text:
Game Capture and Translocation
- Giraffe can be darted from a vehicle but can be difficult to follow, especially over rough terrain, as they can run a considerable distance during the induction phase. The use of a helicopter as a darting platform is preferred.
- Do not dart giraffe that have just drunk as they tend to regurgitate once immobilized.
- Avoid the heat of the day and excessive chasing of animals.
- Dart sites include the shoulders and hind-quarters.
- The more traditional method of capturing giraffe uses a combination of immobilization with etorphine and mechanical capture. The animal is darted with etorphine and as it becomes significantly affected and ataxic it is slowed and pulled down using ropes. A 20 meter rope with three people on each end is held in front of the animal so that it is caught around the upper legs. The ataxic giraffe is slowed until stationary and the rope is then crossed behind the animal and pulled until it collapses to the ground. The use of A3080 at the above dose rates usually results in the animal becoming recumbent without having to be roped and pulled down.
- Signs of induction include an initial excitement phase accompanied by running, as the animal becomes more affected its head is held far back, it becomes oblivious of what is in front of it and blunders through trees and bushes. At this stage the darted animal usually trips or stumbles and fall.
Handling of the immobilized animal
- Once recumbent it is essential that the head of a giraffe is restrained and held down at all times.
- Blindfold the animal and fit a halter to which a lead rope is attached over the head of the giraffe. Plug the ears with cloth or cotton wool and tape them closed to ensure that the ear plugs stay in place. Give the antidote as soon as possible.
- There is usually no time to monitor an immobilized animal before the antidote is administered. However, it is essential to ensure that the antidote results in a rapid improvement in respiratory function (rate and tidal volume).
- A rope with two "arms" is place around the base of the neck. This is used to help direct the animal once it is standing.
- The head of the giraffe is released and the animal assisted into a sternal position. The animal is allowed to stand up in its own time. Once standing, the giraffe is guided, using the attached ropes, into a recovery trailer or chariot.
- The chariot is used to transport the animal to the transport crate. The halter, blindfold and earplugs are only removed once the animal is in the transport crate.
- Giraffe can kick very accurately when recumbent or standing, despite being blindfolded and great care must be taken to remain out of range.
- Giraffe are generally transported in mass crates. The higher the roof the better it is for the animals. The maximum height possible is 3.6 m. Some bending of the neck is acceptable on short trips, but not on long journeys. This restriction usually only allows the transport of sub-adult animals.
- Ventilation must be provided but not at eye level.
- Females and young animals can fracture their horns against hard objects, especially the roof of the crate if it is not padded.
- Animals of similar age and size should be grouped together in compartments.
- Transport vehicles should be driven with extreme caution to prevent animals from falling in the crates. It is generally very difficult for giraffe, especially larger individuals, to stand once they have fallen.
Maintenance in holding facilities
Short-term Confinement
- Giraffe translocated to a new area can be kept in temporary holding facilities for an adaptation period.
- Plastic bomas which are 4.1 m high and consist of game capture plastic reinforced with game capture net can be used. The space provided should be at least 30 m2 per animal.
- Provide shade and water. Animals must be fed browse initially, lucerne and antelope cubes can be added to their diet at a later stage.
Long-term Confinement
- Holding facilities should allow for 1.8 m2 per animal; with a pen size of about 15 m2.
- Pens should be enclosed to a height of 4.1 m for adult animals and 2.1m for young animals.
- Feeding racks should be mounted 1.85m above ground level, with animals initially fed browse only. Lucerne and antelope cubes are added to the diet at a later stage.
- The floor should be covered by a layer of river sand to prevent damage to the hooves, and to reduce dust levels.


text:
Results 1 to 5 of 5
September 10th, 2013 11:52 PM #1Junior Member
- Join Date
- Sep 2013
- Posts
- 2
Using favourite musicians as Middle names
Hey guys!
Newbie here, I'm a big fan of names so am thinking ahead (not currently expecting!)
Just wanted to get your opinions on some names I love for hypothetical future kids - you'll notice I tend to veer towards more creative names for girls and quite traditional ones for boys, not sure why that is.
Also I want to see what you guys think - I'm a big music & poetry fan and have always wanted to give my kids middle names relating to my favourite poets & musicians. Do you think this is self-indulgent?
I'm Irish by the way (Maeve Sarah) so you'll probably notice the influence here.
Here are my ideas for names, just wanna see what you guys think. I really want to give these names, I think they're quite cool names but just want to get your opinions and make sure they stand on their own (not just as tribute MNs) and go well with the first names.
Cassie Marling (after Laura Marling)
Cleo Bird (after Wallis Bird)
Este Grace (found the name Este through the band Haim, think it's gorgeous)
April Yvonne (No musical influence here, my mum is Yvonne. I'll use April if she's born in April!)
Saoirse Chapman (after Tracy Chapman)
Juliet Arie (after India Arie - love the sound of Arie)
Thea Lennon (for John Lennon)
James Morrissey (after Morrissey from The Smiths)
Alex Buckley (for Jeff Buckley)
Sean Jackson (MJ)
Ivan Ray (for Van Morrison and Ray Charles)
Jack Lennon (for John Lennon) - if I haven't already used the MN with Thea :P
September 11th, 2013 12:03 AM #3Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Posts
- 5,194
September 11th, 2013 08:10 AM #5Senior Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Posts
- 2,562
September 18th, 2013 05:47 PM #7Junior Member
- Join Date
- Sep 2013
- Posts
- 2
Thanks guys! I was wondering if they were too out there but initial positive response is good!
September 19th, 2013 04:53 PM #9
Cleo Bird is so cute! I also love Este and Arie. And Saoirse. Cassie I'd prefer as Cassia. Just think it's so much prettier, no matter how you say it. (I like the CAH-shuh prn.)
For the boys, I think Morrissey, Buckley, Ray all work well as middles. Ivan Ray is fine but I might do Donovan nn Van instead.
Last edited by emsky; September 20th, 2013 at 10:51 AM.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
While Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been developing and maturing, the Government's focus in recent months on economic growth has led to a renewed interest in LEPs' role in driving growth locally. This briefing gives an overview of recent developments in LEP policy, provides a synopsis of recent thinking and recommendations relating to LEPs from a variety of sources, including the Heseltine Review, and discusses the likely next steps for LEPs and their constituent local authorities.
This briefing will be of interest to councillors in all councils and officers working in economic development.
Subscriber content
Some of our content is only available to members and officers in LGiU member organisations. Check if your organisation is a member.
Please sign in with your email address below and we'll check your email address against our list of registered members, or send you an invoice later. See our briefings terms and conditions.


text:
In a weak economy, luxury gets redefined
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - At The Wine Rack, where sales from the $10-and-under shelves are booming, Jocelyn Vorbach says aloud what most of her customers won't: Friendships now have price tags, and dinner guests are gauged.
"There are friends who get the $300 Caymus and there are friends who get the $10 bottle," Vorbach says. "They're saying, 'I like them, but I don't like them that much.' "
Even wealthier customers are stocking up on bargain bottles, though they tend to purchase by the case. "Before, they wouldn't be caught dead with a $9.99 bottle in their presence," she says. "But now they will. As long as I tell them it's a good one."
It's a matter of redefining luxury - and redefining nonessential - in an economy whose most consistent product may seem to be dismal daily headlines.
Ultimately, though, "essential" and "luxury" are personal definitions, choices driven not only by how much money remains when the bills are paid but also by our position on the social ladder, our sense of how to stay there, and the feelings we get from the things we buy.
The numbers show Americans are already choosing: Starbucks is closing 100 underperforming stores. Sales of trucks, SUVs, and roomy sedans are plunging. Retailers are slashing prices to lure shoppers back to the malls. Though 94 percent of us still pay our mortgages on time, some are giving up extras or tapping into savings to do so.
Even in a college town like this with a robust local economy, people are cutting back.
Jim Elliott, a prison chaplain, has taken up hiking over concerts and plays. Homemaker Debbie Copen is clipping coupons. Alice and Joe Thompson are carpooling to work. Vicki Stemple, a registered nurse, buys only the basics at Sam's Club.
"This car needs a catalytic converter, and it's $800," she says, loading her silver Toyota Matrix with eggs and laundry detergent. "No way. It's not happening."
Notions of what's necessary are always changing, says Juliet Schor, a sociologist at Boston College. Dishwashers, air conditioners, washing machines, and color TVs were once indulgences. Today, they're basics.
Consumers now may be considering things like clothing labels and coffee brands or cooking at home versus dining out, says Schor, author of "The Overspent American: Upscaling, Downshifting and the New Consumer."
When times are trying, the "status premium" that people are willing to pay shrinks, whether the product is high-end lipstick or a gas-guzzling vehicle. And with awareness that neighbors are suffering, conspicuous consumption becomes less comfortable.
"So people postpone purchases. People take on less debt and pay off more debt. They just get more conservative," Schor says.
James Twitchell, author of "Living it Up: America's Love Affair with Luxury," argues most people shop to meet desires, not needs. "Great chunks of the middle class have the needs down pat, so it's all shopping for emotion," he contends. "Now, instead of trading up, we're trading down. But we're still trading."


text:
Monster Beats On Sale Of 50% Discounts Of bobbi brown brush set fake Visiting Our Store
MAC Hello Kitty Liquid Foundation 40Ml 2350
based on 51827 customer reviews
macmakeupwholesale2015.com In stock
mac cosmetics store canada new mac lipstick adise in regard to terrorist teams. Hence, Algeria continues to be implementing thousands of troopers alongside the boundary coupled with Libya, Niger, Mali, Tunisia and also Mauritania every single child control the particular infiltration regarding al-Qaeda related militants into the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) together with other provided teams including the Islamic exhibit (IS). To manage the particular wellbeing difficulties, security shelling out subsequent yr can go up so as to concerning several 20 thousand An individual. Azines. money, which usually clothes all the particular areas. Politics expert Mentor Hicham Touati advised Xinhua where "the security and also safety cost bracket inside Algeria stored improving through the last ten years, amongst the particular politics along with safety problems which usually swept your n. Photography equipment region and even offers been obvious in the decade-long strong, soft city conflict. "Touati extra in which "even from the place's bleakest monetary ailments and as well having less.
MAC Makeup Studio Fix Fluid Spf5 Pouch0Ml.0Oz 2627
Price: $8.72Special Price: $6.35 Save: 68% off
ir very own ranges. Experts state the cost slashes denote the very much deeper malaise associated along with China's red-colored warm home market place — the creating period at various points has generated mismatches in between provide and need. Complete houses on discount profits appears from 113, 000 within Hangzhou, a listing which requires seventeen-year-old sever mac cosmetics pro discount mac makeup kit online shopping al weeks as a way to diminish good typical month-to-month purchase affiliated with 6, 630 homes this past season, based on property consultancy CBRE. However the difficult market using metropolitan areas has not yet halted deep-pocketed designers in an effort to take property from report expense. Data through property consultancy Centaline Home demonstrated which property income within Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou as well as Shenzhen — China's 4 first-tier towns, cities — strike accurate documentation nearly all of 177. four million yuan within the initial 1 / 4 this months. Property product sales within a country's funds flower 57 % 12 mont.
MAC Laddy Gaga Pencil Liquid Eyeliner Star Fascination 2375
Price: $4.16Special Price: $3.27 Save: 42% off
ying for and also outbound investment decision. Numerous reforms — privatizing this specific personal segment, streamlining management mortgage approvals, in addition to telling financial commitment — will be tried out of your Shanghai Cost-free Deal Region. America possesses thought out new kind of cost-free deal areas with Tianjin, Guangdong in addition to Fujian, a significant part of acquiring these reforms to another levels. China and taiwan likewise promised to support quicken change connected with it happens to be state-owned establishments (SOEs). It offers showcased some kind change approac creme mac lipstick mac cosmetics ingredients h with May when using the check programs connected with big vip's on SOEs, component of some sort of bigger opt to change this dysfunctional talk about segment in luring non-public investment decision along with getting far more experienced authorities to modify this corporations within the progressively more market-based economic climate. Many merged, most of these reforms, nevertheless many usually a.
MAC Ladygaga Haute Naughty Lash 8Ml 0.28Oz 2404
Price: $3.43Special Price: $1.71 Save: 43% off
district, inches challenge co-leader Rupert Sutherland, connected with GNS Scientific training, claimed from the record. "For case, i am reasonably sure occurrence connected with clay-based nutritional supplements in addition to mineral water demand gradients are essential variables which affects this fault's kinetic conduct, in addition to most individuals decide to obtain various sorts of facts that can you understand why in depth. "The Alpine Failing, which often provides around 650 km, seemed to be one of a lot of the planet's far more effective platter border mistakes apart from essentially the most technologically obtaining review to its measurement, rapidly pace connected with capability to move, in addition to supply. Earthquakes approximately value 8 occurred within the failing pertaining to just about every 250 to help 600 a while, while using the normal problem concerning effective substantial earthquakes currently being in connection with 330 a long time. This failing past ruptured 297 historically with.
false eyelashes mac Top Quality best mac lipsticks,dior capture totale foundation Outlet Online Sale mac lash,Online Store mac eyeshadow names 2016 New Arrival mac compact foundation
More discount, please open the site: www.macmakeupwholesale2015.com www.maccosmetics.com
- make up von mac Easy And Simple To Handle FHXEL 182 Satakunnan Allergia- ja Astmayhdistys ry Satakunnan Allergia- ja Astmayhdistys ry make up von mac Easy And Simple To Handle FHXEL 182 Satakunnan Allergia- ja Astmayhdistys ry
- about mac cosmetics uk The Lowest Price Online Store. 1AWFI 535 Palermo 2019
- salling mac makeup Great Quality Of BSWGU 625 ICT Ladies
- best mac false eyelashes Us Sale X0WNK 371
- mac black lipstick Good Quality Cheap For Sale 7DQLQ 204
- which is the best mac foundation Handsome Appearance XQHKZ 730 Divinations LifeCare Pvt. Ltd.
- fluidline da mac Free Shipping And Very Soon Delivery! AGJJX 638 Divinations LifeCare Pvt. Ltd.


text:
in a statement issued by echostar, the company said the jury verdict was "the first step in a very long process." the company also believes it will "ultimately prevail" in the case. echostar noted that the patent office is currently reexamining tivo's patent. echostar also filed a patent lawsuit of its own against tivo for violation of its dvr patent technology. that trial is scheduled for february 2007.
read more from the echostar and tivo press releases.
brian's opinion
here we go again: another battle of the patents. it all sounds just a little too familiar. a jury awards a company for the patent infringement of another while the patent is being reexamined by the patent office. i wish there would be a law that would prevent lawsuits from moving forward once a patent at the center of lawsuit is being reexamined by the patent office.
the current system awards a company or an individual for filing a broad reaching patent. if the company or individual then sues using the patent as a basis for the lawsuit it could possibly get a court to side with it or the defendant to settle before the patent is reexamined and found to be invalid. that's a little ridiculous.
tivo shouldn't be counting its money too soon. as echostar said, it's a long process. tivo may turn around and be giving that money back to echostar. after all, echostar gets to turn the tables next year, and tivo may find itself on the other side of a jury award soon.
user comments 17 comment(s)
|i patented breathing (9:14am est mon apr 17 2006)
so everyone that breathes needs to pay me $.05 for every breath or else i'll sue.
– by patent laws suck
|why is everyone down on patents? (9:23am est mon apr 17 2006)
patents are the reason that people innovate. you make something and you are awarded for doing so. this isn't a bad thing – in fact, i would argue that it is a good thing. the idea that should really upset people is when a big company steals technology from a smaller company and doesn't pay for it. echostar is an $8 billion dollar company. they have tons of money to license the technology. instead, a jury said that they stole it.
this same stupid argument happened with the ntp/rim case. everyone was down on ntp. why? rim has billions and stole the technology. in the end, rim settled for more money than they were originally going to settle for.
the worst thing about this is the selective way that people feel about patents. i remember, a number of years ago when everyone hated ms, everyone was saying that the big bad ms stole intellectual property from real and other companies. no one seemed to care that the us government was suing ms? why do so many people care about the equally large echostar and rim?
get rid of patents and you get rid of innovation. it is that simple. it protects the person that invents something from the greedy big companies that will steal it. you all should be rooting for the small company rather than laughing about how much bigger echostar is. – by bneals
|patenting is too rampant (9:37am est mon apr 17 2006)
think of the case against rim for the blackberry.
a canadian company patented the 'idea' of having push email. they did not invent it, just said hmmm i have an idea of email being pushed from server to client, and they were allowed to patent it for any device ever to be made in the future.
so they did not invent it or have anything remotely working and the patent office allowed they patent to cover any device.
that is a great example of how stupid the patent laws are and how easy it is to get a patent.
for instance, i could patent the 'idea' of personal hover cars for commuting. if in the next 5-10 years someone invents that and uses it, i could sue them even though i never even attempted to invent one myself. – by logan5.net
|sad (9:51am est mon apr 17 2006)
as the lawyers and rich stock holders rub their greedy hands together the average consumer suffers. – by regulas
|re: logan5.net (9:56am est mon apr 17 2006)
you have real point. almost the same as ups has a patent on the color brown they use. it has gone too far like many thing in life. i don't smoke but look at the drakonion laws they put into effect around certain liberal parts of the country. if i own a bar i have to run it like the government says instead of how i want to run it.
if it was truely free here i could own a bar and declare it a smoking bar. the whinny non smokers could then go elswhere and let free enterprise work the way it should. i can garuntee if the demand was there for a non smoking bar someone would open one with having the government forcing it down everyones throats. – by regulas
|regulas – smoke this (11:51am est mon apr 17 2006)
my state justed banned smoking in bars. nearly 70% of the voting public wanted this. mostly because we are tired of breathing in the shit you breath out.
you have every right to polute your own lungs, but not everone elses. it's it's about time the majority got what they wanted as opposed to having the load mouth minorities always getting what they want.
also, nevery state that has passed a smoking ban has seen a net increase in consumer spending. mostly because smart people don't smoke and they also tend to have more disposable income. so does any idiot who isn't spending their money on shit that gives you cancer. believe me the dummies that frequent bars are still going to spend just as much there wheteher they smoke or not. – by breath of fresh air
|logan5.net (11:58am est mon apr 17 2006)
"for instance, i could patent the 'idea' of personal hover cars for commuting. if in the next 5-10 years someone invents that and uses it, i could sue them even though i never even attempted to invent one myself. – by logan5.net"
not quite. you would have to work towards the invention yourself. you cannot patent technology and "hide" it from consumers.
a simple explanation: i invent a light bulb. i patent it. i don't sell it to the public. this is not legal.
i can have time to perfect the light bulb, but i can not indefinitely hide the product from the public, my patent would be overturned.
|regulas – its a trademark … (12:18pm est mon apr 17 2006)
ups has a trademark not a patent. and of course your concerned about the rights of smokers in your bar, your making a fortune of them, off both the booze and the tobacco.
i was at a sams club recently with a smoker friend. he needed a fix, the line on the cigarettes was very long, the clerk apoligies for the line explaining that someone had just purchased $8000 plus worth of cigarettes. we found out that they own three bars and every weeek they buy $8000 to $9000 woth of tobacco products. now the smoker in the line seem to agree that bars generally charge $6 to $7 dollars a pack, the price at sams was a little of $3 a pack, meaning he makes about $1,000 a day off of tobacco products thats $33,000 a month.
pround to be a …
|stupid bureaucratic bs (1:44pm est mon apr 17 2006)
it's a shame when companies can't work out their differences and have to tie up valuable court time and waste tax-payers money. last year our company got shafter with 26 million payout over a patent dispute with a old contractor over vauge wording in the contract and patent. we were the big company in this instance and got screwed by the little company. don't get me wrong, i firmly believe in getting what is rightfully yours. but how many of you would trust a jury to decide who is right in a patent dispute. the patent laws and these disputes are much to complicated for a jury, let alone the company's board-members. here is proof: even though our company had to pay, the jury awarded us the other company's patent that started the whole mess. so in the end, because of a jury and a little company trying to get rich quick from a vauge wording in their patent from contracted work, both companies lose. what a load of crap. – by dave
|re: breath of fresh air (2:19pm est mon apr 17 2006)
if you would have read my post correctly you would have found out i don't smoke but i still think it is wrong for the government to tell a business owner how he or she has to run their business. actually it's the governments business, we just run them to pay taxes to the government with legalized mafia taxes. pay us or we will shut you down peasant. – by regulas
|huh (3:05pm est mon apr 17 2006)
if this country collapses, take all who were in government or controlled government, including all presidents still alive, line them up, and shoot them from the knees and up. – by bla
|huh (3:45pm est mon apr 17 2006)
complex ideas that took hard work to produce should be patented. not everyday simple ideas. like no one ever thought of the idea for computers can be used to record tv shows. well vcr's are machines with chips inside also, why wont tivo sue sony or magnovox for producing vcr's.
why wont tivo sue ati or nvidia for producing vid cards with tv in/out, which could lead to recordings of shows or sue software companies that lets computers record tv shows.
tivo is nothing more than a compact computer able to record tv or cable shows. – by bla
|re: lawstudent (8:26pm est mon apr 17 2006)
you need to stay in school a while longer. that is not how the patent system works.
i can patent something and not even try to build it. it is perfectly legal. i also don't have to license the idea to anyone else who might want to build it. it may not make any business sense to do so, but it is perfectly legal. my patent is only good for 20 years from the time i file it, so anyone can build something based on my patent after that without compensating me in the least.
it is true that you cannot "hide" your idea because the patent itself is a public document. anyone can look at your patent which must explain in great detail all aspects of your patented idea. – by avl
|vague patents big payoffs (8:45pm est mon apr 17 2006)
so, why not patent a device the purpose of which is to capture or kill mice? forget patenting an actual working design. our technology is being set back into the stone ages by the current system, which once was supposed to promote ingenuity and inventiveness, now makes it virtually impossible to innovate or create new ideas that can get past the broad strokes of current blanket patents. basic ideas such as push email, rll and jpeg encoding or recorded tv to hard drive. – by gh
|i think…. (8:27am est tue apr 18 2006)
that the problem with the patet office is more to do with the fact that it hasn't/can't keep up with the times. think about it. when the patent office was formed, it was there to protect ideas on things, not intellectual property as we think of it today. that was to be covered by the copyright office. today the line between intellectual property and real property (not land, mind you, but objects you can hold and feel) has blurred. hence we get the problems we have with patents on code and such. it was never meant to cover such things.
– by pitviper
|stupid patents (11:27pm est wed apr 26 2006)
i have nothing against patents in general, however, the patent office is giving out patents on generalized ideas. for instance. email to fax, voicemail,callback to name a few.
the patent office is giving out patents without looking into them enough. the one above email to fax, covers any type of transmission that eventually goes out fax.?????
how stupid is that?? – by ken
|tivo (8:35am est wed may 10 2006)
got tivo????
your running a small verion of linux
yep yep.


text:
Tunisia's government has decided to grant recognition to all banned political groups and adopt an amnesty for all political prisoners, ministers said after a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
"We are in agreement for a general amnesty," said Higher Education Minister Ahmed Ibrahim, an opposition party leader who joined the coalition government after the ousting of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
"This meeting was historic. We were completely in agreement." Asked if the amnesty would include people jailed for membership of banned Islamist movement Ennahda, he told Reuters: "Yes, of course, everybody will be part of this amnesty."
Youth Minister Mohamed Aloulou, when asked if the government had also decided to lift a ban on political movements including Ennahda, said: "Yes, we are in complete agreement. We are not going back ... We will recognise all the political movements."


text:
The snowfall at most California, Colorado and Utah resorts has been outstanding. Across the entire Western U.S. ski country, all downhill and cross-country resorts are open.
The adjoining Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows resorts at California's Lake Tahoe had their second snowiest Christmas on record, with 173 inches of snowfall just before the holiday. By Christmas Day they had been blessed with another 5 feet of snow. The total summit accumulation to date is 240 inches.
Tahoe's latest storms have enabled its seven resorts to open all of their terrain. Their combined facilities total 125 chairlifts, 500 ski runs and 17,500 acres of skiable turf.
At Vail Mountain, the new gondola, a state-of-the-art lift with heated seats and Wi-Fi access, zooms up the slopes, linking Vail Village with Mid-Vail. Other resort additions in Vail's 50th anniversary season are two new Kids Adventure Zones and its 10th on-slope restaurant.
Winter Trails Day
The annual coast-to-coast Winter Trails Day on Jan. 12 will feature free snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, animal tracking, igloo building, dog-sledding tours and naturalist-guided hikes at many Western venues. Some of the sites are Colorado's Echo Lake, Estes Park, Breckenridge Nordic and Vista Verde; Montana's Rendezvous Trails at Yellowstone; Utah's Soldier Hollow; California's Tahoe Donner; and British Columbia's Silver Star.
More info at snowlink.com.
Around Colorado
From Jan. 6-12, the town of Breckenridge, Colo., will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its wild Ullr Fest carnival. Ullr (rhymes with cooler) is the Norse god of snow. The town's next event is the Jan. 22-Feb. 3 International Snow Sculpture Championships. Teams from 16 countries will carve 12-foot-tall, 20-ton blocks of ice into enormous works of art.
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area is offering Super Sunday first-timer discounts on Sundays in January, as part of Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month.
Old Town Inn in Crested Butte, Colo., offers a vacation bargain from Jan. 5-Feb.7: two nights lodging and two days skiing for $238. Price is per person, double occupancy.
Alta celebrating 75th
It was 75 years ago that Utah's Alta Ski Area sold the first rides on its Collins Lift. Alta, usually blessed with an abundance of light powder snow, is 95 percent open. Goldminer's Daughter Lodge is popular with skiers because it's less than 300 steps between breakfast and the first chairlift.
The Pratt family — avid skiers with eight children and 22 grandchildren — recently bought the well-known ski-in, ski-out Snowpine Lodge at Alta. That property has 21 rooms; among its renovated facilities are a spa treatment room, outdoor firepit and upgraded lobbies and guest rooms.
Idaho improvements
Sun Valley Resort has kicked off its 77th season by upgrading its Dollar Mountain playground with an expanded 22-foot Superpipe, 76 rails, two cross courses and three snowboard parks.
Lookout Pass has a new triple-seat chairlift that serves beginner terrain.
Grand Targhee, which boasts the most spectacular view of Wyoming's Grand Tetons, has introduced a Youth Ski and Snowboard Lease Program that offers discount packages for kids. It lets families lock in next year's rates.
Walt Roessing is a California freelance writer. Powder Play runs every other week during ski season.


text:
Press release:
Genesee Community College is pleased to announce this year's class of Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. They include a mentoring advocate, a telecommunications expert, an economic developer and an entrepreneur. All four will be honored Wednesday, March 20, 2013 with the induction at 4 pm and a reception following in room T119 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus.
Jeffrey Newland came to GCC in 1985 after serving three years as a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Studying Communications and Media Arts, he got involved at WGCC during its inaugural year of FM broadcast. He graduated with honors, receiving the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence in 1987. He then went on to SUNY Geneseo and to Albany Law School. After working in litigation, he decided to pursue a different career path resulting in his own consulting firm in Rochester, Best2Things, which helps people reach their greatest potential. Jeff is very committed to mentoring. After serving five years as executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, he founded and is president of Rochester Mentors, a partnership of mentoring programs that aims to elevate the quality and quantity of youth mentoring. He lives in Fairport with his wife and two teenage sons.
Graduating from GCC with a criminal justice degree in 1993, Shannon Sauro continued her education at The College at Brockport. It would become her professional home. She started as a clerk in the bursar's office in 1999. By 2005 her demonstrated abilities earned her the job of director of Telecommunications. She added director of Business Processes two years later. She oversees crucial data and wireless data networks, campus phone and TV networks, has implemented an emergency notification system and been recognized with a Model of Efficiency Award by University Business Magazine. In 2010, she received both the Outstanding Service to the College Award and the Recent Alumnus Award from The College at Brockport. In May 2012, Shannon earned a Master's in Public Administration with honors. Shannon is married with one daughter. They reside in Holley.
Having grown up in Genesee County, Christopher Suozzi wanted to raise his own family here. In 2007, he was thrilled to join the staff of the Genesee County Economic Development Center as vice president of Business Development. In this role, he is a champion for the county and for his alma mater, working closely with GCC to develop and implement sought-after programs, including the new Supply Chain Management concentration. Chris earned a Math and Science degree from GCC in 1984. He continued his studies at Alfred University, receiving a degree in Industrial Engineering. He started his career with UPS in Boston then became Distribution and Engineering manager for American Tourister in Florida. While there, he completed his MBA. He returned to western New York in 1997, honing his skills in distribution and supply chain management with two food products companies. His background has been instrumental in attracting new development to Genesee County including Alpina Foods and Muller Quaker Dairy. Chris lives in Batavia with his wife and three children. He's very excited that his daughter will be a student at GCC next year.
A 1989 GCC graduate, Andrew Young earned a degree in Economics and Finance from The College at Brockport and an MBA from RIT. Young was a top sales representative at Xerox and co-founded PakHound Parcel Logistics. The company was named one of Western New York's fastest growing firms before being acquired in 2005. As an entrepreneur, Andrew is involved with many organizations, including president of The Young Group of Real Estate Companies, which he founded. He was recognized as one of 40 under 40 rising stars in business by both Buffalo Business First and The Rochester Business Journal. He is very active in the community working with the Business Education Alliance, Genesee County Economic Development Center and the Chamber of Commerce, the Genesee County Republican Committee and the Town of Batavia Zoning Board of Appeals. He is also member of the National Association of Realtors. Andrew lives in Batavia on his family's active 200-acre farm with his wife and four children.
The GCC Hall of Fame is located in the Conable Technology Building of the Batavia campus on the second floor corridor, and features photos of alumni who have distinguished themselves through business and personal achievement, as well as service to the community.
You can also learn more by visiting GCC's Hall of Fame website: http://www.genesee.edu/alumni/halloffame/.


text:
I sell my work online at Etsy, a wonderful venue for unique handmade and vintage items. I list new items almost weekly. If you'd like to be notified when I add new items to my shop, click here to (easily, I promise) set up an rss feed that will alert you to changes in my shop.
Meanwhile, here's a sampling of what I've got for sale right now. Click on any item to visit my shop.


text:
USA vs Latvia
USA beat Latvia in their last friendly, 1-0 before they start their WC campaign against the Czech Republic on June 12th. There were encouraging sings as Brian McBride scored the winning goal and Eddie Johnson showed some of the old touch that had deserted him for a while. But the midfield is a work in progress with the chronically injured Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien. This match saw O'Brien play for 65 minutes and he showed a bit of the old flair. DeMarcus Beasley was shunted to the right midfield, a position that he plays for PSV Eindhoven. But a lot of fine tuning is still going on with the team.
The US plays with the Czech Republic, Ghana, and Italy in Group E
Croatia vs Iran
Croatia and Iran drew 2-2 and Iran showed that they could surprise quite a few teams with a nice first timer goal from Ali Karimi. The Croatians were let down by a horrible defensive lapse in front of the box, one which led to Iran scoring their second goal. They looked a trifle casual whereas the Iranians seemed pretty revved up and looked dangerous through Ali Karimi and Vahid Hashemian. The Croatians equalized through Marko Babic's PK in injury time.
Iran is in Group D with Angola, Mexico, and Portugal.
Croatia in Group F with Brazil, Japan, and Australia.
Ukraine vs Costa Rica
Ukraine showed how dangerous it can be by whopping Costa Rica 4-0, in a match that Andriy Shevchenko sat out because of injury. But Ukraine wunderkid Andriy Vorobei showed his form by scoring one of the goals. This WC should see plenty of the two Andriys. Costa Rica fielded what seemed to be their first XI with captain Paulo Wanchope playing in the second half.
Ukraine is in Group H with Spain, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia
Costa Rica plays with Germany, Poland, and Ecuador in Group A
France vs Mexico
France beat Mexico 1-0 through Florent Malouda's goal just befor halftime. This was also Zizou's 100th international and he was given a standing ovation. But his game was nothing to write home about and he was substituted by Vikash Dhorasso in the second half. The match also showed Marseille prodigy Franck Ribeiry impress with his swift and nifty running, earning his first cap. Mexico had plenty of possession but failed to threaten until captain Rafael Marquez's 36th-minute header went just over.
France is in Group G with South Korea, Togo, and Switzerland
Mexico is in Group D with Angola, Iran, and Portugal.
Netherlands vs Cameroun
Netherlands beat Cameroun 1-0 through Ruud Van Nistelrooy's goal in the 23rd minute. The Dutch strikers featured an all Premiership line up with Nistelrooy, Robin Van Persie, and Arjen Robben. And Van Persie looked dangerous, time and time again drawing the Camerounians into fouls. Cameroun played without Samuel Eto'o. Some fine goalkeeping by Idriss Kameni kept the margin respectable.
Netherlands is in Group C with Argentina, Ivory Coast, and Serbia Montenegro.
Switzerland vs Ivory Coast
Switzerland drew with the Ivory Coast 1-1, going ahead with a goal by Tranquillo Barnetta but the Ivory Coast came back through Emerse Fae's 25 yard shot that beat goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuhler.
Switzerland is in Group G with France, South Korea, and Togo
Ivory Coast plays in Group C with Argentina, Serbia Montenegro, and Netherlands.
In other matches Germany pasted Luxembourg 7-0, Portugal outclassed the Cape Verde Islands 4-1, Ecuador beat Macedonia 2-1, Wales beat Trinidad and Tobago 2-1, Serbia-Montenegro drew with Uruguay 1-1, and Spain drew with Russia 0-0.
For more on the matches
Soccer friendlies: USA shows life, Ukraine look dangerous, and Robin Van Persie serves notice
USA vs Latvia


text:
Fractal Design Packs USB 3.0 Support Into Core 1000 USB 3.0 mATX Case
Subject: Cases and Cooling | March 5, 2013 - 07:57 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 1000 usb 3.0, atx case
Fractal Design has announced an updated Core 1000 USB 3.0 Micro ATX case that adds USB 3.0 support to the front panel. The new Core 1000 USB 3.0 chassis measures 175mm x 355mm x 420mm and weighs approximately 9 lbs (4.1 kg).
The micro ATX case supports motherboards of the Mini-ITX, DTX, and Micro ATX flavors. Further, it can support graphics cards up to 350mm in length and CPU coolers up to 148mm in height. Two optical disk drives, either three vertically mounted 2.5" SSDs or two 3.5" HDDs, and four PCI expansion slots round out the storage and expansion options.The hard drives feature anti-vibration grommets, and the fan spots include dust filters.
On the outside, the Core 1000 USB 3.0 case is flat black with a large mesh front panel and side panel vent. The right side of the case holds the front IO panel, which consists of:
- 1 x USB 3.0
- 1 x USB 2.0
- 2 x Audio jacks
- 1 x HDD activity indicator light
- 1 x Power button
- 1 x Reset button
The inside of the case is rather spartan. There are no cable routing holes, water cooling grommets, CPU cutouts, or other fancy features. It has an ATX power supply spot at the top of the case, motherboard standoffs, and drive cages. Just enough to get the job done, in other words.
Fractal Design includes a single Silent Series R2 120mm intake fan, but the case can actually support a total of three fans. There are spots for:
- 1 x 120mm (front intake)
- 1 x 92mm (rear exhaust)
- 1 x 120mm (side panel)
There is no word on pricing or availability yet, but expect it to run around $40-50. More photos and specifications are available on the Fractal Design website.
Fractal Design Packs USB 3.0 Support Into Core 1000 USB 3.0 mATX Case
Fractal Design Packs USB 3.0 Support Into Core 1000 USB 3.0 mATX Case
Post new comment
PC Perspective
Upcoming Events
Get notified when we go live!
PC Perspective Live! Google Calendar RSS


text:
Detail Images
Current Color
Free 2-Day shipping on orders over $50*
Select a Size:Select options
Select a Color:Select options
1 Review
Keep on shining.
Jam-packed with all-terrain performance, the Burton Women's Emerald Snowboard Boot shines over every inch of the mountain, whether you're learning backside threes in the park or cruising down twisty groomers. Designed with Burton's Speed Zone Lacing, the Emerald's upper and lower zones can be tightened independently, allowing you to dial-in a precise fit for any riding scenario.
Falling right in the middle of Burton's responsiveness rating, the Emerald is great for freestyle and all-terrain riding. Its Medium-Flex PowerUp Tongue and Power Spine Backstay add responsiveness for driving in and out of turns, yet the boot isn't as stiff as Burton's freeride-specific offerings, such as the Supreme or Felix Boa. This means that you'll still be able to flex the boot properly for tweaking grabs off jumps and jibbing through the park.
Inside the Emerald, you'll find a heat-moldable Imprint 2 Liner that's insulated with 3M Thinsulate. The boot retains even more heat with its Sleeping Bag Reflective Foil. This shiny foil is located beneath the footbed, acting like an emergency blanket to keep your feet warm during the coldest of shred sessions. Additionally, the Emerald comes with a low-profile DynoGrip sole that's cushioned with B3 gel for shock-absorbing comfort, no matter where you roam on the mountain.
- All-mountain boot that keeps you shredding in pure comfort
- Speed Zone Lacing design gives you an exact fit
- Insulated liner has thermo-moldable design for comfort
- Reflective foil helps traps precious body heat
- DynoGrip outsole grips icy, snowy surfaces
- Item #BUR01O3
Tech Specs
Gearhead Help
Tech Specs
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Still solid
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I've been in Burton Emeralds for about 8 years (too long). I'm ready to upgrade but I was wanting to get out of the Emeralds so I ordered the Nitro Crown and 32 Lashed boot as well. I wanted the Crown to work out because they have a nice flex system that would be beneficial during walk mode while splitboarding. Sadly, the lacing system on the Nitro Crown was too complicated and messy for my liking, they also didn't fit my narrow feet very well. The 32 Lashed seemed like great boots, but they were wide on my foot and I didn't love the lacing system (better than the Nitro Crown though, in my opinion). As much as I wanted to switch to a new boot I still ended up with the Emerald! The past 8 years I've been wearing a 7.5 Emerald....but I've decided that this was a full size too large for me. Over the years my heel has began to slip on turns. I ordered a 6.5 Emerald and took them splitboarding and to the resort this past weekend...I love them! It's crazy how a well fitting boot can change your snowboarding. My heel doesn't slip out and the medium stiffness is perfect for me, super responsive. Street shoe size is 6.5-7 and I've concluded that the 6.5 Emerald is perfect for me, my toes are barely touching the end of the liner and my heel is held in perfectly.
If you try on a boot and it feels perfect and roomy in the toes, my advice would be to go as close to your street shoe size as possible for a tighter fit. The boots WILL pack out and if you start off with dead space around your toes/heels chances are your foot will end up flopping around in the boot in a few seasons.
In the end, I couldn't really get past how fast and simple the Burton Emerald lacing system is. Burton knows boots!


text:
This is one way history still gets taught: At 6 p.m. in a pink-and-beige lecture hall at the University of Toronto, 100 young men and women in HIS217Y are writing down everything, absolutely everything, Erin Black is saying about Woodrow Wilson and his efforts to keep the United States out of the First World War.
Prof. Black – mid-30s, glasses, speaking from notes and slides – is a first-rate lecturer. Forty-five minutes into her two-hour class, she has touched on American neutrality, immigrant reaction to U.S. neutrality, the British blockade, German submarines, the sinking of the Lusitania, J.P. Morgan, "peace without victory," and the war's galvanizing effect on labour, Prohibition and women's suffrage, among other subjects.
Here's another way history is inhaled today: At 3:30 p.m. on a Wednesday in a precise, book-upholstered apartment, Mark Brownlie, 42, and his fiancée, Erin Dolmage, 39, sit before their 60-inch plasma TV and play Assassin's Creed III, a $60 video game about the American Revolution.
Ms. Dolmage gave the game to Mr. Brownlie for his birthday three days ago. So far, they've played eight hours and are only 14 per cent of their way through. These are not pimply adolescent boys chewing pixels in a basement rec room, though plenty of those play Assassin's Creed. Mr. Brownlie and Ms. Dolmage are professional historians, doctoral candidates at York University.
Ms. Dolmage has the PlayStation controller at the moment. Connor, the game's half-British, half-Mohawk member of a brotherhood of assassins, is about to die a hideous death on the beautifully rendered streets of 18th-century Boston at the hands of five bayonet-wielding redcoats.
"Mark's much better at the combat stuff," she says, her eyes never leaving the bright square of the TV. "And I'm much better at the running and the forest." They'll play again on Saturday at their regular gamers' dinner with four other academic friends.
Of course, if you know the American Revolution, you may already be twitching. A Mohawk fighting for the Americans against the Redcoats? Very, very unlikely: The British promised natives could keep their land, whereas the Americans wanted to (and did) take it away.
Questions like that have had a lively airing since Ubisoft, the third-largest independent video-game manufacturer in Europe and North America, launched AC III last fall. It has been a gargantuan success: 12 million sold since Oct. 31, bringing the franchise total to more than 50 million units; Michael Fassbender is set to star in the movie. But it has also tossed video games into the battle over how loyal entertainment has to be to history.
Movies such as Argo (which won the best picture Academy Award last week) and Zero Dark Thirty (about the death of Osama bin Laden) have been lambasted for taking liberties. But they're just the latest culprits. Last summer's unearthing of Richard III's bones in an English parking lot helped to confirm that Shakespeare's portrait of the hunchback king – the go-to source for the past five centuries – is an unfair caricature, And for every relatively scrupulous movie such as Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, there's an Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Few people expect historical fiction to be dead accurate. "Do you watch Braveheart because you're interested in Scottish or Irish history?" asks Jonathan Ore, a 26-year-old game reviewer for the website Dork Shelf. "No. You're watching to see Mel Gibson chop people's heads off."
But the proliferation of all media, especially the digital kind, has made it easier to propagate lies for political purposes: Think of the invented scandal of Barack Obama's birth certificate or the "inside job" claims around 9/11 and the Newtown, Conn., shootings. Hence our collective nervous breakdown about what's supposed to be true, and who gets to say so.
Thus a passel of establishment types, including this newspaper, have accused Ubisoft of irresponsibly goosing the historical facts of the American Revolution to boost sales; the easily offended gaming world responded with Twitter-trending counter-arguments.
Common sense does suggest that we ought to care more about the pervasive effects of history mangling in video games: They are more popular (in sales), more anti-establishment, and played by millions of impressionable young people who could conceivably take fiction for fact.Report Typo/Error
Follow @BrownoftheGlobeon Twitter:


text:
South Beach, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. I walk into Tropical on the Beach, on Washington Avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets. It's a massive space, with some 200 seats and 50 silver Deco light fixtures hanging from the lofty ceiling. The bulbs are muted now, as more than enough natural rays are streaming in through large storefront windows. Although billed as "La Casa del Churrasco," this is not what you'd consider your average steak house; there's not a fat businessman in sight. Tropical is, in reality, a 24-hour Cuban restaurant serving breakfasts, soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, meats, seafoods, rice dishes, beer, wine, shakes, and desserts -- 107 items in all. I'm here, alone, choosing a breakfast from numbers one through six: small selection, just eggs four ways, ham croquettes, or pancakes. When I say alone, I mean not just at the table but, excepting the workers, in the restaurant as well. This being South Beach, I assume the breakfast crowd will shuffle in later.
There are two breakfast specials: One features eggs, toast, ham or sausage, French fries, and coffee for $3.68; the other, at $6.46, substitutes a baby palomilla steak for the pork product. I go with a ham, onion, and cheese omelette, which comes to the table promptly (the friendly waitress is very attentive, perhaps owing to her wont of anything better to do). The white plate contains one yellow circular disk in the shape of the sauté pan -- no home fries, orange twist, or frilly parsley sprig. The omelet is delicate and barely seasoned -- which is good, because the ham within yields its own brininess, easily enhanced with the salt shaker. A basket of Cuban toast comes on the side, sharing table space with a cup of steamed milk and a tin of gutsy Cuban brew. An exemplary café con leche, a fresh, satisfying omelet: $6.
While I finish my coffee, the Tropical begins to fill the row of glistening stainless-steel steam tables that take up the length of the restaurant's left side. They really are shiny, and this place quite clean-looking, though points gained on sterility are lost on atmosphere, of which there is practically none. I scout the freshly cooked lunch dishes being brought out: bright, steamy white and yellow rice; whole roasted chickens crisply bronzed, smoke still rising from their backs; various stews whose garlic and tomato aromas swirl across the room. The roast pork looks particularly succulent, so I pretty much know what I'll order when I return for lunch.
Tropical on the Beach
1413-15 Washington Ave, Miami Beach
305-532-4242; open daily, 24 hours. Delivery and take-out available.
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
Sunday, 3:00 p.m. The place is fairly crowded now, and light Latin tunes chirp through overhead speakers -- I imagine this is what Cuban elevator music must sound like. I choose the pork in sandwich form: soft, freshly pressed Cuban bread, juicy wedges of very garlicky meat, and thinly sliced onions. With a plate of skinny, golden, flawlessly crisp French fries: $5.53.
Sunday, 5:00 p.m. With great foresight, at lunchtime I order a trigo batido to go (think sweet vanilla shake with Wheatina blended in), which I figured would make for a nice late-afternoon intermezzo. It does: $2.77.
Sunday, 9:00 p.m. Having tired of my own company, I invite a companion for dinner. There are maybe twenty other diners in the restaurant, but the room is so spacious it looks empty. The foods still appear perky, however, as does the kitchen crew, who work in a space that stretches behind the row of steam tables and pump out fresh dishes as the day drags -- I mean flows -- on. There are plenty of seafoods, like whole snapper for just $9.21, a few shrimp dishes for $11.06, and, at the highest end, roasted lobster for $23.04. All sorts of meats, too, mostly steaks made from beef, chicken, ham, liver, and pork. I order what one would assume is the specialty of the house: churrasco. It's a generous skirt steak, savorily seasoned and garlicked, but the flabby flank simply and limply lacks sizzle from the grill. Vaca frita, the traditional fried and shredded beef dish, packs far more flavor. With sides of rice, black beans, and sweet plantains, a stellar raisin-studded bread pudding and middling rice pudding for dessert: $31.32.
Monday, 3:00 a.m. I had planned on returning during the wee hours to check out the scene, but hey, I've got my limits. This doesn't mean I resent having spent much of my day here (a day which, I might add, I will never get back). Nor should it imply that Tropical is less worthwhile in the middle of the night -- to the contrary, this figures to be the best time of all to drop in. In fact I can recommend grabbing a meal at this bright spot any hour at all, though I believe once a day should suffice.


text:
AMI presents the Sharps Safety Station needle counter box. The box has several safety features, including three safety hinges that can be unhinged easily without breaking, Auto-Lock snaps that easily close and reopens for recount if necessary, overlapping walls that keep sharps securely in the box, a one-handed scalpel blade remover, two spaces for safely holding scalpels, and a built-in syringe holder with one-handed operation of the needle recapping and one handed for exchanging needles. All size boxes are available with magnetic, foam block, foam strip, and adhesive surfaces.
For more information, visit www.amiwelisten.com
Related Reads


text:
A Health scare sends 73-year-old grandmother to the gym, where she's now setting lifting records. Now she's better than ever, feeling so strong that just a few months ago Sandra set a record in the 100 Percent Raw Powerlifting competition, a clean dead lift lift of 181.5 pounds. Mark Rivera reports.
Published at 9:43 AM EST on Aug 15, 2013 | Updated at 10:23 AM EST on Aug 15, 2013


text:
- 2015-02-14
Sigh a weekend beautiful hotel taste fresh
- 2015-01-12
Guangzhou hotel furniture design, to find feel at home
- 2014-12-24
Guangzhou jal hotel officially opened 16, and launch a discount package
- 2014-12-01
Hotel supplies exhibition opened on December 10, guangzhou
- 2014-10-14
Open house prices Fall rendezvous hotel prices stable
- 2014-09-05
International hotel actively into the second and third tier cities in mainland China
- 2014-09-01
2014 China hotel industry communication conference held in guangzhou
Guangzhou's Sanflowery Hotel (Guangzhou Yinghuaxiaozhu Jiudian) is located at the Tuhua exit of South China expressway. The interior design of this Guangzhou hotel features Japanese style. The hotel has an orchard and various outdoor sports facilities. For dining options, guests can enjoy delicious dishes both indoors and outdoors. Business travelers can take advantage of the hotel's commercial center.


text:
Photographer's Note
My mum having a pensive moment to take in the majesty of Ta Phrom. The Sun was just coming up and the air was still nice and cool, the light just watery enough for this Sun-on not to get bleached out.
Nobody has marked this note useful
Photo Information
- Copyright: sam fountain (farangsam) (75)
- Genre: People
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2005-04-00
- Categories: Ruins
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2006-11-19 16:47
Viewed: 1713
Points: 0


text:
Oracle's quarter troubles industry
SAN FRANCISCO — Oracle stumbled in its latest quarter as the business software maker struggled to close deals, a signal of possible trouble ahead for the technology sector.
The performance announced Tuesday covered a period of economic turbulence that has raised concerns that companies and government agencies could curtail technology spending. Oracle issued a forecast calling for meager growth in the current quarter. The developments alarmed investors, causing Oracle shares to slide 10 percent.
In a telling sign of weakening demand, Oracle's sales of new software licenses edged up just 2 percent from the same time last year. Analysts had expected a double-digit gain in new software licenses.
In other earnings news:
- Nike Inc.'s second-quarter profit rose 3 percent as strong demand and higher prices for its shoes, clothes and gear offset increased costs.
- Food maker ConAgra Foods' second-quarter net income fell 15 percent, but results beat expectations as the company raised prices to offset continuing higher prices.
In other news
- The Federal Reserve on Tuesday said the largest U.S. banks and financial companies should hold extra cash on their balance sheets to cushion themselves against financial crises.
- Research In Motion Ltd. has turned down takeover overtures from Amazon.com Inc. and other potential buyers because the BlackBerry maker prefers to fix its problems on its own, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
– From wire reports


text:
Chip architecture allows "testless" design flow
Post a comment
As most ASIC designers are aware, there are two primary test-related issues that cause a high degree of pain and schedule delay in creating ASIC designs -- the difficulty in adhering to DFT (Design For Test) rules and the integration of diverse test methodologies. Now that blocks of independently developed Intellectual Property (IP or "Cores") are more frequently being used, it has become more common to have to deal with the variety of test approaches used by the different IP suppliers.
Most significant, however, are DFT rules. Adherence to DFT rules continues to be a major hurdle within ASIC design, just as they have for years, and especially in designs with multiple clock domains. While the introduction of BIST (Built-In Self Test) has solved some test-related problems, it has created a few new ones, and has not eliminated the issue of DFT Rules.
In addition to ASIC designs, the largest FPGAs available today are capable of implementing close to one million ASIC logic gates. At this level of integration, design reuse becomes a necessity and these flexible devices finally enter the realm of true SoC (System-on-Chip) densities. However, unlike designs implemented in conventional ASIC technologies, designs are normally placed in FPGAs with little or no regard for test issues or rules, since FPGAs are tested at the factory. Most FPGA designers never have to think about test at all!
FPGAs provide many benefits, and system designers tend to use them as a matter of habit - regardless of their suitability for achieving target performance and cost, or completing development projects on schedule. Large FPGAs, in particular, carry with them severe performance limitations that can cripple a development project, and cost levels that can reduce gross margins for system products considerably.
To overcome these cost and speed limitations, FPGA users must sometimes consider replacing large FPGAs with some form of mask configurable ASIC device. Unfortunately, when this decision is made the design is often complete, and ASIC-related test rules were never a consideration. The conversion process therefore is usually painful and time-consuming, and the resulting ASIC fault coverage is often low.
Experts agree that from 20% to 50% of the development effort on an ASIC project is normally spent on test-related issues. In spite of the progress made by EDA vendors offering synthesis tools including test insertion and automatic DFT rule checking, the problems and pain persist. As a result, ASIC designs frequently enter production with less than 90% fault coverage, causing unnecessary device defect rates and board-level fallout as a result.
Conventional ASIC test
The ability of a particular ASIC test process to thoroughly test a device is called fault coverage, and is a measure of what percentage of detectable, stuck-at faults are tested by the patterns (test vectors) utilized in the test process. An example of a "stuck-at" fault is a gate output that should exhibit a logic "1" for a particular set of input values and yet the output is a "0". Likewise, a "stuck-at-1" fault exists where a gate's output is a "1" even thought it should be a "0" according to its inputs and function.
The first step in inserting structures into a design for scan testing is to replace all flip-flops in the design with scan flip-flops. Sometimes this is done as part of the synthesis process, although it is historically performed later in the flow. Inserting scan flip-flops, as shown in Figure 1, allows a higher degree of controllability of nodes within the design, thereby increasing the fault coverage. However, conventional scan technology does not provide for full control or observe all of user nets in a design, leaving many structures untested. Even BIST techniques rely on scan-type structures for increasing controllability and observability.
The most common variety of scan flip-flop contains a multiplexer prior to the D input such that test data can be shifted into the flip-flop during test mode. Or alternately, a normal logic signal can be stored during user mode operation.
Figure 1 - Conventional ASIC scan insertion
The paradigm for conventional ASIC scan testing typically includes the following:
- There is one test clock and the circuit must allow this to be applied to all scan flip-flops.
- During testing, all flip-flops are in test mode.
- During normal user operation, all flip-flops are in normal mode.
DFT rules
Conventional ASIC/SoC technologies, such as a standard cells and embedded arrays as well as modular array ASICs from other vendors, require many DFT rules in order to provide sufficient fault coverage and acceptable device defect rates. When DFT rules are not followed, a number of faults become untestable using conventional scan methodologies, and the overall fault coverage suffers considerably.
To obtain reasonable coverage levels of detectable, stuck-at faults using scan design, it is typically required that the design be fully synchronous. Hence, we have the first DFT rule. Unfortunately many designs, especially in networking and communications, require multiple asynchronous clocks, so this DFT rule cannot be avoided. Also, in the quest for speed, synthesis often produces re-convergent redundant logic structures - another violation.
In general, not following DFT rules reduces fault coverage. As fault coverage is lowered, the defect rate for devices is increased, and more and more bad devices slip through.
A list of commonly recognized DFT rules includes the following:
- Designs should be fully synchronous with a common clock.
- Asynchronous inputs to storage elements must be disabled from an external pin during testing.
- Only sequential library elements specifically designed to support ATPG may be used. Negative edge-triggered flip-flops are sometimes forbidden.
- Gated clocks are not allowed. They must be bypassed during test.
- Internal 3-state busses should not be used; muxes are preferred.
- Combinational logic loops are not allowed.
- Re-convergent, redundant logic is not allowed.
- External busses must be disabled during testing.
- Interfaces between IP blocks containing diverse test methodologies must be fully testable.
Figure 2 - Defect rates for conventional ASICs
Historically, ASIC suppliers prefer to see fault coverages greater than 90%. However, for designs with 1 million gates on 0.25m, 90% coverage would produce a defect rate of 0.28% or 2800ppm - unacceptable considering these defects will not be found until devices have been assembled on PCBs. Even when all DFT rules are followed, it is very unusual if the fault coverage for a conventional ASIC design exceeds 98%. Therefore, if all or at least most DFT rules are not followed, the user's company will suffer the consequences in device fallout after board assembly.
As shown in Figure 3, device fallout at the board-level can mean expensive subassembly debug, or worse yet, scrap. As more devices having less than 100% fault coverage are included in a particular board assembly, the rate of subassembly failure increases exponentially.
Figure 3 - Board fallout versus device defect levels
There's no avoiding test issues with conventional ASICs
Experienced ASIC designers are all too familiar with the design flow for conventional ASICs. They know the degree to which DFT rules and test point insertion, as well as scan chain routing and timing, can cause a highly iterative process where the designer often becomes continually involved -- making design changes and re-doing timing convergence. These iterations can, even today, go on for 3 to 6 months or more before an acceptable level of test coverage has been achieved and both the user design and the test logic all run at speed.
Figure 4 - Historical ASIC test flow
The historical test flow for ASIC development, with emphasis on test development, is shown in Figure 4.
More designers these days are inserting scan as part of the synthesis process -- a wise decision. Then, at least the initial pre-route timing is closer to reality. Notice the loop where the customer inserts additional test points after the initial fault grading. Unfortunately, if the deficit in fault coverage is due to a synthesizeable core purchased from a third party, the user may be reluctant to alter that portion of the design for fear that it may no longer work properly.
When the ASIC supplier performs placement, it is typically done with scan chains disconnected -- placing the priority on the timing of the user's design. Once placement is complete, the scan chains are re-ordered to better match up with the placement results. This is often done by the supplier, but sometimes the burden is placed on the customer.
After the routing step, the design is validated for correct timing and function, as well as proper function of the scan chains. Timing problems often surface here in both the user design and the test-related circuitry. Sometimes, results are sent back to the customer indicating thousands of hold-time violations that must be fixed. Some ASIC suppliers will attempt to fix these while others again place the burden on the customer. These iterations within the flow of Figure 4 often go on for months, giving conventional ASIC/SoC design a reputation as a long, painful and expensive process requiring a large mount of engineering resources.
EDA tool suppliers are also more conscious of DFT rule issues and offer tools that can check for DFT rule violations after synthesis. Some of these tools even offer to fix some of the violations automatically, as in the case of inserting "lockup latches" in paths that cross clock domains. However, most DFT violations result from explicit design styles and are not easily fixed without designer intervention.
Even in large system manufacturing companies having state of the art tools, design groups often choose to focus on design issues and not DFT, basically tossing designs "over the wall" to the test engineering group to fix the problems and deal with the ASIC vendors. Unfortunately, for as difficult and valuable a problem that ASIC test is, it adds no inherent value to the functionality of the design itself. Given a choice, designers will always choose to spend their time and effort concentrating on features and functionality that increase the value of their company's end product.
Test challenges in FPGA conversions
Some companies supplying conventional ASICs are positioning certain product lines as "FPGA Conversion Solutions" with claims of a simplified and "seamless" design flow. The problem is that these solutions are essentially scan-based conventional ASICs (usually based on embedded array technology), where the supplier is willing to take on more of the burden of the conversion process in order to get the business.
Figure 5 - FPGA replacement flow without AutoTest
The flow claimed by one such manufacturer is shown in Figure 5. The box labeled "Check for Test and Fix" is the clue that the flow is not as seamless as claimed. The red arrow has been added by the author to indicate what often happens in order to provide a more acceptable level of fault coverage.
A different manufacturer offering a "vectorless" conversion solution for FPGA designs included the following items in their literature as requirements:
- Avoid asynchronous designs (single external master clock preferred).
- No combinational feedback loops
- No delay dependencies or pulse generators
- Single external master Set/Reset signal preferred.
In the end, designs originally created for FPGAs will rarely meet all of the DFT rules required to reach acceptable levels of fault coverage when migrated to a conventional ASIC solution. A different approach is required to make ASIC speed, capacity, and cost available to FPGA users without requiring modifications to their existing designs.
Other embedded ASIC test solutions -- CrossCheck
The first embedded ASIC test solution was sold by a company called CrossCheck in the 1980s. This was reasonably successful at the time and offered an increase in controllability and observability over conventional scan. Actually, given the willingness of the user to implement a large number of transistor switches for sensing, 100% observability could be reached!
Figure 6 - CrossCheck embedded test architecture
A simple example of this architecture is shown in Figure 6. Notice that switches S1 and S2 are capable of observing gates G1 and G2 respectively. In a similar way, it is possible to add enough switches to the X-Y matrix to observe all nodes.
However, controllability has a number of problems. First, control is accomplished by "overdriving" nets that are already being driven by active drivers. Given the wireload issues in today's deep-submicron technologies and the varying sizes of drivers that are required in a typical design, overdriving may simply not be practical on many nets. A form of control that does work without drive limitations is demonstrated by switch S3 driving an input on gate G3. While this cannot fully control the output of gate G3, it can disable it in circumstances where this is desirable -- for instance, breaking feedback loops or blocking gated clocks or asynchronous set/resets.
Another limitation in controllability for the CrossCheck architecture arises when one attempts to simultaneously control multiple nodes with switches that are in different rows and columns - undesired switches can be activated. Overall, while an enhancement to conventional scan, the CrossCheck architecture was not a 100% solution and, in view of its complexity (it had to be custom synthesized for each design) and limitations was therefore not generally adopted.
Other embedded ASIC test solutions -- logic BIST
A variation on scan test called BIST (Built-In Self-Test) is being used by some conventional ASIC suppliers, and promises to reduce the time required to test devices during the manufacturing test process, as well as allowing devices to use less expensive testers. Here, additional circuitry is introduced within a device to create pseudo-random patterns that become the test stimulus, with signature generators being inserted to interpret the results.
This reduces the burden on the test system and allows more patterns to be applied in less time at higher speeds, to some extent also increasing fault coverage simply by the sheer quantity of vectors applied. Often, BIST "wrappers" are constructed around RAMs or blocks of logic, which are then tested independently. Many IP cores purchased from third parties are supplied with BIST wrappers. Sometimes, logic BIST is even used for all the logic in an ASIC design.
However, BIST still relies on conventional scan structures being inserted into the logic as shown in Figure 7, and hence, still requires DFT rules to be followed in order to provide tolerable levels of fault coverage. Also, BIST introduces some additional DFT rules at the interface between the BIST wrapper surrounding a particular block of circuitry and other functions in the design. It is not uncommon to find that untestable faults have been inadvertently introduced at this interface.
In the end, the evolution of the conventional ASIC flow, even with the addition of Logic BIST, does not lead to a smooth methodology without the long iterative process and associated pain. It also does not lead to the levels of fault coverage that should exist in order to make device fallout levels on expensive PCB assemblies truly acceptable.
Figure 7 - Logic BIST
What's needed is an alternative approach that adds control and observe capability without the limitations that come with the traditional "scan" approach, whether used alone or as part of logic BIST. A new approach is needed that not only increases fault coverage and eliminates DFT rules, but frees the designer from ever having to think about test.
The needed methodology would enable what ASIC designers have only dreamed about - the "testless design flow".
Figure 8 - No scan required here
AutoTest -- a new architecture for ASIC test
Lightspeed Semiconductor believes solving the test problem requires an entirely new approach. With that in mind Lightspeed created the first modular array architecture. Unlike conventional ASICs, the function modules within a modular array contain both "control" and "observe" capability. This enables manufacturing test to be performed by isolating individual modules and nets - fully validating the silicon integrity with 100% fault coverage, regardless of the user design implementation - and regardless of DFT rules.
A general view of the embedded AutoTest architecture is shown below. For simplicity, the focus here is on the Q_Cell array with its unique "control and observe" capability. In reality, there will be clouds of combinational logic interspersed between Q_Cells, but since these clouds will have no unbroken feedback loops or re-convergent paths, they are fully testable.
The array of modules is bordered by test control logic that drives an X-Y matrix of control signals through the array. As indicated within the modules in the figure below, each Q_Cell can be individually controlled to be in test mode or normal mode. Test mode is where information is frozen in the test latches and can be either shifted in (control) or shifted out (observe). Alternately, individual cells may be placed in normal (user function) mode where each cell performs the function it is configured to perform during normal user circuit operation. The transition of a particular cell from normal to freeze mode also captures the output logic value produced by the cell, which can then be shifted out for observation.
Figure 9 - Control for AutoTest within modular array
The AutoTest circuitry is operated in a manner quite different from conventional scan testing. As mentioned earlier, the scan test methodology used for conventional ASICs requires all scan flip-flops within a design to be in "test_mode" at the same time. In contrast to this, the sequence of operation for AutoTest will cause some modules to be in test mode while others are in normal mode during any specific test cycle within the sequence.
Whether or not a particular module is in "test" or "normal" mode is controlled by the X-Y matrix of signals called CC (cut column) and CR (cut row) as shown below.
Figure 10 - Freeze control operation of AutoTest latches in Q-Cell
The coincidence of logic "0" signals on both CC and CR at a particular Q_Cell will place that cell in normal mode. Conversely, a logic "1" on either CC or CR at a particular Q_Cell will place that cell in freeze mode.
A test sequence typically consists of the following sequence of events:
- Set all CC and CR lines to "1". All cells enter freeze mode.
- Load test latches with stimulus values.
- Toggle CC and CR lines for selected Q_Cells. Selected cells enter normal mode - then re-enter freeze mode - thereby capturing resulting output value.
- Shift data out of test latches to observe results.
How AutoTest fixes violations
Some DFT violations are inherently not a problem for Lightspeed Modular Arrays, simply due to the basic paradigm of AutoTest. AutoTest treats all nets the same way - whether they are clocks or not, and regardless of polarity. This inherently covers the DFT rule concerning clock polarities as shown in Figure below.
Figure 11 - Clock polarity DFT rule
During the physical layout process, Q_Cells are occasionally substituted for P_Cells of equivalent functionality where a net needs to be controlled and a Q_Cell is not already in place. Another DFT rule where Q_Cells fix the violation relates to asynchronous sets and resets and is shown in Figure below.
Figure 12 - Asynchronous set/reset DFT rule
In Figure 11, the AND-OR gate is implemented with a Q_Cell and can therefore be controlled in test mode so as to not interfere with the synchronous clocking of the flip-flop. Figure 12 demonstrates how re-convergent redundant paths are automatically broken by a Q_Cell in one of the signal paths.
Often, ASIC designers wish they had the freedoms FPGA designers enjoy. Not having to worry about test issues is one of those freedoms.
Conventional ASICs use test methodologies that require a multitude of DFT rules to be followed in order to obtain tolerable levels of fault coverage for manufacturing test. Meanwhile, the complications of handling test issues greatly slow the ASIC development process. The persistence of these test-related problems has created a need for an alternative approach to conventional SOC/ASIC development. The architecture-based solution provided by the AutoTest structures contained in Modular Array ASICs fulfills this need.
Bob Osann founded Lightspeed Semiconductor in April of 1995. He was president and CEO of Lightspeed from April 1995 to January 1998 and chairman from January 1998 to August 2000. Osann has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of semiconductor, systems and EDA companies. Prior to Lightspeed, he was co-founder and vice president of marketing at Aptix Corporation. He was vice president of advanced products at Personal CAD Systems and president and CEO of Assisted Technology.


text: > the main things I've done this time is to > * revise yet again the wording about export lists Two of the changes to Export Decls (Section 5.2) now conflict with each other. [Oct 2001] "The form `module M' abbreviates the set of all entities whose unqualified name, e, is in scope, and for which the qualified name M.e is also in scope and refers to the same entity as e." [Sept 2001] "For example module A ( module B, C.f, g ) where -- an invalid module import qualified B(f,g) import qualified C(f) g = True There are name clashes in the export list between B.f and C.f and between g and B.g even though there are no name clashes within module A." The latter example is now in fact a perfectly valid module, since there is no unqualified entity f in scope, and g and B.g do not refer to the same entity. Regards, Malcolm


text:
We started the meal with little balls of mozzarella and marinated sundried tomatoes:
... and pitted green and black olives:
It was hard for me not to fill up on the olives, mozzarella and tomatoes. I am an olive fanatic and you can never go wrong with mozzarella and tomatoes. But my mom had made pastitsio and a huge Greek salad so I needed to save room. The pastitsio:
... was gorgeous with its crispy crust, silky bechamel sauce and meaty filling. Between the four of us we ate almost this entire casserole dish. There was just enough for one serving for lunch the next day (and guess who was lucky enough to get it?) The Greek salad:
... had chopped romaine, chunks of creamy feta cheese, more of those fantastic olives, grape tomatoes, slices of red onion, chopped parsley and cucumbers. The dressing was tart with lemon juice. Here's my plate with a generous serving of the pastitsio and salad:
A close-up of the pastitio:
... and the salad:
For dessert my mom baked brownies using my stepfather's recipe:
I've never been 100% sure what's in the brownies, but they have a distinct almond flavor. We love moist brownies so these were slighly underdone in the center - just how we like them. Since we were being indulgent we had vanilla ice cream alongside our brownies:
Kudos to my mom for making such an amazing meal. We had a great time, as always. And thank you for letting me use your camera and for sending me the photos. You're the best!


text:
Get your printing right the first time and every time. Enjoy reliable, cost-effective, professional results with original HP LaserJet cartridges.
|Colour(s) of print cartridges
|Print technology
|Page yield (black and white)
|Average cartridge yields 6000 standard pages. Declared yield value in accordance with ISO/IEC 19752
|Page yield footnote
|Actual yields vary considerably based on images printed and other factors.
|Package dimensions (W x D x H)
|395 x 160 x 261 mm


text:
In one of those stories that we're sure is being blown out of proportion but just can't help but pile onto anyway, it appears that people within the Houston Rockets — who apparently, in the midst of a 16-game winning streak, need something to worry about — are concerned that Yao Ming's rehabilitation is being handled in the wrong way. That is to say: It's being handled by the Chinese government, which is using "traditional Chinese treatment methods.
It's not clear whether this is ginseng, or acupuncture, or just a bunch of people whacking him with sticks, but we can understand why the Rockets might be somewhat concerned. When we think of non-Western medicine — not that China is some tiny, struggling country, mind you — we always think of the end of Man In The Moon, when Andy Kaufman is being "treated" for his cancer.
Of course, it's not like our medicine is so hot either. Heck, even Airborne's full of crap now. But if Yao gets fibromyalgia, man, we've got him covered over here.
Oh, Yeah, This Sounds Like A Great Idea [The Howeva Files]


text:
The SodaBlaster works wonders on Graffiti, and it can also be used to strip cars, remove fire and smoke damage from brick or wood, and even remove water and mildew stains from masonry. The guys over at Mid-South Soda Blasting are proving it. Wherever they go with their SodaBlaster ends up being a lot nicer looking. Look at this burned, smoked and graffiti'd building they restored.
The best part is that Baking soda is environmentally friendly, in fact, it's even edible! Some contractors are using this non-toxic cleaning method to make money cleaning food processing equipment. Bicarbonate of Soda is definitely the most versatile abrasive, and SodaBlast Systems has pioneered the machines that blast with it. Clog free, trouble free, made in the USA, lifetime warrantied machines can be found at SodaBlastSystems.com.


text:
Content by Slevin
Member Since: August 30, 2017
Networking Novice
Posts: 1
Most Recently Posted
Latest Articles
Investigation into Vodafone's growth across Africa suggests that deals were not as ethical and transparent as they could have been and have lined the pockets of the continent's political elite.
Mobile operator registered growth in revenues, customer numbers and net profit during the first half of its fiscal year, during which data revenues outstripped voice revenues for the first time in its core market of South Africa.
Vodacom executive foresees a radical overhaul of the business model for mobile network operators in the next five years.
Automation in the workplace is a worrying prospect in a region with an acute skills shortage.
Senior executive at Kenyan operator accepts some of the blame for Africa's affordability crisis.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
2:00 p.m Cape Town / 1:00 p.m London / 8:00 a.m New York
FTTH rollout has accelerated across Africa, driven by increased availability and consumption of bandwidth-hungry content, from video streaming services to cloud-based enterprise applications. This webinar will provide an overview of key trends in this burgeoning sector, along with some perspective on the status of deployments, economic feasibility and competition with alternative broadband access technologies (mobile broadband in particular).
Information Resources
Flash Poll
All Videos
Tweets by KNectAfrica
Twitter Feed
Infographics archive
like us on facebook
Connecting Africa
About Us Contact Us Help Register Twitter Facebook RSS
Copyright © 2017 Light Reading - an Informa business, trading within KNect365 US, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
in partnership with