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A dramatic improvement in the way machine tools are used to bore long holes in manufactured parts is being recognized by Industry Week magazine as one of the Top 25 Technologies of 1999. The prize announcement appeared in the Dec. 6 edition of the magazine.
The laser-guided BOAline-boring machine is a smart tool resulting from a three-year, $2 million collaboration between researchers at the College of Engineering and a private partner, Lamb Technicon of Warren. Engineers from Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and the DaimlerChrysler Corp. also participated in the planning phase of the project. Three patentable inventions were created by the research, and the smart tool may reach the market in first-quarter 2001.
High-precision boring of the long holes in an engine block for camshafts and crankshafts has been a technical problem for decades, and a bottleneck in the move toward more agile manufacturing plants capable of producing several product lines at once. The boring machines, until now, have been dedicated to one task and one specific configuration, making the production of multiple engine configurations in the same plant require several machines, and slowing changeovers considerably, explains Phil Szuba, director of research and new product development at Lamb Technicon.
The BOA (Boring with Optimal Accuracy) process developed by Lamb and the U-M team makes these tools agile and flexible like never before, without sacrificing accuracy. If you think about using a very long drill bit, imagine how the end of it will tend to wobble or stray off course as it moves down a very long bore hole. Until now, boring machines have required some carefully aligned supports along the length of the engine block to keep the tool on target at tolerances of only thousandths of a millimeter. And those supports are part of what makes the machines unable to change tasks easily.
Zbigniew Pasek, the U-Ms operations manager for the project, explained that the heart of the new system is the machine tool itself, a long hollow drill bit. A pair of laser beams are aimed along the length of the hollow tools interior. They are focused on a tiny piezoelectric actuator at the tip of the tool that can steer if it senses a misalignment of the lasers. The actuator checks the alignment 1,000 times a second, and can make up to 30 corrections per revolution of the tool. This happens in real time, so its pretty tight, Szuba says.
Lambs engineers think a single machine equipped this way would be able to precision-bore at least six different engine configurations, a task that would require dedicating six of the old machines. It could trim production costs by $50 to $85 per vehicle, resulting in annual savings of $700 million to $1.2 billion for U.S. automakers.
In addition to creating a breakthrough technology, the joint research project has been fun and rewarding, Szuba says. We were able to get a lot done because the U-M kind of let the company come in and work directly with the graduate students, which resulted in great teamwork. Pasek says two students have earned Ph.D.s related to the project, and a third is nearing completion. Several undergraduate students also gained practical research experience working on the smart tool with Lamb.
Yoram Koren, director of the Colleges Engineering Research Center for Reconfigurable Machinery, said the industrial partnership with Lamb is the sort of project that U-M hopes to do more of. The center, which is developing new technologies for faster, more flexible manufacturing, operates on a $5 million annual budget, of which about 30 percent comes from industry.
The BOA project was funded by the National Institute of Science and Technologys Advanced Technology Program.


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As we reported last year, the charge that's being introduced is $14, or about £10 per person, which has to be paid by credit card during registration. The money raised will pay for the administration of the scheme and will contribute, somewhat ironically, to promoting the U.S.A. abroad as a tourist destination.
It's not a huge amount in the context of the cost of a cruise, but a family of four would probably find a more enjoyable way to spend £40 on a cruise; and we British are already hit with enormous aviation taxes on long haul travel, so yet another fee is hard to swallow.
One registration will last you two years and you have to do it online. There is no need to register again for subsequent visits to the U.S.A. unless your passport expires during the two years, or has to be replaced.
Anybody whose nationality qualifies them for the Visa Waiver Scheme needs to apply for an ESTA before travel; if you're not sure which countries participate, check here. And bear in mind that any organisation charging for ESTA applications before September 8 is taking a fee for itself, not acting on behalf of the US government.
Will the new charge put you off cruising from a U.S. port? Let us know on our blog!
--by Sue Bryant, Cruise Critic Contributing Editor
Fan Cruise Critic on Facebook!
Follow Cruise Critic on Twitter!

subset: commoncrawl


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The Tree of Life
1922 [Edition 25/1500 + 0 AP]
Carl Gustav Jung,
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A place to belong
Student-athlete finds success on field, in classroom and in community
As UMKC continues its transformation into a residential campus, student-athletes like Alyssa D'Egidio are showing that students really can have it all -- a successful athletic career, stellar grades, meaningful community service opportunities and a busy social life.
The freshman College of Arts and Sciences Communication Studies major and forward/mid-fielder was the first player to join the new UMKC women's soccer team, which began its first season at UMKC's new $9 million Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational Field (DSSRF) on Aug. 22. Led by Head Coach Anita Rodriguez, the 16-member team belongs to The Summit League -- an NCAA Division I athletics conference.
"We've had an extremely competitive and somewhat ambitious schedule for our first season with the caliber of teams we've been facing," Rodriguez said.
In addition to setting high athletic goals, UMKC Athletics maintains high academic and community service standards. The Student-Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO) contributes to the success of UMKC's student-athletes by advising, mentoring, tutoring and providing academic and life skill development workshops. SASSO has been designed to enhance the experience of the student-athlete in the university setting by fostering independence, accountability, educational and personal values and leadership skills.
For the 2008-2009 academic year, UMKC student-athletes earned a cumulative 3.09 GPA -- higher than the campus average of 2.77. At 83 percent, the Graduation Success Rate of UMKC student-athletes is above the institution's average and their Academic Progress Rate (measured by the NCAA) is the highest in the Summit League at 966 (on a scale of 1000).
"The Student-Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO) believes, in part, that our student-athletes are successful in the classroom because they are dedicated individuals who apply the lessons of the playing field to their education," said Ursula Gurney, Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Services at UMKC. "Involvement in athletics is a valued part of our student-athletes' undergraduate education -- learning skills such as time management, accountability, teamwork, commitment, goal-setting and communication."
As for community service, the women's soccer team has volunteered at an elementary after-school program, UMKC's Hispanic Youth Day, a youth soccer camp and a Kansas City Girl Scouts picnic.
That spirit of excellence and community also permeates UMKC's residence halls and apartments, where a total of about 1,330 students live. The residence halls and apartments encourage and organize community service and social events, and divide halls into community areas where students with similar interests and academic goals can get to know each other.
At Oak Street Hall, D'Egidio shares a room with one of her teammates and has found it easy to form several friendships.
"It's fun, and I believe living on campus helps a lot of students," D'Egidio said. "You don't have to set aside time to drive because everything's right there, and it's easy to meet people. I think UMKC has a lot to give to a student-athlete or just a student in general."
Posted: October 26, 2009


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Welcome to the Original Online Meeting Group of CGAA. Visit http://cgaa.info for more information on our fellowship and program.
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Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 6:39 am
Posts: 46
Location: UK
State/Province/Country: England
My Story by E.T.
So my story starts one sunny day in "Thunder Bluff"... my story re-started one sunny day in Woodingdean, on the south coast on England.
The shortened version of my journey is that I became addicted to a MMORPG... slowly and surely. In recovery we speak of the addiction as being "cunning, baffling and powerful" and the loss I experienced through my game-addiction, in the end, was tremendous. The gifts I have received in my recovery are incalculable.
I am one of those that says "thank you" for my game-addiction... but this was not till much later, after I stopped and then sought support amongst other game-addicts.
So, I started playing my game-of-choice/addiction with a friend from work. He lent me his second account. He had bought it off someone else online, which I didn't know at the time. I got into playing World of Warcraft. I really loved it. It was SO much fun -at the time. I started off with my favourite class, a druid. I also, in time, got to like loner stuff as well, like fishing in-game. Sometimes, after work, I would "fish" even for an hour or two, while I watched TV or chatted with a friend. I just would click at the right time and "voila": fish. Then, as I progressed, I got into playing PvP. I made a twink and in those days I was f***ing amazing lol. I had a lot of fun! Two damage-over-time spells and >>zap<< I would run away and watch'em die. At that time, I was living with two brothers; both of which started playing with me. They would like more PvE stuff but it was ok. We had fun. I had a desktop set up and they had laptops. They would come into my room and we'd have hours and hours of fun. It all seemed fine. I was only playing one, maybe two hours a day. I only had the one character and it was fun enough.
Then one day >>baam<< the account I was borrowing off my friend got hacked. I talked to my mate he told me about his having bought it and that there was no way of getting it back now. I was SO angry! He had just cost me my character; I felt a genuine feeling of loss. ...and I was furious about ALL the many hours I had put into the game. Little did I know, at this time, that this was the very tip of an ever-growing tremendous ice-berg.
So, I bought my own account, and re-started playing. I even chose a German server; my reasoning being that if played on a German server it would be good for me because I would get to practice one of the languages I studied for my degree. I really thought I would be doing something good for myself and that it would be enjoyable. It still was, but it began very quickly to get out of hand. ...this is when my game-addiction began to take hold, slowly. So, I decided I needed another character, and another, and another. I still enjoyed my twink PvP character the most, so I needed very high level characters to twink-out my lower ones. I became "creative" lol and would ask one of my flat-mates to log into a group with me and do dungeons "together" with my high-level character and would do runs over and over in hope of getting rare drops for my twink.
So... then I started slowly but surely arranging my life more and more to suit my gaming. I began booking holidays for when the patches and new content came out. I would stay home and pretend to be ill and game. I began playing in the mornings. I began playing first thing when I was home from work. It began to be compulsive and obsessive. Things like saying "Hi" to my flat-mates and my cat (bless him) would feel like a nuisance because it was deterring me from me pressing the on-button on my PC. I began kitting my PC so that it would run smoother, faster. I would be writhing inside the days we had problems with our internet provider. Those days, jeepers, I was not a "happy bunny". I always had a temper, since I was a boy, and my nick-name my family gave me was "fire dragon", and believe you me, the days the internet was messing around, cutting out or totally off, were bad days for me and all those around me. Even if I did not overtly say so, my attitude was stinking and my mood was foul.
I began making some friends on-line, but found it difficult because the spoke German. I was in groups and guilds. I can't say I felt connected to them, very rarely. I just used them and them me. I was a joint venture. However, I did make a friend and through my years of playing and now my years game-free I remain friends with ONE friend. He respects the fact that I do not want to game anymore and is ok with that.
At work it was difficult to concentrate. The job was rather repetitive and drab in many ways, so I used every spare instant I got to go through search-engines, wikis, and message boards and would work out what I was going to do that night in the game, or in the days ahead or if it took longer, over the weekend, or a month even. I began making Excel spreadsheets to keep track of the items and recipes I had collected and the ones I was missing. OH that character defect... PERFECTIONISM! That was one of my pit-falls with my game-addiction and it fuelled my wont to game game game more and more. I spend enormous amount of hours collecting recipes and ingredients to make bespoke items. I didn't often even use them for anything; I just found it "fun". This drive towards completism got out to hand. There was one in-game profession which required daily tasks and I could not be bothered waiting for six months to get all my recipes; so, I started three characters, levelled them up and would split my recipes into tanking, damage and healing (loosely) and had of course my trusty Excel sheet to tick off all the ones I had.
At some point between this, and my later playing, I met my partner. We began dating and I enjoyed the on-set of our love and the beginning of my relationship with him. Then, after a while, the whole thing started getting to time-consuming. ...the relationship; not the game! So I would work my relationship around my gaming. It was "ok" in the sense that my partner enjoyed playing XBOX or reading or watching TV so he would quite happily entertain himself while I was getting my game fix; or my game gorging, as it was by then.
I knew at this point, that my gaming had gotten over-the-top, but I genuinely thought I felt happy. I had my game, and love. I began thinking odd thoughts at this point... like: why don't I quit my job and just play? how can I achieve this? maybe I can become disabled and do it? or work part-time? I began withdrawing from family and friends more and more, so I would not have to invest time in them. Otherwise, I would get invited to birthdays, outings, the cinema, etc. I was not about to sacrifice my game time for that. I much more enjoyed my game time than spending time with any of them. It was the truth. I did enjoy time with them, but when I put it on the balance and asked myself "what would I rather be doing?" ... the answer was instant: game! At the depths of this growing self-centredness and selfishness I even resented friends being sick, because it would draw me away from the game. But, still, I could not see how destructive my game-addiction had become. I still had more "yets" to come.
So, I got my character to "high places" but my completist/perfectionist side and a whole bunch of other character defects came along to have a party at this time.
Also, round about this time, I moved in with my partner. I set up my gaming station in our bedroom, which soon became my game-den and mine and his sleeping quarters. I began hating the sun-light because it caused glare and it was uncomfortable. I got black-out blinds put them up and "voila", darkness. Other habits I developed at this time were avoidance tactics. If my partner had a problem, I would not think "What's going on; how can I help sort this out; why is he in pain?"; no, I thought "How can I get him to be happy enough to in the quickest amount of time with the least amount of effort so that I can get back to my game?". Same with things like going out for a date-night-out (ughhhh, what a bore – I would think), or even going for milk or bread, or cat food. My addiction was totally out of control by this time - but I couldn't quite see it, yet. I was still in the thick of it. I just thought "Why can't all these people just f*** off and let me play?!".
So... I had the great idea of ... buying a second account; another PC and to have a multi-box set up. By this time my health had deteriorated badly. I do have a physical condition which at the time was bad, but it got worse and worse. I would get ill. Then, instead of going back to work the next day, I would take a whole week off and play for the other four days. I felt I was owed the time back! I thought, well they don't pay me my sick-days, so what the hell. I would budget in the loss of wages. Put on my alarm to call in sick the next day and, as soon as that call was made, I was gaming away. Needless to say, that this over a period of around 18 months had a very bad effect on my work, my finances and my life in general. I changed jobs, which was a "choice" but it was my being sacked that pointed me in that direction. So, I decided it would be a good idea to start working for a... wait for it... MMORPG gaming company. I was in the accounts and billing team and helped out as game-master with my various languages. It was a nice job, but I wasn't focused on the job. Sure, in the first six months while I was on probation, but not after that. Then I started missing work, again. This affected me physically. I became very anxious and stressed, which would make me ill; and so on... the snowball started rolling faster and faster. I also developed agoraphobia, which till this day can be a problem for me. At its peak I could not leave my room, at best I would go to the rest of the house, or the shop for milk. It was awful. I just wanted to live in my cave and play my game - that was all. Or, so I kept thinking and telling myself.
STILL... I did not see it.
So, by now I had TWO gaming PCs and felt the bee's knees! ... I learnt about macros, about add-ons, modified addons. ...at some point in this I decided to check how many hours play I had on record - it came to over 3500 hours... and that was not even half way through my story. I never checked again! The number of hours was a clear-as-day punch in the face. I realised the excessiveness of my gaming then, but couldn't face it; I couldn't stop!! I did not want to, either. ...by this time, the days where I couldn't play due to work, my partner or other commitments, I was in a foul mood and I got emotional withdrawals. Then, well, I started to interfere with my ex's sleeping. I would get up at 06:00 and play for a couple hours before going work. I would go to work (mostly) and come back and play. I'd play almost the entire weekend. I would choose to cook or wash up depending on what would take the least amount of time. ...This went on for some time. I started getting physical symptoms too, aches and pains in my arms, back, neck and face, shooting pains and terrible headaches. The days I decided to stay home because I was genuinely ill or because I could not be bothered, I would generally play. Then, about half-hour before my partner was due back I would go back to bed. I would spend some time with him, and play the victim. Then, I would be playing in the evening after our meal before bed. ...this went on for a while! Still, it wasn't enough. I played so often, I lost the side of my leg near my knee cap because I used to cross my legs and stretch my legs out when playing and it slowly pulled out my hair. I got lots more headaches, but it didn't stop me. I had put on FOUR stone! (about 28 kg) ... I changed my diet, took pain-killers, had little breaks, went for fresh air, etc, etc, etc. Lost a job: same story; got another. And, all of this, to keep playing. I started having some big problems in my relationship, which were in part nothing to do with gaming, but the game-playing "softened it" for me mostly. The only thing was that by this time I did not have the mental nor emotional togetherness to work on the relationship. All I had was a bunch of quick-fix plasters (band-aids) to try and stop a gushing wound.
In the end my partner decided to break up with me. He had had it. He was a game-widower. I begged, pleaded but I had already used up all my cunning and he was smart puppy. So there was no fixing it.
I had to leave my home. I did this in a month's time. When this happened I took the bedroom (my den) and he took the living-room. It was an awful time, but I was happy that I got the bedroom, because I could have my PCs. I could play if I wanted to. Something, during that month, broke in me. I don't know what it was, but it was so painful that I could not ignore it. The gaming stopped working. I tried playing, yes, but I would still feel the emotional pain. I could not escape anymore. I used my scant savings from the month and moved out.
I moved to a new place as a lodger. The landlord was a bit nutty but seemed ok enough... or so I thought. I played a lot less then. I thought "No, this can't be. I will get that feeling of escape again; I just need to relax and get back into the game; I need to re-prioritise my life, get things into balance again."... I still played daily, mostly, but for an hour or so. Mostly I would do daily tasks and that was it. It felt like a chore. It was no fun. Then, that intense feeling of playing my game of choice/addiction again and again, began fading. I felt alone. I was alone. I still hadn't faced it though. About two months after moving, I lost my job; they gave me one week's notice. My landlord, who had a serious mental illness (as I found out) decided to stop taking his medication and went a-wall. I lost my home a second time, all in one weekend. I had to call the police as he was holding me hostage. The police arrived and helped me; I took myself, my cat and a bag of clothes, and went. This was not related to my gaming. BUT it helped. It really brought me to my knees, to a point of desperation where I knew I needed help - anyone's. I did not know about CGAA then. I sought it in another 12-step programme at the time of which I have been a member for a number of years; and I found the help. No partner, no money, no home. I had food and a roof thanks to the charity of my others who try to practise principles in all their affairs - and I am forever grateful to them!
I couldn't game. Logistically, it was too difficult; my PCs were in storage. I felt broken and had one big old tuna to fry!
In the other fellowship, for years, I had been "stuck", putting off doing my Steps 6 and 7. BUT this was a wonderful cross-road for me because, I tell you, by now, I was ready, entirely ready.
I had about two months game-free. I did play again after that: a free-to-play account. I did this once I was in a safe place; my mother's spare bedroom. I stopped quite quickly after though. I noticed my game-addict head was waking up again, saying things like "A free-to-play account is a great idea; you can play for free, get lots of new characters, level them up, then you can refer yourself to re-activate your other accounts and get some bonus in-game items, and then you can have THREE accounts - just imagine...!" I quickly shut that thought down.
I got a glimpse at my non-living. I non-lived for five years and I did not want that anymore, not again. I decided to close my accounts down and delete the game files from my computers. It took a LOT of courage for me to do that. There was a part of me that day which was screaming "Noooooooo!". After that, I had on and off feelings of sadness or anger that felt at the time utterly over-whelming. They came randomly in the following hours, days and weeks. BUT it got easier! I applied the steps to my thinking, my feeling and my actions: especially STEP ONE. I heard it said many times it's the only step we can do 100% and only One Day At A Time! So, I gave it a go.
"We admitted that we were powerless over gaming addiction, and that our lives had become unmanageable."
At some point in that period of despair and rage, I said to my Higher Power, which incidentally is non-religious: "please help me with this". I was on my knees, at last. I then asked "please keep me game-free for today". That was all. It was as simple and as difficult as that. Now, saying this is a regular part of my life, and it feels good. I am grateful for a loving HP that has taken care of me. I have learnt to love myself enough not to damage myself anymore - and, when I feel a slip coming, I can see it a mile off normally. I still get WoW dreams and fanciful moments when driving or watching TV, or any time really. Sometimes I wonder what my characters looked like even. BUT I know that, when the trigger-thoughts begin, and my head wants to paint it all cosy and rosy, it is then that I need to stop and use the 12-step programme, the slogans, the serenity prayer, speak to my sponsor or a fellow game-addict. I also have to use the slogan THINK, or "remember, remember, remember"... the pain, the loss of time, the loss of friendship, of my relationship, my jobs, my health, and for the time I was gaming, my life. The insanity, indeed! - lest I forget. There is fanciful part of me that probably will always hold dearly the memories of my gaming, and that is ok; but the part that recognises life, health, living, love, true-adventure, socialising, friendship, progress and a want to live a happy life, at peace in my own skin... is the part I prefer today!!
I stopped playing on my own, not knowing that there were others who have been, and are going through a similar hell. But, one day I checked out online whether there was a 12-step programme for game-addicts, and I found it. I am so grateful for CGAA because I have met some amazing fellow game-addicts and friends too. I know I cannot do this alone, not in the long run for sure, and I am grateful for the existence of CGAA, and especially for the newcomers. There is hope.
So... today, I am around two and a half years game-free! ...and it feels very very good. I am generally grateful for my life now. I like living it. I enjoy practising the 12-step programme to the best of my ability - but I now know I'm not perfect and that that's OK. I can be happy to be me, just for today.
I am happy that I am a game-addict, now, because I came across this wonderful fellowship. Whenever I feel my game-addiction waking up to say "hello", I know where to come. I keep coming back. I know that there is a way "out", or in, depending on how I see it. I know that my life is incomparably better now to what it was like before. I can even say "thank you" to my Higher Power for the difficult times, the trials and the loss I went through, because, through it, I received many many gifts. Some are that I no longer have a dreadful fear of financial insecurity, of being alone, of becoming homeless, of not having food... and, one of the most amazing gifts I received was that I lost the "hole in the soul" - I do not have that old overwhelming feeling of wanting to just escape from everything and everyone. These are but a few of my gifts. Now, some of my best days are what I would call beforehand my worst days... thanks to my fellows and friends in recovery. I can share with them; I can listen to their experience, strength and hope. I can go to a meeting. I can speak with my sponsor. I can read 12-Step literature. This all refills my spiritual batteries, and I know deep down everything is going to be ok. It's simple, all I need to do is: stay game-free just for TODAY.
Thank you CGAA.
|Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:19 pm
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 11:37 pm
Posts: 168
Location: Rockland NY
State/Province/Country: Rockland NY
Dear E.T.
That was a explicit description of my gaming addiction/obsession. I feel that it is important for me to remember what my mental state was like when I was gaming. For me it was not a game at all in the end, while it was so much fun at first. While my life and circumstances where very different that yours, my gaming insanity was identical.
Thank you for sharing our story with us and with the rest of the gaming addicts who still suffer.
leveling in steps, serenity, sponcys, sponsors, exercise, and sleep, (sanity has been downsized)
|Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:55 pm
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 3:06 pm
Posts: 969
Location: Charlottesville
State/Province/Country: Virginia
Thanks so much for sharing your story, ET! I'm inspired by your dedication to recovery. I can relate to much of your journey, on both sides.
|Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:59 pm
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 4:28 pm
Posts: 550
That was EXACTLY like my gaming experience! the Excel spreadsheets, the obsession, the thoughts, everything!
I noticed that you had kept one of your gaming friends. I did too. We both quit W.O.W. together three years ago, but he just went back two weeks ago because there was a "free" month special for people who had played before. I was sorry to see him go back, but he tells me nothing has changed, it's still the same mind-sink, time-waster it always was, except it's even more complicated and specialized and even more frustrating. He told me he will be quitting when the month is up.
Was I intrigued? No, not really. Well maybe a little bit. I wouldn't go back but I was curious. Everything he has told me though, reaffirms my decision not to go back there.
I, too, was an Excel spreadsheet person about everything. I borrowed other people's spreadsheets on tweaking dps, and I read those like some people read the news.
I'm trying to catch up on all the house cleaning I've missed out on, and I'm tackling the yard which has overgrown considerably. It's been three years since I gamed, but It's taken me this long to get things straighten around and it is ALL still in process. I really let a lot of stuff go. I didn't hire someone to help me when I was working; I spent all my money on the game (new computers, programmable keyboards and mice, etc.).
Big hugs to you!
Let your past make you better, not bitter.
Don't Lose Heart. If your efforts are greeted with indifference, don't lose heart. The sun puts on a wonderful show at daybreak when most people are sleeping. Keep shining!
|Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:35 pm
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 6:39 am
Posts: 46
Location: UK
State/Province/Country: England
Hi Hershel, thank you for identifying and yeah the mind boggles ey! ...such denial omg. But, I'm happy to have written it and to have shared with you guys - it reminded me too and am feeling grateful that that powerful obsession and compulsion are not present in my day-to-day life today. So grateful. ...and one of the other pluses is I get to share my recovery with you and other game addicts.
Scott, thank you ...may it be a LONG journey for both, one-day-at-a-time ! buddy-punch
Oh Patria your relating to my Excel spreadsheets makes me chuckle... it's so good to be on this side of the fence. In recovery the grass IS always greener ... while I was writing my story I went back to my e-mail adrress(es) to check my time-line more or less and found e-mails to myself with attachments of Excel sheets. So crazy; yet wonderful reminders now! I'm so happy to be sharing my recovery with a fellow game-addict like you. "Really, really" like Shrek says.
To anyone who reads my story... thank you for doing so and I wish you and me a game-free day!
... and, if you've not managed to stop yet or are returning and you have the desire to stop, then my heart goes out to you - it's a painful and confusing place - keep coming back and talk to other game addicts in recovery, ask for help. Try keeping it simple and in the day. One day at a time is the way to make it! There is hope, lots of it!
|Sat Oct 04, 2014 8:43 am
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:28 am
Posts: 63
Location: San Diego
State/Province/Country: California
Thank you for your story, E.T. I relate to the spreadsheets as well, to the perfectionistic need to analyze everything, both to find the absolute best set up possible and to track progress towards various achievements. I added screenshots of my character development... so I could plan better for the next goal (nothing to do with bragging about what I'd done, of course). I refrained from gaming at work (I didn't have many hours of work, so this wasn't too hard.) But whenever there was time that I was waiting for other people (and obviously had nothing better to do), I would be looking up the latest stats on new items and planning how to strengthen my characters. I also relate to creating an increasing number of characters. For me, as the game itself became less engaging, I had to do more and more to get the same effects from playing.
Today is one of those days where I woke up telling myself "it really wasn't that bad when I was playing." After all, I didn't hit some of the "yets" that other people have. But reading your story reminds me just how easy it would be to wind up there if I went back to playing.
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Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) (map) Southeast
Fri., Oct. 11, 4 p.m. 2013
Celebrating the independent publishing community in Portland, with 20 tables filled by Bitch Magazine, Burnside Review, Octopus Books, Press Gang, Reading Frenzy, Know Your City, and more, plus live music by Nick Jaina and Laura Gibson.
1001 SE Division Ste. 2, Portland, OR 97205


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User talk:Pspfreak
| This is the talk page for User:Pspfreak. Please leave a message.
Always sign off your messages using four tildes (~~~~ ) to automatically add your signature.
Hi, Pspfreak, and welcome to Grand Theft Wiki! Your contributions are very much appreciated, and I hope you intend to stay. Please do not hesitate to let me or any of the other administrators know if you have any questions, concerns, problems, suggestions, etc. We are here to help! In the meantime, have fun, and happy editing! :-) EganioTalk 04:40, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


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2008 Chevrolet Suburban MGP Caliper Covers are available in red, black, matte or silver finishes. These factory fit brake caliper covers give you a "big brake" look without breaking the bank. TIG welded and Logo engraved, this is a performance enhancing alternative to caliper paint or plastic covers. MGP's bolt-on product is designed for easy installation on your 2008 Chevrolet Suburban...
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2008 Chevrolet Suburban Dash Kits
2008 Chevrolet Suburban Window Tint
2008 Chevrolet Suburban Headlight Tint Covers
These covers look amazing! It took longer to take the tires on and off than It was to actually install the cover. It was super simple, strait forward. The fit is secure. Expensive, but I think they are worth every penny!


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Manuela Varela
Arde Amor
Before their friend, Ranxel (Chete Lera), can stop them, lovers Lucio and Rosa fulfill a secret suicide pact by shooting themselves. As the couple's ex-lovers, Luis (Sergi López) and Modia (Rosana Pastor), try to make sense of this tragedy, they begin to develop a romance of their own. While rediscovering hope in their lives, Luis and Modia notice strange things about Ranxel, who closely guards his passionate feelings for Modia.


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Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams Bites Back at Her Haters
told Billboard of Destiny's Child's much-anticipated reunion.
"When three good girlfriends are together, you're free and you don't care who's around; you're just trying to catch up and be goofy. I had a blast."
Though some naysayers didn't share her opinion. Gawker claimed that there was "fear in Michelle's eyes," during Sunday's performance, and Buzzfeed created a whole post around a website titled "Poor Michelle" — a compilation of all the times William's has supposedly gotten the "Short end of the Destiny's Child stick."
Even singer singer Keyshia Cole slammed Williams on Sunday, nastily tweeting, "Then Michell sung and woke my a** up from my daze! She always fu**N the groove up."
But Williams, who is currently touring with Fela! begs to differ when it comes to her Super Bowl showing.
"People at home watching… they don't catch the moments where, like in the 'Charlie's Angels' pose, I was smiling. We were all smiling," the singer explained. "I was laughing with my girls. I don't care what anybody else says. I don't let it get me down."
"Who knows," she says. "It's a possibility. I think this was a good moment, and it felt good for all of us and you definitely want those moments again."
And we agree, we'd be down for another performance by the Bootylicious Beyonce and her babes — and we'll bet Williams will be flashing a big ol' smile in the future.
So, did Williams get the short end of the stick? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
No changes are to be made to this player


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Youngsters will learn various safety tips as part of the Elmbridge junior citizen programme.
Run by Surrey Police and supported by the Elmbridge Community Safety Partnership, year 6 pupils will learn about fire safety, first aid, road safety, stranger danger and personal safety as part of the three-week programme.
This year, 23 primary schools and 1,180 pupils across the borough will take part.
Peter Kipps, Elmbridge community safety manager, said: "We are very pleased with the support given by our schools to junior citizen, the pupils come away with valuable skills and knowledge which will stay with them for future years and assist them in dealing with a range of safety issues."
The programme runs from June 2 to June 19.


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This is cool. Portado has translated the Group site entirely into Spanish.
He used the Edit Source Code function to make his Group site just what he wanted. In this case, one in Spanish.
I'll leave you with some photos….
This is cool. Portado has translated the Group site entirely into Spanish.
He used the Edit Source Code function to make his Group site just what he wanted. In this case, one in Spanish.
I'll leave you with some photos….
I just finished updating our Ning Jobs page and wanted to put the word out that we're looking for a few great people to join the team:
If your interested (and qualified!), drop us a note and resume at email@example.com.
And for some background on us, here's a bit of our philosophy and some photos of our digs:
Derek Simmons and Force One Networkz are featured as a part of a story in the latest issue of Business Week that talks about people creating their own social networks and social websites.
Dustin Thacker has created a cool social network for artists at This is Viral.Ning, a place for lowbrow & subversive art.
Here's a hit of some of the amazing work:
He's also added a videos site to the mix with some really cool experimental videos like this one:
Have a whirl!
Meg is rocking a new facet in her growing empire of cute: CuteCast. 100% cute videos, 100% of the time.
Here's a little of hit of a baby sugar glider….
Does anyone know what a sugar glider is? I think it sort of looks like a possum…
Update: after a trip to wikipedia here, a sugar glider is in fact a possum-like animal. God, I love the Internet…
One of the nifty new features we just rolled out to the Ning Videos and Ning Photos sites (Ning Group has had it for a bit) is a small "About This Site" module that sits at the top left column of the page. This little area can be easily customized by clicking the "Edit" button (no need to dig into any code), and can accept regular text or HTML.
Why is this cool? Good question. Well aside from providing site owners with a handy place to describe their site or drop in embeddable content, it's a great way to link together multiple Ning sites and create a Branded Empire (patent pending – ok, not really).
Here's an example:
As I'm in the twilight of my twenties, my ten-year high school reunion is coming up in a few weeks. Since I'm not going to be able to attend, I thought it'd be cool to create a Ning Group site that'd give Libertyville High School Class of '96 members (go Wildcats!) a place to reconnect without paying fees or digging through countless MySpace pages trying to find someone from their class.
Well, the official reunion committee picked up on the site and it caught on like wildfire. Pretty soon I created LHS 1996 Videos and LHS 1996 Photos companion sites. This resulted in even more interesting stuff, including this video from a former classmate's FOX-televised "Wedding on Ice," and plans to send cameraphone pictures to the site "live" from the reunion, which you can do on any photos or videos site on Ning with the handy unique email address we provide to people automatically.
The one drawback, however, was that as my little empire grew, there was no easy way to cross-link the three sites so that users could wander from one to the next without leaving my magical branded reunion theme park.
No more! As soon as the new "About This Site" module debuted, I pasted in some simple HTML and linked 'em up.
Some other situations where this cross-linked setup is/could be cool…
As always, we love hearing about the creative things people are doing with their Ning sites, so drop us a line and let us know!
On Friday, we released a few new features to Ning Videos, Ning Photos and Ning Group.
If you haven't created a site on Ning yet, it's super easy. Where you see "Get Your Own Videos Site!", "Get Your Own Photos Site!" or "Get Your Own Group Site!" in the upper left hand corner of any site running on Ning, click it and follow the 4-5 steps to set up your own social website or social network.
Ok, now for the new features…
Due to the overwhelming success of private Ning Group sites, we've now enabled members-only capabilities for Ning Videos and Ning Photos sites. This is in addition to choosing your own privacy settings for individual photos or videos on public sites.
Just choose to make your site public or private when you set it up. You can also decide to moderate your photos or videos before they are posted too. It's totally up to you.
Taking another cue from Ning Group, we've added "About This Site" modules on the homepages of Ning Videos and Ning Photos, so you can more easily describe your site or paste in custom HTML.
It's as easy as clicking on the Edit link and either adding straight text or HTML.
Since we're rolling out updates to these sites every few weeks, we're making it even easier for you to ensure that you have the latest version.
We're turning on "One-Click Updates" in the Ningbar this week, so when you see a notification that "new updates are available", you're just a click away from the latest and greatest in Ning site improvements.
Peques are small Argentinean gnomes who live in Patagonia. I couldn't make this stuff up. Here's a site dedicated to them.
Forceone Networks has taken advantage of the option we've made available when you create a copy of Ning's Video Sharing Site to pull in clips from other services like YouTube, Google Videos, as well as upload videos from your computer or mobile phone to create a 24-7 Hip Hop Channel.
You can check it out here:
And a little video hit to get things going:
There have been a couple of great photos and videos sites popping up in the past few days that I wanted to get out there.
This Cultureshapers photos site jumped to our popular sites list last week and it's spectacular. Turns out that it is a citywide art contest for students in Houston, TX. I couldn't believe that these were student works.
Here's my favorite painting:
I think it's really beautiful.
Here's a little more on the Cultureshapers contest by Shawn, who created the site:
In just six years, we've awarded more than a half-million dollars in cash prizes to student artists, thanks to our generous financial partners and corporate sponsors!
The majority of these pieces will not make it the final round; just 70 pieces will be selected from the contest's seven categories.
PLUS, we're only half-way done! The photos on the site so far are just from two categories: Drawing and Painting. We have another 4 categories that will be juried this coming weekend – Electronic Media, Mixed Media, Photography and Film – and those images will be added to this site as well.
The Top 10 will be announced on the main contest website: http://www.cultureshapers.com on Monday, November 13th.


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bensmithett said
ClientEngage said
justinfrench said
ClientEngage saidThat's not specifically related to the visual refresh but we're definitely looking into this.
One issue I have run into quite a few times is that the license/purchase-box on item pages does not show up. Instead, the loading indicator shows-up indefinitely.
Cheers Justin,
Just checking whether anybody has taken a look? It happens quite often and, seeing it's the purchase button, this is quite important to conversion – I'd imagine. ... It happens on other pages, too, and affects the hover-previews.Uncaught ReferenceError: $ is not defined main-a1a1386643f7018a89c3bd9c5dc143db.js:1 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot call method 'app' of undefined 4179837:87Best wishes, ClientEngage
Hi @ClientEngage (and any others having trouble seeing the License/Purchase box)
I'm having some trouble reproducing this problem. From those errors it looks like one or two JS files aren't loading properly for you. Are you able to give me a bit more information about the browser/OS versions you're using?
And are you using any browser extensions (AdBlock etc) that might be blocking things?
If you're savvy with browser dev tools (sounds like you might be if you can see those errors ) can you check the Network tab and see if there is anything having trouble loading?
I'd like to get to the bottom of this one ASAP, I'll be watching this threadBen
Hi Ben,
Thanks for taking the time to get back.
I just had a look again. Refreshing an item page several (!) times recreates this for me, although it appears to happen more often when simply browsing around.
Anyhow, I can only see 304 and 200 status codes – so everything loads properly. That said: when it doesn't work then there's a missing XHR request to the following: marketplace.net/bookmarks/states?item_ids[]={ITEMID}
So it looks like, sometimes, the request is not being initiated. Maybe an onload event problem or similar. Moreover, I do use an ad blocker – even if that is the culprit, I'd think it should still work since I'm not the only person using one.
All the best, ClientEngage
This button looks weird;
Google Chrome, Win8
I have the same problem with the license/purchase box.
Also the comments section doesn't work properly. The submit button doesn't seem to work (at least this is how it looks as nothing happens when I clicked it).
However, when you refresh the page, the answer I made to a client's comment was there (doubled as I clicked submit button twice).
Also the textarea (class="js-comment-new-reply-field flexible-textarea") doesn auto expand to take the content. It stays a single line while typing.
Win 8.1 Pro/FireFox 27.0.1
Patchesoft said
Are previews broken on items too? Especially on the main page of each marketplace. Also looks like editing a post is broken too. It only shows the textbox with no layout.
Could you post a screenshot of both of these (along with the browser/os, etc).
Just a small detail: the spinning loader icon is still your old logo
Vlajki said
Just a small detail: the spinning loader icon is still your old logo
Thanks, added to the list
liviu_cerchez said
.comments-search-controls__mark-all-read { margin-bottom: 15px; }
liviu_cerchez said
liviu_cerchez said.comments-search-controls__mark-all-read { margin-bottom: 15px; }
One more;
only if you have a five digits value though
revaxarts said
only if you have a five digits value though
I would be so annoyed to have my balance overflow its container


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channel islands surfboards - Google Image Search
Channel Islands shapes some really great boards. Their Flyer series has been one of my favorite for years. Solid quality, great performance, very responsive.
Wow. Try this PC World article for a rockin' "how to" on downloading this.... http://www.pcworld.com/article/158756/getting_your_feet_wet_with_google_ocean_first_look_in_images.html Try this CNN video link for a great summ... Wow. Try this PC World article for a rockin' "how to" on downloading this.... http://www.pcworld.com/article/158756/getting_your_feet_wet_with_google_ocean_first_look_in_images.html Try this CNN video link for a great summary: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/02/02/tatton.google.ocean.cnn?iref=videosearch Or National Geographic's Photo Gallery: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/photogalleries/google-ocean-pictures-gallery/ I always get into a fit of inner-flummox-inducing debate over privacy vs the public good when I Google my address and stare at updated photos of my actual house from the angle of someone standing at my mailbox. It's creepy. It's a goody basket for the stalkers I don't- but one day might- have. I don't like it. (Unless, of course, I'm socially stalking someone else with the very same cyber tools. ha.) But then I watch the same technology give my children something I never had growing up- a vivid, fascinating and educational resource that lets them travel the world in which they live from my home computer. Not depicted "as it might be" but "as it IS." Google Earth (once dubbed Google Dirt) has unveiled their newest incarnation and it comes complete with a feature called Google Ocean that blows me away. After having successfully mapped most of the planet's "dirt" features, their team was challenged to take on the 2/3 of the world that is covered by water. So they teamed with over 100 of the world's top scientific and marine-oriented organizations (even surf clubs) to do just that. The result? Jaw-dropping. Absolutely jaw-dropping. It was unveiled today. Go see it. Also check out the link I've added for the Google LatLong site to find out about more new features....
I have both O'Fishl and FCS fins and I have to say, I still think I like FCS better. Easier to get in and out, though it is clearly a bummer if/when the threads on the screws get stripped.


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Eagles-Griffs bridge hockey entertainment gap
Dave Smith could see the difference a few weeks ago during Canisius' first hockey practice. His players looked prepared and moved with assertion that's not often found until well into the regular season. It was a glaring sign of confidence for the Golden Griffins that began last season.
Canisius rattled off eight straight victories and rolled through the conference tournament en route to the NCAAs. It was a dangerous team that led top-ranked Quinnipiac in the third period before it all slipped away in the first round. But for the first time in school history, Canisius made an impression on a national level.
Smith had been waiting nine seasons for a team like he has this season. He's had good players over the years, most notably Ottawa Senators winger Cory Conacher. But even when Canisius had talent and leadership, it never had the big-game experience that three-quarters of his roster took into this season.
The Griffs returned with a good team mostly intact, but apparently the conference coaches weren't overly impressed. Canisius wasn't even considered the best team in Western New York. Niagara, ranked 20th in the country in the U.S. College Hockey Online preseason poll, was picked to win Atlantic Hockey.
And now the difference looks miniscule.
Canisius started the season with three goals in the first 11-plus minutes but allowed a pair of three-goal leads to slip away, enabling Niagara to come back for a 6-4 victory before a packed house in Dwyer Arena. The latest chapter in the Battle of the Bridge was a terrific game in terms of entertainment value, which is more than you get from the Sabres.
Let me put it this way: Niagara scored six goals over the final 41 minutes. The Sabres couldn't score that many in its first five games.
"While excitement on offense was absolutely what we had last year, the team-tough defense was not there," Smith said. "I'm happy with the open-ice offense, happy with the puck movement, happy with the goals, but that's not how we're going to win. We're don't want to play run-and-gun hockey."
Niagara was trailing, 4-1, when it stormed back with five straight goals. Chris Lochner's shorty with 25 seconds left in the second period tied the game, 4-4. Ryan Rashid rifled a wrister into the top corner with a man down to give the Purple Eagles a 5-4 lead, and Mike Conderman added the clincher into an empty net.
Man, what a game.
"It's college hockey," Niagara coach Dave Burkholder said. "What a product. What a game. It's the best kept secret in Western New York. There can't be any one leaving the building tonight who doesn't want to come back and see both teams. It was a hard fought, hard hitting game."
Niagara has two freshmen goaltenders, which could be one reason it wasn't as aggressive offensively in its first two games. The Eagles were forced to crank up their attack with a three-hole deficit Saturday. Niagara kept firing away while trying to come back and finished with 42 shots on goal.
Canisius knew it could compete with any team in the conference, and it proved as much Saturday. Tony Capobianco is a terrific goaltender despite getting roughed up. Smith recruited Conacher's kid brother, Shane. He was the only freshman in the lineup Saturday and looked solid in his D-I debut.
My only problem with the Battle of the Bridge on Saturday was that it was played in Lewiston. Ideally, the two programs will continue growing, capture the attention of a hockey-loving fan base, outgrow the college arenas when they play one another and treat the region to a great product in First Niagara Center.
"There should be lines outside the building for that type of game," Smith said. "That is a lot of skill, a lot of energy. We want more people to come and see that game."
Smith and Burkholder have vastly different personalities, but both have bought into the idea that their programs need one another. They want the other to succeed, so long as they're not in the same building. Nothing sells college hockey like a juicy rivalry, and it's even better when both teams are good.
Canisius and Niagara would like to someday hold a tournament downtown that would be similar to the Beanpot in Boston. How about Canisius, Niagara, Penn State and another team from New York such as RIT, Cornell, Clarkson, Colgate or St. Lawrence? Heck, bring them all. And tell them to bring their fans.
Canisius will be moving into HarborCenter next season. The new building alone should be enough to stir the masses downtown. But it sure would be nice if the two teams drew the attention of 15,000 fans and played across the street. Imagine how much it would help recruiting for both schools.
The better both teams get, the stronger their rivalry becomes. It would lead to bigger games for higher stakes. It's how rivalries become intense. Hopefully, there will come a time in which enough hockey fans open their eyes and appreciate the quality of Division I hockey the way they do the NHL.
Canisius and Niagara provided everything and more at a fraction of the price.
"It's coming quickly based on what both programs did last year to end the season," Burkholder said. "What Canisius has going downtown is exciting for college hockey. If the word spreads, it's going to be fun to watch."
email: email@example.com


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September 24, 2008
Re: Governor's Ethics Package
Dear Mayor:
Today in Trenton, Governor Corzine issued a package of new initiatives designed to strengthen public ethics. The Governor's Press Release and package summary is available on our website (CLICK HERE).
We commend the Governor for his obvious concern with the loss of popular confidence in government and with the loss of faith in public officials. Often serving long hours, days, months and years in the public's service, for little compensation, local elected officials have always been on the vanguard of honest efforts to promote more honest, economical, efficient and effective public service at all levels of government.
We look forward to thoughtfully analyzing the specifics of the Governor's proposal. We regret that we were not asked to contribute to the development of the proposal. We will gladly and enthusiastically support any parts of the proposal that do, in fact, lead to more honest, economical, efficient and effective public service at all levels of government. And we hope the Administration and the Legislature will carefully consider our perspective on this proposal.
We will keep you posted on our analysis. For more information, contact Jon Moran at 609-695-3481, ext. 121.
Very truly yours,
William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director


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Hybrid Batteries for Boats and Ferries in the Works
The company is developing a new lithium ion battery technology for tugboats and ferries. With more than 3% of the world's global carbon dioxide emissions coming from ocean-going ships, battery technology for marine vessels could be a growing industry:
Corvus Energy "says it has patented battery-management systems that will allow for the manufacture of battery systems in the multi-megawatt power range.
A megawatt of electricity is enough to supply about 600 homes, but it's roughly the capacity a large tugboat would need in reserve to push container ships around a port."


text:
We were unable to find results for "marc by marc jacobs maya plaid jacquard dress ink blue multi"
Search Tips
- Double check your spelling.
- Try using single words (e.g. loafers, pants).
- Try searching for an item that is less specific.
- You can always narrow your search results later


text: Dr wellman, There has been some documentation about a group of poeple from Orissa, India who put together a site called Ornet where they converse, educate, argue and keep in touch with each other. I donot have the precise urls but Radhika Gajjala has written on this group. One of my classmates wrote a paper on being part of this group and I have forwarded this email to him. Could you include me on the list that you will create because I am interested in groups that many extended families originating in India have created using services like Yahoo egroups. thanks Girija Kaimal, Harvard Graduate School of Education Barry Wellman <wellman at chass.utoronto.ca> wrote: Folks, I'd be grateful if anyone could point me to their (or others') work about how the Internet links trans-national diasporic communities where some folks have migrated from the home country and others haven't. I'm mostly interested in email, but also Internet phone, web boards, Usenet, et al. En passant, the lovely Monsoon Wedding has some nice offhand references to this, as the families come from Houston, Dubai, etc. for a Delhi wedding. Pls reply to me personally, and I will then summarize for the list. Barry ___________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman at chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 ___________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l at aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://listserv.aoir.org/pipermail/air-l-aoir.org/attachments/20020311/663d8a7b/attachment.htm


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I practice Iyengar Yoga and go to the gym regularly.
Friends and laughter are very important to me, and will want to share yours.
If you're interested in exploring what life has to offer with intelligence and humor, let's talk.
By the way I do Dance!
Please have a photo.


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Italy-Iraq co-production Flowers Of Kirkuk set to shoot for April
The Flowers Of Kirkuk, the first-ever co-production between Italy and Iraq,is to shoot in April, it was confirmed at the EFM yesterday. The film, to be directed by Fariborz Kamkari, has now received support from Regione Lazio. It is being produced by Fabrizia Falzetti's Far Out Films. Istituto Luce has confirmed it will handle Italian distribution of the film. The French coproducer is Vincent Macheras of Lorival. Meanwhile, ...
Restricted Content
Registration is required to read the entire article and to gain access to other restricted areas of the website


text:
What did you think of the t-shirt design this year?
1 Attachment(s)
Kudos to designer and bimmerfest.com moderator markseven for coming up with such a great design...
Actually, the text on the front was much smaller and offset to one side where a pocket would be.
Nice job on the shirts, Mark. I think it was much better than last years. :thumbup:
What did you think of the t-shirt design this year?
They look great! Know where I can buy one?:dunno:
I think you got your answer based on them selling out!
I didn't buy one last year, but between the awesome design and the new low price, I couldn't resist buying two just for the hell of it!
Great shirt great time thanks for everything
I am wearing mine right now! I think it is a great design.
I like it, then again I wasn't there last year :) Bought 4 of em :thumbup:
Loved the shirt this year!
What if I forgot to buy one this year? anyone got any extras I could buy off em? or Jon do you have any I could get from ya? lol
Umm, I think it's time to go back to the presses and get more printed Jon, I talked to many people that were disappointed that they lagged and didn't get one.
I quess it's time to pay & ship. :thumbup:
Oh and by the way, it was a great design! (DOUBLE :thumbup:)
great design but where were the womens shirts this year? :( I would have bought the same design but on a black tank top or something....I still got a shirt though :)
+1 the above. Credit card ready to order 2 right here, 1 L 1 XL. :)
This years shirt appears to be a huge improvement over last years travesty. However, bimmerfests 2006 shirts are by far one of my favorite car related shirts of all time. I do like the clean front of this years shirt, but the back is to busy for me.
I really liked them. A great representation of the participants (touch of old and touch of new school), also its got a nice view of the actual event. The sky, mountains and bottom orange kinda resemble the ///M colors. I think its my favorite to date. Who did last years? Was it Tom@Polizei clothing? Those were cool too. SOmething that was designed well and didnt appeal to only the hardcore enthusiast.
I bought both years....wish there were more.....after all, where else can you get a Hanes T for $10 any more. There were lots off women there, surely one of them asked for something in their size/style. It was an awesome turnout, and the weather was just fantastic!!!!
Hmmm, now where have I seen those 2 cars before? Oh yea, they were from pics I took last year! I gave my blessing to Mark to use them and glad to see how it turned out. I didn't attend this year, so maybe I'll hit him up for a shirt.
I must agree. The T-Shirt design was awesome this year. WAAAY better than last years. The low price was just icing on the cake. I was one of those who lagged on buying a few this year and missed out. If you print more, I'm in for 3 of them!!!:thumbup:
PLEASE print more shirts.
This was my first year, and I wasn't able to leave with a shirt!
Thanks guys! I am stoked you liked them :D
A big Thank You! to shinobi for the awesome pics :thumbup: :thumbup:
I am available for freelance work: markseven at gmail dotcom
I am wearing it proud! Chris Provo was wondering where his royalties were for using his car?:rofl:
I just looked down at what shirt I have on as I type this and it's last years shirt!!!! Funny.
So, can we buy T-shirts?? I have Paypal..
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Best Of :: Sports & Recreation
Mike Smith's a big, lanky guy for a goalie — 6-feet-4, 220. The Canadian's wingspan makes him hard to score on, and this was a major reason the Phoenix Coyotes made it to the NHL's Western Conference finals last season. Many believe Smith was the main reason, Coach Dave Tippett and forward Shane Doan aside. Because of his 2.21 "goals-against" average and his .930 save percentage last season, he should have been a shoo-in to win the Vezina Trophy for best goalie, but he wasn't even nominated. This is reminiscent of the longstanding bias against this desert franchise; NHL general managers decide this honor. The Valley repeatedly is derided as the blazing Siberia of NHL hockey. Which means that nobody takes Phoenix that seriously, even in a Pacific Division-title year. Another reason Smith wasn't taken seriously, despite his phenomenal season, was that he came out of nowhere. The season before, he was warming the bench as a backup for the Tampa Bay Lightning. But goalies often appear out of the mist at about Smith's age, 30. It takes them a long time to learn their craft. What Mike must do now is have a second star-studded year so that he moves to the top of the goalie pack.
Living in the city requires regular intervals of time away from the computer, the car, work and just about everything else. Our favorite place to let our worries fall away and get in touch with our inner center of peace, love, and all that wonderful hippie stuff is on the seemingly endless trails around South Mountain Park/Preserve.South Mountain encompasses more than 16,000 acres and is the largest municipal park in the country, so it's easy to avoid the crowds of screaming kids, hipster hikers, and scenesters. There are 51 miles of trails around the mountain, which open at 5 a.m. and stay open until 11 p.m. On one Sunday each month the park has a "Silent Sunday" when motorized traffic is restricted. It's our favorite time to really get our zen on.
Fans of Jim Thompson or Raymond Chandler will appreciate a drive down Grand Avenue at sunset. This isn't the pretty, well-manicured part of Phoenix. Dive bars line the street next to cheap, weekly rate motels. To the west, graffitied rail cars sit waiting to get hauled on to their next stop, and if you keep driving, you'll eventually run into I-10. From there you can just keep driving and eventually end up in L.A.But our favorite thing about a sunset drive is the feeling of leaving something behind and moving toward an unknown adventure, if only temporarily. Grand Avenue has an odd ability to accomplish both these feats. It transports you out of the mirage of Phoenix without requiring you to fill up the gas tank.
Signs warn of smuggling activity on this road, and it's possible you may run into some undocumented immigrants. But as development closes around the Valley, consider the smugglers your competition for the bumps and slides of Vekol Valley Road and its spurs, located southwest of Maricopa. The road is accessed off Interstate 8, about 13 miles west of the intersection of Maricopa Road and State Route 84. Taking the Vekol Valley Road exit (Exit 144), the network of dirt roads and washes takes you deep into the southern quadrant of the federal Sonoran Desert National Monument, a vast preserve of near-pristine wilderness. We drove the 15 miles from I-8 to the trailhead of Tabletop Mountain on a cool Saturday morning and saw no other vehicles or people until the afternoon, when we spotted a family on the trail and a pickup truck (possibly a smuggler) driving through an arroyo. On this road, the Wild West is still just a bit wild. From the adventurer's point of view, that's a good thing.
Phoenix is bound by history, be it the scattered ruins left by the Hohokam or the Old West cowboy and mining heritages created by pioneers pushing west. But some of the true greatness of Arizona's history is embedded in its geology — how the land was formed, baked, eroded, and mined, exposing all sorts of natural treasures to experience and elusive mineral treasures to seek. It is this adventure for natural and mineral bounty that makes the eastward run to the old (and still active) mining towns of Miami and Globe such a rich experience.
Start out of the Valley heading east on the Superstition Freeway, bending around the base of the Superstition Mountains. Stop by Arizona's oldest botanical garden (Boyce Thompson Arboretum in nearby Superior) and roll down Miami's main drag, Sullivan Street, before getting into Globe. Founded in the 1870s, Globe became the Pinal County seat, as well as one of the richest copper-mining areas in the country. Today, its oddities include the Elks Lodge Building (the "World's Tallest Three-Story Building," according to Ripley's Believe It or Not), one of the last remaining copper smelters in the United States, and the massive Besh-ba-Gowah pueblo, as well as a multitude of old mining town streets lined with shanties and old homes from the turn of the 20th century.
For the return trip home, continue to head back through time along the Apache Trail. The first section runs up along the west bank of Lake Roosevelt, passing by the Tonto National Monument cliff dwellings and the Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Just beyond the dam, the remainder of the Apache Trail is dirt, making for a very slow but incredibly beautiful drive through the heart of the Superstition wilderness, along the Salt River, and past Apache and Canyon lakes. The late-afternoon, early-evening hours turn the desert to hues of gold, red, orange, and magenta as the trail runs alongside high cliffs. Beware of some killer sunset glare as the road drives westward. The dirt will begin to feel endless, but it kicks out at Tortilla Flat as the paved road twists through Apache Junction and back to the Superstition Freeway.
When the mercury levels in Phoenix skyrocket into the triple digits, it's time to start planning an escape route. When we're looking to get out of town for a quick visit to cooler temps, we like to jump on the Beeline and book it up to Strawberry for a dose of pine trees, fresh air, and maybe a cheese-making class and a little quality time with a goat or two. Just an hour and half outside of Phoenix, the Fossil Creek Ranch in the heart of the Tonto National Forest offers everything from hiking with llamas to fudge-tasting from their very own fudge factory and cheese-making classes using the milk from the ranch's very own goats. Bring the kiddos up for the day to play with the baby goats, meet the pretty llamas, and take a tour of the creamery. The ranch is open every day except for Christmas Day and admission is just $3 per person or $10 per carload.


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What Are Some of The Things You've Seen But Cannot Explain? [VIDEO]
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Sunday, August 10. 2008
Build Median Aggregate Function in SQLPrinter Friendly
One of the things we love most about PostgreSQL is the ease with which one can define new aggregate functions with even a language as succinct as SQL. Normally when we have needed a median function, we've just used the built-in median function in PL/R as we briefly demonstrated in Language Architecture in PostgreSQL.
If all you demand is a simple median aggregate function ever then installing the whole R statistical environment so you can use PL/R is overkill and much less portable.
In this article we will demonstrate how to create a Median function with nothing but the built-in PostgreSQL SQL language, array constructs, and functions.
Primer on PostgreSQL Aggregate Structure
PostgreSQL has a very simple but elegant architecture for defining aggregates. Aggregates can be defined using any functions, built-in languages and PL languages you have installed. You can even mix and match languages if you want to take advantage of the unique speed optimization/library features of each language. Below are the basic steps to building an aggregate function in PostgreSQL.
Build our Median Aggregate
In the steps that follow we shall flesh out the FINALFUNC function. Please note that array_append is a built-in function in PostgreSQL that takes an array and keeps on appending elements to the array. So conveniently - we don't need to define an SFUNC as we would normally.
Now what makes creating a median aggregate function harder than say an Average is that it cares about order and needs to look at all items to determine what to return. This means that unlike average, sum, max, min etc - we need to look at all values passed to us, resort it based on the data type sorting rules of that data type and return the middle item. Here is where the beauty of array_append saves us.
Now lets get started. We have conveniently everything we need gratis from PostgreSQL. Now all we need are our array_median functions that will take in our array of items collected during the group process, junk the nulls and resort whats left and then return the middle item.
Now the tests
Posted by Leo Hsu and Regina Obe in intermediate, pl programming, sql functions at 21:10 | Comments (19) | Trackbacks (2)
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Weblog: Postgres OnLine Journal
Tracked: Mar 05, 22:56
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Uh, you don't need multiple implementations if you use polymorphism.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION array_median(anyarray)
RETURNS anyelement AS
SELECT CASE WHEN array_upper($1,1) = 0 THEN null ELSE asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)/2.0)] END
FROM (SELECT ARRAY(SELECT ($1)[n] FROM
generate_series(1, array_upper($1, 1)) AS n
WHERE ($1)[n] IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY ($1)[n]
) As asorted) As foo ;
LANGUAGE 'sql' IMMUTABLE;
CREATE AGGREGATE median(anyelement) (
#1 Tom Lane on 2008-08-10 23:22
Thanks Tom. That does make it much easier.
#1.1 Regina on 2008-08-11 01:10
This is example, where aggregate function is relative slow.
postgres=# select median(a) from foo;
(1 row)
Time: 90,089 ms
postgres=# select array_median(array(select a from foo order by 1));
(1 row)
Time: 30,101 ms
This is very interesting. I thought your example difference was because of the presorting, but evidentally the aggregation process is adding a lot of overhead as well. What could that be?
I assumed there was a benefit to presorting especially if you have an index on the presorted column, but strangely I am not seeing the benefit in my sample data.
I have an index on the table on the length column census2000tiger_arc. Looking at these 3 - I would have expected the sorted ones to perform better, but it doesn't by much if at all. Looking at the explain I realize its not using the length index I put in but instead the zip index. So I'm guessing presorting only helps if your data has an index on that field and that index is actually used.
--This one returns in 2907 ms
-- midlength = 134.34012, count = 19,084 (without count 2891 ms)
SELECT median(length) as midlength, count(zipl)
from census2000tiger_arc
where zipl between 2000 and 2109;
--This one returns in 2964 ms (without count 2953 ms)
--midlength = 134.34012, count = 19,084
SELECT median(length) as midlength, count(zipl)
from (SELECT * FROM census2000tiger_arc
where zipl between 2000 and 2109 ORDER BY length) as foo;
--Equivalent to yours - 1844 ms, result = 134.34012
select array_median(array(select length FROM census2000tiger_arc
where zipl between 2000 and 2109 ORDER BY length));
simply repeated calling array_append function is expensive - this function isn't optimalised for using as aggregate. Array(subselect) is much faster.
There is an error with this algorithm, as it doesn't consider the odd/even rule in the calculation. Although not a major error, the results using this function are different than all other implementations of the median function (e.g., R, Excel, etc.).
When there is an even number of items, the median is the average of the inner two middle values (since there is no symmetry to provide a middle value). If there is an odd number of items, the median is the middle index (as applied above). The examples above have odd set counts, so they work as expected. However, even set count examples fail with a "left" bias.
Building on Tom's suggestion above, consider using the following (note that this only works for numeric-like inputs, or other types that can be divided by two):
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION array_median(anyarray)
RETURNS anyelement AS
WHEN array_upper($1,1) = 0 THEN null
WHEN mod(array_upper($1,1),2) = 1 THEN asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)/2.0)]
ELSE ((asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)/2.0)] + asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)/2.0)+1])/2.0) END
FROM (SELECT ARRAY(SELECT ($1)[n] FROM
generate_series(1, array_upper($1, 1)) AS n
WHERE ($1)[n] IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY ($1)[n]
) As asorted) As foo ;
LANGUAGE 'sql' IMMUTABLE;
#3 Mike on 2008-09-12 13:03
Thanks for the example. Yes I was thinking about providing something like that and ideally for this one, I think you would use numeric[], numeric instead of anyelement.
As I recall things working you can have both definitions of median working and the one that is the closest match to the function is the one that gets used. So if you define this - then it would get used for numerics and the other would get used for everything else. I'll have to try that though since I'm not absolutely sure that's how it works.
#3.1 Regina on 2008-09-14 05:14
I tried to create median aggregate, but it gave me an error:
ERROR: syntax error at or near "("
SQL state: 42601
Character: 36
#4 Kursat on 2009-05-08 11:27
Which version of PostgreSQL are you running.
SELECT version();
pre 8.0 versions don't support $$ quoting. The other possibility is just a cut and paste typo somewhere.
#4.1 Regina on 2009-05-08 14:28
Pavel, thank you for posting this. Your method made a dramatic difference in the performance of medians.
When using the r_median() function from PL/R combined with your method I am getting back results in 1-2s on a table where using a MEDIAN AGGREGATE was taking literally 30 minutes.
Array mutating is absolutely terrible in Postgres and if you have a large amount of rows, using array_append (or similar things, like R's plr_array_accum) get exponentially worse as your result set increases.
I am disappointed that Arrays are handled so poorly in Postgres. It basically completely rules out using the CREATE AGGREGATE construct with holistic aggregates.
#5 Dimensionally on 2009-05-08 11:43
Dimensionally -- have you tried PostgreSQL 8.4 beta. One of the major improvements is significantly speeding up the array accumulation in aggregates so that you get the benefits of what Pavel described, and the elegance of an aggregate function.
#5.1 Regina on 2009-05-08 14:26
Thank you Regina, using the array_agg aggregate is a much nicer building block.
Am I correct in understanding that the syntax I need to use is:
SELECT r_median(array_agg(myColumn)) FROM myTable
That is what I am using, and it is working efficiently. However, I would rather be able to do:
SELECT median(myColumn) FROM myTable
But I am happy with the former.
thank you
#5.1.1 Dimensionally on 2009-05-08 16:54
That is one way. I haven't experimented with it myself. I would more likely go the direction of still making a median aggregate function but using array_agg helper functions. If you look at the definition of array_agg -- it looks like this
CREATE AGGREGATE array_agg(anyelement) (
So I would use the array_agg_transfn/finalfn etc to try to roll my own faster aggregates. We are planning to experiment with this in another article and see how it goes.
#22.214.171.124 Regina on 2009-05-11 10:01
Hi, thank you for the additional information.
However, it does not appear to be legal for user-SQL to contain a STYPE of "internal".
I get this error:
"ERROR: aggregate transition data type cannot be internal"
#6 Dimensionally on 2009-05-11 15:01
We haven't gotten around to it yet but hope to soon to demonstrate.
In the meantime, take a look at the
/share/contrib/int_aggregate.sql of your PostgreSQL 8.4 install.
It demonstrates how to use the new agg transition functions and the unnest function to build a custom aggregate.
#6.1 Regina on 2009-05-12 13:59
Okay I looked into this further and sadly I think I was wrong. The int_agg example is nothing but a thin wrapper around the existing array_agg so it seems that to do what I really wanted to do, would require writing C code function for the last step. Its too bad the CREATE AGGREGATE doesn't have another arg like POST CONDITION or something that would allow you to further massage the INT type. That would make this way more elegant and useful.
#6.2 Regina on 2009-05-14 07:14
Your implementation has a bug, in that sets of even numbers don't return the average of the two middle numbers. You can fix it by adding cases for checking if the size of an array is even or odd.
Here's a fix. I used asorted for all the case checks because you could otherwise be doing arithmetic operations on null values, which is never good.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION array_median(numeric[])
RETURNS numeric AS
WHEN array_upper(asorted, 1) = 0 THEN null
WHEN array_upper(asorted, 1) % 2 = 1 then asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)/2.0)]
ELSE (asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)) / 2.0] + asorted[ceiling(array_upper(asorted,1)) / 2.0 + 1]) / 2.0
SELECT ($1)[n]
FROM generate_series(1, array_upper($1, 1)) AS n
WHERE ($1)[n] IS NOT NULL ORDER BY ($1)[n]
) as asorted
) as foo ;
LANGUAGE 'sql' IMMUTABLE;
#7 Peter Koczan on 2009-11-17 19:19
This is not working anymore with pg 8.4.1 and postgis 1.4.1
Many errors found in geomunion etc.
Need to be refreshed
#8 Bruno Friedmann on 2010-01-10 04:20
What does this article have to do with PostGIS?
Please don't use geomunion anymore. Its been deprecated since PostGIS 1.2 and was not improved on in 1.4. It will be destroyed in PostGIS 2.0.
You should be using ST_Union instead which has the faster Cascade Union functionality.
#8.1 Regina on 2010-01-10 23:19
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