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Since the economy has been so bad, I've been forced to moonlight as an author for a local design magazine. Shh! Don't tell the editors that I am really not a writer at all! English was not my best subject in school – in fact, I'm not sure I ever had a "best" subject. School was never my favorite – the only thing it was good for was showing off new outfits and fantasizing about cute boys who never knew I existed. So, the fact that I am now listed in a magazine as a contributor makes me wonder about the judgment of the editors in charge. Just kidding, just kidding. Sort of. My latest contribution to Antique Shops and Designers (what a great title!) is a rather typical know-it-all list of how to update your decor, with a big before and after picture of a job I did.
NOTE: Please be sure your screen is set on maximum (double boxes in the upper right hand corner) so see the entire picture.
From the magazine: Julie Greenwood from Houston owns the Garten in Fredericksburg, Texas.
If you live in town – be sure to pick up the latest issue – it's the best one yet. There is a large spread on interior designer Cathy Chapman's house, which thrilled me. I've been stalking her River Oaks house for years and now I finally get to see inside of it! There's another story about The Garten, the best antique shop in Fredericksburg, with Houston ties, of course. I wrote the story on the Old Braeswood house where Found For the Home's owner lives. There's more – a house in New Orleans, a house in the Heights, recipes, gardening, and beautiful ads. If you don't live in town, the magazine is available online. This link HERE will take you directly to my article – which is the featured Last Page story each issue.
And, my favorite article from the magazine - Interior Designer Cathy Chapman's house in River Oaks. FINALLY!!! After years of stalking her former house which was on my carpool route, she moved to this house and I've been dying to see the inside of it. It is totally worth the wait.
Today, I am reprinting my article for Antique Stores and Designers – along with photographs to illustrate it. It's a list of ideas to update your decor, but it's all to be taken with a big grain of salt. It's easy to sit behind my laptop and swear that yellow is out while gray is in, but who am I to judge when my own curtains are yellow? And it's one to say that fringe is out, but I still use it when called for. While an interior for the 2010 is fresh to the eye, there's still nothing better than a house that has evolved over time, like all the great English country houses. In the end, this list is just a compilation of ideas to help guide you if you are thinking about making changes, either little or big.
My original article for Antique Shops and Designers – Read it online HERE.
As an interior decorator and a design blogger, one thing people consistently ask about is whether a certain design look will be outdated in the future. The easy answer is that everything looks dated in ten years, so just buy what you love now and don't worry about whether it is too trendy or won't be in style twenty years from now. Most likely, it won't. One surefire way to guard against being out of style is to buy antiques, which don't date. Consider buying one large antique piece for each room - it will become the anchor around which you can update your furnishings every decade or two.
Buy one good antique for each room: this beautiful, stand-out French commode in an entry hall can move to any room in the future. It can go from the living room, to the kitchen, to the bedroom. A piece like this can act as an anchor in any room, for any decor and will last a lifetime.
This antique Swedish desk is used in a contemporary highrise. When the owners want to change from contemporary decor, this piece will still star. Again, you can use this in a living room, a family room, a bedroom, or library.
So, how do you update your house in the 2010s's to last into the next decade? The easiest and quickest way to refresh is with paint. Painted white walls have made a huge comeback, but are white walls for everyone? For those who are fortunate enough to live in beautiful, architecturally significant spaces, white walls are wonderful. But, in a smaller house with less architectural detailing, consider gray walls, one of the hottest colors in interiors. To further update with paint, consider painting all the woodwork the same color as the walls. And don't forget the ceiling – paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, just have the painter halve the formula. Heavily fauxed paint jobs are also a thing of the past. Instead, use two paint colors that are very close in shade and tone when faux painting. This type of paint treatment adds subtle movement and texture to your walls and is much more sophisticated than the bolder techniques used in the 90s. Another paint treatment to consider is a stucco-like finish on interior walls.
White walls are very popular today. They work especially well when the architecture is beautiful. Here, glorious windows in an extra large dining room add enough architectural interest to handle white walls. The trim is painted just a little darker than the walls – high contrasting trim seems out of date.
Another beautiful living space provides enough backdrop for white walls. In this interior, the contemporary furniture, mixed with antique accessories, further updates the room for the 2010s. Notice that all the woodwork and the ceiling are painted the same color as the walls. Bright white trim with darker walls seems dated today.
In a small room with just two small windows, the walls are painted a dramatic blue. Built in bookcases add more detail. Notice how the trim is painted blue like the walls. White trim would have like the 90s.
Other ways to update with paint is to paint your furniture. Much of the brown wood furniture of the last century looks dated today compared to the popular bleached, limed woods which originated out of Belgian. If you have inherited your grandmother's mahogany stained dining room set, consider painting the table, the chairs, or both in grayish tones. To further update Granny's dining room set, have slipcovers made for the chairs. You can either slip the entire chair, or just the seat. Let the skirt fall down to the knees of the chair or to the floor. Think pleated or scalloped detailing for these skirts, along with buttons and ties. If you don't have a dining room set and are on a strict budget, check in with neighborhood garage sales and buy an inexpensive table with a scratched up finish, then paint it whitish gray. The difference will be amazing and the light painted wood will take your dining room into the next decade.
To update my client's dining room suite – I had it painted in gray with a distressed finish. The difference the new paint job makes is remarkable. Instead of looking dowdy, the furniture is youthful, especially with the slipcovered seats.
Update your living room or family room with slipcovers in white or gray linen. To update slipcovers, have them made highly tailored and tight fitting. Slipcovers of today are more fitted, not loose and wrinkled like the Shabby Chic look of the 90s. To unify a room of mismatched sofas and chairs, slipcover each piece alike in the same fabric with either linen or cotton. If you are really budget conscious, consider using painters drop cloth for the fabric. Use printed fabrics sparingly, either on the pillows or curtains or accent chairs. A room filled with linen slipcovers is so fresh looking and is great for our climate, along with being kid and pet friendly.
To update old and too fussy dining room furniture, consider slipcovering chairs in a casual fabric. There are an endless number of possibilities for slipcovering dining room chairs – the slip can go to the floor or just to the knees, it can be pleated or tailored, it can cover just the seat or the seat and the back.
Slipcovers of today do not have to be messy or sloppy. These sofas by Michael S. Smith are tailored and quite at home in this elegant room.
Tailored slipcovers work in a contemporary setting.
To update more, get rid of masses of pillows on your upholstered furniture. Instead, place just two large 26" pillows in deep colored velvet to pop the white linen. Be wary of trims on pillows - all the fussy fringes now look so out of style. Order throw pillows with a plain knife edge and an invisible zipper for cleaning purposes. Another updated edge is a small 1/2" or 1/4" flange. Remember - simpler, plainer, and less dressy options when updating.
Opt for fewer pillows in the future – 2 or 3 for a sofa is plenty. Go for bigger and plainer, with less trim. Choose a 24" or 26" pillow in a contrasting velvet to pop color. Use plain or flanged edges. Instead of fabric, use antique tapestry on pillows like those made by BViz HERE.
Updated pillows: large, without dressy fringe – used mainly for pops of colors.
Updated pillows: two large, plain pops of color balanced by printed fabric pillows on the chair – used to contrast sofa fabric. Great decor: the apartment is traditional architecture, yet the furniture is more contemporary.
Velvet pillows look so fresh against white slips. The linen dresses down the velvet – and the velvet dresses up the linen.
On the windows, toss out metal and wooden blinds. Instead, choose textured bamboo blinds or fabric shades. Be sure to hang the blinds as high to the crown molding as possible to elongate the line. Next, layer fabric panels over the blinds. While plain panels hanging from tiny rings are trendy, cornices with interesting edges will add a youthful look to window treatments. Sheer linen panels with no lining are also now quite popular. Always consider window treatments : nothing, but nothing, adds more warmth and coziness to a room. It's rare that an uncovered window is preferable to one with fabric panels and shades. Curtains add softness and much needed texture to any room and should be considered when updating a room. To further update window treatments, forget thick custom rods with elaborate finials. Instead think thin rods in a bronze finish with tiny rings – the less noticeable rod and ring is the look for the next decade.
In my own bedroom, one short, wide, and ugly window now looks like three taller ones with the camouflage of the shade and four panels. The shades hide the wall space between the windows and the ceiling. I took the curtain rod right up to the crown molding (which should be repainted like the wall!!) thereby creating one long, lean line.
Curtains fall from the molding, shades are outside mounted – so that they also hang right under the molding. Again, the shades hide the wallspace between the windows and the ceiling. Very important detail.
Beautiful ikat curtains paired with bamboo shades look great for the next decade.
Instead of using shades, update your windows with a tape trimmed cornice.
Suzanne Kasler's former dining room has long been a favorite. The curtains are simple – but gorgeous - and add so much to the room. The tablecloth is also simple, yet the room is dressy enough for dining – with the gilt framed chairs. So much prettier than just a brown wood table with 10 brown wood chairs and matching server.
In my guest room, I saved money by using Restoration Hardware curtains and blinds from Target. Hung from the ceiling, the curtains almost look custom.
Tape trimmed cornice immediately updates decor – as does bobbin styled furniture.
More updating tips: store away Granny's red and blue Oriental rugs. Instead, choose seagrass to cover hardwoods. Have the seagrass custom cut just 3 to 6 inches around the perimeter of the room, then layer the seagrass with a zebra skin, or a white cow skin rug. Seagrass is a very forgiving product, very easy to keep clean and it is relatively inexpensive. Natural fiber rugs add much needed texture and warmth to any room without adding loud pattern. Hate seagrass? Reconsider dhurris and flat weave rugs with graphic patterns in contrasting colors. These are fresh and new looking and are wonderful to use when aiming for a more modern look.
Seagrass is a versatile product – inexpensive, long wearing, and almost stain resistant. Always have it custom cut to fit around the perimeter of the room from 3" to 12." Layer a skin, zebra or cow, over it – or layer an oriental or dhurri rug over it to accent a seating group.
Layer a cowhide over sisal or seagrass for a new look.
To update your decor, use a graphic patterned rug instead of a natural fiber one. Note the trimmed cornice board over the curtains – another great way to update your interior.
Besides seagrass, try other fiber rugs, such as apple matting – a thicker rug than seagrass.
Striped dhurris aren't for beach houses only – here a dhurri is layered over a seagrass.
If you do inherit an oriental rug and want to use it, but the size is too small, try layering it over a seagrass to stretch it fit the room. Here, the seagrass also helps to tone down a more grown up vibe in the room.
Think about painting or staining your floors white or off-white to update your decor and tie it in with white walls.
Rethink your accessories. It might be time to put up all your smalls collections in favor of just a few oversized pieces, such as concrete urns and large shells. Consider covering new books with craft paper for a quieter and unified appearance. Or just turn the spines to the back, letting the pages show instead. Bring garden elements indoors, like statues, pedestals, and tables. Update brown and white wicker with the newer, more fashionable Belgian gray wicker. In Houston, Thompson Hanson and Found For the Home both sell wonderful gray wicker chairs that work just as well in a dining or breakfast room as on a patio.
Rethink your small accessories and collections – instead put out a few oversized pieces, like these matching lanterns.
To update, bring concrete urns in from the outside.
Or, bring concrete busts in from outside. Use large books as accessories. Think one large item versus many smalls.
Gray wicker really updates a room – especially chairs like these, used in the family room or breakfast room.
Old books, including old books without their covers are great to use when updating accessories.
Books, especially new or paperbacked ones, covered in craft and wrapping paper is an updated look.
Large shells instead of precious porcelains look good on display. Lighter woods, Belgian style, will be around for a while.
Rethink lampshades. Change out all your old lampshades and replace with just one style, regardless of the lamp base. Choose an updated shape like the barrel in soothing white linen, or a textured fiber. Rethink ceiling fans in public spaces. Instead, hang an oversized lantern. If a19th century French lantern is out of your price range, go to Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware and buy one of their outdoor lanterns and have it electrified. Hanging light fixtures and lamps add so much more atmosphere to a room than recessed cans. And always put dimmers on all lights throughout. Bright rooms are such a mood killer!!
Think lamps rather than recessed lighting. For an inexpensive update – change out all your lampshades to more modern shapes. Use one shade throughout the room for continuity.
Lanterns immediately update a space, regardless if the interior is traditional or more contemporary.
If an antique lantern is out of your price range – look at lanterns designed for outdoor use, they are usually less expensive.
Use two lanterns over an island to make a huge splash.
New lampshades in updated shapes will instantly change the look of your room.
Instead of hanging art work that you've inherited or never really liked, consider hanging mirrors. Chose an antique gilt framed mirror – or a reproduction in a limed wood - to instantly update. Hang a round mirror with a thick frame over a mantel. Carefully look over your framed prints and replace faded botanicals with ferns or green leaves. Hang white ironstone platters or creamware on walls in lieu of art. Rather than having one large art work over a sofa, hang a collection of prints all framed alike. Or hang a map – choose a large reproduction of an antique map of Paris or Rome - or opt for an oversized antique sign.
Instead of art work over a sofa, hang a mirror. Another look that is great for the next decade is nailhead trim on chairs and ottomans.
Choose a round mirror over a mantel rather than art work. Another updated look seen here – cushionless upholstery.
Hang a series of prints together to make one larger piece of art (put screen on largest view to see entire photo!)
Hang a collection of plates – instead of prints.
Instead of sweet botanicals, use framed ferns, leaves or dried herbs.
Oversized antique or reproduction maps are trendy now, but still look great.
Even in a room filled with antiques, a large station clock looks new.
It's time to move masses of framed family pictures to the bedroom or hallway. Or, remove all the framed old photographs and place them in a large bowl. It's amazing how guests will actually thumb through a bowl of pictures, rather than look at an array of mismatched frames. Try it!
Put family photos and Christmas cards in a large bowl instead of frames. Your guests will sit and look through the entire bowl! No one really looks at picture frames.
Don't overlook interior doors. If your house has builder's grade hollow core doors, paint them black in an eggshell finish which will elevate the door's importance and the black color is a great accent. Consider removing unattractive interior doors and replacing them with shuttered doors or portieres made of fabric or burlap. Hardware is another item that quickly dates. Replacing broken and tarnished hardware is like buying new jewelry for your house.
Paint inside doors black to make them more special and richer looking.
All my cheap, builders grade interior doors are painted black to make them look just a little nicer. I'm not fooling anyone – but the black does look nice.
In the end, don't worry so much about whether a look is trendy or not. Everything is "out" after ten years. Test this theory by reading a décor magazine from the early or even late 1990s to see how dated everything looks. It's impossible to stay ahead of trends, so why bother? Buy what you like now and enjoy it!
In this room seen in Elle Decor, almost every trendy item is used. This is overkill. Pick just a few trendy items per room – be sure not to spend too much money on them – and enjoy them for as long as you like. When you tire of the trend, you won't have much money invested so it will be easier to move on. I love trendy things myself and certainly indulge in buying them. But, I try to limit myself and I try not to be too indulgent. Can you count how many trendy items are in this room?
Overall Good Design for the Coming Decade:
Updated decor for the 2010s by Houston interior designer Lisa Epley: Tailored slipcovers that unify the furniture, minimal pillows, simple, lush curtains, large accessories. Though contemporary, Epley brought in antiques to keep the room from feeling stark. This is timeless design that will be fresh for decades, not years.
Here's another all around updated room for the 2010s. I love the mix of velvet and linen with touches of zebra. The curtains are gorgeous – just a shade darker than the velvet. And I love the contemporary light fixture. The plain, inexpensive seagrass is perfect to ground the room and bring its dressiness down a notch. Just beautiful!
A living room, relaxed for this decade: tiger fabric, instead of zebra seems fresher here. Minimal but effective use of pillows. Wonderful ikat fabric on curtains brings in a little trend to keep the room looking youthful instead of stuffy. Cluttered, ethnic design interiors are a good alternative to the more contemporary look.
Gray walls, lanterns, gray wicker, cowhide, ironstone – ready for the next decade – and it couldn't look any better than this!
And sometimes all the pontificating means nothing. Not much in last month's cover of House Beautiful is what I said to do – they have piles of pillows, an old oriental rug, small accessories, etc – yet to me this room screams the next decade! Like I said before – take what I say with a big grain of salt.


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Dot gain is a challenge for garment screen printers, whether the job involves four-color process, simulated process, or index separations.
By Screen Printing's Solution Sourcebook
Dot gain is a challenge for garment screen printers, whether the job involves four-color process, simulated process, or index separations. Decorating textiles means working with surfaces that are 65-90% solid, which leaves a 10-35% chance of missing a printable surface.
Additionally, the substrate's surface is absorbent and highly compressible, and the twisted yarn structure is highly irregular and not uniform. Forming a good gasket with the stencil in order to maintain dot integrity is almost impossible. We can't do much about the nature of the garments, so our focus shifts to controllable variables on press.
Heads and platens
Dot gain increases as variation between heads and platens increases. In order to remedy the situation, you must have a way to determine platen-to-head distance. Numbering the heads and platens gives you a way to see what is happening between any given head or platen combination. How much distance qualifies as a step up or step down is up to us to determine based on our line count and tolerance for color variation within the run. A good starting point is to set the minimum off-contact to 0.06 in. An increase of 0.03 in. would constitute a step up to the next level. The highest level would be 0.12 in. or higher.
You also need to examine the ink. It must be suitable for use in printing halftones. A general-purpose mixing system may have too heavy a pigment load and create colors too dense for halftone printing.
Having the proper color strength measured before you even print the dot allows you to assess proper dot-gain profiles. Any change in total fabric height (thread diameter) or stencil profile (emulsion over mesh, EOM) will adversely affect the results. Use a relatively thin mesh, such as 280 or 305 threads/in. with 34-micron thread diameter in plain weave to control the physical growth of the dot that results from high ink volume. The thicker the mesh and stencil profile, the thicker the ink film. As the ink-film thickness increases, it provides physical volume that can smash and move around.
Likewise, thinner EOM and total stencil height will deliver a thinner ink film. This thinner film will appear not as dark—not as dense. The lower volume of ink means less physical dot gain.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm an older 4.0/4.5 (probably 4.5) trying to find some daytime games. General range is Arlington Park to UC, but I can travel.
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I'm free in the evenings and some weekends, I'm 4.0 player
I can play!
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myadengine necesitaba un nuevo diseño de papelería y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 43 diseños de 11 diseñadores freelance.
We are building an online application at MyAdEngine.com which makes it super easy for businesses to manage their online advertising campaigns.
Our application:
a) saves advertisers time by managing campaigns on Google, Yahoo, Microsoft Bing, and Facebook all in the one place.
b) makes them more money by providing analytics to show advertisers how to improve their campaigns
Our customers are small to medium sized businesses in many different countries and industries.
MyAdEngine's visual identity should convey that we are "simple", "fast", and "effective" to use. Since this is a business to business solution, the tone should be credible and professional, while still being approachable / friendly.
We want to adapt an existing logo, brand colours, and online design (eg http://myadengine.com) to create print materials for use in face to face presentations and conferences.
Since we are happy with the existing logo / colours, we are not looking for radical redesigns of these but minor improvements can be considered.
We require:
1) Business Card (front and back)
a) Must include:
- Person's Name (eg "John Smith")
- Title (eg "Director")
- Cell Phone (eg "(+65) 9999 9999")
- Email (eg "firstname.lastname@example.com")
- Logo
- URL (eg "www.myadengine.com")
b) Optional or de-emphasized
- Office Phone (eg "(+65) 9999 9999")
- Address (eg "8 Prince Georges Park, Singapore 118407")
2) Sales folder (example attached)
a) Laminated folder intended to hold A4 paper sheets
b) Must include Logo and URL
3) X-stand Banner (example attached)
a) 60cm wide x 160cm tall laminate banner for exhibiting at conferences
b) Must include Logo and URL
4) A4 Letterhead
a) Must include:
- Company Logo
- Email address (eg "firstname.lastname@example.com")
- Full company name (eg "Lotus Partners (Singapore) Pte Ltd")
- Address (eg "8 Prince Georges Park, Singapore 118407")
- Office Phone (eg "(+65) 9999 9999")
- Company Registration No (eg "Reg no. 200904584N")
5) Presentation template (example attached)
a) A4 sized, always viewed horizontally (landscape orientation)
b) Must include Company Logo and URL
c) Front page and 1 inner page


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Kickstarting a board game with Randy Hoyt
In April, Randy Hoyt, a web developer & teacher living in Orlando raised $40K on Kickstarter to build the adventure game Relic Expedition. Randy will discuss developing the game, running a Kickstarter campaign, and delivering backer rewards. Randy currently works for BloomBoard, a Silicon-Valley startup, and previously taught web development at Treehouse and the UT, Dallas.


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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- White House spokesman Jay Carney Wednesday agreed it makes little difference if the U.S. consulate attack in Libya was the result of a protest or terrorism.
Carney made the comment in defense of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who testified about the Sept. 11 Benghazi consulate attack on Capitol Hill.
"The fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest? Or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans? What difference, at this point, does it make?" Clinton said in response to a question by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Carney said hammering at the terminology in a set of talking points used in the immediate aftermath of the attack by U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice on the Sunday talk show circuit by Republicans amounted to "political obsession" that has no bearing "on the central issues."
Republicans have accused the administration of purposely misleading the public on what happened by saying the attack grew out of a demonstration against an anti-Islam film produced in California.
"No one took more seriously the fact that we lost four American lives in Benghazi than the president of the United States and the Secretary of State of the United States," Carney told the daily press briefing. "And whatever was said, based on information provided by the intelligence community on a series of Sunday shows, bears no relevance on the ultimate questions of what happened in Benghazi, who was responsible and what we must do to ensure that it never happens again and that we bring to justice those who killed our diplomats and other Americans."


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Chic And Classic Hermes Verrou Chaine BagCategories:Other Brands I like mini bags very nuch. This Hermes Verrou Chaine Bag tickle my fancy. Feminine, flirty, and stylish, this newest Hermes bag is the ideal everyday companion for women who are always on the go. In 2010, the Hermes Verrou Bag has been released. This time around, Hermes is introducing the Chaine version which has a chain strap to boot. The first Hermes Verrou Bag was a strapless pochette version and if you're wondering, Verrou is a French word which means lock which is the reason why you're seeing a security case lock on the font of this bag.
Tags: bag Hermes Chaine VERROU
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Chloe Drew Chaine Shoulder BagCategories:Other Brands
If you've been following us so far, then you must have noticed the trend…
There is something about 'chain' embellishment, not-easy-to-explain, but its makes the bag feels more luxurious and chic.
And the design feels more sophisticated and attractive – in the end, this is also the reason why you're paying for a designer bag right?
Allow me to reintroduce to you the Chloe Drew Chaine Shoulder Bag, this new embellishment is a special edition for the Spring Summer 2015 Collection.
Already was the Drew Bag a hit – with its curvy shape that we love, the beautiful closure with piston and the never-seen-before shoulder chain attached to a hook (on the top).
Now on the edges, Chloe stitched the bag with chains. The bag is shining like a star and it's more beautiful than ever.
Three colors are available; black, beige and cream. Choose black to make the classic jewellery-inspired hardware stand out. They are all made from calfskin, measuring 8' x 9' x 3' (H x W x D) inches, priced at $2290 USD via MyTheresa.
Tags: bag Chloe Shoulder Drew Chaine
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LV Tribal Mask Chaine Bag & Its Family Bags ViewCategories:Louis Vuitton
It is not enough just having a modle handbag for women's daily life. Oversize, wallet, Chaine, Mid-size and unique design bags been must-have accessories in their wardrobe.
Louis Vuitton as one of famous and popular luxuries handbag brand, of course been the first choice for those fashion icons, and in the Fall Winter 2014 LV collection, there are many of newest models bags in multicolors design which leading a unique look. Now, when you decide to mix up your wardrobe for a little handbags, Louis Vuitton Tribal Mask Chanie Bagand its family will be a good choice.
RELATED: 2014 Fall Winter Handbags Collection
Actually, it is not the first time we view the Louis Vuitton Tribal Mask Chaine Bag. It is first appearance on 2014 F/W collection which together with Petite Malle shoulder bags and other more tote bag in the runway. It is come out in a spacious inner designer which made in Monogram Canvas and calf leather brings fashion-forward look.
Below is it details features and size and it available for sale at Louis Vuitton boutique at a price of $1,910.00 US Dollars, But enjoy a great Black Friday discount price on Cheap LV Bags.
RELATED: Louis Vuitton Chaine Wallet Sale
In LV Tribal Mask Chaine Bag's Family which come out in same color design and materials made, we also can find other two items include Louis Vuitton Tribal Mask Sara Wallet Monogram and LV Monogram Tribal Mask Key Pouch.
Both Tribal Mask Louis Vuitton come out in Monogram Canvas and Calf Leather with a mask closure, and they are also available for sale online.
Tags: LV bag Chaine Mask Tribal
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Louis Vuitton Tribal Mask Chaine BagCategories:Louis Vuitton
For the times when you need something different than black and classic. For the moments when you decide to mix up your wardrobe a little bit, presenting the Louis Vuitton Tribal Mask Chaine Bag.
The Fall Winter 2014 Collection was one of the best of the best, a lot of classic handbags shrunken, re-shaped or re-styled like the Petite Malle Shoulder Bag inspired by the Classic Malle Luggage or the new Alma Tote Bag with diamond patterns.
READ: Louis Vuitton Fall Winter 2014 Collection
And of course, there's also the Louis Vuitton Chaine Bag with a Tribal Mask embellished. For those that has forgotten about the Chaine Wallets, it's kind-of-like the Wallet on Chain. A small and structured wallet that comes with a gorgeous golden chain. It's now still available in bright stunning colors and made with monogram vernis leather.
READ: Louis Vuitton Chaine Wallet
But with the new Tribal Mask, the Chaine Wallet is taking a new path. It's interesting, bold and the red is screaming for attention. Crafted with elements of Louis Vuiton's tradition, like the monogram canvas. It's spacious as a Chaine Wallet can be, made from calf leather and it comes with a long silver metalling chain.
You can find 16 credit card slots in the interior, a large zipped coin pocket and large gusseted compartment for the bank notes, tickets and cellphone. There is also an inside flat pocket, measuring 7.5' x 4.7' x 1.6' inches, for $1,910 USD available at Louis Vuitton e-store.
Tags: Louis Vuitton bag Chaine Mask Tribal
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Louis Vuitton Chaine WalletCategories:Louis Vuitton
It can transform from a wallet to a shoulder bag or a shoulder bag to a wallet, totally depending on your mood and circumstance, it will adapt like a chameleon. Fabulous and glamorous at the same time, effortless and easy to use, the Louis Vuitton Chaine Wallet.
I belief there's always room for an effortless accessory, especially the ones that has multiple use. With rich colors and glossy monogram vernis leather, I can fall in love with this wallet over and over again. The shiny leather is ideal for your lovely evenings, perhaps girl's night? Let the light reflect on your wallet then back into the eyes of your audience, it's simply perfect.
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Tags: Louis Vuitton wallet Chaine


text:
Today was one of those "Food for Thought" days. I went to a baby shower for a dear young friend.
The shower was fun. Great people, great food, I won a bright red dahlia plant for being able to take my shoes off and on really fast with a balloon stuck under my shirt. Our name tags all bore funny baby-related names. I was "Fertile". My friend was "Poop" and the grandmother-to-be was "Nipples". Hilarious.
But while I was there I found out that a dear older friend, Carol, had suffered a massive stroke and was in a nursing home. I was told that she was unable to communicate and probably wouldn't recognize me. I feared the worst. I stopped in on my way home from the shower and found a (somewhat) pleasant suprise. Carol was sitting up in a wheelchair. She couldn't speak, but her eyes talked for her. She recognized me and squeezed my hand. I told her about the jewelry I was making and promised to bring her a new bright red pin when I visited next week. She gave me a little upturn of her left lip.
Carol is a two time cancer survivor and sent me many cards of encouragement when I was going through chemo and radiation. She is a collector of antiques and loves the color red. And she's incredibly generous.
I told her how much her cards meant to me and talked about how my hair was growing back (it's about 3 inches now) , but didn't come back red and curly like I hoped - an ongoing joke since I was already pretty grey before I got cancer. Her eyes danced with the conversation and she gave me the little lip tip again. I could see her frustration at not being able to communicate, but I could tell that she understood everything I was saying.
I don't know if Carol will make a full recovery, but I am certain she will recover as much as she possibly can and will show us her true grit. She's a tough cookie and a great model of determination.
59 minutes ago


text:
Following the Cowboy Trail gives you a stunning look at changing landscapes – the kind you've seen in countless Westerns. You'll also get a glimpse into Alberta's fascinating history, in small towns and working ranches along the way.
From Calgary:
Start your tour on the Cowboy Trail (Hwy. 22) and head west to Bragg Creek
The Cowboy Trail:
Follow this 640 km (397 mile) trail along Hwy. 22 from Mayerthorpe to Pincher Creek, then south on Hwy. 6 and east on Hwy. 5, where the Trail ends in Cardston. Along the way, you can discover the real West and all its art, food, culture and hospitality.
Starting in Calgary? Join up with the trail in Cochrane.
Stops Along the Way
Just minutes north of Calgary on Hwy. 1A, Cochrane's a booming town whose ranching roots run deep. Explore the western, antique and craft shops or stop at one of the restaurants for a bite to eat.
Don't miss MacKay's famous ice-cream – locals will tell you there's nothing better than a scoop on a hot day (or a cold day, for that matter).
South of Longview on Hwy. 22, you can explore the Bar U Historic Ranch. Since its establishment in 1882, the ranch has been host to famous personalities, including Edward, the Prince of Wales and the Sundance Kid. Explore the working ranch and get a taste of how the region's first settlers lived, then stop for a treat at the Bar U Café, or browse the Pekisko Creek General Store.
Pincher Creek
Keep traveling south on Hwy. 22, then east on Hwy. 3, and you'll find yourself in Pincher Creek, home of some of the best ranching in the province. There are no foothills here – the prairie stops abruptly at the foot of the mountains.
Annual events include a professional rodeo, cowboy poetry gathering, and country fairs. Visit the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village for a glimpse of how the region's first settlers lived.
From Pincher Creek travel south along Hwy. 6 and east on Hwy. 5 to Cardston. Here, at the end of the Cowboy Trail, you'll find the Remington Carriage House Museum. The museum houses one of the best collections of horse-drawn vehicles in the North America – over 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Head back to Hwy. 6, and south, to Waterton Lakes National Park, where you can soak up the scenery while you take a boat cruise, golf, ride horseback, canoe, bike, or play golf or tennis.
Travel Trade Tools
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Planning Guide
View the Tourism Calgary Planning Guide online.View Planning Guide
- Calgary Itineraries


text:
(AP) — Unemployment dropped in Illinois in November to 8.7 percent. It was the third straight monthly decrease but Illinois' unemployment rate remains one of the highest nationally.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday that the addition of a net 10,300 private-sector jobs helped push unemployment down by two-tenths of a percent in November. The federal government said earlier this month that national unemployment dropped to 7 percent in November from 7.3 percent a month earlier.
According the monthly Illinois report, the state added 6,100 construction jobs in November and 6,700 jobs among trade, transportation and utility companies.
But the state's manufacturers cut payrolls by a net 10,300 jobs. And government employers cut 4,400 jobs.


text:
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text:
o< is well-founded on
Major Section: MISCELLANEOUS
The soundness of ACL2 rests in part on the well-foundedness of
o< on
o-ps. This can be taken as obvious if one is willing to grant that
those concepts are simply encodings of the standard mathematical notions of
the ordinals below
epsilon-0 and its natural ordering relation. But it
is possible to prove that
o< is well-founded on
o-ps without
having to assert any connection to the ordinals and that is what we do here.
The book
books/ordinals/proof-of-well-foundedness carries out the proof
outlined below in ACL2, using only that the natural numbers are
Before outlining the above mentioned proof, we note that in the analogous
documentation page of ACL2 Version_2.7, there is a proof of the
well-foundedness of
e0-ord-< on
e0-ordinalps, the less-than relation
and recognizer for the old ordinals (that is, for the ordinals appearing in
ACL2 up through that version). Manolios and Vroon have given a proof in ACL2
Version_2.7 that the current ordinals (based on
o< and
o-p) are
order-isomorphic to the old ordinals (based on
e0-ord-< and
e0-ordinalp). Their proof establishes that switching from the old
ordinals to the current ordinals preserves the soundness of ACL2. For
details see their paper:
Manolios, Panagiotis & Vroon, Daron.
Ordinal arithmetic in ACL2.
Kaufmann, Matt, & Moore, J Strother (eds).
Fourth International Workshop on the ACL2 Theorem
Prover and Its Applications (ACL2-2003),
July, 2003.
See URL
We now give an outline of the above mentioned proof of well-foundedness. We
first observe three facts about
o< on ordinals that have been proved by
ACL2 using only structural induction on lists. These theorems can be proved
by hand.
(defthm transitivity-of-o< (implies (and (o< x y) (o< y z)) (o< x z)) :rule-classes nil)These three properties establish that
(defthm non-circularity-of-o< (implies (o< x y) (not (o< y x))) :rule-classes nil)
(defthm trichotomy-of-o< (implies (and (o-p x) (o-p y)) (or (equal x y) (o< x y) (o< y x))) :rule-classes nil)
o< orders the
o-ps. To put such a statement in the most standard
mathematical nomenclature, we can define the macro:
(defmacro o<= (x y) `(not (o< ,y ,x)))and then establish that
o<= is a relation that is a simple,
complete (i.e., total) order on ordinals by the following three
lemmas, which have been proved:
(defthm antisymmetry-of-o<= (implies (and (o-p x) (o-p y) (o<= x y) (o<= y x)) (equal x y)) :rule-classes nil :hints (("Goal" :use non-circularity-of-o<)))Crucially important to the proof of the well-foundedness of
(defthm transitivity-of-o<= (implies (and (o-p x) (o-p y) (o<= x y) (o<= y z)) (o<= x z)) :rule-classes nil :hints (("Goal" :use transitivity-of-o<)))
(defthm trichotomy-of-o<= (implies (and (o-p x) (o-p y)) (or (o<= x y) (o<= y x))) :rule-classes nil :hints (("Goal" :use trichotomy-of-o<)))
o< on
o-ps is the concept of ordinal-depth,
(defun od (l) (if (o-finp l) 0 (1+ (od (o-first-expt l)))))If the
od of an
x is smaller than that of an
y, then
x is
(defun od-1 (x y) (if (o-finp x) (list x y) (od-1 (o-first-expt x) (o-first-expt y))))Remark. A consequence of this lemma is the fact that if
(defthm od-implies-ordlessp (implies (and (o-p x) (< (od x) (od y))) (o< x y)) :hints (("Goal" :induct (od-1 x y))))
s = s(1),
s(2), ... is an infinite,
o< descending sequence of
o-ps, then
od(s(2)), ... is a ``weakly'' descending sequence of
non-negative integers:
od(s(i)) is greater than or equal to
Lemma Main. For each non-negative integer
o< well-orders
the set of
o-ps with
od less than or equal to
n .
Base Case. n = 0. The o-ps with 0 od are the non-negative integers. On the non-negative integers, o< is the same as <.Theorem.
Induction Step. n > 0. We assume that o< well-orders the o-ps with od less than n.
If o< does not well-order the o-ps with od less than or equal to n, consider, D, the set of infinite, o< descending sequences of o-ps of od less than or equal to n. The first element of a sequence in D has od n. Therefore, the o-first-expt of the first element of a sequence in D has od n-1. Since o<, by IH, well-orders the o-ps with od less than n, the set of o-first-expts of first elements of the sequences in D has a minimal element, which we denote by B and which has od of n-1.
Let k be the minimum integer such that for some infinite, o< descending sequence s of o-ps with od less than or equal to n, the first element of s has an o-first-expt of B and an o-first-coeff of k. Notice that k is positive.
Having fixed B and k, let s = s(1), s(2), ... be an infinite, o< descending sequence of o-ps with od less than or equal to n such that s(1) has a o-first-expt of B and an o-first-coeff of k.
We show that each s(i) has a o-first-expt of B and an o-first-coeff of k. For suppose that s(j) is the first member of s either with o-first-expt B and o-first-coeff m (m neq k) or with o-first-expt B' and o-first-coeff B' (B' neq B). If (o-first-expt s(j)) = B', then B' has od n-1 (otherwise, by IH, s would not be infinite) and B' is o< B, contradicting the minimality of B. If 0 < m < k, then the fact that the sequence beginning at s(j) is infinitely descending contradicts the minimality of k. If m > k, then s(j) is greater than its predecessor; but this contradicts the fact that s is descending.
Thus, by the definition of o<, for s to be a decreasing sequence of o-ps, (o-rst s(1)), (o-rst s(2)), ... must be a decreasing sequence. We end by showing this cannot be the case. Let t = t(1), t(2), ... be an infinite sequence of o-ps such that t(i) = (o-rst s(i)). Then t is infinitely descending. Furthermore, t(1) begins with an o-p B' that is o< B. Since t is in D, t(1) has od n, therefore, B' has od n-1. But this contradicts the minimality of B. Q.E.D.
o< well-orders the
o-ps. Proof. Every
o< descending sequence of
o-ps has the
property that each member has
od less than or equal to the
n, of the first member of the sequence. This
contradicts Lemma Main.


text:
Course Reserves Guidelines for Faculty
Reserve Request Form (PDF)
SAVE the online editable PDF form and complete as instructed below *
General Information: Library Reserve consists of two collection types. The first is a 'traditional' reserve collection of physical items circulated from the Circulation desk in Odum Library. The traditional reserve collection includes books, videotapes, DVDs, CDs, book chapters, magazine/journal/newspaper articles, and professor's materials (e.g., class syllabi, lecture notes, homework assignments/solutions, sample tests/papers, etc.), put "on reserve" by Valdosta State University (VSU) instructors or departments. This ensures greater availability to user groups, such as students, in a particular course.
The second collection type is more recent 'electronic' reserve. Via a course password as assigned and disseminated by the instructor, students can access electronic reserve items through the GIL@VSU Library Catalog Course Reserves link 24 hours/day, 7 days/week from any Internet connected computer. Please note that the VSU Odum Library does not take responsibility for copyright clearance or permissions. Following University System of Georgia Copyright Policy, the Fair Use Checklist*(See below) must be completed and retained by you for each item verifying that all copyrighted materials submitted weigh in favor of fair use guidelines as placed on library electronic reserve or in BlazeVIEW. In all instances, full compliance with applicable copyright laws is expected of all employees of University System of Georgia Board of Regents' institutions.
Electronic reserves must be submitted in electronic file format preferably as a portable document format (.pdf), or other Microsoft file type, or a clean, one-sided article/chapter photocopy ready for scanning. The Fair Use Checklist* (See below) is not required when submitting licensed persistent links or personally authored files (as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .xls, .or xlsx files) of class syllabi, lecture notes, homework assignments/solutions, or sample tests/papers. For help with links for licensed full text content, see Creating Persistent Links or contact Reference@LiveChat or telephone 7149.
Reserves Deadline: There is no deadline for submitting materials for reserve. All materials will be processed in the order received. There is a full business day delay between the processing of reserve materials by staff and their appearance on the GIL-Find Course Reserves tab. It may take up to a week to process reserve items during peak demand periods, for example at the beginning of each semester. Every effort will be made to process items for reserve by the time needed for class. Reminder: There is no same day service because even if items are processed the day received, the course reserve reading list will not appear until the next day.
Electronic Reserve Submission Guidelines
Electronic reserves are produced by scanning or converting print material provided by the instructor into PDF (portable document format) files, which can be viewed with Adobe™ Acrobat Reader. Instructors are responsible for monitoring the quality of the photocopies submitted to the library. Documents lose some quality when converted to PDF so it is best to provide the highest quality photocopies possible. To ensure prompt service, please follow these guidelines:
Complete the Reserve Request Form and submit it with your electronic reserve material. *
SAVE the Reserve Request Form to a desktop file folder. Renaming the file to include your initials or last name is recommended.
ATTACH the saved renamed Reserve Request Form file to an email addressed to firstname.lastname@example.com.
ADD the following email SUBJECT LINE: Electronic Reserve Request.
Submit material at least two business days before needed for class.
Print documents, including photocopied items, should be single-sided on white 8.5" x 11" paper. Photocopies should be clean with as little "black area" as possible and no holes or staples. Handwritten copy (class notes, homework solutions, etc.) scans best when written in black ink.
A copyright statement will be added to electronic reserve items to indicate the material may be protected by the copyright law.
Material may also be submitted in the following electronic formats, portable document format (.pdf), or other Microsoft Office Suite file type, as in Word (.doc, .docx), Powerpoint (.ppt, .pptx), Excel (.xls, .or xlsx files), or .txt or .rtf files.
Journal articles and electronic book chapters found online in Journals A-Z and GIL-Find@VSU are easily placed on Course Reserves. Simply provide the library persistent, durable, stable or permanent Internet address (URL - Uniform Resource Locator) link, of the article or chapter as well as the title of the work when making this request. For help with links for licensed full text content, see Creating Persistent Links or contact Reference@LiveChat or telephone 7149.
Following University System of Georgia Copyright Policy and the "Additional Guidelines for Electronic Reserves" entire books (including out-of-print materials) cannot be scanned and placed on electronic reserve. If you have received permission to digitally copy and scan an entire out-of-print book from the copyright owner, please speak to library staff regarding the exception.
Electronic Reserve Course Password Creation Instructions – Minimum 4 lower case letters and do not use spaces. {Passwords should not be course and number, instructor's name, instructor's email alias, any words contained in the course title or current semester (i.e., fall2009)} In accordance with copyright law, passwords must be unique for each course and change each semester. After electronic reserve items have been processed and are available to students , you will receive an email notification that includes a reminder of your selected password. You are responsible for giving your students the electronic reserve course password.
*University System of Georgia Copyright Policy - Fair Use Checklist – According to the Board of Regents' Additional Guidelines for Electronic Reserves, "Instructors are responsible for evaluating, on a case-by-case basis, whether the use of a copyrighted work on electronic reserves requires permission or qualifies as a fair use. If relying upon the fair use exception, instructors must complete a copy of the fair use checklist before submitting material for electronic reserves. An Introduction to the Fair Use Checklist and further explanation of the Fair Use Exception are available as aids for understanding and completing the Fair Use Checklist form.
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text:
Good News and Good Deeds
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" (Heb. 10:24). In other words, we are to carefully ponder or study how we might encourage …Read More
Christian Parenting
Allie was having a rough night. She had already been disciplined once for slapping one of the pastor's sons across the face, and she had just done it again, this time to his brother. Her mother was humiliated and frustrated …Read More
Young Women, Idolatry & the Powerful Gospel
We are all inveterate worshipers — it's just something we do without thinking about it. Worshiping is part of our nature because God created us to worship Him, and, by doing so, we bring both Him and ourselves deep pleasure …Read More
The Gospel Cure
Upon brief reflection it's easy to see that the remedy du jour for treating depression solely with medication is based upon very specific assumptions: that its genesis is always within the body (primarily the brain) and that we do not …Read More
Elyse Fitzpatrick
Elyse M. Fitzpatrick is a retreat and conference speaker, and is the director of Women Helping Women Ministries. She has authored numerous books, including Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone and Comforts from the Cross: Daily Celebrations of the Gospel. You can follow her on Twitter @ElyseFitz.


text:
Renault 25 (France, 1983-1992)
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The Renault 25 was a French-style executive model with classic and spacious styling and a number of technological innovations.
The vehicle was unveiled in December 1983. With 5 doors, a unitized steel body and plunging hood, it was a blend of performance, agility and lightness, weighing 1,100 kg – about the same as today's Clio.
Headed by Gaston Juchet, the designers came up with this aerodynamic model. The interior, designed by Marcello Gandini, was very modern for the time.
The 25 was a luxury car with a spacious cabin and dashboard open to all passengers, favoring neither driver nor passenger but all occupants. The 25 came with innovative electronics equipment – fuel gauge, onboard computer and permanent outside temperature display. It also featured an electronically controlled engine: the all-new fuel-injected V6 with a capacity of 2,849 cm3, fitted from 1987.
The Renault 25 was launched in 9 versions, with a combination of 5 engines, 2 transmissions and 3 trim levels and was rapidly expanded to further combinations.
The V6 Turbo was launched in 1985. Its front end was particularly distinctive, with its off-center Renault diamond. The Limousine version was launched in the same year, then replaced in 1989 by the Renault 25 Baccara.
Renault face-lifted the 25 in 1988 to boost sales. The body structure was modernized, gaining a more sophisticated grille with rounder lines, new-look headlights and a restyled rear.
The Renault 25 proved a huge success, becoming the 5th best-selling car in France, selling a total of 780,776 units until production ceased in May 1992.
Louis Renault, his brothers Marcel and Fernand and his friends Thomas Evert and Julian Wyer established the company in 1898, after several orders began being placed for Louis Renault to build cars. Then, Société Renault Frères was founded in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, and the headquarters is still placed there today. Louis was an engineer himself and was responsible for the engineering and des... more


text:
Picture this: You're on a dream vacation in Hawaii with your spouse to celebrate your anniversary. The week has been great, and it's the last day before the long flight home. You both decide to spend the final day relaxing on the beach, reflecting on your wonderful week in paradise. While you're on the elevator, heading down from the gorgeous, ocean-view hotel room, the lights blink and the elevator grinds to a halt between floors.
As it turns out, that little blink in the lights caused similar problems at about a dozen other high-rise hotels in the area. And because it's Sunday, there's only one maintenance person on call to get the elevators at the affected buildings back online. When he finally arrives, half the day is gone and you and your spouse are irate.
This story isn't as far-fetched as it sounds. A similar situation happened at one of Hawaii's finer hotels on Waikiki Beach. About 10 to 15 times a year, any one of the hotel's elevators would stop and experience a control-card failure, which meant long delays for the stuck passengers. The hotel engineers and managers were frustrated. The elevator service company blamed the utility, citing poor power quality as the cause.
The elevator service company asked the Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO) for their assistance. HECO installed a power-disturbance recorder at the hotel's service entrance. The results confirmed that voltage sag disturbances did cause the elevator lockups and, in one case, a control-card failure. The recorded sags, averaging about one per month, were attributed to various fault clearings on the utility distribution system.
Despite this data, the elevator service company still had to resolve the problem of the control card's occasional failure and the random system lockups, which required manual resets. This called for a cooperative effort, which was undertaken by HECO, the hotel engineers, the elevator service company, and EPRI PEAC Corp.
Preliminary Sketch
The hotel's elevators are delta-connected loads, fed from a 208V, 3-phase service. The control system is a Ward-Leonard type, which means it uses a DC generator mechanically coupled to an AC motor shaft. The generator's field voltage is controlled, producing a variable DC output. The variable DC is necessary to control the speed of the DC motor that drives the elevator car.
The control card delivers the variable DC voltage to the generator's exciter field winding. The field winding is highly inductive and can carry significant current, depending on elevator loading. If the current is interrupted, the field winding can produce a high-energy voltage transient.
Under controlled stop conditions, the exciter field is de-energized quickly, and a snubber circuit absorbs the transient energy. The remaining energy is diverted through a selenium surge suppressor connected across the field winding. These selenium devices are the predecessors to the metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) used today for surge protection and transient minimization.
The primary diagnostic tool used in the investigation was a portable sag-test device or "sag generator." A sag generator has the ability to induce voltage sags of controlled magnitude and duration on the load undergoing tests. For this particular case, the team enhanced the sag generator with EPRI PEAC's data acquisition software, which allowed them to monitor the responses of selected components (on 16 channels) during the induced sags. This way, the team could determine which components were most susceptible (and exactly how they were susceptible) to voltage sags. It also validated cost-effective solutions on-site. The team didn't have to wait for the next disturbance to find out if a specific solution would actually work.
The team also chose to apply specific beginning and ending phase-angle controls of the induced sag using both the sag generator and the software (see Fig. 1, on page 58). The generator contains the switching devices and the software monitors the voltage to decide when to start the sag. This approach is helpful because, in the real world, a power disturbance's point of initiation is random. In addition, many sensitive devices behave differently when the test is initiated at different phase-angles. If you want to set phase-angle controls, find a sag generator that uses amplifiers or IGBT switches. Ones that use contactors or thyristors for switching or don't have control software will not permit such testing.
Test Plan
After numerous discussions and an analysis of the elevator control schematics, the group devised a plan to sag test one of the three hotel elevators while the car traveled upward — and then downward — at full speed.
The elevator's up and down movements are two completely different electrical scenarios. The DC motor must drive the car downward because the counterweight is heavier than the car. However, the upward movement of the car occurs naturally because of the counterweight. The motor must then act as a brake, regenerating electrical energy into the power system.
The team connected the sag generator at the elevator's main fuse disconnect. This way, they subjected the entire elevator system to the voltage sags. Sag tests began at 90% of nominal voltage for short durations, then longer durations. Sag magnitude was then reduced to 85%, and each duration repeated. Sag tests would continue down to lower voltage levels until a voltage tolerance envelope was developed for the components in the elevator system.
This systematic approach allowed the team to cover the entire range of sags from least severe to most severe, while minimizing the number of interruptions to the equipment. Sag durations of 6, 12, and 24 cycles were chosen to simulate utility switchgear operations. In addition, a series of unbalanced sags were performed. This type of sag simulates the single line-to-ground faults typically experienced on electrical distribution circuits.
Test Results
The team put the elevator into motion and subjected it to the matrix of voltage sags. They found that the elevator system could ride through both single-phase and 3-phase voltage sags to 87% of nominal for any duration. Voltage sags below 87% of nominal caused the drive to trip and automatically reset. If the voltage sag fell below 80% of nominal, the drive would trip offline and its programmable controller would lock up. This controller lockup required a manual reset of the system.
Fig. 2 shows the complete battery of sag test results in the form of a voltage tolerance envelope. As it turned out, any time the applied sags were significant enough to cause the microprocessor to reset, significant voltage transients were observed across the power supply control card (mainly due to the loss of the controller).
While these transients were not always damaging, it was clear that a properly rated MOV would probably solve the card damage problem.
It also was clear that using some type of power conditioner on the main controller power supply would likely eliminate the nuisance-tripping problems that necessitated manual resets.
Based on the sag test results, hotel management implemented two recommendations. First, technicians installed MOVs on the control-card outputs to replace the selenium diodes and protect the cards from potentially damaging transients.
Second, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system was installed on the main elevator controller to eliminate the potential for lockups during voltage sags. As a result, the problems with control card failures and nuisance trips were finally eliminated.
Use of a portable sag generator in conjunction with a cooperative hotel staff and elevator maintenance firm proved invaluable in resolving a serious elevator problem. In the future, we'll describe additional cases where a sag generator helped solve difficult-to-diagnose problems, and we'll discuss some of the investigation methodologies that make this testing technique a valuable piece of the power quality puzzle.
For more information, contact EPRI PEAC Corp. at [email protected] or visit www.epri-peac.com.


text:
It was a Blue Devil sweep this week as Central Connecticut's Taylor Friedmann and Madison Vestergaard notched Northeast Conference Swimmer and Diver of the week honors, respectively.
Friedmann swam to a first place finish in the 500 free and two second place finishes in the 1,000 and 200 free at Central's tri-meet against UNH and NEC rival Bryant. Friedmann's weekend times in the 1000 (10:30.62), 500 (5:05.11) and 200 (1:53.08) now represent the top times for the conference in each event.
On the boards, Vestergaard continued to show why she is the reigning NEC Champion in the 1 and 3 meter events as she was the top conference finisher at the meet, picking up two second place nods.
Friedmann collects her first NEC Swimmer of the week honor of the season following a first place finish in the 500 yard freestyle at a tri-meet with UNH and NEC foe Bryant. Friedmann touched the wall in 5:05.11, which currently ranks first as the best time in the conference this season. The junior finished second in the 1,000 and 200 freestyle with times of 10:30.62 and 1:53.08, respectively, which are also the current top marks in the league.
Vestergaard, the reigning NEC Outstanding Diver, earned two second place finishes on the boards this past weekend en-route to picking up her second NEC Diver of the Week honor of the fall. The senior scored a 226 in the 3m event and 227.92 in the 1m.


text:
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EARLY IN J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf the wizard is talking with the hobbit Frodo Baggins about the dreadful Gollum. The frightened Frodo expresses his regret that his uncle Bilbo had not killed "that vile creature, when he had a chance!"
Because of "all those horrible deeds" that Gollum has done, Frodo adds, "He deserves death." Gandalf replies, "Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it."
I do not know where Tolkien stood on the issue of capital punishment, but Gandalf offers theologically relevant points about innocence, guilt, judgment, and hope that Christians should seriously consider as heated debate continues about the morality of this lethal governmental practice.
While a majority of Americans still view capital punishment as morally justified, there is growing opposition to it. Indeed, the number of death sentences dropped to a 35-year low in 2011, and the annual number of executions since 1999, the year in which the most persons were put to death, has with a few exceptions continued to decrease. Seventeen states have abolished capital punishment, including Connecticut, which outlawed the death penalty on April 25, 2012, for any future crimes committed. In 2012, 12 states had active legislation to end it. Why?


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Passwords are a real pain. It's not so bad dealing with one or two, but once you have five or more log-ins and passwords at various sites, even the sharpest mind will have trouble remembering what goes where. PassPack is a new service that attempts to solve this problem, letting you create a personal archive of log-ins and passwords that can be packed and unpacked with one master password.
After setting up PassPack, you can start plugging in as many accounts as you want. When you're done you can "Pack it up!" using a special packing password, essentially closing your log-in collection until you want to expand it again.
PassPack doesn't just take your data and encrypt it on its end, it encrypts it client-side as well, meaning your precious information will be guarded even if somebody else gets it on the way to the PassPack servers.
There are a few weaknesses to the PassPack system. For one, your passwords aren't visually safeguarded. So if you're using PassPack at work, anyone looking over your shoulder will be able to see what you're typing in. There's also no way to recover your PassPack password if you lose it.
PassPack is pleasingly simple to use and very responsive. Can you trust a tool like this with all your passwords? Normally I'd say no, but with the client-side encryption, even the best decrypters won't be able to figure out your Amazon log-in. See also Agatra and RoboForm, which several CNET editors swear by.
Xbox boss confirms Project Scarlett will have a disc drive: Here's what else we know about the upcoming console, including 8K graphics, 120 fps and SSD.
Watch every E3 video game trailer from Square Enix, Ubisoft, Bethesda and Microsoft's E3 conferences: All the trailers you need to see are right here!


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It's November and I still haven't finished reviewing my list of 2011 films. So here's another film battle — this time, between two of the most polarizing films of last year — Drive and The Tree of Life. I thought one of these films was amazing, and the other boring and pretentious — but can you guess which is which?
Drive (2011)
I had heard some mixed reviews of this Ryan Gosling neo-noir crime drama. Some said it was slow and boring and too violent for its own good. Others said it was one of the best films of the year.
The story follows Gosling's unnamed lead character, who works as a mechanic by day and a getaway driver for criminals at night. You don't know much about his past or background, but all you know is that he is one heck of a driver who can stay calm under the tensest of situations and a badass you wouldn't want to mess with. He befriends a neighbour, played by Carey Mulligan, and her young son, whose father is in prison and owes protection money to the mob.
It's a simple story driven by a fascinating character and a sublime performance from Gosling, who seems to be unable to do anything wrong these days. It's also boosted by a superb all-star cast, including the omnipresent Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman and Christina Hendricks.
With the exception of Mulligan, who gives a good performance but feels miscast in the role, I loved everything about this riveting film, which had been hooked and on the edge of my seat from the opening sequence — which is, might I add, one of the best of any movie ever. I loved the tension and I loved the mystery of Gosling's character — the calmer he was the more nervous I got. And I don't often notice the soundtrack but this one's was rocking — the ethereal-electronic-pop-dominated score was perfect for the look, style and feel of the film. (For some reason it reminded me a little of the video game Grand Theft Auto!)
As for the violence, yeah, it might have been a little excessive (elevator scene, anyone?) but I thought it fit in well with the overall tone and added an edge to the tension. I've always been a fan of well-executed violence (thanks, Tarantino), and I suppose this is a great example of it.
One of the best, and potentially one of the most memorable, films of the year for me.
5 stars out of 5
The Tree of Life (2011)
The buzz around The Tree of Life before I watched it was that it is a revolutionary piece of filmmaking that cements his place in cinematic history as one of the best directors of all time. But word of mouth from relatives was that it was so confusing and boring that walking out would have been a better option than staying until the end.
My previous experiences when it comes to Terrence Malick have not been positive. I remember when people were calling The Thin Red Line a vastly superior film to Saving Private Ryan and decided to check it out, but had too much trouble trying to decipher all of Nick Nolte's mumbling to really understand what the fuss was all about. Then I watched his next effort, The New World with Colin Farrell, but I gave up on it about 20 minutes in after, again, failing to get through all the mumbling voice-overs. What's this guy's deal with incomprehensible philosophical mumblings?
Anyway, I thought as a more mature movie viewer, I would now be more capable of appreciating Malick's art. But in the end, I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. The Tree of Life had its fair share of mumblings as well, but that wasn't its problem. Its problem was trying too hard to be "profound", to be "different", to be a "masterpiece."
Essentially, this "experimental" film follows a middle-aged man's (Sean Penn) memories of his childhood in Texas in the 1950s with his parents (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain), but at the same time it is also supposed to be some chronicle of the history of the universe that explores the meaning of life.
I don't have a problem with ambitious projects, which this clearly is, but I suppose you need to be in the right kind of mood to enjoy The Tree of Life (ie, high on LSD or something). If you're expecting a linear narrative with a clear story to tell, then you're going to be sorely disappointed. But if you're expecting a movie to suddenly turn into the National Geographic channel and show the images cosmos and dinosaurs and asteroids, and feel that it explains what life is all about, then you'll probably love The Tree of Life.
I do appreciate the artistic merits of the film to some extent, as well as the beautiful images of nature that Malick projects onto the screen. The scenes depicting the children and their relationship with their father are also done well and occasionally stirring. In that sense I guess I don't despise The Tree of Life like some others do, but at almost 140-minutes it was just too much to take and digest. Frankly, I was often bored and frustrated.
Maybe I'll have more luck with Malick's next film, To the Wonder, a romantic drama starring Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams. I heard people booed laughed at it during the Venice Film Festival earlier this year.
2 stars out of 5!


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Jay Abraham, MathWorks
In this webinar we will introduce advanced formal methods based static code analysis techniques for FDA certified medical devices. Through demonstrations and examples, attendees will learn how to use Polyspace products to detect and prove the absence of critical run-time errors in embedded software.
These techniques will enable you to develop and verify high quality C/C++ code intended for medical devices. You will be able to improve the overall quality and reliability of medical device software. Finally we will show how you can use results from Polyspace to prove to certification authorities that certain types of errors can never occur in your software.
About the Presenter: Jay Abraham is currently the Product Marketing Manager at MathWorks. His area of expertise is in software tools for the verification of critical embedded applications. He has over 20 years software and hardware design experience. Jay has a MS in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Boston University.
Recorded: 23 Aug 2011


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Based in Denver, Colorado, Wellbridge owns and manages 20 athletic and tennis clubs and spas across the U.S.
Wellbridge has developed an exclusive approach to combining fitness and wellness that caters to every way of life. From active kids' programs to executive-style amenities and everything in-between, our Clubs offer an experience that fits each Member's lifestyle.
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With 20 state-of-the-art athletic clubs nationwide, Wellbridge offers a wealth of dynamic fitness and wellness careers for discerning professionals. We are constantly seeking the finest professionals in the industry to help us extend the industry's highest standards that have become synonymous with the Wellbridge name.


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Intermittent rain didn�t dampen charitable spirits as thousands still turned out for the 32nd annual Havelock Chili Festival on Friday night and Saturday.
Intermittent rain didn�t dampen charitable spirits as thousands still turned out for the 32nd annual Havelock Chili Festival on Friday night and Saturday.
�I was surprised at the numbers of people that stayed out in the rain to enjoy the festival,� said Stephanie Duncan, executive director of the Havelock Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the annual fund raiser in Havelock�s Walter B. Jones Park.
Duncan admitted that there were less than the typical 20,000-plus that have attended the event in past years.
On Friday night, 15,000 chicken wings were sold plus thousands of cubs of green chili. On Saturday, an untold number of cups of red chili were sold, all to raise money for Havelock-area charitable groups.
Deanna Reed, of Havelock, loved the wings.
�I�m not a spicy type of person and it�s got the perfect amount of bite,� Reed said.
�I made 40 gallons last night and the pot wasn�t filled up. I was making it until 1 o�clock this morning,� said Tim Newton, a past president and member of the Cherry Point-Havelock Rotary Club. �We had 31 pounds of venison in ours. All of the Rotarians bring a gallon or two a piece and we just keep adding to it.�
It takes a lot of chili, as about 10 members of the group spent the whole day stirring a 50-gallon pot as five members of their interact club served the $1-a-cup samples.
�We want to keep our title as People�s Choice winner,� Newton said. �We�ve won I don�t know how many years in a row,� Newton said. �It�s all for a good cause.�
�It gives back to the people,� said rotary member Jim Freeman. �This is a big thing going back so many years. It�s wonderful that we have a big place to have it.�
Jermaine Franks came down from Raleigh to compete in the red chili competition and then sold out his batch.
�We�re all sold out,� he said. �We sold probably 250 to 260 cups. I feel pretty good. This is my first time in Havelock. I thought there was a pretty good turnout. Great music. Great crowd. We�re definitely going to do it again next year.�
Julie Brown, of Winterville, also sold out.
�That�s it,� she said as she spooned the last cup out of her pot Saturday afternoon.
�We�re served a couple of hundred at least,� said Brown, who is in her second time at the festival and was one of the 20 competition cooks. �On red (chili) I think I did better this year because of the spices and the whole methodical process. I had my mind in the right spot. I had to focus.�
Jamie Grady, of Mt. Olive, came to compete too.
�I felt like I done real well,� he said, after selling out of his red chili. �I enjoy it. This year it seemed like it was better than last year. I think I understood the way it was organized more than I did last year.�
Duncan said she had �people coming out of the woodwork� to volunteer. It takes help to organize and serve 80 vendors, the 20 cooks and 100 booths at the festival.
People do work together to make it happen year after year.
Friday night, after the rain began, a decision was made not to let the vendors drive on the grass lot during the break-down in an effort to keep the mud down on Saturday.
�Last night when it rained so hard, they couldn�t bring their cars up here, so the police, the firemen and the Marines helped them get their stuff to their cars,� said Pi Master volunteer Barbara Winters. �Everybody pitches in.�
Dennis Metcalf, who lived in Havelock for 20 years and had to move with his job, came back from Charleston, S.C. to attend with his family.
�It�s a great little event. I don�t think people appreciate it,� Metcalf said.


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Motorcycle Helmet LS2 Integral Stream Lunar White / Black
Code: LS2/103202102
Brand: Ls2
Division: road
brands: unisex
€ 126.90
Savings: € 32.10
list price: € 159.00
Out of stock
Motorcycle Helmet LS2 Integral Stream Omega
Data sheet:
- CAP in Thermoplastic
- INFLATION SYSTEM AIR-GO Get a perfect interior trim with an inflation system on the cheek. Significant reduction of noise inside the helmet.
- SYSTEM sgangio quick visor
- ANTI-FOG is offered as a dual display option sealed. Prevents fogging inside.
- ANTI-UV The outer shell à treated to withstand the impact of UVA.
- VENTILATION SYSTEM inputs and outputs to provide fresh air inside the helmet and favor the warm air to escape.
- READY PINLOCK Applies a lens on the visor to prevent fogging in cold conditions or fog. PINLOCK INCLUDED in the package
- ANTI-SCRATCH visor designed to resist scratches and bumps of the elements while driving.
- READY TEAR-OFF system derived from the racing world. The visor can be mounted plastic layers that are withdrawn when it accumulates dirt.
- DOUBLE SCREEN SOLAR Sun visor internal conditions for maximum brightness. Excellent visibility and ease of use.
- WEIGHT: 1550 gr
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Dave McGarry earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in exercise science and an MBA from the University of Texas, Dallas. Along with his degrees, McGarry is certified through the NSCA as a certified strength and conditioning specialist and is the current assistant general manager for the Cooper Fitness Center at Craig Ranch. His experience consists of more than 12 years as a personal trainer and fitness manager. McGarry also is actively involved with the community as a public speaker and presenter to corporations for health and wellness. His most recent accomplishment is a self-published book for fitness professionals and personal trainers called "Anatomy of Sales." If you would like to learn more or read his blog, visit www.davemcgarry.com.
As you know, personal training is still one of the fastest-growing parts of the fitness business. If you want it to be a profit center for your club, then consider implementing the following items to promote it:
1. Commitment. A successful personal training department requires commitment from management. Commitment means making personal training the center point of your marketing and advertising campaigns, rather than promoting all the other services you offer.
2. Message. Once you are committed, you need to create a list of all the members and potential members to whom you can promote personal training. Then, segment that list into categories—currently training, interested or not interested at this time. Segmenting the list allows you to create a different call-to-action message for each group.
You need to create a targeted message for each group to pull them in. The headline or subject line, which is probably the most important component in creating great copy, must stand out and create an incentive for members to keep reading.
Including testimonials in your copy is a great way to pull in your target audience. Highlighting people in your club who have had success with personal training is priceless. Testimonials help build the credibility of your training staff, as well as your overall program. The key to testimonials is to display them throughout the club and in literature that you distribute to prospective members.
Club owners often give up too early on marketing or advertising to their member lists. Research shows that people may require eight or nine exposures to a message before acting on it. If club managers try marketing to their lists a few more times, the effort might just pay off.
3. Medium. The final piece to successfully promoting personal training inside the club involves using the right medium or channel to communicate. For instance, you may use traditional advertising, such as direct mail, or e-mail as your primary communication channel. Whatever you use, I would urge you not to rely entirely on any one medium. In my opinion, e-mail is used far too often and direct mail is no longer used enough. Use as many channels and mediums as possible. The goal is to promote your message in as many ways as possible.
Another medium that has exploded recently is the use of social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Social media has become a big part of developing a community and sharing information for many businesses. It is a great way for clubs to build a community focused on personal training. Have your trainers post articles online, videos and other useful tips to help market themselves and build their credibility. Stay away from using social media to sell products or services, however. Let the people who are part of the group do the selling by raving about the results they receive through training.
Regardless of the medium used, you must track what is working and what is not. Ask those who come in for personal training how they heard about the program. Was it through direct mail, an e-mail, or a friend? If you do not track what is working, you will not be able to determine your return on investment for each medium. Plus, if one specific channel works better than others, you will want to use that channel more often in the future.
Commitment, message and medium are three important components to consider when successfully promoting personal training in your club. Start with those three, and you will begin to see a difference in personal training growth within your club.


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On Tuesday's Morning Edition, NPR's Neda Ulaby has a story about Chuck Lorre, the producer whose name is attached to three of the five highest-rated comedies on American television last season: The Big Bang Theory, Two And A Half Men, and Mike & Molly. (Mike & Molly is both the newest of these shows and the underachiever, being only the fifth highest-rated comedy and the twenty-ninth highest-rated show on all of broadcast prime-time television in total viewers for the 2011-12 season.) Men and Big Bang are both massive syndicated moneymakers, to the point where TBS has been very nearly rejuvenated just by being able to boast the rights to the latter and FX has been so boosted by the former that it signed on to air ex-Man Charlie Sheen's Anger Management.
Lorre probably got his biggest dose of public exposure during the Sheen epic, which culminated in the star leaving Two And A Half Men, seeing his character emphatically killed off and literally burned to ashes that were then thrown in the air, and being replaced by Ashton Kutcher. But Lorre has been around sitcoms for much, much longer than that. He worked on Roseanne and produced the reasonably well regarded Grace Under Fire, the clearly troubled Cybill, and the very sweet Dharma & Greg. Those – particularly if you combine them into a body of work with the three Lorre works on now – are actually very, very different shows, despite the fact that they all have, to varying degrees, a pretty traditional sitcom feel.
In one sense, there is a Chuck Lorre brand; call it "50 percent sweet and 50 percent vulgar, plus or minus 30 percent depending on the show," or possibly "the comedy that the plurality of Americans like, whether you personally think it's clever or not," or possibly "comedy for people who hate critics." (In fairness, both the leads on Mike & Molly and the cast of The Big Bang Theory are often spoken of kindly even in critical circles, even when the shows they're on are less so.) But in another sense, Lorre executes a kind of comedy that can vary enormously in both tone and quality – in part because he created these shows with different collaborators.
Two And A Half Men is a product largely of Lorre's collaboration with Lee Aronsohn, who was behind the "enough lady jokes!" controversy that happened this spring. Aronsohn displayed at that time (and essentially acknowledged) a distrust of women that comes through loud and clear on the show, which he agreed during that controversy is about damaged men and the women responsible. Men remains a pretty nasty, angry show, and by far the one with the most consistently juvenile sensibility. The Big Bang Theory is much warmer and more optimistic about humanity. It was co-created by Lorre and Bill Prady, who used to work for – of all people – Jim Henson, and whose Twitter chatter is with people like Wil Wheaton and other geek superstars. Mike & Molly, which has a genuinely sweet romance at its center and some very brittle supporting characters, was co-created by Lorre and Mark Roberts, who used to write for Men but uses a much lighter tone these days.
All three shows come from the Lorre machine, and there are rhythms and stylistic qualities in common. Lorre is effectively the primary architect of what became the distinctive feel of CBS comedy in the post-Everybody Loves Raymond era. But the three shows are actually quite different, aside from the basic fact that they're all popular (two of them are massively so) and none of them are critical darlings.
You know, some of the biggest comedies on network television have the same producer. Chuck Lorre created both "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory." They're seen constantly in new episodes and reruns.
Lorre became more famous when he was publicly attacked by his former star, Charlie Sheen. These days, Sheen is gone, and you can only say Lorre is winning.
INSKEEP: He talked about his craft with NPR's Neda Ulaby.
NEDA ULABY, BYLINE: Chuck Lorre knows what'll make 12 million people laugh on Thursday night when they watch "Two and a Half Men." Then he'll make almost 17 million people laugh during "The Big Bang Theory" immediately after.
MELISSA RAUCH: (as Bernadette Rostenkowski) So I was taking a shower this morning, and when I got out, I started to dry off with what I thought was a towel. It turned out to be Howard's mom's underwear.
ULABY: "The Big Bang Theory" was last week's top-rated scripted show for adults.
RAUCH: (as Bernadette Rostenkowski) I had to take another shower.
ULABY: "The Big Bang Theory" is so popular, the cable network TBS built an entire strategy around airing its reruns. So how did Chuck Lorre figure out what so many Americans find funny? Lorre claims to have no idea.
CHUCK LORRE: There's an alchemy to this thing, and to presume you have control over it is arrogant and foolish. It's fraught with error. It's just - it's a mess.
ULABY: Lorre says the only way to pull off the Herculean task of running three top comedies simultaneously is ceding a little control to his writers. For example, he takes no credit for a scene in "The Big Bang Theory" when one character, a socially inept scientist, starts playing the online game "Words with Friends" with Stephen Hawking.
JIM PARSONS: (as Sheldon) Ooh, my friend Stephen just played the word "act" for 18 points. That's right. I call him Stephen now, because I checked, and he was not OK with Wheels.
ULABY: But when Hawking dropped Sheldon as an opponent, he's comforted by a friend.
JOHNNY GALECKI: (as Leonard) Here's the problem: You can't beat Hawking like that. He hates to lose. Everyone knows the guy's a big baby. I mean, forget the wheelchair. He should be in a stroller.
LORRE: It was a brilliant scene. I had nothing to do with it, except I laughed. These things have a life without micromanaging them, without clutching them tightly and squeezing them to death because I'm frightened that it's all going to go away.
ULABY: That's the darkness that powers Lorre's light comedy. He grew up in Long Island where he inherited a punishing work ethic from his father.
LORRE: My dad had a luncheonette, an eight, 10-stool little diner where you had hamburgers and scrambled eggs. And we'd get up at 5 o'clock in the morning and go in on the weekends and holidays and summer and stuff. So, yeah, he taught me to work.
ULABY: Lorre intended to be a professional musician, but he married young and ended up selling gifts door-to-door in Los Angeles to support his family. One day, he walked into an animation studio and thought, hey, I'll pitch a script.
LORRE: I had no idea what I was doing.
ULABY: But he sold it.
LORRE: Don't underestimate stupidity as an asset.
ULABY: Lorre went on to write for, produce and create some powerfully female-centric comedies, including "Roseanne," "Cybill," "Grace Under Fire."
LORRE: These were angry women who were, you know, kind of at war with various parts of their lives. So the idea was: What would happen if we created a woman who was in love with life?
ULABY: So, in 1993, Lorre and a producing partner went in a totally different direction.
JENNA ELFMAN: (as Dharma) Shower inspector.
THOMAS GIBSON: (as Greg) Dharma, I'm going to be late for work.
ELFMAN: I'm sorry about that, sir, but I have a job to do.
ULABY: At its peak, Lorre's show "Dharma and Greg" drew 20 million viewers. But it never became the pop culture phenom that was "Two and a Half Men."
JON CRYER: (as Alan) What's going on?
ASHTON KUTCHER: (as Walden) She kneed me in the nuts.
ULABY: Lorre says he's always mindful of what's acceptable, family-friendly fare in primetime. For him, the bottom line is whatever he finds funny. And, sure, that might be a dad who's overly impressed when the mom of one of his son's friends takes off her jacket.
CRYER: (as Alan) Oh, you must be Boober's mom.
ULABY: A studio audience might lose it over boob jokes and wheelchair jokes, but critics remain generally unimpressed. It's Lorre's fault that so much television comedy is low-hanging fruit salad, says TV scholar Myles McNutt.
MYLES MCNUTT: What is sort of the cost of being broad? What is the cost of trying to appeal to large audiences if you're creating these offensive representations?
ULABY: Networks, of course, don't care about that kind of cost as much as massive payoffs. And in a television ecosystem ever more independent on syndication, Chuck Lorre is basically his own food chain. The explosion of Internet and cable means endless outlets for CBS to sell his shows.
MCNUTT: You know, those characters aren't going to change. If you catch an episode of syndication from four years ago, it won't be that different from the show you were to watch on CBS on Thursday night.
ULABY: Which helps explains the magnitude of the problem last year when "Two and a Half Men's" biggest star, Charlie Sheen, started cycling out of control with rants about tiger blood.
LORRE: We were concerned that he was going to die, or someone might get hurt.
ULABY: Sheen was so perfect playing a lecherous bachelor, local stations are paying two million per old episode for reruns through the next eight years.
CHARLIE SHEEN: (as Charlie) I'm a big old, bourbon-soaked cigar-huffing ass, as God in his infinite wisdom meant me to be.
LORRE: Charlie had this elegant, Dean Martin, Teflon ability to be unbelievably raunchy, and it was totally OK. It was totally acceptable. It was not ooky. The wrong actor delivering some of that material - the one-night stands and the bimbo of the week - it would have been - ugh, it would have been awful.
ULABY: Without Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men" is doing fine. And it remains the second-most-watched scripted show in syndication, right after "The Big Bang Theory." Still, Chuck Lorre, a titan of network comedy, does not feel his success.
LORRE: When you go and watch a rehearsal of something you've written and it stinks, the natural feeling is: I stink. I'm a fraud. I need to go and hide. The silence is deafening, and it's a horrible experience. But it's humbling, and it happens every week. It doesn't matter how long you've done it.
ULABY: Still, Chuck Lorre has enough faith and enough ego to make vanity cards his trademark. He recently published a book of the personal musings he shows very briefly after episodes of his shows. Here, he's reading the very first one.
LORRE: (Reading) I believe that everyone thinks they can write. This is not true. It is true, however, that everyone can direct. I believe that the laws of karma do not apply to show business, where good things happen to bad people on a fairly regular basis. I believe that what doesn't kill us makes us bitter. I believe that the obsessive worship of movie, TV and sports figures is less likely to produce spiritual gain than praying to Thor.
ULABY: And, Chuck Lorre believes in moving on to bigger screens. He's recently signed a deal to start making movies. Neda Ulaby, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.