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The Cararra Studio. Chapter 1: 3D Modeling Concepts and Techniques | 3
The Cararra Studio. Chapter 1: 3D Modeling Concepts and Techniques
Subdivision Surfaces
Polygonal modeling is the basis for most 3D modeling. Sometimes, though, polygonal models with low polygon counts can look rough around the edges. Adding more polygons in an attempt to smooth the model can be cumbersome because it makes the model difficult to edit and takes up computer memory.
Modeling with subdivision surfacesallows you to keep the basic number of polygons low yet achieve a visually smooth model (Figure 1.11a). Subdivision surfaces work by calculating the positions of neighboring polygons in the original model and smoothing the surface by dynamically subdividing the polygons, as seen in Figure 1.11b.
|FIGURE 1.11 Subdivision surfaces make a low
polygon count model (a) appear
smooth (b).
|FIGURE 1.12 Geometric primitives.
Chapter 10, "Organic Modeling with the Vertex Modeler," covers using subdivision surfaces to model a human head.
Geometric primitives are 3D objects that are defined by mathematical formulas and cannot be broken down into parts, although they can be altered with deformers. Carrara Studio provides six geometric primitive shapes: sphere, cube, cone, plane, cylinder, and icosahedra (see Figure 1.12). Because primitives are defined instead of constructed, they use much less computer resources. This efficiency makes them ideal for building complex shapes.
Surface TypesThere are three basic surface types: loft, lathe, and extrusion.
Loftingis a term borrowed from shipbuilding. Ships and boats are usually constructed from cross sections that are then lofted or skinned with wooden planks (or as in the case of today's ships, metal or fiberglass resins) to create the hull of a ship. In 3D, lofting creates surfaces by skinning polylines or curves (see Figure 1.13).
FIGURE 1.13 Lofting, an old shipbuilding term, is used in 3D to create surfaces by connecting cross sections.
In the real world, a lathe is a tool that turns a block of wood at a high speed and allows a carpenter to evenly carve intricate shapes and designs into the wood, like banisters or table legs. The 3D lathe tool works much the same way, allowing a 3D artist to take a profile and sweep it (turn it) around an axis or curve to quickly create complex surfaces, as in Figure 1.14.
FIGURE 1.14 Lathing was used to take a polygon and create a complex shape.
ExtrusionThe extrusion function is the most basic tool in 3D, and the most common method used to build models. Polygonal extrusion simply takes a face or set of faces and moves them out from their original position; in this way, new polygons and surfaces are created along the extrusion path. In the Carrara Studio Spline modeler, extrusion takes a cross section and extrudes it along a spline curve to create 3D surfaces (see Figure 1.15).
FIGURE 1.15 Face extrusion (a), single rail extrusion (b), and extrusion along a curve (c).
Modeling with Curves
As discussed earlier, one of the properties of a polygon is that it is rigid and by itself cannot form curves. Luckily, curves come to the rescue. A curveis a mathematical object that is defined by points and the lines that connect those points. The lines might be straight as in the case of a linear curve, or round as with Bézier curves. There are many more types of curves, but these are the ones that Carrara Studio uses in the Spline modeler, so we will focus on these.
Linear curves can look like polygonal lines (polylines), but the mathematics behind linear curves is more complex, giving them more flexibility. Linear curves are used to create creases and corners in models built using the Spline modeler as seen in Figure 1.16.
Bézier curves are powerful tools that can help build almost any 3D shape. The path of a Bézier curve is determined by edit points and the lines between the edit points. The edit points in a Bézier curve contain control handles that allow fine control over the curvature or arch of the connecting line. Bézier curves can be used to easily create smooth shapes or smooth transitions between shapes (see Figure 1.17).
FIGURE 1.16 Linear curves are used to create corners and creases.
FIGURE 1.17 Bézier curves create smooth shapes and transitions.
SummaryIn this chapter, we introduced some of the basic concepts behind building 3D models. Although learning the basics in 3D might not seem as glamorous as diving right in and building cool 3D models and creating animations, it is an important step in becoming a well-rounded 3D artist. In the next chapter, we will learn some of the basic concepts in texturing 3D models.
Created: March 27, 2003
Revised: February 13, 2003
URL: http://webreference.com/3d/cararra/1


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1999 Volkswagen Jetta - Consumer Review
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Great car, for an automatic
By mike p on
Vehicle1999 Volkswagen Jetta GLS VR6 4dr Sedan (midyear)
Reviewi bought the car a coulpe years ago, other then the problems that i caused i haven't had any. i've had two jetta's my VR6 which i love, and a 1.8t that was not so good to me. really its a hit and miss the these cars the VR6 headlight are shot and the cup holders are falling out but still work,other then that the leather is in perfect condition and the interior is just awesome overall. the 1.8t although 5 speed between the trany, clutch, oil leaks, break dust all over my expencive rims, arm rest, and others it had to go. the VR6 has plenty of power and good handling if i can keep up with 09 cobalt ss T/C and eat RX-8's for breakfast i won't complain, untill i can do more under the hood
Best Featuresthe VR6 runs and sounds amazing the car looks great for being a '99. plenty of aftermarket parts for guys like me who get bored easy
Worst Featureskeep up the good work love the new jetta's cant wait to upgrade to one in a few years
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When you're succeeding in your goals and earning a healthy profit there you will, no doubt, begin thinking about two major points for the business:
- Increase the earnings
- Decrease the expenses
Increasing the earnings can be somewhat difficult at times because it also goes along with increasing your budget in advertising and marketing. Decreasing your expenses becomes an attractive option because cutting waste is often easier.
The following are a few of those ways you can decrease your expenses with your business so that you may increase your budget when expanding. The best part? They're very simple and virtually every business can take advantage of these methods…
Around the Office
The main items that are going to drive up costs include:
- Office supplies
- Organization
- Power usage
- Heating/Cooling
One way to cut down on two from the list (supplies & organization) is choosing to go digital with your documents; this will greatly reduce the cost of printing along with giving you wonderful organization options (like Evernote) where you can easily find important documents rather than digging through boxes every time.
The second way does the same (for power & heating/cooling). Our computers, lights, and all those gadgets give off a lot of heat so when they're not in use just make it a routine to shut them down.
Other expenses such as the office furniture can be reduced if you are keen to keeping your eyes out for online deals or going-out-of-business sales in which you can find many great pieces of furniture for a fraction of the price compared to going to a major retail chain.
Going about Business Online
Consider the expenses for:
- Domain and website hosting
- Content and product production
- Advertising and marketing
When you are attempting to do these items all in-house it's going to bring a strain because there is simply too much that needs to be done. An option would be to hire someone locally to come in and do the work but that comes with its own extra set of expenses that we want to avoid.
The key to cutting down costs when you're online are:
- Tapping into freelancers
- Using automated tools
Freelancers are bountiful and can be found to do any job you may need for the business whether it's writing ad copy and managing the campaigns to something as simple as responding to customer feedback. The use of freelancers will free up your time so you can pursue the bigger goals.
The other is automated tools. One quick read of our How-to: Automate and Streamline Your Tedious Affiliate Activities article and you'll be up and running with these wonderful resources in no time.
Think of all the time and money you'll save by not having to monitor every little detail about work.
Trips, Transit, and All that Stuff
We build business so we aren't forced to for others. We aren't the type that can patiently sit in a cubicle, counting the hours, and having to put up with the bureaucracy.
Why did we create our business?
- To be the boss
- To pursue a dream
- To enjoy the challenge
- To gain freedom
The big limiter in all this is that it's easy to fall back into that 9-to-5 routine when we're trying build the business. We essentially just swapped locations. We're also putting in massive amounts of hours that put a strain on us and the people around.
Might I suggest taking a look at our article The Business without Boundaries: An Essential Primer on Location Independence. This is not only a primer about what goes into developing a business that knows no boundaries but also gives you the mindset needed to free yourself from the new 9-to-5 you've created.
Combine these concepts with some of the tips from the online portion of this post, mix in those goals and dreams to give yourself the right inspiration, and you'll save a great deal of money by understanding ways to gain better flight deals, traveling to exotic locations, and having your business continue to generate a great profit without the expense of you always being there.
The Unexpected Stuff
I can't stress this enough:
- Make regular backups of your work
- Create step-by-step tutorials of your work
- Continually change your passwords
A computer failure with no backup means you've just lost a substantial amount of money. You may not be able to get all that hard work back. Now you're also stuck investing in new hardware. Most of this could be avoided if you maintain your computer and do regular backups.
The second is one that I've found to be one of the best habits to build as an entrepreneur. You and everyone working on something should make detailed tutorials on how it's done. Why? Well what if someone decided to up and quit? How long do you think it would be for a new hire to get back into the swing of things if you and your team never really understood the previous employee's routine?
Finally, another cost saver is creating better, stronger passwords (frequently) so you won't have the loss if someone were to breach your security and expose private and valuable documents. Don't make this common mistake. It damages businesses and it damages them hard.


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This session focuses on identifying grant opportunities to support research projects, and to identify scholarships and fellowships in your field of study. Participants will be exposed to strategies for identifying funding sources in their particular subject domain, and we'll examine key grants databases and directories.
For comments on this page contact: Learnlib
Last modified by: Merinda Kaye Hensley


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Overview Risk Factors Symptoms Evaluation Treatment questions for doctor specialist Home Care pain control warning signs Underlying Cause
Incision Opened Up Specialist
Physicians from the following specialties evaluate and treat wound dehiscence:
Continue to Incision Opened Up Home Care
Last Updated: Sep 3, 2008 References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
Copyright DSHI Systems, Inc. Powered by: FreeMD - Your Virtual Doctor
PubMed Incision Opened Up References
- Gabrielli F, Potenza C, Puddu P, Sera F, Masini C, Abeni D. Suture materials and other factors associated with tissue reactivity, infection, and wound dehiscence among plastic surgery outpatients. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001 Jan;107(1):38-45. [11176599]
- Webster C, Neumayer L, Smout R, Horn S, Daley J, Henderson W, Khuri S; National Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=12643854Prognostic models of abdominal wound dehiscence after laparotomy. J Surg Res. 2003 Feb;109(2):130-7. [12643854]


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Version: 1.1
Platforms: Android
Developer: Vgeneration
Distribution Type: Freeware
Downloads: 139
File Size: 13297 Kb
Hill Climb Adventure - Play the adventure fun addictive physics-based climbing game for FREE!
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This dish is a delicious combination of sweet and savory. It's a distinctive recipe that defines our style of cooking: simple and rustic, yet sophisticated. Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles for a comforting winter dinner.
For the braise:
Beverage pairing: Grenache.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food


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Before the Thorn tour we relaxed a little during Christmas break, came back and hit the studios for more classes and rehearsals to prepare for our 2015 Great Lakes Tour to Michigan and Minnesota. On our tour we were very fortunate to continue meeting wonderful new people as well as reconnecting with old friends. After two quick workshops at For His Glory and Integrity, we headed off to North Branch, Michigan where we held one of our biggest workshops of the tour at Country Christian Church. During this time we were lucky enough to stay with Laci Yarbrough, (a previous company member) parent's house in North Branch. After a fun time of reconnecting with the Yarbrough's, we traveled to Jackson, Grand Rapids, and Battle Creek, Michigan where we continued to stay busy performing, holding master classes and workshops. Once we finished up our events in Michigan, we were excited to head off to Minnesota where we reconnected with Alyssa Schneider's (a current company member) family and hometown in Winona, MN. While in Winona, we performed at Alyssa's old elementary school, St. Stanislaus, as well as traveled a few hours to Woodbury and Coon Rapids, MN to perform at New Life Academy and Coon Rapids EV Free church. We left the Schneider's house full of homemade bread and cookies and finished our tour with a master class held at MDU in Onalaska, WI. Exhausted after two and a half weeks of touring, we hit the road for the 15 hour drive back to Colorado Springs.
Ballet Emmanuel
Monday, May 18, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Spring Adventures: The Thorn
After finishing up with our very cold but successful tour to Michigan and Minnesota, we jetted off to Fort Worth, Texas to begin our new and exciting adventures with The Thorn Productions. This was Ballet Emmanuel's first year touring with The Thorn. We joined a tour team of about 40 other talented and driven people who all worked together to share the message of Jesus Christ using they're individual talents through dancing, martial arts, theatre, acting, aerials, singing, as well as back stage and technical crew work. While on tour with The Thorn we were fortunate enough to continue working with and meeting new people. We traveled to Fort Worth, Kansas City, Denver, Sacramento, and finished up the five week tour in Nashville. Our days were filled with devotionals, rehearsal time, helping set up Thorn merchandise tables, filling thousands of programs, getting our makeup airbrushed, teasing and braiding our hair, performing, and getting to know both the local and touring cast and crew members. We loved getting the opportunity to be apart of a bigger production and tour team and were blessed to have met so many new people. After the five weeks of flying from city to city, and staying in various hotels, we were all so thankful to finally be back home in Colorado Springs for some much needed rest and relaxation time.
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 1:37 PM 2 comments:
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
We're Back!
We are back in Colorado Springs rehearsing and getting ready for Christmas but here is a flashback from our 2014 Midwest Tour. On tour we were very fortunate to continue meeting wonderful new people as well as reconnect with old friends. After Ballet Emmanuel taught a master class for the dance department at the University of Kansas we traveled Fayetteville, Arkansas where we taught additional master classes with The Art of Motion. After leaving Arkansas, Ballet Emmanuel traveled back to Kansas where we taught a workshop and had the opportunity to hold a concert in Kiowa, Kansas at South Barber High School, where we were joined by Studio Pro Dance who performed a piece to open our concert.
From there we traveled to Wichita, McPherson, Hutchinson, and Salina, performing in church services, at nursing homes and holding more master classes. While in Salina, we celebrated Molly's 23rd birthday by heading off to the Salina zoo.
Our final stop was to Hesston, Kansas where we enjoyed the chance to return to Hesston College for a chapel performance. Before heading home we had the opportunity to sit down with some faculty and students to chat and grab a quick lunch at the cafeteria. We once again made the drive across Kansas and arrived safely home where we unpacked the vehicle one last time!
We would like to thank everyone for all your prayers and support throughout the tour. We thank God for all He did to keep us safe and for the opportunites we had to share our love for Him and our love for dance.
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 3:51 PM 2 comments:
Friday, September 5, 2014
Little Ballerina Workshop!
We want to invite you to our 2014 Little Ballerina Workshop!
Coming up on Saturday, September 27th Ballet Emmanuel will be holding its Little Ballerina Workshop for children ages 4-9. The workshop will be held at Turning Pointe School of Dance located at 7667 N. Union Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
Ages 4-6
Tuition: $20 per participant (registration due by September 20th)
Early Bird Tuition: $15 (due September 13th)
Ages 7-9
Tuition: $25 per participant (registration due by September 20th)
Early Bird Tuition: $20 (due September 13th
Registration forms and fliers are available on our website (www.balletemmanuel.org)
Help us get the word out, if you know of anyone who might be interested in attending please send them to our website or contact Erin Benson at (719)433-8820 for more information.
We are excited to see what God will do during this year's workshop!
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 2:05 PM 1 comment:
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
A New Beginning!
While it is always sad to say goodbye to dancers, we love saying hello to new ones! Meet our new apprentices!
Alli Sierra
Alli Sierra is from Aurora, Colorado and began dancing at the age of 3. She studied seriously with Cornell Callender and Andrei Vassiliev at the National Ballet Academy of Denver. Alli spent her summers at intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Walnut Hill, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. She furthered her studies at the University of Kansas (KU), graduating with a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Math. During her time at KU, she studied with Jerel Hilding, Patrick Suzeau, Muriel Cohn, James Moreno, and Willie Lenoir. Alli was selected to perform with KU University Dance Company for every concert presented. She was also chosen to work with guest artists Jennifer Hart from Ballet Austin and Autumn Eckman from Gus Giordano Dance Company in Chicago. Alli is very excited to start her first season with Ballet Emmanuel.
Andrew (little brother), Sandy (Mother), Mike (Father), Alli
Molly Jones
Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Molly Jones has been dancing since the age of five, training in ballet, contemporary/modern, jazz, and tap. Molly graduated high school from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, majoring in ballet, while also studying other styles. While at UNCSA, Molly trained with, previous American Ballet Theatre principal, Ethan Stiefel, while he held the position of Dean of Dance. As a dance major at the University of Kansas, Molly was awarded the Patricia Joyce Ellis art and dance scholarship. She danced as a company member of the University Dance Company for four years, and performed in every concert presented. Molly was also apart of the honor society at KU and studied pre-physical therapy along with her dance degree in hopes to one day attend physical therapy school and become a physical therapist once she is finished dancing. This will be Molly's first year as an apprentice member dancing with Ballet Emmanuel.
We also asked the girls a few questions:
What are you most excited for in your first year with Ballet Emmanuel?
Alli: I'm most excited for the chance to travel and spread God's message within other communities across America.
Molly: I'm most excited for the traveling and touring across America, as well, as getting the opportunity to dance and share our message with children.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Alli: "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Molly: "For the happy heart, life is a continual feast, a cheerful look bring joy to the heart." Proverbs 15:15
Alli and Molly have been in Colorado for several weeks now working hard to learn all about Ballet Emmanuel. They have been taking class, learning and rehearsing pieces for our new concert, and getting a crash course on the business aspect of B.E. We are thrilled to have them here with us and are excited to see God work through them in extraordinary ways.
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 3:13 PM No comments:
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Summer is Here Workshop!
Please Join us for a Ballet Emmanuel Workshop as we celebrate the beginning of Summer!
Register Online at balletemmanuel.com!
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 1:47 PM No comments:
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Spring has Sprung!
Springs has sprung & we celebrated the warm weather by holding our annual
Springs Break Dance Workshop!
Over our three day workshop we were blessed to see how God is working in the young dancers of Colorado Springs. The children who attended our workshop spent three days in ballet and modern technique classes, bible studies, and choreography class. At the end they got to showcase the hard work they had done and everything they had learned by performing with Ballet Emmanuel. We thank the Sunrise United Methodist Church and everyone who came out to support Ballet Emmanuel at our concert!
Posted by Ballet Emmanuel at 1:03 PM No comments:
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Directions for use: In Evening: Step 1: Apply the Step 1 pad with gentle, even strokes over clean and dry skin. Gently wipe pad over entire face thoroughly avoiding eyes and lip areas. Allow to absorb, wait approximately 2-3 minutes, proceed with Step 2. Step 2: Apply Step 2 pad gently over entire face thoroughly avoiding eyes and lip areas. Allow skin to dry. Do not rinse. Proceed with moisturizer. **NOTE** Please make sure to tighten the lids on both jars as contents will evaporate.
Ingredients: ACTIVE INGREDIENTS Step 1:
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Home Peel Step 1:
Home Peel Step 2:
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I Have A Lot Of Baggage And Low Self-Esteem. How Can I Stop Accepting The Wrong Men In My Life?
Evan, I read your book: "Why You're Still Single" (among many, many other single self-help books,) and I'm here because I trust your opinion. You say it like it is,…Read More… 22 comments


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Below are poems written by poet
Ella Marley. Click the Next or Previous links below the poem to navigate between poems. Remember, Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth. Thank you.
List of ALL
Marley poems
Ella Marley
The poem(s) are below...
I believe in dirty spanish dictionaries
Anything out of the ordinary
Drumming on trashcans
Drumming on anything I can
Signing treaties filled with lies
Measuring a woman by the amount of guys
Trying to look pretty but usually to fail
Putting on makeup to no avail
Spending too much money at dunkin donuts
Drinking too much coffee and driving people nuts
Writing free verse poetry for no reason
Not returning to school next season
Staring at my led zeppelin poster when I'm really high
Trying to let my creativity flow
One nonstop train of thought trying to let go
Making friends and not knowing if their real
Emulating emotions but I'm not sure if that's how I feel
Writing lines hoping for genius and inspiration
Disgusted by desperation, determination, inflation, education
I believe in these maybe, maybe not, maybe not at all
That's all.
Copyright © Ella Marley | Year Posted 2013


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Pittwater Beauty Therapy
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- About
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the offer
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The Fine Print
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We strongly encourage bookings to be made by 16 November 2016. Bookings after this date cannot be guaranteed. If there are no available bookings after 16 November 2016, simply contact our Customer Support Team before 30 November 2016 and you will be entitled to a full credit back to your account
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+How do I buy an offer?
Firstly, make sure you are signed up!
Then, after logging in - click 'Buy Now' towards the top-right of the offer page. On the next page, you will be asked to confirm the quantity of vouchers that you wish to purchase (if you're using credits to purchase, this is where you can select how much credit you want to use).
If you're buying a product, you may also be required to provide your Postal Address, or your choice of redemption location. Always make sure you enter the correct address for delivery.
Once you've done all that, you can then go ahead and click "Complete My Order" towards the bottom of the page. The number of credits selected (if any) will be deducted from the cost of the voucher, and the corresponding number of credits removed from your account.
Follow the on-screen instructions from here - you can pay via a registered PayPal account, or using your credit/debit card.
As always, if you you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us at email@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I locate my voucher?
After you buy a voucher, you'll get an email with a link to download (and print) your voucher. Unfortunately, some mail servers automatically transfer our emails to your 'junk' mail box.
(If you haven't been getting our emails, it's also a good idea to make sure that you added us as a 'safe sender' to make sure our emails aren't going to your junk box!)
But, you can also actually log into your account and print the vouchers off whenever you like! Here's how:
- Sign into the site,
- Hover over "My Account" at the top-middle of the screen.
- Choose "My Ouffers" from the drop-down menu.
- Choose "All" towards the top-right corner of the screen.
- Click "View/Print" next to the voucher you need to view/print.
Instructions on how to redeem the voucher will be contained on the voucher itself.
Things to keep in mind:
Lots of our members have more than one email address – if you log into your account and you can't find your voucher, you may have used a different email address to purchase – for example your work email or your personal email address. Try all the email addresses you have and if you still can't find it, let us know.
If you used PayPal to purchase, what happens is that a new account will be created using your PayPal email address. If your login email for PayPal and Ouffer are the same then there won't be any problems, but if you use a different address for PayPal, a new Ouffer account with that PayPal email will be created. Your voucher will be placed in that account.
If you purchased a voucher and it isn't showing up, the next step is to check your credit card statement (on-line if you have access!). If there is a charge there, please send an email right away to Ouffer so the team can investigate it for you. Please include as much detail as possible to help us assist you as quick as we can.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+How do I refer a friend?
In order to refer a friend to Ouffer, you just need to…
First log in to Ouffer! After logging in, in the top corner of the page, there is a link which says "Invite Friends, get $5". You will then be taken to a page that provides personal "referral link". You can copy and paste this link into an email to all of your family and friends (or even use the Facebook and Twitter sharing buttons). If any of your friends sign up to Ouffer, we'll give you $5 credit as soon as they make their first purchase.
If you have any questions about referring friends, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I've booked my travel dates with the hotel - am I able to change them?
Most of our hotel partners allow one change of date, however, that will depend on the hotel's cancellation policy (and how far away your booking is). If your booking is for tomorrow, it is unlikely you will be able to change your travel date, however, if your booking is six months away, most hotels will accommodate a change of date. Some hotels may charge a small administrative fee for any chances (at their own discretion).
We're more than happy to assist where we can, but any date requests need to be made with the hotel directly.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought a gift voucher, how do I find it?
At the end of the offer, we will send a link to download the gift voucher – exactly like a normal voucher. You can send the voucher as a PDF to the lucky recipient, or you can print it off and combine I with a card if you prefer!
To find your gift vouchers you just need to log on to Ouffer and then click on the "My Account" link, which appears once you have signed in, and select My Ouffers.
Once you've logged in you will notice several tabs, 'Active', 'Used', 'Offered', 'Expired' and 'All' If you click on Offered you'll be able to see any gift vouchers you've bought!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I bought an offer - what do I do now?
You will find instructions on how to redeem the offer on the voucher itself. Depending on the offer you've purchased, you may need to contact the featured business to make a booking - contact details will be provided on the voucher. You may also find them in the "Fine Print" or "Company" section on the offer page, along with any other conditions relevant to that particular offer.
Your redemption code is the code printed at the top of your voucher - in almost all cases, you will need to give this code when redeeming the offer you have purchased - this is so that our partners can verify that the voucher is valid and provide you with the service advertised.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I can't use my voucher any more - can I give it to someone else?
Yes, your vouchers should be fully transferable (unless the terms of a specific offer state otherwise). So long as you haven't used part of your voucher, you can give it to a friend or family member. If you've had part of a treatment or service, you aren't able to give the voucher away though.
If a voucher has expired, it unfortunately can't be used by anyone.
Whenever you buy a voucher which needs a booking, always be sure to book well in advance of the expiry - the earlier the better. Just to make sure no one misses out, most vouchers will need to be booked between two and four weeks before their expiry.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Is Ouffer a secure site?
Ouffer is fully secured by Verisign, the highest level of security a website can have. All financial details are passed directly on to our merchant processor, so not even our staff have access to any credit card details.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+I want to speak to someone, who do I contact?
If you need our help for any reason, please don't hesitate to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com so one of our Melbourne and Sydney based team can help you!
In order for us address your issue as quickly as possible, please try to include the following (where possible):
- The email address you have registered your account with
- Your voucher/redemption code
- The name of the service-provider/business for which you purchased your voucher
The above information will enable us to provide you with a much quicker response!
We like to try to reply to any enquiry as quickly as possible. Our support team are based in Sydney and Melbourne, working between 9.00am and 8.00pm AEST. If your contact us outside those hours, it may take us a bit longer to reply.
In the event that you have attempted to contact us and you haven't got a reply after 2 business day, it's possible that your email didn't make it through to us for some reason - we will never not reply to an email.
If this happens, please try to send another email from a different email address to email@example.com.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+My Password isn't working - What can I do?
If your password doesn't work, you can get a new one by clicking on the "Forgot Password" link underneath the login box.
You should get an automated email sent to you – if that doesn't work, it probably means your email account may be blocking our emails! First thing to do is to check your junk mail box and there should be an email in there. If there is, please add us as a safe sender.
If you can't find an email from us, just send us a quick email to email@example.com and our team will be able to help out and create a new password for you!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What does the 'Mark as Used' Button do?
The 'Mark as Used' button allows you to move your used vouchers to the Used section. That way, you can check exactly what vouchers have yet to be used.
It's pretty handy when you've bought a few vouchers for one place but don't use them all at once. You can check your used vouchers by clicking on USED Vouchers and also, if you click Mark as Used by mistake, you can bring the voucher back by clicking on Mark as New – good as new!
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+What is credit, and how do I use it?
If you are using credits for your entire purchase, you won't need to enter any credit card details - you can just ignore the box.
If you are using credit for part of the purchase, you will need to use a credit card to 'top up' the purchase. For example, if you have $15 credit stored up, and you are buying something that costs $100, you would just need to pay the $85 top-up amount from your credit card or PayPal account.
Your credits will expire 365 days after they have been granted, although this doesn't apply to specific promotions which state otherwise.
Your credit is personal to you, so you can't give it away - but you can buy a voucher for someone as a gift using your credit.
If you look at your bank statement right after a purchase, you may notice more than one charge on there (usually, there will be the full amount and the amount less the credit on your statement).
That is an unfortunate requirement of the banks – we haven't really charged you twice! The charge you noticed for the full amount is what banks call a 'pre-authorisation'. Ouffer doesn't actually charge anything until after the deal closes – the pre-authorisation is just a hold on those funds.
When our system goes to charge you, it will see that you are using credit and will adjust the cost accordingly. The original 'pre-authorisation' will 'drop off' within one to five business days (depending on which bank you're with).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Why have I been charged twice?
If there are two charges on your statement, it is most likely that the first is a 'pre-authorisation', rather than an actual charge. The 'pre-authorisation' will be removed by your bank between one to five business days (depending on which bank you use for your credit card).
If you noticed that you actually bought more vouchers than you intended, please contact us at email@example.com immediately. So long as Ouffer is told promptly, we can usually credit or refund the mistakenly bought vouchers (but that will depend on how quickly we've been notified and if any bank or administration fees have been incurred).
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
+Who can I contact for help?
If you need assistance and can't find an answer on this page, you can find a link to our Contact Us Form below.
If the Contact Us form isn't working, you can get in touch with us at email@example.com - but, if you can, please use the Contact Us Form - this will help us better understand what you need so we can get back to you quicker!
While we do whatever we can to get back to you as quick as we can, please allow between 1-2 working days for a reply.
Not found what you are looking for? Submit an enquiry
Daily Inspirations


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Credit Advice
Have a question? Have advice to share? The combined knowledge and experience of everyone in the Credit Karma community can help you. Enter your question or help others below to get started!
QuestionPosted in Credit Report
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Depends on payment record
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (a federal regulation) requires that ALL credit transactions be reported for 7 years (10 in case of bankruptcy). This includes closed accounts which will drop off your credit report after 7 years. Any account that shows a good payment record will have a good effect on your credit report, bad payments will have the opposite effect. Your accounts cannot be removed.
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The Credit Advice pages of the Site may contain messages submitted by users over whom Credit Karma has no control. Credit Karma cannot guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of any such messages. Some users may post messages that are misleading, untrue or offensive. You must bear all risk associated with your use of the Credit Advice pages and should not rely on messages in making (or refraining from making) any specific financial or other decisions.


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Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 25/03/2003 by Andy. (1 review written)
all car should be manufactured with big bore exhaust,air filters,body kits and tinted windows and much more… Read Full ReviewClick here to buy Car & Motorbike Accessories on Amaon
Written on: 04/12/2002 by Ryno. (1 review written)
Good lookin' wheels on a nice ride! Like a cooper S… Read Full ReviewClick here to buy Car & Motorbike Accessories on Amaon
As rated by our community of reviewers
" Never buy wolfrace alloys " Read More
" Very happy with service " Read More
" Great website for mgf parts " Read More
Written by markdulan
" Wheels Arrived Next Day - Excellent Quality " Read More
Written by jchapman1968
" Not built to last. " Read More
Written by Reddevil2013


text:
Difficulty: Expert
by ojkrem
Intro: Riff 4x ? C B7 Em C Sometimes I get little impatient Em A9 but she cools me without words Em F And she comes so sweet and so plain, C B7 my hummingbird and have you heard, Em C that I thought my life had ended Em A9 But I find that it's just begun, Em 'cause she gets me where I live F I'll give all I have to give C D G I'm talking about that hummingbird C9 C9/B Oh she's little and she loves me, C9/A G too much for words to say F#m Fº E7 When I see her in the morning sleeping, C9 C9/B she's little and she loves me and she doesn?t C9/A G It?s gonna be my lucky day G(2) A7 C D C7 B7 Hummingbird don't fly away SOLO Riff Intro 2x ? C B7 When I'm feeling wild and lonesome she knows the words to say And she gives me just a little understanding, in her special way And I just have to say, in my life I loved no other Because she's more than I deserve, and she gets me where I live I'll give all I have to give I'm talking about that hummingbird Chorus SOLO (Intro 2x ? Rhythm 1º and 2º verse) Chorus G(2) D G Hummingbird don't fly away
See also:The Beatles - And I Love Her The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down Coldplay - Viva La Vida R.E.M. - Losing my religion The Beatles - Blackbird Extreme - More Than Words
Other versions:Jimmy Page - Hummingbird Cat Stevens - Hummingbird Alex Clare - Hummingbird Imaginary Cities - Hummingbird Chris Cain - Hummingbird Cheryl Cole - Hummingbird


text:
Prof. Albert Wang presented Invited Paper
On September 1st, Prof. Albert Wang delivered an Invited Plenary speech at the 31st IEEE EOS/ESD Symposium held in Anaheim, CA. His talk outlines recent development on CAD research for Whole-Chip ESD Protection Design Verification. His talk ended with an award plaque presentation to him by the conference General Chair ,Dr. Steven Voldman. EOS/ESD Symposium is the annual flagship international conference in the field drawing hundreds of researchers and engineers around the world.


text:
Raiders charge Bucs in 41-30 wrestling loss
The Bertha-Hewitt/Raiders racked up six impressive victories Tuesday in a 41-30 Section 6A team tournament loss to Border West.
"It was the best complete dual that the Raiders have wrestled all year and we were close to winning the dual," BHV Had Coach Mike Barthel said. "I think that this showed everyone that the Raiders will be a force to reckon with next year."
Justin Gordon posted a huge 6-4 decision over Border West standout Tracer Lee and Dakota Finck scored a pin at 145 to keep the Raiders in touch with the highly-touted Buccaneers. Dillion Card racked up his sixth overtime victory of the season in defeating state-ranked Charles Maanum 6-4. Andrew Bounds, Dalton Baker and Colin Turchin all helped the Raiders finish strong as they won their matches at 195, 220 and 285 in under 50 seconds.
The Raiders now start preparing for the Section 6A individual tournament Feb. 24-25 in Barrett.


text:
Services & Amenities
At American House Westland Venoy, we care about your health and happiness. That is why we offer an array of amenities and services that provide not only the comforts of home, but also the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing that you are in the care of compassionate and capable professionals. Our premier team of professionals is on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assure the highest levels of senior care.*
American House Westland Venoy Senior Living
1660 S Venoy Rd Westland, MI 48186
Resident Services
- Restaurant-Style Dining
- Weekly Housekeeping & Laundry Service
- Activity Director with Diverse Resident Programming
- Personal & Scheduled Transportation
Property Amenities
- Maintenance-Free Apartments
- Community Dining Room
- Cozy Common Areas for Family & Community Events
- Inviting Lounges
- Activity Areas
Additional Features
- Emergency Response System*
- 24-Hour Staffing*
- Month-To-Month Leases
- Small Pets Welcome
We are excited to show you the all the luxury and convenience that awaits you at American House Westland Venoy. Contact our friendly team to learn more about what we offer.
*Emergency response systems and other medical and personal support services provided on-site 24/7 by a Medicare-certified, third-party home health agency not affiliated with American House. Hospice care provided onsite by local hospice organizations upon resident or family request.


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Bay Area Venues
Performances in the Bay Area happen in concert halls, community centers and churches. This comprehensive listing of venues gives you easy access to maps, directions and lists upcoming events in each venue.
San Francisco
Legion of Honor - Gunn Theater
100 34th Ave., San Francisco, CA. 94121
East Bay
Littlefield Concert Hall, Mills College
Richards Road, Oakland, CA 94613
San Francisco
Stanford Court Renaissance San Francisco Hotel
905 California St., San Francisco
San Francisco
111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna St, San Francisco
San Francisco
12 Gallagher Lane Gallery
12 Gallagher Lane
Marin County
142 Throckmorton Theater
142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941
San Francisco
1469 McAllister St., San Francisco
San Francisco
14th Street Studio
270 14th Street
Marin County
19 Broadway
17 Broadway Blvd, Fairfax
Napa and Sonoma
2133 1st St. in Napa
2133 1st St., Napa
East Bay
2133 University Avenue, Berkeley
2133 University Avenue
San Francisco
2293 Mission Street SF
2293 Mission Street
Sacramento and Davis
24th St. Theatre
2791 24th St., Sacramento
San Francisco
2801 Leavenworth St., in Suite 108
Napa and Sonoma
3rd Street Cinemas
620 3rd Street, Santa Rosa
San Jose and Silicon Valley
4020 Amaranta Ave
4020 Amaranta Ave
San Francisco
405 Shrader
405 Shrader
San Francisco
460 Yerba Buena Avenue
460 Yerba Buena Avenue
San Francisco
50 Mason Social House
50 Mason Street, San Francisco, 94102
San Francisco
500 Capp Street, the David Ireland House
500 Capp Street


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I throw my arms around the Slow Food movement any chance I get.
What's not to love about the eat-local cause? It strives to keep our foodways authentic, unclouded, righteous. We San Diegans embrace that.
But there's nothing wrong with giving righteousness a noogie from time to time, as this IFC network comedy series "Portlandia" shows.
(I was tipped off to this "Is it local?" chicken episode by Andrew Spurgin, the executive chef at Waters Fine Catering and an unapologetic eco-gastronomic guy.
Spurgin, a U-T Superdiner, will be cooking with his fellow Cooks Confab chefs and agitating for local, regional and real food menus in our schools. The event, called School Lunch, partners the progressive chefs with Slow Food Urban San Diego and the San Diego Unified School District on April 3. After you've had your laugh, Learn more about School Lunch here.)
firstname.lastname@example.com (619) 293-1541 Twitter @kelidaileyCopyright © 2017, The San Diego Union-Tribune


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Zack's Kernel News
Zack's Kernel News
The Linux kernel mailing list comprises the core of Linux development activities. Traffic volumes are immense, often reaching ten thousand messages in a given week, and keeping up to date with the entire scope of development is a virtually impossible task for one person. One of the few brave souls to take on this task is Zack Brown.
Our regular monthly column keeps you abreast of the latest discussions and decisions, selected and summarized by Zack. Zack has been publishing a weekly online digest, the Kernel Traffic newsletter for over five years now. Even reading Kernel Traffic alone can be a time consuming task.
Linux Magazine now provides you with the quintessence of Linux Kernel activities, straight from the horse's mouth.
Supporting More Real-Time Clock Chips
Steven A. Falco has added support for the ST M41T65 real-time clock chip. Because this is very similar to the M41T80, which already has a driver, it was decided to just extend the existing driver. Alessandro Zummo and Maciej W. Rozycki both pointed out that this would be best for code maintenance, although if larger changes were needed later, it might be OK to split out the drivers into a common portion and several satellite portions.
More Wifi Adapters Supported
Tomas Winkler of Intel announced that he'd modified the iwlwifi driver to support the Wifi Link 5000 and 5100 series adapters. This was very welcome news to Will Simoneau, whose new Sager laptop came equipped with a 5300 card; he helped Tomas track down a bug in the code that Tomas had known about but had been unable to reproduce on his own hardware.
Reporting BIOS Bugs
Thomas Renninger wants to introduce an interface to report BIOS bugs to the user. The basic idea is that ACPI, PCI, and other subsystems can introduce BIOS bugs that the kernel has to sanity-check.
Thomas wants to have the kernel log the results of these sanity checks. This way userspace programs would be able to respond better to BIOS bugs, vendors would have an easier time testing, and users would have a better sense of how to proceed when they encountered system problems, as Thomas pointed out.
Andi Kleen was in favor of the general idea and offered suggestions for some implementation changes, whereas Bjorn Helgaas felt the whole thing might be a case of over-engineering.
The work required to maintain all the specific log output would be intense and would also be prone to rapid aging. Andi just wasn't sure the benefits would be worth it. But his misgivings didn't prevent him from offering up a variety of implementation suggestions. So it does seem as though this idea will be going forward.
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Linux Kernel 4.14 Released
Torvalds lashes out at a Canonical developer who introduced a regression.
Fedora 27 Is Released
Developers can now access Red Hat Enterprise Linux Developer subscriptions on Fedora 27 at no cost.
Samsung to Bring Linux to the Galaxy Phone
Samsung is testing Linux desktop for its DeX experience.
System76 Releases Pop!_OS
An Ubuntu-based operating system designed for professionals.
News and views on the GPU revolution in HPC and Big Data:
HIP: CUDA Integration with ROCm
Exploring AMD's Ambitious ROCm Initiative
Crypto-Currency Mining Drives a Surge in GPU Sales
New Platform for GPU-Enabled HPC and Ultra-Scale Computing
Radeon Instinct: Evolving, Adapting & Learning Evolving, Adapting & Learning
Linux Comes to Windows
Run multiple Linux distributions in Windows 10.
Docker Embraces Kubernetes
Docker is now offering Kubernetes as an orchestration platform.
Kubernetes 1.8 Announced
The new release comes with two new features for better security.
Final Ubuntu Desktop 17.10 Beta Arrives
Ubuntu completes the cycle of life and goes back to letter A and Gnome.
Linus Torvalds Invites Attackers to Join the Kernel Community
He wants attackers to join the community instead of attacking the code.


text:
I'm a pegasus with a dragon head cutie mark. I own an art supplies shop where I sell art equipment like pens, pencils and digital tablets and I sell my art. I live above my shop with my boyfriend Charles and I own a dragon :3
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


text:
Artist description:
miku hatsune from VOCALOID. sorry for the horrible coloring, i rushed it cause my dad is coming to pick me up in a few minutes. xD; ehh, i know the eye is placed wrong and there are MANY other mistakes, but... please R&&C! (:
Flash Draw Created Jul 12, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 mikatu.
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.
Post a comment
your really good :D you should make more draws TT^TT 5h n faves
I love the skin tones! :D Her eyes are lovely by the way. :)
i like how you coloured it. great draw. 5h


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Israel's army has ordered dozens of Palestinian Bedouins to leave their communities in a remote West Bank area while it conducts military exercises there.
The military said the order is temporary, and that the Palestinians are living illegally in closed military zones.
The Bedouins said they have lived there for decades, making a living by herding animals. They said Israeli officials are pressuring them to leave. They added it is distressing for their children and livestock to move, and that many of them have nowhere else to go. (AP)


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Ledger newsroom welcomes new face
Some of you might have seen a byline from "Andy Hallman" in the newspaper this week and wondered who that was. An explanation is in order.
On Monday of this week I became the news editor at The Fairfield Ledger. I most recently worked as a reporter for our sister newspaper to the north, The Washington Evening Journal. I was at The Journal for more than three years, from October 2009 until just this past Friday.
Although I've lived in southeast Iowa for a few years, my knowledge of Fairfield was rather limited. It was outside of The Journal's coverage area, which was confined mostly to Washington County. That's why I was excited to take this position. It will give me a chance to meet new people and learn all about a new county, which I can already tell is teeming with activity.
The truth is that I'm still learning a lot about southeast Iowa, since this is not where I grew up. I was born and raised in a small town in northwest Iowa called Pocahontas. Those who settled that part of the state must have been Virginia-history buffs because they named a neighboring town "Rolfe," after Pocahontas's husband John Rolfe (and not John Smith as the Disney movie would have you believe).
That Disney movie brought great notoriety to our humble town when it was released in 1995. We managed to convince Disney to premiere the film in our downtown theater, which had just been renovated and reopened after years of disuse. We are very proud of our town's name. Those who have visited Pocahontas will likely remember seeing a 30-foot tall statue of Princess Pocahontas on the major highway.
My career in the newspaper business began in Pocahontas and at a young age. I was 10 years old when I started delivering newspapers for the Pocahontas Record-Democrat. In high school, I began writing for that paper under the supervision of Brooks Taylor, who is now the news editor at another Golden Triangle publication, The Mt. Pleasant News.
I wrote mostly sports stories the first few years at the Record-Democrat, or "The RD" as we called it. I also helped put the paper together using the old-fashioned method of "paste up," where the stories are printed off, cut out and attached to a template with hot wax.
Upon enrolling in college my writing at the RD was limited to the summers. I attended Iowa State University where I majored in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. I still wrote considerably but instead of drafting stories about the junior varsity baseball team I was crafting essays on the Cuban Revolution.
By my junior year of college I had developed an interest in learning a foreign language. I had already taken a few years of Spanish in high school, and Spanish seemed to be the most practical foreign tongue to learn, so the choice was easy.
I spent my entire senior year of college studying Spanish in Cuernavaca, Mexico. I lived with a couple of host families with whom I spoke only Spanish.
I graduated from Iowa State in the spring of 2008 after I returned from Mexico. Later that year I found a job as a reporter in Webster City at The Daily Freeman Journal. A year after that, Taylor knew that I was looking for another job and suggested I apply to be a reporter at The Washington Evening Journal.
I'll never forget my first day at The Journal. We heard over the police scanner that a bank in town had been robbed. Luckily, law enforcement apprehended the culprits within 10 minutes. What an introduction to Washington!
I'm glad I had the chance to work with the staff at The Journal. They are all kind people and excel at what they do. In just four days at The Ledger, I sense the staff here are just as intelligent and friendly, which should make this a great place to work and Fairfield a wonderful place to live.
Andy Hallman is news editor at The Fairfield Ledger.


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My Take on Services vs. Product Company
Risk and Reward goes hand-in-hand: Overall Services business pays fairly well and its relatively less risky. Product companies have to face all kinds of risk. Starting with what to build, how to market it, how it price it, how to sustain it and so on. But if you can figure out answers to these questions, then Products do pay off really well.
Business Model: Services has a straight forward model. Increase per head revenue and increase head-count. It also has a fairly predictable cash flow. You bill for the time your spent. Product companies have complicated business models. There is very little co-relationship between time spent and revenue. Figuring out the right business model for your product is in fact one of the biggest challenge.
Lifestyle: Services can be extremely stressful or extremely easy going. Depending on the nature of the service, you could have very unpredictable work flow. Causing work to come in unsustainable batches. Usually services involves quite a bit of travel. Generally not good for family life and health. On the other hand, Product developer is usually stressful, but predictable. Lot better on family life and health.
Growth: Services provides you a linear growth path. It depends on the number of customers, number of employees and number of locations you operate in. Product companies usually follow a non-linear growth path. Growth really depends on the value created by your product for the consumer. There is no direct relationship between growth and number of employees or locations you operate in.
Valuation: In services companies, its employees and customer-base are its real assets. If employees are gone, the value of the company is almost zero. For product companies, the product itself is an asset. Good customer-base certainly increases the valuation of the product.
Customer-base: Usually services (at least consulting and training) companies have to deal with dysfunctional organizations (mismanaged expectations and huge communication problems). Working with dysfunctional companies is very depressing and there is not much to learn. And hence not very motivating. Building our own products at least shields us from some of that.
Freedom of choice: In services, you need to work inside the constraints of the client. There isn't much freedom in-terms of tools, domain, technology, etc. Product companies usually offers a much broader choice. Which usually leads to more experimentation and more accidental innovations.
Bootstrapping: Good skills and reputation is enough to get started in services. It can be gradually scaled out. You can be cash-flow positive from day 1. However for product companies, getting to positive cash-flow takes time and effort. Finding paying customers quickly is hard. In general bootstrapping a product company is a lot harder.
Innovation: Both services and product companies thrive on innovation, but they are different kinds of innovation. Services is driven by innovation in implementation and service quality. While in product companies lot more innovation is required in ideation and in scaling.
Employee's Attitude: In Product Company you generally Live to Work, whereas in Services Company you could Work to Live. At a Product company you feel your Product is like your own baby, in Services Company you are just Baby Sitting.


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Id always like to make a small research before I buy anything. Atm this jet is beyond my reach but some cash might be coming my way and something elecrric and fast is 1st on my list. I even thought of selling my turbine jet for this which would cost more or less 2000euro minus the batteries..
Ive read more than 10 pages so far but havent seen many videos or build threads. Any tips would be appreciated.
Can sombdy rell me if I will have any regrets in the minus 2k in my bank account ?
- 2k
If your bank account goes into -2K than my suggestion would be, DON'T buy this jet.
You should not practice this hobby if your account goes in the red figures.
If your account is still in the black figures after withdrawing 2K than you can't make any mistakes with this jet.
As far as the quality for this jet goes, it is outstanding. The reason for not having seen any flights, is the fact, the first models have just been released a couple of weeks ago. We are building and building hard. Stay tuned for updates and videos.
Yesterday, I have installed my fuel tank because I am building a turbine version. The installation went very well.
I will update with some pictures later today.
Stay tuned,
Btw I was also thinking about the 1.7m viper jet.
The reason im into this size is simply because .. 1. Ive got a stumax 89-45 and I know what stumax means. 2. My turbine jet is a paf jet-co with a wren70. The jet-co only has ailerons and elevator. No flaps no rudder. With this jet I can always convert to turbine. And I think it would be easier with the viperjet. A popular viperjet here is the skymaster vj. The thing is that weve seen 5 of them so far going in exactly the sane way. After take off the next move was a right turn and then into the ground.
Vj is beefy enough for a wren70. If the xXx is easily converted then... Why not go into the red zone for this?
Turbine install
A turbine conversion is not very hard to do.
Here are some pictures of the fueltank installation.
Yes, I do not fly without an air trap.
The air trap or hopper will go more in the nose of the model.
On top of the main tank is enough room for another 3- to 400cc.
Also sadle tanks left and right underneith the Turbine could work.
With a Jets-Munt VT80 the fuel consumption at full throttle is 220ml/min.
With 1200 cc main tanks, this should give me an easy 5 to 6 minute flight time.
I got a reply from Clifford yesterday regarding servolinkage for the wing, here's a pic showing how JTM wants it to be done.
Currently working on servo installation, more pics to come later today.
OK, so I have been working on the xXx all day, and I have got a lot of various small jobs done. Servo mounts have been installed in the wing, I am using mounts from Servorahmen in Germany for the wing servos, these where glued onto the covers late last night with Hysol, and I continued today with making slots for the aileron servo arms and getting the ailerons servo installation all wrapped up. I am still waiting for my flap servos to arrive ( I will use Graupner DS3288's) so I have not been able to finish off that job as I don't know where the slots for the servo arms need to be on the covers without having a servo installed.
Same goes for the elevator servos, I am waiting for a order of longer servo horns, so even though the servos are in place I will wait with cutting the slots for the arms until I get them. I have also got the nose gear retract unit installed, the mounting plate for the nose gear is so far up into the nose section that I had to glue 10mm sq. spruce to the plate to get the unit where I wanted it to be. The nose gea door is also hinged and done, I am just waiting for the E-Door actuators to arrive now so I can make a bracket for it and wrap up that job. I am going to use a Robart 3/8" offset leg with a Intairco 57mm wheel for the nosegear, this has been cut to length and the 3/16" insert has been hammered in (and glued with JB-Weld), will drill and tap tomorrow. Again I am waiting for more parts before I can finish off this job, a Pro-Link steering arm to go into the 7/16" bore in the Eletron gear trunnion. Also need to make a steering servo mount somewhere, not decided where it will go yet, probably under the front of the battery tray.
The plan for tomorrow is to make a plug for the inlet duct adapter, and continue fitting the other main gear.
AB nice work as always, i was going to use the robo struts also did you go 3/8 or 7/16?
also were you going to use air or servo to work the nose doors, or the BVM spring arm thing.
im debating about doing the flap internally like the electra, it would be good to know exactly where JTM place the wood blocks for the horn
thanks for the updates
Nose strut is a 3/8 Robostrut, I plan to use Pro-Link struts for the mains, but 7/16 Robostruts should be ok as well, depending on what retract units you use. I tried fitting a set but had a bit of trouble finding the space needed in combination with my Electron gear units.
I plan to use Lado electric actuators for the doors.
I also looked at doing the flap linkage internally, but decided against it, as the flap is live hinged there's a limit to how far I will deflect it and that really limits the access to the front of the flap and the spar you need to cut through to get the linkage done. Not worth the hassle is my conclusion.
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Results from previous child survey are posted in an interactive report, presenting results summarized by child's age group, region and enrollment status.
Presents previous quarter's results for each region and CONUS MHS.
Presents cumulative MTF and regional results from previous calendar year along with previous HCSDB findings.
The TRICARE Consumer Watch summarizes key aspects of the adult survey. The quarterly report for each region and service is produced, containing results from previous quarters.


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Inside Angle
From 3M Health Information Systems
DIY ICD-10 conversion Part 2
If you are a provider, you probably put ICD-9 codes on claims in order to get paid. If you are a payer, you receive claims with ICD-9 codes on them. (The "you" in those sentences has to be taken very broadly – it could mean, for example, "the software used by the coders employed by the company you outsource your revenue management to – or your claims adjudication to.") In any case, I'm not going to talk just now about the ICD-9 codes on your claims.
So where else do you have ICD-9 codes? You might be surprised. They can turn up anywhere someone wants to identify a set of patients clinically and isn't satisfied just using English and trusting that everyone will interpret it consistently. A case manager may want to identify all the "diabetic" patients in her care. An analyst may want to see if the number of ER visits for patients with "multiple significant trauma" is increasing. A computer program that pays claims may need to identify patients whose "medical condition" justifies paying for "breast augmentation." A contract between payer and provider might specify a carve-out rate for "gamma-knife procedures."
Any time the specification of a medical condition or procedure needs to be made precise, you might see ICD-9 codes. I can hear physicians snorting in derision over my concatenation of "clinical," "precise," and "ICD." I agree. ICD – any version including 10 – is a pretty blunt instrument for representing the clinical aspects of a patient encounter. Rarely do physicians use it for their purposes, which has led them to invent more detailed systems like SNOMED. Perhaps when computers get even more powerful and can be fed a few years worth of rich EHR data to learn from, they can deduce broad categories from fine detail. But for now, blunt is what the rest of us who are concerned with payment and analysis prefer.
For want of a better term, I've been calling a list of ICD-9 codes that specify a set of patients a "policy." This series is addressed to people whose job it is to rewrite their policies using lists of ICD-10 codes so that they specify the same set of patients. There are two ways of doing that: recoding and translation.
Before we get into the details (which any DIY converter must have), we digress to clear up some common confusions – ones I've frequently had to address in practice. I apologize in advance to the 80% of you who already know the material in the next few paragraphs, but my responsibility is to the other 20%.
Common confusion 1: What is a code? This discussion is concerned with four coding systems:
- ICD-9-CM diagnoses
- ICD-10-CM diagnoses
- ICD-9-CM procedures
- ICD-10-PCS procedures
The first three of these are organized hierarchically – in essentially an outline form. Here's an example from ICD-9-CM diagnoses:
250 Diabetes mellitus
250.0 Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication
250.00 Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication, type II or unspecified type, not stated as uncontrolled
250.01 Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication, type I [juvenile type], not stated as uncontrolled
250.02 Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication, type II or unspecified type, uncontrolled
250.03 Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication, type I [juvenile type], uncontrolled
250.1 Diabetes with ketoacidosis (4 codes)
250.2 Diabetes with hyperosmolarity (4 codes)
and so on through 250.9.
Here 250 is further divided into 250.0 through 250.9 and most of those are further divided – for example, the division of 250.0 into 250.00 through 250.03.
All of these are commonly called "codes." Technically, only those that are not further divided – only 250.00, 250.01, 250.02, and 250.03 in the example above – are "codes." They are the only ones you can put on a claim if you want to get paid. The others go by various names, but we're going to call them "headers."
What's the confusion? You will find many policies written in terms of headers: "… all patients with diabetes, ICD-9-CM code 250." What does that mean? Some computer programs just label 250 an "invalid code." Others add zeroes or nines until they find a real code – in this case 250.00, which almost certainly does not mean what the policy writer meant. What we do is interpret a header as all the codes underneath it. You may say 250, but you mean 250.00 or 250.01 or … or 250.93 – 40 codes in all.
This information is critical when you try to take the meaning over into ICD-10. A header in ICD-9 often does not correspond to any single header in ICD-10. To capture the same set of diabetic patients in ICD-10 that the codes under 250 in ICD-9 capture, you have to use 140 ICD-10 codes, which reside under the headers E10, E11 and E13.
So in what follows, when we say "code" we mean the codes that are not further divided. When you encounter a header, you will have to decide from the context what it means. For most of the techniques we are going to discuss, your best bet is to expand it into all the undivided codes in the outline it heads.
How do you do that? Here is my opportunity to recommend that if you are going to play this game, get a copy of the rule book. Specifically, you need the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS coding books. In the old days, you had to buy an ICD-9-CM code book (technically the "ICD-9-CM Tabular and Index"). Now if you Google "ICD-9-CM code" a bunch of things that purport to be free on-line equivalents pop up, but I didn't find any of them that gave the feel of the coding system the way a book does. For ICD-10-CM/PCS, the situation is better. Google "ICD-10-CM" and pick the first link to cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10. That should lead you to a free PDF of the entire ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set, in outline form, very much like the books of old. Similarly, if you go to the site and choose "2014 ICD-10 PCS and GEMs" from the left side, you can get free PDFs of the ICD-10-PCS procedures.
I've hit my word limit. I have three more common confusions to cover and then we can get down with the techniques for converting policies. More soon.
Ron Mills is a Software Architect for the Clinical & Economic Research department of 3M Health Information Systems.


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Bryan Singer's "Jack The Giant Slayer" was originally called "Jack The Giant Killer", which is probably a tad too violent sounding for the kids, especially since the film is most definitely tailored to the young'uns (well, early teens, I'd say). It's definitely a movie that will be most appreciated by those who don't have their own kids yet, with its themes of true love, a true underdog storyline and that always wonderful anything-is-possible
mumbo jumbo life lesson that all parents want their kids to learn. The film now arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on June 18, 2013.
Nicolas Hoult plays Jack, a peasant farm boy who grows up listening to stories about menacing giants and princesses and brave kings. This also happens to be the same story that Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) grows up listening to, except, well, she's a Princess and he has to sell his only horse and wagon for enough money to jumpstart the family farm. Their paths cross and it's smitten at first sight for Jack, but alas, he's poor and she's not, so enough of that nonsense. Fortunately for Jack, his fortunes are about to turn when he trades in his horse for some magical beans, and when the Princess shows up at his front door one night looking for a little shelter from the pouring rain, one of those beans sprouts a big ass beanstalk and sends the Princess into the clouds … to the very real land of the Giants! Oops.
The King (Ian McShane), needless to say, is not so happy with his daughter running from Giants that want to snack on her. These are not your friendly type of Giants. They're ugly, mole-ridden, and flatulent bastards. Basically, extremely slayable, and you are unlikely to weep for any single one of them when Jack gets his slayin' on. Jack gets his big chance to matter when he's sent up the giant beanstalk to rescue the Princess, along with the King's royal bodyguard Elmont (Ewan McGregor), who, amusingly, isn't really all that good with fighting, though he talks a mighty big game. Long story short, the Giants end up invading the land of humans thanks to the connivance of the evil Roderick (Stanley Tucci), and Jack has to save the day.
Really, "Jack The Giant Slayer" is a pretty simple story, and it really does break down into simple "anything is possible" and "true love conquers all" life lessons. Which makes sense, since the film resembles a live-action Disney movie, complete with mustache-twirling villain, dashing knights, and a plucky female heroine and her equally plucky farm boy love interest. If you didn't know going in that Bryan Singer directed "Jack", you'd probably never guessed from the finished product. Mind you, not that Singer has what you would call a "signature style", but the film is pretty generic in terms of directing. The CGI basically steals the show, with its ugly Giants (boils and all) and a third act that is essentially one battle scene as the Giants lay siege to a castle.
What "Jack The Giant Slayer" lacks in anything overly original, it more than makes up in adventure and big-budget thrills. So if that's something you're looking forward to in your DVD/Blu-ray purchase, you're probably not going to go very wrong here. The film does seem to hint at a possible sequel set in the modern day, but let's face it, given the dismal box office of "Jack The Giant Slayer", that's probably not going to happen unless we're talking cheapo direct-to-DVD entry. Hey, it could happen.
As probably befitting a film that didn't get much traction in theaters, the Blu-ray is a tad lacking. This is definitely one of those "buy it for the movie in Blu-ray" purchases. Which isn't a bad deal, since the film is CGI heavy, and all that money put onscreen looks pretty good on Blu-ray. In terms of special features, the big offering is a "Become a Giant Slayer" interactive featurette (hosted by the charming Mr. Nicholas Hoult) that has you virtually "climbing" a beanstalk, with certain points in the climb leading to mini behind-the-scenes docs from the film meant to "teach" you how to become a giant slayer. Other than that, you get 8 1/2 minutes of deleted scenes and a 3-minute gag reel (including about a minute of trying to get a cat to lick Hoult's face).
Own "Jack the Giant Slayer" on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download 6/25


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When Was PM Netanyahu Informed About the Helicopter Crash in Romania?
Prime Minister's spokesman says Netanyahu learned of the crash after 6 p.m, when his son Yair's birthday party had already begun.
One of the questions arising from reports of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair's birthday party on Monday evening is when was Netanyahu updated about the IAF helicopter crash that had occurred in Romania earlier that afternoon.
A spokesperson for the prime minister claimed that Netanyahu was informed after the party already began. If that is true, then Netanyahu was informed almost 3 hours after radio contact with the helicopter was lost, and quite some time after most of the initially publicized details were already available on the internet and in the international media.
A 19th birthday party was held for Yair Netanyahu at the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem on Monday evening. The party guests were invited to arrive at 5:30 p.m. The first reports of the crash began were received in Israel shortly after 4 p.m.
President Shimon Peres, for example, was informed by Brigadier General Hasson Hasson at 4:30 p.m. that contact was lost with an IAF helicopter in Romania. At that point it was only a preliminary report, and there was no confirmation of the crash.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu was informed that the helicopter crashed after 6:00 p.m., after the party had already begun. At 6:30 p.m., President Peres was also informed that the helicopter crashed. According to the PMO, Netanyahu left the party and conducted telephone calls from his home office with senior IDF officials in order to learn what had happened.
After a short while, he returned to the party, but did not inform the partygoers of what had happened. According to the PMO, Netanyahu was asked to use discretion and not to leak information about the crash, due to the fact that the families of the air force servicemen that had been on the helicopter had not yet been informed of the accident.
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Is your Christmas crap, well, crap?
Now that all that yuletide kerfuffle is over, you might be thinking about getting rid of some of the crap you received in the spirit of goodwill. We gave you a quick rundown of your consumer rights of return last month, but what happens if your gift is faulty.
New figures released by the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) show that, between April and November the consumer service in England and Wales dealt with over 400,000 complaints year about products and services worth a total of £3 billion. Over half of these cases concerned faulty goods and sub-standard services with an average cost of over £2,800.
This suggests that there are a lot of retailers out there selling a lot of crap. However, bearing in mind your consumer rights that a product must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, surely these people in possession of rubbish goods or services can just go back to the retailer for a refund, right?
In theory, yes, under consumer law retailers must give you either a refund, part refund, repair or replacement for faulty products. However in a CAB survey, 9 out of 10 people were not fully successful when they had complained, attempted to get a refund or get the problem put right.
The top ten most complained about faulty goods were:
Second hand cars bought from an independent dealer (you don't say)
Upholstered furniture
Mobile phone handsets
Lap-tops, notebooks and tablet PCs
Used cars bought from a franchise dealer
Beds and mattresses
Fridges and freezers
Washing machines
Women's clothing
Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:
"Many people will be disappointed by broken gifts this Christmas. But it's even more frustrating and expensive when you can't get your money back. By law retailers must offer refunds, repairs or replacements for faulty products but all too often this is not happening. Household budgets are tight meaning many people don't have the money to buy a new item if its broken and the seller has refused to sort it out."
She continued: "Stronger, clearer consumer rights will help protect squeezed spenders from expensive purchases that go wrong, and will give businesses a boost as shoppers feel more confident parting with their hard-earned cash."
CAB are now campaigning for better and more transparent consumer laws to:
A clear 30 day time-limit for retailers to give refunds so consumers know where they stand.
An option for class action, which would allow groups of consumers to take businesses to court. This would give customers greater confidence, and would make it more worthwhile to take up smaller claims.
Clear information to be displayed when goods are bought. Some businesses try to apply their own returns policy to faulty goods when consumers should be protected under the law.
Greater powers for the Trading Standards services to get customers compensation without having to take businesses through the courts.
All good stuff. And if it all ties in with the Government consultation on the same subject, which closed on 31 December, 2013 could be a shining new horizon for consumer rights. Maybe.
As ever, don't forget your 'Section 75' rights, which mean that if you buy goods costing more than £100 on a credit card, the credit card company has the same responsibilities as the trader, so you can get your compensation from them directly should anything go wrong. Your quibble is always with the seller, not the manufacturer (unless you bought direct from the manufacturer).
TOPICS: Consumer Advice How To Guides
1 comment
- kvtl,dr


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hat eventually became the United Way had its beginnings 60 years ago, 1953, in Washington. With the 2013 campaign about to begin, it's interesting to look back on its history. We did that by looking at The Missourian files from 1953.
The idea of one fund drive by uniting agencies in one major campaign was hatched by the Washington Planned Progress group. That group was created by Union Electric, which now is Ameren. Union Electric started the program in communities it served. It was an early "think tank." The goal was to improve the communities and quality of life. The idea was if the communities prospered so would Union Electric.
In February 1953, Planned Progress in Washington began. Dr. Walter H. Heseman, a dentist, was elected temporary chairman. Later that same month, Henry Hartbauer was elected president of Planned Progress. Other officers elected were Norbert Barringhaus, vice president, and Robert Lange, secretary-treasurer. The group began to hold regular meetings.
wo of the initial ideas were to have a summer playground program for children and a united drive for funds for agencies that normally would conduct their own drives. Local leadership was being drained by ending one drive and beginning another. It seemed there was a never-ending campaign for funds, with many agencies seeking donations. Donors also were tired of being asked for funds.
An organization called the Community Chest was born. That organization began to hold one annual drive. Later it became the United Fund and finally the United Way, with support from the St. Louis United Way. Also, in recent years, it became the Franklin County Area United Way.
Not all charitable organizations that were used to holding their own campaigns were thrilled to be part of the united way of giving. Initially, some didn't agree to be a member agency. Later some of those agencies did join. There still are a few holdouts.
or many years, it was an all-volunteer organization. Along the way, the Washington organization partnered with the St. Louis United Way. Paula Obermark began working part-time for the United Way in 1980 and then became the full-time executive director. She just retired after a 33-year career with the organization. There now is a new generation of leaders.
In the beginning, about a half dozen or so agencies joined in one united drive. Gradually, the number grew. There now are 48 member agencies that share in the results from the campaign. The United Way from the very beginning screened organizations that wanted to be members. The screening also includes an evaluation of the organization's needs and past record.
The goal went from a few thousands dollars to now slightly more than $1 million.
There are countless people who have volunteered the past 60 years, serving in many capacities, a number of them for many years. The organization has been blessed with excellent leadership. The cooperation of member agencies has been rewarding for the organization and for their needs. The needs have grown with population growth.
The organization has lived up to its objectives — the main one to eliminate the many fund drives and to hold one major campaign each year.
Last year was the first in which $1 million was raised. With a goal slightly higher this year, with the needs of member agencies growing, it's going to take another strong push to be successful. With the cooperation of donors, we don't doubt for one Franklin County second that the campaign will be successful.


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Sprint (s s) customers with a Palm Pre might find an over-the-air webOS update today, with Pixi owners following over the weekend. PreCentral and a host of others noticed the upgrade plans for version 1.4 on a Sprint forum, but the post was pulled down. That could mean a delay for the rollout, but without an official announcement, the update really can't be considered late, can it? Time actually is running out on two fronts, though.
For weeks, folks have had expectations that webOS 1.4 would hit the airwaves during February. With the date being the 26th, that leaves the remainder of today and this weekend to meet that hope. More important, but related, is the time it's taking Palm (s palm) to generate handset sales and revenue. As James noted, Palm yesterday reset measures of the company's performance. The cause? "[S]lower than expected customer adoption of our products," said CEO Jon Rubinstein in a memo to employees that the Wall Street Journal got a hold of.
Whenever webOS 1.4 arrives on Sprint — it's already showing up on some GSM networks outside of the U.S. — it will be welcome. Based on the change log, expect enhancements to the Calendar, Messaging and Email applications as well as native video recording capabilities. The Pre will also gain support for an Adobe Flash (s adbe) plugin that will appear in the App Catalog. Unfortunately, Pixi owners are left behind for now when it comes to Flash support, much like Windows Mobile 6.x handset owners.
There's still no word on some of the basic items I've long wanted in the browser like a visual indicator of where you are on the page and support for anchor tags. And since I've abandoned the platform for now, I won't know if those items are fixed. I'll be living vicariously through you other webOS users, so let me know, OK? With my luck, all of my issues are resolved now that I've sold my Pre.
Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):


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Ah, I remember what a magical moment it was when I learned you could bring food through airport security! (Two reasons why I remember so vividly: a) it was a momentous discovery, and b) it happened, like, 2 years ago.)
I really had no idea until that point. I didn't have occasion to fly all that often growing up because I'm from smack-dab in the middle of
nowhere the US, so basically everywhere we went was drivable. I do have one memory related to food and airport security, though. It involves 13-year-old me trying to bring a wrapped, unopened jar of apple butter in my carry-on as a gift for some friends I was going to visit. And having to unwrap said jar of apple butter for security to look at. And being told that jars of apple butter on planes are a no-no. And having to say goodbye to an entire, giant jar of delicious, unblemished apple butter.
It was a veritable tragedy.
I guess I just figured after that experience that all food would be taken from me at the airport. Not that I think the TSA was wrong for taking my apple butter—I know they were just doing their job. But smack-dab in the middle of
nowhere the US, they make some gooood apple butter. So mourning its loss was necessary.
Anyway, the whole point of this story was to tell you that now that I know I can bring food on airplanes, my travel snack of choice are these chocolate covered almonds with turbinado sugar and sea salt from Trader Joe's. They're delish. I had them with me when I flew here to Bologna in January, and they kept me company during all 60 bajillion of the flight cancellations and delays. <3 Comfort food <3
The only problem is I've since finished that box, and there is no Trader Joe's in Bologna for me to replenish my supply. Luckily, they're super easy to make yourself and just as yummy. Only 4 ingredients!
Still love Trader Joe's, of course, but it's nice to know that in times of emergency there are some other options out there. 😉
Chocolate Covered Almonds with Turbinado Sugar and Sea Salt
200g. (about 1.5 cups) roasted almonds
Two 4-oz. bars quality dark chocolate
Sea salt, to taste
Turbinado sugar, to taste
1. Find a tray that will fit in your fridge and line it with wax paper. Set aside.
2. Fill a medium pot half-way with water. Start heating on the stove over medium-high heat. In a glass bowl that you can rest on top of the pot but won't fall into the pot, place 1.5 of the bars of chocolate. Set the bowl on top of the heating pot. The steam from the boiling water will melt the chocolate. Congrats, you just created a double boiler!*
3. While the chocolate is melting, finely grate the remaining chocolate into a bowl, stopping every now and then to stir the chocolate that is melting so it doesn't burn. Mix a couple teaspoons of turbinado sugar into the grated chocolate.
4. One the chocolate in the double boiler has completely melted, remove from the heat and stir in the almonds. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste, then leave for about 10 minutes to cool off.
5. Use a fork to place the almonds one by one or in small groups onto the lined tray. (You don't want them all stuck together once they harden.) Sprinkle heavily with the grated chocolate/turbinado sugar. Leave in the fridge until completely set, about an hour.
*Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave by heating it in spurts of 30 seconds and stirring until it melts completely.