text:
The microbiome remains a largely undocumented realm although it touches virtually every aspect of human life. The MetaSUB consortium brings together researchers from around the globe to explore, map und better understand the interactions between microbes and their environments. It offers tantalizing glimpses of the next frontier of life science.
An unknown world teeming with life exists literally under our fingertips, leading a parallel existence alongside humans. Every time we shake hands, reach for an object, inhale or exhale, we make contact with an invisible world of millions of microscopic organisms. The average human sheds around 15 million microbes an hour into the environment.
Welcome to the world of the microbiome, the catch-all term to describe microscopically small organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and even algae. These organisms have colonized more or less every surface on Earth and have made a home inside our bodies as well, from our teeth and the gastro-intestinal tract to our toes. The human body, experts estimate, holds a total of 100 trillion microbial cells. That's roughly three times as many cells as the human body consists of. If one were to put all these organisms on a scale, their weight would not amount to more than four pounds, the equivalent of a human brain.
Yet when it comes to its biological impact, the microbiome punches far above its diminutive weight. At its worst, certain notorious members of the microbiome are responsible for infectious diseases such as cholera, the avian flu or a mutated bat virus that came to be feared as SARS. That's why many epidemiologists expect the next pandemic to arise from the microbiome. Researchers are still trying to understand what role this invisible world can play in the rise or treatment of cancers, mental illnesses and other diseases that are thought of as being caused by genes or lifestyle. Most of the time, however, this community of microorganisms acts as a symbiotic and overwhelmingly beneficial partner. Microbes act as a dynamically configurable, live shield to protect humans from pathogens, aid with digestion and further overall health and well-being.
Unlocking an exciting and dynamic research area
In short, identifying the microbiome and characterizing its interactions is considered one of the most exciting and dynamic new frontiers of life science today. Experts are certain it will provide them with valuable new insights to bolster public health defenses, develop new therapeutic applications, and even improve disciplines such as forensics, city planning and architecture.
The problem thus far has been that humans have not fully grasped the size and diversity of this parallel world, let alone been able to chart its tangled relationships. Since the term "microbiome" was coined by the late molecular biologist and Nobel Prize winner Joshua Lederberg in 2001, scientists around the world have embarked on the path of discovery. The American National Institutes of Health, for instance, launched the Human Microbiome Project in 2007, followed by the launch of the International Human Microbiome Consortium at a meeting in Heidelberg, Germany, a year later.
This initial burst of research caught the interest of Dr. Christopher Mason, Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics and of Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in Manhattan. Six years ago, when he began dropping his six-month-old daughter at her daycare in New York, a question popped into his head: What exactly was happening when an infant explores the world by putting things in her mouth? "As a new father, I suddenly became curious to get better information about what exchange was occurring between her and the world," recalls Mason, "and it turns out that almost nothing was known."
Insights from mapping New York City's metagenomic baseline
Mason turned his curiosity into a project called PathoMap that collected samples from the poles, turnstiles and other surfaces of the New York City subway. The result was the first detailed metagenomic profile of a large metropolis. "Swab by swab, we built the first baseline map of what's present in a city. Call it genetic surveillance," says Mason about his lab's efforts which garnered a lot coverage when they were published in 2015.
The PathoMap project showed that humans literally don't know the half of their world. In other words, 50 percent of the DNA collected underground didn't match any known organism. Analyzing DNA samples from the subway also gave intriguing clues what type of information the microbiome holds. In the South Ferry station, for instance, which was heavily flooded by tropical storm Sandy in 2012, the Weill Cornell team was able to identify the remains of ocean-based bacteria swept North by the powerful hurricane.
Such "molecular echoes" can persist for months. Not only do these traces indicate what happened, but they also hint at who was there doing what. Genetic mapping allowed the researchers to reconstruct how different ethnicities flow through public transportation and match up with census data, as well as find traces of particular foods such as chickpeas or of their pets; essentially a history of who is there and what they are doing. It's a level of detail that would be any forensic expert's dream of, which has led to new work in this area of "metagenomic forensics." Prior, scientists rarely had access to the technologies required to extract, amplify and analyze the metagenomic remnants of this hidden world.
MetaSUB will take microbiome sleuthing global
New York was just the opening act. In June 2016, Weill Cornell Medicine and other scientists, researchers and trained citizen scientists around the globe started to collect and analyze samples of DNA and RNA in high-traffic areas of 54 large cities around the world. The MetaSUB project, headed by Dr. Mason as principal investigator, will run for five years to not only provide geospatial but also longitudinal data, covering cities ranging from Berlin and Buenos Aires to Johannesburg, from Tehran to Shanghai and Sydney. MetaSUB will collect samples from sewer systems and beaches as well as RNA viruses such as Zika and influenza.
The consortium intentionally aims for a high number of participating locations. Once completed, researchers will be able to drill into longitudinal profiles of the world's major cities and study how their genetic makeup, pathogen load and even antimicrobial resistance changed over time. The larger the data pool, the better the insights, particularly since urban profiles range from normal to extremely densely populated cities in temperate all the way to tropical climates. Another bonus is the inclusion of Rio and Tokyo, two Olympic host cities whose large influx of visitors promises to provide a rich tapestry of genetic material that undergoes significant change over a short period of time.
Getting to know the hidden world around us promises big pay-offs. First studies hint at an intricate, but not yet fully understood relationship between bacteria that colonize our bodies and conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome or even mental disorders.
First studies show mind-gut connection
In one experiment, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, showed that physical traits like obesity can be transmitted to mice by inoculating them with human gut microbes.
Rodents gained weight after they received intestinal microbes from an obese person, but stayed lean when they got the same "transplant" from a skinny human. Researchers now think they might be able to design probiotics that ward off obesity by manipulating the intestinal microbiome. Subsequent research by other teams has shown that the interplay between body mass index and microbiome is much more complex than initially thought and deserves further investigation.
In a similar fashion, researchers have found a gut-mind connection that may explain how our dietary habits and the microbiome can influence our mental health, affecting conditions such as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "We live as a symbiotic assembly of trillions of cells. There's truth to the saying that you are what you eat," says Michael Kazinski, QIAGEN's Senior Director Molecular Preanalytic Technologies. "Understanding the various microbiomes and their impact on human health and environment is a key area of interest for our company." Such insights, he adds, can help identify new drug targets and design novel neutraceuticals.
This kind of global sleuthing requires a standardized protocol and platform to make sure the results can be reliably gathered, interpreted and then compared. QIAGEN therefore provides the MetaSUB consortium with sample technologies and library preparation workflows to extract, purify and isolate genomic materials for analysis. Gathering and cleaning such samples poses several challenges since every swab comprises a wide range of DNA and RNA from known and unknown bacteria and viruses, as well as plenty of contaminants and artifacts that can stump or mislead researchers. The company's MO BIO PowerSoil sample technology kits let researchers extract usable genetic material even from highly contaminated samples such as soil, dirty water or stool.
The next step involves using QIAseq FX DNA library preparation kits for next-generation sequencing that amplifies the sough-after parts while preserving the original sample for future research. Since metagenomic sampling is an open-ended exercise in hunting and gathering an unknown batch of genetic materials, the extracted information then has to be matched against a library of reference sequences. The third and final step consists of running state of the art bioinformatics analysis to turn data into insights.
QIAGEN suppporting basic research
"We want to support basic research and medical development with technology that a researcher who's neither an expert in bioinformatics or genetics can use," explains Colin Baron, Senior Director and Head Product Management NGS Sciences at QIAGEN. To be sure, studying the microbiome is still in its infancy. "We're embarking on a big data fishing expedition with so much new information yet to discover," he adds "We've opened the door just a crack, but we can already see things that are applicable to public and environmental health."
Take contaminated soils or water. Much like the bacteria in a sewage treatment facility feast on human waste and thereby clean the water, the right mix of microbes could be put to use for environmental remediation such as dealing with a chemical spill and other environmental disasters. The same is true for agriculture. Once researchers gain a better understanding of the interaction between microorganisms in the soil and the plants that grow in it, farmers would be able to harness the positive interplay and increase yields, perhaps even give crops a microbial shield against diseases instead of using pesticides.
Urban environments offer yet another promising application. Institutions like the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have begun funding research into MetaSUB and related projects, aiming to understand the role microbes play in creating healthier buildings and improving public health. The tall, enclosed towers of a modern city act like semi-insulated containers that provide little air exchange and therefore have their own microbial ecosystem — with all the advantages and risks to its occupants.
While the notion of architects and city planners working with molecular biologists may still be a ways off, using the microbiome to develop personalized medicine is coming within reach. One example is the goal to develop special workflows for diagnostics and therapeutic purposes that gather and analyze the individual genetic and microbial profile of each patient.
Creating a shield of microbes for each individual
Dr. Mason, for one, has his eyes on this prize. He considers the rich yet invisible microbial world all around us a "phalanx of friends" that ought to be harnessed for precision medicine of the near future: "After our work in the subway, I'm much more at ease about touching things," he says. "The vast majority of what we found was either inert toward human health or even beneficial."
Mason envisions using the insights of the MetaSUB consortium to get a detailed picture of the microbial environment in any given place to design an individual medical response based on the neighborhood a person lives in. "It's still years away, but the technologies to monitor these things already exist," he explains. "Once we have enough information, we can make it part of your own, geospatially informed treatment plan." Such a record could be called up, for instance, to check on any past antimicrobial resistance and implement the best antibiotic for an infection.
Such fine-grained mapping across time and space would finally shine a spotlight on the hidden world under our fingertips. In some sense, MetaSUB will rob the microbiome of some of its mysterious aura, but the trillions of invisible partners every human shares his or her body and environment with still hold plenty of secrets that await sampling, analysis and interpretation.


text:
Mitch McConnell is the Senate Majority Leader. Elected to that position unanimously by his Republican colleagues in 2014, he is only the second Kentuckian to ever serve as Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate. The first, Alben Barkley, led the Democrats from 1937 to 1949.
Senator McConnell previously served, again by the unanimous vote of his colleagues, as the Republican Leader in the 110th, 111th, 112th and 113th Congresses and as the Majority Whip in the 108th and 109th Congresses. McConnell also served in leadership as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles.
First elected to the Senate in 1984, McConnell is Kentucky's longest-serving senator. He made history that year as the only Republican challenger in the country to defeat a Democrat incumbent and as the first Republican to win a statewide Kentucky race since 1968. On November 4, 2014, he was elected to another six-year term by receiving broad support across Kentucky, winning 110 of the Commonwealth's 120 counties.
Senator McConnell graduated with honors from the University of Louisville College of Arts and Sciences, where he served as student body president. He also is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was elected president of the Student Bar Association.
McConnell worked as an intern on Capitol Hill for Senator John Sherman Cooper before serving as chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook and as deputy assistant attorney general to President Gerald Ford.
Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as judge-executive of Jefferson County, Kentucky, from 1978 until he commenced his Senate term on January 3, 1985.
McConnell currently serves as a senior member of the Appropriations, Agriculture and Rules Committees. He is the proud father of three daughters.
Senator McConnell is married to Elaine L. Chao, who served for eight years as President George W. Bush's U.S. Secretary of Labor. Secretary Chao is a former president of the United Way of America and director of the Peace Corps.
The Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues. The people listed as Experts have spoken or otherwise participated in Federalist Society events, publications, or multimedia presentations. A person's appearance on this list does not imply any other endorsement or relationship between the person and the Federalist Society. All expressions of opinion by an expert are those of the expert.
Third Annual Executive Branch Review Conference
June 23, 2015
2010 National Lawyers Convention
November 18, 2010
2008 National Lawyers Convention
November 20, 2008
2007 National Lawyers Convention
November 16, 2007
2006 National Lawyers Convention
November 16, 2006
Free Speech & Election Law Practice Group Newsletter - Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 1999
July 01, 1999
Free Speech & Election Law Practice Group Newsletter - Volume 1, Issue 1, Fall 1996
December 01, 1996

subset: commoncrawl


text:
[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
Re: Combining Lists?
Hi Alan,
One simple way is to use Transpose. Thus
will give you the result you want.
Carl Woll
Dept of Physics
U of Washington
On Sat, 6 Sep 1997, Alan Hunter wrote:
> I think this is a pretty easy question so I hope someone will be able
> to answer it, I just can't figure out how to do it. If you have two
> lists, for example {1, 2, 3} and {4, 5, 6}. Is there a command to
> combine them into a series of XY pairs like {{1, 4}, {2, 5}, {3, 6}}?
> The book doesn't seem to have such a command, but I suspect one exists.
> Thanks for any help you can provide.


text:
I have a S&W 642 & want to know if anyone has tried the Barami Hip Grip? I carry a P11 with a belt clip & it is invisable with a golf shirt. There are times that I would prefer to carry the S&W.
Printable View
I have a S&W 642 & want to know if anyone has tried the Barami Hip Grip? I carry a P11 with a belt clip & it is invisable with a golf shirt. There are times that I would prefer to carry the S&W.
they also sell a clip for the 642...that might be an option for you.
but to answer your question...No...never tried one..as I use crimson trace grips.
I had the hip grips on a 642, made it nice to carry, not nice to shoot, I think if Iw were to go that route again, I'd add a Tyler T-Grip and a Hogue grip sleeve. I'd say that the only real draw back is that it's not being held securely, there's a lot of room between the gun and the tab of the grip that holds it on the waist band.
It's not like a clip where there's some tension holding it in place.
IIRC they do make the Clip Draw from J-Frames, that might be a better option.
A thick revolver cylinder against your skin with no protection is very uncomfortable. I'd stick with a good IWB holster.
My Brother uses nothing but the Barami "Hip Grip" on his J-Frame.
I tried it, and it has it's place, but I prefer a Holster. The Tyler T-Grip and the Barami make a good combo if you're going to go that route.
Biker :palmier:
I have one, but do not think it is secure enough. The few times I wore it I was always concerned it would come out of my pants.
My hip grips are shelved since I just couldn't get used to carrying with them. I think the clipdraw is a better option and I may go that way if my Alessi APX doesn't work for me.
I wore a Charter Arms with the hip grip for a week while in Florida for vacation and I really liked it. For a secure ride you need to wear it appendix style with it in front of your hip bone. When it's there, the cylinder fits in the crease and was comfortable. It will shift some while you move, but that's a good thing because when you sit down you need a little movement to get it in the right comfort spot. I found as long as I had my shorts tightened then it was pretty stable. I liked wearing it there so much that I made a kydex holster for my PM9 so that I can wear it appendix style. Word of advice, use a stainless or nickel gun or else you risk lots of rust because of sweat.


text:
Here is your recap of Day 3 in the College World Series. We saw in the losers bracket where the Miami (FL) Hurricanes beating FSU 7-5 eliminating the Noles from the tournament. In the winner's bracket matchup, Georgia knocked off Stanford 4-3 behind a two run seventh inning to give the Bulldogs the lead for good. Stanford and Miami will face off on Wednesday at 7 pm EDT.
Miami FL 7 FSU 5 Recap
Georgia 4 Stanford 3 Recap


text:
Begg-N for Summer
Sunday, April 7, 2013 at Begg Park in Springfield, Michigan
Disc golf doubles tournament
Disc golf doubles tournament
About this tournament
This is a Fundraiser disc golf Tourney for Residential Oppurtunities Inc. we Raised over $800.oo last year we want to Double this Amount this year with two events,$3.oo F.O.P. 50/50, $2.oo Ace Pool, Silant Auction "some Awesome Stuff for the Auction", 2 rounds random draw doubles "same partner both rounds" food & Drinks available at F.O.P.#153, $15.oo of entry will go to R.O.I. come out and have some fun Donations Welcome
Begg Park
Springfield, MI Get Directions
Springfield, MI Get Directions


text:
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» ESB-2012.0736 - [Win][Linux][HP-UX][Solaris][AIX] IB...
ESB-2012.0736 - [Win][Linux][HP-UX][Solaris][AIX] IBM Eclipse Help System: Multiple vulnerabilities
03 August 2012
Click here for printable version
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 =========================================================================== AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution ESB-2012.0736 VULNERABILITIES REPORTED ON IBM ECLIPSE HELP SYSTEM (IEHS) 3 August 2012 =========================================================================== AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary --------------------------------- Product: IBM Eclipse Help System Publisher: IBM Operating System: Windows Linux variants Solaris AIX HP-UX Impact/Access: Cross-site Scripting -- Remote with User Interaction Provide Misleading Information -- Remote with User Interaction Resolution: Patch/Upgrade Original Bulletin: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg1IO16829 - --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- IO16829: VULNERABILITIES REPORTED ON IBM ECLIPSE HELP SYSTEM (IEHS) APAR status Closed as program error. Error description Security vulnerabilities are reported on IEHS There are 2 Vulnerability reported on IEHS 1) IBM Eclipse Help System cross-site scripting Vulnerability 2) IBM Eclipse Help System Open Redirect Vulnerability Applicable to TDI v6.1.1, v7.0 & v7.1 which ships IEHS v3.1.0 Reported Vulnerability has been fixed in IEHS v3.1.2 Local fix NA Problem summary Vulnerabilities reported on IBM Eclipse Help System (IEHS) and this is applicable to TDI releases 6.1.1, 7.0 & 7.1. Problem conclusion Reported Vulnerability has been fixed in IEHS v3.1.2 and will be part of 7.1.0-TIV-TDI-LA0008. APAR Information APAR number IO16829 Reported component name ITDI MULTIPLATF Reported component ID 5724D9960 Reported release 710 Status CLOSED PER PE NoPE HIPER NoHIPER Special Attention NoSpecatt Submitted date 2012-07-31 Closed date 2012-07-31 Last modified date 2012-07-31 Fix information Fixed component name ITDI MULTIPLATF Fixed component ID 5724D9960 Applicable component levels R71D PSY UP Copyright and trademark information IBM, the IBM logo and ibm.com are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at "Copyright and trademark information" at www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml. - --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your organisation's registration with AusCERT. The mailing list you are subscribed to is maintained within your organisation, so if you do not wish to continue receiving these bulletins you should contact your local IT manager. If you do not know who that is, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com and we will forward your request to the appropriate person. NOTE: Third Party Rights This security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's members. As AusCERT did not write the document quoted above, AusCERT has had no control over its content. The decision to follow or act on information or advice contained in this security bulletin is the responsibility of each user or organisation, and should be considered in accordance with your organisation's site policies and procedures. AusCERT takes no responsibility for consequences which may arise from following or acting on information or advice contained in this security bulletin. NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin. It may not be updated when updates to the original are made. If downloading at a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved directly from the author's website to ensure that the information is still current. Contact information for the authors of the original document is included in the Security Bulletin above. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact them directly. Previous advisories and external security bulletins can be retrieved from: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?cid=1980 =========================================================================== Australian Computer Emergency Response Team The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld 4072 Internet Email: email@example.com Facsimile: (07) 3365 7031 Telephone: (07) 3365 4417 (International: +61 7 3365 4417) AusCERT personnel answer during Queensland business hours which are GMT+10:00 (AEST). On call after hours for member emergencies only. =========================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Comment: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=1967 iQIVAwUBUBtzru4yVqjM2NGpAQJnPw//eAdp5XwpifAlUFp7ETY69S5xUQLUHOV+ 8xlR3yO5YAGdAISuGID+CfEw7tvPPbtBPfuk7MBQXi8Af44AxCSiJXTGGoleXU99 edSEnjzhpZ/sw9wjHhLb4TXp8gUVUZQW+C7v91rPlVy64nIBc2c5ZWSk1iB4v6NW bG3RkFQJhnmRPVQpxj/m4LAUNAd7swdv5h39RrUCvy3d9XzMCkifd2psDTmC18wz OFwkxKwows5+kt8tlh3HVPFzrcdCAJ9yV3e39QrYn0ldhDO0eXSpSzAW+2DRzAXe eA2LYmQqVIg7ubxpgD07jPfmfVQRnY//5xm6jXmBSu+T/CdrVu5v1cAaTuXH+16u aCq429UIjThIM/qaM4OUCUgYNeERCYqqZnjEmAeld636Nm1NTSAp+eNH84Jq0xu8 w6SeHepL7sTLi7eIt3bsgoe3qNm9A54UA2ENfdAnTQVoJWv9ugmAt6WGERTyl1dX ZCnhy4zpqu7sVRzSqMZvyoh+xmFuMxlIy9dCPv5QvzjqMysj9P0BySntGcfON1LG MXp8XHX6Z4s0YFVRAAq1hsdnFh1s2Gp4VDzhXuuOEJ/b7frJ8LhrZT2TeX4ostlU HpFhTgDuMoMmE4qyEpfxLue4aZ6wr/qD8IuDgfTuKcKTRf7Mu7zPggHguo6XWKYQ yTfCdfxjdQY= =0ut9 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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text:
optical coupler equivalents help?
Hello, I have an optical coupler from a cheapamp (PowerMaxx MS6500). The body is marked LCR0202 200206 and it measures approx 12mm x 7mm with 4 pins for pcb mounting. I havent come across a faulty one of these before. I can get the datasheet online but I cant source the part and was wondering is there a generic coupler that could be used in its place? Any help or advice very much appreciated.
I've got a switcher supply with blown up Toshiba 4 pin opto couplers, and the only measurement on the datasheet is the isolation voltage, input to output. You would think Vcc max or transfer efficiency or something would be important, but apparently "they are all the same". With that "quality" brand as an example, I would just buy some 4 pin opto coupler with the same package and try it. Sounds vaguely like the 4 pin dip package, but the proof is if the pins are on 0.1" spacing next to each other and 0.3" across from each other. 0.1" = 2.54 mm.
Actually it's a linear opto coupler with a CDS cell inside so the opto couplers from a switch mode power supply would not work as they usually have a photo transistor on the output side.
Data sheet.
Product description.
You might have a look in this thread, it's a bit long for me but they are using a similar device for a volume control.
Here are some from that thread.
LDRs Light Dependent Resistors Silonex NSL-32SR2
The Silonex NSL-32Sxxx series might be candidates for functional equivalents, though the packaging is much different. See < http://www.silonex.com/audiohm/index.html >.
Cool. I have an organ with incandescent lamp-CDS cell optocouplers and wondered why there was no LED equivalent. 1966 technology is back again.
3 Attachment(s)
plese help me replacment LCR0202 200206 :confused:
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text:
RSAPKCS1SignatureFormatter Constructor
Initializes a new instance of the RSAPKCS1SignatureFormatter class.
Namespace: System.Security.Cryptography
Assembly: mscorlib.Extensions (in mscorlib.Extensions.dll)
Use SetKey and SetHashAlgorithm to set the key and hash algorithm before calling CreateSignature.
For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.


text:
Change on the Board of Directors of Georg Fischer Ltd: The Board of Directors will propose Riet Cadonau for election at the General Assembly of Shareholders on March 23, 2016 as a new member.
GF sells real estate in Meyrin, Switzerland
GF and Caritas Switzerland act together to bring access to clean water
GF to lift working time increase at its Swiss facilities per year-end
GF Machining Solutions to build modern machine tool facility in Biel (Switzerland)
First half-year figures were affected by the Swiss franc appreciation which shaved 7% off the top line. Adjusted for currency effects, acquisitions and divestments, sales were on previous year's level.
GF Automotive announces a 50/50 joint venture with the world leading machining specialist Linamar Corp., Guelph (Ontario, Canada). Together, GF and Linamar Corp. will invest in a new high pressure light metal die casting plant in the Southeast of the US.
GF enters the industrial 3D printing business. GF Machining Solutions and EOS, Krailling (Germany), have entered into a strategic cooperation agreement.
GF Piping Systems has received a substantial order totaling more than EUR 15 million from the leading shipbuilding company STX France.
At the 119th Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Georg Fischer Ltd held on 18 March 2015, the shareholders approved all proposals of the Board of Directors. Eveline Saupper was elected as new member of the Board.
GF Automotive is increasing its manufacturing footprint in China by 50%. The division completed end of 2014 the extension of its iron foundry in Kunshan for a capacity increase of 50%. It is also building its fourth light metal facility in Suzhou to add up 50% more capacity in this plant by the end of 2015.
GF generated sales of CHF 3 795 million in 2014 for an increase of 1%. The operating profit (EBIT) rose 9% to CHF 274 million mainly thanks to significant productivity gains.


text:
To read all blog posts about Magalawa Island, please head to the link below:
Magalawa Island
Magalawa Island
My friends and I originally scheduled our Magalawa Island trip for March 12-13, the same weekend when the Japan earthquake/tsunami was at its worst. Because of that, our parents have forbidden us from going, plus I had to leave for Boracay after that so the schedule was moved several times until we decided to make it May 21-22. Too bad Daena wasn't able to make it. It was the four of us when we did the Cagbalete trip in 2009. When the day finally arrived, Peter, Koryn, Joan and I didn't get much sleep at all since we were all so excited to explore another white island somewhere in Zambales. The last time my husband and I enjoyed a white island in the same region was when we went to Potipot island. We just hoped it wasn't as far as Potipot.
We left the house at 2:30 am, expecting to arrive in 7-11 near Quezon Ave. MRT at 3:00 am. Unfortunately, there was a huge traffic jam in Edsa caused by some road construction being done. Thirty minutes turned to an hour until at last, we were already with our friends. We slept for the most part. Peter, on the other hand, had to make several stops to rest since he hasn't really slept yet and to make sure we were following the right directions Koryn printed out for us.
Here's how to get to Magalawa island: (I got the link from Koryn's email:http://www.facebook.com/notes/magalawa-island/how-to-get-to-magalawa-island/412075288687)
For those bringing their own car:
From Metro Manila, take NLEX or Northern Luzon Expressway then go to Subic Freeport Zone via SCTEX.
The Kalaklan gate is closed at this time, so exit at the Main Gate passing by Olongapo and Subic town proper. Go all the way to Iba, passing by the towns of Castillejos, San Marcelino, San Narcisio, San Felipe, Cabangan, and Botolan.
Go through Iba passing by Iba Market. Go straight and remain on the right side of the road at all times. You will pass by Amungan Triangle then Banlog Triangle.
A short distance after the bridge, you will see the sign "Welcome to Pangolingan". Slow down after this and watch out for a rough road corner on your left. Take that road. You will see the Radyo Veritas station. This is the road going to Bgy. Luan which is about 20-30 minutes of slow drive.
There are free parking spaces in Oslet Armada fish dealer compound. From there, you take a boat that will take you to Magalawa Island. Boat ride takes 10 minutes and costs Php100 per person round trip.
For commuters:
From Manila, take a Victory Liner bus going to Santa Cruz, Zambales. Have the driver drop you off at Brgy. Pangolingan corner Radio Veritas Road. There are lots of tricycles waiting there. Take one going to Oslet Armada fish dealer compound in Bgry. Luan. Fare is Php25 per person. Then take a boat to Magalawa island.
Have a safe trip!


text:
Kevin Fleming Ph.D.
Coach/Change Agent/Consultant
Weston, Massachusetts 02493
While most eating disorder issues are treated by cognitive behavioral methodologies or specialized outpatient/inpatient programs, Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, PhD provide relief first and foremost for the brain of one suffering from an eating disorder----without giving them medication. We believe that the neural circuitries responsible for the compulsive behaviors with eating are not necessarily only a neurotransmitter issue but of overused neural networks that affect the harmonization, balance, and decisions of the whole brain. Contact email@example.com or 877-606-6161 to learn more about this safe and effective alternative.
Cheryl Laurenza, LCMHC, LPC, NCC
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
155 Main St, Salem, New Hampshire 03079
I have worked successfully with some over eaters, comfort eaters and mild bulimics. If you struggle with Anorexia, or severe bingeing/purging,you need to look for a professional who specializes, or perhaps an inpatient facility such as Remuda Ranch. I can help you work on some underlying issues, but you need a treatment team including a dietician perhaps, Dr, and others depending on your circumstances.
Abigail Blackburn, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
233 Needham Street Third Floor, Newton, Massachusetts 02464
Whether severely restricting calories, overeating or caught in the binge/purge cycle, if some deep hurt or experience of abuse or trauma is causing you to use food to cope with hard emotions and low self esteem, my treatment approach is helpful. By examining what has happened, reconstructing beliefs and thoughts about it, strengthening your ability to assertively speak up during inner and interpersonal conflicts, and addressing other difficult emotional triggers, my clients learn how to hold strong boundaries, voice needs appropriately, repair self-esteem, and restore more control over what happens to them. You CAN transform your relationship to food. Visit my website for more detail.


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Nima's Pizza
& more, Inc.
109 S. School Street next to SunFest Gassville, AR
Visit Rick & Jane at Original Store in Gassville!
Monday thru Saturday 11am - 9pm
Like Us
on Facebook
* Me
Plus, Check out our:
nu *
Sweet Kiss Pastries & More
Specialty Pizzas
Hot Subs
Cold Subs
Wings by the Pound
Try our delectable variety of mouth-watering chicken wings:
Inferno - Buffalo Hot - Spicy Garlic
Cajun - BBQ - Honey BBQ
Extra Marinara or Ranch Dressing - $ .25
Cheesy Flat Bread
An order of Garlic Bread sticks topped with Romano and Mozzarella cheeses.
Includes one Marina Dipping Sauce.
18 Pieces -
$ 6.00
Chef Salad
A fresh salad with Iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, red onion, green peppers, black olives, topped with Mozzarella cheese
and your choice of two meats.
Choose Italian or Ranch dressing.
Served with Saltines.
Side Salad
A fresh salad with Iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, red onion, green peppers, black olives, topped with Mozzarella cheese.
Choose Italian or Ranch dressing.
Served with Saltines.
$ 3.50
Hot Subs
All Subs are made from scratch with fresh ingredients and presented on a toasted New York Grinder Roll made especially for Nima's Pizza.
Italian Sausage -
Nima's own sausage with our secret recipe marinara sauce, stuffed into a pocket grinder roll, smothered in Mozzarella cheese and baked into a melted, mouth watering taste sensation.
Italian Meatball -
Nima's homemade meatball recipe is blended with marinara sauce and Mozzarella cheese, stuffed into a pocket grinder and twice baked.
Philly Beef -
We sauté onions, green peppers, and fresh mushrooms and add Black Angus Eye of the Round Beef. Then, cram it all into a pocket grinder roll, cover it with Mozzarella cheese and bake to create a taste beyond all your expectations.
Hot Pepperoni -
Marinara sauce and pepperoni heated then stuffed into a pocket grinder roll, smothered in Mozzarella, and baked to melt the cheese.
Hot Capicola -
On a toasted grinder roll, we pile on the pre-heated Capicola with Provolone cheese, mayo, fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, and sweet red onions.
Nima's Mix -
Created in our own kitchen, we heat Capicola, Pepperoni, Genoa Salami, and Provolone Cheese. Place it on a toasted grinder roll with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, and sweet red onions.
Vinegar & Oil available upon request.
Cold Subs
All Subs are made from scratch with fresh ingredients and presented on a toasted New York Grinder Roll made especially for Nima's Pizza.
Roast Beef -
Shaved Black Angus Beef piled high on a bed of fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, sweet red onions, and Provolone Cheese, served with mayonnaise.
Turkey -
Sliced Butterball turkey breast stacked on a bed of fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, sweet red onions, and Provolone Cheese, served with mayonnaise.
Ham -
The sub that started it all. Shaved USDA #1 Choice ham topped with a bed of fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, sweet red onions, and Provolone Cheese, served with mayonnaise.
Italian Mix -
The hungry man's meal. Ham, Pepperoni, and Genoa Salami heaped onto a toasted grinder roll. With a bed of fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, sweet red onions, and Provolone Cheese, served with mayonnaise.
Mix -
The traditional Black Angus eye of the round, Butterba turkey breast, and USDA #1 Choice ham, topped with a bed of fresh green lettuce, tomatoes, sweet red onions and Provolone Cheese, sered with mayonnaise.
Vinegar & Oil available upon request.
Calzones Stromboli
(Sauce on the Side) (Sauce Inside)
One Size Fits All - Large
Add Topping
$ 1.25
Serves 4-5
Cherry or Apple Streusel Pizza
Delicious dessert pizza covered in your choice of fruit and topped with tasty streusel and white icing drizzled on top.
12 inch - 8 slices - $ 13.95
Pizza Toppings
- Sausage - Ham - Capicola
Beef - Onions - Green Olives - Black Olives
Roasted Red Peppers - Green Peppers
Mushrooms - Jalapenos - Tomatoes
Pineapple - Extra Cheese
Premium Toppings:
Anchovies - Chicken - Spinach
8 Slices
8 Slices
12 Slices
24 Slices
$ 8.95
1 Topping
$ 9.95
2 Topping
3 Topping
4 Topping
5 Topping
Add Topping
$ 1.00
$ 1.10
$ 1.25
$ 2.20
Your choice of hand tossed or thin crust.
Chicago Style deep dish crust available at an extra cost.
Specialty Pizzas
Serves 2-3
Serves 3-4
Serves 4-5
Serves 8-10
Supreme -
Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushroom, Onions and Green Peppers.
Veggie Blast -
Mushrooms, Onions, Green Peppers, Black Olives, Fresh Tomatoes and lots of Cheese.
Meat Extreme -
Pepperoni, Ham, Capicola, Sausage, and Cheese.
Extreme Cheese -
Extra Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Colby Cheeses.
Piggly Wiggly -
Pepperoni, Sausage, Double Bacon, and Double Cheese.
Buffalo Wing -
Special Hot Sauce (No Marina Sauce), Spicy Chicken Chunks and Extra Cheese.
Loaded Baked Potato -
Olive Oil, Garlic, Potatoes, Sweet Red Onion, Tomatoes, Bacon and lots of Cheese.
Taco -
Seasoned Ground Beef, Tomatoes, Onion, Cheddar, Jalapenos and lots of Cheese.
Spinach -
Award-Winning Roasted Garlic White Sauce, Spinach, and Cheese.
Roasted Garlice Chicken -
Provolone Cheese, Roasted Garlic Sauce, Chicken Chunks, Mozzarella with a hint of Colby Cheese.
BBQ Chicken -
Chicken, BBQ Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Pineapple, Bacon.
Chicken Parmesan -
Marinara Sauce, Breaded Chicken Slices, Shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheeses.
Chicken or Beef Fajita -
Chicken Fajita or Beef Fajita on Signature Red Sauce topped with Sliced Green Pepper, Sliced Red Onions, Tomato Chunks, 50/50 Mozzarella and Pepper Jack Cheese.
Other Pizza Ideas
Hawaiian Surprise -
Ham and Pineapple.
White Pizza -
No Marinara Sauce, Just Garlic Olive Oil and Cheese.
The Competition!
In six years of competing at the World Class level,
Nima's is the most winning team ever at
the International Pizza Challenge!
The Record
3 - Regional Runner Ups
4 - Regional Wins
2 - 2nd Place in the World Finisher
(2010 & 2013)
1 - National Best in the USA (2010)
Award Winning Competition Pizza
2008 Traditional Competition (Runner Up) -
Blend of four cheeses, Fresh Tomatoes and Italian Herbs.
2009 Traditional Competition (Runner Up) -
Sausage, Marinated Tomato Ring stuffed with a blend of 5 Italian Cheeses.
2010 Traditional Competition
(Judged Best in USA)
A 50/50 blend of Mozzarella and Provolone cheese topped with thinly sliced meatballs, under a lattice work of fire-roasted sweet red peppers and a blend of 5 Italian cheeses placed in each lattice work square to melt into a gooey, mouth-watering sensational tasting pizza!
(Advanced Notice Required.)
2011 Traditional Competition
(Winner - Mid-America Region) -
This pie started with our signature sauce and dough. Topped with Red and Green Roasted Peppers marinated in Tuscan Herb Olive oil cut into hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades set on top of fresh mozzarella. A lattice work around each suit of our award winning five cheese blend created a playing card look for Las Vegas and captured the red, white and green colors of Italy.
Unfortunately, it is so time consuming to prepare, we could not offer it on our menu.
2012 Non-Traditional Competition -
Begin with a base of roasted garlic white sauce and Spinach, add ground meatballs, Roasted Red Pepper flowers with Mushroom petals marinated in a Roasted French Walnut olive oil and topped with our crumpled 5 cheese blend, Viola!
(Advanced Notice Required.)
2013 Traditional Competition
(Winner - Southeast Region) -
This pizza missed being the world's best by 2.25 points. The Flowering Pepperoni begins by Sautéing the pepperoni & mushrooms in butter flavored olive oil. Set on our signature sauce, dough & mozzarella cheese, we spread mushrooms & crispy pepperoni bits on top. Then, a specialty large size pepperoni is shaped into a tulip, filled with a ball of our 5 cheese blend & together placed in a sautéed mushroom cap that has been rimmed with a hickory flavored sea salt. We Guarantee you will agree it should have won!
(Advanced Notice Required.)
Sweet Kiss Pastries & More!
So you thought the Pizza was great,
Now indulge yourself in one of Jane's Decadent Pastries or Desserts
that will surely put a smile on your face.
Grandma's Cream Puffs
Fudgy Wudgey Brownie
Chocolate Filled Devils Cupcake
(Warning Could Be Addictive)
Original Italian Cannolli
(with a Nima's Twist)
Cheesecake for the Purist
(Vanilla only)
Strawberry Cheesecake
Cinnamon Rolls
(Melt in Your Mouth)
Scones: Chocolate Chip, Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Raspberry White Chocolate & more
Turnovers: Blueberry, Raspberry
Apple and Cherry Strudel Logs
Janes Cake of Choice
(Not made by her):
Lemon Berry Cake with Blueberry, Raspberry, Cranberries & Stuffed with Sweet Mascarpone Cheese
Chocolate Éclairs
Baked Fresh in our Kitchen with Passion & Kisses as Often as I can.
Plus, Jane will bake just for your special occasion - just Call ahead!
Prices and menu subject to change without notice.
All rights reserved. Nima's Pizza & More. 2010. Site designed and maintained by
Eagles Wing Web Services.


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In the past few days, Mac users have been struck by two different, but related, kinds of malware. The sinister packages are downloaded along with BitTorrents of iWork '09 and Adobe CS4, and, like most malware, once installed call back to a central computer and await instructions (presumably to start participating in a botnet).
Many are getting worked up about this because it represents the first true piece of Mac malware that isn't just a proof of concept. But it's important to keep in mind that this isn't a worm or a virus that you can contract just by clicking on a link or opening an email; it's a trojan, which means that you have to be tricked into downloading it and agreeing to give it administrator access. The particular way this trojan tricks you into doing so is rather neat: it piggybacks on installers for the aforementioned pirated software. People are used to giving software installers admin access, but then, most people don't get their software from sketchy warez sites.
The thing about classic scams, as anyone who's watched a David Mamet movie knows, is that they rely on the greed of the scamee. Thus, the Nigerian 419 scam only works if the victim believes he or she is about to come into some ill-gotten loot. These Mac trojans follow the same principle. Still, it's easy to be smug: I know that I've downloaded and installed applications from the Internet (giving my admin password in the process) that I discovered only after a few minutes of Google searching for a tool that serves a particular purpose that I need. Sure, the Web sites they came from looked slick and professional, but that's not exactly hard to fake. This is a wakeup call to be more diligent about what exactly we're installing on our Macs.


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Computer World –
For about a year now, I've been nodding my head wisely whenever anyone mentions Linux. I have sagely agreed with people that yes, it's definitely a viable commercial operating system; yes, it obviously beats Windows hands down in so many areas; yes, it clearly has so much potential; and so on. Recently, I decided it was time I installed Linux and actually saw it run.
Well, I finally did it, though in the end, I installed it about 10 times because things kept going wrong. Admittedly, some of these errors were due to crass mistakes on my part, but it was still a difficult process.
Most of the mistakes were caused by trying to install Windows 2000 and Linux on the same machine. People have told me that its possible to do it, but in practice, the resulting mess was beyond the abilities of even our resident Linux expert to sort out. I got to the marvelous stage where my machine would power up, check its memory, start loading Linux, display a few dots on the screen and then reboot itself and repeat the process in an infinite loop.
Tools of the Trade
I've been trying to install Linux because more and more hacker tools seem to be available for it. The combination of power, flexibility and the open-source community seems to be very attractive to hackers. Web sites such as the Nomad Mobile Research Centre and Securify Inc.'s Packet Storm regularly offer new Linux tools. I want to be able to try these tools and see what they can do, just so I can keep an eye on new developments and find out how others could see our network.
So far, I've downloaded five tools: Firewalk, Nmap, Sniffit, Swatch and Tripwire. All are publicly available.
Firewalk was designed to determine what filtering rules your firewall uses and to map the network beyonnd it. Firewalk is a means of finding what holes already exist in firewalls to allow authorized traffic; an unauthorized attacker could potentially take advantage of this information to gain access through the firewall. The tool was written by someone who delights in deconstructing systems to find out more about them.
Firewalk is a classic example of a "white hat" hacker tool, because it's designed to provide information; it's based on an elegant exploitation of the way another tool (Traceroute) works; and most important, the author provides a detailed explanation of what Firewalk does, how it does it and how to stop it.
Nmap is a network-mapping tool that's very similar to some of the basic functionality of Internet System Scanner from Atlanta-based Internet Security Systems Inc. (ISS). Nmap runs a ping scan of the local network and then runs a port scan and TCP/IP fingerprinting on any hosts on that network.
In other words, it looks around your local network and tells you what machines are connected to it and what operating systems and network services they're running. It's another white hat tool; it provides a great deal of audit information that I'll probably use to check for unauthorized machines and services, but others can use it to find potential ways into our systems.
Sniffit is a packet analyzer, Swatch is a log analyzer and Tripwire is a file-integrity checker. I don't know much about these three yet, but I'll let you know how I get on.
Finding the Time
I'm starting from a bit of a disadvantage because I know almost nothing about Linux, so it's another trip down to the bookshop to buy a couple of Linux books published by O'Reilly and Associates Inc. (I find O'Reilly titles clear, reliable, concise and professional.) That takes the list of security books I need to finish reading up to about six. I'm going away this weekend on a trip with my wife -- I wonder how she'll react if I bring a couple of Linux textbooks along?
I've managed to find the time to mess around with Linux because my three main projects are all on hold at the moment. We're rolling out ISS technical scanners and intrusion detection -- or we will be when the hardware arrives. We're modifying our antivirus scanners so that workstations pull updates from a central FTP server rather than having them (unreliably) pushed down -- or we will be whenever the hardware arrives for the FTP servers.
And I'm supposed to be evaluating the Windows 2000 file-encrypting system against a few commercial cryptography products like PGP from Network Associates Inc. in Santa Clara, Calif., Ironware from AEC Ltd. in the Czech Republic and SafeGuard from Utimaco Safeware AG in Oberursel, Germany -- when purchasing gets me my new Windows 2000 laptop.
Stealth-Mode Purchasing
Purchasing isn't my favorite department at the moment. I filed a purchase request (a 5-page form!) for two workstations and attached a copy of the standard workstation specification to make sure that exactly the right kit was bought. A month later, the order finally arrived -- one workstation. After all, as purchasing explained in its defense, the standard specification only mentions one machine.
One month wasted because someone misread a piece of paper. I couldn't have made it clearer -- it was on the purchase request in big, bold capital letters: two workstations! It's beyond belief.
The only reason I've managed to get hold of a machine to run Linux on is that I'm pulling a bit of a scam that I learned from a consultant with whom I used to work. This seems to work in most companies -- as long as you don't try it too often.
The scam works like this: If you want to buy new hardware in most companies, you have to go through a long, slow and painful purchasing process. At the end of it, you get a shiny new PC -- eventually.
However, if you get to know your technical support staff well, it's quitte easy to persuade them to put together a PC from an old kit -- an obsolete CPU here, a battered and dirty keyboard there -- just temporary, you understand. Just for test purposes. At the end of it, you get an old PC that barely works.
What use is that? Not much. But wait for the support guy who gave you the old kit to go off-duty. Then call the help desk and say, "My monitor's not working." Someone will come with a replacement. The following day, grab another passing tech-support person, show him the dirty keyboard, ask for a newer one and so on. Most support teams seem to have spare kits for just this purpose!
Sneaky, but if the alternative is dealing with a nitwit purchasing department, sometimes you've just got to be sneaky.


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The Best way to Practice English Speaking
1 – Practice Idioms
Continuous Practice is Key
Continuous practice is the key to learning a new task. However, when the task that is asked to be repeated is too complex for you, you may lose interest or become frustrated with the language. For example, if your reading level is at the point where you can read and comprehend "The Cat in the Hat", and I ask you to read and comprehend Shakespeare's Sonnets, you will have a difficult time.
Choose the Appropriate Level
So, if you're just starting to learn English, start with simple greetings. Such as "hello", "how are you" and "good bye". If you're a student, focus on idioms or phrases used by people in your grade level. If you're a worker, you can find phrases or words for the day that you will use constantly at work. When you can use a phrase or a word in the correct context in the correct situation, it means that you understand the phrase or word. This can be especially helpful if you don't know a lot of idioms.
Why Idioms?
As my understanding of the language grows, the biggest struggle for me is using all the idioms correctly. For instance, the difference between "like" or "as" and whether the correct form is "synonymous to " or "synonymous for" will confuse even many native speakers.
Today, there are a variety of sources online that will provide you with idioms. Even if you just master one idiom per day, that's 365 idioms a year. Using idioms correctly is especially valuable because native speakers will not peg you as a foreigner if you use them correctly.
Another ESL learner may speak English with perfect grammar and sufficient accents, but if they cannot understand idioms, than native speakers will not feel that he or she is one of them. Native speakers use many idioms, and they will have to adjust their speech when you don't understand idioms. Making folks change their words will create distance in the relationship.
How to Learn New Idioms
When you learn a new idiom, use it continuously, not just for that particular day and never again. As mentioned in the beginning of the article, repetition is the key to learning something. If you memorize something, you will not be able to use it on the spot, or use it later in time. If you learn something, it becomes a part of you. Memorizing is only useful for tests, but learning will help you master English.
In my opinion, about 200 idioms would easily fool a native speaker; that would give you 165 days to reuse the 200 that you learned.
The best way to learn idioms is by practicing regularly. A reliable method is to get an idiom book or find a good website. Make sure to choose material appropriate to your level and field. If you are a beginner, start with easy 1-3 word idioms. If you are more advanced, you can work on longer phrases or sarcasm. Choose idioms related to your job or country. Once you find a suitable idiom source, try to learn 1 idioms per day. At breakfast, copy each idiom 3 times with the definition. Practice speaking the idiom 3 times aloud. When you get to school or work, keep the paper in your pocket. You MUST use the idiom at least 3 times in the day. After using the idiom, put a check mark on your paper.
This method will help you remember to practice the idiom, along with learning the definition. It is also beneficial to keep a record. You can literally watch your idiom vocabulary grow with each day. Try to use the idioms continuously. Add them to your daily vocabulary. This will be easy when you choose appropriate idioms. Around 10% of daily conversation involves idioms, so you WILL use them regularly.
If you're not yet at the level of learning complex idioms, start with something easy. It is crucial that you make your foundation strong before you start building on it. You will soon find out that learning has a momentum to it and that as you progress, adding new knowledge about the language will become easier. Just don't give up, because "slow and steady wins the race".
More on Idioms from E-Learning English:
You need to practice English idioms
Learn American English Idioms 1: Attitude
Great Digital Books for Learning Idioms:
Speak English Like an American (Book & Audio CD set)
Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed On The Job! (Book & Audio CD)
Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang
Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook
ESL Student in America
Have you reviewed all 5 methods?
The Best way to Practice English Speaking – Idioms
The Best way to Practice English Speaking – Immersion
The Best way to Practice English Speaking – Mimicking
The Best way to Practice English Speaking – Pictures
The Best way to Practice English Speaking – Singing


text:
Instagram-worthy design details you'll want to emulate ASAP.
Only fools rush into this major DIY undertaking.
Remodeling your kitchen? Nate Berkus reveals 5 design tips for a space that never goes out of style.
We've never been so excited about backsplashes.
(Feel free to keep this on file in case any slight disagreements arise.)
You finally picked the perfect color, but that was just the first step.
Use our guide to pick cupboards that *completely* transform your cooking space.
According to HGTV's Scott McGillivray, that is.
It really all comes down to your personality.
Never struggle with uneven color again.
Ensure your house flip is not a flop with this advice from two of HGTV's biggest stars.
These are the cutting-edge materials, treatments, and technologies top architects are excited about.
Expertly-decorated bookcases to inspire your next bookshelf-organizing endeavor.
Avoid these and your future will be bright.
Showcase your plants in an unexpected way.
These projects are an excuse to try something a bit adventurous.
Buying a new Sputnik chandelier can cost thousands, but this homemade version cost $156.
Your ceiling fan isn't just for sticky summer days.


text:
this morning i'm thinking about the kids singing christmas carols in politicans' offices in the name of immigration reform. i'm thinking about the fasters. i'm thinking about the protesters who lay down their bodies, locking and linking their bodies to buses. to fences. to each other. this morning i'm thinking about the days that i can count on one hand that are left to the 2013 legislative session. i'm thinking about how cir's chances in 2014 are the same as mexico winning the next world cup. i'm thinking about the dream9. the dream30. the interrupters and infiltrators. i'm thinking about the petitions, the phonecalls, the lawyers and the vigils. this morning i'm thinking about how president obama's words rang hollow and flat and fake at nelson mandela's memorial service, because the deportations in the u.s. continued while he spoke in south africa. this morning i look at the bart doors across from me. the warning of danger: do not lean against doors. the doors of power, the doors of privilege, the doors of access that are so closed to so many. i'm thinking this morning about what it's going to take to blow these doors off their hinges for good, for the good of us all.
Danger: Do Not Lean Against Doors


text:
Philip Pannell, executive director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council and longtime Ward 8 resident said of the H Street Playhouse relocation that there couldn't be better news. "There hasn't been a live theater and performance space in Anacostia in 20 years – since 8Rock was located on Martin Luther King Boulevard – I can't wait for the Playhouse's arrival."
The Playhouse's change in venue to 2020 Shannon Place, SE, also has the support of Mayor Gray and Ward 8 council member Marion Barry. ANC commissioner David Garber who lived in Anacostia for three years stated, "This is a win-win for the city – a real beacon for all of the possibilities as we see more destinations created, adding to the already established Uniontown Bar & Grill, existing art galleries – all things that will bring people to the neighborhood."
Garber's sentiment was echoed by DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities executive director Lionell Thomas at the Monday afternoon press conference, "This will be an amazing cultural hub here in Anacostia – a great example of how public and private partnerships can work in underserved areas."
To submit an article or to inquire about advertising send an email to email@example.com.


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Peroneal Tendinitis
The peroneal brevis and peroneal longus are two tendons that originate as muscles in the lateral compartment of the leg. The peroneal tendons course around the outside of the ankle behind the lateral malleolus. The peroneal brevis tendon inserts into the 5th metatarsal base while the peroneal longus tendon inserts into the1st metatarsal base. The peroneal tendons are responsible for everting the foot. They also help to stabilize the foot and ankle and protect against ankle sprains.
Peroneal tendinitis occurs when there is inflammation along one or both of the tendon sheaths and/or tears along a portion of the tendon. This can result in ankle instability, pain, or elevation of the arch of the foot.
- Pain can be felt along the entire course of the tendons
- Swelling
- Tenderness along the involved tendon
- Heightening of the arch of the foot
- When there is an injury to the peroneal fascia, the tendons can subluxate. This felt as a popping or dislocation of the tendons along the outside of the ankle
Diagnosis is made by a comprehensive foot and ankle exam by Dr. Stewart along with x-rays of the foot. Imagining studies such as ultrasound and MRI are sometimes required to determine the extent of tendon injury.
Common causes
- Overuse, which means there is too much physical activity. This commonly occurs in runners and/or walkers and in such sports as soccer, lacrosse, basketball, tennis, and football
- Individuals with a high arch foot are at greater risk of rolling the ankle therefore injuring the peroneal tendons
- Although less common, the condition can occur acutely in weekend warriors
- Overweight or obesity
- Inappropriate shoe gear including flats, flip-flops, or backless shoes
- Barefoot walking
- In conjunction with ankle sprains
- Inversion of the foot secondary to pain on the inside of the foot
Peroneal tendinitis generally takes 6-8 weeks to improve and early activity on a healing tendon can result in a set back in recovery. Non-compliance can double the recovery time and can be very frustrating for patients.
Early and aggressive conservative treatment is recommended to prevent further tendon injury. Dr. Stewart terms peroneal tendinitis a pro-active condition. Although we can never offer a 100% guarantee, the majority of Dr. Stewart's patients improve with conservative (non-surgical care).
Conservative treatment for peroneal tendinitis includes:
- Immobilization of the foot and/or ankle. Depending on the severity of the condition, this may require cast immobilization with crutches, a walking boot, a hinged ankle foot orthosis with supportive shoe gear, a multi-ligamentous ankle brace with supportive shoe gear, or custom foot orthotics with supportive shoe gear
- Modification of physical activity including avoidance of walking, jogging, running, and the elliptical for exercise; recommended exercises include circuit training, swimming, and bicycling
- Stretching and strengthening exercises with a Theraband
- Compression therapy generally with prescription compression stockings
- Physical therapy
- Weight loss and dieting
- Medications including anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), Tylenol, oral steroids, and in some cases narcotic pain medication
- Ice along the tendons 2-3 times per day for 20 minutes at the area of maximum tenderness. Elevation is recommended while icing
- Avoidance of flip-flops, flats, and barefoot walking
- Supportive shoe gear including a motion control running shoe such as Brooks, Asics, New Balance, or Saucony; Keen and Merrell style shoes are also recommended
- Custom foot orthotics
- Steroid injections into foot and/and or ankle joints
If all conservative intervention fails, then surgical intervention maybe required. Dr. Stewart will determine which procedure is best for you.
Surgical treatment for peroneal tendinitis includes:
- Tendon debridement and repair
- Tendon transfer
- Repair of the peroneal fascia and peroneal groove on the fibula
- Cutting of the fibula bone and fixation with screws or plates


text: Had the usual HPFP on my CPO 535i. The car ran so badly I had to have it towed 70 miles to the dealer. My wife had to drive me there to pick up the loaner . This is the second HPFP the car has had (2008, 40,000 miles). I left it there overnight. I get a call today the car is ready. Nothing was replaced, just reprogrammed. When I asked what will prevent the problem from happening again , no answer was given from the SA. You could tell he felt the HPFP should have been replaced with the new improved version and he pretty much told me that would happen when I had the car towed in yesterday. I knew I should not have bought this car after reading about these issues. I cannot believe that BMW would be willing to piss off a repeat customer (this is my fourth BMW, third from this dealer) for the price of this part. I am sure the programming costs when they replace the pump eventually (they will, sooner or later) cost more than the part and they had to spend hours reprogramming it today.


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i cannot see my sig but if you can please let me no and what is it>> LD
i cannot see my sig but if you can please let me no and what is it>> LD
Last edited by iWamzi; 12-21-2009 at 01:01 AM.
Umm, just save it to your desktop then upload using tinypic and put it in your sig from there .
Buy a gun put it in your mouth while your back is to the CP screen then pull your signature will be all over the place.
lol jking just jking.
First started RPing in October 2009, back then I was one of the worst you'd see grammar-wise. Now in less than a year, I've progressed to be one of the best RPers here. I'm not the most original guy around, but if I get in the mood, I can create posts the God of Literature would be proud of. Along the way I've insulted I've pretended to be female I've become a super perverted guy and I've gained the ability to curse without limit. If I say motherF-er it is simply exclamation.
Nice avatar! ^^v
how do you do sigs?


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Your Dog, Your Life
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Hi Dogster:)
Well I haven't wrote about my christmas presents yet. So i'll tell you what mommy got me. My favorite pressie was the new bed she got me but she tried to let Pudgy play in my old one and I got very mad and started to growl at her...now thats a first...I did bite her once but it was a complete mistake...I love my mommy and well i'm just very protective with her and she's very protective with me. For example when we are watching TV in bed and someone come in the room even if i'm just about to fall asleep my ears perk up and I start growling and barking at them. Mom laughs and says sorry my body guard wants you to leave. Mom does baby me a lot but we do training to! I just learned 'beg' and mom gets so happy when I sit on my little butt and she always says Bruuuu good boy! BOL! But yeah mom does baby me and treat me like a prince. When I was a puppy I was all a big lie...anyway the puppy store mom got me from wasn't a nice place and she swears they did something to me because when I was a puppy I would always crouch before I got pet. See i'm one of those dogs who is spoiled but really I need to be i'm very scared of many things but then I can act like a tough guy....sometimes i'm a sweetheart and with mom, I'm the sweetes dog..very cuddly and affectionate. Back to the christmas pressies...Mom also got me a green christmas loofa with a santa hat! She got Pogo a blue one. She also got me a penguin tennis ball / stuffie. Rocky somehow got a hold of it and ripped the head off so now I have I tennis ball penguin body. BOL! I also got a squeaky fishy..mom said she wanted to get me this huge aligator but she said it was about the same size as me and i'd probally be scared of it. I also got this guitar stuffie, collar charms and some delicious cookies with Sprinkles!
Yesterday mom was giving my birdie siblings millets and I snuck off the bed jumped on Rocky's...sniffed it and I peed right on his bed...Once again mom said Bru! No no! Thats not nice but she said I gave her this look like "Mommy I didn't mean to " so she showed dad and dad said did you yell at him and she said well I said No but it's ok baby. BOL! She said whats wrong with me marking my territory? I 100 percent agree! BOL! So they washed the bed and then mom made me sleep in my bed that night so I wouldn't pee on the bed again.
Tomorrow it's supposed to snow and mom said if it does she'll put a long sleeve tee on me and my jacket on and she'll put on my booties and put me in my carriage with my fuzzy blankie and Mr. Teddy and we'll go for a walk on the resivor!
As usual i'm sleeping like a little prince right smack in the middle of mom's bed and her back is hurting from sitting on the floor hoping i'll move. BOL! Maybe i'll kick down a pillow for her..
It's already the 9th of December! All the stockings are hung and the tree is up! Mommy helped me decorate my room and she even let me hang my stocking in there! I put up my frame of me and santa and I put up a picture of my brother pogo under the tree! Mommy even put out my glass of milk and cookie squeaky toy out so I can show Santa when he comes in to fill my stocking! She put my christmas hat on my couch and put my green blankey there too!
Today my mommy and my aunt made a ginger bread house. Pudgy had to go in his cage becauuse he jumps on the table but I got to stay out and anything that fell was Mine!! Soon mommy will be baking christmas cookies and I heard her say she will make some holiday cookies for me, Pudgy, Rocky, and, Pogo!!
Tomorrow is a very special day! It's December 10th! 1, it's getting closer and closer to christmas. 2, It's Sarah and I's 5 month anifursary of going out on dogster! We are engaged now and will hopefully be getting married soon! 3, it's my birdie brother Sweetie's 2nd birthday! And 4, It's my dogster pal, Murphy's 4th birthday!
I'll be updating my diary and telling you about my presents and my christmas cookies!!
Hey Pups,
Sorry I haven't been writing Diary entries as much as I used to. I have been a little busy. I went to the medford NJ meetup on October 6th and met tons of my friends from dogster! That was really fun:P Then on the 23rd I went to the petsmart howl-o-ween contest and today I went to the petco howl-o-ween contest! I have 2 new pics(my first to:D) I will be writing diary entries more and keep you updated on me. BOL!
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1, The "Heavy Technique" vs. the Badgers offense
During the second half of the Nebraska game, the Cornhusker defensive line switched to a heavy technique. That is the played straight at the offensive lineman opposite them, their lead foot splitting the numbers on their Badgers counterpart. This is very different from a gap technique. Michigan State drew heavily on that film lesson and went straight at the Badgers offensive line. This works best when the quarterback isn't very mobile. So the questions for this week's game: Does Ohio State have the players to go straight at the Badgers? Has Bart Miller had enough time to adjust for this apparent deficiency in technique? Is Curt Phillips' greater mobility enough to counter this tactic by getting to the edge as needed? Will Ricky Wagner's return make a difference as it surely would have against MSU?
2, Braxton Miller vs. the Badgers Linebackers
The Buckeye QB has accounted for 1,700 passing yards (generating a strong QB rating of 140) and rushed for a team-leading 1,100 yards. The Badger linebacking trio of Chris Borland, Ethan Armstrong and senior Mike Taylor will have their hands full. Will Borland play on a bad hamstring? If the Badgers can shut down Miller's running game it means they'll win. It is no easy task.
3, The Badgers Secondary vs. the OSU passing game
Perhaps surprisingly, OSU does not have a deep roster of pass receivers. Wide receivers Philly Brown and Devin Smith have caught 48 and 24 passes, respectively. The next leading pass receiver is tight end Jake Stoneburner, with only 15 receptions. Last week the Badgers shut down Indiana's four receivers with 30 or more catches apiece. Senior cornerback Devin Smith will no doubt be matched up against Brown. This looks like an advantageous situation for the Badgers.
4, The Kicking Game
In what should be a close contest, this will matter. The Badgers punter Drew Meyer and place kicker Kyle French have been improving. Surprisingly the Ohio State place kicker Drew Basil has attempted only six field goals, making four. He is 2 of 3 when the yardage is 30-39 and 0 for 1 at 50+. Basil was one of the Big Ten's best in 2011. A missed field goal could be the deciding difference.
5, Can Curt Phillips convert third downs?
He will be called on to convert with his feet but also with his arm. The Badgers officially attempted seven passes, called 11 passing plays. Phillips will need to keep the Buckeyes off balance to help the running game. There aren't many stats to cite as Phillips has only played against Indiana. This is the great unknown Key for the final home game of the season.
Fearless Prediction
The Badgers run the ball much more effectively than is expected, handing the Buckeyes their first loss in 2012, 28-20.


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Jamshed Bharucha, president of the The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, announced in a letter on the school's website that university officials have approved charging tuition for future graduate students as part of a hybrid plan to cut the private university's soaring deficit.
A pricey school addition at 41 Cooper Square, built by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Thom Mayne, FAIA, in 2009, stands at the center of the debate. Building the multimillion dollar signature building more than doubled the university's budget deficit, according to Tom Synnott, an adjunct professor at Cooper Union and former chief economist emeritus of the U.S. Trust. The project's final price tag, as stated in The Wall Street Journal, rang in at $111.6 million. Critics, including Friends of Cooper Union, say that the decision to design such an expensive building jeopardizes the university's tradition of free education for all.
Undergraduate students, Bharucha says, will continue to receive full scholarships—for now.
Tonight, Friends of Cooper Union, a group opposed to charging any tuition for any admitted student—the design school's historic policy—will hold a community summit, the group's second, to discuss alternative ways to raise funds for the school and to help reduce the deficit.
Henry Chapman, who graduated from Cooper Union in 2010, says charging tuition is the school's "silver-bullet solution." But the change, Chapman says, goes against the school's principles established by founder Peter Cooper.
"Cooper has generally been very frugal, living within its means, up until the last 10 years," Chapman says. "Now they seem to be moving away from austerity and towards a philosophy of expansion."
Friends of Cooper Union say that the school and its mission to provide a free education to all are "bigger than a building." But 41 Cooper Square, the 175,000-square-foot façade that stretches the length of one city block, challenges that notion. The LEED Platinum–certified building, designed by Mayne and his Santa Monica, Calif.–based firm Morphosis, features laboratories, classrooms, studios, conferences, lounges, and an auditorium for students.
Earlier this month, Cooper student Alan Lundgard circulated a fake letter from President Bharucha stating that the university would lease the academic building to the Polytechnic Institute of New York University for $20 million in annual revenue, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Lundgard forged the letter to protest the president's proposal to start charging tuition for the first time in approximately 110 years.
Lundgard will give a brief talk at tonight's summit, addressing student loan debt at Cooper Union in the context of the broader national issue. Students such as Lundgard, Chapman says, want a say in the university's future because they are so passionate about their school. "We really have done so much with so little," Chapman says, "and for such a long time."


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News & Features
News Stories Tagged children
15 Photos That Take You Inside the Tiny World of Gulliver's Gate
See tiny replicas of Manhattan, Stonehenge, the Louvre, the Panama Canal (it works), the Egyptian Pyramids, an Italian piazza, and the Great Wall of China at NYC's Gulliver's Gate.
Mile-High Mary Poppins: Etihad Launches Flying Nanny Program
Where some airlines have gone the kids-free-zone route on their planes, Etihad Airways has announced their new Flying Nannies program, offering on-board Mary Poppins to help with little ones.
5 Fun Summer Family Adventures
Summertime is prime family adventure time. So from taking quirky factory tours to training to become a Junior Ranger, here are our top picks for getting out and exploring together this summer.
14 Things to Do with Kids on Hawaii's Big Island
A family trip to Hawaii's Big Island would be one filled with outdoor thrills, animal adventures, and educational experiences. Top it off with great food, and you've got unforgettable memories, too.
4 New Moms' Tips for Traveling with Kids
Traveling as a new family can be one of life's great joys and also one of its most frustrating endeavors. But with the right tools, it can be easy (!) and fun (!!) for all. We turned to four new moms for their top tips.
12 Things to Do with Kids in Stockholm
Stockholm is more than IKEA, ABBA, and Absolut. From a sunken ship museum and petting zoos to cobblestone streets and outdoor thrills, this city surrounded by water has charms for all ages.
Ask a Fodor's Disney Expert: Nervous Kids and Park Restaurants
Whether you're wondering where to get a gourmet meal in the park or are worried about your nervous kid on rides like the Haunted Mansion, our resident expert is on hand to give her top tips.
23 Things to Do in London with Kids
A trophy trip for teens, a storybook vacay for toddlers, a sophisticated city break for grown-ups... London is one of those rare cities that meets almost everyone's criteria.
14 Things to Do in Paris with Kids
Paris is for lovers...history fans, culture hounds, and foodies of every ilk. Luckily, it's for kids, too. There's no end to Paris's pint-sized attractions, but these are our favorites.
Norwegian Cruise Introduces Guppies Program for Under 3s
Whether you want to bond with your little ones on vacation or get some alone time with your spouse, Norwegian Cruise Line's Splash Academy has an activity that's right for your family.
Legoland Hotel to Open in California
Calling all LEGO fanatics! Southern California is about to be the home of the colorful new Legoland Hotel, which you may have guessed will be located by the entrance to Legoland.
11 Things to Do With Kids in Vienna
Despite what it may seem like, with its rich classical music and architectural roots, Vienna is an incredibly kid-friendly destination with tons of fun, interactive activities.
What to Do in Barcelona with Kids
Just because this sensuous Mediterranean city epitomizes Catalonian cool doesn't mean it's unsuitable for traveling con niños.
What to Do in Rome with Kids
No one would turn down a trip to Rome. Except maybe kids for whom the thought of touring ancient ruins is akin to torture. Take these insider tips on how to see the Eternal City with (happy) kids in tow.
Where to See Wild Animals in Vegas
And no, by "wild animals" we do not mean people watching on the Strip. Las Vegas' resorts are home to an array of exotic animals from sharks and dolphins to leopards and white lions.
10 Tips for Cruising with Kids
You've found the cruise of a lifetime, but then wonder if it would be wise (fun, safe) to bring the kids along. Don't fret, take these tips and you and the fam will be cruising (happily) in no time.
Best US Ski Resorts for Families
Many ski resorts will try to woo you with promises of fun on the slopes for every age. But not all have chocolate chip cookies on the mountain, kid-only gondolas, and free lift tickets for young ones. These top resorts do.
Ultimate School Vacation Planner
What's the first thing you (should) do when the kids go back to school? Look at their vacation schedules and get to planning. Take our expert tips on how to plan for a year of great family getaways.
Splurge vs. Save: Disney World
Dollars can start to feel like Monopoly money when planning a Walt Disney World vacation for the family. So we put together our key picks for where to save, and what's worth splurging on.
Travels with Mini-Me: Staycations
We all get restless between vacations. But traveling every weekend is not the (easy or wallet-friendly) answer, a staycation is. Have a successful staycation with kids in tow, with these essential tips.


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WOOSTER, Ohio -- With a 50 percent chance of rain for the area Thursday and temperatures up to 50 de
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Clutch Wallet with Chain in Smooth Leather
Regular price $238.00
Only 1 Left In-Stock.
Have a question? Contact Us.
Wallet meets crossbody in an elegant silhouette crafted in polished leather with a rich sheen. Finished with a detachable chain and a statement-size Coach turnlock, this versatile design can be worn on the shoulder or carried as a minimalist clutch.Made of Smooth calf leather
Turnlock closure, fabric lining
Inside credit card, coin and multifunction pockets
Strap with 22 drop for shoulder or crossbody wear
Size: 7" (L) x 4 1/4" (H)
Style No: 53277
Color: Black
Standard Rate: FREE
Please allow 7 to 10 business days for product arrival. To ensure your products safe arrival, we include signature confirmation on all purchases.
Please review our full shipping policy by clicking HERE.
We accept returns up to 7-days after product delivery.
All merchandise must not be worn, altered, or washed. The merchandise must have all tags attached and be returned in original packaging. All returns will be subject to a $9.95 Return Postage Fee.


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White Paper
Integrating Cisco Transport Manager into an
Overall Operations Support System Environment
Service providers face a challenging landscape. Success hinges on providing a flexible range of services, in a timely manner, at competitive rates. The degree to which a service provider achieves these success factors depends not only on its network technology, but also on its operations support system (OSS) infrastructure. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the simultaneous widespread adoption of the Internet caused an unprecedented expansion in network infrastructure and the number of service providers. Today, service providers are focusing on maximizing operational efficiencies and taking advantage of revenue-generating network resources.
A prudent selection of OSS products, effectively integrated, is vital to the success of a service provider. More service providers are relying on commercial off-the-shelf OSS products, which often have cost and time-to-market advantages over internally developed systems. Service providers look increasingly to their network equipment vendors to provide element-management layer and network-management layer (EML/NML) solutions that smoothly integrate into their OSS environments. To meet the needs of its service provider customers, Cisco offers comprehensive and flexible OSS solutions for the Cisco IP+Optical portfolio of networking products. These OSS solutions are made up of a combination of Cisco developed systems and best-of-breed third-party OSS products that have been optimized and integrated for the management of a Cisco IP+Optical network.
Cisco Transport Manager is a fundamental component of an OSS solution that involves the management of the Cisco ONS 15000 family of optical products. Cisco Transport Manager provides key EML/NML functions and provides interfaces to higher-layer OSS components.
The Cisco Transport Manager Value Proposition
EML/NML functionality is necessary in any OSS solution. The close interaction between the element management system (EMS) and the network elements positions the network elements vendor to offer a highly effective and timely EMS solution. Cisco Transport Manager provides world-class EML/NML support for the Cisco ONS 15000 family of optical products. Cisco Transport Manager provides a comprehensive set of value-added features to the OSS solution, including:
- Intuitive, user-friendly graphical user interface
- Unified management of the Cisco ONS 15000 family of optical products
- Equipment and facility provisioning
- Real-time fault management
- Advanced software download capabilities
- Automatic network elements memory backup
- A-to-Z circuit provisioning
- Inventory management
- Performance management collection and display
- High Availability (HA) deployment option
- Advanced security features
- Open interfaces for OSS integration
These features allow a service provider to efficiently operate a Cisco optical network. In conjunction with other OSS products, Cisco Transport Manager can serve as the foundation for important capabilities such as flow-through service provisioning and the ability to offer differentiated services.
Cisco Transport Manager: Open Interfaces for OSS Integration
Cisco Transport Manager provides a number of open, industry-standard interfaces to allow easy integration with other OSSs, which form the overall OSS solution.
Transaction Language 1 (TL1) is the most widely used protocol for the management of telecommunications transport and access technologies. Part of TL1's popularity owes to its readability by both humans and computers. The Cisco ONS 15327, 15454, 15800, 15801, and 15808 each support a TL1 interface. The Cisco Transport Manager GateWay/TL1 feature provides a number of advantages over an OSS accessing the TL1 interface directly on each network element.
First, GateWay/TL1 allows multiple OSSs to share the same TL1 session on a network element. The number of simultaneous TL1 sessions permitted on a given network element is limited, so GateWay/TL1 provides a way to efficiently use this limited resource.
GateWay/TL1 also provides advantages in minimizing the amount of TL1 traffic carried on the data communications network (DCN). For example, instead of sending autonomous TL1 notifications from the network element to each interested OSS over the wide-area DCN, one notification can be sent to Cisco Transport Manager in the network operations center (NOC). Cisco Transport Manager can then forward the notification to the set of OSSs that are typically located in the same NOC. Cisco Transport Manager provides the ability to define filters on GateWay/TL1 such that only the notifications of interest are forwarded to a given OSS. Lastly Cisco Transport Manager provides a number of useful EMS-level TL1 commands that can be used by the OSS. For example, GateWay/TL1 provides a TL1 command to obtain a list of all the network elements managed by Cisco Transport Manager, which allows an OSS to autodiscover network elements present in the network. Figure 1 illustrates Gateway/TL1.
Figure 1
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is the predominant protocol used for the management of data technologies such as Ethernet switches, IP routers, DSLAMs, and so on. The Cisco ONS 15200, 15327, 15454, and 15540 each support a SNMP interface. GateWay/SNMP provides a trap-forwarding service that offers some of the advantages discussed for GateWay/TL1, such as limited use of DCN traffic in the case of multiple OSS trap destinations. GateWay/SNMP supports the definition of up to 16 trap destinations. It is only necessary to configure a single trap destination on each network element, namely the Cisco Transport Manager server, and then all other OSS trap destinations can be centrally managed from Cisco Transport Manager. SNMP set-and-get operations continue to take place directly between the OSS and the network element and do not involve Cisco Transport Manager GateWay/SNMP.
GateWay/Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) represents an exciting advancement in the area of OSS integration. In network management, the ability to seamlessly manage a multivendor, multitechnology network is critical.
Initial network management efforts were based on standardizing the OS/network element interface, using Common Management Information Service Element/Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects (CMISE/GDMO). While detailed specifications were produced, the higher cost and complexity of CMISE, with limited added benefits, resulted in very few commercial implementations. The next efforts focused on defining a standard interface between the EMS and NMS, the so-called network layer view. These efforts were also based on CMISE/GDMO, but likewise failed to gain industry traction.
The approach of a standard EMS/NMS interface was taken up by a group of Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) equipment vendors that started using CORBA as the protocol-taking a highly pragmatic approach to the information modeling to ensure ease of implementation. This effort expanded and later came under the TeleManagement Forum (TMF) as the Multitechnology Network Management team. Version 2 of the EML/NML interface was approved in October 2001 and published as a set of documents: TMF 509, TMF 608, and TMF 814. Most importantly, the EML/NML interface defined by the TMF has begun to reach critical mass in terms of equipment vendor, independent software vendor (ISV), and service provider acceptance and implementation.
The TMF Version 2 standard covers SONET, Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technologies. The interface makes it possible to readily achieve integrated management across these technologies and across multiple vendors. Each equipment vendor provides an EMS that supports its equipment, allowing one or more network management systems (NMSs) to interface with each relevant EMS.
Many combinations are possible. Figure 2 depicts a network consisting of Cisco ONS 15000 equipment managed by Cisco Transport Manager. Equipment from Vendor B and Vendor C is also part of the network; Vendor B and Vendor C each provide an EMS supporting the TMF interface. Integration is achieved at the NML. In Figure 2, the service provider has chosen to deploy a separate NMS for fault and service provisioning. Examples of a fault NMS/service management solution (SMS) and service provisioning NMS/SMS are Cisco Info Center and Cisco Provisioning Center, respectively.
Figure 2
Application of a Standard EMS/NMS Interface
GateWay/CORBA can also be used to achieve scalability. While Cisco Transport Manager supports the ability to manage an increasing number of network elements, the size of some service provider networks will exceed the capacity of a single Cisco Transport Manager instance. In these cases, multiple Cisco Transport Manager instances can be deployed and then tied together for a unified view at the NMS layer.
The Cisco Transport Manager GateWay/CORBA feature is compliant with the TMF 814 standard. As of Cisco Transport Manager Release 3.0, GateWay/CORBA supports the following TMF 814 modules:
- Inventory
- Multilayer subnetwork
- Managed element
- Physical termination point (PTP)
- Alarm notification
- Retrieval of active alarms on objects where inventory is available
- Subnetwork connection (SNC) provisioning
In some instances, an OSS may not support using one of the Cisco Transport Manager GateWay interfaces. The OSS has the additional option of accessing the Cisco Transport Manager Oracle database using the standardized query language (SQL). Cisco provides up-to-date documentation on the Cisco Transport Manager database schema. An OSS application using SQL access of the Cisco Transport Manager database should typically be limited to read-only access. A disadvantage of this approach is turnover in the schema, which can occur from release to release of Cisco Transport Manager. For this reason, it is generally preferable to rely on a standard interface such as GateWay/CORBA.
Cisco IP+Optical OSS
The Cisco IP+Optical OSS solution addresses management of the Cisco suite of IP and optical network equipment, including the Cisco 12000 Series and Cisco ONS 15000 family of optical products. Key management components used in the Cisco IP+Optical OSS solution include EMS for the IP product family and Cisco Transport Manager for the Cisco ONS 15000 family, as well as network- and service-management applications such as Cisco Info Center, Cisco Provisioning Center, and the Cisco Virtual Private Network (VPN) Solution Center.
The Cisco IP+Optical OSS solution architecture also uses technology and products available from Cisco ecosystem partners, including inventory, billing, and performance-management OSSs. This architecture enables the integration of different OSS components with minimum effort. Where appropriate, Cisco also participates in Telcordia's OSMINE process for the integration of Cisco network elements into OSSs developed by Telcordia such as TIRKS, NMA, and TEMS.
Figure 3
Cisco IP+Optical OSS Solution
Currently, Cisco Transport Manager integrates into the Cisco IP+Optical solution using the GateWay/TL1 interface. Moving forward, GateWay/CORBA will become the interface of choice for integration.
Cisco Transport Manager provides powerful EML/NML features for the Cisco ONS 15000 family of optical products. The combination of these features with the open, standard interfaces provided by Cisco Transport Manager allows Cisco Transport Manager to serve as the foundation for a complete OSS solution. GateWay/CORBA offers the best potential for realizing seamless management of multivendor, multitechnology networks. Cisco offers a complete OSS solution for the management of a Cisco IP+Optical network using a combination of Cisco and best-in-breed ecosystem partner OSS components. The open, standard interfaces that allow Cisco Transport Manager to integrate so well into the Cisco IP+Optical OSS solution allow Cisco Transport Manager to integrate equally well into a service provider's existing or in-house-developed OSS environment.


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New Land Rover Defender "not far away," automaker... Luxury
June 23, 2017
June 23, 2017
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