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Hey everyone, this is my first post. I just cannot get port forwarding to work on Windows 7. I'm using a D-Link DI-634M wireless router. I set up a static IP that is outside of the DHCP range so it doesn't get assigned to someone else on my network. I live with 3 other guys and there are also smartphones on the network. I'll go ahead and provide some information for you to look at.
(All of this is under CMD: ipconfig /all)
IP Address (before): 192.168.0.113
Static IP that I've Selected: 192.168.0.119
DHCP Range (changed by me to a much smaller range): 192.168.0.100 - 192.168.0.110
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
Name Servers (DNS): 192/168.0.1
(All of this is under Status > WAN in my router confgurations)
Connection Type: DHCP Client
Router's IP Address: 172.17.104.84
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 172.17.104.65
Primary DNS Server: 172.17.104.65
Secondary DNS Server: 0.0.0.0
*There are two options on my router configuration page: DHCP Renew & DHCP Release. Can anyone tell me what these are?
*I click on the Network icon on the bottom right of the Windows 7 taskbar > Open Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings > right-click the wireless connection > Properties > select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > select Properties.
*Here, I'm supposed to type in the required information such IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway as well as my Primary and Alternate DNS Servers, all in order to set up my static IP. The static IP that I chose should be the one I type into the IP Address field, right? In that case, which Default Gateway do I use? The one from my computer or the one from my router?
*Also, what numbers should I place in the Primary and Alternate DNS Server spots? Is it unusual that my router is showing a Secondary DNS of 0.0.0.0?
*My main problem here is that I can't find any ports that are open for forwarding. That could be because I don't have my static IP set up properly.
All in all, I'm just majorly confused, can anyone help me out?
Thanks a bunch!
OK the 192.168.0.xxx is the LOCAL ip address which is given out by the router.
The 71.42.218.***. is the public WAN ip given to your routers wan port by your ISP.
You would need to login to the router and forward the port(s) you wish to use to the IP address you gave your box (192.168.0.119)
you may also need to allow those ports in the firewall on the PC
Your question are more of a networking 101 and not really windows 7 related.
I guess you should use the link below to get up to speed.
Please also refer to:
µTorrent Connection Setup Guide
Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
If it still doesn't work, please also try to create a rule for the ports or the application:
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Getting Started Guide
Nicholas Li - MSFT
All replies
DHCP Renew & DHCP Release is what is says it is, it to release or renew the IP address from your ISP.
your Ipconfig gives you all you need to set the ip
set the
IP Address : 192.168.0.113
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
Name Servers (DNS): 192.168.0.1
The ports are forward in the router and then you ALLOW traffic thru the firewall on the PC.
Does anyone else have any input? I'm still very confused as to why my Alternate DNS is 0.0.0.0. Anyways, I tried what Bubbapcguy said. When windows asks for the Primary and Alternate DNS servers, I typed 192.168.0.1 for both. Windows wouldn't let me use the same number for both and it also would not let me use 0.0.0.0 as a Secondary or Alternate DNS. Any ideas?
- John
John you can use open DNS you wish
126.96.36.199 is one
- Proposed as answer by Bubbapcguy Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:14 AM
Is there a particular way to find out whether setting up my static IP worked? I used 220.127.116.11 as the Alternate DNS, just like you said. Windows accepted it, but I have no idea if it really worked. If I run ipconfig /all, I noticed that my IPv4 address did change to the IP address I chose.
- John
Is there a particular way to find out whether setting up my static IP worked? I used 126.96.36.199 as the Alternate DNS, just like you said. Windows accepted it, but I have no idea if it really worked. If I run ipconfig /all, I noticed that my IPv4 address did change to the IP address I chose.
- John
by the way, I still have internet access even after changing the settings. If this helps..
If you have Inet access then yes the settings are working.I do have internet access..I'm trying to port forward uTorrent (sounds like everyone else's story). I tried out a uTorrent-recommended torrent file just to check my speeds. It was downloading at over 300 kB/second, so that's not too bad in my opinion. Yet, I've never been able to port forward on any of my computers, so now I'm just doing it because I want it to work haha.
You say you want to forward some ports to the box, is this for running a server or for gaming?
Every single port I choose is closed according to the "Test if port is forwarded properly" link on uTorrent's Speed Guide. Btw, whether I use 188.8.131.52 or just blanks for the Secondary DNS (when setting up the static IP) doesn't matter as I get net access either way. Any clue?
- John
I've got another question. When I look up my IPv4 address in ipconfig /all, I see the address I set as my static IP with the word "preferred" after it. However, whenever I go to ANY website that tells me my own IP address, it definitely does not list the static IP I set up. As a matter of fact, the number is completely different. The static IP I set up starts with the usual 192.168.0.***. When I see my IP address on websites, it tells me it's 71.42.218.***. I am completely lost on what this "new" IP address is. Thx
- John
OK the 192.168.0.xxx is the LOCAL ip address which is given out by the router.
The 71.42.218.***. is the public WAN ip given to your routers wan port by your ISP.
You would need to login to the router and forward the port(s) you wish to use to the IP address you gave your box (192.168.0.119)
you may also need to allow those ports in the firewall on the PC
Your question are more of a networking 101 and not really windows 7 related.
I guess you should use the link below to get up to speed.
I've actually already used that particular site. If I go to Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules, I see two rules for uTorrent: uTorrent (TCP-In) and uTorrent (UDP-In). Pick either one and right-click > Properties > Protocols and Ports. I can select from a wide range of protocols, but its default setting is TCP or UDP, respectively. There are also pull-down bars for "Local Port" and "Remote Port". Within both pull-down bars, I can select "All Ports" or "Specific Ports" and sometimes there is an "Edge Traversal" option. For both TCP-In and UDP-In under "Inbound Rules", I have Local and Remote Ports set to "All Ports".
On the other hand, there isn't a single rule for uTorrent that I can find under "Outbound Rules". Should I have some rules set for uTorrent under "Outbound Rules"? Are my settings correct for the two inbound rules? Should I keep the settings at "All Ports" or should I switch it to "Specific Port" and pick a port #? Thx.
- John
Once more this is really not a windows 7 question but more of a uTorrent question.
Google is your friend.
- Marked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Monday, December 14, 2009 10:02 AM
- Unmarked as answer by Nicholas LiModerator Monday, December 14, 2009 10:03 AM
Please also refer to:
µTorrent Connection Setup Guide
Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
If it still doesn't work, please also try to create a rule for the ports or the application:
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Getting Started Guide
Nicholas Li - MSFT
I also have an issue forwarding ports with windows 7 ultimate 64.
I have done everything including bypassing the router, setting the firewall rules and its all in vein.
The only fix I have found is to uninstall windows 7 {vista in a new wrapper} and install xp, then
miraculously the ports open.
Who's the next dummy who is going to say it's not windows 7 ?
This issue seems to be on the 64bit platform.
Vista 64 did the exact same thing.
Not sure if anyone's going to respond to this seemingly mindless thread, but I must say I am encountering the exact issues.
I would describe myself as an "amateur expert" on networking and I have been forwarding ports successfully for years with different routers and computers of different configurations, that is, until I started using Windows 7.
Basically port forwarding is a router side thing and true, it shouldn't have anything to do with the OS, but well, I have to concede that win7 64bit has something to do with the problem; here's what I did:
1. I first assigned a static IP to the LAN card of my PC. Since the router recognizes only the MAC when assigning IPs, using different OSs should have no influence on the IP. Then, I did the steps necessary for port forwarding, which worked for all my other PCs.
2. After having no avail in connecting to the remote desktop service on my unit with win7, I installed XP (Professional, 32bit, which was sitting on my shelf without purpose) on the units second hard drive (did a dual boot), just to prove the issue is OS-dependent.
3. After booting into XP...well, if you've gone this far, you should be able to guess what happened next. Without making any changes to the router-settings, I was able to connect to the remote desktop service of the unit mentioned. Note that in all attempts network level authentication was set to be not required.
Now if it's not something in Win7 64bit causing the issue, please tell me what is.
I would like to know why no one replies to this question on Windows Forum! Isnt this suppose to be a forum from a brand called Microsoft that has millions of users world wide?! If this is the official site, where is the professionalism in helping people?
I would also want to share the same issue as i've been reading around the internet and here:
I port forwarded before, with Win XP. i know the essentials basics of how it works and which are the steps... But now that i have Win7, i cant get port 26900 (ejamming program) to unblock. I have an ARRIS modem. We are 2 people using it, but i disconnected completely the other pc everytime i tried to unblock this ports and use the program. I have a static IP and the other pc doesnt.
I already tried the following:
1- DMZ with my IP address (which is Static, by the way)! My router wasnt possibly interfeering and still my ports were blocked. So IT HAS to be my computer.
2- Disabled and even UNINSTALLED all firewalls and antispywares, as well as disabled completely Windows firewall. (i had the exceptions in both win firewall and antivirus programs for this program and i created inbound rules for this ports, both TCP and UDP).
3- One i disabled the Win firewall and, as by magic, i thought THERE was the problem! the door was unblocked. but after 5 minutes, just to make a test, i got WIn firewall on again and then off, and never more i got the port open... So, unless i can´t see somethign very obvious here, there is something not right in this system.
4- All the IP's are matching, the number of ports were checked over and over again... The door unblocked once and got blocked again IN THE EXACT SAME CONDITIONS!
So, i would advise people on Microsoft to take a look at this issue more carefully and dont discard people has they are doing the most basic error. I would like very much to see an effective reply to this thread, but i must say im not seeing it happen, which is very disrispectfull and unprofessional from Microsoft. So if none of the geniuses who work there can answer to their own creations, what are we dealing with here?! total ignorance? And how more coward and disrispectful can it get when people are left with an issue standing by for years?!!?!?!!?!
Thanks for your time.
Sorry but I have to be pissed off.
Rarely, if ever, will you find a direct response from a Microsoft engineer or developer with a solution, never mind even an acknowledgement that the problems is real, on these forums. On any of the thousands of problems reported here. In over four years browsing here regularly since Vista RC, I have yet to see it. If you are lucky some other person has a suggestion or workaround that works. Good luck.


text:
Summer is on in Alaska. Forget the remnants of the record snow still burying the Chugach Mountains above Alaska's largest city.
The birds are back. The tourists are back. And the first mountaineers of the season have reached the top of North America's tallest mountain. Jeremy Ashen and Adam Bartlett from Vail, Colo., reported to the Talkeetna Ranger Station of Denali National Park and Preserve that they reached the 20,320-foot summit of Mount McKinley via the popular West Buttress route on May 5. They reported cold conditions and some frostbite, but neither required serious medical attention.
Both men are now off the mountain, but many climbers are moving up McKinley. The National Park Service reports 159 climbers ascending with the number increasing daily. The number registered to climb is up to 1,000. Based on the last few years, about 1,200 are expected to eventually make a summit bid.
As usual, the early going has been tough. Of eight climbing teams come and gone from the high reaches, Ashen and Bartlett are the only ones to make the top.
Cold weather and winds play havoc with most early-season attempts. The summit success rate is expected to steadily improve as the weather warms. However, storms can blow away a McKinley climber's hopes at any time, but the odds of reaching the summit improve from now until mid-June when the bulk of the climbers hit McKinley. Of the 1,232 climbers who tackled McKinley last year, more than half -- 56 percent -- made the summit, according to Park Service records. Six, unfortunately, never came back. Five died in falls high on the mountain; another succumbed to a heart attack in high camp.
It was a rough year overall in the Alaska Range. Three other climbers died in the vicinity of McKinley, bringing the death count to nine – the most of any climbing season since 1992 when 13 died in the Alaska Range, 11 of them on Mount McKinley. Four died in each of the previous two years.
And yet, climbers keep coming to test themselves against one of the world's toughest mountain challenges.
More than 10 percent of the climbers on the mountain last year were women. There were likely a few of them among the 66 people who lined up June 6 to get on the summit.
That was the busiest day of the season at the top of the mountain. It came only a couple weeks after Sweden's Andreas Fransson completed a daring ski descent of the South Face, a McKinley first. This video attests to why. There was no margin for error.
Contact Craig Medred at craig(at)alaskadispatch.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Cosplayer Sakura Mikage > Costume of Garterbelt (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt)
- Most Recent Photo
- 07-05-2011
- Series
- Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt
- Character
- Garterbelt
- Special Variation:
- Female version
- Year Completed:
- Construction Difficulty:
- Very Easy
- Costume worn at:
- Anime Expo 2011
About this Costume
- Construction Details:
This costume was originally my Maylene/Meirin from Kuroshitsuji. All I did was take it in a little and made a split up the side.
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Oct 052012
The Knights of Columbus Scholarship Scramble is scheduled on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Holbrook's Hidden Cove Golf Course. The shotgun start for the three-man blind draw tournament is slated at 10 a.m.
The entry fee is $45 per person. Mulligans will be available for $5 and there will be a $10 optional buy-in. Prizes will be awarded for the longest putt, longest drive and closest to the pin. Dinner and a raffle drawing will be held immediately following the tourney.
For more information, call Paul Ortega at (928) 241-0203 or Rob Koerperich at 241-0942.


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From monday to friday: 9h00 - 18h00 (non-stop)
Saturday: 9h00 - 16h00 (non-stop)
The Lens Hood EW-63C is designed for the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens. It is a flower-petal shaped lens hood with a two-pronged bayonet mount.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all information contained herein. e-nitiative shall not be liable for any changes resulting in wrong product description, tax code and/or price. The shown information (specifications, prices, taxes) should be considered as an indication and can be changed at any moment and without any prior notice.
From monday to friday: 9h00 - 18h00 (non-stop)
Saturday: 9h00 - 16h00 (non-stop)
Open on ALL working days,
Open on days between holidays and weekend.
Closed only on Sundays and holidays.
Tel. 02/5122332
Fax. 02/5139668
Design and development by :


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View Open Positions
Physicians are on the medical staff of Provo Canyon School, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Provo Canyon School. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.
Model representations of real patients are shown. Actual patients cannot be divulged due to HIPAA regulations.


text: Human Rights Observatory Iran Carries Out Ballistic Missile Tests Iran said Tuesday it conducted ballistic missile tests at several sites across the country in order to show its "deterrent power" and readiness to confront threats. The tests come two months after the United States imposed new sanctions against five Iranian nationals and a network of companies with links to banned missile activity. Iran defended two previous missile tests last October as being a matter of national security after the U.S. and other Western powers said the...Read complete article© Voice of America - Tuesday, March 8, 2016


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Three cheers for the International House of Brown! Hooray for the Caffeine Castle, the Ubiquitous Usurper. Starbucks! Yeah! Starbucks, which eats all other coffee joints for breakfast, which has so efficiently and ruthlessly captured the American java market that it's the McDonald's of its niche. In fact, it has outdone McDonald's, which at least has Burger King and Taco Bell to contend with.
Starbucks moves into neighborhoods that have vibrant indie coffeehouses and proceeds to milk the businesses dry. We all agree that sucks. And sure, Starbucks' coffee's not Kaldi's, Shaw or Goshen, roasted locally. But even the most militant chain-haters must acknowledge that before Starbucks, the pickings were pretty slim. We had Folgers. We had Yuban, for Christ's sake -- crap in a can. Before Starbucks, could you get a decent cup downtown? Hell no. At the airport, were you happy with your choices? No. You drank brown spew brewed at six a.m., burnt by six-fifteen and served to you at three. On a road trip, where'd you get your coffee? That's right: at a gas station. At least Starbucks makes a good cup of coffee. They don't scrimp.
Pretty much at Starbucks is brown: brown coffee, brown tea, brown muffins. Speaking of brown, we'd like to highly recommend Starbucks' new brown chocolate drink, called a Chantico. It is named for the Aztec goddess of orgasms, lard-asses and cocoa butter.
But who cares about the goddess Chantico when the drink Chantico warms your hands right now? Served in what seems to be a jumbo Dixie cup, the drink is a delicacy that, like most special things, is full of ingredients that will make your heart stop. In addition to said cocoa butter, it's steamed with whole milk, contains a Radio Flyer's worth of sugar and a flatbed of chocolate. The result: a six-ounce serving containing 390 calories, 21 grams of fat and 51 carbohydrates.
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Choo Hits Seagull for Cleveland Walk Off
June 12, 2009 in Sportson
In an absolutely improbably turn of events, Cleveland Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo got a walk-off hit off of a seagull in centerfield. The chaotic scene resulted in a bird crashing to the ground, the ball zooming past a dejected Coco Crisp, and the Indians having a celebration in the middle of the infield. Destined for jumbotron blooper reels for years to come, the video is already one of the most-watched clips on the MLB's website.
Cleveland Indians tickets are available now!
Categories: Cleveland Events, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, MLB Baseball
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Event Information & Tickets
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Sydney Bridal Expo will be held on Saturday 21 & Sunday 22, April 2018 from 10:00am – 4:30pm.
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COLUMBIA — The South Carolina mother on trial in the case of her missing son told police searching for the boy that she needed a break from parenting, according to testimony Tuesday.
Prosecutors played a lengthy interview in which Zinah Jennings told police she was stressed from parenting, criticism from her mother and being unemployed and needed some time to herself. Sgt. Arthur Thomas is heard repeatedly telling Jennings that he understands her situation and just needs to see the boy to know that he's OK.
"We'll deal with you still having a break," Thomas says, also telling Jennings she needs to pray for help. "You don't have to feel like you're being forced to take the child back."
Jennings still refused to give details about her son, becoming defensive when talking about caring for him and saying she had known the people with whom she left him for a long time.
"It's very frustrating," said Jennings, referring to pressure she felt from her mother. "All eyes are on me. … I know why I'm here, and I don't care what she has to say about it."
Jennings, 23, is on trial for unlawful conduct toward a child. Her son, Amir, was 18 months old when he was last seen around Thanksgiving. Jennings has said her son is safe but won't say where he is.
Earlier Tuesday, prosecutors began laying out their case against Jennings. In an opening statement, Assistant Solicitor Dolly Justice Garfield said Amir is the crux of the case.
Defense attorney Hemphill Pride said authorities have no proof his client abandoned the boy.
The interview played Tuesday was from a conversation Jennings had with police several days after a Christmas Eve car wreck in downtown Columbia. She first said she had no children, then said the boy was with relatives and friends in cities from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C. Investigators say they chased down Jennings' stories but arrested her after several dead ends.
Another officer testified Tuesday that he ran Jennings' license plate number against a national database and found that both Jennings and her son had been reported missing.
While questioning Jennings at a hospital where she was being treated, Officer Christon Miller said she had glitter on her face and told him she had no children.
Two nurses said Jennings was screaming and moving so much that it was hard to take her vital signs. Both confirmed that Jennings first said she had no children, then said she had one child – a daughter – only after nurses asked about her Caesarean section scar.
Jennings' mother and other supporters wore pale yellow lapel ribbons in court. As she has for several months, Jennings' mother carried a bag emblazoned with the image of her missing grandson.
Jennings' trial is expected to last several weeks, and she faces up to 10 years if convicted. A jury of eight woman and four men is considering the case.
Jennings, who is due to give birth to a second child in several weeks, is also facing an assault charge stemming from an allegation that she shoved a jailhouse nurse over medication earlier this year. Jennings has been ordered by a judge to take Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug, while in jail. After the fight, she served 90 days in solitary confinement.


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- Inside seat depth (without Back Cushion): 22.4"


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Today is Sunday, April 25, the 116th day of 2004 with 250 to follow.
The moon is waxing. The morning stars are Neptune, Uranus, Mercury and Pluto. The evening stars are Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn.
Those born on this date are under the sign of Taurus. They include Oliver Cromwell, lord protector of England, in 1599; Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the radio telegraph, in 1874; U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan in 1906; pioneer broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow in 1908; singer Ella Fitzgerald in 1918; former Harlem Globetrotters basketball player Meadow George "Meadowlark" Lemon III in 1932 (age 72); and actors Al Pacino in 1940 (age 64), Talia Shire in 1946 (age 58), Hank Azaria in 1964 (age 40), and Renee Zellweger in 1969 (age 35).
On this date in history:
In 1507, German geographer and mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller published a book in which he named the newly discovered continent of the New World "America" after the man he (mistakenly) thought had discovered it: Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.
in 1859, ground was broken for the Suez Canal at Port Said, Egypt.
In 1862, Union forces captured New Orleans during the Civil War.
In 1898, Congress formally declared war on Spain in the battle over Cuba.
In 1901, the state of New York became the first state to require license plates on automobiles.
In 1945, delegates of 46 countries gathered in San Francisco to organize a permanent United Nations.
In 1962, Ranger 4 landed on the moon.
In 1967, the first law legalizing abortion in the United States was signed into law by Colorado Gov. John Arthur Love.
In 1982, Israel turned over the final third of the occupied Sinai Peninsula to Egypt under the Camp David peace agreement.
In 1990, Discovery astronauts released the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. The telescope was later determined to be flawed, prompting another space mission to repair it.
Also in 1990, Violetta Chamorro assumed the Nicaraguan presidency, ending more than a decade of leftist Sandinista rule.
In 1991, the United States announced its first financial aid to Hanoi since the 1960s: $1 million to make artificial limbs for Vietnamese disabled during the war.
In 1992, Pentagon officials said an airman was missing and two others were injured after a U.S. Air Force C-130 drug-interdiction aircraft was fired on by Peruvian jets.
In 1993, an estimated 300,000 people took part in a gay rights march on the National Mall in Washington.
In 1994, the Japanese Diet elected Tsutomo Hata as prime minister.
In 1995, regular season play by major-league baseball teams got underway and was the first official action since the longest strike in sports history began in August 1994.
In 1997, a federal district court in Greensboro, N.C., ruled the Food and Drug Administration had the power to regulate the distribution, sale and use of tobacco products.
In 1998, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testified via videotape for the Little Rock, Ark., grand jury in the Whitewater case.
In 1999, Vice President Al Gore was among the 70,000 who attended a memorial service for the victims of the Columbine High School shootings five days earlier.
In 2000, the Vermont House of Representatives approved a measure legalizing "civil unions" among same sex couples. The governor signed the bill into law, making Vermont the first state in the nation to give homosexual couples the same legal status as heterosexual married couples.
In 2001, the Japanese Diet elected Junichiro Koizumi, a former health and welfare minister, as the country's new prime minister.
In 2002, Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia presented President George W. Bush with an Israeli-Palestinian peace proposal and reportedly warned Bush that the U.S. must do more to stop Israeli incursions in Palestinian territory or lose credibility in the Middle East.
In 2003, Chinese health officials closed a second hospital and ordered about 4,000 people in the capital city of Beijing to stay home as the number of cases and deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, continued to surge in the country.
Also, in 2003, Farouk Hijazi, the former director of external operations for Iraqi intelligence and a former ambassador to Tunisia and Turkey, was captured. Hijazi was believed by the U.S. government to have helped plan the failed 1993 assassination attempt on former President George H.W. Bush in Kuwait.
A thought for the day: President Kennedy said, "History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside."


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There always comes a turning point in everyone's life, when a serendipitous happening alters the course we set for ourselves and sometime for the products we build. The Indonesian National TV channel wanted to interview the Koprol team on a banal topic like 'growth of Facebook and other social networks', but instead they happened to see a fancy location based application in its alpha stage, and they got hooked. The interview changed directions and instead it became a media feature on Koprol.
After this, there was no looking back for Koprol. Koprol, a location based social networking application focused on Indonesia, made headlines last month when Yahoo! decided to acquire them. Being one of the first Indonesian startups to get acquired by a technology behemoth, they've now become the startup rock-stars of SouthEast Asia. I chatted up with Fajar Budiprasetyo, founder of Koprol to talk more on his journey with this startup.
From Software Development House to Product Startup
Daniel Armanto, Leo and Fajar Budiprasetyo founded Skyeight, the company that built Koprol, in 2004. Skyeight started off as mainly a software development house, taking up external projects from clients. They were doing client work for 5 years before the itch to create a product consumed them.
When asked about, why specifically did he want to build a mobile application rather than a piece of software, which is where their expertise lies, Fajar mentions that – Indonesia has higher mobile penetration than internet. With 60% mobile penetration rate in Indonesia, combined with the explosive growth of social networks – they saw an opportunity to create a compelling mobile social networking application.
This is when Fajar approached Satya Witoelar, the other co-founder of Koprol and his high school buddy to help them build this application. Satya's expertise was in creating mobile applications and was purportedly a social-media expert.
Skyeight's internal team structure then changed, with one team consisting of 5 people focusing on external client projects and a team of 6 focusing on building Koprol. Due to the lack of funding landscape in Indonesia, Koprol funded its product development from the money they made through client projects.
After which, they went ahead to launch what the western technology media calls –"The Asian Foursquare". With regards to this, Fajar is quick to respond, that Foursquare launched two months after Koprol and that their idea did not evolve from Foursquare. After Koprol launched and showed off their initial prototype on National TV, they received 100+ sign ups. And are now well on their way to acquire more users after receiving publicity through various global media channels after the news of Yahoo acquiring them broke out.
Meeting with Yahoo.
It all began in November 2009, with Yahoo holding their first ever Southeast Asia open-hack day in Jakarta. Yahoo was actively looking for local players to team up with, to promote this event and with Koprol increasingly getting popular especially among the early adopter crowd in Indonesia; it set off a good partnership. It also helped that Koprol used various Yahoo API's and development tools to increase user adoption and drive traffic to their site. Yahoo then started to play around with the system and the talks of acquisition started in January 2010. Fajar mentions, he was shocked when Yahoo started talking about acquisition, as this was previously unheard of in Indonesian startup eco-system. "People who start their company here have no expectation of being funded, forget about acquisition then!". And on May 25, 2010 – Yahoo officially announced their acquisition of Koprol for an undisclosed amount.
Road ahead for Koprol
When asked about the future plans for Koprol, Fajar mentions that Koprol still has a long way to go. Having acquired 100,000 users so far, which amounts to a small share of Indonesian mobile web users, Koprol's primary focus is still on the Indonesia market. They are currently building native applications on J2ME, Android and iPhone platforms. After which, they will focus on expanding regionally into markets such as Vietnam and Philippines.
It's not often, one hears acquisitions stories from this part of the world, but Fajar is optimistic and observes that the "Climate for the startup industry in Asia is changing. Previously there was hardly any VC presence in Indonesia, but now VC's are here." Fajar and the entire Koprol team is definitely a beacon of hope for struggling startups in South East Asia and when asked about what advice he would give such entrepreneurs, Fajar says, "As long as you have a really good product, plenty of opportunities will be available." I don't know if that's true, but what we can in fact hope is for more entrepreneurs to continue building great products.
[Image Source: Koprol.com]


text:
I Love Junk Food
Personal Stories, Advice, and Support 4,234 People
My favorite junk food is little Caesars,domino's, mc Donald's for their burgers, and Pizza Hut when they take their time making the pizza. I hate eating pizza that been waiting to be picked up by someone.
lorrena19 22-25, F 3 Jul 31, 2014
I like pizza, Cheetos,etc. I literally cannot live without it ;)
saadia77 18-21, F 1 Response 5 Dec 1, 2014
As long as it doesn't have meat I'll eat it.But I'm not fat if that's what you were wondering.
DepressedTeensRus 16-17, M 0 Jan 15, 2015
lovemybelly123 26-30, M 1 Response 3 Dec 7, 2013
If a truckload of jellybeans magically appearedoutside my front door, I would be beside that truck in a nanosecond! Eating all the jelly beans would be extremely unhealthy, but it would definitely be worth it!!!
NTDenmark 18-21, M 1 Dec 3, 2014
I was eating something called a nut goodie,it was made with chocolate, peanut butter, rainbow marshmallows, and peanuts. Probably a few other ingredients too, it was really good :)
ErraticSarcastic 31-35, F 5 Nov 8, 2015
Wow today after work I triedfor the first time hot dog in batter!!! It was so delicious but full of fat but it was still amazing!! I'm not sure if it has a fancy name but damn I would have another one any day, it was like a potatoe cake cross hotdog 😍😍😍
TheUnkownGirl 18-21, F 2 Responses 4 May 10, 2014
best cupcake ever!!!!!!!!!!!
Aijmeerah 18-21, F 1 Response 0 Dec 2, 2014
Feed Me More Fast Food!I love gorging on fast food. I'll often order multiple meals from multiple restaurants and binge myself into a food coma. I love overeating and gaining weight so junk food and I are the best of friends ;) My FA husband loves to feed me junk food every day! We super-size...
fatrinagainmore 22-25, F 5 Responses 11 Apr 22, 2012
Pringles are obviously the better choicewhen having a snack
Conversely 22-25, F 2 Responses 2 Nov 18, 2015
Junk Food JunkieI'm a big fan of junk food. Thankfully I can eat all kinds of junk food and not gain alot of weight, I'm almost 27 now, people always told me when I was a kid that eventually I would gain weight after eating junk food, but that time hasn't come yet. In fact right now I am eating...
Steener2492 26-30, F 2 Responses 3 Dec 11, 2010
I Want To Live Off Fast Foodi wish i had enogh money to eat out everyday all day, and just watch my self grow every single day. and everyone can tell me how FATTT i am.
lovenfat 26-30, M 3 Responses 3 Oct 2, 2012
AjLeePunk 22-25, F 2 Feb 15, 2015
Fat From Junk FoodI used to try and be as healthy as possible and I stayed away from Junk. But who can resist junk food? I decided to stop caring about what i ate. I pigged out on junk every chance i got. After a while, my belly got softer and it grew. It grew to the point that my button popped in...
skellybelly 22-25, T 1 Response 9 May 4, 2015
Kinda shows don't it.But I like being chubby
Chubbyhubby230 36-40, M 1 Response 2 Jan 13, 2015
My sister is lucky, she can eat all the junkfood she wants and still top the scales at barely 100 pounds. Whereas I would gain 5 pounds for eating the same amount. So I just have to enjoy in moderation I suppose.
ErraticSarcastic 31-35, F 1 Response 0 Dec 3, 2015
Junk Food QueenI LOVE Junkfood. It's ridiculous. Maybe if I stopped eating it I could shed the 10 pounds off my *** that I've been trying to lose for a year. Chocolate and ice cream are my weaknesses. Chocolate ice cream-- even better.
justagirl21 22-25, F 3 Responses 10 Nov 13, 2006
Love JunkI just love when I come back to school after summer break and all the skinny cheerleaders and softball players have chubby bellies. And I know its from eating a lot of junk. Ive become addicted to consuming it. I drink chocolate syrup and order larges in all fast food. Its taken...
Idk how I stay so fit,lol but guess it don't matter cause I just can't stop eating lol
Atom4815 18-21, M 1 Response 2 Oct 12, 2014
Crazy About Junk Food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am truly deeply nd madly crazy about junk foods....i hardly eat anything at home..bt alwas ready to munch on street food nd all kind of junks...i am literally addicted to them...i just loooove chips,cold drinks,chocolates...infact i live to eat nd care a damn about my weight...
reshmi321 18-21, F 1 Response 4 Jul 20, 2012
I Love My Grease (w/pic)i absolutly love junk food i could live off of it... well i do but i dont care what it does to my waist line it just tastes so good
mlachi214 22-25, M 6 Dec 23, 2012
Some Taco Bell would be great,or Wendy's.....or Burger King, or Chinese, or pizza or Buffalo Wild Wings....the list is endless
cflemming 18-21, F 1 Response 3 Feb 15, 2014
Hi all, if you're the restaurants' managers,would you like to use the new-generation domain Best.Restaurant/YourRestaurantName to attract the travelers or tourists know you are the best ones in town? Please kindly tell me the reason. Thanks. or If you see the logo " Best.Restaurant/RestaurantName" on the Restaurant...
MonicaSantos 26-30, F 1 Dec 28, 2014
Longpatrol90 26-30, M 1 Response 4 Mar 19, 2016
Whoever came up with Snickers ice cream bars isa genius. I could eat them all the time.
D5of5 31-35, F 1 Response 1 Jul 4, 2015
I'm obsessed with junk food it's the only thingthat makes me happy and all I wanna do is get more. I can't be upset when I have it it's so nice
nachocheese0987 18-21, F 1 Response 3 Jun 24, 2015
And that's why I'm fat......
silverxrose 22-25, F 4 Responses 4 Jul 13, 2015
I Do I Do I Do-OoooI am so guilty I have to have white chocolates, chocolate chip scones, and of course chocolate cake.*sighs*
luvlyme917 26-30, F 1 Response 4 Mar 12, 2013
At work eating cheese balls hope I don't get iton the clothes im folding
jae1013 18-21, F 1 Response 1 Dec 2, 2014
Mcd, KFC, Domino's, Burger King,Pizza Hut etc. will be always in my heart lol 😂🐓🍕🍔🍗🍖🍟
How can anyone think Taco Belland Mountain Dew is not an acceptable dinner? I just don't get it
PraiseBeToYevon 31-35, F 7 Responses 18 Dec 3, 2015
My weight normally: 108lbs.My weight after a crapton of food: 117.5. Yep. 9.5lbs if junk food :)
random15yearoldguy 18-21, M 0 Sep 27, 2014
I finally got to eat at whataburger first timein over 10 years. Stopover flight in Dallas, Texas from Kansas City, Mo to Columbus, Amazing!!!!!!
2015MLBchamps 56-60, M 1 Apr 27, 2015
Omg yes. Does anyone like tostilocos?Shiiiiid I love them so much, I might buy some tomorrow. Or maybe I'll end up getting a chamango 😭❤🙏
lunazteca 18-21, F 3 Jan 20, 2015
But hate getting fat.If only there was an utopian society in which all the food is delicious yet has calories in the negative numbers. Oh, the joy I would feel:)
sighselly 13-15, F 3 Oct 11, 2014
I dont eat because im hungry.I eat for that savory flavor of food in my mouth! Mmm
I start eat some junk food (like oreo,nutella etc..), and I can't stop... I love it so much! :D I'm thinking of I will get married with food. (Just for information, I'm not fat, I'm lean)
EnyBlack 18-21, F 1 Response 2 Nov 17, 2014
I luv it its all I eat,its so yummy and turns me on so much more than sex ever did. Haven't had sex or desires for 7 years I luv it! I stuff my self daily with it until I can't move, its so fun ! I stuff junk food all day and night long cause its so yummy.
ALostSiren 18-21, F 4 Dec 2, 2014
you can never get enough of it!it may be what makes my family fat but we're happy fat people!
haleyluker16 18-21, F 1 Response 5 Nov 12, 2015
I LOVE Oreos And Peanut Butter!!!Omg I love Oreos and peanut butter. It is so delicious . I have gotten to the point where I can't eat Oreos without peanut butter . I know it may sound nasty but it's yummy :D. Lol if my softball coach knew what that I was eating that she would kill me , I'm not allowed to eat...
Cleopatra05 22-25, F 1 Response 3 Nov 15, 2013
somehow eating cheetos always seems like a goodidea, but after 2 or 3 chips im reminded that i dont realy like cheetos
ablonddude 18-21, M 4 Responses 3 Oct 11, 2014
Food.Whether it's KFC, subway or mcdonalds, I just love junk food. There's just something about it. I always crave sweet things, especially chocolate! Cornish pasties are the best thing ever in my opinion, I just hate the calories! 😱 I would do anything for a high motabalism! Don't...
Blenkinsop4 18-21, F 1 Response 4 Nov 20, 2013
I can't stop eating it!! It's 7 at night and I'm still eating u haven't moved the whole day!!
swellingfatchick 22-25, F 2 Responses 4 Oct 15, 2014
Apple filled doughnuts are the best gonna eatloads yummmmm!!!
bellylove012 18-21, F 2 Responses 10 Feb 20, 2016


text:
A Twin Association Study of Nicotine Dependence with Markers in the CHRNA3 and CHRNA5 Genes
- 189 Downloads
- Citations
Twin and family studies have provided overwhelming evidence for the genetic basis of individual differences in tobacco initiation (TI), regular smoking (RS) and nicotine dependence (ND). However, only a few genes have been reliably associated with ND. We used a finite mixture distribution model to examine the significance and effect size of the association of previously identified and replicated specific variants in the CHRNA5 and CHRNA3 receptor genes with ND, against the background of genetic and environmental risk factors for ND. We hypothesize that additional phenotypic information in relatives who have not been genotyped can be used to increase the power of detecting the genetic variant. The nicotine measures were assessed by personal interview in female, male and opposite sex twin pairs (N = 4,153) from the population-based Virginia Twin Registry. Three SNPs in the CHRNA5 and CHRNA3 receptor genes, previously shown to be significantly associated with ND in this sample, were replicated in the augmented analyses; they accounted for less than one percent of the genetic variance in liability to ND, which is estimated to be over 50% of the phenotypic variance. The significance of these effects was increased by adding twins with phenotype but without genotype data, but gains are limited and variable. The SNPs associated with ND did not show a significant association with either TI or RS and appear to be specific to the addictive stage of ND, characterized by current smoking and smoking a large amount of cigarettes per day. Furthermore, these SNPs did not appear to be associated with the remaining items comprising the FTND scale. This study confirmed a significant contribution of the CHRNA receptor on different forms of tobacco dependence. However, the genetic variant only accounted for little of the total genetic variance for liability to ND. Including phenotypic data on ungenotyped relatives can improve the statistical power to detect the effects of genetic variants when they contribute to individual differences in the phenotype.
KeywordsNicotine Dependence Association Twin studies Smoking Receptors
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Send to a Friend
How come the freezing tempratures don't affect some people?
Asked by flo (10480) January 6th, 2014
I mean they go out and in their T-shirts and shorts in minus double digit temprature!! Why don't they suffer frostbites and such like most of us? What is it about their physiology that allows them to do that? Scientists must be intereted in this question, yes?
Using Fluther


text: Want to buy a Semi auto 22lr rifle and pistol for plinking and shooting practice. What in your opnion would be a good buy?(Rifle -Ruger 10-22, S&W M&P 15-22, etc and pistol Ruger MKII, MKIII, Buckmark). As far as price is concerned, I am looking more at a good 22 that is easy to take apart and clean.


text: Chef Holli Ugalde, the 24 year old single mother from California won Season 7 of Hell's Kitchen last night. Her prize? Being named Head Chef of the Savoy Grill in London. Your prize? A gallery of photos of the stunning Chef Holli in order to celebrate her victory. While some are considering her victory an underdog story and a surprise, personally I saw it coming from some of the early episodes. She certainly kept things spicy outside of the kitchen, but her attitude and professionalism in the kitchen never wavered. We're efforting an interview with Chef Holli for our Podcast, but in the mean time, here is a little taste of the hottest little dish served in Hell's Kitchen this summer :


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Semper Fidelis! This officially licensed United States Marine Corps platter makes a perfect gift for your favorite military hero. Decorated with the USMC logo, the platter can be personalized with a name or special message.


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Joe and Pam Sutton have lived on this hobby ranch in rural Hubbard County for seven years. They built the home themselves. The couple fenced off 26 acres of pasture for their 10 horses.
"That's Parker the stallion making the noise," Joe says. "And this is one of our mares, Jordan... and they're our friends."
For a while, times were good for the Suttons. Joe had plenty of work as a self-employed construction contractor. But Joe says the housing market took a dive a few years ago. His construction business slowed to a crawl.
The couple put their house up for sale in 2004, but even at a drastically-reduced price, they couldn't find a buyer. Joe says things came to a head about a year ago.
"You get published in the newspaper. Everyone is going to know it anyway, and know you're not going through it alone."Pam Sutton
"If the phone don't ring, I don't work; that's the bottom line," Sutton says. "There was no money coming in so we just all of the sudden were really struggling making payments."
The bank foreclosed on the house this summer; the Suttons have to be out in six months. Pam says their credit will be ruined for awhile and they'll probably have to rent until they get back on their feet. Pam says she and Joe were embarrassed about going through foreclosure.
"There's some humility involved in this and I just swallow my pride. It's going to happen. You get published in the newspaper. Everyone is going to know it anyway," Sutton says. "And know you're not going through it alone. Cause there's going to be a whole lot of people... So we're not going to be alone."
Experts say the Sutton's story is being repeated across the state at an alarming rate. The new study from the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund shows there were more than 11,000 foreclosures statewide last year, nearly double what was previously reported by a national study. Outside the seven-county metro area, foreclosures jumped from about 2,707 in 2005 to 4,168 in 2006. That number is projected to exceed 8,700 this year.
For all greater Minnesota counties, there was a 48 percent increase in the number of foreclosures between 2005 and 2006. If projections for this year hold true, there will be a 91 percent increase in foreclosures between 2006 and 2007, resulting in a total of more than 15,000 foreclosures over the past two years.
The study shows counties just outside the seven-county metro area are the hardest hit. Chisago and Isanti counties top the list with a projected three foreclosures for every 100 households. That's more than three times the average rate in the metro area.
Experts say subprime lending is to blame for much of the increase. Subprimes are higher interest loans offered to people with less than sterling credit. In Minnesota, subprime loans account for a quarter of all loans in small communities and closer to half of all loans in some counties.
Some lenders were giving mortgages to people that just couldn't afford it, according to Housing Fund President Warren Hanson.
"Thousands of families, thousands more families than we ever expected, are having their finances ruined, essentially, by foreclosure because they were tempted by cheap credit and sometimes tempted by predatory lenders who perhaps made the story sound a lot better than it could ever have been," Hanson says.
The foreclosure problem in Minnesota is most noticeable in low income urban areas. In north Minneapolis, boarded up, foreclosed homes invite vandalism and lower property values.
That doesn't appear to be happening yet in greater Minnesota according to Tim Flathers, with the Headwaters Regional Development Commission in Bemidji. Flathers says the number of foreclosures in some counties in the Headwaters region is projected to double or triple this year. But so far, foreclosed homes appear to be scattered over a wide area. Flathers worries that could change.
"The part that is of major concern is that we see a trend that is increasing fairly dramatically. And we don't really know right now what the future holds if you go out a year or two from now," Flathers says. "Are we just at the tip of the iceberg? I'm not sure... There could be a lot more people out there that are in a precarious situation right now."
Agencies that provide financial counseling for people going through foreclosure say their resources are being strained by a record number of requests. Julie Gugin, director of the non-profit Minnesota Home Ownership Center in St. Paul, says there's an urgent need for more counselors to deal with a record number of requests.
Gugin's advice for people having trouble with mortgage payments is to get help as soon as possible.
"It's a natural response to crisis or people not to necessarily want to talk about their situation. But the sooner they act, the sooner they seek services and counseling, the more options they have. So we really encourage people to seek that out," Gugin says.
Observers hope new state regulations that went into effect this month will help slow the foreclosure trend. The new rules increase mortgage lender accountability and prohibit people from borrowing more than a property is worth.


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Get more from your Denali DR1 Lights with a set of Snap-On Beam Filters that modify the beam pattern and prolong the lifespan of the lights. The Wide Angle Driving Pattern takes the standard spot beam of the DR1 and creates a horizontal beam for ultimate width without sacrificing vertical coverage.
The Amber Snap-On Filters increase visibility in fog and rain by blocking blue frequencies from the light, which reflect off water vapor and decrease vision.
The rugged shatterproof Poly-Carbonate construction of the Snap-On Covers also protect from rocks and other debris, providing an even longer lifespan to your Denali DR1 lights.
Denali 2015 Lineup
- Review by MK09GSA
- Review by DAVID
I changed my order of the Clear Wide / Euro to the Flood version. I felt that the Clear Wide with my high beam on (KTM 1190 ADV) would be redundant.
So far, I'm happy overall with the product and certainly happy with the one on one service at Twisted Throttle. (Posted on 12/23/2014)


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Ice Fishing Enthusiasts Feed the Hungry in Maine
Mainers always help Mainers, and one statewide program is expanding to put fresh fish into the hands of those who need it the most; the poor and hungry.
'Tis the season for ice fishing derbies and one angler has figured out a way to deal with regulations, making it possible for weigh-in fish from derbies to be distributed to hunger-relief agencies.
A new pilot project in southern Maine is being coordinated through the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Foresty's Hunters for the Hungry Program.


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Tyson Fury was not impressed by David Price's demolition job on Matt Skelton in Liverpool on Friday night.
Price defended his British and Commonwealth titles against Skelton – stopping the veteran in the second round.
Fury – who beat Kevin Johnson on points at the Odyssey on Saturday night – was not convinced by his nemisis' triumph.
"He beat a 50-year-old fighter! There is no comparison between my fight and David Price versus Matt Skelton.
"Johnson would beat Price, I have no doubts about that. This was a 50/50 fight, Price versus Skelton was not a 50/50 fight.
"I did not see the fight but Price has not changed since the amateurs.
"He is a typical European fighter. They march forward, throw a one-two and a left hook. They push weights and bulk up.
"They come forward and throw big shots – that is all they do," he added.
And Fury says there is no comparison between Price and himself.
"Look there is a difference between a domestic level fight and a world class fighter.
"You can blow away some fat domestic level fighter or one that is on steroids. But you cannot do that to a world class fighter like Johnson.
"You have to set him up if he is a world class fighter.
"There is miles difference between a world class fighter and a domestic level fighter and you saw that here tonight," added Fury.


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Gas Turbine-Powered Cogeneration / CHP
Cogeneration, also known as Combined Heat and Power (CHP), is the production of electricity and heat from a single fuel source. Powered by a gas turbine, a cogeneration system is a highly efficient way of capturing heat which would otherwise be lost during the production of electricity and converts it into useful thermal energy.
A cogeneration system is both flexible and reliable and because of its efficient use of energy, industrial-scale cogeneration/CHP is more economical and environmentally attractive than conventional fossil fuel power plants. A gas turbine-powered cogeneration plant using generator sets manufactured by Centrax can be located close to electricity consumers, thereby reducing transmission line losses.
The Benefits of Cogeneration/Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
- The installation of cogeneration or CHP offers big increases in overall plant efficiency (up to 85% efficiency is frequent).
- Efficiency gains result in cost savings.
- Reduced impact on the environment with cleaner fuel (usually natural gas).
- All-in-one energy system which is not as susceptible to outages or interruption associated with a local utility.
As an energy generation process, cogeneration / CHP is fuel neutral. This means that a CHP process can be applied to both renewable and fossil fuels. The specific technologies employed and the efficiencies they achieve will vary, but in every situation CHP offers the capability to make more efficient and effective use of valuable primary energy resources. CHP plants generally meet local energy needs; certainly heat, also power and increasingly cooling.


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David Hurley and Joe Watson have decided to enter "Don't Pick the Flowers" into The Cartoonist Studio contest. We've taken the Dear Family from the Web comic and put them into their own story. There are back stories to the characters and we felt their story would be great for a daily comic strip. This doesn't mean the other characters will just disappear it just means that there would be a focal point on the Dear Family as a syndicated version. The contest is going on right now, it began February 28th. The Rules of the comic strip are pretty simple. There will be ten rounds of voting, one new cartoon per week will be shown from each contestant. The lowest 10% of the polls at the end of each week will be eliminated, until the final week where the remaining comic will be the winner. The winner of the contest receives a contract with Creators Syndicate. That means being published in every major newspaper. We are posting the synopsis for the comic, plus the characters bios here for you to see. You can register here www.thecartooniststudio.com it only takes one minute to set up an account. Click on the cartoon contest on the top left, login, and search David Hurley in the contest. The Cartoonist Studio is a secure site they won't be spamming your email. After that you can vote 4 times a day, that's every six hours. There are a ton of contestants, all very talented with their own fans. The competition is pretty intense, so votes do matter! Taking a minute out of your time while you're on the internet would be more than appreciated. So while you're checking your Facebook status, take a minute to show us your support! We greatly appreciate it!
Synopsis of cartoon strip: A whimsical take on modern suburban life focusing on the Dear family, a new family in town who literally has deer antlers growing out of their heads! We follow them as they try to fit into the traditionally conservative, gun-loving suburban lifestyle with their wacky ideas on evolution, vegetarianism, and what it means to truly live the American Dream. . .
Mr. John Dear: The Patriarch of the Dear family, he is an atypical male who enjoys gardening, nature shows, and keeping the peace between his family and the rest of the town while working as the local Park Ranger. He tries to reconcile his family's deer-like appearance and his personal fondness of all living things with the fact that he processes hunting and gaming licenses for the whole town. He looks at other deer like most people look at monkeys: They kind of look like real people, but they are just animals, not people. Still, you wouldn't really feel comfortable shooting a monkey, would you?
Mrs. Jane Dear: Unlike her husband, she's loud and opinionated, and loves pushing her ideas on other people. This gets her into trouble as she has a penchant for handing out brochures and refers to her fellow neighbors as 'unevolved'. She's very protective of her family, especially baby Joey.
Baby Joey: a plucky youngster, he runs into all sorts of awkward problems with his ever growing antlers. . .
Henry and James: Henry lives next door to the Dears with his dog, James. A life-long bachelor, Henry is a simple man. He hunts, fishes, and walks James in the park on Sundays. The last thing in the world he expected was that one day he would be living next door to a bunch of antlered weirdo's who are constantly eating his flowers and making him feel guilty for the mounted deer heads he has on his living room wall . .
Danny: Danny is the whimsical neighborhood kid who lives across the street from the Dears. He has a child-like way of looking at the world, and is the only person in town who sees the Dears as regular people. He loves to fly his kite as often as he can, and talks to anyone who will listen about the simple beauty of the world around them.


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RAGBRAI riders on their way
The countdown to RAGBRAI ended early Sunday morning when the first riders left Council Bluffs and began the 54.8 mile trek to Harlan, passing through Underwood, Neola, Minden, Shelby and Tennant.
Today marked the second day of the seven-day ride, held every year during the last full week of July. RAGBRAI began in 1973 as a six-day ride across Iowa by two Des Moines Register columnists and a few of their friends.
The week-long tour averages 468 miles, beginning somewhere along Iowa's western border on the Missouri River and ending along the eastern border on the Mississippi River. The route is changed each year, and eight Iowa communities are named each year to serve as host communities for overnight stays.
Today, cyclists endured the longest ride of this year's trip, racking up 83 miles between Harlan and Perry. On the way, they passed through Kimballton, Hamlin, Guthrie Center, Springbrook State Park, Yale and Washington Township. Today's ride included 4,239 feet of climb.
To celebrate the Danish heritage of Kimballton and Elk Horn, riders had the opportunity to visit Kimballton's life-size replica of the Little Mermaid and Elk Horn's 60-foot Danish windmill. In Hamlin, passersby could stop at Darrell's Place, winner of the Iowa Pork Producer's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest in 2003.
Some concern was raised last spring about the proposed route through Springbrook State Park. In May, a sinkhole that spanned 20 feet and was 5 feet deep occurred under the asphalt on Iowa Highway 384 at the entrance of the park, near the boat ramp at the base of Mockingbird Hill. Iowa Department of Natural Resources evacuated campers at the state park after authorities from the Iowa Department of Transportation deemed the sinkhole to be unsafe. The sinkhole was attributed to record winter and spring precipitation.
During the RAGBRAI XLI pre-ride on June 3, route inspectors assessed the sinkhole and considered changes to the route through Springbrook State Park and up Mockingbird Hill, which is the steepest hill to be on a RAGBRAI route. After the inspection, no changes to the route were made.
Forecasters predicted today would be the hottest day of the ride, with high temperatures in the mid-90s expected. Lows are expected to be near 60, and RAGBRAI festivalgoers are likely to get wet this afternoon or evening when chances of thunderstorms are at 50 percent and 40 percent, respectively. With any luck, storms will subside in time for Hairball to take the main stage in Perry this evening.
Tuesday, cyclists will pass through Minburn, Dallas Center, Van Meter and Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines on their 49.9 mile trip. Wednesday, they will continue their sojourn, riding another 49.9 miles from Des Moines to Knoxville, passing through the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Runnells and Monroe.
Additional sinkhole concerns have been reported in Runnells. In June, a sinkhole measuring 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep opened in a residential neighborhood on a homeowner's lawn. Officials determined the sinkhole was caused by an old septic tank, not by an abandoned mine as some officials originally suspected. Engineers noted many coal mines were in the area, and they have had sinkholes in the past.
If they aren't swallowed up by sinkholes the previous day, riders will travel 52 miles on Thursday from Knoxville to Oskaloosa, passing through Pella, Bussey and Beacon. On Friday, they will leave Oskaloosa and ride through Cedar, Fremont, Hedrick, Martinsburg and Packwood, logging 52 more miles before they hit the Fairfield city limits.
More than 25,000 riders and support crew members are expected to flood Fairfield before noon on Friday. This will mark the fourth time the city has hosted the riders. Fairfield also hosted RAGBRAI in 1979, 1988 and 1997.
The RAGBRAI committee and employees of the Fairfield Iowa Convention and Visitors Bureau are planning many events to provide entertainment and fun for RAGBRAI participants, and city crew members have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure Fairfield is ready for the influx of visitors.
Fairfield Park Superintendent Pam Craff said countless hours have gone into preparing for the return of RAGBRAI to Fairfield.
"It's been a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails, a lot of planning and a lot of work, but I think we're ready," Craff said.
Craff said no matter how prepared the city is, people must brace themselves for problems that will undoubtedly crop up.
"Everybody has done everything that could possibly be done to be as prepared as possible, but it's inevitable that at some point, there are going to be some problems. We will all need to remain patient, flexible and cooperative," she said.
"They're coming no matter what, so what will be, will be," said Craff.
Note: In addition to road closings that appeared in the Ledger on July 19, Fairfield residents should note that all city parks, the dog park, Frisbee golf facilities at Chautauqua Park and all park restrooms will be closed Thursday evening and will not reopen until sometime on Saturday.


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A mind-body practice long used to calm the mind, meditation may benefit your heart. Although research on meditation and heart health is fairly limited, some studies suggest that taking up a meditation practice may boost your defense against heart disease (the leading cause of death in the United States).

How Can Meditation Help Your Heart?

Meditation is thought to reduce stress, a risk factor for heart disease. There's some evidence that meditation may rev up activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is involved in lowering blood pressure and heart rate during periods of relaxation.

The Science Behind Meditation and Heart Health

To date, most of the data on meditation and heart health come from relatively small studies. For instance, one study of 62 adults found that mindfulness meditation may help lower blood pressure and increase respiratory sinus arrhythmia (a measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity). Published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, the study found that meditation had a greater effect on heart health than progressive muscle relaxation.

In addition, another study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that three one-hour mindfulness meditation sessions decreased heart rate, improved mood, and eased fatigue. (The study involved 82 people with no prior experience in meditation.)

Several studies have focused on the heart health benefits of transcendental meditation, a type of meditation that involves repeating a mantra. In a report from the journal Australian Family Physician, for example, researchers analyzed the available research on transcendental mediation's cardiovascular effects and found that the practice may help keep blood pressure in check, fight atherosclerosis, improve the health of heart disease patients, and promote smoking cessation.

Using Meditation to Fight Heart Disease?

It's too soon to recommend meditation for prevention or treatment of heart disease. However, taking up meditation may have a positive impact on your overall health, due to its stress-reducing benefits. Mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi may also help alleviate your stress.

It should be noted that using meditation (or any other alternative therapy) in place of standard treatment for heart disease can have serious health consequences. If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor about how to incorporate meditation into your health routine.

Sources

Ditto B, Eclache M, Goldman N. "Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation." Ann Behav Med. 2006 Dec;32(3):227-34.

Wu SD, Lo PC. "Inward-attention meditation increases parasympathetic activity: a study based on heart rate variability." Biomed Res. 2008 Oct;29(5):245-50.

Zeidan F, Johnson SK, Gordon NS, Goolkasian P. "Effects of brief and sham mindfulness meditation on mood and cardiovascular variables." J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Aug;16(8):867-73.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen.


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ALGIERS, Algeria, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Authorities in Algeria said British energy company BG Group was allowed to increase its stake in a natural gas project with Gulf Keystone out of the picture.
Gulf Keystone in February 2010 agreed to transfer slightly more than 38 percent of its stake over to BG Group for work in the Hassi Ba Hamou gas field in central Algeria. That agreement was delayed, however, pending a decision by state-owned energy company Sonatrach and the Algerian government.
Now, the Platts news service says, it appears Gulf Keystone is out of the development as BG Group has a 65 percent stake in operations in Algeria, roughly double its initial stake.
"Gulf Keystone no longer has a stake in the Hassi Ba Hamou project," an Algerian council was quoted as saying.
The government had expressed frustration over earlier reports that BG was going to leave the country because of delays since 2010.
Gulf Keystone said it was keen to focus its efforts on developing oil fields in Kurdish regions of Iraq. That move follows statements from Gulf Keystone that it wasn't involved in takeover talks with U.S. supermajor Exxon Mobil.


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[photogallerylink id=103621 align=left]As their anniversary tour winds down to its final gigs prior to their announced hiatus, 93XRT is proud to offer a live broadcast of Widespread Panic's sold-out Halloween XRT Show from the Aragon. Slip into a costume, grab a bucket of candy corn and get ready!
Showtime is 7:30pm — don't miss our live photo stream!
Audio: Widespread Panic Performs Backstage At Bonnaroo
Video: Widespread Panic Live from Studio X
Audio: Widespread Panic Live In-Studio
Do The Roo With XRT (30 Acts Not To Miss At Bonnaroo)
Free 30-Song Bonnaroo Music Sampler Download


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A Better (and Cheaper) Cup of Joe
- By Tanya Sharma
You hear it all the time: If you want to save money, skip that $4 morning latte and you'll end up
significantly richer at the end of the year. That may be true, but how many of us are actually willing to
let go of this tried-and-true habit? Not only does that cup of coffee provide a very necessary morning jolt
needed to power through those early hours with some semblance of sanity, it also adds a degree of comfort
to our humdrum routines.
Chances are you aren't the only one at the office struggling with this vice. Make your coworker's morning with one of these thoughtful java-inspired gifts. They and their wallets will thank you – and hopefully share a little, too.
The Starbucks Spectacular Gift Basket just about says it all. This is a doozy of a package, filled with various Starbucks coffees (Breakfast Blend, Caffe Verona and more) and a selection of Tazo teas, plus a few extras to really sweeten the deal: flavored syrup, delicious Roca chocolates, cookies and two ceramic Starbucks mugs.
Flavored Coffee Collection
If they prefer to support smaller establishments, this Berres Brothers Roaster's Dozen Gourmet Flavored Coffee Collection should make them smile. The set contains an assortment of single-pot packages of ground coffee flavors, including Chocolate Caramel, Hazelnut Cream, Vanilla Nut, Streusel Blend and more.
French Press Coffee
There's more to this gift than just coffee! The French Press Coffee Gift Basket includes all kinds of mouthwatering treats, from French roast coffee and almond biscotti to Ghirardelli chocolates and Mocha Roca. Bonus: There's also a stylish French press, which is known for producing extremely aromatic cups of coffee.
- Gift Ideas
- Comments Off on A Better (and Cheaper) Cup of Joe


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Flickr Finds: Keith's Window Film
Keith sent us this tip: I found the perfect vinyl window cling for a retro-modern look. It's called "Jacks" from Solyx. The upper film is their new "Matrix White Clear" that acts just like a sheer curtain without the fussy look.
Available at Decorative Films.
Thanks, Keith!


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Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, called the decision "regrettable".
"It is not only regrettable that the opposition cancelled demonstrations... but it demonstrates very clearly why the Iranian regime has caused so much concern throughout the world," she said.
Iranian opposition leaders earlier Thursday called off rallies planned for Saturday in part "to protect the lives and properties of the people," Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi said in a joint statement.
In recent weeks both Mr Mousavi and Mr Karroubi had renewed calls for fresh presidential elections and said they rejected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's authority.
"When you look at the combination of their repression of their people, manipulation of their own elections, the fact they are an exporter and supporter of terrorist activities around the world, and the pursuit of nuclear weapons, it adds up to a very dangerous combination," Clinton said.
"And therefore we stand in solidarity with the people of Iran as we have since the beginning of the administration," she added.
After losing to Mr Ahmadinejad in the 2009 election, Mousavi and Karroubi quickly dismissed the result as having been massively rigged, sparking street protests that rocked the Islamic republic last summer and winter.
Security forces cracked down heavily on dissent, with dozens of protesters killed, hundreds arrested and scores of prominent reformists, journalists and rights campaigners put on trial - with many receiving stiff jail sentences.


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RPGWatch Feature: Dragon Commander Review
Kalniel has taken a look at the single player version of Dragon Commander to find out how the different styles mix and blend and ended up writing this review.
More information.
Here is Kalniel's first review for RPGWatch.
Thank you for the review Kalniel - the game sounds interesting!
Kalniel, you rock man, thanks on this review!
Very good and very informative. Haven't started playing it yet, but sure will. Sooner than I've planned thanks to your input.
Oh… One thing…
And they can't ask for your feelings about that it in the game directly, right? ;)
Thanks for the review. We largely agree on this game.
I thought the Political issues were OK. Of course it's true that they were clearly taken from current news (Larian said as much in an interview) but that's where they take their punch from. Like political satire it's mostly hyperbole and fun, but still sometimes thought provoking.
And I guess that's probably exactly what an emperor would sometimes think: "You want me to decide on THAT? Get outta here!" Would have been nice to have that option of telling the politicians to sod off from a roleplaying perspective - with fitting negative consequences, of course :)
I do enjoy the RTS part myself, but it's hard to deny that it's not quite perfect. By the way, you actually can micromanage quite a lot in dragon form, including using unit abilities and even building units - but its pretty well hidden in hotkey functions.
I could imagine it being a lot more interesting in Multiplayer, when both sides have a dragon and a human mind behind them. I'm curious about D'artagnans impressions.
But yeah, the whole package is a whole lot of fun.
Thanks for the kind comments :)
GBG - the micromanagement in dragon form is a pain though - you can't select unit types directly at first, so you have to do a blunt 'all nearby' type selection and then tab-cycle through the different unit types in your selection, at which point you can then use the unit's ability. But targeting that ability is sometimes a pain in dragon form, so is building units - it's possible, but not very user-friendly while in dragon form so I found myself having to jump out of dragon form to do that kind of thing.. only the summoning/dispelling restrictions of when you can get out/come into dragon form start getting in the way!
I don't mark them down for it too much - they've done a very good job with the tricky task at hand (must have been a control/UX nightmare to design for), but the control issues were one (but not the only) factor in why I didn't enjoy the RTS sections as much as I do in dedicated RTS games.
I agree the control issue is definitely not perfectly solved - it's something they could reasonably improve in patches.
I almost wish they had stuck to the original aerial combat RTS that the early footage (and the Imperial Edition documentary) show. It would have maybe been a more natural fit to integrate with the "Dragon with jetpack" idea. Vincke posted a long blog about how it wouldn't mesh properly with the strategy level, so it's probably for the better overall, but the RTS element would have been stronger with that idea, I think.
Yeah, I'd not really followed in detail the development of this game, but it does seem to have changed quite a lot looking at preview articles etc. That's a really good sign IMHO of how Larian Studios take feedback and testing seriously - you can see in Dragon Commander several situations where you know they've put a solution in place as a result of feedback. It must take quite a lot of guts, but I think in nearly all cases it was worth it.
The custom campaign is another example - rather than just give us the single player campaign, and RTS multiplayer, they've put a lot of effort into the 'skirmish' equivalent and effectively said 'why don't you try the game with game rules of your choosing and see if you find one you like more than our defaults'. I want to finish a few more original campaign play-throughs first but I'll certainly take a look at this mode in the future (D'artagnan might be covering it too? I don't know!) - I do know they made some big changes related to it in yesterday's patch so it's worth keeping an eye on going forwards.
Thanks Kalniel you did a good job on the review.:spotlight-right::party::spotlight-left:
I love the political satire and Larian's trademark irreverent wacky humor. it is not meant to be taken on face value/completely seriously but it certainly contains political commentary and the results integrate well with the strategy layer.
Perhaps a good idea would be a sort of escalating seriousness of the issues at hand towards the end of the campaign as not to offset too much the "darkening climax" (such as it is :) ) of the storyline .
I do love the caricaturing of certain political stereotypes that contain pretty much the whole spectrum of parties/view-types (and their followers). You had your fascist/pious fundamentalist bastard, your lefty treehugger, your traditional right wing capitalist, your
Hmm, Nordic type socialist ? and your crazy no morality science-freak/technoGeek thrown in for good measure… Hilarious :lol:
I quite disagree on the Dragon not being powerful enough. After mid chapter 2, having researched everything (and having hundreds of unused rps by the end) you just put on the shield, zipped to the other end of the map, used dread roar + eye of the Patriarch + pillar of flame then mop up = there goes an army. Then if they became dangerous you zipped back to where your army had dug in so the combinations of buff auras and mass healing makes for entrenched position capable of taking multiple sized waves of enemies…
I have no trouble letting the dragon die or get out of the form when wanting to do complex stuff. The 20 recruits cost is paltry once you have enough recruitment centers.
Generally speaking I agree with the overall sentiment though: Larian has a pretty good game on their hands but they could have a great one with some polishing and fine tuning.
Other than bug fixing and patching, fixing AI dumbing out on RTS etc. they should take a look at the aggressiveness of the AI on the strategy map i.e. At no point was i feeling particularly harried as a slow defensive player being able to max everything pretty early and trivializing the end game. Perhaps retune and rethink some wacky strategy to RTS rules when i.e you have a 80% advantage going in and the game is telling you that you have a boatload of units and the defenders a handful, but when the RTS starts you have less than a handful while a huge effing army is barreling down on you coming apparently out of thin air. :)
That is when I said screw it and put the RTS speed back to slow (I've put it back on Normal when the game was becoming way too easy but this was not worth it ;) )
Still, minor complaints and all, had a great bit of fun. Great treat for the first part of my vacation. Will now be picking up my Divinity 2 replay and finally hope to finish that one at last. I will certainly enter Maxos's temple with a different mindset this time :)
P.S: Racism and gender/sexuality discrimination not a problem anymore ? Ok :) (Not systematically perhaps, and we have made some progress there but really more like hypocritically pushing issues under the carpet rather than having quite reached that level of enlightenment as people I am afraid ;) )
Anybody know how this game is selling? While I have zero interest in Dragon Commander personally, I want it to do well enough to not harm Original Sin or later Larian crpgs.
It was #1 and 2 for a few days on steam but dropped relatively quickly. It was still in the top 20 last I checked. OK but not great would be my guess.
I doubt it's selling much. It's at #55 at Amazon.de and ca. #25 on Steam.
You can also see the current top games here:
Game is around top 50 on steam most played, which is ok but good portion on sales should be on GoG and Larian vault too
Hope it does well for them, at least that it's profitable. Great review btw =)
I should hope that DOS's future at least is secure, given the successful Kickstarter.
It will be a great pity if they at least don't break even for this one though, after all the work and love they obviously put into it. Especially after being surprisingly well received by the "press" (I have to admit this is the only review I've actually read though)!
Lets hope DOS turns out to be as good as we who backed it hope and it is their break away game…
I'm replaying Divine Divinity and it is SO much better than these indie games I've been playing recently. It's not even a contest. What a fun, fun, game.
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Naish Kiteboarding
Catch some serious stoke with Naish's riders. Sam Light, Kevin Langeree, Jalou Langeree, Damien Girardian, Ian Ponting, Kai Lenny, Robby Naish and many more!
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Hi, A quick note to say thanks for giving me the stoke of kite-surfing. ..Thanks Robbie Naish & all the team..keep up the great work.
Below is a video to show how great you have done your job!
Featuring a Naish Kite & surfboard
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