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by Ilya Gavrichenkov
Engineers and developers who use 3D modeling and computer-aided design systems very well remember the times when it was a real problem to buy a special graphics accelerator because of extremely high price of these solutions. Luckily, things have changed a lot since then and you absolutely don't need to rob a bank in order to afford a professional graphics accelerator. As a result of convergence of professional and gaming 3D graphics solutions markets, the developers of gaming GPUs took over the leadership in production of graphics solutions for engineers and 3D designers.
When big guys like 3DLabs and Matrox stepped away from the development and production of high-performance graphics solutions, all contemporary professional graphics accelerators turned into analogues of the gaming cards. Long-term existence of special professional solutions was erased by overall unification: now both – gaming and professional graphics cards – use the same exact graphics processors. Crazy "armament drive" in the gaming GPU market stimulated intensive growth of the GPU performance making them capable of coping just fine with engineering and designer tasks.
Nevertheless, it doesn't mean that the conclusions we made in numerous gaming graphics card reviews can be simply applied to workstation products as is. Contemporary market of high-performance workstation graphics accelerators is still quite different from the gaming solutions market. Although Nvidia and AMD took over production of professional graphics solutions, there are no products from the popular GeForce and Radeon families here. Instead, Quadro FX and FirePro rule the professional segment. And it is not because gaming and professional solutions from AMD and Nvidia differ greatly in their PCB and cooling systems design as well as formal specifications.
3D modeling applications and computer-aided design systems that are the primary application field for professional graphics accelerators, create a completely different type of work load that is totally not like the gaming load. Therefore, professional graphics cards require special drivers that accelerate specific 3D functions that are used mostly for these particular applications. These special drivers are blocked from being used on gaming solutions by their manufacturers that is why the price of typical professional graphics cards is higher than that of gaming accelerators. Moreover, manufacturers offer services of completely different quality for professional graphics card users, such as faster and more user-friendly technical support, longer warranty and faster replacement of failed components.
Therefore, from time to time we pay special attention to professional graphics accelerators on our site, too. Today the time has come for a new round of tests. We are going to introduce to you a new generation of workstation graphics solutions from AMD and Nvidia that became widely spread after 65 nm and 55 nm processes had been introduced into manufacturing. So, our today's roundup will be devoted to the latest Quadro FX and FirePro solutions and their performance in professional applications. And even if you have a good idea of the situation in the gaming graphics cards market, the results of our today's session may be somewhat unexpected for you anyway: the software optimizations can change things dramatically.
We would like to start our discussion of the professional graphics solutions from AMD with FirePro V3700 card. It is currently the cheapest workstation graphics card in AMD's lineup. Its price is extremely democratic even in gaming terms: you can get a FirePro V3700 for less than $90. However, it is not much more expensive than a gaming Radeon HD 3470, which looks very similar to FirePro V3700 in hardware aspect.
FirePro V3700 is based on RV620 graphics processor and the card itself is equipped with 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory with a 64 bit bus. Although the working frequencies of this professional card are a little higher than those of its gaming relative: 800 MHz for the core and 1900 MHz for the memory. But nevertheless, if we compare the formal specifications, then FirePro V3700 will lose quite significantly to its predecessor - FireGL V3600. You can see the same tendency in the test results: they are overall lower than the results demonstrated by the youngest professional AMD solution in our previous test session.
So, it is important to understand that despite fully-fledged support of DirectX 10.1, OpenGL 3.0 and Shader Model 4.1 as well as certification from the leading CAD/CAM developers, FirePro V3700 accelerator can only offer minimal performance in professional applications. And although FirePro V3700 can perform just as good as top gaming solutions in a numbers of 3D modeling and CAD suites, we tend to consider this graphics accelerator only as the simplest professional option, which you can only go for "out of desperation".
FirePro V3700 has pretty predictable looks. Its PCB is almost identical to that of the gaming Radeon HD 3470. The differences only pup out on the connector panel: the professional solution offers two Dual-link DVI outs supporting up to 2560x1600 resolutions. Besides, it is equipped with a more efficient copper cooler instead of the aluminum one on the gaming card. It will prevent critical GPU overheating even if the fan fails. However, the cooler only works for the GPU. The memory chips on the back of the PCB do not have any cooling of their own.
Although the model name of FirePro V3750 graphics card differs from the previous solution only by the third digit, this professional graphics solution can offer a completely new level of performance. It is determined mostly by the fact that it is based on a faster new graphics processor – RV730. Nevertheless, AMD positions FirePro V3750 as an entry-level professional graphics accelerator, so this solution can in fact offer a much more attractive price-to-performance ratio. Average retail price of the FirePro V3750 card is about $150, while its theoretical performance is 10 times higher than that of FirePro V3700.
If we try to make an analogy to the gaming graphics cards, then we could say that FirePro V3750 is coming from the image of Radeon HD 4650. However, the professional solution does differ dramatically from the latter. The graphics processor on FirePro V3750 works at lower 550 MHz frequency, while the memory – at higher 1400 MHz frequency. Moreover, the professional graphics accelerator is equipped with only 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory, which is considered way too little for gaming graphics cards of comparative price. Nevertheless, despite lower amount of onboard video memory, the professional card, just like its gaming counterpart uses 128-bit interface. I have to stress that this graphics card turns out more than twice as fast as V3700 in certain applications due to the new GPU with 320 shader processors and 8 raster units.
The mere looks of the FirePro V3750 card indicate that it is a much more serious solution. It uses the same PCB as Radeon HD 4650. It means that they implemented not only Dual-link DVI out but also two Displayport outs, which, however, support only 2560x1600 maximum resolution.
Note that due to fact that professional AMD cards use the same unified design as the gaming ones, there are connectors for building CrossFireX configurations. However, it is important to remember that the existing FirePro drivers do not support this technology.
The cooling system on FirePro V3750 is not any different from the Radeon HD 4650 cooler. It is an exact same small copper cooler with a fan that gets pretty loud in 3D modes. The cooler covers both: the GPU and the memory chips. So, the only distinguishing feature on the front of the FirePro V3750 is the color of the external cooler casing. However, when we look at the back side of the PCB we immediately notice that it has less video memory: there are a few empty spots for GDDR3 SDRAM chips.
We got our hands on a retail boxed version of FirePro V3750 graphics card. So we can state that among the bundled accessories the users will also get two adapters: DVI→D-Sub and Displayport→DVI. Besides that, there are also a CD disk with drivers and a small marketing booklet. This modest accessories bundle from the gaming graphics cards standpoint will hardly surprise professional users: they would most likely be puzzled rather than thrilled if they got a couple of free games with their graphics accelerator.
FirePro V5700 professional graphics accelerator is positioned as a mainstream solution. However, it is pretty hard to find differences between FirePro V5700 and FirePro V3750. At first glance, FirePro V5700 looks exactly like FirePro V3750. At least if you look at the front side of the card.
However, if you turn FirePro V5700 around, you will immediately notice its unique distinguishing features. Since there are GDDR3 memory chips on the back of the card, it means that FirePro V5700 is equipped with 512 MB of video memory. However, it uses the same RV730 graphics processor supporting the same 128-bit memory interface. As a result, if we compared FirePro V3750 with Radeon HD 4650, it is more logical to compare FirePro V5700 with the gaming Radeon HD 4670. And in this case the professional and gaming solutions match not only in the GPU type but also in the amount of onboard video memory, PCB design and even some frequencies. The FirePro V5700 graphics processor works at 700 MHz and its memory works at 1800 MHz.
Since FirePro V5700 has twice as much video memory and 25% higher working frequencies than FirePro V3750, the manufacturer could position it as a mainstream solution. As a result, FirePro V5700 is priced quite high: its MSRP is $400. Frankly speaking, it seems to be a little unfair especially compared with the prices of the lower-end solutions we have just discussed, because this card can't boast a significant performance advantage over FirePro V3750 in real tests.
In terms of supported interfaces, FirePro V5700 also has not advantages over a lower-cost solution. Since both these cards are based on the same PCB design, FirePro V5700 has exactly the same monitor outs: one DVI and two Displayport.
Unfortunately, we didn't manage to get our hands on the latest professional solution from the 7000 series – FirePro V7750. Instead we got only the previous generation FireGL V7700 based on the 2007 GPU, as you can see from the "FireGL" model name it still uses.
Nevertheless, in terms of its formal specifications, FireGL V7700 doesn't look too bad at all. It is based on RV670 chip, which we are familiar with from the gaming Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards. So, FireGL V7700 boasts 320 shader processors and 16 raster units. Since its graphics core frequency is 775 MHz, we can conclude that it should offer higher theoretical performance than FirePro V5700. The memory subsystem also proves up to the mark here. The card is equipped with 512 MB of GDDR4 graphics memory with 256-bit interface. This memory works at 2250 MHz frequency that is why its bandwidth reaches the impressive value of 72 GBps.
So, the retail price of about $700 for this card is not surprising at all. Despite rather significant age in gaming graphics card terms, FireGL V7700 performs well enough in professional applications. The absence of formal support for OpenGL 3.0 and Shader Model 4.1 doesn't mean much for the 3D modeling and computer-aided design applications. All these new advanced technologies are used primarily in games, but CAD/CAM systems usually draw a lot of simple lines and apply some primitive texturing or shading. Only the latest versions of Autodesk 3ds max and AutoCAD suites started using special software shaders.
AMD decided not to invest into unique PCB design for their FireGL V7700 solution. This graphics card looks very similar to Radeon HD 3870. Although there are a few differences that you can notice right away. For example, the professional card has no connectors for CrossFireX bridges, but is equipped with a connector for a daughter card with Genlock/Framelock functionality. Moreover, FireGL V7700is equipped with totally different outs: one Dual-link DVI, one Displayport and a connector for stereoscopic glasses.
The professional card we are talking about here is pretty power-hungry and that is absolutely logical, as you can see from the additional 6-pin power connector as well as cooling system configuration that has dual-slot design and exhausts hot air outside the system case. Note that FireGL V7700 cooler is of slightly different size than the cooler on Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards. Its heatsink is a little narrower and the centrifugal fan is of slightly smaller diameter. As a result, the noise from FireGL V7700 cooler created during work under heavy load becomes very acoustically uncomfortable.
FireGL V7700 is bundled with three types of adapters for display devices. Besides the standard DVI→D-Sub adapter and Displayport→Dual-link DVI adapter, there is also a composite adapter for HDTV devices.
The top representative of the AMD's professional graphics accelerator lineup is FirePro V8700. This graphics card is based on RV770 chip, which once again indicates that the graphics cards market for 3D modeling and CAD applications is extremely inertial. The latest AMD GPU known as RV790 hasn't yet found its way into professional graphics solutions. And it is not because of some production issues or something similar: the new equipment certification for designer and engineering systems takes a while to complete. In other words, a professional solution on RV790 will appear, but we don't know how soon.
Therefore, we let's focus on FirePro V8700 that definitely is a close relative to Radeon HD 4870. At least, the looks of this graphics solution indicate exactly that: it uses almost the same PCB design as Radeon HD 4870 1GB. Just like other professional AMD solutions, you can only notice the differences between them on the connector panel: instead of two DVI connectors typical of most gaming solutions, FirePro V8700 is equipped with a Dual-link DVI and two new Displayport connectors supporting up to 2560x1600 resolutions. There is a connector for stereoscopic glasses right next to them.
The cooling system on FirePro V8700 differs only by its color. The same dual-slot coolers with exhaust are installed on high-end gaming AMD graphics cards. By the way, although gamers often complain about the noise generated by this cooling system, we have to say that the new flagship professional AMD solution has become much quieter compared to its predecessor – FireGL V8600. However, this is actually not surprising at all: the use of a 55 nm processor has definitely paid off. Nevertheless, FirePro V8700 power consumption didn't reduce too much, because you still need to use two additional 12V 6-pin power cables. As for AMD, they recommend to use at least 550 W PSU in a system with FirePro V8700.
FirePro V8700 accessories bundle is hardly any different from the bundles of other professional solutions. Besides the card, you also get the drivers, a small booklet and a standard set of three adapters.
As for the formal specifications, FirePro V8700 is not too different from Radeon HD 4870. Its GPU works at 750 MHz and GDDR5 SDRAM works at 3400 MHz effective frequency and supports 256-bit bus. Since FirePro V8700 is the top solution in AMD's professional graphics cards lineup, it is equipped with 1 GB of video memory.
However, this number is kind of modest in the contemporary professional graphics accelerators market. For example, Nvidia offers graphics solutions with 2 and 4 GB of video memory onboard. That is why it is important to understand that the top professional graphics solution from AMD that is currently selling for about $1000 is, in fact, only a mainstream product. Unfortunately, dual-processor accelerators in the high-end gaming segment do not have any professional analogues. And it means that Nvidia has an excellent opportunity to offer a more diverse product range in the professional segment. So, let's see how well they managed to exploit this opportunity.
The drivers AMD offers for their ATI FirePro and FireGL graphics card families are very similar to the gaming drivers. It uses the same Catalyst Control Center.
I have to point out two peculiarities of the professional graphics card drivers. First, you can't load an existing settings profile optimized for a certain professional application. It is explained by the support of AutoDetect function, which chooses the most optimal profile automatically depending on the active application at that particular moment. It is a very useful function especially for professionals working with numerous CAM and CAD systems, however, it is also not quite ideal. In particular, the user can't create his own settings profiles for applications that the driver may not be familiar with.
The second peculiarity is the ability of this driver to support 10-bit color representation instead of the standard 8-bit one. This improvement expands the color space and may be very useful for creation and processing of monochrome images. Note that for modes with 10-bit color support you need to have a special monitor with extended color gamut. And since 10-bit color support increases the data flow transferred from the graphics card to the monitor, the use of Displayport interface on AMD graphics cards becomes absolutely justified.
Nvidia, just like AMD, has a sort of professional graphics card with minimal performance and corresponding price point. It is Quadro FX 380 based on G96 graphics processor still manufactured with 65 nm process, but nevertheless, supporting all contemporary standards, such as DirectX 10.0, OpenGL 3.0 and Shader Model 4.0. Moreover, in this case they even use a "lite" version of the GPU with only 16 shader processors and 8 rater units. However, this appears more than enough to make Quadro FX 380 offer even greater theoretical performance than FirePro V3700, which gives Nvidia every reason to price their solution a little higher: it is retailing for $130.
I would like to remind you that G96 graphics processor is also used in gaming graphics cards, such as GeForce 9400 GT, where it is configured in exactly the same way as in Quadro FX 380. Nevertheless, Nvidia decided to introduce new PCB layout for their professional graphics accelerator. It looks like they were trying to lower the production costs this way, because the layout looks very primitive.
G96 graphics processor on Quadro FX 380 works at 450 MHz frequency, which is lower than that of gaming graphics cards. The same is true for the memory: the card is equipped with 256 MB GDDR3 with 128-bit bus working at effective 4100 MHz.
The GPU of Quadro FX 380 graphics card is cooled with a very compact cooling system that consists of an aluminum heatsink and a pretty noisy small and fast fan. Note that since the card uses 65 nm GPU, this solution consumes more power than the competing offering from AMD.
This card is equipped with two Dual-link DVI outs supporting monitors with 2560x1600 maximum resolution. Besides, the card is bundled with two D-Sub adapters.
If the performance and specs of the Quadro FX 380 leave you unimpressed, but you do feel the need for an inexpensive professional graphics card, you should turn your eyes to the Quadro FX 580. Although based on the same G96 chip, it differs from its junior cousin in a number of ways and is theoretically two times as fast as the latter. The Quadro FX 580 costs about $180. It is positioned as an entry-level solution like the FirePro V3750.
The Quadro FX 580 and FX 380 share the same GPU but look completely different. The Quadro FX 580 employs a more complex PCB that has no counterparts in the gaming world. These dramatic external differences are due to the FX 580 having two times as much graphics memory and, unlike the FX 380, being equipped Displayport interfaces.
These are not the only differences between the two cards, though. The Quadro FX 580 features a full-featured version of the G96 with 32 rather than 16 shader processors. This explains why the Quadro FX 580 is faster than the junior model while having the same GPU frequency of 450MHz. The FX 580 is equipped with GDDR3 memory clocked at 1600MHz and connected to the GPU via a 128-bit memory bus. Thus, it is superior to the competing AMD FirePro V3750 in technical specifications as well as in most benchmarks.
The cooling system looks different, too. It uses a heavier aluminum heatsink that covers not only the GPU but also the memory chips. Unfortunately, this heatsink is only cooled by a small centrifugal fan that does not sound nicely at high speed.
Like the more expensive professional solutions, the Quadro FX 580 has two Displayports and one Dual-Link DVI connector. It means you can connect two monitors with resolutions up to 2560x1600 to this graphics card. To avoid any inconvenience, there are Displayport → DVI and DVI → D-Sub adapters included into the kit. By the way, Displayport and DVI have different signaling protocols, so an adapter from one into another contains active electronics and is rather expensive. So, the manufacturer shows its care about the user by including such an adapter into the kit and saving him the extra expense until monitors with Displayport interface become widespread.
Nvidia started its transition to 55nm tech process later than its opponent. Therefore quite a lot of Nvidia's professional graphics cards are based on 65nm cores. Particularly, the Quadro FX 1800 is based on the well-known G94 chip with 64 stream processors and 12 raster back-ends. This GPU is also installed on the gaming card GeForce 9600 GT.
Like its gaming counterpart, the Quadro FX 1800 is a mainstream solution. It costs about $450. This money will buy you a graphics card that delivers decent performance in 3D modeling and CAD applications and is equipped with a generous 728 megabytes of GDDR3 memory. The card's GPU is clocked at 550MHz (the shader domain frequency is 1375MHz). The memory is clocked at 1600MHz and has a 192-bit bus.
This combination of characteristics makes the Quadro FX 1800 an original product that has no direct counterpart among gaming graphics cards. That's why, like the other Quadro series models, it has a specially designed PCB whose face side is completely covered by the cooler. The cooler occupies one slot only, though. Take note that the Quadro FX 1800 does not require that you connect additional power to it because its GPU frequency is lower than that of the gaming cards.
The Quadro FX 1800 is in every respect a big step forward in comparison with the previous-generation professional cards from the 1000 series. Particularly, this refers to the amount of graphics memory because not long ago 512 megabytes used to be installed only on top-end professional solutions.
The demurely designed Quadro FX 1800 box contains the card, a small user manual, CD with drivers, and two adapters (DVI → D-Sub and Displayport → DVI).
These adapters are needed because the card has three outputs: one dual-link DVI and two Displayports. This is a standard selection of connectors for products of this class. Like other such solutions, the Quadro FX 1800 supports resolutions up to 2560x1600 and allows to connect two monitors simultaneously.
Although Nvidia offers even more expensive professional graphics cards, the 3000 series is touted as delivering high performance at an optimal price. The Quadro FX 3700 model we reviewed previously proved to be a very appealing solution for 3D designers and engineers but now Nvidia can offer an even more attractive product. The appeal of the Quadro FX 3800 is that, priced at about $800, this card is based on the GT200b processor which is manufactured on 55nm tech process and has earned a good reputation in the gaming series GeForce GTX 200.
The Quadro FX 3800 can be viewed as a professional equivalent to the GeForce GTX 260. This card's GPU has 192 stream processors and 16 raster back-ends. The GPU's main and shader domain frequencies are 600 and 1200MHz, respectively. The memory subsystem is somewhat different from the gaming card's. The Quadro FX 3800 has a cut-down 256-bit bus but the total amount of memory is increased to 1 gigabyte (in GDDR3 chips clocked at 1600MHz). Even with these specifications, the Quadro FX 3800 is competitive to AMD's top-end professional models.
The exterior of this card does not give you any inkling as to how much power it contains. We are accustomed to massive dual-slot coolers and paired power connectors on high-performance gaming solutions, but the Quadro FX 3800 is different. It has a large, yet single-slot cooler made from copper and aluminum. And it has only one additional power connector. As a result, this card is most appealing in terms of power efficiency. Its specified peak power draw is 108W.
It should be noted that Nvidia has been spending much effort in developing its professional product series. The company not only boosts performance in straightforward ways, but also introduces interesting innovations. For example, the Quadro FX 3800 series supports SLI Multi-OS technology. If you install two professional cards into one system and deploy virtualization software, this technology will allow multiple virtual machines to work with the two cards in parallel. In other words, you can use SLI Multi-OS to have two full-featured virtual machines with independent monitors out of a single workstation. Besides, the Quadro FX 3800 can be used with an SDI daughter card (Serial Digital Interface) to output HD video in real time with an overlay rendered by the graphics card.
The Quadro FX 3800 has a standard selection of outputs: one dual-link DVI and two Displayports. The kit includes adapters for monitors and a power adapter that can be used if your PSU does not have 6-pin 12V power connectors.
The next model up Nvidia's professional product series is $500-600 more expensive than the Quadro FX 3800 but is based on the same GPU. Why? Because the Quadro FX 4800 has no AMD opponents and is therefore unique.
But if you compare the Quadro FX 4800 with the FX 3800, you can see that they have quite a lot in common. The GT200b processor (the fastest GPU Nvidia has at this moment) is clocked at the same frequency of 600 MHz (and 1200 MHz for the shader domain) on both models. There is no difference in terms of unified shader processors: the Quadro FX 4800's GPU has 192 of them, too.
The single notable difference in the configuration of these cards' GPUs is the number of raster back-ends. The more expensive model has 24 RBEs. This seemingly small (8 RBEs) difference can be important for a professional card because it is the raster back-ends that are loaded heavily when you are working in projection windows of 3D modeling and CAD applications. So, professionals who work with shaded or textured models have a reason to prefer the Quadro FX 4800 to other graphics cards.
The Quadro FX 4800 also offers a more advanced memory subsystem. It carries 1536 megabytes of GDDR3 memory with a 384-bit bus and a clock rate of 1600MHz. Thus, like the Quadro FX 3800, the FX 4800 has no exact counterpart among the gaming cards. It has a narrower memory bus and a reduced number of pipelines even in comparison with the GeForce GTX 260. However, it has a large amount of memory and a higher core frequency. As a result, the Quadro FX 4800 is a rather economical product with a peak power draw of 150W and, unlike the gaming GT200b-based products, has only one additional 12V power connector.
The Quadro FX 4800 is visually far more impressive than the Quadro FX 3800. It has a massive dual-slot cooler similar to those you can see on gaming graphics cards. This cooler has heat pipes and a copper heatsink with centrifugal fan covered under an opaque casing. It has proved its efficiency on top-performance graphics cards, and on the Quadro FX 4800, which has a cut-down GPU configuration, this cooler is even surprisingly quiet.
Like the Quadro FX 3800, the Quadro FX 4800 supports all of Nvidia's functionality-enhancing daughter cards like the Quadro G-Sync II and Quadro SDI Capture. Thanks to this feature, the Quadro FX 4800 can be viewed not only as a 3D modeling and engineering solution but also as a multimedia processing platform for cinema and television. A daughter card is plugged into the special slot you can see near the SLI connector.
The Quadro FX 4800 offers two Displayports, one dual-link DVI output, and an output for stereo glasses. The maximum supported resolution is 2560x1600. In other words, the capabilities of the Displayport interface are not utilized fully by Nvidia's top-end cards, either. The box contains all the necessary adapters for connecting a D-Sub or a second DVI monitor and an additional mounting bracket that is necessary to fix the card securely in workstation cases.
The Quadro FX 5800 is the senior professional solution from Nvidia targeted at high-performance workstations. It is a third card for professionals based on the 55nm version of the G200b chip. One might expect the Quadro FX 5800 to be comparable to the most expensive gaming cards in its characteristics but Nvidia's developers have instead put a stress on the capabilities for visualization of massive models. So, the key feature of this card is not in its frequencies or performance, but in the amount of graphics memory – 4 gigabytes. The Quadro FX 5800 is actually the first and only graphics card to have that much memory on board. You have to pay for this exclusiveness, of course. The average retail price of this card is over $3000.
The amount of memory is not the single advantage of the Quadro FX 5800, though. Using GDDR3 chips clocked at 1600MHz and accessed via a 512-bit bus, the FX 5800 is only second to the FirePro V8700 in terms of memory bandwidth (and the difference is very small). In other words, the Quadro FX 5800 is the best solution for processing large amounts of graphical data.
The card's GPU configuration is good, too. It has all of its 240 unified shader processors enabled, but the amount of RBEs is reduced from 40 to 32. The GPU frequencies are 610 and 1300MHz for the main and shader domains, respectively. So, even without the unprecedented amount of memory, the Quadro FX 5800 has no close counterparts among gaming products.
The Quadro FX 5800 is visually similar to the simpler Quadro FX 4800. It only has two distinguishing features. First, there are two 6-pin power connectors – an expected feature considering the card's specs. And second, it has one Displayport and two dual-link DVI ports. There is also a socket for stereo glasses nearby.
It is unclear why the top-end professional card has fewer Displayports but its two large DVI connectors leave less room for the cooler's exhaust. As a result, the cooling system of the Quadro FX 5800, although formally no different from the Quadro FX 4800 cooler, drives the air inside the case rather than exhausts it. Considering the high heat dissipation of the card, this may be a problem.
Like the Quadro FX 4800, the Quadro FX 5800 supports daughter cards Quadro G-Sync II and Quadro SDI Capture as well as SLI technology. The connectors necessary to implement these features are located at the top of the card under a decorative cap.
The accessories to the Quadro FX 5800 (at least, to its version provided by PNY) are not numerous but standard for Nvidia cards. Besides the card, the small box contains adapters and a mounting bracket to fix the card securely in workstation cases.
The drivers for Nvidia's Quadro FX series resemble the ForceWare software you may be familiar with by the company's gaming cards. The control panel has the same user interface and almost the same settings. The only difference is that the settings profiles mostly refer to professional rather than gaming applications.
Nvidia's developers follow a somewhat different approach to driver optimizations than their colleagues from AMD. Nvidia's professional drivers cannot change the active settings profile automatically depending on what application is running at the moment, leaving this task to the user. This should not be a problem as professionals usually work with only one software suite. But if you've got several applications, switching between them is going to be an inconvenience. However, Nvidia users can access all the settings and can edit or create new profiles.
It should be noted that the basic drivers are not the only thing that Nvidia provides for its professional cards. You can download two more Quadro FX optimized products from the company's website: MAXtreme 3D and Powerdraft. These are special Performance Drivers for graphics acceleration in Autodesk 3ds max and Autodesk AutoCAD. With these drivers professional cards get an additional, and quite substantial, performance boost in the mentioned CAD applications.
Before we move over to performance of above discussed professional graphics accelerators, let's sum up their technical specifications. It will help us interpret the obtained performance numbers better:
Click to enlarge
We tested professional graphics cards on a workstation built around the today's fastest quad-core processor – Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition working at 3.33 GHz frequency. Also this workstation used a mainboard on Intel X58 Express and 6 GB of high-speed DDR3 SDRAM.
So, here is the list of hardware and software components used during this test session:
The graphics cards were tested in professional applications in 1920x1200 resolution with disabled Vsync unless stated otherwise.
When we test professional graphics cards, we first run SPECviewperf, which has become an industry standard for benchmarking top-performance graphics workstations. Modeling rather primitive operations, this test shows the geometrical performance of the graphics card in the OpenGL environment which is determined by the card's hardware features as well as driver optimizations.
This test works by feeding the graphics driver predefined sequences of OpenGL instructions that are typical of specific professional applications. The scripts integrated into the test simulate a user working in projection windows of the following applications (the names of the corresponding subtests are given in brackets): 3ds max 3.1 (3dsmax-04), CATIA V5R12 (catia-02), EnSight (ensight-03), Maya 6.5 (maya-02), Pro/ENGINEER 2001 (proe-04), Solidworks 2004 (sw-02), UGS Teamcenter Visualization Mockup (tcvis-01) and UGS NX 3 (ugnx-01).
It must be noted that SPECviewperf results should not be viewed as highly accurate. Most of the applications simulated by this benchmark are outdated, and you may have completely different results in newer versions of the same applications. Besides, professional graphics cards have become so advanced that many SPECviewperf subtests are limited by the CPU rather than the graphics card as is indicated by the results of the 3dsmax-04 and ensight-03 subtests.
As for the other diagrams, it is easy to see that you must choose a professional graphics card basing on what applications you are going to run on it. For example, ATI's FirePro series are far faster in Maya, VisMockup and UGS NX but Nvidia's Quadro FX are ahead in CATIA, PRO/ENGINEER and Solidworks.
SPECviewperf offers one more interesting opportunity. It allows to measure the performance hit provoked by full-screen antialiasing (FSAA). The diagrams below show how the cards' SPECviewperf results change when we turn FSAA on.
The Quadro FX 380 is not present here. This cheap professional graphics card could not ensure problem-free operation with FSAA. Interestingly, you cannot use FSAA higher than 8x on the AMD cards in the OpenGL environment.
We've got predictable results. It is the memory bandwidth that affects the card's performance in FSAA modes. That's why the graphics cards with wider memory interfaces have a smaller performance hit than their opponents with narrower memory buses.
SPECviewperf can give you some notion about the performance of professional solutions in OpenGL applications but it gives you no clue as to the cards' speed in DirectX. However, the DirectX API has been getting popular on the market of CAD and CAM software. Microsoft's API is already supported by 3ds max and AutoCAD, for example. And anyway, other real-life applications used by 3D designers and engineers use newer OpenGL libraries than those used by SPECviewperf. So, this benchmarking suite cannot replace tests in real-life programs. Let's proceed to them now.
The latest versions of Autodesk 3ds max run faster when using DirectX. Besides, when you choose DirectX, you will be able to use extra features including hardware shaders. That's why we preferred this software interface for our test. Nvidia offers a special driver for 3ds max that helps boost performance in projection windows. The manufacturer claims the driver can speed some functions up twofold and more! So, we installed that driver for the Quadro series cards.
Nvidia's professional solutions are head above their AMD's opponents in this test. The software optimizations implemented by Nvidia in the 3ds max Performance Driver (previously known as MAXtreme D3D) produce a positive effect. It is clear than the Quadro series achieves its advantage by being faster at processing carcass models and effective at texturing and lighting. The solutions from both GPU makers are roughly similar at executing shaders and processing models with shaded invisible edges. Anyway, if you are looking for a graphics card suitable for 3ds max, you should consider Nvidia's professional products in the first place.
Like in 3ds max, DirectX is the priority API in Autodesk AutoCAD. Moreover, the newer versions of this CAD application do not even have a standard OpenGL driver. Nvidia, on its part, offers a special AutoCAD Performance Driver (previously known as PowerDraft) that features hardware support for software Gooch shaders necessary to render technical images. Thanks to that, the driver accelerates performance by up to 500% (according to Nvidia). The test results confirm this.
Even the junior model of the Nvidia Quadro FX series is capable of delivering higher performance than the senior representative of the ATI FirePro series. This is due to the excellent optimization of Nvidia's drivers for Hidden and Conceptual rendering modes in which invisible edges are hidden in models. In the other two modes, Wireframe and Realistic, the performance of the cards from AMD and Nvidia is proportional to their pricing.
Everything is normal here except that Nvidia's senior model is slower than the Quadro FX 4800. Otherwise, the choice of a graphics card for Maya should be based on its price. It should be noted that the transition of the Quadro FX series to new graphics cores has improved its performance in this particular software suite. We used to recommend AMD's solutions for Maya as they delivered higher performance. But now we can't give specific recommendations because Nvidia's and AMD's solutions are roughly equal.
Although Nvidia doesn't offer special drivers for Solidworks, its professional cards are far superior to the ATI FirePro series. Nvidia's previous-generation cards were not that fast, but the improved GPU architecture and optimized drivers make the Quadro FX series unrivalled now.
Lightwave runs equally well on cards from both AMD and Nvidia.
Besides real-life applications, we benchmarked the cards in a special benchmarking suite called CINEBENCH R10. It shows the performance of a card in the 3D modeling suite Cinema 4D, which is highly popular among Mac users.
According to this test, AMD's professional graphics cards are ahead in every price category. That's a rare picture for today's test session.
Professional products are but seldom used for gaming, yet we decided to test them in the popular Futuremark 3DMark Vantage suite. It will give you a different view on the graphics cards.
You can see now that gaming load is greatly dissimilar to professional applications. The standings are completely different here because this test needs fast execution of shaders, which are almost never used in professional graphical applications, rather than quick rendering of triangles.
In this part of our review we are going to show you the power consumption readings we took off complete systems (without the monitor) equipped with different professional graphics accelerators and connected to an electric outlet. The measurements were performed in idle mode as well as under heavy load - during FurMark 1.6.5 test in "Burn" mode in a 1280x1024 window. Like most professional applications this test uses OpenGL and creates substantial load for the video subsystem.
Among the low-end accelerators the most energy-efficient ones are AMD solutions as they are based on more energy-efficient GPUs manufactured with 55 nm process instead of 65 nm process. However, top professional graphics cards from Nvidia using GT200b chip can compete successfully with their rivals not only in pure performance but also in performance-per-watt. And even larger amounts of graphics memory on professional Nvidia solutions from the premium price category barely affect their power consumption.
Speaking of the professional graphics cards market in general, I would like to point out that even though the price of these solutions has been going down lately, it is still several times higher than the price of analogous gaming graphics accelerators with similar technical specifications. And keeping in mind that professional and gaming graphics solutions use the same exact chips, the consumers have every right to question this price difference. Therefore, we must remind you one more time that high price of ATI FirePro and Nvidia Quadro FX graphics accelerators originates not only from the price of their hardware components, but also from technical support and corresponding software.
You shouldn't forget that professionals working in 3D modeling and design systems value not only high speed, but also high-quality and precision in drawing lines and surfaces that is performed without any simplifications. The gaming graphics card drivers, however, are optimized for maximum performance at any rate. Therefore, they are often unable to provide the precision professionals need during work in CAD and CAM applications. That is why specialists working in 3D modeling and design systems never question the need for a special professional graphics solution.
Our today's test session showed that although there is parity between AMD and Nvidia in the gaming market today, the situation in the professional graphics accelerators market is somewhat different. Over the past few years we pointed out over and over again that Nvidia paid more attention to their Quadro FX professional graphics cards family than AMD to their FireGL and now FirePro. And these extra efforts did pay off. Today we can conclude with all certainty that Nvidia graphics solutions won the today's marathon.
To be more exact, first of all we have to point out that Nvidia currently offers solutions that simply have no analogues in the AMD camp. The architectural and hardware features make Quadro FX 4800 and Quadro FX 5800 faster than any of the available AMD solutions in 3D modeling and computer-aided design systems. Moreover, only Nvidia offers solution equipped with unprecedented amounts of video memory that may be useful for creation and processing of higher complexity 3D models.
Secondly, Nvidia's driver optimization made even low-cost latest-generation Quadro FX capable of running as fast as AMD solutions from the high-end price segment in a number of applications. This situation takes place, for instance, in 3ds max, AutoCAD and SolidWorks. By the way, do not forget that Nvidia also offers engineers and 3D modelers working in 3ds max and AutoCAD special performance enhancing drivers for these particular applications.
Thirdly, Nvidia pays more attention than AMD to additional hardware features of their professional solutions. Quadro FX series has recently acquired full support not only for SLI in CAD and CAM suites, but also for SLI Multi-OS that allows using different graphics accelerators for different virtual machines within a single physical system. Also Nvidia provided its Quadro FX cards with SDI daughter cards support. As for AMD, they can't currently offer anything like that.
Overall, we get the feeling that professional graphics cards have become sort of a side product for AMD that hasn't received due attention for a while. It comes to the point when their design is fully copied off the gaming solutions. This approach led to the unfortunate fact that FirePro cards can currently offer acceptable price-to-performance ration only in very few selected CAD and CAM applications.
P.S.: We would like to thank PNY and Alliance Group for providing us with Nvidia Quadro graphics cards for this roundup.


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Novelist ReShonda Tate Billingsley visits downtown library Monday
In ReShonda Tate Billingsley's new novel 'A Family Affair' (Gallery Books), young dancer Olivia Dawson turns down the chance to study at Juilliard to care for her ailing mother in a poor Houston neighborhood. Events lead to Olivia discovering that the father she thought dead was instead alive, a powerful CEO who apparently had abandoned Olivia and her mother.
Billingsley's many novels for adults and teens often tackle family dramas and challenges, including ones faced by church families. She won a 2012 NAACP Image Award for her novel "Say Amen, Again." »Read Full Blog Post

subset: commoncrawl


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Chico Accepts Christ
This week, I witnessed one of the most precious moments I've experienced since working at Compassion. I'm traveling as a writer with about 25 sponsors on a Sponsor Tour in Guatemala. On Monday, a few of us visited Chico's home. Chico is an adorable […] Continue Reading ›
School for Parents
It is a sunny Sunday morning in San Salvador. It is dry season. Just as any other Sunday, there are people in the streets coming and going. Housewives with shopping bags going to the local outdoor market to buy the ingredients for lunch, families with […] Continue Reading ›


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Live updates
Appeal for witnesses after man dies in A149 motorbike crash
Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died in a motorbike crash on the A149 at Holkham, Norfolk, yesterday afternoon.
Officers were called to the scene at 2pm after a Keeway 125 motorbike, travelling from Wells towards Holkham, left the road and mounted the verge.
Emergency services attended to the rider, who was in his seventies, but he died at the scene.
The road was closed while the incident was dealt with. It re-opened shortly before 5.30pm.
Appeal launched for new lifeboat in Wells
An appeal's been launched for a new lifeboat at Wells on the Norfolk coast.
Over the years,thousands of lives have been saved by crews from the town. but volunteers at the station want to replace the current boat with a faster, more modern vessel.
Although most of the two million pounds needed has already come from legacy gifts, 250 thousand pounds still has to be raised over the next 18 months.
Click below to watch Malcolm Robertson's report
- ITV Report
A new Shannon class boat could be in service in 2016
Flood Warning issued by the Environment Agency for the North Norfolk Coast at Wells Quay
Flooding is expected.The forecast high tide is due at 8:41am on Friday 6th December 2013.Flooding is expected for the quay and waterside properties in Wells-next-the-Sea.
A bull loose on road on A149 Coast Road near Warham Road / Stiffkey Road.
Lifeboat crews issue weekend warning after two call outs
Wells lifeboat crew have urged the public to check tides and sea conditions before venturing out following two call outs this weekend.
The all-weather lifeboat was summoned to help a pleasure craft with steering problems about a mile off the Norfolk coast yesterday. The boat was towed to safety.
In a separate incident the inshore boat rescued a woman dog walker who was cut off by the tide. No-one was hurt in either incident.
- ITV Report
New lifeboats for Norfolk and Suffolk coast
One man describes the 'shock' of the Beeching report
The chairman of The Mid Norfolk Railway, Barry Woodgett, grew up in Dereham in Norfolk. He remembers the shock that was felt in the community after the Beeching Report came out. It resulted in the closure of the Dereham-Wells line in October 1964.
Police recover woman's body
- Elodie Harper
Police investigate discovery of a body near Wells beach
Part of Wells beach was closed to the public earlier today, while police investigated the death of a woman.
Officers were called at around 10 this morning and say the death is currently being treated as unexplained.
The body was recovered by the Wells inshore lifeboat after the woman, thought to be in her early thirties, was seen by a member of the beach patrol team.


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About NGM_47 : Hey there! I'm a sophomore in high school. I like eating at Burger King, it's delicious!. I want to be a filmmaker, so right now I'm taking classes on video production. Wanna know more about me? Feel free to send me a message.
Now who the hell are you?
About NGM_47 : Hey there! I'm a sophomore in high school. I like eating at Burger King, it's delicious!. I want to be a filmmaker, so right now I'm taking classes on video production. Wanna know more about me? Feel free to send me a message.
NGM_47's FML badges
How depressing, no badges acquired at all. :/
NGM_47's favorite FMLs
Today, I found out that my ex-boyfriend stole a pair of my underwear, and still wears them to this day. FML
by anonymous / 02/22/2010 at 1:11pm / Canada (Ontario) / Miscellaneous
Today, I went to the store to buy a new lego set, only to find there weren't any left in stock. I started crying before I could make it out of the store. Oh, and I'm eighteen. FML
by Tibblesthepengwin / 02/14/2010 at 12:43pm / United Kingdom (Essex) / Miscellaneous
Today, I went to a crowded Walmart with a hot new girl I'm dating. It was raining and we had to park far from the entrance. As soon as we get out of my car, she starts sprinting to get out of the rain. I run to catch up and slip on a metal plate, and do a reverse superman onto my ass. FML
by Decker / 02/13/2010 at 8:04pm / United States (California) / Miscellaneous
Today, I took Ambien for the first time. Not only did I not fall asleep, but I took my mother through a list of all the men I've slept with. I do not remember a thing, but apparently I was very thorough. FML
by tammyg / 02/11/2010 at 1:42pm / United States / Miscellaneous
Today, my girlfriend and I decided to have fun at school. So, we went into the locker room. We were making out for a couple minutes when the door opened. It was the principal, who also happens to be her dad. FML
by topfisherman / 02/05/2010 at 3:17pm / United States (Ohio) / Love
Today, this guy I have been hanging out with for a while came over and we were about to do it. He pulled off my clothes and once I was naked I reached for his zipper. He just backed up and said he was a virgin and simply wanted to see me naked. FML
by Anonymous / 07/31/2009 at 8:56pm / United States (Texas) / Intimacy
Today, I was at the mall and someone peeked their head under the door of my dressing room while I was half dressed. Not knowing who it was, I kicked him in the face just out of instinct. Its was a 4 year old kid looking for his mother. FML
by 4yrldkicker / 07/29/2009 at 4:26pm / United States (New York) / Miscellaneous
Today, I had sex with this guy who I like very much. As he went to leave I decided to give him one last thrill. So I reached down his pants and started to rub and stroke him. He abruptly pulled my hand out, when I asked why, he points behind me, my mom watched the whole thing. FML
by wastedlove / 06/23/2009 at 11:14am / United States (New Jersey) / Intimacy
Today, I was in the grocery store getting bananas and there was this real hot guy next to me. He said, "Hey beautiful" so I smiled. He then asked if I was free on Friday night. I smiled and said, "Yes, why do you ask?" He looked up from the bananas and pointed to the bluetooth in his ear. FML
by Anonymous / 06/21/2009 at 3:50pm / United States (New Jersey) / Love
Today, we spread my uncle's ashes at my grandparent's house. We were on a hill overlooking a sunset. It was a beautiful ceremony... until the winds changed direction. Our whole family wound up covered in my Uncle. He's still stuck in my hair. FML
by Lee / 06/21/2009 at 12:23am / United States (Tennessee) / Miscellaneous
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Top Destinations Oman
Muscat (Oman)
Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, is located on the Gulf of Oman at the south part of Al Batinah coast. It is confined between Gulf of Oman and the mountains... Next
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Sur is a small fisherman town situated in the eastern coast of Oman. This town lies 350 kilometers from Muscat and the local language spoken... Next
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Barka is a coastal town situated in Al Batinah in the north of Oman. This small city is an hour away from the city of Muscat. The town is gaining... Next
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Khasab is a town situated in close proximity from the Strait of Hormuz and sixty kilometers from the Ras Al Khaimah in U.A.E. The town is recently... Next
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Dibba is a coastal region situated at the north east tip of the Oman Peninsula on the Gulf of Oman. Dibba is divided into 3 parts namely the Dibba Al-Baya,... Next
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Ghul is one of the most beautiful villages situated in the mountains of Oman. The village lies at the junction of wadi Nakhal and wadi Ghul with... Next
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Sohar (Oman)
Sohar is a city situated in Al Batinah in Oman. It lies 240 kilometers to the North West of the capital of Muscat. The city is believed to be the... Next
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The lingering question had been would any team be able to truly test the Huskies, who had defeated first 17 opponents by a nation's-best 38.2 points per game. We found out tonight that was Baylor was that type of team. And we found that UConn has plenty of toughness and talent to pass such a test.
The Huskies finished the game with a 10-2 run over the final 5:12 in earning a 66-55 win.
"I'm very pleased,'' UConn senior Bria Hartley said. "I think we definitely needed a game like this to kind of test us of when a lot of things weren't going our way … I think we responded really well. We got the rebounds when we were supposed to. We made shots when we were supposed to. I'm just proud of my team and how we finished the game.
"I think it builds our confidence a lot. It's a tough game and we really had to grind it out at times. You want to be able to respond well when things aren't going your way and we did that. So I think that's a step in the right direction for us.''
The Huskies never led by more than 11 points. Their lead was one (50-49) with 10:54 remaining. It was three (56-53) with 5:12 remaining. But they never did fall behind.
Stefanie Dolson began the clinching run by making two free throws with 3:51 left after being fouled on a layup attempt. Moriah Jefferson found Breanna Stewart for a layup with 46 seconds later. Hartley later found Dolson for a layup with 1:49 left to stake the Huskies to a 62-53 lead.
Jefferson and Hartley each made one free throw before Hartley capped the scoring with a layup.
"There were just certain possessions that we had to win those possessions, and we did,'' UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "You don't win 69 games at home like Baylor has without having a tremendous will to win. That's what they do. They're led by someone (Odyssey Sims) who's a great player who has a tremendous will. And even though we were up the whole game it never seemed like it was going to get away from them. It was going to be whether or not we could make timely plays. That was the key.
"Making any kind of play was hard tonight. But there were a couple plays that stand out. We talked about that during one of the huddles how let's give them a chance to make a mistakes, let's give them chance to lose somebody on a screen or get a mismatch inside. And we never gave them a chance a lot of times. We'd just come down, make one or two passes and were content to just shoot something up. That's all well and good when they'll all going in. But we were timely.''
Key players like Dolson, Hartley, Stewart and Jefferson stepped up late for the Huskies. But the contribution of Kiah Stokes cannot be overlooked. She delivered two blocks and an offensive rebound in the final 3:35.
"Kiah Stokes was right on target with everything we needed her to do,'' Auriemma said.
This had been the type of game the Huskies had been eyeing for some time. They wanted to see how they would react in a tight game, especially on the road against a quality opponent. Ultimately, they found what they were looking for.
"Once our last game finished and we looked forward to Baylor I think that we were all really, really excited just because we knew that they're a good team,'' Stewart said. "And to be tested out of conference in January like we were tonight, it really shows how good of a team we are in the end. When we had to make plays we made them.''
Said Auriemma: "We know a couple things about our team. We won at Maryland. We won at Penn State. We won at Duke. So I know we were capable of winning big games against good teams on the road. But you just have to keep doing it over and over again. If you want to be considered that kind of team you have to keep doing it. Every time there's a challenge you have to accept it. That's why I go looking for these kind of challenges. I love these games. We look forward to them. The players look forward to them. Coaches look forward to them. We all do. We thrive in this kind of environment.''


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Sunglasses haven't changed much over the years – UV-blocking lenses and plastic frames have pretty much been the standard. Thanks Kickstarter, we at least get to see something a little ...On March 13, 2012 / By Chance Kinney
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Our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan is designed to create a culture which values trust and human dignity and provides the opportunity for personal development and self- fulfillment in the attainment of DOE's mission and goals. The 2012- 2015 strategic plan has three essential pillars – mission focus, accountability, and continual learning. It also:
- Creates a universal definition of diversity and inclusion.
- Designs strategic outreach and recruitment initiatives to reach all segments of society.
- Creates an internal DOE-wide Diversity and Inclusion Council to monitor progress and support employee engagement.
- Promotes effective communication with employees and stakeholders to heighten awareness of diversity and inclusion issues and share best practices.
- Promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity in leadership development programs and continual learning.
- Sets a path to demonstrate leadership commitment and accountability to diversity and inclusion.
Download the plan below. You can read more about our diversity and inclusion intiatives here.


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You never know what you're going to get when you go out to see a concert. This uncertainty can be a good thing that brings about magical surprises or something that can leave a sour taste in your mouth.
I've been to more concerts than I can honestly remember. Some have left me with memories that I'm sure will never fade, while others have been so bland and monotonous that I have to be reminded of my attendance.
I've seen bands in small clubs that get the crowd so involved in the music that they actually become an instrument in their own right. This is much harder to do in a large arena or amphitheatre where the attendance is in the tens of thousands, but it can be done.
On Saturday, June 9th, I got the chance to walk into — along with over seventeen-thousand others — the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC and see some amazing, eclectic performances.
Opening up, and setting the tone for the evening with a strong performance, was Thompson Square. I'll admit that I knew little about this band going into the concert, but their performance piqued my interests and they're definitely a group that I'll be looking forward to hearing more from in the future.
The next part of the concert was two of the top-selling country artists in the world today — Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum. Rucker is currently working on his third country album and Lady A are on tour promoting their latest album, Own the Night, which made the top albums of 2011 list.
When I stated that the show was eclectic, I was not joking. Darius Rucker is a seasoned vet of the music industry and he comes out and proves it as soon as he hits the stage. As you can imagine, Rucker played the singles from his latest album, Charleston, SC 1966, and from his chart-topping, breakthrough country album, Learn to Live.
Of course he's going to play his hits, but a question I had was "are we going to get to hear some Hootie too?" The answer is yes, indeed we did get to hear some songs from his Hootie and the Blowfish days. With a full country ensemble, the old rock songs sound a little different, but in a way that makes you appreciate the diversity of the artist and the greatness of classic songs.
The real oddity came from Rucker's last song of the night, a song that I can honestly say I've never heard performed by a country artist, and with this immaculate precision — Purple Rain. Prince's classic from the early 80's was performed as the final piece to an already amazing set for Rucker.
The generational gap between Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum is an obvious fact and each artist has a different way of stirring up the crowd.
For Lady Antebellum, the lights dim, the giant screens illuminate and the "Lady A Dance Party" begins.
What is the Lady A Dance Party you ask? It's a creative way to get the crowd pumped up by playing an array of dance songs that you wouldn't normally associate with a country concert. The camera pans the crowd as it spotlights people and projects them dancing on the big screens. This is way more fun that it sounds right now and the crowd certainly loved it too.
As soon as everyone is pumped up, an artsy cinematic montage begins to unfold on the screens, introducing each member of Lady Antebellum by showing their "pregame" warm-up. Then, the lights dim, the band emerges and the crowd goes wild.
Many times when a group is known for dynamic vocals, they will take the stage and let down the fans by seemingly going through the motions, singing each song like they're just trying to collect a paycheck. This is not what happens at a Lady A show.
Passion can be felt in every note sang. Scott projects chillingly powerful vocals, while Kelley's pristine melody converges to create some amazing harmonization that adds another dimension to songs that are already otherwise riveting.
In a world where many things get taken for granted, it's nice to see Hillary Scott personally thank the fans and then pull a nine-year-old girl on stage to sing with the group. It's also nice to see the band put their instruments down, come to the front of the stage and play an acoustic version of a fan favorite — American Honey.
Not only did the band pile onto the front of the stage, but so did Thompson Square and Darius Rucker. Three groups all squished at the front of a stage, performing together, covering the Doobie Brothers classic Black Water. And just when you think all the tricks up their sleeves had been pulled, Darius Rucker and Lady A performed Let Her Cry.
I am somewhat amazed at the diversity that each of these artists has. They were able to play songs that wouldn't normally fit into their genre and perform them well. The crowd fully embraced the country-laden version of Sweet Emotion that Lady Antebellum pulled off without a hitch.
At the end of the night, Lady A performed Need You Now, but did it a little differently. Dave Haywood played solo to start and then Hillary Scott sang a haunting version of their hit single before the rest of the band joined in to bring a great performance to a perfect finish.
If you enjoy live music and are looking for a concert that will deliver a good time, then the Lady Antebellum Tour that's sweeping the nation right now is going to be hard to beat.


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Liberty of the Seas Cruise Review by Secondtime cruiser: Liberty of the Seas was awesome!
Overall Member Rating
Liberty of the Seas was awesome!
Destination: Eastern Caribbean
Embarkation: Belize City
What an amazing vacation we had on Liberty of the Seas!
We sailed from Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, April 19th, boarding was a breeze, arrived at 10:45, was on the ship by 11:20! Went up and had lunch at the windjammer, go all the way around, so many choices didn't know about the other side of the of dining area existed til day 2!
Sprinkles ice cream was a huge hit with our family, right by the pool, can't get better than that! Don't miss the shows, In the Air, juggler, Saturday Night Fever, Comedian and Ice Show were all amazing! Very Talented Crew!
Belize was nice, long wait in the theater before boarding the tender (would have been nice to be aware of the wait before arriving that morning)
Cozumel was nice, shopping at the forum shops was fun, then we went to Paradise Beach, unfortunately, we were unaware of the depth of water near the inflatables, very frustrating, the water depth was over five feet! We found this out after More paying $15 per child for the day, the pool was very nice though!
Gloria our room attendant, was very kind and made sure we had everything we needed!
Character breakfast was great! So much to do on the ship, so little time!
Royal Caribbean was outstanding, can't wait til we can spend another vacation with you! Less
Published 04/27/14
Read more Liberty of the Seas cruise reviews >>
Read Cruise Critic's Liberty of the Seas Review >>
Cabin review: 6367
Had nice cabin, close to the elevators! Very Quiet! Beds were wonderful, very soft.
Port and Shore Excursions
Cave-Tubing Adventure
Crystal cave tubing was fun, the tour guides were informative and very kind
The bus ride very long and HOT!
Shopping was fun
Paradise Beach was beautfiul just unhappy with customer service and ocean was dirty.
You get what you pay for - it'...
Magical Time
Great value
Too large and bureaucratic
30+ Cruises - Hadn't Tried Roy...
Just an ok cruise. Some good ...
Not an exceptional cruise! RCI...
Quiet Cabin
I couldn't wait for it to be o...
First time cruiser skeptic tur...
Beautiful Ship but probably wo...
Amazing Staff, Amazing ship
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7.4: Similarity by SSS and SAS
Learning Objectives
- Use SSS and SAS to determine whether triangles are similar.
- Apply SSS and SAS to solve real-world situations.
Review Queue
- What are the congruent angles? List each pair.
- Write the similarity statement.
- If \begin{align*}AB = 8, BD = 20\end{align*}, and \begin{align*}BC = 25\end{align*}, find \begin{align*}BE\end{align*}.
- Solve the following proportions.
- \begin{align*}\frac{6}{8} = \frac{21}{x}\end{align*}
- \begin{align*}\frac{x+2}{6} = \frac{2x-1}{15}\end{align*}
Know What? Recall from Chapter 2, that the game of pool relies heavily on angles. In Section 2.5, we discovered that \begin{align*}m \angle 1 = m \angle 2\end{align*}.
You decide to hit the cue ball so it follows the yellow path to the right. Are the two triangles similar?
Link for an interactive game of pool: http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-poolgeometry/index.html
SSS for Similar Triangles
If you do not know any angle measures, can you say two triangles are similar?
Investigation 7-2: SSS Similarity
Tools Needed: ruler, compass, protractor, paper, pencil
1. Using Investigation 4-2, construct a triangle with sides 6 cm, 8 cm, and 10 cm.
2. Construct a second triangle with sides 9 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm.
3. Using your protractor, measure the angles in both triangles. What do you notice?
4. Line up the corresponding sides. Write down the ratios of these sides. What happens?
To see an animated construction of this, click: http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/construct-ruler-compass-1.html
From #3, you should notice that the angles in the two triangles are equal. Second, the sides are all in the same proportion, \begin{align*}\frac{6}{9} = \frac{8}{12} = \frac{10}{15}\end{align*}.
SSS Similarity Theorem: If the corresponding sides of two triangles are proportional, then the two triangles are similar.
If \begin{align*}\frac{AB}{YZ} = \frac{BC}{ZX} = \frac{AC}{XY}\end{align*}, then \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle YZX\end{align*}.
Example 1: Determine if any of the triangles below are similar.
Solution: Compare two triangles at a time.
\begin{align*}\triangle ABC\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle DEF\end{align*}: \begin{align*}\frac{20}{15} = \frac{22}{16} = \frac{24}{18}\end{align*}
Reduce each fraction to see if they are equal. \begin{align*}\frac{20}{15} = \frac{4}{3}, \frac{22}{16} = \frac{11}{8}\end{align*}, and \begin{align*}\frac{24}{18} = \frac{4}{3}\end{align*}.
\begin{align*}\frac{4}{3} \neq \frac{11}{8}, \triangle ABC\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle DEF\end{align*} are not similar.
\begin{align*}\triangle DEF\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle GHI\end{align*}: \begin{align*}\frac{15}{30} = \frac{16}{33} = \frac{18}{36}\end{align*}
\begin{align*}\frac{15}{30} = \frac{1}{2}, \frac{16}{33} = \frac{16}{33}\end{align*}, and \begin{align*}\frac{18}{36} = \frac{1}{2}\end{align*}. \begin{align*}\frac{1}{2} \neq \frac{16}{33}, \triangle DEF\end{align*} is not similar to \begin{align*}\triangle GHI\end{align*}.
\begin{align*}\triangle ABC\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle GHI\end{align*}: \begin{align*}\frac{20}{30} = \frac{22}{33} = \frac{24}{36}\end{align*}
\begin{align*}\frac{20}{30} = \frac{2}{3}, \frac{22}{33} = \frac{2}{3}\end{align*}, and \begin{align*}\frac{24}{36} = \frac{2}{3}\end{align*}. All three ratios reduce to \begin{align*}\frac{2}{3}\end{align*}, \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle GIH\end{align*}.
Example 2: Algebra Connection Find \begin{align*}x\end{align*} and \begin{align*}y\end{align*}, such that \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle DEF\end{align*}.
Solution: According to the similarity statement, the corresponding sides are: \begin{align*}\frac{AB}{DE} = \frac{BC}{EF} = \frac{AC}{DF}\end{align*}. Substituting in what we know, we have \begin{align*}\frac{9}{6} = \frac{4x-1}{10} = \frac{18}{y}\end{align*}.
\begin{align*}\frac{9}{6} &= \frac{4x-1}{10} && \quad \ \frac{9}{6} = \frac{18}{y}\\ 9(10) &= 6(4x-1) && \quad 9y =18(6)\\ 90 &= 24x-6 && \quad 9y = 108\\ 96 &= 24x && \quad \ y = 12\\ x &= 4\end{align*}
SAS for Similar Triangles
SAS is the last way to show two triangles are similar.
Investigation 7-3: SAS Similarity
Tools Needed: paper, pencil, ruler, protractor, compass
1. Using Investigation 4-3, construct a triangle with sides 6 cm and 4 cm and the included angle is \begin{align*}45^{\circ}\end{align*}.
2. Repeat Step 1 and construct another triangle with sides 12 cm and 8 cm and the included angle is \begin{align*}45^{\circ}\end{align*}.
3. Measure the other two angles in both triangles. What do you notice?
4. Measure the third side in each triangle. Make a ratio. Is this ratio the same as the ratios of the sides you were given?
SAS Similarity Theorem: If two sides in one triangle are proportional to two sides in another triangle and the included angle in both are congruent, then the two triangles are similar.
If \begin{align*}\frac{AB}{XY} = \frac{AC}{XZ}\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\angle A \cong \angle X\end{align*}, then \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle XYZ\end{align*}.
Example 3: Are the two triangles similar? How do you know?
Solution: \begin{align*}\angle B \cong \angle Z\end{align*} because they are both right angles and \begin{align*}\frac{10}{15} = \frac{24}{36}\end{align*}. So, \begin{align*}\frac{AB}{XZ} = \frac{BC}{ZY}\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle XZY\end{align*} by SAS.
Example 4: Are there any similar triangles? How do you know?
Solution: \begin{align*}\angle A\end{align*} is shared by \begin{align*}\triangle EAB\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle DAC\end{align*}, so it is congruent to itself. Let's see if \begin{align*}\frac{AE}{AD} = \frac{AB}{AC}\end{align*}.
\begin{align*}\frac{9}{9+3} &= \frac{12}{12+5}\\ \frac{9}{12} &= \frac{3}{4} \neq \frac{12}{17} && \text {The two triangles are} \ not \ \text{similar.}\end{align*}
Example 5: From Example 4, what should \begin{align*}BC\end{align*} equal for \begin{align*}\triangle EAB \sim \triangle DAC\end{align*}?
Solution: The proportion we ended up with was \begin{align*}\frac{9}{12} = \frac{3}{4} \neq \frac{12}{17}\end{align*}. \begin{align*}AC\end{align*} needs to equal 16, so that \begin{align*}\frac{12}{16} = \frac{3}{4}\end{align*}. \begin{align*}AC = AB + BC\end{align*} and \begin{align*}16 = 12 + BC\end{align*}. \begin{align*}BC\end{align*} should equal 4.
Know What? Revisited Yes, the two triangles are similar because they both have a right angle and, from early in this text learned that \begin{align*}m \angle 1 = m \angle 2\end{align*}.
Review Questions
- Questions 1-5 are vocabulary.
- Questions 6-18 are similar to Examples 1, 3, and 4 and review.
- Questions 19-24 are similar to Examples 3 and 4.
- Questions 25-28 are similar to Example 2.
- Questions 29 and 30 are a review of the last section.
Fill in the blanks.
- Two triangles are similar if two angles in each triangle are _____________.
- If all three sides in one triangle are __________________ to the three sides in another, then the two triangles are similar.
- Two triangles are congruent if the corresponding sides are _____________.
- Two triangles are similar if the corresponding sides are _____________.
- If two sides in one triangle are _________________ to two sides in another and the ________________ angles are _________________, then the triangles are ______________.
Use the following diagram for questions 6-8. The diagram is to scale.
- Are the two triangles similar? Explain your answer.
- Are the two triangles congruent? Explain your answer.
- What is the scale factor for the two triangles?
Fill in the blanks in the statements below. Use the diagram to the left.
- \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle\end{align*}_____
- \begin{align*}\frac{AB}{?} = \frac{BC}{?} = \frac{AC}{?}\end{align*}
- If \begin{align*}\triangle ABC\end{align*} had an altitude, \begin{align*}AG = 10\end{align*}, what would be the length of altitude \begin{align*}\overline{DH}\end{align*}?
- Find the perimeter of \begin{align*}\triangle ABC\end{align*} and \begin{align*}\triangle DEF\end{align*}. Find the ratio of the perimeters.
Use the diagram to the right for questions 13-18.
- \begin{align*}\triangle ABC \sim \triangle\end{align*}_____
- Why are the two triangles similar?
- Find \begin{align*}ED\end{align*}.
- \begin{align*}\frac{BD}{?} = \frac{?}{BC} = \frac{DE}{?}\end{align*}
- Is \begin{align*}\frac{AD}{DB} = \frac{CE}{EB}\end{align*} true?
- Is \begin{align*}\frac{AD}{DB} = \frac{AC}{DE}\end{align*} true?
Determine if the following triangles are similar. If so, write the similarity theorem and statement.
Algebra Connection Find the value of the missing variable(s) that makes the two triangles similar.
- At a certain time of day, a building casts a 25 ft shadow. At the same time of day, a 6 ft tall stop sign casts a 15 ft shadow. How tall is the building?
- A child who is 42 inches tall is standing next to the stop sign in #21. How long is her shadow?
Review Queue Answer
- \begin{align*}\angle A \cong \angle D, \angle E \cong \angle C\end{align*}
- \begin{align*}\triangle ABE \sim \triangle DBC\end{align*}
- \begin{align*}BE = 10\end{align*}
- \begin{align*}\frac{6}{8} = \frac{21}{x}, x=28\end{align*}
- \begin{align*}{\;} \ 15(x+2) = 6(2x-1)\!\\ {\;} \ 15x+30 = 12x-6\!\\ {\;} \quad \quad \ \ \ 3x = -36\!\\ {\;} \quad \quad \ \ \ \ x = -12\end{align*}
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text:
Up to $3,800
Home Performance Energy Audit: $100
Home Performance Weatherization: up to $3,800
Central AC: $500-$1,000
Air Source Heat Pump: $750- $1,250
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LEDs: $8/bulb
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Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative's (SMECO) Residential Energy Efficiency Program helps residential customers save energy by providing rebates for home weatherization and the installation of energy efficient equipment. Eligible measures include insulation, system tune-ups, lighting, water heating, proper installation and central heating and cooling. Some rebates vary by size and type of measure employed. Equipment must meet program guidelines listed on the web site above. SMECO also provides a program that provides weatherization services to income qualified households. Interested customers should review the web site for more information, to ensure eligibility, and to access application forms.


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This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
4.—(1) The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 is amended as follows.
(2) In sections 19, 20 and 23 and in paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 (Probation Service and CAFCASS property and staff), for "Minister" or "appropriate Minister" in each place substitute "Secretary of State".
(3) In section 25 (interpretation)—
(a)omit the definition of "appropriate Minister", and
(b)in the definition of "regulations", for paragraphs (a) and (b) substitute—
"(a)in the case of regulations under section 15, regulations made by the Lord Chancellor, and
(b)in any other case, regulations made by the Secretary of State."
(4) In Schedule 2 to that Act (CAFCASS), for "Lord Chancellor" in each place, substitute "Secretary of State".
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This clock is one of my favorite projects. It's a paint chip craft taken to a different level. There are some really awesome paint chip projects out there, but I was determined to come up with something a little different. That's when crackle medium entered the picture and this paint chip clock was born!
UPDATE: This paint chip clock is available in my Etsy shop.
I've had this rooster clock for quite a few years. It was one of those clocks you buy on a gift website or in a gift shop. Nothing special, but it was cute. However, it really didn't fit in my decor anymore so I took it down from the wall and tucked it away in a cabinet in my craft room. Last week I had picked up a bunch of red toned paint chips from WalMart. I knew I wanted to make something with them, I just hadn't decided what yet. Then one day it just hit me. The clock!
If you want to make one of these or something similar, you will need:
an old clock
paint chips
sand paper
crackle medium
Vintage white acrylic paint
Mod Podge
antiquing gel
scrapbook paper
So I pulled out the clock, removed the mechanism and sanded down the face.
I laid out the paint chips across the front of the clock to make sure I had enough and that there would be enough to cover. I made sure to alternate the colors as well. I even changed them around a bit after taking this picture, positioning most of the dark colors toward the center. I was careful to keep them in the order that I wanted them as I laid them down on the work surface.
I really wanted to do something different. There's a lot of awesome paint chip art out there, and they are all awesome, but I wanted mine to be a bit more unique. So I pulled out the crackling medium and gave each paint chip a thin coat.
When the crackle medium dried I added a coat of Vintage White. The beauty of this is that you don't have to paint a base coat because the paint chips serve as the base coat! The crackle medium went to work and started "aging" the finish right away.
When the paint chips are dry, add a coat of acrylic matte finish spray sealer.
After the paint chip strips had dried for a while, I started in the middle of the clock and using some Mod Podge and a paintbrush attached them to the clock. I did not Mod Podge the top yet, just the side that attached to the clock.
NOTE: You can see where I accidentally removed some of the Vintage White. That was from me trying to smooth the paint chips down on to the Mod Podge. That's when I realized that I needed to add the spray sealer to the paint chips, to keep the crackled finish from peeling off. It worked out ok, made it look chippy where I made my oops :)
After attaching all the paint chips to the clock I let it dry a bit, then turned it over and used a box cutter to trim away the excess. I turned it face up again and trimmed away about an 1/8″ or so from the edge.
It was looking pretty cool so far, but I thought it needed something else…
So I thinned some antiquing gel with water and applied it with an old rag. I rubbed it on gently then wiped it off. I repeated this step in a few areas until I was happy with the result. I wasn't completely sure how this would work since I had to add a coat of sealer to the chips earlier, but it worked like a charm.
I set the clock aside to dry for a while and went to work on the numbers. Unfortunately there's something wrong with my Silhouette machine or I would have just cut the numbers with that. But since I couldn't I just used a piece of scrapbook paper and printed reversed numbers on the back. They have to be reversed so that when you cut them out the colored side of the paper will have the numbers in the right direction.
After cutting out one of the numbers I realized that the numbers were blending with the clock colors rather than standing out. Easy fix! I pulled out the antiquing gel and used it to make the scrapbook paper darker. Paint on, wipe off.
It took a while to get all the numbers cut out!
I began by adding the numbers 3, 6, 9, and 12 with Mod Podge. I did add Mod Podge over the top of the numbers at this point.
Once all the numbers were in place, I gave the entire surface a good coat of Mod Podge.
When it was completely dry, I put the mechanism back on the clock and hung it on the wall! I'm happy with how it turned out. hope you like it too!
Did you enjoy this post? Why not subscribe to my feed, or better yet, to my free newsletter – Foodie in the Craftroom, which provides not only crafts but recipes from my other blog, Amanda's Cookin' as well!


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The Style Gallery is a great new way for you to view, love, and share outfit photos. It's meant to showcase
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The cool blue hues of this fine floral dress are sure to soothe you. Make your next daytime party feel as carefree as a beachside hammock day by zipping the big blooms, pretty pleats, and side pockets of this pristine piece above seashell-pink heels and a beaded clutch! Cloud-white, periwinkle, and deep-sea-blue harmonize atop this cotton frock for a look that leaves nothing to be desired!
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35 posts tagged with usa and immigration.
Displaying 1 through 35 of 35. Subscribe:
Advice for people in the US but not a citizen?
I've seen a lot of advice for US citizens who wish to take care of their affairs post-Trump, but what are some useful measures for people in the US not as citizens (visa-holders, undocumented, Green Cards) to take care of themselves? [more inside]
Canadian pediatrician moving to USA
I am Canadian in academia and am considering moving to the US in the next year. My partner is a pediatrician (MD, LMCC) who is board-certified in Canada in pediatrics, ie she has her FRCPC designation. If we move to the US, she would like to work, which could be additional fellowship training or working in private practice as a pediatrician. Questions about the legal/certification requirements inside... [more inside]
Can I get a US green card if we are both in Canada?
Can I apply for an American green card if my spouse (American) and I (Canadian) are both residents of Canada? Or does my spouse need to move back to the USA before we can apply for me to get a green card? [more inside]
US Immigration: question about approved visa suddenly "in review."
My partner immigrated to the USA from Canada roughly one year ago, about two years after we got married and initiated the immigration process. She had an approved IR-1 visa at the time she entered the USA permanently, about one year ago. We recently got a text/email notification from USCIS telling us that our case had switched statuses from "approved" to "in review," and calling USCIS revealed nothing. How worried should we be? [more inside]
us visa bwah?
YANA/MI(mmigration)L, but can you help parse what a friend who is an immigration lawyer is saying relating to US green cards, especially the EB-1? [more inside]
Canadian volunteering for a year in the US for a religious nonprofit
My girlfriend and I will be volunteering at a mountain retreat center/camp in the US for a year. This retreat center is a religious nonprofit affiliated with a mainline protestant denomination and has existed since the '60s (and I have visited it many times before, as a member of that denomination). We will be paid a stipend of $550 a month each and have benefits like room & board, health and dental insurance...or at least I, as a US citizen, will get them. What does my girlfriend, as a Canadian citizen, need to provide to US immigration (specifically DHS at the border) to have the greatest chance of receiving that stipend and/or benefits? [more inside]
Does working with the UN have any effect on the US citizenship process?
A friend of mine works with a UN agency that is based in Lebanon. He has a US green card. Does his employment with the United Nations have any effect whatsoever on his status in the US? [more inside]
Helping a colleague on a path to permanent residency
How can I help my very qualified colleague get through the US immigration maze? [more inside]
Switching US visas over
YANM(Immigration)L: Is it possible to switch from an US student F-1 Visa to a tourist B1/2 Visa without having to travel far from or out of the US? And what's the deal with my OPT and my visa sticker? [more inside]
Why are there so few Indonesian immigrants in America?
Why are there so few Indonesian immigrants in the USA? [more inside]
Help me live in my own country (USA) with my Canadian wife! AAAH!
I came to Canada on a visa (NAFTA treaty visa, technical writer) and I met the love of my life and married her. I'm the breadwinner in Canada, and I have been since shortly after we moved in together. How on EARTH do I move her home with me??? [more inside]
UK citizen in US, divorcing, what forms to fill out?
I am a soon-to-be-divorced UK citizen (soon-to-be ex-wife is American) with a permanent resident card (expires 2019). Married in May 2007, came here September 2010, divorcing either this month or next. I'm moving to San Francisco end of May 2012. What, if anything, do I have to tell INS regarding my marital status? And which forms to fill out? [more inside]
Lawyer in which country?
For an Australian citizen thinking of moving to the United States, is it better to see an immigration lawyer in Australia, or one in the US, for consultation? This assumes that one is currently in Australia, but travels occasionally to the US. [more inside]
Can someone with a caution for possession of cannabis go on holiday to the USA?
I was cautioned (not convicted) for possession of cannabis in 2003 in the UK. I understand that the USA is not very friendly towards people with drugs "offences" on their record and I'm wondering if I will have trouble travelling to Hawaii (via a four-day stopover in San Francisco) in the middle of next year.
Does The Uk Recognize US state-level Same Sex Marriages
I'm a dude going to marry a dude in New York State. Said dude I am going to marry is a resident alien from the UK. Will the UK recognize the marriage? Does he become an American Citizen by marrying him? Does that counteract his UK citizenship? What are my rights, here?
Moving To the USA
I am possibly moving to the United States from Canada for a job, and I'd like to get some insight into some aspects of the immigration process. [more inside]
So does ANYthing suck about Canada?
Give me good reasons not to move from the U.S. to Canada (specifically Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, or Vancouver) in 2-6 years. I especially welcome input from MeFites who have lived in both countries. [more inside]
Please recommend a top-notch immigration lawyer/law firm in Manhattan.
Can someone recommend a good immigration lawyer/law firm in Manhattan? I need someone/practice with deep expertise in H1B and greencard applications(EB1a, EB1b, and NIW). [more inside]
How can I avoid getting my UK Visa application rejected?
I am a US graduate student, accepted into a graduate program in the UK. I have been having significant problems getting my UK Visa processed. I'm wondering if this is typical, and if I should be worried about my chances of going to the UK being jeopardized as a result of these difficulties? [more inside]
What are my prospects for moving to the US?
My SO has a permanent job in the US. We're both British citizens. What are the prospects for me to move over to join her? Also: Canada! [more inside]
USA foreign gay partner immigration?
How can a gay couple, one British, one American, both live in the USA? [more inside]
But I'm white and educated!
A friend from the Eastern European country I grew up in asked if I would sign and submit an invitation so she can get a tourist visa to the U.S., where I reside. She intends to look for illegal work when she gets here. My immediate reaction was "No way!" with a few expletives thrown in, but I don't want to hurt her feelings when I crush her hopes. Can you give me any legal reasons for why I shouldn't do it? [more inside]
Help with emigration of German best friend to the US
My German-citizen best friend and I have been talking about him emigrating to the US for a few years now, and now that he's about to graduate from college, we're getting serious about it. So far, it looks like the best route is a graduate degree program, but money is a problem with that (namely, he doesn't have any). This doesn't have to be exclusively how he gets here, we're open to any suggestions. [more inside]
Let's go to Little Canada!
A few months ago I read about French-Canadian immigration into the U.S. from the 1840s to 1930s. Evidently, some of these immigrants established "Little Canadas." I'd like to learn more about them. [more inside]
How can I (an EU citizen) move to San Francisco?
How can I (an EU citizen) move to San Francisco? [more inside]
I'm a dependant, full-time student abroad and haven't filed with the IRS for the past three years. Doing immigration stuff and need tax returns. What now?
I am helping my partner migrate to the U.S. after our marriage. We're nearing the point where we do an Affidavit of Support during our embassy interview abroad, which says I need to bring tax returns. I have not filed income taxes for the last three years, because I have been a full-time student in this country. What should I do? [more inside]
Need advice re. crossing U.S. border for my wedding
How paranoid do I need to be about crossing the US border to get married? [more inside]
Move this Aussie from down under to up yonder.
Immigration Law! Help me get my bagged Aussie into the U.S. and A. [more inside]
What happens (legally) when an American and a Japanese person marry?
International Marriage filter: When a US Citizen marries a foreigner, what process is involved in bringing the new spouse to the US and getting permanent resident status? [more inside]
Give me your modals, your prepositions, your phrasal verbs yearning to breathe free
How do I teach 10 or so Indonesian academics and postgraduate students how to "ace" their US Embassy visa interviews and "prep" for life in the US? Personal experiences with the US immigration process? What are some interview strategies you can pass on to my students? [more inside]
What if my non-US citizen fiancée is denied entry into the US at the airport?
My fiancée and I are travelling to her country this Christmas to visit some friends and her family. I am a US citizen and she is Moldovan. She is a grad student at my university here in the US. As she is from a non-EU Eastern European country, there is a chance that she may not be allowed entry into the country due to some technicalities, even though she will have received another valid F1 visa. If she is denied entry in the airport, what can I do? Am I allowed to see her, arrange for her flight home or contact a lawyer before they force her out? [more inside]
Moving to the USA
I'm a Canadian looking to move (and work) in the USA. Not necessarily forever, but more than the three months a tourist visa allows. I've got a 2 year college degree and 8 yrs experience in IT. Where do I start to figure out how to do it? [more inside]
Ways for an American to become a permanent resident or citizen of the UK?
UK immigration: My cousin (an American) is investigating ways that she can become a permanent resident or citizen of the United Kingdom. [more inside]
Any immigration experts in the house?
Any immigration experts in the house? [more inside]
Ways for a Canadian to legally work in the USA
Ways for a Canadian to legally work in the USA... [more inside] [more inside]
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