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ceramic tile over OSB
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We are building a new construction 2 story home over an existing walkout basement.
The main level subfloor joists are older 2x10 solid lumber @ 16"oc with new 3/4 T&G OSB cover. The span is 14ft each side of the supported centerline. On this floor we want to put ceramic tile in the kitchen area. Do we put the tile directly over the OSB subfloor? The floor is very noisy to walk on, should we be adding some kind of noise dampening? Will Ceramic tile crack with floor movement? Any considerations we need to be aware of?
I should mention the house will be heated with hydronic radiant flooring. Any concerns there ?
The upper floor uses Solidstart 20 Plus engineered LPI's 16"oc with a depth of 11-7/8" . The cover on that is 1/2" osb that will have 3/4" pine T&G over it. There will be a master bathroom that I want to put ceramic tile down. Should that area get 3/4" plywood or OSB on it before adding tile?
Noise level from foot traffic is a concern also. What do you recommend to deaden sound between floors?
Anyone else seeing anything interesting about the way this was framed?
I would never use 1/2" for a subfloor, at least 3/4" T&G plywood or better yet a product like Advantec.
Engineered floor joist tend to bounce, there a ton of old post on that one subject.
While it's open I would add 3/4 plywood on both sides that glued and nailed or screwed at least in the area that going to get tiled.
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If you are referring to the header over the window, it's 2x10's boxed with 2x6's top and bottom. The opening was originally designed for a wider window and was later changed to a smaller window and moved to one side.
The 1/2" osb was originally laid down to facilitate the building of the shed dormer walls and to get the roof on. The framing was done late in the year last year and we were concerned primarily with getting the roof on and closing it in since this is in the NW and could get hit with early snowfall. The floor was originally designed to be 2x6 T&G but it was not delivered on time so the framing sub contractor decided to use what he had on hand. The next concern was that the radient floor heating would not be efficient under a 2x6 solid wood floor and so it was decided to add 3/4" T&G pine flooring to the existing 1/2" osb. That has not been done yet.
It should also bo noted that the 2nd level floor is only open span in the front area of the house. Originally that area was not going to get a 2nd floor. We added it to reclaim the space. In the rest of the house, the 2nd floor has many supporting walls under it. See the picture below looking toward the rear two thirds of the house. Therefore, in the area where the tile will be added, the engineered floor joists are supported from underneath by walls.
Just for further information, the exterior framing is 2x6. That is covered with 1/2" OSB and the siding is solid log 2" x 9" screwed to the outside walls. The roof is supported through to the basement floor (9" concrete) with those 2 huge logs that run the full length. They are keyed into horizontal log beams under the ridgeline with a gluelam on top of it that support the engineered roof beams.
I personally would not put ceramic on that floor, but maybe "Jaz" and/or "Oh' Mike" will come along. They are the tile experts.
Yeah joe, you got me curious now. What I can see looks fine, insulation is covering some key points. I was concerned if the logs were structural or decorative, I see the ridge board in second set of photos.
I find it very interesting and like the design, not finding a problem with it though.
I've never seen engineered floor joist hung that way. Keep in ming I'm not a framer, but any of the jobs I've worked on of my framer have done where not done that way. Not saying it's wrong, just differant then I've seen.
Any I've seen where sitting on the top plates with a special thicker rim joist made just for this style rafter.
Seem like the hanger would act like a pivit point and may have more deflection.
Yes Joe you are correct. Only the front area was done that way, the back area was supported onto the top of the walls with a rim joist, sort of an after thought. That area was originally designed to be open to the cathedral roof. We reclaimed the area because we needed more space than the structure allowed. The house is not huge, its 28 ft wide by a bit over 50ft long. The hangers are simpson top mounts. The bottom of those joists will be covered with drywall.
Correction: There are hangers on the centerline 2x6 glulams in the rest of the house but the exterior walls are not hangered in those areas.
Should we cover the bottom with osb prior to drywall to add stiffness? Will the 3/4" t&G on top be sufficient to add stiffness? Perhaps we should do a 3/4" t&g ceiling underneath and forego the drywall?
I had this article in my files...it is courtesy of John Bridge.
Ceramic Tile Floors
- John P. Bridge ( May, 2005 )
Ceramic tile floors. Sounds simple, doesnt it? Pull up the rug and put down tiles. Smear grout in the joints, clean it up and move back in. If you have vinyl on the floor you can go right over it with the new tiles, as vinyl makes a wonderful uncoupling membrane. Tile mastic works better for tile floors than thin set mortar does, especially when using large tiles. If the floor structure seems a little spongy, you can correct it by nailing down cement backer board before installing the tiles themselves.
You have just been presented with a paragraph-size synopsis of the type of tile misinformation you might receive on the Internet, in tile and flooring outlets, at big box stores and in certain printed publications, not to mention home improvement shows on radio and TV. Yes, there are thousands of experts out there poised and eager to set you straight and get you on your way to tile flooring bliss. Dont buy into it for a minute.
In the next few paragraphs I intend to give you a very brief overview of the correct ways that ceramic tile flooring should be installed. Ill list sources of further reading at the end.
First of all, ceramic tiles (to include porcelain tiles, quarry tiles, various paver tiles and others) are hard, brittle and breakable. For them to be installed successfully on floors they must be well bonded and well supported underneath. If your floor is the least bit springy or mushy when you walk on it, it will be necessary to do some serious shoring up before tile setting begins. I cannot over-emphasize this. For our purposes, the tiles themselves have no structural value of their own. The use of cement backer boards or various membranes will not ameliorate an unsound floor structure.
Cement Backer Boards
Cement backer boards, such as PermaBase, Wonder Board, Durock, Hardi-backer, and others are used to uncouple a tile installation from the subfloor below. Before they are fastened, CBUs, as they are called, are bedded in thin set mortar, which is the usual adhesive used in setting floor tiles. The panels are then nailed or screwed to the subfloor following manufacturers specific directions. CBUs do NOT improve the stiffness or structural value of the floor.
Anti-fracture Membranes
There are various membranes on the market that accomplish the same uncoupling effect that CBUs provide. Two of the biggest names are Nobleseal and Ditra. I happen to be in cahoots with Schluter Systems, makers of Ditra, and I consider it among the best products on the market. But membranes will NOT rectify an insufficient floor structure. Vinyl linoleum and tar paper certainly wont do it either.
Thin set mortar is a portland cement product that is used to adhere ceramic and stone tiles to a substrate. The substrate is the layer directly under the tiles, i.e., cement backer board, Ditra membrane, etc. Thin set comes in a powder form that must be mixed with water just prior to use. Thin set cannot be pre-mixed before it is needed. It will set-up and become hard just like any other cement product. It does not need air to do this, and you cant keep thin set in a can or plastic tub on a store shelf.
Therefore, any product you see on the shelf purported to be pre-mixed thin set is not thin set and cannot be used to install floor tiles. It is instead some sort of mastic, which is an organic glue that might be used to install certain very small tiles on a kitchen back splash, for instance. The same goes for pre-mixed grout. Real tile grout is made from portland cement also, and in my opinion, pre-mixed grout should not be used for anything at all.
Remember that thin sets and grouts will ALWAYS come dry in a sack or box, and remember that it is impossible to pre-mix them and keep them from setting up hard as a rock.
Tile mastic, the organic glue, can be used only on small tiles and in areas that dont get wet. It should not be used on stone tiles at all as it can be absorbed into the stone where it can cause stains. And tile mastic should not be used for ceramic tile floors.
A single 1/2" OSB or plywood does not make a subfloor. Years ago when 1/2" ply was used as the subfloor, ("the" subfloor is the layer attached to the joists), a second sheet of 5/8" was always added. You can not install tile directly on any subfloor regardless of how thick it is.
So, for the tiled area you should add 5/8" B/C exterior glue underlayment, then either 1/4" concrete board set into thinset and fastened per directions, taped etc., or install Ditra. Then the tiles.
We covered the 2nd floor 1/2" osb (and why it was done) above. It is not meant to be the finished subfloor and will be added to.
The main area where ceramic tile will go is the main floor kitchen, a large area 19ft by 13ft which has 3/4" T&G OSB as its subfloor. This is the area of concern for me. I have no problem adding ditra (if I can find it locally), but since the subfloor in this area is already 3/4" do I really need to add any more thickness to it before the ditra+thinset+tile?
And what about the hydronic heat? Does ditra work with that? Will the uncoupling effect cause the radient floor to be non effective? Any knowledge in this area?
OK, go it. To sum up, you have 2x10 joists, 16" o.c. that span 14' 0" and the subfloor is 3/4" t&g OSB. Am I correct that the OSB is "subfloor" grade t&g and not just plain 3/4" OSB?
If it is t&g, and properly installed, (glued, screwed, 1/8" gaps bet. sheets etc.), you can install 1/4" CBU or Ditra over it. But that only takes care of the deflection between the joists. The other deflection criteria is for the joists themselves.
2x10" spanning 14' is bare minimum at best. It was probably built to meet minimum code. Can you tell me the species and the grade of those joists? Also re-measure the span to see if it's really 14' 0" or a few inches less.
As for the hydronic heat. I don't know much about that, but is it the system that is installed under the subfloor between the joists or?
It is actually a 12ft 9" span wall edge to wall edge, and the joists are actually 1.5" x 9.25" and the species is fir in reasonable condition with no grade marks but very old and very hard, and the 3/4" OSB is floor grade and it is glued with sublfloor adhesive, and nailed with 6d ring shanks from a hitachi nail gun with 80lbs of pressure by a hulking great guy that stands 6' 6" and weighs 280lb in his bare stocking feet, and that's before breakfast! :)
The issue is the floor thickness. The radient heat is 1/2" pex with 2 runs per joist bay under the subfloor with aluminum conductor plates. The thicker the floor gets, the less heat will get transferred through it, or that is what I am told. Thats why we were told not to use 2x6 finished plank flooring and we opted instead for the 3/4" t&g. We don't want wood flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms so we decided to go with ceramic tile, but we have no experience with laying ceramic tile.
This project is very rural. There are no inspections, and very little code although we have tried our best to adhere to code or better. We are told that we have actually built it stronger than it needed to be. We do want to do it right, it is afterall our house, not someone else's We hired a contractor to oversee the project but not to build it. We wanted to build it ourselves and we have done 90% of the work ourselves. Now we are coming down to the finishing, the devil is in the details as they say. The photo's I have supplied are fairly old right now, the house logging has been compleated and I chinked the entire house myself this summer which although it wasn't necessary, has added a lot of charachter. It is a very striking house, built on 5 acres of Montana Prairie, quite different to anything around here and it gets a lot of compliments from the locals.
From what I see on this forum, you are the expert when it comes to ceramic floor tile. We very much appreciate any advice you care to give even if the advice is to not put down the ceramic tile.
Jazman is an expert--respected by all who know his work and teaching---
I ran a deflection chart for you---you are good for tile---458----minimum for tile? 360----- for natural stone ? 720.
As to the under floor heating? Wood is an insulator --and cement board or Ditra and tile are a heat sink---
You will be fine----The heated floors are very comfortable---I have a heated basement slab and am considering adding it to my hall bath when that day comes.
Geez where do i start...did you pass framing inspection yet?
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Employee Benefits Program
A strong employee benefits program – including low-cost employee incentives, employee recognition programs, and employee appreciation programs – can help you improve morale and retention.
We provide employee appreciation day ideas, help you with employee retention strategies and employee benefits management
It's been a month since many of your employees made New Year's resolutions to quit smoking in 2013. Are they sticking to their plans? The fact is, you should know. Plenty of evidence reveals that an employer can play a big role in helping employees snuff out their last cigarettes.
Are your employees adequately protected in the event they suffer a long-term illness? Consider providing long-term care insurance as a company fringe benefit. As long as you meet the tax requirements, the premium payments are deductible by your company and tax-free to your employees.
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With employment litigation rising steadily, the employee handbook has become an essential tool in the employer's arsenal to defend against liability for employment decisions. A good handbook tells employees what the rules are and how they will be enforced ...

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Mini-me: Geely's Emgrand EC6-RVmini blends Suzuki Swift and Mini Cooper with surprising style.
20 April 2011
By MARTON PETTENDY
GEELY is most famous for its parent company's purchase of Sweden's largest car-maker, Volvo, and last year also released the first – and cheapest - Chinese passenger car in Australia.
Now the burgeoning Chinese company has revealed it intends to start mass production of its first hybrid and all-electric models by the end of next year.
The ambitious electrification plan was revealed to Reuters at this week's Shanghai motor show, where Geely Automobile Holdings highlighted its latest R&D achievement as an independent Chinese auto-maker by exhibiting no fewer than 37 models, three theme parks and two interactive experience zones.
Although it remains unclear which of them will actually reach production, Geely took the wraps off at least five interesting new models under three sub-brands in Shanghai, including everything from a Mini Cooper-style hatchback to an imposing SUV and a folding hard-top roadster.
Geely again wheeled out its gaudy GS – a near carbon-copy of the Rolls-Royce Phantom – but its most striking new model was the small Emgrand 'EC6-RVmini' hatch, which borrows its roofline from Suzuki's Swift and has similar overall proportions to the Mini hatch.
Despite that the 3.8-metre mini-car, which is powered by a turbocharged 1.3-litre petrol engine that drives through a new dual-clutch automatic transmission and features a fuel-saving idle-stop system, still manages to look convincingly cohesive in its own right.
At least the EC6-RV was more contemporary than the Englon SC7-RV, an even more retro five-door hatch that looks a lot like Nissan's previous-generation Micra from the rear and a bit like a London cab from the front.
Left, from top: Geely-Emgrand EC6-RVmini, Geely-Gleagle GX6, Geely-Gleagle GS-CC and Geely-Englon SC7-RV.
And then there were three Gleagle-badged vehicles - including the GS-CC, a compact 2+2 coupe-convertible sportscar that looks like a cross between a BMW Z4 and a Lexus SC, and the somewhat underwhelming GC6 mid-size sedan - details of which are also sketchy.
Perhaps the least derivative of the Gleagle trio is the striking GX6 crossover, a five-seat/five-door wagon with chunky lower body cladding, a complicated grille and radical back-swept headlights that make it look different from anything we've ever seen from Geely – or any other brand.
Geely came to Australia at the beginning of 2010 with a single model, the light-sized MK sedan, which matched the Proton S16's benchmark-setting $11,990 drive-away pricetag when it became available only in West Australia – the home state of veteran vehicle importer John Hughes, the man behind Chinese Automotive Distributors (CAD).
Chery – Australia's third Chinese passenger vehicle brand, imported by Ateco Automotive, the same distributor that brought us the first in 2009, Great Wall Motors – matched that price with its J1 city-car in February.
Great Wall's ute and SUV models are due to be joined by its first passenger car in Australia later this year.
As we've reported, Geely plans to release a replacement for the MK – complete with electronic stability control, allowing it to be sold in Victoria – late this year in the form of the stylish five-door 1.3-litre CE hatchback that was revealed in concept form at the 2008 Beijing show and enters production in China this year.
The Geely CE is expected to join the baby of the range, the LC hatch – known in China as the Panda – and the larger, Corolla-sized EC7 sedan and hatch in a network of Geely showrooms across Australia within 2011.
The LC and EC7 are both due to make their local debut at the Melbourne motor show in July before they hit Australian showrooms, but the three-car Geely range will be joined this year in the CAD stable by a yet-to-be named brand of Chinese-made light commercial vehicles and SUVs that will go head-to-head with Great Wall in Australia.
Meantime, Ateco also has its eyes on another unnamed Chinese LCV brand, which is due to be launched in Australia in October.
While the Australian futures of the Emgrand EC6-RV, Englon SC7-RV and Gleagle GS-CC, GC6 and GX6 – let alone Geely's range of 2012 hybrid and EV models – remains uncertain, it is clear the fledgling Chinese brand has healthy aspirations.
Aided by its top-selling EC7, Geely's car sales outpaced China's total industry growth of 9.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2011 by increasing 14.4 per cent to 117,698 units, following a 33.1 per cent sales surge in March.
Established just 13 years ago and now a top-ten Chinese auto-maker, Geely sold 415,843 vehicles in 2010 (up 27 per cent on 2009), five per cent or 20,555 of which were exports - up six per cent.
It is well on its way to achieving its target of 480,000 sales this year, which at 15 per cent would be slightly higher than the total industry's slower growth rate projected by China's Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Apart from jointly acquiring the world's second largest independent automatic transmission manufacturer, Australia's Drivetrain Systems International, and Volvo from Ford in 2009, the self-described "dark horse" of China trades profitably, has total assets of more than $5 billion and an annual production capacity of more than 600,000 vehicles with nine Chinese factories and CKD assembly plants in Indonesia and Russia.
Geely's export volumes exceeded 100,000 vehicles between 2007 and 2010 – five times that of the preceding four-year period – thanks to shipments of the CK, MK, FC and SL-1 models to more than 50 countries.
Geely used the Shanghai show to emphasise its drive for quality and global expansion, with new models like the EC7 and Panda/LC – both of which earned a five-stare C-NCAP safety rating, with the EC7 achieving a class-leading score of 46.8 – designed to make it "a globally competitive brand by 2015".
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Ed Sheeran Releases 'Divide' Track List
We took another step towards the release of Ed Sheeran's forthcoming album, Divide, on Wednesday (January 11) when the pop star unveiled the track list for the new set on Twitter.
Less than a week after the release of new songs "Shape of You" and "Castle On The Hill," the 25-year-old singer/songwriter took to the social media platform to share the 12 titles that will be featured on the follow-up to 2014's x. While there are no features on the set, the LP appears to revolve around new beginnings with titles like "Happier," "Hearts Don't Break Around Here" and "New Man."
"It's not going to be this month for people who think it's coming out very soon, but it will be out soon," Sheeran told On Air with Ryan Seacrest over the phone on Monday. "I'm going to drop some more songs from it before it comes out."
See the full track list for Sheeran's Divide below!
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1993 Starting Lineup SLU Roberto Alomar Blue Jays HOF
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1993 Starting Line-up SLU Figure of New Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar from the Toronto Blue Jays. � EXCELLENT condition!!


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Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers (30 July 1763 – 18 December 1855)
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Healthcare Reform Law Creates 111M Hours of Paperwork: Study
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has imposed approximately 111.4 million hours of paperwork, according to a new study from American Action Forum, a conservative think tank.
Based on that finding, the AAF said it would take 55,742 employees working 2,000 hours in a year to complete the red tape required in the PPACA. Some of the most time-consuming provisions of the law, according to the AAF, are:
• Final inpatient prospective payment — 6.84 million hoursThe law has also imposed approximately $30.8 billion in costs, according to the study. Some of the most costly provisions of the law, according to the AAF, are:
• Final outpatient prospective payment — 1.01 million hours
• Final billing for skilled nursing facilities — 0.91 million hours
• Proposed menu labeling — $757.1 millionThe study also said that "2013 is the real race to the finish" for the healthcare reform law, and that the public can expect "rules to undergo expedient White House review, provide brief comment periods and contain incomplete benefit-cost analyses."
• Final shared savings program — $451 million
• Proposed vending machine labeling — $423.1 million
More Articles on the PPACA:3 Years of PPACA: The 5 Biggest Changes in Healthcare Since the Law's Passage
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HHS: PPACA Extended Free Preventive Care to 71M Americans
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Responsibility for investigating allegations of housing benefit fraud is now with the Department of Work and Pensions. We no longer investigate housing benefit fraud.
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Apple's iTunes Stores seems to have had some problems overnight, so we've paused our updates for the time being. Don't worry. We'll be back up as soon as the iTunes Store is back to normal.
App Updates On Hold Temporarily
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Yeah, that was Apple updating the AppStore to support Keyword for better AppStore searches.


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My interest in Bible study began in college, when I was part of a women's Bible study. Talking about Scripture with friends was so enjoyable; we grew in our understanding of the faith together and had fun times of fellowship as well.
Now, I am part of a monthly Bible study. We college friends—some married, some single—gather together for fellowship (lots of fun catching up), treats (usually muffins of one sort or another) and discussion of the faith amongst us girls.
Starting a Bible study is a great idea for any Catholic group, especially during Lent. Here are some tips for a good study:
1. Gather: Plan time to chat with your friends, and welcome kids into the study. We find little ones are a cute addition, even if they sometimes stop the conversation momentarily. No worries: You will always take something away from the study sessions.
2. Eat: A simple snack is always appreciated. Good food will draw a crowd!
3. Be simple: Don't plan too much to get through. The Holy Spirit will take the time where it should be focused.
4. Find resources: Reading Scripture is important, but don't limit yourself to the Bible alone. Commentaries like The Better Part are thought-provoking and simple ways to prompt discussion. We have also used Matthew Kelly's The One Thing, biographies of St. Gianna (her quotes allowed good discussion) and A Jane Austen Devotional (which pairs novel excerpts with Scripture).
5. Have fun! Faith and fellowship is the perfect combination.
A Bible study is a also a simple way to incorporate the Year of Faith into your Catholic life.
Happy Bible studying!
Amy Smith is the associate editor for the National Catholic Register.


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Why oh why is Philips still peddling lcd when LED is the future? Given the price I expected this to be a pre-requisite.
@James1000 - a TV is simply defined by its backlighting technology, just as not all 1080p TVs are automatically better than 720p models...
Edge-lit LED backlighting facilitates a thinner chassis, but as John quite rightly points out, does that *really* matter so much when the TV is on the wall, or pushed into the corner of your living room?
This model achieves excellent image quality via the extra grunt Philips has thrown at its processing power; the Perfect Pixel HD system doesn't come cheap, but it allows it to outshine lesser models. And of course there's the Ambilight system too.
There's life in the "old" tech yet :)
@Geoff, if the TV is in the corner of the room then depth seems irrelevant but (for me at least) if it's going on the wall then every mm counts.
Any comment on the Natural Motion system? When I see Philips TVs I usually think the smoothing looks plain weird - you can almost see the system kicking on and off. Same with some of the latest Samsung LED systems. Anyone else find this? Can you tone this down (on both Philips and Samsung) to a natural level without turning it completely off?
Sounds as though you're another victim of Samsung brainwashing (sorry marketing) getting you to believe there's such a thing as LED TV - as Geoff quite rightly points out these so called new LED TVs are the same LCDs but with LED backlighting. LED Edge lit TVs (eg Samsung B8000) are only marginally improved over traditional CCFL. It's LCDs with direct LED backlighting with local dimming that you should be looking out for! But even these are still LCD! The true next gen tech TVs are OLED which are still in development.
Samsung - misleading the nation!
Quick question - does the Philips Net TV allow you to therefore go onto the iPlayer website and watch content directly from there on your TV - or would you need to hook up a HDMI laptop
Yes it seems the term LED is the new buzz word for people who want to believe in fairies - last year it was 1080p being a neccessity or your set will not be HD.
Can anybody guess what next years will be??
I am placing my bets on "HD Freeview Built In".
@Davidcrofter - sorry to disappoint but I dont actually believe in fairies. Common sense on the other hand... Just to educate you lcds have been dogged by contrast issues when compared to plasma. Therefore led is (for the rationally minded) a logical progression as this addresses this issue to some degree.Why are you in denial of such a thing?
@james1000 - Your missing the point. Technically these so called 'LED TVs' are still by definition LCD and come with the inherent drawbacks (degrading picture of axis, motion blur). The only thing that is different is the rear lighting and that like the other parts of LCD TVs have been improving over the years but the method of the tech has always been the same ie. a transmissive display unlike plasma or OLED or SED or CRT etc. etc.
LCDs with local dimming rear lighting (see im not specifying LED - another lighting could be employed) with the ongoing LCD panel improvements are in my opinion the pinnacle of LCD tech!
The next gen TVs are OLED and if they are not, I'll eat my hat (pending whether or not I'm wearing a hat)
I just baught the 32" in this serie ( 32PFL6404 ), and remain with the question, does this TV serie have LED backlight ?
Aggree that LED backlight with individual LED control, local dimming, is a flop and should be avoided ( at least in todays attempts ). Examples like the Samsung B7000 made me go for a regular backlight.
But plain LED backlight should be the optimal, both in terms of energy and uniform backlight.
Just bought one of these from Marks & Spencers with a five year warranty for only £599, reduced from £999.
Thanks to Lee Marshall... I just purchased one too(eventually, long story)... I await its delivery with eager anticipation. M&S... £599 5 year warranty.....:)
@ Lee Marshall - Whoa, are you serious about that price? How/ where did you get that from? Any particular branch of M&S? Was it new? Any info greatly appreciated as I would love to get my hands on one for that price
More information -
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Looking to get a foothold in China's mobile telephony market, China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd., the listed arm of China's largest mobile phone operator, has tendered a cash offer to purchase Hong Kong mobile operator China Resources Peoples Telephone Co. Ltd., according to a company statement.
Peoples, which is one of six mobile operators in Hong Kong, had more than 1.2 million subscribers as of June 30, according to China Mobile Hong Kong.
Under terms of the offer, China Mobile Hong Kong will purchase all issued shares in Peoples for HK$4.55 (US$0.59), valuing the operator at around HK$3.4 billion, China Mobile Hong Kong said in a statement. The offered price represents a premium of around 27 percent over Peoples average closing stock price of HK$3.12 over the last 30 trading days, it said.
The offer expands on a deal between China Mobile Hong Kong, China Resources (Holdings) Co. Ltd., and Michael Leung, an executive director of China Resources, for China Mobile Hong Kong to purchase 66.24 percent of Peoples' outstanding shares for HK$4.55 per share in cash.
If Peoples' shareholders and Hong Kong regulators approve the deal, China Mobile Hong Kong plans to take Peoples private, it said.


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Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is an American indie folk band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. The group is led by lead singer Alex Ebert. The band's name is based on a story Ebert wrote, when he was a kid, about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. Drawing from roots rock, folk, gospel, and psychedelic music, the band's image and sound evoke the hippie movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
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36-3 11ET 1c, 15kV, 175mil EPR(100%), TS, PVC
- 15kV Type MV-105.
- Copper Conductor.
- Thermosetting Conductor Shield.
- EPR Insulation.
- Thermosetting Insulation Shield.
- Copper Tape Shield.
- PVC Jacket.
Southwire SIMpull 11ET Type MV-105 Cable is for use in aerial, direct burial, conduit, and underground duct installations as permitted by the National Electrical Code. These cables are capable of operating continuously at a conductor temperature not in excess of 105°C for normal operation, 140°C for emergency overload conditions, and 250°C for short circuit conditions, and are rated at 15,000V, 100% insulation level (grounded system). Maximum sidewall pressure is 1000 lbs. This cable can be installed without the need for pulling lubricant.


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The Week In Brand Strategy & Marketing (A Google+ Experiment)
PSFK curates some of the brand strategy, digital and creative advertising news that recently caught our attention.
Like many, we've been getting acquainted with some of the new social-slash-content publishing (and filtering) platforms like Google+ and Percolate. We're still playing around, digging in and determining what role each will play in our lives – as well as how it'll affect our use of other platforms (like Twitter). In the meantime, we decided to try a simple experiment. This Weekly is curated entirely based on content and links discovered through this writer's Google+ network. There may be some new finds, subject matter and links (or there may not). You tell us. In the meantime, it's worth the experiment.
Ideas Shaping Strategy, Creativity & Innovation
- Kevin Slavin: How Algorithms Shape Our World
- What Medieval Numbers Have to Do With Remix Culture, Publishing Entrepreneurship and Gamification
- SxSW Panel Proposal: Creativity for a Complex World
- Is Social in Google's DNA? (On Facebook and Google's algorithm's; by Tom Anderson of MySpace)
- Beyond Foursquare: the Next Generation of Customer Loyalty
- The Stupidity of Certainty
- Crowdsourcing: Everything Old is New Again
- Andy Hertzfeld on Google+, UI Design and How Bob Dylan Influenced the Mac
- Why Mark Cuban Likes Google+
- 50 Social Media Stats to Kickstart Your Slide Deck
- The Singularity is Far: A Neuroscientist's View
Innovative, Inspiring Ideas: New Products, Projects & Brand Work
- Soda Bottles Become Electricity-Less 'Light Bulbs' for the Poor
- What Is Fridge? (Bought by Google to bolster Google+)
- Visualizing TV Dialog Using Closed Caption Data
- Gis.to: Condensing Long-Form Content
- Social Intelligence: Social Media Background Checks
- Statigr.am
- Where to Hangout at Google+
- Start G+
- The 3 Big Advances in the Technology of the Pizza Box
Creative Brand (or not) Ideas: For Better or Worse…
- Apple Product Design: 35 Years of Consumer Electronics
- Google Introduces Credit Card to Ad Clients
- Google+ for Businesses (Update 3)
- Ford Using Google+ Differently Than Facebook
- Jello Pudding Face (Jello tracks the collective mood of Americans on Twitter – when bummed, they give away free pudding)
- New Old Spice Guy Fabio
- Wrangler 'Stunt'
Digital Media, Tech & Marketing News & Resources
- Nine Things You Should Do After Installing OSX Lion
- Twitter Is a Mess, and Jack Needs to Fix It Fast
- US Consumers Most Unhappy with Facebook
- Justin Bieber Takes a Picture of Traffic, Instagram Usage Explodes
- Google Tried to Buy Color for $200 Million. Color Said No.
- Music Subscription Face-off: How Does Spotify Measure Up?
- Klout CEO on Raising Your Score, Google+ Integration and Bieber's Perfect 100
- Anonymous and LulzSec Issue Joint Statement to FBI
- New York Times Paywall Subscriptions Increase to 224,000


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Video Simulation Depicts What It Is Like To Be Autistic
Auti-Sim is a digital game that helps people without autism experience the struggles of the disorder.
One of the main reasons that there is a lack of awareness for problems like social, mental, and psychological disorders is an inability to empathize. For someone without one of these disorders, they can have a difficult time putting themselves in someone else's shoes to understand what they're going through. How do you 'imagine' what having hypersensitivity disorder would be like?
You couldn't. Until now.
Created during the Vancouver Hacking Health hackathon, which aims to solve meaningful problems with technology, the 'Auti-Sim' game is designed to place users in the shoes of an autistic child to better understand their struggles.
The simulation allows users to navigate a playground setting, all the while exposing them to conditions that a child with autism or hypersensitivity disorder would experience. The closer users move towards other children, the blurrier vision becomes and the louder echoes and screams ring out as the situation becomes increasingly overwhelming. By moving to quieter areas on the playground, the situation becomes less stressful, which helps explain how autism can lead to isolation and dissociation.
Taylan Kadayifcioglu, one of three team members working on Auti-Sim, says the team wanted to raise awareness to 'how an ordinary, everyday environment could pose significant challenges' to someone with autism.
The simulation, a demo of which can be seen in the video below, has received somewhat mixed reviews from the autistic community. Some have thanked Taylan and his team for helping show what life is like for them, while others have pointed out that the simulation only offers an narrow insight into some of the symptoms associated with autism. Because autism has a wide spectrum of ways in which it can manifest, it is difficult to create a scenario in which all possible experiences are covered.
However, Auti-Sim, if further developed, could eventually become a good learning tool for professionals trying to spread awareness and increase understanding among autistic children's parents, siblings, or classmates.
Check out the simulation below, and experience just how overwhelming and disorienting the situation can be:
Images via YouTube


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Asigra bundles cloud backup software on Cisco router
Add Asigra Cloud Backup to Cisco's ISR G2 router, and you have the Asigra Cloud Backup Connector Appliance for remote offices and SMBs.
This Article Covers
Cloud backup
Asigra is hitching its cloud backup software to Cisco routers aimed at remote offices and small and medium-sized businesses who want to solve bandwidth constraints.
Drill down into today's new backup approaches
Due to the features of most modern backup software – which include snapshot management, DR elements, cloud support, VM protection – backups can do so much more than simply restoring data in the event of a storage or server failure. Download this guide and not only discover the latest upgrades to today's top enterprise backup vendors, but also learn where backup software works best in your computing environment.
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The Asigra Cloud Backup Connector Appliance that launched this week includes Asigra Cloud Backup software on Cisco Integrated Service Routers (ISRs) G2. The Asigra software ships pre-installed on a UCS E-Series server module inside the Cisco 2900 and 3900 routers. The appliance holds from 2 TB to 10 TB for backup, and provides both on-site and cloud backup.
The Cisco appliance turns a router into a backup device so customers do not have to install separate hardware. The concept for the Asigra Cloud Backup Connector Appliance is similar to Riverbed's Whitewater appliance, which moves data from remote offices to cloud providers, except that Whitewater uses third-party backup software while the Cisco/Asigra appliance has software built in.
"This is for companies who have data that's not getting backed up to a central location," Asigra Executive Vice President Eran Farajun said. "With the appliance, backup data does not travel from the remote site to the central switch to the service provider; it goes directly from the remote site to the service provider."
Asigra does not sell directly to end users. Its software is sold by managed service providers. The Asigra Cloud Backup Connector Appliance will be sold by Avnet, Cisco channel partners and Asigra Hybrid Partners.
Robert Amatruda, IDC research director for data protection, called the device part of the "appliance-ization" of the data center, which has taken hold in backup. "The whole notion of using the cloud as a recovery tier is not new," he said. "But clearly there needs to be a physical appliance to orchestrate the movement from on-premises to the cloud or provider for failover or replication."
Amatruda said he wouldn't be surprised to see Cisco forge similar partnerships with other backup software vendors. Asigra's Farajun said his company supplies the partner system to go with the backup software, however.
"Cisco needed an ecosystem of cloud service providers, and we have that," Farajun said.
Dig Deeper on Cloud backup
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Ordinarily, when the issue of allowing Muslim women who wear the veil into public places arises, opponents come from secular forces within Turkish society, but recent efforts to achieve this goal are being opposed by conservative Muslim clerics. A group of Turkish women who term their efforts as "Gathering Women Platform," are demanding the right of females to wear veils in Parliament. Their slogan is: "No Veiled Deputy, No Vote" campaign. One would assume their enemies would be secular activists who fear growing clerical power in society, but among their fiercest enemies is a Muslim cleric.
Ali Bulc, a conservative, denounced their campaign on grounds it smacks of feminism, and only serves to reinforce secularists who want to halt such changes. Bulc urged women to avoid such groups on grounds this is an issue that must be resolved by men. Hilal Kaplan, a feminist, charged Bulc 'cannot stand veiled women who w ork and make money, rather than just stay home and look after the children." Those seeking the right of women to wear a veil while serving in Parliament claim many conservatives are against women being acitivists because allowing women to achieve this goal only strengthens forces of change.
As a firm believer in secularism, we support the right of Muslim women to wear a veil in colleges or public establishments, including Parliament. Most men disguise their true motives in politics and they do not wear veils!


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Around 129 set Stickers from Line, All PNG , no background already.
I've included this index inside the main folder.
You can use it on any device, copy to your album , post it inside Line.
Download : Leies Line Sticker PNG Pack
UnZip Password is a question , what is my new website domain ? Actually it's in the picture already … no CAP letter.
Hit Like button and Share to your friends below if you like this topic ! Thanks for support !


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Hello perry,
I recall that the re-magezined SKS must follow the 922r rules on US parts count.
A mill is really needed to open up the SKS receiver (and stock) to accomodate the typical AK box mag. Some SKS receivers are soft some are rock hard, and some mixed. Go slow, use a 3/8 inch diameter carbide ball end mill for the most part.
Magwell corners will require a 1/4 inch end mill (or Dremel). The tricky part is the proper depth of ball mill cut into the SKS receiver. That cut places the magezine into the correct feed position. Go no deeper that the existing forward radius depth only wider. (make sense ???). The front of th AK mag feed lips register at that depth.
The bolt hold open catch must be removed (no spare room in there).
A horizontal slot must be milled at the flattened magwell front to retain the AK mag nose. The slot also partly cuts into the barrel face. A small woodruff keyslot cutter works well. Go slow. The slot is 1/16 inch above the bottom edge of the receiver. This feature is a good place to start you SKS surgery.
The new AK mag sits at a raked angle (vs the usual AK) but feeds that way in an SKS.
A mag catch must be fashioned to hold the AK at the rear perch. Some builders have brazed a small bit of steel to the top of the SKS catch to do this. Some have made an AK-like catch welded to the SKS trigger frame.
The SKS bolt must be narrowed on the bottom surface to pass between the AK mag lips. A grinder can do this using care.
The mill work could likely be done with a die grinder, carbide burrs, layout lines, and lots of patience.
Years ago gunsmiths would charge about $100.oo to do this conversion and that was cheap too !!! Today ????
There must be an old tutorial on the internet for this conversion.


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EA Mobile has finally released "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for iPad" and it's available for $9.99 on Apple's App Store. The game was first made available on the iPhone and now we have one of the best first person shooters available in HD for the iPad. The kind of variety the game offers is the most enjoyable part of the … Read More
5 in 1 Kids Pack HD .Great iPad Introduction for Young Children (Game Review)
5 in 1 Kids Pack Rating: Thanks to the intuitive controls of the latest hand-held devices younger children are getting access to and playing with these devices and no more so than the iPad which with it's larger screen makes things even clearer and accessible. And this is where 5 in 1 Kids Pack fits in with it's range of … Read More


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Time to buy Bordeaux, sell Burgundy (and drink the rest)
By Leslie Gevirtz
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Experts are advising collectors - and investors - to buy Bordeaux and sell Burgundies as yet another economic study finds that over the long run, wine tops equities when it comes to delivering high returns.
When collectors speak of investing in wine, they are usually referring to First Growth Bordeaux, a group of five top-ranked chateaux; the very best Burgundies, usually Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (DRC); and then select wines from Italy, California and Australia.
Prices for the First Growth Bordeaux are down almost 35 percent from their highs a year ago. Liv-Ex, the fine wine index, reported that the last 10 vintages of First Growths were down an average of 33.9 percent. In November, prices for the famed '05 vintage were approaching five-year lows.
But Paul Hart of the Chicago-based auction house Hart Davis Hart sees prices for the top five Bordeaux - Haut-Brion, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Latour and Lafite-Rothschild - turning around and beginning to rise.
Meanwhile Burgundies, especially DRC, were on fire this past season. Hart reported that his auction sold four bottles of the 1990 DRC for $53,775. Acker Merrall & Condit's John Kapon sold one lot consisting of eight cases of DRC for $353,231 at Saturday's Hong Kong auction.
Two weeks earlier on December 1 in New York, Sotheby's sold six bottles of 1995 DRC for $79,625.
"The bottom line - buy Bordeaux and sell Burgundy," said Charles Curtis, the former head of wine for Christie's in New York and Asia, who is now leading his own wine consultancy. "The former is at the same price it was five years ago and the latter has never been higher."
"My sense is that the top (Burgundy) wines might be at or just past their peak for this cycle, but only experience will prove me out on this one," he said. "Bordeaux prices are looking increasingly attractive and seem for their part to be headed back up." Continued...


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Noisy AC Compressor
Our 04 with 46K miles is making enough compressor noise that you can hear it @ 70mph.
It's been getting louder for the past 5K or so.
How mush longer will it last?
How mush to have it replaced?
Will BMW replace a noisy compressor under warranty?
Do you not have the 4 year / 50K warranty? Take it in and get it replaced or at least looked at. If it's that noisy there is probably something wrong with it and it should be covered.
noise like you are describing might be the belt tensioner. whatever the noise is you must be a patient person to put up with it for 5,000 or so miles.
ab say's it's the compressor, noise quits when I turn the ac off.
This is our first real problem, except for those :mad: door seals. We have less than 4K left on the warranty.
ab thinks it will make it till Aug when it's 100+ and no warranty.
Judy, it "might" be the belt tensioner after all. When you turn on the A/C more load is put on the belt to turn the compressor and that could cause the bearings in the tensioner to howl a bit. I had a similar problem on a Tahoe and changing the tensioner fixed it. I also don't understand waiting until the warranty expires. Right now, under the original warranty, it should be fixed at no cost to you. Why wait?
At some point the AC will only blowing air. I have the same problem 6 months ago, dealer have to replace the Evaporator ( I do not know if this is correct spelling) and its working fine now. You have to bring it back to the dealer as soon as possible. BMW will pay for it if it less then 50K miles.
What are we missing here?
I would take it in ASAP.
I agree with X3Ski take it in ASAP and lodge your complaint. Make sure it is written up that an attempt to repair was made. Then if you get the same old song and dance abut not able to duplicate take the car back and drive it until the noise happens again. Return it to the service department and do the same thing again. At that point a "history" is established and when the failure occurs (and it will) you have documentation that shows the fault was known and reported prior to the warranty end. You also might try another dealer's service department too. I don't know how many BMW dealers are in your area but it might be worth a try if "your" dealer can't fix it, another one can. The original warranty is valid of course at any BMW dealer. Good luck!
Judy and her service advisor seem to have a communication problem.
Example: Judy reports ---"doors squawking again"
Tech reports back -------" can't duplicate squawk coming from passenger seat"
this is not an exaggeration it really happened. jb is looking over my shoulder keeping me calm
# 2 would be Judy reports " noise when ac compressor on"
I"M GUESSING HERE but I expecting something like this from the tech
"Can't duplicate noise from ac VENTS have customer return when/if ac quites"
Hopefully I'm getting upset about nothing and the tech will report back " replaced ac compressor"
One way to possibly improve communication is to write it out, take it with you and then make sure the SA copies the write up in the service order. My SA always lets me read the service order (I have to sign it before work starts) so you can at least eliminate that part of the problem.
I was driving today in heavy rain and in order to keep the windows clear, I had the climate control on Automatic with the AC compressor on. Noticed a whirring/whistle sound that occurs, and it's definitely not normal. The noise varies directly with the engine rpm and occurs ONLY when the compressor is switched on. I was easily able to duplicate this also in Neutral which tells me it's related either to the AC system or the belts. No undue clattering or other noise, just a hollow whistle.
The AC system still cools fine but then again, it was colder outside the vehicle than inside. However, my impression is that cooling is sufficient. The dealer did suggest replacing the drive belt a few days ago, stating it was cracked. However, could the AC belt also be a culprit, since it only occurs with AC on?
This shouldn't be too hard. Ideas?
2004 x3 2.6
I have a noisy compressor that does not affect cooling. If I turn off the air the noise stops. Any ideas?
I also have this noise issue directly related to the AC being on. The instant I turn the AC off, the noise goes away. It's also directly related to engine rpms. The AC belt is less than a year old. Not sure if its the belt tensioner or the AC compressor. I haven't looked at it more closely yet.
I have the same problem!
AC Noise on X3 2004
My vehicle has 135,000 miles and makes AC noise but does not affect cool air. It stops when AC is turned off. Has anyone found a solution????
Unfortunately my AC just stopped working last week. No more cold air.
The whining noise is gone too. I'm not familiar with the AC system. I'm dropping it off to a mechanic in 3 days and will update again.
I hope it's not the Evaporator - 420.00 part!
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Keratin Treatments... Help!
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 03:53PM
I had the Coppola Keratin Express Blowout Treatment. I went with that one because my hairdresser told me it would only last 6-8 weeks and that why I could decide if I like it or not. Well I didn't and here's why to answer a few of the questions you asked.
2. Is it permanent? I got the express treatment the first week of April 2012 and it's still in my hair. It's warn off, but it has left my 3b curls as limp waves with more frizz than I had before I got the treatment.
3. Does it straighten your hair completely or can you choose how you want it to look? My hair was bone straight with hardly any body. It was however frizz free for the first 3 weeks which was nice, but it didn't last. With the return of the frizz, a slight wave started to return about 6 weeks later. And now, 20 weeks later I have a combo of straight pieces, limp waves, and some curls that resemble my old S curls...I miss those pretty S curls!
4. Does Keratin damage your hair? Although my hair lacks body now, it doesn't appear damaged from the treatment.
5. Do Keratin conditioning treatments (like shampoos/conditioners with keratin as an ingredient) give you the same results as the ones you get in a salon? I have never tried the home treatments either
If you do get it done, I would have your hairdresser do what Ninadef did and only have them run the flat iron through 5 or less times. My hairdresser did it 8 to 12 times and I think that's part of the reason why I completely lost my curl and body.
The good news is, I've been doing lots of TLC on my tresses and they are slowly but surely coming back to life! Good luck with what you decide.


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Originally Posted by wolfing
I'd actually prefer if they don't put too many 'stretch goals'. They are really not part of the game (Mac/Linux support, even housing, etc). An RPG is a complex thing, as they well know, adding one extra node to the graph means connecting that node to all the other nodes in the game, it's not a linear progression of work, it's more exponential.
I'd say, stay as it is, and make the game as originally planned. As we all know there will be delays, and the extra money they get should go to cover those inevitable delays.
Once the first game is done, the engine is done, the assets are there, then the sequel can introduce extra races, classes, etc. Building on what's done.


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— Wolf Point Herald
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Snowmobiles Must Stay Off City Roads
Written by The Wolf Point Herald
Now that it's January, winter sports including snowmobiling are once again the popular recreation choices. The key word being "recreation."
The Wolf Point Police Department reports it has been getting complaints of people riding snowmobiles on city streets, in public parks and on private property. The department stated the act was not only dangerous, but illegal.
Multiple sections from Chapter 4 of the Wolf Point City Ordinances state that snowmobiles, defined as "any self-propelled vehicle of an overall width of 48 inches or less, including accessories, designed primarily for travel on snow or ice, which may be steered by skis or runners and which is not otherwise registered or licensed under the laws of the state of Montana," are an illegal means of transportation on roadways.
The ordinance states driving snowmobiles is prohibited on municipal streets as well as controlled access highways.
Snowmobilers are also not allowed to drive in city parks or on private property not belonging to them.
Snowmobiles do not have the capacity to compete with normal traffic and do not offer the protection of a vehicle.
The Wolf Point Police Department said there were numerous safety issues relating to the use and misuse of snowmobiles. Residents need to be aware of the dangers and equally aware of the fact that any misuse of snowmobiles could lead to penalties.
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The Onyx 1620i from Mackie is an 16-channel audio mixer with a built-in FireWire computer audio interface. It features a meticulously designed audio mixer section with flexible capabilities for both the studio and the stage. You can tap into the power of computer recording in new ways with its deep DAW integration. The fact that the 1620i is fully compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered 8 software really makes it a full-featured audio tool that can adapt to any situation.
Each of the 8 mic channels on the 1620i features a 4-band dual sweep Perkins EQ and a boutique-quality Onyx mic preamp, and the 4 stereo channels all feature 3-band EQ. There are 4 aux sends for monitor mixes on stage, headphone cue mixes in the studio, and for effect sends. Every one of these channels (including the aux sends and the master) can be routed through the FireWire interface into the DAW of your choice. The number of mic inputs and flexibility as a recording and live sound tool makes the 1620i a great choice for bands. You can have a microphone on all of the instruments, so every rehearsal and live gig can also be a recording session.
There are some interesting capabilities in the computer integration aspect of the 1620i. If you have any good sounding effects that you use with your DAW software, you can easily integrate them into your mixes. For live sound, you can have your computer connected and route an aux send to your DAW, apply the effect in your software, and route the wet signal back into the mixer. You can record individual tracks in your DAW, and record the master mix outputs separately.
The first two channels on the Onyx 1620i feature a button that transforms the input into an instrument-level DI. This is ideal for recording guitars and basses. It includes a full-featured talkback section with a built-in microphone that enables you to communicate with artists from the control room of your studio, or through monitors with musicians on stage. It's no accident that Mackie is one of the most heavily relied upon manufacturers of recording and sound reinforcement equipment, and the Onyx 1620i is among the most versatile pieces of gear they've ever produced.
Pro Tools M-Powered 8
Final Cut Pro
Ableton Live
Sonar Final Cut Pro
|Total # Of Inputs
|Mic/Line Inputs
8 x Microphone Inputs
12 x Line Inputs (channels 1 & 2 can be switched to Hi-Z instrument level)
|Stereo Line Inputs
|3-band Perkins EQ on stereo line channels
|AUX Sends
|AUX Returns
|4 Stereo Returns
|8 x Channel Inserts
|BUS (Group) Outputs
|2 Trk Master I/O
|2 x Balanced XLR Outputs with Mic or Line-Level Output Button
2 x TRS 1/4" Alt. Output
Stereo RCA Tape Input & Output
|Monitor Outputs
2 x Balanced TRS 1/4" Control Room Outputs (with dedicated volume knob)
1 x Stereo 1/4" Headphone Output (with dedicated volume knob)
|EQ Section
8 x 4-Band EQ with a High Mid Sweep and a Low Mid Sweep
4 x 3-Band EQ (on stereo channels)
|Yes, on every channel
|Channel Level Control
|60mm Channel & Master Faders
|Trim/Gain Control
|Rotary Knob
|Phantom Power
|Yes, +48V (on every mic channel with individual buttons)
12-Segment LED Master Meter
2-Segment LED Meter On Every Channel
|Frequency Response
Mic input to any output with all gain stages at unity: +0/-0.5 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Stereo channel line input to any output with all gain stages at unity: +0/-0.5 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
FireWire In & Out at 44.1 kHz: +/-0.5 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, -3 dB at 21 kHz
|Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
20 Hz to 20 Hz, 20 Hz to 80 kHz Bandwidth
Mic Input at Insert
|Power Supply
|Universal AC Power Supply, 100 VAC - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz
|19.1 x 16.6 x 4.3" (485 x 422 x 110.2mm)
|20 lbs (9.1 kg)
|Packaging Infofybqdbaxevrarfbsuywz
|Package Weight
|24.5 lb
|Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
|23.5 x 22.5 x 10.0"


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The body of an accountant who has been missing for nearly three weeks has been discovered in the River Thames.
Marc Hutton, 28, was last seen by friends at his home in Sefton Road, Putney, on February 28 at 11.30pm and was believed to be using crutches.
His body was recovered from the water on Tuesday, close to Lots Road, in Chelsea, at 10.10am.
Police have formally identified the body as Mr Hutton and next of kin have been informed.
His death is being treated as unexplained, Scotland Yard said.
Mr Hutton went missing after telling flatmates he was going out to get something to eat.
He had recently undergone a knee operation for a footballing injury and was recovering at the family home in Ealing, before he returned to his home he shares with two flatmates in Putney.
An inquest will be opened in due course, police said.
- More about:
- London
- River Thames
- Wandsworth


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Many teenagers today are sleep deprived because they don't get enough sleep. They need between nine and 10 hours sleep each night, yet most get about seven or eight hours sleep. Some get less. Sleep deprivation is akin to jet lag, where they don't function at their optimum. The sleep-wake cycle for teenagers is delayed [ Read More ]
Is your teenager sleep deprived? 5 Good sleep habits
The Family Happy Place
May I assume correctly that all families have their 'happy place'? A place they can go that really levels the family, 'cleanses the palette', gets everyone back to ground zero? It may be your favourite beach spot, it might be a song or video. Perhaps it's a craft activity or watching old family movies. Most [ Read More ]
Holiday house?
Many of my Christmases were spent in a coastal Victorian town called Inverloch where my grandparents had a house. My younger brother and sister would cram into one room, with Mum & Dad in another – Nan & Pop in yet another room and often a cousin or auntie on a couch. Pop would, WITHOUT FAIL, [ Read More ]
What's yours? Nicknames, I've had a few. I could probably write a song with that title, no? There are nicknames we like, love and loathe. Some are lazy nicknames.. Aussies have a particular knack of adding an 'o' or 'ie' to the end of a name to make it into a nickname: Robbo, Robbie, Rob-star [ Read More ]
Turning a frown upside down
One thing most people would probably say about me is that I'm an eternal optimist. I'm always flipping crap into rainbows. I don't quite know why – I have just always had a 'life's too short' 'glass half full' practical, get-out-of-your-own-way mentality. I understand this can be super frustrating for some of my friends. In [ Read More ]
5 Ways to Survive being a stay-at-home parent
1) Days are a product of your invention And inventions are completely legitimate. Fill your diary, make work for yourself – even if it's just a simple outing. 2) Don't hate on your partner. "You've got to laugh … or you'll end up hating the one person who is legally obligated to help you." 3) [ Read More ]
5 'Pick Me Ups' for Kids in Hospital
There's nothing more heartbreaking than seeing your little one bundled up in a hospital bed. Trying to keep a sick, tired and bored little person happy and entertained (especially if they're bed-bound) can be exhausting and virtually impossible! Here's a few ideas to make their stay in hospital as comfortable as possible: 1. Toys Keep [ Read More ]
5 Tricks for getting out of the room at bed-time
We've all been there: 'just ONE more story' 'I'm hungry' 'I'm thirsty' 'Pat me' I'm a mum of 3 (17, 9, 6) and here are the techniques that I switch between: Once the agreed number of books have been read, agree to one more 'make it up' story. I ask Miles to come up with [ Read More ]
5 Ways to Get the Most out of Parent-Teacher Interviews
Who is interviewing who, do you think? They can be daunting for new parents, but take it from a veteran (my 1st child is in Yr 12 and my 3rd is in Prep) there's nothing to them. Consider this – if there was anything major to tell you, the teacher would already have grabbed you [ Read More ]
5 Things that make this mum happy
The smell of a freshly brewed pot of T2 French Earl Grey Tea. Placing brand new skincare/makeup products in a pride-of-place position in the bathroom. Finding the absolutely perfect sparkly cocktail ring or bangles-that-jangle-just-so. That blissful moment after school when the bags are dumped at the front door, the snacks are ready, the tea is [ Read More ]


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Before bowling balls had holes in them, players tried many failed methods to get them down alleys, such as the pitch, the shove, and the slap shot. Roll to victory with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $29 for three hours of unlimited go-karting, miniature golf, and bowling for two (a $60 value)
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Participants hurl bowling balls toward pins, hug racetrack turns in Formula K go-karts, and putt golf balls around 18-hole course's waterfalls and castles.
Kristof's Entertainment Center
Single-seat Formula K go-karts sidle beside two-seaters on Kristof Entertainment Center's family-friendly driving track. After letting the wind tussle hair, friends and families compete on the 18-hole scenic miniature-golf course replete with challenging holes and flanked by waterfalls, fountains, and castles. In batting cages, baseballs and softballs hurl toward bat-wielders, and players send bowling balls careening toward pins across lanes during regular or cosmic bowling. Sports skills are further tested at seven billiards tables that leave ample opportunity for sinking in eight-balls, and the arcade's classic redemption games such as skee-ball facilitate fun and prizes. After exhausting all one's rounds of play, Kristof's Bar reenergizes visitors with Pepsi products and snacks while broadcasting sports on its many televisions.
Customer Reviews
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text: Virginia Tech played tough Wednesday in Greensboro but lost a close one to Miami in the 1st round of the ACC tournament. Here is link to highlights from the game. http://www.hokiesports.com/videos/#!/videos/all/AwdW01bDoFnzXDJK1dVXu5EK-Hfl1lvH Here is a link to coach James Johnson's post-game press conference. http://www.hokiesports.com/videos/#!/videos/all/FheW01bDp0DDXcvHWZitZV59z80xDnw0 There is much speculation about Johnson's job status. He will meet with new AD Whit Babcock next week. Contact Call 804-474-0155 Email email@example.com Social


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Heated marble floors, pillow butlers and lavender-misted turndowns are all well and good when you're on vacation or your honeymoon, but sometimes busy business travellers just want a clean, hip and convenient space to rest their heads. That's the reasoning behind the new select-service brand of hotels being offered by luxury chains such as Starwood Hotels, InterContinental, Le Germain and others.
By stripping away the frilly amenities and decadent luxuries, these new hotels are affordable and design-conscious spots that are specifically aimed at the modern business traveller. With their convenient locations, often near major airports, distinctive designs and scaled-back amenities, this booming brand of hotel is no less revolutionary that the advent of motels was in the 1950s.
While these hotels might focus more on necessity than luxury, that's not to say they are spartan or lacking in style. Jan Freitag, vice-president of global development with Smith Travel Research Inc., a company that specializes in hotel data research, has witnessed this trend develop into a significant component of the hotel industry.
"I think that what we're seeing overall is the larger focus on design, both interior and exterior, given that the demographic is shifting," he says. "There are more Gen X [and] Gen Y on the road for their first or second job and travelling more, and this is supposedly what they want so hoteliers are trying hard to build and renovate."
One of the first entrants into this market was Indigo, an offshoot of InterContinental Hotels Group. Billing itself as a branded boutique hotel, the first Indigo property opened in Atlanta in 2004. International hotels followed: a 106-room property in a converted YMCA building in Ottawa and another near Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto. Bold graphics in bright colours, a blue-and-white cloudscape, architectural trellises and a shock of leaves decorate the rooms and public spaces. The murals, along with the music, signage and even the hotel's signature scent, change with the seasons.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which operates such brands as Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis and W Hotels, launched what it calls its "style at a steal" brand, Aloft, next to Montréal-Trudeau airport in 2008.
There are now more than 60 Alofts around the world, including one in Toronto and another scheduled to open next year in Calgary. Taking its design cues from the more upscale W Hotels, Aloft utilizes brightly coloured furniture and dramatic patterns to convey its hipster bona fides. If the strong design component doesn't convey the youthful energy that the brand aspires to, then the distinct lingo will. The pool is called the "splash," the front desk the "aloha desk" and the terrace "the backyard." There's also a strong social component, so the heart of any property is the re:mix Lounge with its free Wi-Fi, flat-panel TV screens and bar.
Canada's contribution to the category is an offshoot of the Quebec-based Groupe Germain, which operates the upscale chain of Le Germain Hotels. Its first Alt Hotel, as the brand is known, opened in Montreal in 2007 and a second rebranding of another hotel followed in 2008. A Toronto property opened this past summer. Building on architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's motto of "less is more," Alt's slogan brags, "We do less." That means no room service, valets or doormen, but it also means free Wi-Fi and rates that remain consistent throughout the year.
Properties such as Indigo, Aloft and Alt represent one of the biggest changes in the hotel industry since the 1950s. By bringing their considerable experience to bear on more casual and design-conscious brands, the major hotel chains are ushering in a new era of affordable and convenient luxury.
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Sunderland new boy Jozy Altidore cannot wait to start life in the Barclays Premier League.
The 23-year-old United States international striker signed a four-year deal last night as he completed his move from AZ Alkmaar for an undisclosed fee.
He will now join up with his new team-mates at their pre-season training camp in Italy and is already looking forward to the start of the season next month.
Altidore told the club's official website, http://www.safc.com: "I'm excited.
"Anybody who knows anything about football knows that the Barclays Premier League, when you look at everything as a full package, is the biggest league in the world.
"I'm thrilled to be here and I'm looking forward to getting adjusted as quickly as possible.
"It's a fantastic club, everyone here is so welcoming. I'm really excited about this season - it has everything here, all the combinations to be a big club, so I'm really excited to be a part of it."
Sunderland will launch their campaign against Fulham at the Stadium of Light, when Altidore will get the chance to experience running out in front of 40,000 Wearsiders for the first time.
He said: "It's great, it's part of taking that next step as a player.
"To be able to play in front of a stadium like that is going to be really exciting - I hope they like what I do on the pitch.
"Everybody, I'm sure, is excited to get the season off to a good start and I'm no different.
"I can't wait to meet the guys, meet the coaching staff and get acclimatised as soon as possible.
"I'm just going to give everything I can to the team, that's the biggest thing, to get the respect of your team-mates and when you do that, I think everything will fall into place.
"I'll just give my all for the club. I really appreciate the club making the investment in me as a player and I want to give that back."
Altidore became the latest addition to Paolo Di Canio's much-changed squad and he is unlikely to be the last.
Reports from Italy have suggested the Black Cats are close to sealing a deal for Juventus midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini, while Velez Sarsfield full-back Gino Peruzzi's proposed move to Wearside could be back on after further discussions over a deal which stalled earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Sunderland will attempt to persuade midfielder Jack Colback that his future lies at the Stadium of Light after he rejected the offer of a new contract.
It remains to be seen if his decision was a bargaining ploy by a player of whom Di Canio has spoken warmly during his time at the club.
PAReuse content


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Don't forget our montly heartworm pill!
Sadie, Mandy and Sean wait eagerly. They love their beef-flavored heartworm pills!
Sadie, Mandy and Sean wait eagerly. They love their beef-flavored heartworm pills!
Our friend Patrick sent us a heartfelt reminder that as good Sheltie parents, we owe it to our furry children to take good care of them.
"Our first Sheltie Mandy died at age 12 from being overweight. I learned a terrible lesson from this tragic loss and want all Sheltie owners to know how important it is to keep your Sheltie fit. They are natural herders and want to get to the outdoors as often as possible. Please take time to take care of your own health and the health of your Sheltie…get out to the park and have a good run at least 4 times a week…daily is even better."
Thanks to Patrick & Maggie Girl for the caring reminder & lovely spring photo. :)


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Discussion in 'Pistons and NBA' started by 16 Mile, May 14, 2009.
I don't know if overcoming Curry's shortcomings is even possible.
Ron Artest..Vs..Real Growth I wouldn't consider him for a number of reasons. First is the Pistons are re-building not re-tooling. Artest will be 31 in November. The Pistons are realistically multiple years away from becoming an elite team again. Outside of the construction of the current Celtics, (an anomoly), elite teams are fundamentally constructed from the foundation up over numerous seasons of playing together, like the Pistons in 02, 03, 04 or like San Antonio. We had a core group developing when we essentially added Sheed putting us over the top. We are in the deconstructing / reconstructing mode. We are assembling a new core. I think Artest is too old to add to a core that needs time to grow together before making a realistic longterm run. Sure Ainge bought himself and the Celtics rings by busting the bank to secure a fleeting moment. But that's not where Dumars is heading if he moves as pragmatically as his own history proves.. Second, Artest has never exhibited any leadership capabilities. He doesn't exude any class. He helped the Pistons secure one the most embarassing episodes in recent sports history. He doesn't have Piston DNA. Third, personal commitment. He wanted to leave the NBA to become a Rap star. He plays b-ball because he has some natural talent along with size and it pays him better than anything else he will ever invest his time. But to me he's never exhibited the motivation for the game itself, like Zeke, or C-note, or Hamilton, or Tim Duncan, or Kobe, or Lebron, or Magic, or Kidd, or Grant Hill, or Dumars, or Dwight Howard, or Chris Webber or dozens of others. That's taking nothing from his natural athleticsm. I think he's a gifted athlete and he's done exceedingly well. But I don't believe his heart, head and soul have ever been 100% in the game. He's a fairly effective hired gun. And he could help corral a guy like Lebron a bit in any jersey for any team, but the question is what good is that if the core of the team isn't seasoned enough to make a long term run? By the time we've got a nice multi-year run happening he'd likely be in his mid-30's when athleticsm leaks away faster than air from a ripped out tire valve. If he was a proven team leader with a great b-ball mind and able to vocalize (captain) on the hardwoods it would be easier to justify putting him on the payroll. But if all he does is add cost and he's minimally effective to team wins and growth as a whole, doesn't it make more sense to grow someone else or buy someone cheaper and younger? I don't think any one guy will ever stop LeBron. He's too gifted across the boards. LeBron will have to be stopped by a team. A team and better game plan. Obsessing over obtaining a "one man LeBron stopper" misses the point. It's our team as a whole that no longer exuded the energy, mental will or physical capacity to play with the elite teams in the league. We weren't getting any further in the playoffs no matter what team we were going to draw. The Cavs stuck a fork in us, but we were already done. I think the question posed, "Ron Artest-Pistons DNA" is a nice thought provoker. But for my money, the only Piston DNA this guy has if any, is maybe a few skin cells that stuck to his back while lying on that table in November 2004....
Good post G-man
We have the money to re-tool. Also, there may be other teams that get into jams because of the economic situation, so we could get abnormally good deals. Artest and Battier seem like the 2 team leaders in Houston. Artest did voluntarily play in the summer vs. Jordan (ala the rib breaking episode), so he may have some love for the game.
Good post G-man. Made me re-think my position. We don't need someone like Artest joining the team at this time. At the start of the season I would have said re-tooling but now its more rebuilding. Do you want to re-tool around Prince, Rip, Stuckey, Amir and Maxiel? One or more of them are going to be traded. Thing is with the cap money and trade able players this can turn around pretty fast.
I'll add to the rest...great post. This might be semantics, but I think a description of re-building and re-tooling, needs to be made clear. Re-tooling to me is directional in fixing some semi-major adjustments which usually fill voids that involve no more than two positional moves affecting the starting line-up. This disregards the bench and coaching directions. Re-building is a combined mixture of two major directions:This is complete change involving 2+ starting players. As I see it, (in regards to the Pistons), we might be looking at a wholesale re-structuring involving the 3, 4, 5 and possibly the PG positions.There is also a time factor present. It usually involves at least 2+ seasons to make substantial moves to finalize role responsibilities. Again, as I see it, the Pistons will need at least two seasons to stabilize team directions that will result in a .600 record in order to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.Adding to this above mixture you have other complex linkages:Mixture of player movement from East to West. I see a continuum of strong player, coaching, and organizational movements toward the West. This has been the Piston's gift-horse for a number of years. I hope it continues.Coaching directions will gain more momentum. As offensive schema's develop, more patterns gain advantage of speed: more refinement of roles. Offensive minded coaches will borrow offensive systems that demand active flexibility from the 4-5 positions. The 1-2-3 positions will be quick, aggressively probing and command accuracy from the 3 pt. line... ending high on the rim.The bench develops more refinement. Roles become segmented. Added value is obtaining a two-combo type. You look toward the defensive, offensive and skills levels that continue the game plan. The bench becomes a separate coaching entity. Basketball is way behind the times with these coaching refinements. It should not be lost on most of us, that the key administrative assistant is your video-game analyst.How does the organization adapt? The supreme goal is to gain, maintain, or accelerate values that create momentum for the touch of brass ring. With enough touches, you have gained the ability to learn. Insight to this process now involves the double loop method (Chris Argyris).All aspects of involvement tumble the roll-of-the-dice. This is your risk factor. Most organizations (if they are to survive) need to understand three major levels (Learning Organizations; ISBN:1563271109, pg. 118):Financial (can you afford the game)Opportunity (vision, goals, perseverance and luck)Political (using the components of power)Risk reduction improves the probability of learning succeeding (pg. 119):risk sooner, rather than laterrisk bigand risk for a worthy cause.And to finalize: there is the hybrid model. Everyone ready for this one? "Alice knocked and rang in vain for a long time, but at last a very old Frog , who was sitting under a tree, got up and hobbled slowly towards her: he was dressed in bright yellow, and had enormous boots on. 'What is it, now? the Frog said in a deep hoarse whisper.' Alice turned around , ready to find fault with anybody. 'Where's the servant whose business it is to anwser the door? she began angrily. 'Which door?' said the Frog. Alice almost stamped with irritation at the slow drawl in which he spoke. 'This door, of course!' The Frog looked at the door with his large dull eyes for a minute: then he went nearer and rubbed it with his thumb, as if he were trying whether the paint would come off; then he looked at Alice. 'To answer the door? he said. 'What's it it asking of?' He was so hoarse that Alice could scarely hear him. 'I don't know what you mean,' she said. 'I speak English, doesn't I? the Frog went on. 'Or are you deaf? What did it ask you?' 'Nothing!' Alice said impatiently. 'I"ve been knocking at it!' 'Shouldn't do that---shouldn't do that---the Frog mutttered. 'Wexes it, you know.' Then he went up and gave the door a kick with one of his great feet. 'You let it alone ,' he panted out, as he hobbled back to his tree, 'and it'll let you alone, you know.' Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There Lewis Carroll
I like your post, but this particular point irks me a little. I would tend to think that hoping for weak competition is a sure road to failure. It could be argued that the mediocrity we are seeing now is a result of not feeling the need to get better over the past few years, since the competition's talent level was stagnating.
Artest would be great because Pistons could use his strength to give him the ball in the post and have a good spacing. He's a beast and it's very difficult to stop him from getting to the rim. Stuckey is not a great point guard but it will take a lot of pressure off him and give him more space. Ron adds toughness, some kind of leadership and he wants to win. He's a difference maker. I'm sure Stuckey will be fine and he'll develop as a point guard but he needs someone else who puts pressure on the D. Rip does it, Prince is to passive so it is really easy to shut down this team. Artest plays on both ends of the floor and fills the profile of a player i would love to see in Pistons' uniform. I think he's the best free agent on the market. He's underrated and probably Pistons can sign him relatively cheap. I'm afraid Dumars wouldn't be able to get any post player and Ron can play there as well as any SF in the league. Stuckey/Rip/Artest would be a scarry matchup for any team in the league. Add a defensive C and Pistons can play tough, physical defense. Artest wouldn't stop James on his own but it's easier to stop him as a team when you limit double teams and help defense to the minimum.
At this point I'm inclined to swing a deal for Battier... He was the Pistons lockerroom boy... Joe took him under his wings... they're tight... and so is Shanes defense.
Ron Artest will be a Houston Rocket next year. And it probably won't be for "relatively cheap".
His attitude is top notch. And at this stage, I agree that he may be a better solution than Ron. Gotta go with the guy who wants to be here.
Battier does what Ben did. Defend without fouling. It's a valuable intangible skill.
Well, it irks me too! You have had an organization that limited it's comfort zone toward wins and not quite enough desire to move up when the organization knew certain limits. Fear set in and the players personalities dominated. The East is getting stronger and the Pistons weaker. The West has great young talent and knows how to develop it. It has stronger market stability and GM's that are more mature. As transition time develops for us, it might be more comforting to see the rebuilding process mature new team relationships on a quicker scale. Playoff competition makes your stronger; abet, not with perhaps more advancing victories. This is the reason that I hope the Eastern teams will allow a marginal .500 club to make the playoffs. The lottery does not provide immediate help unless you are picking in the top five. Develop on what you have and hope competitive playoff pressure matures the talent on a quicker level.
Tay does that pretty well too.
Tay plays without fouling. Ex. "The duck" Battier actually defends his man with his feet. He would probably be worth acquiring just so he could teach Amir how to do the same, since we don't have any coaches worth a darn.
There are not many players who can be team's leader offensively and deffensively. Probably he will play for the Rockets but never say never. His skillset amazes me. Some teams will be afraid to sign him so he's contract will probably be smaller because of his past. I think his contribution on the floor is worth more than 10-11 mln a year (I see him getting a contract in this range).
Separate names with a comma.


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Middle School Curriculum
High School Curriculum
Gather two or more sunscreen lotions with varying SPF levels. (This may be repeated with different brands of sunscreen or one brand offering varying SPF levels.)
Place a small amount of sunscreen on the back of your hand and massage into your skin. Wash off and repeat with other levels or brands.
Compare consistency, absorption, and then residue after washing the hand.
Repeat with each level of SPF and compare results.


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The Daniel Schnitzer keynotes focus on the importance of providing poverty stricken countries with more efficient and cheaper energy methods. Schnitzer is the Founder and Executive Director of EarthSpark International, which focuses on partnerships, fundraising and promotes clean energy supplies.
He earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in Economics and Environmental Studies, as well as Physics. Schnitzer is also a Ph.D candidate at Carnegie Mellon University in the Department of Engineering & Public Policy. He formerly worked for KEMA Inc., where he focused on engineering, system analysis, energy efficiency and renewable energy policy. The Daniel Schnitzer keynotes provides valuable information on how societies can implement cleaner energy supplies and methods.