text:
You can energize a conversation with photographers in innumerable ways. You could, for example, try to build a case for Nikon over Canon, or perhaps argue that sensor size doesn't really matter. Or you could advocate using protective filters on all of your lenses.
I find the third topic intriguing, for both advanced shooters and newcomers alike. What filters, if any, do you need for your lens? Several appealing options in a range of prices are available.
Let's start with the different types of filters. I recommend three to consider: protection, polarizer, and neutral density. In the world of protection filters, those commonly used are clear, UV, Skylight, and Haze. Here's a quick overview.
UV—Typically, this filter is very pale yellow to virtually clear. In the past, UV filters helped protect your image from the negative effects of atmospheric ultraviolet radiation. But thanks to the improved high-tech coating on today's lenses, these filters don't have much impact on image quality at lower altitudes. Some effect may be noticeable at high altitudes, however. Their primary use today is to protect the lens itself.
Skylight—Light pinkish in color, this filter can help correct the slight blue cast from shooting outside under a blue sky. Some photographers see benefits for their landscape photography. I don't recommend this filter for portraits because it can affect skin tones.
Haze—This is essentially another name for a UV filter.
The above filters were very popular in film camera lenses. But with digital cameras, we can now counteract the mild effects of UV light with the white balance settings in our cameras. So, even though UV and skylight filters do have some mild filtering effect, they are primarily used as protection filters.
I recommend that you use a high-quality, multi-coating glass filter if you want protection for your lens. You don't really need UV or skylight under most outdoor lighting conditions.
Specific protection filters
I typed the term protection filter into the search box at B&H Photo. Among the hundreds of results listed, here are a few good examples:
Tiffen 52mm UV Protection Filter ($5.20) This filter helps absorb ultraviolet light, reduces the bluish cast of daylight, and serves as a general protective filter.
Hoya 58mm EVO Clear Protector Filter ($57) This offers a clear filter for protection, a low profile, and a rigid, aluminum filter ring. The coating prevents surface reflections.
Heliopan 72mm Protection Filter ($780) A clear filter for protection, the SH-PMC provides a 16-layer multi-coating, brass ring construction, and high-quality Schott glass.
That's quite a price spread among three filters of different sizes and different qualities. Generally, you don't have to use a UV or skylight filter if all you're after is protecting the lens. A clear filter is all you really need. Here are three things to consider when choosing this type of filter:
Multi-coated surface to help improve contrast and reduce reflections. For best results, the quality of the filter should be on a par with the quality of the glass in your lens.
Appropriate thickness for the type of lens you're mounting the filter on. On my 16-35mm wide-angle zoom, I have a filter with a thin mount so it doesn't cause vignetting when the lens is set to its widest field of view. For my long zoom lens, such as a 70-200mm, it doesn't make any difference how thick the filter mount is.
Brass or aluminum for the mount. The theory is that brass mounts tend to be easier to unmount from the lens than their aluminum counterparts. Some photographers believe that they don't "freeze up" as often, when they then require a filter wrench to remove. I don't have any conclusive data on the superiority of a brass mount, but I will say that I like the feel of brass better.
Polarizer filters
The two main benefits of a polarizing filter are to reduce or eliminate reflections on some surfaces and to darken a blue sky. The most widely used type, the circular polarizer, has two glass elements. Depending on the angle of the light, you can increase or decrease the polarizing effect by rotating the front element.
Polarizers are effective for both color and black and white photography. They can add drama to a sky, clarity to an object in water, and saturation to foliage in a landscape. As with protection filters, look for multi-coated polarizers with high-quality mounts. Keep in mind that polarizers are dense and will usually absorb two stops of exposure.
Since polarizers tend to be relatively expensive—up to $250 for a 72mm mount—you may want to buy the size for your largest diameter lens, then purchase cheaper step-down rings to mount the filter on your other lenses. But I like to have a polarizer for each of my major zooms.
Neutral Density filters
For photographers who like to shoot at wide apertures or use slow shutter speeds, even in normal daylight, neutral density filters are a valuable asset. They come in two basic types: single density and faders.
Single-density ND filters are commonly available in the following options:
ND.3 = 1 stop exposure adjustment
ND.6 = 2 stops exposure adjustment
ND.9 = 3 stops exposure adjustment
ND1.2 = 4 stops exposure adjustment
You can buy them individually or in a kit. Kits typically run $100 to $200.
The second type, variable neutral density filter, sometimes referred to as "fader ND filters," are often seen in ranges of 2 to 8 stops of exposure adjustment. You choose the density by rotating the outer ring of the filter. I've seen faders as cheap as $35 and as expensive as $350.
What's best for you?
Outdoor and event photographers should consider a high-quality protection filter when working in the field. If most of your work is in the comfy confines of a studio, adding an extra layer of glass shouldn't be necessary.
Polarizing filters are particularly handy for landscape artists. I also like to have one in my camera bag to help me tame reflections when working in contrasty light.
And if you like to shoot at wide apertures for shallow depth of field, or want to slow the shutter for a soft, flowing-water effect, then ND filters are certainly worth the price. Videographers also are big fans of ND filters to help them control depth of field when working in bright conditions. In a pinch, you can use a polarizer to help reduce light to the sensor, since it absorbs two exposure stops too.
This story, "Lens filters protect your pricey camera glass: Here are your options" was originally published by TechHive.


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1st PlaceRebus brain teasers use words or letters in interesting orientations to represent common phrases.
What saying is represented below?
1st Place Team:
S. Mirk
G. Rin
S. Mile
2nd Place Team:
F. Rown
S. Cowl
P. Out
3rd Place Team:
G. Rimace
D. Ejected
G. Lare
HintAre you happy when you win?
AnswerWinners are grinners.
The 1st place teams names are all 'grinning' names... S. Mirk (smirk), G.Rin (grin), S.Mile (smile).
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Think carefully about the riddle of life. It's complexity is no where near grasp. Understand that life is a puzzle and seek to solve its mysteries. Understand that this is an…..ENIGMA. This mysterious track is is perfect for business, personal, or simple pleasure.
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You are more than welcome to use any of my preview tracks in your video items!I ask that you add music credits in your project if possible. I understand that for some projects this will not work, however I do ask that if it can flow with the project that you add "Music by M.Paramonov" somewhere. Also, please send me an email to let me know about your item so that I can include links to your item in my profile and item descriptions to help promote your project. Thanks!


text:
OK ladies…I don't want to hear any more excuses. There's no need to complain about not having lingerie that fits. Plus size lingerie is popping up everywhere. And this includes one of my favorite retailers, City Chic. You may have seen the beautiful Tocarra wearing their pieces in the October issue of Plus Model Magazine. The new line carries bras, panties, and shapewear. Sexy!
And you're going to love this…it's all 30% off right now.


text:
Assessing the Effectiveness of Communication Therapy in the North West (The ACT NoW Pilot Study)
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Speech or Language Impairment Following Stroke
|Procedure: Speech and Language therapy for dysarthria and/or aphasia
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Educational/Counseling/Training
|Official Title:
|Assessing the Effectiveness of Communication Therapy in the North West (The ACT NoW Pilot Study)
- The primary outcome will be functional communicative ability.
- The economic analysis to estimate incremental cost effectiveness and net benefit of the intervention. Qualitative study to examine service users' and carers' perspectives Speech and Language Therapy vs control treatment.
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|February 2005
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|August 2005
Research Question: This is the pilot phase of a two-phase study. Phase 1 - What is the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial of therapy for adults with post-stroke communication impairment? to be followed in 2006 by Phase 2 - What are the effectiveness, costs and service user preferences, for the provision of speech and language therapy for communication difficulties experienced by people in hospital with a stroke? Methodology: Phase 1 - Qualitative (focus groups & individual interviews) and quantitative (pilot RCT). Phase 2 - Qualitative (focus groups & individual interviews) and quantitative (a pragmatic, multicentred, randomised controlled trial, stratified by diagnosis and therapist/centre, using an 'intention to treat' approach). Discrete choice experiments will be used to determine cost effectiveness.
Outcome Measures: The primary outcome will be functional communicative ability. The economic analysis will estimate the incremental cost effectiveness and net benefit of the intervention group compared to the control group from a societal perspective. The qualitative study will examine service users' and carers' perspectives on the process and effects of Speech and Language Therapy or the control treatment.
Sample Group: Adults with dysarthria or aphasia, seen early after admission to hospital with a stroke. Exclusions: subarachnoid haemorrhage, progressive dementia, expected recovery without therapy.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults with communication impairment following a new stroke
Exclusion Criteria:
- Not fluent in the English language
- Subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Pre-existing, progressive dementia or learning disability
- Palliative care only or deceased since admission
- Resident outside the treatment area
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00158106
|United Kingdom
|Human Communication and Deafness, School of Psychological Sciences, Humanities Devas Street, The University of Manchester
|Manchester, United Kingdom, M13 9PL
|Principal Investigator:
|Audrey Bowen, PhD
|The University of Manchester, UK
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00158106 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
HTA ref. 02/11/04
|Study First Received:
|September 7, 2005
|Last Updated:
|September 7, 2005
Keywords provided by NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme:
functional communicative ability
cost effectiveness
service user preferences
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Language Disorders
Communication Disorders
Neurobehavioral Manifestations
Neurologic Manifestations
Nervous System Diseases
Signs and Symptoms
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on August 23, 2017


text:
The romance, the spices, the souks – a flight to Casablanca with Qatar Airways transports you to one of the most exotic locations on the planet. Immortalised in film and literature, this remarkable place has managed to retain its character, despite the thousands of tourists who flock to the city every year. Fly to Casablanca and discover its romance, exoticism and charm for yourself.
The commercial and economic heart of Morocco, a trip to Casablanca also reveals a city that juxtaposes the ancient and modern perfectly. One of the most popular places to experience the spirit of Casablanca is the Old Medina (Bab Marrakesh), a small, traditional walled town in the north of the city.
The Mahkama du Pacha is a Hispanic-Moorish building that houses more than 60 ornately decorated rooms that perfectly display the finest in Moorish artwork. Delicately carved wooden ceilings, stuccoes and intricate wrought-iron railings are complemented by dazzling tiled floors, making this an essential addition to any itinerary. The King Hassan II Mosque, while relatively recent, is nevertheless an imposing and impressive structure. It's reported to be the third largest mosque in the world, and has the tallest minaret in the world too.
To see just how influential the French were in Casablanca, head to The Quartier Habous, also known as the nouvelle medina. Constructed in the 1930s to tackle a serious housing shortage, it combines two cultures in one: French and Moroccan. There is a reasonable selection of bazaars, bakeries, cafés and boutiques, and although it's perhaps a more sanitised version of the real Casablanca, it's still worth a visit.
A trip to Casablanca also uncovers a rich variety of early 20th Century architecture, primarily designed by Albert Laprade. He created the great central park in Casablanca, a tranquil open space that's well worth a visit. One of his finest additions to the city is the Phare d'el Hank lighthouse. Views from the top of the tower are spectacular, and well worth the climb!
A trip to Casablanca doesn't begin and end with the city – it is a perfect base from which to discover the attractions of North Morocco. Plenty of excursions to destinations such as Fez and the Atlas Mountains, or trips out to the desert give visitors a true sense of the scale of the country. If you prefer to stay in the city then a stroll around the souks and markets are a must.
During the winter the skiing in the mountains is particularly good. Check out details at La Fédération Royale Marocaine de Ski et Montagne, who have offices and information centres in the city. For a day at the beach, head to Aïn Diab Plage, which can be accessed via the Casa Tramway terminus.
The city is a cultural melting pot, so the cuisine has plenty of influences, from French and Spanish through to traditional Moroccan dishes. Head for the Medina to experience the best in Moroccan food, including fried eggplant and a variety of vegetable and meat dishes and soupe Marocaine.
On the Blvd. Des Almohades, you'll find authentic Moroccan restaurants built within the remains of the old fortress, serving traditional Moroccan dishes fused with contemporary elements. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes on offer, most of which are based around that Moroccan staple – cous cous. Also check out Tajine dishes (that can range from lamb and chicken to purely vegetarian options), Tanjia and Harira. You can even walk in the footsteps of Humphrey Bogart at a themed bar where they take the film theme so seriously that the pianist plays 'As Time Goes By' every night!
Travel to Casablanca and you need to make sure you pack your haggling tactics. For an authentic experience head to the souk at nouvelle medina (Quartier Habous), which has plenty of local crafts on offer. If you don't fancy haggling at all then it would be better to stick to the more sedate surroundings of Morocco Mall next to the beach in the Ain Diab district, which is said to be the second largest shopping mall in Africa. For traditional Moroccan goods such as tagines and leather goods, head for the area surrounding the Old Medina. For high-end brands, the Maarif district houses shops containing western labels and luxury goods.
Flights to Casablanca arrive at Mohammed V International Airport.
Visa restrictions for entry into the country will depend on your country of origin, length of stay and whether your trip is for business or pleasure. So before you fly to Casablanca please check the visa and passport requirements.
Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Voltage: 127 / 220 V 50 Hz
Plugs: Type C / E
Language: Arabic / Berber / French
International dialing code: +212
Join Privilege Club and make travelling with Qatar Airways even more rewarding
Great car booking rates and personalised service available from more than 40,000 locations worldwide.
Explore Discover Qatar's stopover packages offered by Qatar Airways Holidays. Book hotels, desert safaris, city and architectural tours including visits to Katara Cultural Village, Souq Waqif and The Pearl.


text:
24-Feb-1897 › Page 4 - Fold3.com
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About this Publication TitleNews - Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (IN)
The "Fort Wayne Daily Gazette" was founded in 1863 by David W. Jones, a printer and attorney from Marion, who began by hauling a printing press to Fort Wayne. Jones and his partner, Isaac Jenkinson, were dedicated Republicans and their newspaper supported President Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause in the Civil War. Fort Wayne was a Democratic stronghold with many Southern sympathizers at the time with the "Sentinel" calling for peace with the Confederacy and the ouster of Lincoln as president.
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text: Dorla Diane Kunkle Hillen, 55, of Tarrs, passed away peacefully at home Tuesday, May 22, 2012, with her family by her side. Born May 22, 1957, in Mt. Pleasant, she was the daughter of the late Graham and Nettie Phiffer Kunkle. Dorla was a 1975 graduate of Connellsville High School, also attended the Connellsville Area Vo-Tech School for Culinary Arts and a member of the new Stanton Alliance Church. Diane loved to play cards, Nascar racing, bingo, camping, fishing and being with family and friends, but most of all spending time with her granddaughter, Stephanie, and special nieces, Cherie and Jackie. Surviving are her husband, David E Hillen; children, Rachelle Kunkle and Vernon Ritenour Jr., of Indian Head, David Jr., at home, and Renee, of Tarrs; granddaughter, Stephanie; brother, Gilbert Kunkle and wife, Glee; sisters, Wilma Mowry, of Ligonier, Betty Griffith and husband, Hubert "Bud", of Mt. Pleasant, Debbie Shaw and husband, Ed, of Mt. Pleasant; mother and father-in-law, Patty and Frank Polanovsky, of Connellsville; brothers-in-law, James Hillen and wife, Cindy, of Connellsville, and Paul Hillen and wife, Joan, of Scottdale; and 18 nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Dorla was preceded in death by a sister, Thelma Richards; brothers-in-law, Howard Mowry and James Richards; and nephew, Brian Hixson.


text:
westmore boot
Product Code:
The Men's Timberland Westmore Boots are perfect when you want more than just comfort and durability. They have a stylish appearance coupled with durability. You'll have the benefit of a breathable supportive boot that will keep you going no matter how tough the day. They have a rugged smart look that goes with everything from jeans to chinos.
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text:
Just remember all these pics and vids are screen captures from World of Warcraft (and thus technically © Blizzard Entertainment). For personal use only!
Frosties come to Dath'remar video - back in BC
Frosties in Kara
Frosties in Cataclysm
Roshii and Souglyy - Best Friends
Reunited - music is Blizzard's "Taverns" played by Shabadu and Beauti
Ayelena Fires it up
Frostwolves in Dragon Soul
Frostwolves come to Saurfang (Throne of Thunder)
Dark Phoenixes
Mountains of Mammoths - WOTLK (ICC)
Kor'kron annihilators after killing Al'Akir
Moopie getting Shadowmourne - WOTLK (ICC)
Auriyah 10 man - WOTLK (Ulduar)
Kologarn 25 - WOTLK (Ulduar)
Frosties on Frostwolves - WOTLK (OS)
Ironbound Protodrakes, Orgrimmar
Sulfuron Spire Mount Hyjal
Statues in Uldum
Vortex Pinnacle Uldum
Therazane's Throne, Deepholm
Bastion of Twilight, Twilight Highlands
Nordrassil - Mount Hyjal
Wailing Caverns - Southern Barrens
Waterworks - Battle for Gilneas
Farm - Arathi Basin
Kodo graveyard - Desolace
Lighthouse - Westfall (ugh the rain!)
Twilight Ridge - Nagrand
Penguins - Borean Tundra
Pic by Aza - totally awesome!


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Hi, I'm a long time lurker/Chuck fan and I have a first edition/first printing signed copy of Fight Club. A girlfriend bought it for me three or four years ago and I am looking to sell it as I am moving inter-state soon and need every last cent I can get my hands on at the moment.
I see them up on eBay for upwards of $500 in some cases and I was wondering if the actually sell or they just sit on there for months and months? Anyone tried to sell one recently?
I assume I'd have to put it on eBay to make it more safer and secure for the buyer so I'm not trying to flog it off on here. Was just wondering if anyone had had any experience with selling one?


text:
Oyster Fork$3.50 RRP
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- Find instore
- Buy online
The highest quality meets classic design in Maxwell & Williams' Cosmopolitan stainless steel cutlery collection. The unmistakeable shine of polished stainless steel gives these pieces an edge of refinement, while the matte handles are a contemporary detail, giving each piece a contoured look and keeping them smooth and comfortable to use.
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Ultimate Clarity with HC3® Technology
Unlike conventional lenses that are bent into place from flat sheets causing distortion and magnification in your peripheral vision, Elite lenses are unmistakably clear. Incorporating HC3® technology for a superior optical experience, they're injected molded to the correct curvature in the first stages of creation. This preformed shape ensures absolute clarity through the lens for a view that is sharp, focused, and true.


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 9/1/2013 (1683 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Andrew Strempler, who launched Canada's first large Internet pharmacy and helped Americans afford life-saving drugs, has been sentenced to 48 months in prison.
Strempler originally faced three counts of mail fraud that carried a maximum sentence of 20 years each. He plea-bargained those charges down to the sentence handed down Wednesday in Miami, Fla.
The government sought a 57-month sentence. Strempler's counsel, Susan Bozorgi, countered with 41 months. Strempler also forfeited $300,000.
Bozorgi did not return phone or email messages. Strempler's former partner, Mark Rzepka, has also refused interview requests from the Free Press. Rzepka sold his interests in Strempler's company, Mediplan, also called RxNorth, in late 2004 or early 2005.
"It's a sad story," said Daren Jorgenson, who exited the Internet pharmacy business about five years ago. Strempler's story is of "a Mennonite kid from Manitoba who made so much money but money corrupted him," he said.
Strempler was in his mid-20s when he launched his business in 2001 out of a pharmacy he set up in Minnedosa that was on the brink of foreclosure. He saved the pharmacy by selling nicotine gum on eBay.
The business took off, with help from cheaper Canadian medications and a Canadian dollar worth only 68 cents U.S. He was soon employing hundreds of staff and selling prescription drugs for heart disease and diabetes across the U.S. He and his partners in Mediplan won the Prairie Entrepreneurs of the Year award.
Jorgenson said he once lived next door to Strempler when Strempler owned Leonard Asper's former home on Wellington Crescent and Jorgenson owned David Asper's former home.
"I told Andrew" to watch out, Jorgenson said.
When American pharmaceutical companies began limiting drug sales to Canadian pharmacies to counter Internet sales, many Internet pharmacies began sourcing their drugs overseas from legitimate pharmacies in Israel, Ireland, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia. But Strempler began sourcing prescription drugs from places such as Dubai, where there is a greater potential for counterfeit drugs, said Jorgenson.
Strempler then removed the original labels and listed the country of origin as Canada. His fraud convictions stem from misrepresenting the country of origin on shipments of prescription drugs in 2005 and 2006.
An industry source said Internet pharmacies were worried a country-of-origin label from countries such as Greece and Turkey, where some drugs were sourced, could sow seeds of doubt in patients' minds. The signed agreement between U.S. authorities and Strempler states some drugs in shipments "were not consistent" with the name brands they were alleged to represent.
Strempler was living in Panama with his family prior to his arrest in a Miami airport last June.


text:
Hot Links! Celebrities in Lab Coats?
Plus: How-to rock the top bun, Dakota and Elle Fanning's high fashion cover, and more!
-Nalissa Cuthbert
The MOCA Gala was packed with gowns, celebrities, and… lab coats. All in the name of art. (TheGloss)
There's nothing like doing a split in mid-air after grabbing your morning coffee. Oh the beautiful art of dancing. (TheBerry)
Which would you choose money or love? Find out how to prioritize what's really important. (YourTango)
Whether he's kissing costars or dogs, Ryan Gosling's lips get their fair share of action! (TresSugar)
Join the sexy-casual trend by sporting a top bun! It's a cute and easy style that's showing up all over the red carpet. (CollegeCandy)
The Fanning sisters are nothing short of gorgeous on the December cover of W Magazine! Sometimes we forget that they're still teens. (TheGloss)
If you've ever wondered how to pull off the fairy godmother look with style, here's the perfect guide for you. Go nuts with Disney looks! (TheBerry)
Twitter's great for snooping on celebs and tracking your friends' every move; but is it also a good source for relationship advice? (YourTango)
We love a cute fall dress, and this leopard Dolce Vita piece definitely fits the bill! (BeautyBloggingJunkie)


text:
In case the title of this article hasn't made the contents obvious: there are spoilers about the ending of Mass Effect. If you haven't played any of the games in the Mass Effect series, go do that. There are three very different but very good games to be enjoyed. If you don't have time, make the time. If you aren't able to play the games even at the lowest difficulty, find somebody that can play them and watch them go through it. Seriously, these games may be the most important works of science fiction of the decade so get on it. When you've done that, return for a spoiler-ridden commentary on the fan-engineered "controversy" surrounding the ending.
There, now that it's just us N7 veterans, we can be candid. Many of you are apparently upset with how the story concluded. But I hope that with a little reflection you'll be able to appreciate that conclusion as the best possible way that it could have wrapped up. The final mission of Mass Effect was extremely heavy and dark. Shepard's final goodbye to her past and present squads, the push through the smouldering apartments and cafes, the desperate stand against overwhelming forces while a reaper destroyer inches its way closer, the culminating charge through the destruction, only to be blasted away a few meters from the objective, all of this is enormously powerful and vindicates what the game has been saying all along: you won't make it, but you have to try anyway.


text:
Back at it today …
You can tell it is getting toward the end of spring training — empty boxes are showing up in the clubhouse. Guys are starting to pack. Where once they were occupied, lockers are now empty.
Here's what's going on:
-The Mets signed infielder Fernando Tatis to a minor league contract.
-Orlando Hernandez goes against St. Louis. He tweaked his right hamstring in his last start. I still wouldn't be surprised to see him open on the DL and Mike Pelfrey in the rotation.
-Willie Randolph said he'll keep his mind open, but for now Shawn Green is his right fielder. My thinking is still that Lastings Milledge will open the season in the minor leagues. Milledge makes it if Randolph changes his mind. He'll get a starting nod over Endy Chavez or Ben Johnson.
-Aaron Sele has a good chance at bumping Jorge Sosa from the long reliever role.


text:
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*Selecting 'No' will keep you logged in to Facebook in this browser.
US Map 84 Piece Puzzle: It's your patriotic duty to put this 84-piece puzzle together! The puzzle pieces are all cut in the shape of each of the fifty states and measures 20.5"x14.5" when complete. For ages 5 and up. UPC: 653569552581


text:
The Crap We Missed – Tuesday 6.28.11
Suddenly I miss Nicole Eggert.
Welcome to Tuesday's The Crap We Missed featuring Johnny Depp and Snooki go to the same nail salon, Joe Jonas fooling exactly no one, irrefutable proof that I hate you and Michael Lohan making sure Lindsay isn't doing drugs in the shower. "She wants us to think she's just washing her jugs. Now hide my erection with this cellphone clip."
Look, I made it an entire post without saying angel rape – dammit,
- The Superficial
Click Here To Start The Gallery
Photo: Bauer-Griffin, Fame, Flynet, Pacific Coast News, Splash News, WENN


text:
Kenya: Innovative Cash Transfers Restore Hope, Dignity
There is no "one size fits all" strategy for helping families and communities rebuild after a devastating crisis. Action Against Hunger's food security & livelihoods programs uphold this principle when working to restore self-sufficiency by respecting a community's economic and cultural character. Each community has its own unique assets, and it's our job to work with local leaders to identify these assets and integrate them into a project's overall design. While this painstaking commitment to community participation is essential, contexts are different, requiring new models and novel approaches.
The political instability that unfolded in Kenya in January of 2008 presented Action Against Hunger with one such set of unique challenges. Nakuru, the regional capital of Kenya's Rift Valley Province, had been particularly affected by the post-election violence that tore through Kenya last year. With populations displaced along ethnic lines, livelihoods disrupted, and homes destroyed, communities were left adrift to fend for themselves in makeshift camps.
While most humanitarian assistance centered on the needs in the camps, a significant number of the displaced had gone undetected, having sought shelter with friends and relatives in Nakuru instead of the camps. After establishing a presence in the camps, Action Against Hunger discovered that there were unmet needs in town, where residents struggled to rebuild their homes and support their families without any access to income. Action Against Hunger saw a clear opportunity to introduce a cash-based program to meet these overlooked needs.
A Need for Innovation
Some type of cash-based intervention often makes sense in such situations, but the usual mechanisms didn't seem to fit Nakuru's diverse, urban environment. A standard cash-for-work program didn't seem appropriate: most of the destroyed properties had been privately owned, leaving little opportunity for such community-wide projects. Cash voucher programs were another possibility, but vouchers are restricted to specific food and non-food items, which wouldn't have helped the displaced in Nakuru. Cash grants were another option that might have worked in Nakuru's urban setting, but distributing large sums of money might encourage theft, not to mention make it difficult to monitor how the grants were used or measure their effectiveness.
What was needed was some sort of livelihood revitalization program to foster a range of income-generating activities for those displaced individuals who lost what little capital they had possessed. "Cash-based interventions make sense for jumpstarting income opportunities," explains ACF's Food Security & Livelihoods Adviser, Silke Pietzsch. "These people are adults and can decide for themselves what they need to start a micro-enterprise or get a business off the ground."
Given Nakuru's urban setting, with financial institutions and an active economy, Action Against Hunger developed a novel solution: Why not enlist a local bank to secure beneficiaries' grants in formal accounts? Equity Bank, a local institution with two Nakuru branches and multiple ATM machines, agreed to open accounts for Action Against Hunger's program beneficiaries. As customary bank fees would have depleted some of the grant money, ACF assumed responsibility for any ATM card purchases, transfer costs, and withdrawal fees. And another innovative cash transfer program was born.
Reaching Those Most In Need
Over 80% of the participants represented households headed by women.
According to the program's comprehensive eligibility criteria, the project targeted heads of households who were single parents, elderly, disabled, chronically ill, or who had at least one member in an emergency nutrition program. Eligibility also depended on economic factors such as asset losses, work opportunities, external support (family or otherwise), and number of dependents. Eventually, 1,000 households received cash grants of $130 dollars each (roughly 10,000 Kenyan shillings), distributed over 2 to 4 week intervals depending on investment needs. Over 80% of the participants represented households headed by women, and all beneficiaries were required to attend financial management training sessions.
Project designers expected that beneficiaries would use the first disbursement for immediate needs—such as food, clothing, health care, and construction materials to rebuild their homes—and the second disbursement for longer-term livelihood support. But surprisingly, only a quarter of the beneficiaries followed this strategy. Another quarter reserved the first disbursement for longer-term needs, such as small business investments or the purchase of farming implements, and the remainder divided the first disbursement for both short- and long-term needs.
Diverse Strategies
There were some adjustments along the way—replacements were found for 114 households disqualified after the first round of disbursements—but the overwhelming majority successfully combined the grants with their own creativity and regained their economic independence.
One elderly woman, disabled by polio, used the entire grant to buy a corn popping machine and sell bags of popcorn at the roadside. On her first day, she reported that she sold 200 bags of popcorn at 10 shillings each, earning 2,000 shillings for a morning's work. She now hopes to expand her business by convincing other disabled friends to join her.
Another group of women used the grants to rebuild their social and economic lives. Pooling their money, they bought motorized spinning wheels and raw wool (which was cheaper in bulk) and formed a spinners' cooperative. As they had all lost their husbands in the recent violence and were afraid to stay alone, they used a portion of the grant money to rent a house where they could live and work together.
With a very modest outlay, some 1,000 families were back on the road to self-sufficiency.
The success of the program and the value of the cash grants cannot be overstated: With a very modest outlay, some 1,000 families were back on the road to self-sufficiency. In an interesting twist, however, Equity Bank's involvement added an entirely new dimension to the project, providing participants with a level of financial security they had never experienced before. Having a formal bank account empowered more than half the participants to save an average $32 from the original grant for future emergencies; they were no longer fearful of losing whatever they didn't immediately spend.
It is quite possible that this new distribution mechanism (i.e., bank ATMs)—beyond the cash grants themselves—has helped some of Nakuru's most vulnerable residents achieve self-sufficiency.
More Resources
Humanitarian Exchange: Making Cash Work, A Case Study from Kenya
Food Security & Livelihoods Advisor for Action Against Hunger provides more detail about the organization's innovative cash transfer program in Nakuru, Kenya in the June 2009 issue of Humanitarian Exchange. The article serves as a resource for other humanitarian actors working in the field.


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Colorful DeliveriesLogic Grid puzzles come with a handy interactive grid that will help you solve the puzzle based on the given clues.
Determine each person's first and last name, the color of each package, what each contained, and what time it was delivered.
1. Michelle did not receive shoes and did not receive her package at 1:00 PM. Mr. Jones didn't receive his package in the afternoon.
2. The button up shirt did not come in a black or purple package. The shirt Michael received is not a sweatshirt. The purple package did not contain shoes.
3. Mrs. Marks, who received her package at 3:00 PM, didn't receive a light pink package, which was not delivered at 9:00 AM.
4. Kevin's last name isn't Johnson and he didn't receive his package at 4:00 PM. The high heels did not come in the hot pink package and were not delivered at 11:00 AM.
5. The hot pink package was delivered two hours after the button up shirt and two hours before Kara received her package.
6. The order of the appointments is the person who ordered the clogs, Ms. Green and her shirt, the owner whose last name is Smith, the person who received the red package, and Jason.
AnswerMichael Smith, Hot Pink, Flannel Shirt, 1PM;
Kevin Jones, Black, Clogs, 9AM;
Jason Johnson, Purple, Sweatshirt, 4PM;
Michelle Green, Light Pink, Button Up, 11AM;
Kara Marks, Red, High Heels, 3PM
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BP Comment Quick Links
November 11, 2013
Internet Baseball Awards
American League Top Rookie
For full results of this year's AL and NL Top Rookie voting, look here. You can also view the IBA's rules and history.
In a year thin on rookies in the American League, Wil Myers stole the show. Acquired by the Rays from the Royals for James Shields and Wade Davis in last winter's megadeal, Myers produced from the moment he was called up in mid-June, hitting .288/.321/.413 through his first month of action. By season's end, he led AL rookies in nearly every offensive category, including on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and TAv. While he wasn't extremely patient, he didn't suffer from the impatient approach of some rookies, swinging, chasing, and walking at roughly league-average rates. Opposing pitchers may make adjustments that he'll have to counter in the future, but they couldn't prevent Myers from taking home this year's IBA for AL Top Rookie.
Myers' impressive performance filled a glaring hole in Tampa Bay's lineup. Before his call-up, the Rays had deployed a platoon of Matt Joyce and Sam Fuld in right field. (Joyce and Fuld finished the season hitting .235 and .199, respectively, though Joyce's low batting average belies his adequate offensive play.) Myers went on to start the balance of the Rays' games in right thereafter, providing a stable source of power in the middle of the order.
His reliability, however, wavered in the postseason, where Myers posted an unpleasant .100/.143/.100 in 20 at-bats (seven of which ended in strikeouts) and misplayed a pivotal fly ball in ALDS Game One. Unfortunately, the Rays' fortunes seemed to sink with Myers': the team managed only 16 runs in the playoffs, nearly a run behind their per-game average during the regular season.
But Myers's uninspiring small-sample finale had no bearing on his precocious displays of talent during the regular season, which led him to a landslide victory in the IBA polls. He secured 447 out of a possible 553 first-place votes, and finished nearly 3,000 ballot points ahead of runner-up Jose Iglesias. Myers may not have graced the baseball world with a rookie season for the ages, but as the results indicate (quite conclusively), he was beyond good enough to earn Top Rookie honors.
That's not to say that other AL rookies did nothing to challenge Myers's supremacy. Jose Iglesias flashed Gold Glove potential in Boston before being traded to Detroit, where he firmly entrenched himself as the team's best defensive infielder. A quick glance at his offensive numbers makes Iglesias look like a five-tool phenom, but some of his success was fueled by an unsustainable BABIP, especially early in the year. All things considered, Iglesias projects as a bottom-of-the-order contact hitter. If he becomes a perennial contender for Gold Gloves, though, he'll be everything his heavy-hitting Tiger teammates need him to be.
Rounding out the rest of the top five were starting pitchers Chris Archer, Dan Straily, and Sonny Gray. Archer solidified his place in the Rays' rotation with a respectable 3.22 ERA and 4.09 FIP in 128⅓ innings. Straily and Gray, meanwhile, reinforced Oakland's reputation for developing productive young arms. Straily was somewhat erratic in his 152⅓ innings but finished the season strong, posting a 2.00 ERA over his final six starts. Gray quickly became one of Oakland's most important players, pitching 64 stellar innings down the stretch and limiting the potent Tigers lineup to three earned runs in his two hard-fought postseason starts.
But in the end, no one could match the numbers put up by one of baseball's fastest-rising stars… and the owner of one of its worst haircuts.
All Internet Baseball Awards American League Top Rookie results
Nick Bacarella is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
4 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
John Carter
The voting may not have been so close, but their WAR values were - I think. Myers still wins under FanGraphs 2.4 to 1.8, but in B-Ref, Myers had an oWAR of 2.2 and a dWAR of -0.7. By my arithmetic, that adds up to 1.7, but for some reason I wish someone could explain to me, B-Ref shows 2.0 as his total WAR. Even weirder with Iglesias, his oWAR shows 1.6 with Boston and 0.3 with Detroit. This matches his WAR ignoring his 0.3 dWAR with Boston and 0.2 dWAR with Detroit. It should all add up to 2.4 give or take a rounding error.
Nov 11, 2013 06:49 AM
Baseball-reference's WAR double counts the positional adjustment when you split out the oWAR and dWar. So combining the two numbers together won't give you bWAR.
Nov 11, 2013 10:23 AM
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Monday, December 17th
Holiday Rock & Roll at the Sofitel
December 18th, 6 P.M. This holiday pastry competition, hosted by Steve Dolinsky, features dessert samples from Maison, Carnivale, and Stout Barrel House & Gallery. Thanks to Metromix for the tip. $35. 20 East Chestnut St.;event website
Tuesday, December 18th
An Evening of Wine & Film with Ed Burns
December 18th, Doors open at 6 p.m., event starts at 8 p.m. Writer, director, and actor Ed Burns will team up with City Winery's Michael Dorf to pair 8 wines with 8 film scenes. $20 for barstool seats (does not include wine), $38 reserved, $48 VIP. 1200 W Randolph St.;event website
Big Star & Green Flash Winter Beer Dinner
December 18th, seatings at 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. A winter beer dinner, with four courses, each one paired with a Green Flash brew. The dinner will features such dishes as pan roasted sweet breads paired with Pale Ale, and duck confit paired with double stout black ale. $70, including beer, dinner, tax, and tip. 1531 North Damen Avenue; event website
Beyond the Weekend
Marché de Noël at the Chicago French Market
Through December 21st, 8 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Check out artisanal holiday gifts, including jewelry, kids' items, and photographs, at the Chicago French Market. Free. 131 North Clinton; event website


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Bungee Card Case / Wallet
I've had one of these cases for years and it has held up like a champ. I don't like carrying around a big fat wallet but all my credit cards don't fit so neatly into my regular coin purse. This little holder is great for cards like your AAA and any backup cards you can't leave at home.


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44th Floor
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
United States
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Anthony Ciasulli is a senior counsel in Morgan Lewis's Real Estate Practice. Mr. Ciasulli represents both developers and lenders in connection with commercial, residential, industrial and resort real estate.
Brian M. Jazaeri is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Litigation Practice. Mr. Jazaeri represents clients in complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on class action matters and financial services, healthcare and technology litigation.


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Schnee's Pac Boots are Men's sizing. Women should go down a size for a proper fit.
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The Medical Minute: The big deal about gluten
Gluten is in many foods we consume on a daily basis. Do we need it, and why do we hear so much lately about people cutting it out of their diets? Even though it is in so many foods, Penn State Hershey dietitian Liz Reid says it is not an essential nutrient.


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CEMS Exchange 8 (CEMS6108)
This unit is for students on exchange studying in a Master of Management program at one of the CEMS member institutions.
Study this unit outside a degree
Non-award/non-degree study
If you wish to undertake one or more units of study (subjects) for your own interest but not towards a degree, you may enrol in single units as a non-award student.
Cross-institutional study
If you are from another Australian tertiary institution you may be permitted to underake cross-institutional study in one or more units of study at the University of Sydney.


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AnandTech Exclusive: CrossFire Benchmarks Revealedby Derek Wilson on 7/22/2005 6:00 AM EST
- Posted in
- GPUs
65 Comments
Back to Article
Hasse - Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - linkSigh.. Read comment to first post.. Reply
DerekWilson - Thursday, July 28, 2005 - linkWe're all still getting used to the new design :-)
To actually reply -- the crossfire card can work alone. you don't need another card. I know this because it was running by itself while I was trying various methods to coax it into submission :-) ... Also, even if gigabyte's hardware is close to complete, ATI is in charge of the driver for the mobo and the graphics card, as well as getting a solid video bios out to their customers. These things are among the last in the pipe to be fully optimized.
I don't think I could give up the F520 even for desk space. I'd rather type on an LCD panel any day, but if I am gonna play or test games, there's just no substitute for a huge CRT. Reply
DanaGoyette - Monday, July 25, 2005 - linkWant to know why 1280x1024 always looks wrong on CRTs? It's because IT IS wrong! 800x600, 1024x768, 1600x1200 -- all are 4:3 aspect ratio,
1280x1024? That's 5:4! To get 4:3, you need to use 1280x960! That should be benchmarked too, if possible.
Whoever invented that resolution should be forced to watch a CRT flickering at 30 Hz interlaced for the rest of his life! Or at least create more standard resolutions with the SAME aspect ratio!
I could rant on this endlessly.... Reply
DerekWilson - Tuesday, July 26, 2005 - linkThere are a great many lcd panels that use 1280x1024 -- both for desktop systems and on notebooks.
the resolution people play games on should match the aspect ratio of the display device. At the same time, there is no point in testing 1280x960 and 1280x1024 because their performance would be very similar. We test 1280x1024 because it is the larger of the two resolutions (and by our calculations, the more popular).
Derek Wilson Reply
Hasse - Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - linkTrue!
I'ld have to agree with Derek. Most people that play on 1280 use 1280x1024. But it is also true that 960 is the true 4:3... While I don't know why it's so that there's 2 versions of 1280 (probably something related to video or TV), I also know that the performance difference is allmost zero, try for yourself. Running Counterstrike showed no difference on my computer.
-Hasse Reply
giz02 - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkNothing wrong with 16x12 adn sli'd 7800's. If your monitor can't go beyond that, then surely it would welcome the 8 and 16xaa modes that come for free, besides Reply
vision33r - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkFor the price of $1000+ to do Crossfire, you could've just bought the 7800GTX and you're done. Reply
coldpower27 - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkWell Multi GPU technology to me makes sense simply when you can't get the same performance you need out of a single card. I would rather have the 7800 GTX then the Dual 6800 Ultra setup, for reduced power consumption.
You gotta hand it to Nidia able to market their SLI setup to the 6600 GT, and soon to be 6600 LE line. Reply
karlreading - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkI have to say im running a SLI setup.
i went from a AGP based ( nf3, 754 a64 3200+ hammer ) 6800GT system, to the current SLI setup ( nf4 SLI/s939 3200+ winchester ) dual 6600GT setup.
to be honest, SLI aint all that. i miss the fact that to use my dual desktop ( i have 2*20inch CRT's ) I have to turn SLI off in the drivers, which involves a reboot, so thats hassel. Yes, the dual GT's beat even a 6800 ULTRA in non AA settings in doom 3 but they get creamed with AA on, even the 6600GT'S i have are feeling cpu strangulation, so you need a decent cpu to feed it. and not all games are SLI ready. To be honest, apart from the nice view in the case of to cards in there ( looks trick ) i would rather have a decent single card set up then a SLI setup.
crossfire is looking strong though! AIT needed it and now they have it, the playing field is much more level! karlos! Reply
AnnoyedGrunt - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkAlso, as far as XFire competing with SLI, it seems to offer nothing really different from SLI, and in that sense only competes by being essentially the same thing but for ATI cards. However, NV is clearly concerned about it (as evidenced by their AA improvements, the reduction on the SLI chipset prices, and the improvements in default game support). So, ATI's entry into the dual card arena has really improved the features for all users, which is why this heated competition between the companies is so good for consumers. Hopefully ATI will get their XFire issues resolved quickly, although I agree with the sentiment that the R520 is far more important than XFire (at least in the graphics arena - in the chipset arena ATI probably can't compete without XFire).
-D'oh! Reply
AnnoyedGrunt - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkThere seems to be something wrong with the Splinter Cell scores.
The 6800U gets the same 40.2 FPS for both 1600x1200 and 1600x1200 4XAA.
Yet the 6800U SLI gets 75.9 w/out AA and 53.7 w/AA.
I'm guessing that the 40.2 is incorrect for the single card with AA, and that the actual score is lower, probably around 30-35 (based on the X850 single card score).
Using the 30-35 FPS score as a baseline would mean that SLI has a 53%-79% improvement.
I'm not sure if these estimates are real or not, but I definitely think something is wrong with your numbers and that the ~34% improvemnt in your conclusion is incorrect as well.
michal1980 - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkall these crt users need to wake up and join everyone else. 99% of all gamers useing crts? phhf, only gamers that also have record players because they swear they can hear the differance between a record and a cd. that difference is noise. where as almost everything in you pc is digital, you guys choose to live with the noise/cross talk, other anamolies that plague your crts because of the d/a conversion, and the non-error correcting communiation.
while i will enjoy my perfect geometery, no need to have all magnets placed miles apart, whinning at res to high. monitor flickering when res changes. and the fact is that 99% of gamers do not spend the big $$$. i mean hell like 70% of the video cards out there are on board. and i'm geussing only like 5% are high end that can go aboce 12x10 res. at 12x10 most people can play perfectly on there lcds.
grow up crt fanboys, and wake up to what is really happening, your crts are dieing, our lcds are getting better. who really wants a 100+ box with a 4 ft footprint on there desk. only gamer snoobs like you. Reply
DerekWilson - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkCrystalBay (and anyone else who cares) ... you want the bf2 demo we use? Email me and I'll send it to you.
It is difficult to setup bf2 to get repeatable results, and I'd recommend that you spend some time inside EA's demo.cmd for benchmarking the game and reading various forums on the subject.
Just to let everyone know, we have to actually take the csv file bf2 generates with the frametimes for each frame and we average the last 1700 frames. DICE actually records frametimes for the loadscreen, and it's more acurate for us to use their recorded times than to use something like fraps.
That's all the "support" I'll give for the demo file, but if you still want it, feel free to ask.
Derek Wilson Reply
Staples - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkI am impressed with the performance gain. Seems to be more than NVIDIA SLI. Reply
CrystalBay - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkThis is bogus why doesn't AT release the AT BF2 time demo Reply
ElJefe - Saturday, July 23, 2005 - linkMy crt cost over a 1000 dollars. 23 inch mitsubishi.
there's nothing on the market that beats a crt for gaming. you have to be smoking some seriously badly cut ghetto crack to consider that an lcd is anything besides prettier,thinner and easier on the eyes than a high quality crt. And really, it is only easier on the eyes for doing 2d work, well, except for when the pixels get in the way of the font being perfectly round and clean, then it sux there too.
even a skank level crt beats out 600 dollar lcd's.
Reapsy00 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#17 Your mouth opens and closes and crap pours out Reply
Reapsy00 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkWhats the point of these benchmarks without minimum fps? Reply
Zebo - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link::::YAWN:::::
Too little too late. Reply
flatblastard - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkI have been a skeptic of SLI/Xfire and the like. I guess I just don't see the need for two cards, although I'm sure there is one or two reasons. I bought the 850pe earlier this year and I have to say I still don't regret it, even if it was overpriced. I'm thinking I will just keep using this card until R520 reaches the surface. Then I will be able to decide whether to buy the x850 master, or just do what I've always done and get the next single card in either the mid or high end. Reply
BroadbandGamer - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link"#23, I think you may be the only person out there who uses an LCD for gaming without scaling the resolution up to native."
I never scale a lower res. I'd rather play the game with black bars around it then look at a nasty scaled image. So the guy is not alone, there's lots of us who don't like scaling lower resolutions to fit the native resolution of the screen. Reply
DerekWilson - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#39, You make a good point about people reading the article. But it is important to make it clear that spending more than $900 on graphics hardware may not be worth it unless the user wants to run 1600x1200 or higher.
We've updated the article to include percent increase tables on the last page. CrossFire ends up being pretty competitive with SLI in terms of % increase. Reply
johnsonx - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkdo we have any information yet that says an ATI Crossfire setup will or will not work in an NForce4-SLI board? Reply
saiku - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link
Just so most people without bazillion dollars to spend on these systems get a clue, how about posting 6800 GT, 9800 Pro, 6600 GT numbers. Maybe then we could decide to sell the house and buy the XFire solutions.
Why the moaning about not running above 1600x1200? What percentage of people reading this article will be running it above those settings , I wonder? Reply
bob661 - Monday, July 25, 2005 - link
What percentage of people reading this article will be running it above those settings , I wonder?
There's probably quite a few people here running it above those resolutions. Remember, this is a geek site. :) Reply
blackarc - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#37 - ROTFLMFAO!!!!!
I love my dual 19" LCDs Reply
yacoub - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkWow, where to begin with this one...
=====#23 no serious gamer would play in a window,====
====and how can you not see the drawback of shrinking the screen size to get a lower resolution?=====
I'm not shrinking anything, I'm putting it at its natural size. And again, I only do it to run certain games smoothly on my aging system. I see no drawback to running a 1024x768 window'd game on my desktop for games like UT2k4. Sorry, I just prefer that. I also like to be able to Alt-Tab without all the drama (time wasted) reloading of the screen that happens when you run a game in full-screen mode anyway. I'm different that way I guess. OH NOES, DIFFERENCES R BAD!
======Why turn a 19" display into a 14" display?====
Except I'm not? I have a 17" display and I'm using it all, I just put some games in a window on the desktop - you know, like you do with many other pieces of software that you don't want to take up your entire view, or in the case of some games that run better at a lower res on my system.
=======I'm sorry but my 21" crt can do any resolution and still use all of the screen space and not interpolate.====
And mine can do any resolution up to its maximum just fine as well and in a manner I am happy with that does not "interpolate" or distort. Thanks for playing. M
y system's not spec'd enough to run 1280x1024 in the latest games. Since I'm GOING TO BE PLAYING IN 1024x NO MATTER WHAT, why not do it in the most efficient manner where I can also keep an eye on other tasks? And so that's what I do. :)
======LCDs can't period and that's a big deal for 99% of gamers.======
Most gamers have machines that can run the native res of 17" or 19" LCDs. I don't anymore since some games are too much for my system. I was simply answering the faux complaint about, "OMG IT STRETCHES TEH GAMES IN NONNATIVE RES" because it certainly doesn't on mine nor on most modern LCDs that have more than simply "stretch image" as a way to display lower resolutions! *gasp* Imagine that! Technology changes and improves! Ignorance must be bliss though. Reply
ann111 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkMy desk just looks a hell of a lot nicer with a dell 2005fpw and hyundai l90d+, which together take up less space than my old sony 21" crt. Reply
DerekWilson - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#23, I think you may be the only person out there who uses an LCD for gaming without scaling the resolution up to native.
#28, we used an XT / XT combo for SLI, and the Far Cry benchmarks are not a typo. Nor are the XT PE labels. Sorry for the confusion, but it had been a while since I had run Far Cry numbers and the game favored CrossFire enough to make it worth a few quick tests on a couple other cards.
#30, at this point no, we can't test on other chipsets. This product is still in developement and has a hard enough time getting enabled on all ATI hardware.
Derek Wilson Reply
Sunbird - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#8, your wrong, CRT's are the win!
The only reason I like LCD's is cause they have made big CRT's so cheap!! Reply
CP5670 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkIt depends on the person. I can notice a considerable amount of ghosting in a fast paced game like UT2004 even on an 8ms LCD.
I would never go with an LCD for any kind of gaming for a number of reasons, but anyway I got a top notch CRT a month ago and don't need to worry about LCD limitations for a couple of years at least. Reply
Guspaz - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkI'm a laptop gamer. I've got an older Mobility Radeon 9700 Pro, so I can't run everything at the native screen size of 1400x1050. As such there are many games that I play at 1024x768, or even 800x600 in the more extreme cases.
Games look just fine with modern LCD scaling. That is to say, a 1024x768 game looks very good scaled up to 1400x1050. When ATI was designing their scaling algo, they obviously focused on making the pixels look square, rather than just doing a simple bilinear transform.
The point of scaling on LCDs may be moot to serious gamers though, as modern desktop cards often don't need to run games at below native res. And when they do, I can report they still look good scaled up.
I can also report that the response rate ("motion blur") is totally overblown. I've got a laptop, which obviously means I've got a pretty high response time (Probably 25ms to 30ms). Motion blur is noticeable, but isn't really distracting except in very bright areas. Desktop LCDs have improved a great deal beyond this with significantly lower response times to the point where it isn't an issue at all. I understand contrast ratios have also improved. All that is really left is colour saturation/accuracy (as a thing that CRTs are better at).
Most gamers I know with modern PCs have LCDs now. CRTs are dying, slowly but surely, much like DVDs slowly replaced VHS. LCDs already outsell CRTs, and adoption among gamers is possibly even higher than the regular computer buying public. Reply
jkostans - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#23 no serious gamer would play in a window, and how can you not see the drawback of shrinking the screen size to get a lower resolution? Why turn a 19" display into a 14" display? I'm sorry but my 21" crt can do any resolution and still use all of the screen space and not interpolate. LCDs can't period and that's a big deal for 99% of gamers. Oh and #21, CRTs will be around until there is a technology that is fit to take its place. LCD panels are not even close to the quality of a good CRT display. Reply
blwest - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkCan we do this benchmark on a NON ATI chipset? Reply
Samadhi - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkThis article shows the need for a lot more reviews of high resolution LCD devices from a gaming perspective. Reply
fungmak - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkAnand or Derek - two quick questions
Whats the configuration of the slave and master card. Is it an XT as master and XT PE as the slave?
Obviously the speedup for crossfire would be a little bit more if you just used regular XTs instead of XT PEs for the single, if it was just two crossfired XTs.
Finally, in the Far Cry benchmarks, the single ATi card is labelled as the XT, but in the others, the single ATi card is an XT PE. Is this a typo?
Sea Shadow - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkSeems like they were CPU limiting most of the benches, only 1600x1200 isnt demanding that much from the 6800 Ultras, x850s, and 7800s in SLI. Reply
BuddyHolly - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkThis is not quite a paper launch, but more like a paper review. Almost useless in helping me decide what my next video purchase will be other than to show that Crossfire does in fact work.
How about the important stuff? When will it ship? How much? And where is the next generation ATI card and when will it ship?
I want more competition so I can retire my 9800pro and get a PCIe card, motherboard and processor without having to morgage my house or go without eating for a month... Reply
Shodan2k - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkTo Derek Wilson
Which ATi driver did you use for the CrossFire setup? Reply
yacoub - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkSo the point of this is that Crossfire with two last-gen GPUs (XT850s) doesn't perform quite as highly as SLI with two current-gen GPUs (7800s)? That makes sense. If/when the next-gen (current-gen) ATI cards are released I would expect them to do as well or better when Crossfire'd compared to SLI'd 7800GTXs. We shall see. :) Reply
yacoub - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#17 - what native resolution "thing"? I quite often play at lower resolutions than my monitor's 1280x1024 and it windows it quite nicely on my over-two-year-old LCD (meaning the technology has been around for a while now to make it look good). It shows it at the actual resolution with black around it like a letterboxed movie on a TV screen. Or I simply play it in Windowed mode if the game supports that (most do) and that way I can keep an eye on my instant messenger messages while playing the game. :) Reply
yacoub - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkI'm glad to see Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory in the benchmarks because that game alone could justify someone's purchase of SLI/Crossfire cards. As can be seen in all the SC:CT benchmarks at Anandtech, it's quite the GPU-taxing game. Only with Crossfire or SLI'd 7800GTXs, are you looking at smooth gameplay of 60+fps in 1600x1200 4xAA (although since Anandtech doesn't post "Min" "Max" and "Average" fps numbers along with a graph of the fps throughout the testdemo, it's hard to know for sure that it never dips into slower territory. Reply
rjm55 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#15,16,17 - I just retired a 22" Diamondtron CRT earlier this summer. The REAL screen size was 20" and it did 2560x1600. This summer from hell made me realize how hot CRT's get. My computer room is at least 8 degrees cooler now.
CRT's do fine in gaming, but they are declining. Most new sales are LCD. They may have to pry your CRT from your dead hands but LCDS are what people - and gamers - are buying. You don't have to like it, but it is still a fact. Reply
Frallan - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#8
[quote]SLI is a waste of money when you can buy a 7800GTX for $550 at newegg. The increase in power requirements, setup headaches, AA headaches is simply not worth it when you get basically the same kind of performance from a single card.[/quote]
Nope Ure wrong re: price I got my 6800gt when it was new Ill soon be buyin a second 6800gt and I will have played the whole time and still sopent less.
[quote]Finally, it's stupid to buy this setup just so you can run at 2048/1536 with 4X AA. No one with that kind of cash, runs on an old crt. Everyone with that kind of money has an LCD that's either 1280/1024 or 1600/1200 and for those, a single setup based on the 7800GTX is the cheaper and more reliable solution...unless you're an ATI fanboy. If so, then go waste your cash. [/quote]
BS - I have that kind of money and Im using my old CRT (EIZO F58) to goto 16*12@85Hz. So far have not seen 1 LCD that stood up to my standards re. color, responstime and resolution. So sorry Ure just plain wrong. Reply
Kegh - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkI will be replacing my current PC this winter with a new one. I do not see enough bang for your buck to go with xfire, especially since a single 7800gtx and presumability a single R520 will run within 5% of the xfire setup. Plus dealing with two cards = twice the heat / fan noise. Also xfire using 800 series gpu's is no bonus.
I think this setup only makes sense if you currently own an 800/850 card. It "may" cost less to upgrade then. Wasn't the xfire 850 card going to retail for $550 (minus the $100 rebate which ati has going on) = $450... Plus $100+ for a new mainboard and we are back at $550... or you can buy a single 7800gtx for same amount and have an easy upgrade... Which would someone rather do?
Most likely I'll go with a single R520. They should be out by xmas! :)
zmanww - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#11
"the performance increase from a single X850 XT to CrossFire is up 43% as opposed to SLI's benefit of 34% over a single card"
I just can't wait till R520 comes out, then ATI and nVidia will have a real showdown. Reply
dmfcomputing - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linki always laugh at "gamers" with LCDs... the whole native resolution thing makes real gaming a pain in the ass. my 19" high end viewsonic CRT can do 2048 (but i only have a 6800gt, so not many games i can push up that high). I play almost all games at 1600, but if i got battlefield 2 (im not interested in EA crap like that tho) id have to switch to 1280, which would screw up your LCD. besides it costs a hell of a lot of money to get a 1600 LCD, much less a high res one. and honestly, the picture just doesnt look as deep as a good aperture grill CRT. and unless your paying tons of money for some 8ms LCD, youll get ghosting at good FPS levels. i will never buy an LCD as long as theres a good CRT out there. They just suck for gaming. Reply
Turin39789 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkAgreed #15 - LCD's are nice, and getting nicer. But for gaming I don't feel you can beat a quality 21' crt. And with the way prices are falling ( I just got an off lease 21' for $100 + 50 shipping) you'll have even more money to drop on a nicer video card, or even a second monitor. Reply
MrSmurf - Friday, July 22, 2005 - link#13, most hardcore gamers who Crossfire is marketed to play on CRTs and should be able to hit resolution higher than 1600x1200. Reply
Warder45 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkNothing really that supriseing. Games where the X850XT beat the 6800 Ultra are the same games where X850XT crossfire beats the 6800 Ultra SLI, and vise versa. The 7800GTX is of course well as it's a next gen part; once the R520 comes out I'd assume to see some competition. I have to agree with those above, ATI really should have switched priorities and launched the R520 now and launched crossfire in aug/sept. Reply
rjm55 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkIt seems silly to moan that you can't test higher than 1600x1200. Reality is 19" flat panels are reasonable and a hot buy right now - and they do 1280x1024. To get higher res you have to go at leasr 20" at TWICE the price for 1600x1200 maximum res. Except for the wide scren res blips of 1920 x1200 in the 24" category, the next big jump is at a 30" LCD with the Apple Cinema 30 doing 2560x1600.
The point is 1600x1200 or the slightly higher 1920x1200 wide screen is the realistic limit for current LCD displays. It might be nice to know 7800 SLI works more efficiently at 2560x1600 but this is mostly academic since most readers here don't have a 30" Apple Cinema (we all know Anand does).
For me I was very impressed that the ATI chipset and ATI Crossfire more than held their own compared to nVidia even in this preview setup. I'm looking forward to Crossfire chipset tests and overclocking tests to see if this is my next AMD chipset for a nVidia 7800. The nF4 stills seems way too flakey to me and everything I read says the new ATI chipsets run and overclock like a dream. Bring on some chipset results.
jkostans - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkThis reminds me of when ATI released the 9700 pro, except they are taking the beating this time. They will recover, these companies always seem to. I think the R520 is going to suprise many people, they are keeping awful quite about it. Also, rememebr that ati is an expert at staying alive with sub-par high-end cards (radeon 8500 and before). The low-end cards are what keeps these companies alive anyways, look at how many pre-built systems have an X300 in them..... Reply
Jalf - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkWhy didn't the article look at how much of a relative improvement X-Fire gives compared to SLI?
Yes, Crossfire beats the 6800 SLI in HL2, but what does that mean? A single X850 card beats a single 6800 in that game too.
But 6800 SLI gives a 22% improvement over single-card SLI, while X850 Crossfire only gives roughly half that. (in the no-AA HL2 test. Too lazy to work out all the figures)
Isn't that where it gets interesting? It's no big surprise that two fast cards beats two slightly slower cards, but knowing which multi-card technology provides the biggest boost over single-card speeds, would be a lot more relevant. Reply
Myrandex - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkIt is pretty sweet that ATI has nvidia SLI working, and dual 3D1 support. Quad GF6600's sound pretty sweet (or Quad 7800's w/ Asus's solution).
Jason Reply
smn198 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkXfire does give a good % increase over a single card which is promising for ATI's next generation assuming that it will be competitive with the 7800 series. Shame that the current performance doesn't look that good compared to 7800 SLI. Reply
gibhunter - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkSLI is a waste of money when you can buy a 7800GTX for $550 at newegg. The increase in power requirements, setup headaches, AA headaches is simply not worth it when you get basically the same kind of performance from a single card.
Still, it's good that they have implemented the technology, then again it's completely asynine to require a special, more expensive card to have it running. SLI is cheaper.
Finally, it's stupid to buy this setup just so you can run at 2048/1536 with 4X AA. No one with that kind of cash, runs on an old crt. Everyone with that kind of money has an LCD that's either 1280/1024 or 1600/1200 and for those, a single setup based on the 7800GTX is the cheaper and more reliable solution...unless you're an ATI fanboy. If so, then go waste your cash. Reply
shabby - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkLooks good, but when will it hit retail... when pigs fly? Reply
GhandiInstinct - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkATi is worrying me a bit.
They're losing customers everyday to the 7800, shouldn't they tease us who haven't converted just a bit so we know they're still alive out there?
Send us a teaser spec or something please! Reply
Johnmcl7 - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkIt's a real shame ATi didn't launch their X8xx series crossfire six months ago as #3 says, just seems a waste of time now, roll on R520.
John Reply
PeteRoy - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkCrossfire will not be what ATI profits from, it needs more value fast cards like Nvidia 6600GT and 6200 Reply
Furen - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkX850 crossfire doesnt seem too apealing in a world with the 7800GTX. This would have been great 6 months ago, or even 3. Reply
Cookie Crusher - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkMaybe I was a bit hasty in my disappointment, but still, I expected Ati to come over the top with something special. :(
Looks like there will be plenty of battles this coming year between sli and crossfire.
The trick is: who can make their dual card solutions more affordable? Reply
Cookie Crusher - Friday, July 22, 2005 - linkI would have expected a little more than the results posted....but oh well, hurry up already ati. Reply
Hasse - Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - linkNice, Don't know what to say... It's nice to see Anandtech's involvement in the discussion!
I'ld like to point that as a halfway gamer I did get rid of a Sony F520 which did 2048x1536 at 85Hz, and it was beautiful and HUGE. It ate all the space on my desktop so when transforming to LCD which uses allmost no space there are a few issues to consider. Like responsetime, colors, artifacts yadda yadda yadda. I found a nice companion in the Nec 2080UX+ which is a 20" 16ms panel, and I have no smearing, no artifacts, vivid colors and last but not least NO lag what so ever..
Apart from that back to topic:
I feel that ATI has made a good effort, while abit late it's still nice from a consumers stand to have competition. What makes me a bit worried is the way ATI made their solution. As a consumer I'ld really not get stucked with a card that REQUIRES a slave card to work at all (correct me if I'm wrong..), that is you cannot run a CrossFire card by itself in a system. Whilst Nvidia's solution is more flexible (you can run your system with either one of the cards used in SLI).
I wonder also if CrossFire will work with cards from different vendors, as that was one of the quirks Nvidia was bothered about (same vendor and bios).
I'm also concerned about how much trouble Anandtech had getting the setup to work properly, ok it's a prerelease, but Giga said it was close to finished... shuld we be worried? Who knows... I've had bad encounters with highend ATI cards in the past, whilst my friends have had few or none. It makes me wonder if CrossFire is having the same trouble with drivers as the "old" drivers had with standard ATI cards....
Lastly, I find it annoying as a consumer to have to buy a more (in case of XT -> Crossfire) expensive card than the one I allready have because the new one also supports the faster XT PE.. (correct me if I'm wrong regarding the cost and so forth...)...
Last.. Despite all my reservations regarding ATI's solution to Nvidia's SLI I'm still very interested in the development, and not least: Will CrossFire also come for R520 (probably, but if they're having this much trouble with x850 how will the new cards fare?)
Thanks for the Article. Kepp up the good work.
Best Regards
Hasse Reply
Hasse - Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - linkAnd Stupid as I am I pressed reply.. I should have pressed post a new comment.. sorry.
-Hasse Reply


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More NVIDIA Icera i500 Details - 28nm HP, Category 3 LTE At Launch, 4 Laterby Brian Klug on 1/7/2013 4:01 AM EST
- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
- Trade Shows
- Icera
- i500
5 Comments
Back to Article
CeriseCogburn - Monday, January 07, 2013 - linkRevolutionary Reply
name99 - Monday, January 07, 2013 - linkHow revolutionary? Obviously doing the baseband processing is nothing new (though nice to see competition for Qualcomm).
The real issue, what makes it a genuine soft radio, is do they doing the RF filtering digitally? Or, to put it it differently and to get to the real point, can you tell this thing to lock onto any damn weird frequency (or pair or triplet or quadruplet) of LTE frequencies, all ten kazillion combos defined by 4GPP, and it will just work? In other words, an end to all the "which LTE bands does this phone support" nonsense? Reply
Rayb - Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - linkYou might want to read the last paragraph again if you aren't clear on the specs of the modem...
Initially i500 will be capable of UE Category 3 LTE (100 Mbps downlink on 20 MHz FDD-LTE) and a later release will enable UE Category 4 LTE, which is one of the nice software upgradeable parts of an SDR architecture. On the WCDMA/HSPA+ side, DC-HSPA+ (42 Mbps downlink) is supported. I'm told that the initial 3GPP release will be 9, and later 10 with LTE Category 4 and carrier aggregation for LTE. i500 at present I'm told includes 3GPP family air interfaces (GSM/EDGE/WCDMA/LTE), no word on CDMA2000 1x/EVDO 3GPP2 suite making it. Voice modes including VoLTE are indeed supported as well. "
It can work with any FDD-LTE bands, only limited by the software installed. Reply
name99 - Tuesday, January 08, 2013 - linkThat doesn't answer the question of whether it is doing the RF filtering digitally or not. A Qualcomm chip can ALSO work with any FDD-LTE bands, but it has to be fed by an RF front-end which filters the signal (these days usually through an electro-mechanical surface wave resonator). Reply
bogdanjerkosovic - Sunday, March 15, 2015 - linkI don't think doing FDD filtering digitally is reasonable with human technology because no one can manufacture an ADC with that kind of s/n. Am I missing something, name99? Reply


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/3/2014 (1249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
THERE'S more than one way to experience the desert in Arizona.
It can be done quietly with a hike or hot-air balloon at sunrise. You can admire it, as I did, from low in the sky in a Cessna, zooming over canyons. Or you can blast your way through it in a cloud of dust on an Israeli military-grade vehicle called a Tomcar.
The balloon and hike never happened for me; a freak rainstorm hit sunny Scottsdale on my visit. So my foray into the Sonoran Desert was in the Tomcar, a golf cart on steroids. At the wheel of a two-seater, I set off in a small convoy from a point about 45 minutes outside the city. Bandanas for our noses and mouths let us breathe. But at times, driving full throttle to keep up with the lead car, there was zero visibility.
I was happy for the three stops, when we piled out and surveyed the land and each other. We looked like sand warriors, caked in dirt. But we were students of the desert. At each stop, we learned about the Sonoran, the greenest desert in the U.S. and home to the saguaro cactus. It was where I learned the golden rule: Look, but don't touch. Casually kick a low-lying cactus cluster with an open-toed shoe and you'll be sorry. You'll find a spine first in your toe, then in the finger you use to try to extract it.
In the distance were crops of lemon and pecan trees. Up close, there was wildlife: A coyote trotted by; cattle and wild horses scattered as we passed. The horses do just fine on their own, thanks to the Verde River, which runs through the Sonoran. They snack on the algae on the river bed, and they have beautiful, shiny coats from being groomed all day by the brush. These are horses descended from those in the U.S. cavalry, from back when the area was a military outpost.
My other experience with the desert was an easy walk -- with no dust -- at the Desert Botanical Garden, where the bonus this year is famed U.S. glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. Two dozen deeply colourful glass pieces by the artist are mixed in with the cacti and succulents in an exhibition that runs until May 18 (dbg.org). Five years ago, Chihuly's first show caused such a crush of visitors the parking lot had to be expanded.
Scottsdale, a desert city of 220,000, is where people go to enjoy life, to escape the cold. The sun, the desert, canyons, rivers and mountains bring the adventure-seekers. But Scottsdale has a cultured side, too. Back in the '50s, the city's Fifth Avenue was lined with designer houses, and runway shows shut down the street.
It was a vacation spot for Hollywood's stars. Natalie Wood married Robert Wagner here; Zsa Zsa Gabor and Tony Curtis holidayed at the Hotel Valley Ho, a fabulous example of mid-century architecture, restored to its glory days. A hip after-work crowd descends on its ZuZu Lounge for cocktails.
Scottsdale has 600 restaurants, a growing artisanal food scene, architectural history and art. One hundred galleries make up an arts district, populated with open-air statues and fountains. Every Thursday, the galleries stay open late, with twinkling white lights strung up to lead the way for ArtWalk -- going strong since 1975 (scottsdalegalleries.com).
Five minutes from downtown is an artists' compound that has been going strong since the 1930s on the banks of the Arizona Canal. Cattle Track Art Compound is a haven for writers, photographers, painters, poets, musicians, ceramicists and a blacksmith.
A dozen artists live and work -- no loafing allowed -- in adobe homes and studios. The great Frank Lloyd Wright went there to learn how to make concrete colours that he would use for his famous house nearby.
Wright came to Scottsdale to confer on a student project, took one look at the Sonoran Desert, became riveted by its abstract qualities and ended up building one of his greatest masterpieces -- Taliesin West, in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains (franklloydwright.org).
Wright and his apprentices started building it in 1937 using desert rocks and sand in an exercise of balance between site and structure. Taliesin West was Wright's home, studio and laboratory. Today, it is a national historic landmark that houses the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. I toured it and marvelled at the genius behind the angles, the light, the materials.
Scottsdale was also home to Paolo Soleri, who came from Italy to study under Wright. Soleri eventually parted ideological ways with Wright and went on to be known for "archology," a blend of architecture and ecology he hoped would counter urban sprawl. Soleri's earthy residence and studio, called Cosanti, is a testament to his outside-the-box ideas (arcosanti.org/cosanti).
Scottsdale is a city of shopping, nightlife, major-league sports franchises. But it still likes to call itself the "West's Most Western Town," even though its days as a frontier cowboy town with saloons, horses and hitching posts are long gone.
Neighbouring towns have begun to challenge the city for western bragging rights. It's hard to argue when there is only one real cowboy saloon left. That saloon is the Rusty Spur (rustyspursaloon.com), and its swinging doors have been eased open by the likes of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.
I got a bigger slice of the Old West by going to Greasewood Flat in North Scottsdale, a 130-year-old bunkhouse where bikers, cowboys, locals and tourists all descend.
In what was once part of a sprawling ranch, the party still takes place outside, with a dance floor lined with fire pits, picnic tables, rustic wagons and a band.
The night I was there, the playlist was more Mumford & Sons than Old West. But a genial white-haired gent in a white jacket and cowboy hat called on the pretty girls to dance. And five empty cans of Coors beer were strung up overhead: "Redneck wind chimes," the sign above them said. But the place is not all that redneck: You can get a great selection of artisanal Arizona beers to wash down the famous massive, messy and tasty green-chili burger and chips.
-- Postmedia Network Inc. 2014


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Emergency Teams Assist Displaced Georgians
The humanitarian agency Action Against Hunger (ACF-USA), which has been present in Georgia since 1995, will provide assistance to displaced people in Kutaisi, Georgia's second largest city, where more than 13,000 have been temporarily accommodated.
Over a week since fighting erupted in South Ossetia, thousands of people continue to seek refuge in many affected cities across Georgia. Action Against Hunger estimates that around 13,000 people from South Ossetia, Gori and neighbouring Abkhazia have fled their homes and taken refuge in Kutaisi, the country's second largest city. Seeking shelter in 17 collective centres such as schools and stadiums, families are dependent upon external assistance for food and water.
Action Against Hunger's team in Georgia carried out an assessment of the food situation in collective centres in Tbilisi and Kutaisi. "We found that at least 11 centres require urgent assistance in the capital and that the collective centres in Kutaisi do not have the capacity to assist everyone," comments Shahnoza Muminova, Action Against Hunger's Country Director in the Caucasus. A survey carried out in the region found that the price of food items such as rice has doubled in just one month. The price of other basic products like bread and flour also increased in a short space of time.
Members of Action Against Hunger emergency team have joined the existing team on the ground to reinforce activities aimed at providing assistance to the displaced people. An emergency intervention will be launched to provide drinking water and food items to some 8,000 people in Kutaisi. A more detailed evaluation of the situation in the centres in Tbilisi will also be finalised to launch further activities.
"The conflict between Georgia and de-facto republics has led to the displacement of thousands of people over the past couple of years. In addition, 13,000 people have fled their homes over the past few days and still looking for accommodation," comments Action Against Hunger's Vincent Stehli.
Action Against Hunger has been present in the Caucasus since 1995, providing assistance through the implementation of water and sanitation, and food security programmes and helping some 60,000 people. In Zugdidi and Abkhazia, the organisation is implementing programmes to support communities and farmers affected by the conflict.


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Date: December 23 2012
The threat of a bushfire that has destroyed about 3600 hectares in South Australia's south has been reduced, says the Country Fire Service (CFS).
A CFS spokeswoman says the fire is still burning, but it has been contained.
About 160 firefighters were battling the blaze, which began on Sunday morning in grassland at Marcollat, with at least four waterbombers and two other observational aircraft monitoring the fire.
Much of South Australia was under a total fire ban on Sunday.
A fire ban will remain in place on Monday in the Northeast Pastoral region with the fire danger rated as severe.
This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.
[ The Age | Text-only index]


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By Brandee McHale, COO, Citi Foundation
Amy Rosen, President and CEO, NFTE
Whether your summer job was career-launching, fun or just different, it's likely that the experience helped shape who you are today. Everyone who's had one knows summer jobs are great opportunities to uncover or polish job skills, begin to build a network and maybe most important truly discover your passions and interests.
For many, a summer job is a gateway to a career. For others, they are a financial necessity.
It's troubling therefore, that the rate of summer employment among young Americans is on the decline. Over the last decade (2000-2011), the percentage of young adults in summer jobs has dropped double-digits. As of 2011, just 54% of white teenagers had summer jobs. For black and Hispanic teens, the numbers were lower – 34% and 39% respectively.
When teens miss summer jobs, they miss more than work experience. For many, summer paychecks provide the first lessons in managing money. But even more important are the habits of work they could be learning, the mentors they could be meeting and the vital skills – such as collaboration – they need to be acquiring.
With U.S. teen unemployment already running, on average, three times the rate for adults, losing out on a summer job is a real setback. But high unemployment has a double penalty. It also means fewer available jobs – even summer ones. And if you live a neighborhood where opportunities are scarce, a summer job may be even harder to find.
That's why NFTE and the Citi Foundation are teaming up to bring the power of entrepreneurship to young people so they can make their own summer jobs. And maybe even enterprises that extend beyond summer.
And we're focused on bring those opportunities to the communities which need them most.
The Citi Foundation's $50 million Pathway to Progress initiative is investing to bring NFTE's hands-on entrepreneurship training to ten cities, funding a NFTE business accelerator program in New York City and Los Angeles and extending NFTE's reach to all young people through a youth web community at makeyourjob.org.
With Citi Foundation's support, NFTE BizCamps – the hands-on NFTE training – will reach hundreds of young people in New York City, Newark, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Bridgeport (CT), Miami, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
These young people will learn how to approach and solve problems with an entrepreneurship mindset – recognizing opportunities and adapting to overcome setbacks. They will use math and writing skills to prepare business plans and present their ideas to local business leaders.
And a sub-set of the young people in New York and Los Angeles, who have already completed NFTE's first course, will be chosen for Startup Summer – NFTE's business accelerator program.
Startup Summer is itself a summer job – paying teens to take their business ideas into the marketplace. Youth participants will work with mentors to refine their plans and products and pitch real investors for real startup capital.
Layered on these exciting opportunities will be MakeYourJob.org (launching in May) which will cover the basics of building your own job through entrepreneurship. The free web portal will be interactive, reward-based and founded in the successful NFTE entrepreneurship fundamentals.
With these three programs, the Citi Foundation and the NFTE "Make Your Job" collaboration will open doors of life-long opportunity and jobs for countless teens across the nation this summer. An investment which will pay outsized dividends in the impact it will have on participating students, families, and communities.