitement these rival models have generated.
And so we have the Nikon Df, the anticipated retro-styled full frame DSLR. Is it the camera Nikon aficionados have been waiting for or has Nikon left it too late?
Nikon Df Review – Features
Skipping past the design for a moment and lets take a look at what's under the skin of the Nikon Df. The good news is that Nikon's gone with a full frame sensor, but perhaps not the one quite few people would have opted for. Instead of using either the 24.3MP chip from the D610 or the 36.3MP sensor from the D800/E, Nikon's opted for the 16.2MP from their flagship D4 DSLR.
Personally, I see this as a much more natural and logical fit for the Df than the other two available sensors – while the extra resolution may be desired in some situations, the extra flexibility and performance of the 16.2MP chip at higher ISOs is much more in-tune with the more spontaneous situations the Df is designed for, rather than being plonked on a sturdy tripod for hours on end. That's not forgetting that it'll also be a bit more forgiving with older, pre-digital optics than the ultra-critical 36.3MP sensor would be.
While the sensor's come from the D4 the AF unit's been transferred from the D600/D610. The Multi-CAM 4800FX module offers 39-point AF points, with the central 9 points cross-type variants, with the system capable of locking on to your subject in conditions as poor as -1EV.
That's not forgetting the fact that the AF is hooked up to the Df's Scene Recognition System to allow for sophisticated predictive AF tracking in continuous AF.
Lens compatibility
The Nikon Df has not just been designed with AF lenses in mind, offering a few nice touches for those looking to use old and new manual focus lenses. The standout feature is perhaps the inclusion of a collapsible metering coupling lever that enables older non-AI Nikon lenses to be attached to the Df.
So whereas on another Nikon DSLR an non-AI lens would tend to jam when mounting was attempted, the Df's AI indexing tab can be folded out of the way, allowing you to attach one of these older optics. You'll have to tell the Df you're shooting with a non-AI lens via the menu and to meter you'll have to use the command dial on the front to set the desired aperture before setting it physically on the lens as well.
A little bit of a long-winded process maybe, but if you've got some old non-AI lenses then it's a welcome addition and something not possible on any other Nikon DSLR.
The optical viewfinder has been lifted directly from the D800, so there's a 100% field of view and a excellent magnification of 0.7x, while there's a 3.2in 921k-dot LCD display at the rear.
Interestingly, while live view is possible, the Df is the first Nikon DSLR since the D90 to go without video functionality. Whether you see this as a welcome omission or not will be down to your shooting preferences.
Continuous shooting
While its not intended for action, the Df is still capable at shooting at pretty fast 5.5fps, while the shutter has been tested for 150,000 cycles. Its a little disappointing to see a maximum shutter speed of only 1/4000sec and not 1/8000sec like the D800/E or D4, while a flash sync of 1/200sec is a little slower than the D800's 1/250sec.
Finally, the battery – the Df uses a relatively small EN-EL14a battery that's also used by the D5300 and which Nikon reckon's good for approximately 1400 shots.
While in some territories the Df will be available as a body-only option, the Df will only be available as a kit with a re-skinned AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens in the UK, with a design more in-keeping with Nikon's manual focus lens line-up. While I can see the appeal of this combination, I can't help feeling that those interested in the Df will more than likely already have a 50mm in some form or other amongst their kit and as such it would be nice to see a body-only option also available in the future.
Nikon Df Review – Design
With the Df borrowing most of its internal technology from Nikon's various parts bins, the biggest talking point about the Df is unquestionably going to be the look and feel of the thing.
There's no question that the Df has been inspired by Nikon SLRs of old, with the same angular pentaprism and leatherette-clad finish on either side of it that we've seen on the likes of the F3 and FM2/FE2. Other features and design touches that link back to the Df's heritage include the slender grip of the F3, ridged dials, the high position of the shutter button as well as reverting back to Nikon's older upright and thinner logo on the front of the pentaprism too.
The Df's a nice looking camera, but for me it doesn't quite have the same instantaneous charm that Fujifilm has managed to pull off with the X100S. I think this can be attributed to a couple things, the first being its comparatively chunky proportions.
While I accept that Nikon has had to shoehorn in a host of modern DSLR technology inside the Df, it still feels just a bit too big, especially when you pop it alongside a classic Nikon that its designed in-part to emulate, being both noticeably taller and fatter than an FE2, as well as being a bit lankier than an F3.
Weather sealing
The other issue is the finish. With the same weather-sealing as a D800 and a magnesium alloy chassis, there's no question its a durable piece of kit that's well made, but it just doesn't translate somehow once in the hand. One of the boasts is that this is the lightest full frame DSLR from Nikon yet, but I think I and quite a few other photographers would have sacrificed this for something a little more dense in feel – it just feels too light for its proportions somehow.
This is underlined with the choice of lens on the front – while zooms like the 20-35mm f/2.8 I tried balanced OK, the Df is more at home with primes on the front.
The slender and squat handgrip feels a little uncomfortable at first, but over time shooting with the Df I found it quite comfortable, though the textured finish is curiously different to that employed on the rear for the thumb rest.
It's just speculation but the material used on the front is a little more aesthetically pleasing in appearance compared to the slightly more grippy, more modern finish at the rear – it was perhaps thought this was worth the compromise for a more traditional look from the front.
Control layout
The range of additional features and controls a modern DSLR brings has naturally resulted in extra buttons and switches required on the exterior of the body, but Nikon has been rather sensitive in their positioning. Those that have used a Nikon DSLR in the past should be at home with the layout, while the manual controls for ISO, exposure compensation, exposure mode (M, S, A, P) and shutter speed are obvious enough.
While shutter speeds increase in 1EV increments, if a more precise exposure is required there's a dedicated 1/3 Step setting where shutter speed can be entered via the rear control dial – just as you would any other modern-day Nikon DSLR.
If you're in aperture priority, you can set the aperture via your lens' aperture ring or via the front command dial. Angled roughly 90 degrees differently compared to other Nikon DSLRs, its at first a little uncomfortable to adjust, but I found that after shooting with it like this it soon become second nature.
The Nikon Df is available in two colour schemes – silver or all-black, and out of the two I have to say that the matte black finish is the more successful. While they'll be those who prefer the silver, it somehow manages to look a little more painted on and dare I say it, plasticky.
Nikon Df Review – Performance
The Nikon Df's controls can be quickly and easily referenced (as an aside I'd have to say this is another advantage of opting for the all-black model as the white markings are a little easier to read than black out of silver) at waist-level. Adjustments can be made relatively quickly from this position as well, even with the slightly fiddly locking mechanisms for each dial.
When the Nikon Df's raised to your eye it's only then that adjusting dials becomes a little more awkward, specifically the positioning of the exposure compensation dial.
While it can still be set with limited hassle, it would have be preferential to have it positioned to the right of the viewfinder perhaps, sitting where the small LCD currently resides and the exposure mode dial shuffling over to the left-hand side.
This would make quick exposure adjustments that bit easier and quicker personally, functioning in a similar way to the exposure compensation dials found on Fujifilm's X-series and Sony's RX1 and Alpha 7/7R. Despite these slight niggles it has to be said there's something very satisfying about manually adjusting settings and I have to say I enjoyed shooting with the Df for the most part.
AF performance
The 39-point AF system is the same as we've seen in both the D600 and D610, so its performance threw-up no nasty surprises. The Multi-CAM 4800FX unit inside the Df is a solid and fast performer, delivering fast AF acquirement in both Single and Continuous AF, even in relatively poor light while the focus tracking is also very strong.
If 39 AF points seems a little too much, this can be reduced to 11 points, making it quicker to jump round the AF coverage. I would say though that the 39 AF points are grouped relatively tightly in the centre of the frame which may result in you having to focus and then recompose if your subject is off-centre.
Thanks to the large and bright viewfinder, manual focusing is relatively easy, while the rear display in live view allows you to quickly zoom in on the area you're focusing on to assess sharpness, though there's no focus-peaking to assist you. Speaking of the rear display, detail is razor-sharp and contrast high.
Shooting at 5.5fps and the Df is capable of shooting an impressive continuous burst of 30 Raw files with a Sandisk Class 10 card before the buffer slows up – double that of the D610, though it is having to handle the large files. If you're intending to shoot JPEGs, the Df is also strong, rattling off 100 files before the buffer needed a breather.
Nikon Df review – Image Quality
White balance and colour
The Df produce pleasing results straight of camera, with nice and neutral looking images, while I found the Auto White Balance to perform very well too. As we've seen with other recent Nikon DSLRs there's also a secondary Auto White Balance mode designed to retain the mode of the scene under artificial lighting that can sometimes look too neutral.
The Df lacks the 91,000-pixel 3D Matrix III metering sensor enjoyed by both the D4 and D800, instead employing the same 2016-pixel RGB pixel sensor used by the D610. While it would have been nice to have seen the more sophisticated sensor in the Df (particularly when it comes to portraits, where there's a bias towards the face), it still delivers pleasing exposures.
As I've found with other Nikon DSLRs that use this sensor, they'll be occasions where a little exposure compensation is necessary, with backlit scenes requiring around -0.3EV – -0.7EV to retain highlight detail and overall the Df's metering is very strong.
With the propensity for cameras to feature higher and higher resolutions, a 16.2MP sensor may seem a little behind the times when it comes to resolving detail. While it can't quite compete with the likes of 24 and 36MP sensors, it will still deliver pleasingly detailed images that can be printed out at A3+ without concern, with our test chart showing the Df's sensor is capable of resolving down to 26lpmm (lines per mm) at its native base ISO of 100.
Image Noise
The D4 has an enviable reputation at the king of image noise, delivering possibly the best image noise control we've seen (with perhaps the D3S just bettering it) from a camera, and the good news is that Df users will get to experience the same impressive results.
Both Raw and JPEG files at low sensitivities display pleasingly smooth and detailed results without any signs of image noise. At higher sensitivities at even at ISO 6400, files from both JPEG and Raw files exhibit well-controlled noise levels – JPEG files show some luminance (grain-like) noise, but its not to the detriment of the image and detail is still very good despite some signs of in-camera noise processing.
Raw files show some subtle signs of chroma (colour) noise also, but detail is just that bit better, while post-processing can tone-down the chroma noise.
Even at ISO 25,600, results are more than acceptable, and while there are more signs of image noise, its not unsightly and detail is still good. Its only at 102,400 that it really becomes an issue, with chroma noise being quite pronounced and a slight shift in colour.
Nikon Df review – Verdict
There's no getting away from the fact that the Df is a pricey piece of kit (especially here in the UK). With the retro-inspired 50mm lens it'll set you back £2749 – while considerably cheaper than the D4, quite a considerable investment over a D610 or D800 with that same, allbeit not limited edition 50mm lens.
While a lovely camera in many ways, you're paying a substantial premium for it.
It may seem I've been a little harsh on the Df in some areas – notably the build and handling, but that's because I had such high hopes for it and feel Nikon could have been a bit braver with it. I don't think I'm alone in wishing it was smaller, while the finish needs to feel a bit more special than it does to reflect the price.
Don't get me wrong though, in many ways its a great camera. If you shoot predominantly handheld shots, the images are superb, but its not quite the camera many Nikon shooters were perhaps hoping for.
Nikon Df Review – Sample Image Gallery
These are just a small selection of sample images captured with the Nikon Df. For a wider selection, including a full set of ISO shots of the What Digital Camera diorama, visit the Nikon Df review sample image gallery.
Nikon Df – Hands On Preview
Despite the hordes of press at the initial launch, we managed to lay our hands on one of two early samples to gain a better understanding of the Nikon Df's handling and performance. The first thing we noticed when the camera was passed to us was just how lightweight it feels in the hand, and coupled to the 50mm f/1.8 lens, it feels every bit as lightweight as you'd expect from a model that claims the title of being the smallest and lightest FX-camera to date.
Although the Nikon Df has lightweight characteristics, it feels on par with Nikon's high-end enthusiast and pro DSLRs in terms of the robustness, while no compromises feel as if they've been made in regard to the quality of the build either.
From the images of the Nikon Df it's hard to get an impression of the actual size and it wasn't until it was in our hands that we appreciated how much larger it is compared with what we'd originally expected. This is no bad news and with a bit more to wrap your hand around you can get a really solid grasp of the body.
With a Nikon D610 in our bag and currently on test we held the two side-by-side to compare the dimensions. What struck us were the straight lines of the Df's design, suggesting the designer used a pencil and ruler to create the angular look rather than drawing it freehand to produce a smooth and curvaceous appearance – something we've been so used to seeing on Nikon's range of FX-format DSLRs over the years.
Our initial concerns of the command dial at the front of the body being difficult to access were quickly put to rest. Though it did take us a few moments to familiarize ourselves with its position, we quickly got used to using it, but being a couple of millimeters higher could have possibly improved operation – something we'll find out when it comes to fully reviewing the camera.
The mechanical noises as first demonstrated in Nikon's pre-launch videos had us thinking it would be a noisy camera to use, but in truth it's not. The shutter does make a reassuring mechanical clunk, but it's not quite as loud as we'd expected. The noise of the mode dial, ISO and exposure compensation buttons turning was fairly quiet too.
As for button arrangement, it's entirely different to any Nikon DSLR. There are buttons dotted about the body for everything you'd expect, but even for a regular Nikon DSLR user, it felt like a camera you'd really have to use in anger a few times before you'd feel comfortable with where everything is positioned.
As we'd expect from a 3in, 921k-dot screen, images on the rear display appeared sharp and vibrant, while the magnify buttons on the left of the body fall nicely to hand. Given the option of black or chrome, we'd personally settle for black. The chrome finish pays homage to the traditional design, but somehow didn't seem to have the same premium feel of our all-black sample.
Initial impressions of the DF's autofocus speed were as fast as we'd expect from Nikon's Multi CAM 4800 AF module, however switched to Live View we did pick up on some early signs of hunting in relatively bright lighting conditions and a slower lock-on speed than some of the most recent DSLRs launched onto the market that feature dual pixel CMOS AF technology.
Our brief time with the camera didn't allow us to couple the Nikon DF with different lenses, but with the 50mm f/1.8 lens attached it felt like a very well balanced combination. The magnesium alloy covers that are used to strengthen the top, rear and bottom of the camera give it the same water and drop-resistance as the D800/D800E.
We came away from the launch of the Nikon Df with mixed opinions. While there's little to fault with its spec, features, handling and build quality, the high-price and way there are no plans for it to be sold body only were our main concerns.
Nikon Df Jeremy Walker interview
Nikon Df First Impressions
Months before it was revealed to the public, Jeremy Walker became the first person in the UK to use Nikon's new retro-styled, full frame Df DSLR when he was asked to use it to shoot the images for the brochure. In this exclusive interview with WDC Jeremy tells us how this unique opportunity came about and shares his first impressions of the camera. Nikon Df Field Review sample image gallery
What Digital Camera: So how did you end up with the first Df in the UK?
Jeremy Walker: I was approached in June by an agency based in Tokyo asking if I could help them with a project. After replying yes and signing a non-disclosure agreement the creative director, art director and I had a Skype meeting, mainly to introduce ourselves and discuss loosely the parameters for a landscape shoot somewhere in the UK.
After some research of possible locations and so forth we had another Skype meeting and it was decided that Scotland would fit the story they were trying to tell. It was on this second meeting I was introduced to the Df.
WDC: When did you first get to see it and what were your first impressions?
JW: The first time I got a glimpse of it was through the eyes of a web cam, which probably isn't the best way to get an idea of the looks, feel and capabilities of a camera, but just seeing those big old fashioned looking shutter speed and ISO dials really fired my interest. I was given no details of the cameras inner workings, sensor or of file sizes at that point but I had to admit I was intrigued by what I saw. I loved the retro looks, particularly the chrome version.
WDC: When did you first get your hands on one?
JW: I was sent a pre-production model in July to handle and get used to before we actually met up for the shoot. And what was the first thing that I did? I fitted one of Nikons f2.8 zooms, the 24-70mm, and I have to admit was disappointed with the feel of the camera and the weight distribution.
It felt very front heavy and my hands didn't fit in with the ergonomics of it. However, as soon as I attached a prime lens it was a whole different story. The balance felt very good. In my opinion the Df is made for primes, and primes are what we did ninety percent of the shoot with.
WDC: Your brief was to shoot the brochure for the Df. How much planning was involved?
JW: After the initial euphoria of being asked, reality soon hit home. I had a great deal of organising to do. We needed locations and models to sort out, access to be obtained, accommodation to be booked. Have you tried to book five rooms in central Edinburgh at short notice when the Edinburgh Festival and Tattoo are on?
Nearly a week was spent in front of the computer researching, making calls and arranging meetings. I then had a six day recce around Scotland visiting the chosen locations and briefing people about what we wanted. Everyone I met was very helpful.
Nikon Df Field Review sample image gallery
WDC: Tell us about the shoot itself.
JW: We did the shoot in August. Not the best time, with all the tourists, the slow moving caravans, and the midges. The Creative Director and Art Director from the Japanese ad agency, and their client from Nikon Tokyo, flew into Edinburgh with four Df's and all the lenses I would need for the job including Nikon's new 58mm portrait lens. And then of course there was the fifth man, my assistant Stu, who was a godsend.
Playing with a pre-production camera at home is slightly different to using it in the heat of the moment, shooting an advertising job with three clients standing over your shoulder expecting results from their new creation but we worked well together as a team despite the artistic, cultural and language barriers.
The shoot lasted eleven days. That's eleven days of near continuous use in a variety of situations and in a variety of weather – this was after all Scotland in the summer.
WDC: Did your opinions of the Df change once you used it?
JW: Yes. I had worried unnecessarily about the handling and ergonomics. With Nikon's prime lenses the Df feels right and works really well. Everything was where it should be, and not once did I feel uncomfortable using it.
The weather sealing on the Df is supposed to be as good as a Nikon D800 and I certainly had no problems with it in the drizzle and rain I encountered although I probably wouldn't give it the same abuse as I give my D3x. But let's remember, this is not a pro camera.
WDC: The EN-EL14a battery is smaller than that in the D800. How well did it last?
JW: I found the battery life to be excellent – I averaged about 1400 frames per charge. I also liked the recharging unit, as it plugged directly into the mains socket, so no need for yet another cable.
WDC: What were the qualities that you liked best about it?
JW: The layout in the viewfinder is simple and easy to see and use, as is the menu system. Those dials on the top plate are great. There is something quite tactile and pleasurable about rotating a dial rather than referring to an LED read out and it does mean you can see the information you need without putting the camera up to your eye or squinting at a reflective display.
The ISO and exposure compensation dials are easy to operate. The fact that they're positioned to the left of the prism is unusual but was not an issue at all. And as for the video mode, well there isn't one, and all I can say is well done to Nikon for acknowledging that not everybody wants to be the next Spielberg.
Nikon Df Field Review sample image gallery
WDC: Is there anything that you would change about the Df?
JW: I would have liked Nikon to have gone a little further and dropped all the modes except manual and aperture priority. This would have eliminated the need for the mode dial. Some of the internal electronic gadgetry is also unnecessary too and clutters up the menu system. Do you really need spot white balance as well as all the other re-touch modes?
Ideally I would have liked Nikon to go much further and get rid of a whole pile of electronic clutter, but I accept that they didn't design the camera just for me. It would also have been great to have a spilt image and microprism ring in the viewfinder, like my F3, for manual focusing with my old AIS Nikkors, though I didn't get the opportunity to try any of my old lenses on the Df during this shoot.
WDC: What did you think of the image quality?
JW: The Nikon Df has the sensor and workings of their top of the range Nikon D4. The D4 chip is an awesome piece of engineering and although 'only' sixteen megapixels the results are fantastic, especially when working in low light and other high ISO situations. The remarkable high ISO capability of the Df not only allowed me to shoot at 1600 as a default much of the time with clean, noise free images but pushing the camera further to 3200 and even 6400 gave superb image quality.
I photographed Portree harbour at night at 6400 ISO and at 100% I can see fine detail in the darkly lit buildings. But it is not just a high ISO camera, as images at the lower end of the range are clean crisp and sharp. I used to use a Nikon D700 which was a 12 megapixel camera and that had good high ISO useability but the Df is another big step forward. Shooting the Northern Lights? Get a Df!
WDC: How would you summarise the Df?
JW: The Df won't be everyone's cup of tea either in its looks or in the specification but in my opinion is an excellent camera. It looks good, feels good when used with prime lenses, the image quality is excellent and it is by far the smallest and lightest full frame DSLR that Nikon produce.
If you want a camera for travel, for discreet street photography or anywhere where size, weight and portability matter, but you don't want to sacrifice the qualities of full frame, this is the camera for you. I can also see a lot of pro's buying a Df as a back up camera, sitting in the corner of the camera bag ready to save the day.
Nikon Df Field Review sample image gallery
WDC: How do you feel about the pricing of the Df?
JW: I've read some comments that's it's too expensive, but I disagree. You're basically getting what is essentially a D4, which costs over £4000, in a classically styled but less rugged body, for under £2800, which I consider to be very good value for money.
WDC: Would you buy one yourself?
JW: Absolutely. In fact I already have one on order, in chrome of course.


text:
Rachel Johnson was trapped in her wrecked car and spent hours waiting for help.
No email address was supplied by
To complete your registration on this site, please supply an address.
Please confirm or modify the email address to which you will have subscription offers sent.
For a more personalized experience, please supply the following optional information.


text:
Freedom Newspapers
At first glance it looks just like what South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham called it: an "unbelievably tone-deaf politically" decision.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a government interagency panel, signs off on allowing a company owned by the government of Dubai, second-largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, to buy the company that handles operations at six U.S. ports? In this post-9/11 era, do we want an Arab-owned company running port terminals in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami and New Orleans?
The deal seems wildly counterintuitive, but perhaps we should step back a bit to see whether what sounds absurd really poses a threat.
The short answer is there are legitimate reasons for concern, but rejecting this arrangement out-of-hand because an Arab government owns the company should not be automatic and could undermine positive developments in the Arab world.
Although we have not yet seen terrorist attacks, or strong evidence of weapons or other tools of terrorism coming in through U.S. ports, those ports are certainly potential entry points that bear watching. The United States has concluded agreements with most major foreign ports to tighten up inspection and paperwork for cargoes originating elsewhere and bound for this country. But still only one in 20 cargo containers is inspected in most U.S. ports.
That said, beyond following rules laid down by government agencies, Dubai Ports World, the company seeking to buy the contracts to handle operations at these six ports, would not be handling port security if this deal goes through. Security, for better or worse (it's some of both) is handled by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs. That won't change.
The company now operating the ports, P&O Ports, is a British company, so there has been foreign ownership for a while. Most of those who actually work at the ports are U.S. citizens, and that would probably not change. And you can be sure the relevant unions will look after workers.
This situation should have been handled differently in terms of Congress and the public. Given the existence of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., one can understand the need for closed meetings to review many proposed transactions that involve proprietary information. But the committee should have understood, better than most, that U.S. ports are different from, for example, ball-bearing factories or shopping malls and pose a much different concern for all Americans.
Congressional hearings or a longer process are still appropriate. We should remember, however, that Dubai is in many ways an example of what the administration says it wants to encourage — a moderate, mostly secular Arab regime that has opened up its economy and achieved prosperity and stability.
To reject its purchase could, as Cato Institute trade scholar Dan Griswold said, "send some dispiriting signals to the Arab world" and discourage the kind of reform most Americans desire.
So let's look at this deal more closely.
But let's be prepared to accept it if there's no evidence it will harm U.S. security interests.


text:
Events » Talks & Tours » Tour
Temple Wall with Scenes of Krishna's Life, 18th century
India: Kerala, 1701-1800
Painted wood
87 in x 147-1/2 in (221 x 374.7 cm)
Norton Simon Museum, Gift of the Narendra and Rita Parson Family Trust
Learning to Look at Asian Art
Date: Sunday, March 31, 2013
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Speaker: Staff Educator
Type: Tour
Join a Museum educator for a one-hour tour that will help participants develop a visual literacy in looking at Asian art.
Meets in Entrance Gallery | Free with admission. | Please note that space is limited to 25 participants. Sign up at the Information Desk no later than 15 minutes prior to the tour.