text: Price Reduction. Hi All, I have a now discontinued Gallien Krueger 800RB bass amp. This one is in nice shape.No scratchy pots. Just a few scratches here and there from rack mounting. Rack ears are included but the right ear is bent a bit. Should still work though.Rubber feet are installed. No missing knob covers. Power cable included as well as a printed copy of the instruction manual. $410 shipped in the lower 48. Please PM me. Paypal is fine. Take Care, Brent " 800RB 300 watts (4 ohms) low amp, 100 watts high amp Bi-amp/full range with crossover frequency select Active 4-band EQ Switchabe contour, low cut & high boost Footswitchable boost (valve effect) Effects loop, XLR out 1/4″ outputs 17×5.25×8 (3 space) 25 lbs.


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Homicide detective Brice Marshall's current case has him stymied and frustrated. A serial killer is slaughtering young women. After a long, fruitless day poring over the most gruesome evidence he's ever seen, he needs a break. Stepping into his cousin's BDSM club is a reminder that there is another part of himself. A part that has been left empty in a life ruled by work. The fact is, he's a Dom in search of a sub. When he bumps into Terryn, a slender redhead who's new to the scene, her wide-eyed eagerness even in the face of her nerves attracts him like gravity.
Terryn is the sub of his dreams, with the power to ease his soul. Without warning, the murder case reaches ugly tentacles into the most private part of his world - the woman he wants to claim as his own. The woman whose stubborn search for the delicate balance between sub life and independence could put her directly in the path of the killer.
©2012 Lainey Reese (P)2013 Tantor
"Damaged Goods is an astounding addition to the New York series and well worth the wait. Lainey is a gifted writer with a knack for writing characters with a great balance of depth, strength, and emotion." (Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews)
"Not as good as the first book"
I did not like this book as much as the first book. I thought that there was a lot of storyline focused on things that could have been skipped. I read this book and then bought the audio version. I had the same opinion either way. There is a lot of sex and a unique twist but I think that the characters were just ok for me. Brice had a weird accent that the other guys did not yet they all live in New York. Taryn was not as strong a character as I would like. I did not hate it but the first book, to me, was better. I am still going to get the third book because overall it still was not a bad listen. I know that is wishy washy but I really cannot decide. I guess I liked it enough to read it twice so that says something.
"Wonderful book"
Characters from the first book make an appearance through out this book. And the who done it question really does last till it is revealed.
The tool belt dinner scene
If you havent read or listened to any of Laniey Reese's books you are truly missing out.
"To be honest..."
To be honest I enjoyed the first book so much more than this one. It was just too predictable. I enjoy the erotic content but this one was lacking the chemistry I prefer with my smex. This is one that I couldn't wait until it was over so I can get on to another, hopefully better, book.
"Damaged Goods is a perfect title."
I LOVED the first book in this series -- it was sensual, tender, and sweet, while still being very hot. The chemistry between the characters was soulful, and it was a brilliant fantasy. I especially liked that although there was some menace, it was handled efficiently and wasn't a major plot point.
This book is the equivalent of slasher porn, if there is such a thing. The murders were savage -- and I regret that I now have those images in my head. I don't watch moves or read books with that kind of violence and I never expected to find it in an erotica novel. I'm actually pretty upset about it.
The sex is punishing, while the relationship between the h/h is all talk, with no real emotion, no chemistry. I actually felt sorry for Taryn and the way she was manipulated and used by Brice and his best friend. No matter how many times an author writes that a character enjoyed it, if the action doesn't support that, than I'm not buying. There was zero tenderness or affection -- just a slavering male high five-ing with his buddies over his acquisition.
I never expected a female writer to objectify a female character like this and frankly, this book read like it was written for a certain type of very maladjusted male -- not for women.
(Christian Fox was good i guess, but his New Yorker accident sounded like a parody and was distracting. I hate to say it, but he looses a point for participation. I can't help it.)
"Short and Sweet Amazing"
This book was just amazing although short it's sweet and to the point with just enough suspense to leave you on the edge of your seat and bdsm to have you wanting more!!
"Suspenseful and sexy"
Erotic Dominant/submissive sex encounters and a suspenseful plot come together to make an enticingly wonderful story! Don't miss it!
"I Loved This Book. I need book 3 right now!"
Great. story from start to finish. Ms Reese is my new favorite author. I'm looking forward to book 3.
"sexy as ever!!"
the story was put together so hotly its making me wonder mrs reese. .. each book I hear has me leaning towards this hot and sexy life u so intricately put into words. I cant stop fanning myself.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Toronto Review: Tom Hooper's Exceptional 'The King's Speech'
by Alex Billington
September 20, 2010
What an exhilarating way to end the festival! My last film of TIFF 2010 was the recently crowned Audience Award winner The King's Speech from director Tom Hooper and damn does it ever deserve that award. I had no clue what to expect going in, and was a bit nervous, but it's one of those wonderful films that in the first few minutes already had me thinking to myself "I'm going to love this." And indeed I did, and that says a lot, as a period piece drama is not usually something I go for. I'm going to make a bold statement - I think The King's Speech is on par with Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan as one of the very best movies of the year.
So what is it about (a question I get asked a lot)? Colin Firth plays England's King George VI, with Helena Bonham Carter as his wife, although at the time he was only the Duke of York, otherwise known as "Bertie" by his family. It's set during the mid-1930s as England is on the brink of war with Nazi Germany. Bertie has a speech impediment and can't speak in public, or to almost anyone at all, without stammering and freezing up. So he is taken to Dr. Lionel Logue (played by Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist who helps him overcome this problem in order to, eventually, deliver a very important speech to the British Empire once they do decide to declare war. It's lightly comical in spots, but mostly a superbly crafted period drama.
The King's Speech is not just about the early beginnings of England's entrance in the war; it's not just about George overcoming his speech impediment in order to unite a nation; it's not just about society and life and the monarchy in England; it's not just about the importance of friendship; it's about all of that and so much more. I have never seen a film so beautiful, so elegant, so completely entertaining, so amusing, so riveting, it's unlike anything, yet every scene is a joy to watch. Firth gives the performance of his life-time, and I honestly believe he is going to get the Oscar next year - he damn well deserves one, that's for sure. I even thought Bonham Carter was better than I've seen her in years, and Rush gives a hell of a performance, too.
There is so much I could talk about because I loved every last aspect of The King's Speech - David Seidler's fantastic screenplay, Alexandre Desplat's wonderful score, Tom Hooper's great direction, the unbelievably brilliant scenes of dialogue between Firth and Rush. But one area that I must address is Danny Cohen's cinematography. The way he composes his shots is phenomenal, every last scene is beautiful. There were times, even in the middle of scenes full of dialogue, where I would be sitting in awe, gaping at how stunning such simple shots looked. This is art, not just cinema. He doesn't frame everyone in the middle or even just to one side or another, he uses the colors, the atmosphere, the sets, every detail on the walls and everything around them to bring the entire frame, and subsequently the entire film, to life with a stunning elegance.
It really is not an understatement to say that The King's Speech might be the movie of the year. Everyone else is saying it and I can now join in agreement and praise this fantastic work of art, too. It's certainly going to win some Oscars next year as well. Firth is unquestionably getting it, possibly Seidler for his script, and I would honestly be happy if it won Best Picture - it's that good and it deserves it. After seeing this, the Oscar race has become so much more exciting, because in my opinion Black Swan and The King's Speech are now running neck-and-neck. Anyone who appreciates, admires, and/or enjoys great cinema must see this film.
Alex's Toronto Rating: 10 out of 10
Follow Alex's main profile on :


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Venture Capital Lawyers and Law Firms in Pomona, CA
Venture Capital Lawyers
Law Office of Marie I. BraunPlacentia, CA - Law Firm near Pomona
Southern California Divorce Lawyer(714) 646-6347
Our law firm is conveniently located in Placentia, and we represent both men and women throughout Southern California in virtually every aspect of family law. We have been a family law firm, from the time we opened our Orange County office in 1995 through today. Our attorneys and staff work to make...
The Law Offices of Ryan P. McClureOntario, CA - Law Firm near Pomona
San Bernardino & Riverside Criminal Defense & DUI Lawyer & Attorney(909) 456-8812
The Law office of Ryan P. McClure is a full service criminal defense law office located in Ontario, California. We provide criminal defense services to individuals charged with felonies and misdemeanors throughout San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Call today for...


text:
LimeWire and fedora core 4s firewall
Just so you know I did try google. I just started using fedora, and I am not very used to it yet. I just LimeWire; my problem comes in, when I run the program. It states that it can't get through the firewall. I am not sure how to let it work. -I have never used LimeWire before either, so I do not have an experience to base from. I did look on the LimeWire website, but I could not see anything that looked familiar for anything in the System Settings menu. Could someone walk me through this. -It would be greatly appreciated...
run system-config-securitylevel "
in the firewall tab, in the other ports box enter
I don't use limewire but thats the port it says on the home page.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:39 PM.


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imagestore 2.7.6
Gallery solution for django projects
Latest Version: 3.0.0
An image gallery, created for easy integration for an exiting django project.
Documentation aviable on ReadTheDocs
Gallery for site
- Albums
- Mass upload
- Thumbnails in admin intereface
- Ordering
- Tagging support
- Easy PrettyPhoto integration
- Django-cms integration
Gallery for your site users
You can use imagestore to create gallery for your users.
- Users can:
- create albums, upload photos to albums
- make albums non-public
- set name, descripion and tags for photos
- edit infomation about photo or upload new veresion
|Py Version
|Uploaded on
|imagestore-2.7.6.tar.gz (md5)
- Author: Pavel Zhukov
- Home Page: http://bitbucket.org/zeus/imagestore/
- Keywords: django gallery
- License: GPL
- Package Index Owner: lampslave, zeus, GeyseR
- Package Index Maintainer: lampslave, GeyseR
- DOAP record: imagestore-2.7.6.xml


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Tassal Tasmanian Salmon, an Australian salmon farming company, backed away from plans to dump treated wastewater from salmon pens into...
Seawright Holdings, Inc., owner of natural springs on the eastern seaboard, today announced its new corporate policy that prescribes ecologically responsible and sustainable business operations. This policy focuses the company's efforts on a commitment to use recyclable and biodegradable materials and alternative fuels in the packaging and shipping of its Seawright Springs Premium Natural Spring Water product.
Seawright intends to be one of the first bottled water companies to offer its product in a biodegradable bottle. Currently Seawright Water is offered in its own proprietary design bottle. In the first quarter of 2008 this bottle and all packaging will be converted to biodegradability.
The company continues to closely watch the development of several new earth friendly technologies for bottling. Seawright is monitoring the progress of a biodegradable bottle made from an organic, renewable corn-based resin that requires about 20% to 30% less energy to manufacture and contributes only half the carbon dioxide of plastics made from petrochemicals. Additionally, these corn-based bottles are fully compostable and will degrade in a commercial composing facility into harmless water and organic material in 75 to 80 days.
On another front, Seawright is encouraging its suppliers to favor environmentally sustainable and renewable technologies in their products and processes, such as the use of biofuels in shipping and transportation.


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Woman sets off around the world, with a paddle
A young kayaker sets off from Tower Bridge to start a 20,000-mile world trip that will include solo crossings of the Pacific and Atlantic.
Sarah Outen, 25, from Oakham, Rutland, will kayak, row and cycle across three continents in 30 months to raise money for Arthritis Care in memory of her father who died of the disease. The biology graduate will produce a weekly blog.
Outen became the youngest woman to row an ocean — the Indian Ocean — in 2009. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the explorer, said: "Sarah has already demonstrated her skill and determination."


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Howard Korder tapped into a maelstrom of nerve-stretching desperation with his take on psychobabble and capitalism in the guise of his play Search and Destroy, but his 1970s triumvirate of boy/men in Boys' Life faces an uphill battle for our attention. The playwright has chosen his types well: Jack (Ron Cohen) is the smug, acidly amusing aggressor, Don (Michael Artura) an angst-ridden second-guesser, and Phil (Nathan Gross) a spacey panda bear, neither bright nor motivated, but all heart. Korder tends here to jump from scene to scene without resolutions, although he gains his share of guffaws from these three kings of commitment phobia in jousting with the fairer sex.
Karen (Kelley Morrow) tells Phil she's miserable, to which he responds, in puppy-dog fashion, "I know. That's why I feel close to you." Jack, married with a child he calls his "ward," puts the make on Central Park jogger Maggie (Monique Vasquez), and Don winds up with Lisa (Gina Mandala), a waitress who fancies herself an artist. The best interaction, however, is Don's brief affair with a nutcase extraordinare (Alison Quinn), who terrifies him with apocryphal stories, like her incestuous father putting her in a sack and trying to run her over with a steamroller. By the end, when Korder briefly introduces Jack's wife, Carla (Jackie Schell), at the wedding of Don and Lisa, we are left feeling stood up at the theatrical altar.
Not only does the piece meander but director Lydia Weiss also never captures a rhythm, exacerbating that with clumsy scene changes and stodgy blocking, and her cast is simply not up to the task at hand, with the welcome exception of Gross, always endearing. The women come off as merely cranky or put-upon, and Cohen's mumbled diction and lackluster energy are particularly damaging, as his character is intended as a catalyst for his equally wayward buddies.
"Boys' Life," presented by Theatre 2000 at the Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Blvd., N. Hollywood. Sun. 7 p.m., Mon. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11-Mar. 26. $10. (818) 623-6682.


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DEMAND an investigation on Shelter Manager - Betty Crumley
HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION>> We DEMAND that Betty Crumley is immediately removed from her
HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION>> We DEMAND that Betty Crumley is immediately removed from her
Update The size of the reward has grown to $8,000. The Humane Society of the United States added an additional $5,000
If we want the system of law and order to respond ethically to rape and violence on women we will have to force the
Thank you for your calls---we lost 66-43 in the house....sadly, Michigan will hunt wolves unless there is a miracle and
URGENT !!! ACTION-ALERT !!! DECISION ON MICHIGAN'S WOLVES IN HOUSE TODAY!!!! Bill SB 1350 (to hunt Michigan's wolves)
There are less than 60 Mexican grey wolves left in the wild and they are in need of immediate attention!! Please sign
Thousands of our military members are currently serving or deployed, leaving thousands of military families and millions
The rare Mexican Gray Wolf, a sub-species of the gray wolf, with a distinct DNA, is becoming extinct with only 59 wolves
For 6 years, we at The 50 Million Missing Campaign have been working hard to tell the world about the ongoing female
Save our Flag from beig removed from Schools and National Places ! 1. Admin. Debra Robinson./ Creator 2. Should the


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You are here:
Pete's Gear: Fylde Ariel acoustic guitar
Ca. 1996, with Fylde Ariel, fitted with Fishman Acoustic Matrix pickup system.
Pete Townshend used a Fylde Ariel model small-bodied acoustic guitar in the studio and for solo performances.
He began using this guitar in 1979 as his "on the road" guitar in place of his 1968 Gibson J-200.
In the studio, he used it likely on Empty Glass, as well as Iron Man and Psychoderelict. He also used it on Driftin' Blues in 1981, which appears on Another Scoop. In 2006 he used this guitar on Endless Wire.
For 1996-era solo shows, he used this for solo acoustic numbers, such as I Am An Animal and A Friend is A Friend, fitted with a Fishman Acoustic Matrix pickup system. He continued to use it for solo appearances in 2006 with Rachel Fuller.
Fylde guitars are instruments of exceptional quality, made in Penrith, Cumbria, UK.
- Solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides; "parlour"-size body,
- 12/19-fret ebony 24¾″ scale neck; ebony bridge.
- Slotted headstock with Gotoh tuners.
Fylde's description:
The smallest guitar in our range, close to a "parlour" guitar in size. With the neck join at the twelfth fret, the bridge is in the centre of the largest part of the soundboard, this is very efficient in terms of converting string vibration into sound, giving a sweet tone with a very strong attack. The slotted head design saves a lot in weight, and the guitars small size enables us to build the body itself lightly, both of which contribute to a surprisingly loud and responsive instrument.
Selected quotes from Pete Townshend
All quotes and references are copyright their original owners and are included for reference only.
Excerpt from Premier Guitar interview, April 2010
- Although you're not really known as a guitar collector, what are some of your favorite pieces in the collection?
My favorite guitar of all happens to be English. It's one of the first small-body Ariels by Fylde. I have three now, all superb, set up in different tunings.
Photo Gallery
Ca. 1996, with Fylde Ariel, fitted with Fishman Acoustic Matrix pickup system.
Ca. 2000, with Fylde Ariel.
Resources and Information
- Fylde Guitars: fyldeguitars.com


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- Singapore Grand Prix
Webber applauds leftfield strategy
- Race:
- Singapore Grand Prix
- Championship:
- FIA Formula One World Championship
- Drivers:
- Mark Webber
- Teams:
- Red Bull
Mark Webber believes his alternative strategy paid off at the Singapore Grand Prix and was happy to settle for third after a tough race.
Webber was the only front-running driver to pit under the safety car, dropping him down the order and forcing him to fight through traffic. The strategy, which ultimately worked, revolved around him putting in quicker laps than the McLarens and leapfrogging them when it was their turn to pit. However, Webber was forced to muscle his way past midfield drivers and admitted that he had doubts when the team first told him to come in.
"The team told me to pit, which I questioned, but they assured me it was the right thing," he said. "I wasn't sure and knew it was going to be a long stint on the primes, but when we came out and re-queued behind the safety car I realised I was in a reasonable position. I passed a few guys, then got to Rubens [Barrichello] who was driving very well and I couldn't clear him."
He passed comment on his coming together with Lewis Hamilton, which brought an end to the McLaren driver's race, but did not apportion blame.
"We then had another restart and it can be difficult to get away cleanly when you have back-markers involved," Webber added. "I got caught up behind one the Virgin cars, he was doing his best, but Lewis got a good run on me and unfortunately we made contact. It's obviously not desirable, as it was a key part of the race for me to maintain my position. Fernando [Alonso] and Sebastian [Vettel] drove fantastic races today. They drove well all weekend and it was a good race for everyone to see, I'm very happy with third."


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Three Lenoir County girls are wrapping up their months of practice at a Jones County to compete in Raleigh for their second year.
Three Lenoir County girls are wrapping up their months of practice at a Jones County to compete in Raleigh for their second year.
The Elmore girls � Hailey, 13, Machaela, 10, and Ellie, 8 � started showing goats in April 2011, their mother said. They�ll do so again this year at the 145th annual State Fair, which begins today.
Their mother, Christy Elmore, made it possible for her daughters to compete in showings after a family visit to a Kinston livestock fair sparked the girls� interest in 2010.
�They just sat there and watched it, and watched it and said �We want to do it�,� Elmore said. �That�s kind of how we got started.�
Elmore inquired about getting the girls into 4-H, a youth development organization, but said she didn�t have any goats of her own. She was referred to Karen Pike, a Jones County woman who owns Four Peas Ranch, which is filled with the livestock.
�She had some goats that she let the girls show, (and) we didn�t have to purchase or anything. We just came in and worked them,� Elmore said.
They travel to Four Peas a few days a week for up to two hours to �work� the goats, which includes building their muscles and grooming them.
�That�s going to be my job when I get older,� Hailey Elmore said. �I�m not your girl-iest girl.� She said she plans to attend N.C. State University for a degree in agriculture.
The fair is a chance to �advertise North Carolina agriculture specifically,� said livestock agent Eve Honeycutt.
�From a local standpoint, the people who go are going to show what a good job they�ve done,� she said.
The fairgrounds will host livestock shows, rides and concerts among other activities through Oct. 21. Last year, more than one million attended.
The Elmores will be there from Thursday to Saturday, hoping their circuit season work � a series of 10 livestock showing competitions � pays off for them, especially the youngest, Ellie Elmore. Her mom said her chances of winning are high for her age group.
�The hardest part is probably taking care of them and trying to get them to do good for the shows,� Ellie said while trying to get her goat in formation.
Elmore said the fair is an opportunity to connect the family because the girls are involved in the same activity.
�I think it bonds our family because of the shows, we�re all there together,� Elmore said, who also has a 2-year-old son.
Regardless of the competition results, the children will still be awarded prizes for the points they�ve accumulated through their circuit seasons on the opening day of the fair.
Bumper Crop of Fun State Fair
1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh
Today through Oct. 21
Admission: Adults, $8 at gate and $6 in advance; ages 6-12, $3 at gate and $2 in advance, younger than 5, free; Military w/ I.D., $5 at gate; 65 and older, free
Information: 919-821-7400 or ncstatefair.org


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A warm and cosy room on a cold winter night is a boon! Westinghouse brings a range of oil filled radiators, to keep you warm in the winter season. Oil filled radiators are a safer option as compared to electric fan heaters, because they have low surface temperatures and require much less consideration of airflow over or through the heater. These radiators are electrically heated and the oil acts as a heat reservoir for the heating element.
The columns of Westinghouse oil filled radiator are built as thin fins to provide a large surface area. This 5 fin oil filled radiator has a large surface area so that more amount of air comes in contact with the heater. This in turn allows the heat from the radiator to transfer more rapidly into the room.
Westinghouse 5fin oil filled radiator comes with an adjustable thermostat and offers 3 heat settings: low, medium and high. Designed for your comfort as well as safety, the radiator features anti-frost protection,anti-topple safety cut-off and safety over heat cut-off. It is fitted with four wheels that provide ease of movement as well as storage. For ease of movement and storage, it features a carry handle and fixed wheels.
The images represent actual product though color of the image and product may slightly differ.


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A research team based out of King's College London believes it may have discovered a gene which explains why certain males who are abused as children go on to develop criminal behaviour.
The research has examined a variation on the male X chromosome.
The gene is responsible for making the enzyme which breaks down brain chemicals which lead to aggressive behaviour.
The research has shown that men with a "low activity" version of this gene are more likely to respond badly to childhood abuse.
85% of the group studied went on to develop some form of anti-social behaviour.


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Java Draw Created Nov 04, 2013 1024 x 736px Unless noted Copyright 2013 2ucwhatic.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
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ann14 Nov 13, 2013
Cool abstract deaw..
zizidraw Nov 10, 2013
looks pretty cool!
FlipBobFishWak Nov 05, 2013
nice effects, liked :)
vis_in_vis Nov 05, 2013
totally amazing effects :)
TheAlixila Nov 04, 2013
Wow!! Amazing abstract drawing! Great job :D Fav
Page 1


text: A couple guys on another site told me about this place. I'm in Missouri and currently I have an older new braunfels offset, a UDM, a trager pellet smoker (cheating), couple webers and a new 200gallon reverse flow custom smoker with better than 2400sq in of cooking space. I like to hunt and fish so I have been doing summer sausage the last two days, 150# worth. I look forward to chatting!


text:
- Add an item
- Add an item
- Add an item
- Description
DetailsThe key to high-quality shots? A stable and secure base. With its 504HD and carbon fibre 536 tripod, the Midi CF System (L) Professional is an ideal purchase if you are new to DSLRs or video cameras.
Superior to aluminium twin-strut tripods, the torsion rigidity of this system offers a range of protection against "backlash" effects in pan movements. The carbon fibre tubing and magnesium castings are specially designed to be lightweight. Fashioned for portability and built to last, this tripod with video head will get the job done with precision.
Keep your shots steady and precise with the variable fluid drag and counterbalance systems. This range is also highly versatile and gives you the freedom to make quick height adjustments from 40cm to 217cm without the use of extra accessories. Save money and time in the long run with this all-in-one tripod with video head system.
For photographers looking to make an impact, the Midi CF System (L) is the ideal choice. With its strong torsion, light tubing, and simple adjustments, you'll soon be taking the professional images and videos you want.
- Specifications
Additional Information
Weight 261 oz 7400 g Collection/Series 504 504 Material Carbon Fiber, Aluminium Carbon Fiber, Aluminium Safety Payload Weight 26.46 lbs 12 kg Min Height 15.75 in 40 cm Maximum Height 85.63 in 217.5 cm Head Type Video/Fluid Head Video/Fluid Head Leg Sections 4 4 Legs Tube Diameter 0.98- 1.15- 1.35- 1.54 in 24.8, 29.2, 34.2, 39.2 mm Quick Release Yes Yes Counterbalanced Weight 16.53 lbs 7.5 kg Center of gravity 2.17 in 55 mm Closed Length 33.66 in 85.5 cm Ball Flat 75 Ball 75 Ball Accessory Compatibility 502HLV;509HLV;114;127V;127VS 502HLV;509HLV;114;127V;127VS Top Attachment 1/4″ screw, 3/8″ screw 1/4″ screw, 3/8″ screw Powered by (batteries) Lithium Lithium Bubble Spirit Level (No.) 1 1 Carrying Bag Included MB MBAG100PN MB MBAG100PN Center Column no centre column no centre column Certifications WEE;RoHS WEE;RoHS Colour Black Black Easy Link Yes Yes Front Tilt -60° / +90° -60° / +90° Leg Type Single Single Leg Angles 23°, 50°, 70° 23°, 50°, 70° Leg Lock Type Flip Lock Flip Lock Maximum Working Temperature 140 F 60 C Minimum Working Temperature -4 F -20 C Pan Bar Included Yes Yes Pan Drag continuously adjustable from 0 to max level continuously adjustable from 0 to max level Panoramic Rotation 360 360 Plate Type 504PLONG 504PLONG Tilt Drag continuously adjustable from 0 to max level continuously adjustable from 0 to max level
- Warranty
Warranty Manfrotto Video Products
This products is warranted to be fit for the purpose for which it has been designed, and to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. This guarantee does not cover the product against subsequent damage or misuse. The period of validity of the Standard Limited Warranty is defined by the law in force in the country, state or region where the product is sold. Please retain your receipt as proof of purchase to repair your product under warranty.
How to get an extra warranty coverage
Beyond the standard compulsory coverage outlined above, this product is eligible for a warranty extension valid up to 5 years from the date of purchase. The Limited Conventional Warranty Extension does not affect the standard compulsory coverage. To take advantage of the warranty extension scheme, you must register your purchase at warranty.manfrotto.com.


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Police are looking for a man who allegedly followed a 10-year-old girl into her Chinatown apartment building and sexually abused her.
Police say the suspect touched the victim inappropriately on the afternoon of Oct. 25.
He's described as being about 5 feet 9 inches tall with a thick build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, white sneakers, black jacket and a Yankees hat.
Authorities released surveillance video of him on the sidewalk. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers.
Published at 8:08 AM EST on Nov 8, 2012 | Updated at 8:36 AM EST on Nov 8, 2012


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CC Electronics
As a manufacturer of PCBs, CC Electronics welcomes the introduction of an open standard data format, which is capable of integrating all aspects of the manufacturing process. IPC2581 will enhance the speed, flexibility and accuracy of our data handling processes. This will translate into an improved service to our customers. CC Electronics are very proud to have been asked to manufacture the very the first board using IPC2581.


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Sep 9, 1997
|Filing date
|Jan 17, 1996
|Priority date
|Apr 25, 1994
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Eric P. Rudd, Timothy A. Skunes
|Original Assignee
|Cyberoptics Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (13), Referenced by (8), Classifications (14), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 08/232,738 filed Apr. 25, 1994, U.S. Pat No. 5,579,204.
The disclosed invention relates to non-contact metrological instruments. In particular, it relates to a method and apparatus for nearly instantaneous and wide dynamic-range exposure control in light-based measurement instruments. More specifically, the disclosed embodiment of the invention relates to the control of laser light exposure in non-contact sensors which optically measure the distance from a sensor head to a test surface.
Non-contact, laser-based point and line range sensors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,969, Laser Probe for Determining Distance; U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,747, Use of Prisms to Obtain Anamorphic Magnification; U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,772, Point and Line Range Sensors; all of the cited patents being owned by the assignee of the present invention.
laser-based measuring instruments are an improvement over conventional contact measurement devices that use, for instance, ruby-tipped contact probes. Contact probes are incrementally moved toward a surface to be detected by coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs). The precision of CMMs is limited by the diameter of the small ruby sphere attached to the end of the contact probe, and contacting probes cannot be used to measure flexible parts such as thin metal pieces, plastics, liquids, or other soft, deformable materials. Furthermore, contacting probes must be continually retracted and redeployed so that the probe is not dragged along the surface of the piece being measured.
Laser-based measuring instruments are disclosed in the above-referenced patents. The systems disclosed in the referenced patents are an improvement over previous laser-based systems, and use prisms to effect anamorphic magnification of the reflected light beam. The use of anamorphic magnification provides a substantially more compact system for a given standoff distance, while maintaining substantially higher light levels at the light sensor than was obtainable with previous, non-anamorphic systems. Reflected light intensity in laser-based measurements systems is a function of the surface reflectivity of the object being measured, and can vary over a wide dynamic range, on the order of 1,000,000:1. The system referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,772 employed optical RAMs as light sensors, and included software based exposure control to compensate for the wide range of light intensity to which the optical RAMs were exposed.
The correctness of the exposure in previous optical RAM systems could be judged only after the exposure had been terminated. This necessitated a trial-and-error approach to exposure control, the exposure time being adjusted on successive trials until a satisfactory exposure had been achieved (bracketing). The time required to take such successive exposures slowed the overall operation of the measurement system.
The problems posed by trial-and-error approaches to exposure control were exacerbated when the measurement system was mounted on a mechanical scanning device meant to be operated in a continuous motion mode. Because the time required to obtain a correct exposure reading was unknown in advance, the scanning device needed to be stopped until the series of bracketing exposures was complete. In addition to the obvious slowing of the overall operation, mechanical hysteresis effects inherent to the start and stop operations injected error into the determination of the mechanical position of the sensing head.
CCD arrays offer an alternative light sensor to the optical RAMs used in previous laser-based measuring instruments. In fact, the widespread use of CCD arrays (for instance in facsimile machines) has driven the cost of CCD arrays down to levels where the use of CCDs in place of optical RAMs could provide significant cost benefits. CCD arrays have the further advantage of providing a gray-scale image, as opposed to the binary image obtainable from an optical RAM. Gray-scale images provide much more information about the structure of the viewed object, and enable more sophisticated analysis. CCD sensors that have potential for application in laser-based measuring instruments are described in the 1992 Databook, Dalsa Inc., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and the 1991 Databook, Loral Fairchild Imaging Sensors, Milpitas, Calif. These manuals also have many application notes and other useful information.
While the use of CCD arrays in laser-based metrological instruments offers certain advantages, the dynamic range of CCD arrays is limited. The manufacturer-claimed dynamic range of 5000:1 for CCD arrays is obtainable only under ideal conditions. Even this dynamic range is nowhere near the range needed for many sensing applications, where return light levels can easily vary over a 1,000,000:1 range. It will be appreciated that overexposure of a CCD array leads to clipping, which causes the brightness gradations in the highlights of the image to be lost. Underexposure of a CCD array results in images that are heavily contaminated by noise. The potential advantages provided by CCD arrays cannot be realized without effectively solving the problems presented by the inherent limited dynamic range of CCDs.
A non-contact, light-based measurement device that incorporated the advantages of CCD sensors while overcoming the limitations presented by the limited dynamic range of CCD arrays, and which could at the same time reduce or eliminate the time required to effect control of sensor exposure, would provide decided advantages over known metrological instruments.
The problems outlined above are in large measure resolved by the method and apparatus for exposure control in CCD-based instruments in accordance with the present invention. The invention is particularly useful in conjunction with laser-based point- and line-range measurement sensors, but could be adapted for use with any CCD-based system.
The apparatus in accordance with the invention employs anti-saturation circuitry for preventing the light sensor from saturating, detection circuitry for detecting anti-saturation activity, and a feedback circuit for controlling the operation of the light source in response to the anti-saturation activity. Although, in the preferred implementation, the exposure is terminated by turning off the light source, it will be appreciated that this scheme can be made to work even without controlling the light source, by terminating the exposure some other way. For instance, transfer of the image from the photosites to the shift registers will terminate the exposure. In the particular embodiment described, a diode laser light source is used to project light onto a test object, and a CCD array is used as a light sensor. Anti-blooming circuitry integral to the CCD array yields a charge on an external pin of the CCD array at the onset of saturation, and this extremely small charge is effectively detected. For a discussion of typical anti-blooming circuitry supplied on CCD sensors, see the application note "Anti-Blooming and Integration Control," 1991 Databook, Loral Fairchild Imaging Sensors, Milpitas, Calif., pp.334-336. The intensity of the laser light source is ramped up over time by a unique laser driver circuit, and exposure time is controlled in accordance with the charge induced by the anti-blooming circuitry. The method in accordance with the invention includes the detection of anti-saturation activity in the light sensor of a light-based measurement system, and control of the exposure as a function of the detected anti-saturation activity. The big advantage of this scheme is that a correct image is obtained after a single exposure; no trial-and-error bracketing is necessary. This greatly increases image-gathering speed. Furthermore, with proper control of the light source in accordance with the invention, this speed can be obtained without compromise of the dynamic range.
The invention is particularly useful with triangulation range-sensing systems used to measure the distance to a target in an industrial setting. A prime use of such triangulation range sensing devices is to measure the height of solder paste blobs on surface-mount printed-circuit boards. Other uses include the digitization of prototype models to facilitate the manufacturing of production pieces. The sensing head in such an application would be mounted on a precision xyz stage and moved around the object. Triangulation range sensing devices are also useful in the measurement of depths of grooves, textured surfaces and the like.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a non-contact data acquisition and measurement system;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a triangulation range sensor suitable for use in the non-contact data acquisition and measurement system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the sensor electronics in accordance with the present invention, with emphasis on the exposure control circuitry;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of several of the photosites of a CCD array and an associated output shift register, depicting the anti-blooming circuitry for each photosite;
FIG. 5 is a graph of charge output of the anti-blooming circuitry as a function of exposure;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the charge detector circuit of exposure control apparatus depicted in FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a graph of the principal waveforms associated with the circuitry of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a plot depicting the transfer function of the transconductance element of the charge detector circuit depicted in FIG. 6;
FIGS. 9 and 10 depicts diode circuits used in theoretical discussion of the transconductance element;
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the transconductance element, as actually realized; and
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the laser driver circuit of the exposure control apparatus depicted in FIG. 3.
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a non-contact data acquisition and measurement system 10 having a laser-based sensor head 12. Object 19 under inspection is fixtured to platen 27. Platen 27 is translated in x and y axes. Triangulation sensor 12 measures height of object 19 in z axis. Knowledge of xy platen position and z height at many xy locations gives full three-dimensional information about object 19.
Referring to FIG. 2, the sensor head 12 is a triangulation range sensing system having a machined aluminum case 16. The case 16 measures approximately 100�80�25 mm in size. A diode laser 18, focusing lens 20, receiver optics 22 and detector 24 are housed within case 16. The diode laser 18 and detector 24 are coupled to electronics (not shown in FIG. 2) mounted on a printed circuit board inside the case 16.
Light from the diode laser 18 is focused to a small spot (typically 25 μm) on an object 19 to be measured. Reflected light 21 from object 19 passes through the receiver optics 22 and is finally focused to image spot 23 (typically 400 μm) on CCD array detector 24. The location of the detector image depends on the distance from the object 19 to the sensor head 12. The detector produces a signal which is electronically measured to determine the location of the image spot 23. Since the geometry of the optics in the sensor head 12 is known, the location of the image spot 23 has a known relationship to the distance between the object 19 to the sensor head 12.
Referring to FIG. 3, the electronics include an exposure control circuit 14 consisting of a laser driver 26, diode laser 18, CCD detector 24, control circuitry 28 and charge detection circuitry 15. Also included are digital image-processing circuitry 32, bi-directional interface circuitry 34 and digital interface and power cable 36.
The sensor head 12 advantageously employs a CCD array as the light detector 24. Since the preferred implementation uses the CCD array in an unconventional manner, it is appropriate to review the internal operation of a CCD array. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a CCD array includes multiple photosensitive regions (called photosites) and a means of serially shifting out the signals from the photosites (called the CCD shift register). Each of the photosites can be considered as a pixel. When light falls on the photosites, negative electrical charge accumulates in proportion to the amount of light received, much as rain might accumulate in an ice cube tray. Upon command, the charge accumulated on the photosites can be sent through the shift register; the signals corresponding to the amount of light received by each photosite then appear in sequence on the video output pin of the CCD array.
If a pixel in a CCD array is overexposed, a phenomenon known as blooming can occur. If one photosite has overexposed, not only does the readout from that pixel clip (or limit) in amplitude, but the excess charge, having nowhere else to go, spills over (or blooms) onto nearby pixels. Overexposed regions of a CCD image are accordingly not only clipped in amplitude, but are broadened and smeared as well. Continuing the ice cube tray analogy, if one cube in the tray has filled completely, any excess water (charge) will spill over onto nearby cubes (photosites).
CCD arrays are sometimes provided with special circuitry to alleviate the blooming problems just discussed. FIG. 4 shows the schematic diagram of a typical anti-blooming circuit. Referring to FIG. 4, each diode 38 represents one of the many photosites of a CCD array. The photosites 38 are individually connected to CCD shift register 40 by MOSFET transistors 42, actuated by transfer clock TCK. Photosites 38 are also connected to external pin VPR by MOSFET transistors 44. The gates of MOSFETs 44 are connected to external pin PR. It will be understood that actual CCD arrays have more than two pixels (the CCD array in the preferred implementation has 512), but two are enough to explain the essential features of the circuitry.
Again referring to FIG. 4, transistors 44 are the key elements of an anti-blooming circuit that prevents photosites 38 from saturating. In operation, the voltage on each photosite 38 starts out at as a positive voltage (for instance 5 V). When light falls on a photosite, the photocurrent discharges the capacitance of the photosite, and the voltage decreases. When the voltage gets down to, for instance, 3 V, the photosites saturate and blooming occurs. However, if the voltage at pin PR is held at a proper value, saturation of the photosite can be prevented.
More particularly, if photosite voltages become significantly more negative than PR, MOSFETs 44 will begin to conduct. For instance, assume that this differential voltage (called the gate-source threshold voltage) is 2 V. Then, if PR is held at 6 V, MOSFETs 44 will begin to conduct if the voltages on their respective photosites drop to less than 4 V. This voltage is sufficiently high to prevent blooming from occurring. The excess negative charge removed from the photosites flows into VPR. In terms of the ice cube tray analogy, the anti-blooming circuitry could be thought of as a hole drilled in the side of each cube in the tray. When sufficient water accumulates in a cube, it runs out through the hole in the cube; the water from all the cubes is collected by VPR. Thus the cubes never spill over, since they never fill completely.
The charge collected by pin VPR is graphed in FIG. 5. Until the onset of overexposure, the charge collects on photosites 38 and thus the charge seen on pin VPR remains small; after the onset of overexposure, the charge begins to accumulate at a rate proportional to the light intensity.
The present invention employs the anti-blooming circuitry associated with a CCD array in a unique way to control the exposure of the array. In the conventional use of the anti-blooming circuitry, pin VPR is connected to the positive power supply line, where the small negative charge received from pin VPR has no significant effect. However, since the received charge at pin VPR increases sharply at the onset of overexposure, this suggests that the exposure could be controlled by measuring the charge at VPR, and deactivating the laser light source when this charge indicates saturation at some of the pixels. However, the extremely small charges generated by the anti-blooming circuitry, and the requirement to provide exposure over extremely large dynamic ranges, complicate implementation of exposure control based on the operation of anti-blooming circuitry. The present invention provides unique circuitry for detecting the charge generated by the operation of a CCD array anti-blooming circuit, and also provides a unique laser light source driver that enables exposure of a CCD array over a wide dynamic range. It will be appreciated that much of the exposure control circuitry could be implemented on the CCD integrated circuit, which would offer good immunity from external noise and interference.
The charge generated by operation of the anti-blooming circuitry is typically only in the magnitude of about 0.5 pC. The integration time in the preferred implementation can be as long as 10 ms, which results in an average current flow of as little as (0.5 pC)/(10 ms)=50 pA. This level is comparable to the stray leakage into pin VPR from various sources. This leakage must therefore be compensated in any successful implementation of the scheme just described. Leakage currents typically vary greatly with temperature and humidity, which renders any fixed compensation schemes ineffective.
The charge detection circuitry 15 (which appears in block form in FIG. 3, and in schematic form in FIG. 6) addresses these problems. Charge detection circuit 15 includes an integrator 46, track/hold integrated circuit 48, comparator 56, and transconductance (gm) block 50.
Integrator 46 is constructed of op-amp 52 (part number OPA637, from Burr-Brown Corp., Tucson, Ariz.) and capacitor 54. Capacitor 54 has a small value such as 1 pF, and can be made from appropriately-sized pads on two adjacent printed circuit board layers. A+10-V pseudo-ground establishes the reference point for most of the charge detection circuitry. The output of integrator 46 is connected to track/hold circuit 48, whose output is fed back to the integrator input through gm block 50. The differential signal between the input and output of the track/hold is fed to the comparator 56.
Since the VPR pin of the CCD array is operably coupled to the photosites, which are positively biased, the desired current will not flow unless VPR is connected to a potential significantly more positive than that of the photosites. This is why a +10-V pseudo-ground is used as the reference for the charge detection circuitry. Since the integrator input tracks the pseudo-ground potential, the integrator input is thus also +10V, which is positive enough to permit normal operation of the anti-blooming circuitry.
The action of the exposure control is intimately associated with the action of track/hold circuit 48. A track/hold circuit has the property that its output follows (or tracks) its input when its ENABLE input is asserted. When its ENABLE input is de-asserted, the output remains at (holds) the voltage it had at the instant before ENABLE was de-asserted. Thus it can be used as an analog storage element.
The salient waveforms of the exposure control circuitry are depicted in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 7, the exposure control circuit operates in two phases, reset and integrate. During reset, the track/hold circuit 48 ENABLE is asserted. This causes the track/hold circuit 48 output to track the input, thereby applying the output of integrator 46 to gm block 50. The transconductance block 50 then applies a current to the integrator input which discharges integrator capacitor 54, resetting the integrator.
It is important to note that once the circuit stabilizes, any leakage currents are also canceled. This desirable situation occurs because, by definition, equilibrium is achieved when the voltage on capacitor 54 is not changing. Since the voltage on capacitor 54 is not changing, it follows that the sum of the currents through capacitor 54 is zero. (Otherwise, it would charge.) Thus, the circuit is able to resolve anti-blooming spill-over currents smaller than the leakage currents, since they are canceled out by the action just described. Unlike a fixed compensation scheme, this method requires only that the leakage remain approximately constant during the exposure cycle, which (in the preferred implementation) lasts less than 10 ms. Temperature and humidity variations are negligible over this time period.
When an exposure is about to begin, the track/hold ENABLE is de-asserted. This causes the track/hold output to remain at the value it had just before ENABLE was de-asserted; the integrator output also remains at the value it had in reset. Track/hold 48 maintains its equilibrium value, and gm block 50 continues to cancel out any leakage currents. However, since the voltage at the input to the gm block is now constant, the circuit does not oppose any new currents. Thus, any charge from photosite saturation accumulates on capacitor 54. When the light is turned on, and some photosites saturate, charge is transferred through pin VPR, causing the integrator output to ramp up. When it reaches a pre-determined threshold, comparator 56 triggers, causing control circuitry 28 to shut off diode laser 18 and once again apply a reset to the charge detection circuit.
Unfortunately, in order to cancel out leakage, a voltage must be applied to gm block 50. This results in an offset in the equilibrium output level of the integrator. In order to make the detection scheme insensitive to this offset, the exposure comparator is connected differentially between the input and output of the track/hold. When the difference between the comparator inputs reaches a value chosen by external circuitry, the comparator switches and asserts the EXPOSED signal.
A simple resistor could, in principle, be used for gm block 50. However, in order to reset charge detection circuit 15 rapidly, a given offset voltage at the output of integrator 46 should result in a large gm current (denoted by Ireset FIG. 6), since this will cause the integrator output to slew rapidly. Since gm =Ireset /Vint, this implies that gm should be large. Unfortunately, a large gm means that small amounts of noise affect Ireset greatly. This would argue for a small gm. However, this is not a good choice, either, since the reset time constant is τ=C1 /gm, and a small gm implies a long reset time constant, and thus a slow reset.
Furthermore a typical gm which is appropriate for this circuit is on the order of 300 p. This would require a resistor of value 1/(300 p≈3GΩ. Standard resistors are not available in such a high value.
To address these problems, a gm block was realized with current-starved diodes to obtain the very low gm required. A beneficial side effect is that the transconductance is non-linear. At the beginning of the reset cycle, the voltage applied to gm block 50 is large. As plotted in FIG. 8, the effective gm (the slope of the curve) is much larger for large voltages. This has the effect of greatly speeding up the initial stages of the reset. As the circuit approaches equilibrium, the effective gm decreases, slowing the final approach of the reset accordingly, so that it will be more precise.
The operation of gm block 50 will now be discussed in more detail, with reference to the theoretical diode circuits shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In FIG. 9 a half-bridge is depicted. The transconductance equation for a diode-connected transistor is ##EQU1## where iC is the collector current, IS is the so-called saturation current (this will soon drop out of the equations), vBE is the base-emitter voltage, and VT is defined by the equation VT =kT/q, where k is Boltzmann's constant, q is the charge on an electron, and T is absolute temperature. (k/q has the value 86.17 μV/K; thus VT ≈ mV at room temperature.) When (1) is applied to the two diode-connected transistors in FIG. 9, the ratio of currents becomes ##EQU2## By Kirchhoff's current law,
I.sub.0 =i.sub.1 +i.sub.2. (3)
Solving (3) for i1 and substituting it into (2), it follows that ##EQU3##
Consider now the theoretical circuit of FIG. 10. Here both halves of the bridge have been included, and VB bias voltages have been inserted into two of the legs. The current out of each half of the bridge can be calculated from (4), simply by taking into account sign changes and offsetting the input voltage by �VB. Moreover, the total output current from the bridge in FIG. 10 is simply the sum of the output currents of the two halves. Taking into consideration these things, the output current becomes ##EQU4## Typical values in the preferred implementation are: VB =380 mV; I0 =10 μA. The transconductance is very low for |Vin |<VT (about 300 p), but is much larger for larger inputs. When the reset circuit is activated with this transconductance, the circuit thus rapidly settles to somewhere close to the correct offset nulling current. The time constant then lengthens as time goes on. This has the desired effect of making the precision of the reset circuit adapt to the sample rate being used. Of course, if the integration time is short, but the sample rate is low, the reset is all the more precise.
In the actual circuit used in the preferred implementation, shown in FIG. 11, the diodes are realized by transistor array 58 (part number CA3046, from Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne, Fla.) by connecting the base of each transistor to its respective collector. The substrate (pin 13) is connected to the +10-V pseudo-ground to keep the collector-substrate leakage current on pin 1 to a minimum. The bias voltages VB are implemented by dual 100-μA constant-current source 60 (part number REF200, also from Burr-Brown Corp.) and resistors 62 and 64. The currents are very well matched, so the difference current flowing out of the common connection of resistors 62 and 64 is very small. Diode array 66 and resistor 68 form a clipping network to keep transistor array 58 from being reverse-avalanched by excessive input voltages. The currents sources in FIG. 10 are realized by resistors 65 and 67 connected to the positive supply and ground, chosen to make I0 ≈10 μA. The actual current through resistors 62 and 64 is 100 μA-I0, or about 90 μA. With the values listed, VB =380 mV. The network delivers its output current Ireset into the summing node of op-amp 52, which is at +10 V.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the laser driver circuit 26. The laser driver circuit consists of diode laser 18 (comprised of laser diode element 70 and monitor photodiode 72), p-channel MOSFET transistor 74 (connected in a source-follower configuration), ballast resistor 76, current sink 78 (which can be realized by conventional means), capacitor 80 and switching transistor 82, the base of which is connected to conventional digital level-shifting circuitry (not shown). The common connection of 78 and 80 comprises laser control node 84.
In the preferred implementation, the maximum exposure time (before being arbitrarily cut off by firmware) is typically 10 ms. Detector exposure is the integral of light intensity with respect to time. If a simple on-off laser control were used, this integral would be simply the product of the light intensity and time. For proper exposure this product must be held constant. It therefore follows that if the reflected light intensity varies over a 1,000,000:1 range from sample to sample, the necessary exposure time will vary over the same range (for the simple on-off laser control). One million times less than 10 ms is only 10 ns, which is too short a time for the charge detection circuitry in FIG. 6 to respond. To solve this problem, the laser intensity needs to be ramped up as the exposure progresses. Thus, if an extremely small exposure is needed, the end of the exposure is reached while the laser power is still very low. This allows the exposure control circuitry correspondingly more time to respond. An easily-gasped analogy would be if one were filling a vessel of unknown size from the faucet, and wanted it to spill over by no more than, say, 10%. At first, one would start with the water turned down to a trickle; later one would increase the flow rate, as it became apparent that the vessel was large and one could tolerate more spillover.
The ideal shape for the ramp is a growing exponential, but that is difficult to achieve in practice. However, the circuit of FIG. 12 produces a ramp-up shape that is at least 82 approximately exponential. The action of the circuit is as follows: Before exposure, transistor is held in saturation, shorting laser control node 84 to ground and keeping laser diode 70 off. To begin the exposure, 82 is turned off, allowing current sink 78 to charge laser control node 84 negatively. The circuit then proceeds through three distinct regimes of operation:
1. As the voltage on laser control node 84 falls, the voltage across laser diode 70 increases roughly linearly. During this time, laser diode 70 is in LED mode, where the light output is roughly proportional to the current it. Since this current increases exponentially with increasing voltage across laser diode 70, the light output increases exponentially with time.
2. When the voltage across laser diode 70 reaches about 2 V, laser diode 70 conducts enough that its impedance is smaller than ballast resistor 76; thus as the voltage on the laser control node continues to fall, most of the further drop occurs across resistor 76, causing the current to ramp up roughly linearly. Even before laser diode 70 reaches its threshold current, its light output begins to increase at a rate faster than linear, thus continuing the roughly exponential increase in light intensity.
3. When the light output of laser diode 70 is sufficient to cause a photocurrent through monitor photodiode 72 that is comparable to current sink 78, the ramp rate begins to slow, since the photocurrent opposes current sink 78. The circuit reaches equilibrium at the point where the photocurrent balances out current sink 78. This balance point is precise since no other circuit element is draining a significant current from laser control node 84. Thus, the circuit reaches equilibrium in a light-feedback mode, where only the small drifts in current sink 78 and the monitor photodiode affect the light output.
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|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|May 16, 1997
|Oct 13, 1998
|Cyberoptics Corporation
|Method and apparatus for exposure control in light-based measurement instruments
|Jul 28, 1998
|Apr 25, 2000
|Litton Systems Inc.
|Light-intensity regulating system for a centripetal opposed pendulous accelerometer orientation sensor
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|Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for inspecting blow molded containers
|Jul 16, 2004
|Nov 2, 2010
|Micron Technology, Inc.
|Exposure control for image sensors
|Sep 28, 2010
|Apr 17, 2012
|Micron Technology, Inc.
|Exposure control for image sensors
|Jul 16, 2004
|Jan 19, 2006
|Christian Boemler
|Exposure control for image sensors
|Sep 28, 2010
|Jan 20, 2011
|Christian Boemler
|Exposure control for image sensors
|U.S. Classification
|250/205, 250/208.1, 377/58, 348/314
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Feb 15, 2001
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Feb 9, 2005
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Nov 20, 2008
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


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On March 18, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a proposed regulation in the Federal Register to establish presumption of service connection for nine diseases. This action is necessary to implement the decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that there is a positive association between service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations and Afghanistan during certain periods and the subsequent development of the following infectious diseases:
BrucellosisCampylobacter jejuniCoxiella burnetii (Q fever)MalariaMycobacterium tuberculosisNontyphoid SalmonellaShigellaVisceral leishmaniasisWest Nile virus
The Secretary's decision to establish presumptive service connection for these conditions is based on the findings of an October 2006 report of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences titled "Gulf War and Health Volume 5." Authority to establish presumptive service connection is provided in title 38 United States Code (USC) § 1118. The nine diseases listed above are the first conditions for which presumption of service connection under § 1118 will be established. Three of the nine conditions (tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, andmalaria) are already covered under current statutory presumptions but tuberculosis and leishmaniasis would have open-ended presumptive periods under the new regulation. The presumptive period for malaria under the new regulation would be the same as it is under 38 USC § 1112(a)(2), which requires malaria to become manifest within one year of service or at a time when standard or accepted treatises indicate that the incubation period commenced during service. VA proposes to establish one year presumptive periods for the other six conditions.
The proposed regulation also identifies several secondary health effects potentially associated with each of the nine diseases but does not establish presumptions of service connection for these conditions. The proposed regulation does, however, direct VA to determine, in cases where the veteran has or had one of the nine presumptive conditions and also has one of the identified long-term health effects, whether, based on the evidence in each case, the identified secondary condition was caused by the presumptive condition for the purpose of paying disability compensation.
The new presumptive conditions will apply to veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, as currently defined under title 38 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 3.317(d), and to veterans who served in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001, the date specified in Executive Order 13239 as the date combatant activities commenced in that country. As Congress has not officially ended the period of the "Persian Gulf War," this proposed regulatory change applies to all veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990 to the present.
Written comments regarding this proposed regulation must be received by VA on or before May 17, 2010. A final regulation will be published in the Federal Register after VA considers all of the comments received during the public comment period. The proposed regulation may be accessed on the Federal Register web site at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/browse.html.


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[bitsontherun ncyuxy6q][bitsontherun ncyuxy6q]
NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Noxubee County High School Students take a stand against violence.
"SAVE" is a student driven organization.
It teaches young people healthy alternatives to violent behavior and gives them opportunities to get involved in their communities.
This evening, Reverend Tony Montgomery, of Mission Union Baptist Church in Columbus, spoke to the children about conflict management, citizenship and civility.


text:
Jammu University Recruitment
Jammu University has broadcasted an advertisement regarding Jammu University Recruitment 2016. Applications are invited from eligible aspirants for filling up Project Fellow post for research project funded by UGC. Candidates who are willing to enhance their career with this university may apply for Jammu University Vacancies, and send their filled in application forms duly prepared on plain paper on or before last date that is shown below. Job seekers are advised to check this page frequently for getting the details about Jammu University Recruitment 2017 as we'll update it very soon.
Only selected candidates need to attend the interview on scheduled date that will be informed later by the university. Interested aspirants, who want to apply for Jammu University Recruitment, may acquire other information through this page which is stated below by team of recruitmentresult.com.
Jammu University Recruitment
|Name of Organizing Body
|Jammu University
|End date to submit Application Form
|15th September 2016
Post Name:
Project Fellow
Essential Qualification:
- Contenders must have done Master's degree level in MBA (Hospitality & Tourism)/ MTM/MTA with good academic record as defined by the concerned University with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/ Physically & Visually Handicapped) or an equivalent grade.
- Candidate who have either cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by UGC, CSIR or have obtained PhD Degree in relevant subject will be given preference for the post.
Get Latest MBA Jobs: Check Here
More Post Graduate Jobs: Get Here
Age Criteria:
Applicants applying for the stated post should be below the age of 40 years. Relaxation in age will be admissible as per norms.
Pay Scale:
Contenders selected for Project Fellow Post will receive the monthly emolument of Rs. 14,000/-p.m. (Non-Gate/Non NET) and 16,000/- p.m. (Gate/NET/GPAT) which is offered by Jammu University.
Selection Procedure:
Final classification of the deserving candidate will be based on their conduct in personal interview. No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview.
|Interview Preparation Tips for getting a Job
|Get Details
|Interview Questions and Answers
|Get Details
Procedure to Apply for Jammu University Jobs:
- Contenders those who are interested in applying for the declared post must prepare their applications on plain paper indicating Name / Permanent Address / Address for Correspondence / Telephone Number (If Any) / Date Of Birth / Qualification and work experience (if there is any).
- The application should reach at the below stated address along with attested photo copies of the certificates on or before given date.
- Only eligible candidates will be informed about the date, time and venue of interview later on. No TA/DA shall be paid for attending the interview.
- Aspirants must bring original certificate with one set of Xerox of all documents at the time of interview.
Postal Address:
Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas
Principal Investigator
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Dates to be kept in mind:
End date to submit Application Form: 15th September 2016
Note: Aspirants may open the Official Advertisement to read entire details about Jammu University Recruitment 2016 – 2017. Candidates are advised to bookmark this page by pressing CTRL+D for getting instant updates.
Jammu University Recruitment: Download Notification
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Mobile phone users are failing to recycle their handsets when they reach end-of-life, according to Nokia.
The Finnish mobile maker's survey of 6,500 people found that most smartphone users don't even think about recycling, instead leaving their handset to gather dust at home. Just 3 percent of those interviewed recycled their phones.
However, the survey found that only 4 percent of old handsets end up in landfill; those who don't keep them in a drawer pass then on to friends of family, or sell them.
Nonetheless, Nokia warned that this was a missed opportunity. The mobile phone giant said that if each of the 3 billion mobile phone owners recycled one, it would result in 240,000 tons of raw materials that could be reused. The carbon emissions saved by reuse of that material would be the equivalent of taking 4 million cars off the road, Nokia said.
"It's an opportunity for us to work with people to raise that number," said Nokia spokeswoman Susan Allsopp said.
For more mobile phone news, reviews and tutorials, see Mobile Advisor


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Brett Eldredge Opens Up About Why He Won't Be the Next 'Bachelor'
Brett Eldredge is arguably one of country music's most eligible bachelors. Recently he chatted with Taste of Country Night's host Sam Alex about his bachelor status and why he won't be the next Bachelor.
Eldredge's career is only going up and because of that, his schedule is getting busier and busier. Now that more people are taking notice of the cutie, it's been said that he should potentially be the next man looking for love on The Bachelor. When Alex asked Eldredge when he'd begin the taping, he just laughed.
"I don't know," Eldredge says with a smile and a laugh. "I think they're still working on the last one."
Even though he shrugs the comment off, he's still flattered that anyone would put his name in to potentially find Mrs. Right (or Mrs. Right Now) on the show.
"It's a flattering thing that People magazine came out and said 'He should be the next Bachelor,' but all this touring, man," he says. "I just don't have time to do it right now, but I've been a bachelor for a while, so I guess I'm at least kinda good at that part of it."
So, he won't be looking for love and handing out roses — but what about receiving them? When Alex asked Eldredge if he'd be on The Bachelorette, he grinned and said, "That sounds fun."
For now though, Eldredge is focusing on another crazy stunt. He's trying to figure out how to celebrate his third No. 1, and of course it has to be something wild! Find out details on how you can help the "Mean to Me" pick his stunt here.
Brett Eldredge's Sexiest and Silliest Instagram Pics
Brett Eldredge: Country Music's Best Snapchat User
Subscribe to Lonestar 92 on


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Figure Skating
How Adam Rippon won at U.S. Figure Skating Championships: 'I'm a witch'Tuesday, January 26, 2016The secret to excelling at figure skating? Magic. The darkest magic.
Eric Radford: Olympic figure skater, medal-winning family man – and gayFriday, December 5, 2014Figure skater Eric Radford, a member of the Canadian team that won the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Sochi this year, has come out as gay.
Here's Johnny! Clothes make the man and vice versaSunday, February 16, 2014SOCHI, Russia — He promised himself something the first time he ever laced up a pair of skates. It's the same thing Johnny Weir returns to in those quiet moments most evenings, just before the TV…
Olympic figure skating champ Brian Boitano says he's gayThursday, December 19, 2013Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano came out on Thursday, two days after he was named to the U.S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow.
Three-time U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir retires, joins NBC for SochiWednesday, October 23, 2013NEW YORK -- Known as much for his outrageous costumes and comments as his intriguing skating, Johnny Weir is leaving the ice for the broadcast booth.
Champion figure skater Ashley Wagner speaks out against Russia's anti-gay lawMonday, September 30, 2013PARK CITY, Utah -- Unlike many American Olympic hopefuls, figure skater Ashley Wagner has no problem expressing her feelings about Russia's new anti-gay law.
Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir: I don't celebrate being gayMonday, January 10, 2011"I was born a white male, a white gay male, and I don't celebrate being white or male, so why should I celebrate being gay?" U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir confirmed to the world that…


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|US distributor:
|Available From:
|16.25 inches (413mm)
|Front Track:
|12.75 inches (324mm)
|Rear Track:
|12.75 inches (324mm)
|65.3oz (1.85kg)
|Height (overall):
|9.5 inches (241mm)
|10.63 inches (270mm)
|Front Shock Length:
|Rear Shock Length:
|Front Tires:
|Talon 2.8"
|Rear Tires:
|Talon 2.8"
|Front Wheels:
|2.8" Black-Chome (All-Stars)
|Rear Wheels:
|2.8" Black-Chome (All-Stars)
|Speed Control Type:
|VXL-3s Electronic Speed Control
|Motor (electric):
|Velineon 3500 Brushless
|Gear Ratio (internal):
|2.72 (final drive: 12.34)
|Differential Type:
|Gear Pitch:
|Magnum 272
|Single Point
|Chassis Type:
|Modified Tub
|Chassis Material:
|Composite Nylon
|Retail Price:
The Stampede from Traxxas was the first high-performance monster truck. Known for its ruggedness, the electric-powered Stampede with its powerful 550 class brushed motor could hold its own on dirt, gravel or pavement. Now, the new Stampede VXL brushless monster truck is setting new, never-before-seen speed benchmarks. The long-awaited introduction of a brushless power system for the Traxxas Stampede has been realized in the Velineon motor and ESC. It's a true powerhouse and it's ready to run out of the box. Traxxas calls it "The World's Most Extreme Monster Truck".
I'm a newbie to RC trucks, but I quickly found out that the Stampede VXL was the perfect 'first truck' for me!
Powered by the Velineon Brushless Power System
The review package shipped from Traxxas, and it arrived double-boxed and free of damage. The Stampede was secured inside and isolated with foam blocks to ensure it was well protected during shipping.
The beautiful box art covers all sides:
Kit includes:
Fully assembled, Ready-To-Run
Kit requires:
The instructions are color photo-illustrated, and the manual was very easy to understand and follow. There's also a toll-free support line if you have questions. Literally, all there is to do is install the AA batteries in the transmitter, install the 6 or 7-cell NiMH battery in the battery tray, and attach the truck body with four washers and pins.
The Stampedes white powder coated oil-filled Ultra Shocks are fully tunable with a wide range of oils, springs, and pistons. You can precisely change ride height and spring pre-load, and the shocks can be renewed in minutes with Traxxas' inexpensive rebuild kits.
Stampede VXLs Magnum 272 transmission is assembled with new all metal gear internals riding on sealed ball bearings. With standard 48-pitch gears, power is delivered to the durable telescoping U-joint drive shafts. The sealed gearbox protects the transmission components from dirt and rocks. When using a 3S LiPo battery for high-speed driving,
Stampede VXL features new drive yokes which are designed to provide maximum durability to withstand the extreme power of the Velineon Brushless Power System. The slider drive shafts are extremely durable, and they allow greater articulation for increased suspension travel.
The Velineon 3500 Brushless Motor uses ultra high-temperature Neodymium magnets, high-speed ball bearings, and a precision balanced rotor for power and long-life. The Velineon 3500 delivers consistent, high-power output, run after run.
The Velineon VXL-3s forward/reverse electronic speed control uses advanced circuit design that allows sensorless brushless motors to operate with the smoothness and precision of the best brushed systems. It is LiPo, NiCad and NiMH compatible with two-stage low-voltage detection and features three programmable drive profiles:
Sport Mode Forward/Brake/Reverse
The Stampedes Velineon Brushless Power System features the new Traxxas High-Current Connector. It is designed to handle high-current applications, has large, textured surfaces on the plug bodies which are easy for fingers to grip, and the clever reverse-polarity protection makes Traxxas connectors virtually impossible to plug in backwards.
The Stampede VXL battery tray is perfectly designed to accommodate 6 or 7-cell NiMH flat packs in the 3000+ mAh range as well as some 3S Lipoly packs. A built-in battery holder ensures the battery cannot come loose even if the Stampede flips over.
The included TQ radio system includes a high-power transmitter with a specially designed comfort grip, a precise high-torque steering servo and a compact receiver for up to a quarter-mile range. The TQ transmitter includes these features:
Servo reversing
The durable monocoque chassis tub is made from the highest quality nylon composites and designed for maximum ground clearance. Many parts including the chassis, shock bodies, and transmission housing are molded in gray for a fresh high-tech look. An adjustable wheelie bar is pre-installed and helps prevent flipping.
The Velineon brushless motor provided excellent power and torque. The Stampede VXL has a very broad speed range, especially for a monster truck. The optional spur/pinion is easy to change and gives the Stampede tremendous top speed with a 3S LiPo battery, making it capable of 65+ miles per hour!
The Stampede VXL is an excellent choice for a first-time RC truck driver, and the different battery/gearing options allow for plenty of room for you to advance as your driving skills improve. Its extremely tough construction will stand up to a lot of abuse, and if something should break, replacement parts are readily available at your Traxxas dealer. I think it is the ideal monster truck for the beginner all the way to the advanced RC driver.
The Traxxas Stampede VXL truly impressed me with how well it handles and how easy it is to drive. It is truly a ready-to-run, go anywhere vehicle, from your local dirt track to your neighborhood street. If youre looking to enter the world of electric monster trucks and want a vehicle you can truly grow with that is pure out-of-the-box fun, look no further than the Traxxas Stampede VXL!
As you can see, the Traxxas Stampede VXL looks great in action!
The Traxxas Stampede VXL is an absolute blast to drive and will provide many hours of on and off-road fun. See it at your Traxxas dealer or at Traxxas.com!Last edited by Angela H; Oct 26, 2008 at 09:27 PM..
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I love the review, awesome truck. I am a flyer I love flight all aspects. But I also love my R/C trucks and buggies. I have more oportunity to run them than my aircraft. I love the fact that EZone was willing to take the chance and run something "non air". I would love to see more reviews like this. Maybe EZone could have dual roll, after all any R/C in my book is total enjoyment....
Checked out the video...looks ok. Though I would rather get the E-Revo Brushless Edition or the Rustler VXL brushless (If I have to choose TRAXXAS)
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