text:
- Home
- faq
Help! My game does not load.
The following steps often help:
1: Close all internet browsers and re-open the website.
2: Refresh the website (Ctrl + F5).
3: Clear the cache (Ctrl + Shift +Delete, and select all except your password).
Still doesn't work? Try this:
1: Check your Flash and Shockwave versions here.
2: Try using a different browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc.).
When a social game isn't working, we normally add a warning notification above the game, or replace the game with a maintenance page. If the game does not load, and you see no warning, please use the contact form to inform us. We will do our absolute best to get the game back online as soon as possible.
Can I play these games on my mobile device?
You are able to play some of our games on your mobile device. Go to our website using your mobile device and you will be redirected to the mobile version. All the games listed there can be played on a mobile device. We are working on adding new games all the time, so keep coming back to check out our mobile games! Note: our social games are not playable on mobile devices or tablets, because they do not support Flash.
How do I save my progress in a game?
Progress of social games will be saved if you have a registered account. You can create a registered account by going to 'Register' at the right top corner of your screen. For other types of games, the high score and any awards you earn are saved to your account.
How do I delete my account?
To delete your account, please click here.
My email address was used to create an account without my permission. How do I delete the account?
You can delete an account easily if you have access to the email address it was assigned to. Follow these steps:
1: Go to this page and request a new password
2: After receiving a new password you can unregister yourself using this page.
How do I add friends?
Click on 'Profile' at the right top corner of your screen. Go to the tab named 'Friends' and add the name of the friend you want to add. Once you've found your friend, click on 'Send friend request.' A confirmation pop-up will appear.
You can also add friends using 'Search for friends,' which checks if you have any real-life friends on the website.
Can I have more than 500 friends?
You can have up to 500 friends. If you want to add more friends, you need to remove other friends first.
How do I remove friends?
Go to 'Profile' and click on the tab 'Friends'. An overview of your friends can be found at the bottom of the page, where on the right side there's an option to 'Remove friend.' Click on this and confirm the removal again. Your friend is now removed. You need to remove each friend individually so you don't accidentally remove the wrong one.
How can I change my account information?
• To change or edit your name, go to Update Info.
• To make your profile either public or private, go to profile settings.
• To change your email address or your password, go to change password.
• Our system does not allow you to modify gender, username, or age once an account has been created.
If you have made a mistake, we advise you to remove the account (see 'How do I delete my account?' section above) and create a new account. You can then choose a different username.
How can I retrieve a new password?
To retrieve a new password click here. You can only retrieve your password if you signed up using a valid email address that you can access. If you don't see our email in your inbox, check your spam folder. Click on the link in our email and follow the instructions. If you go through all the steps and you still haven't received an email, try again later!
I lost access to my username/profile.
We are very sorry to hear that you have lost access to your username/profile. In this case, we are unable to recover it. It's your responsibility to keep your profile information in a safe place. Read more about our policies on our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Kids & Parents.
Why have I been banned?
An account is blocked once a user violates the terms agreed with when registering. If you want to read more about players' responsibilities on our website, go to our Terms of Use.
What are Credits?
Credits are an in-game currency. Just like in real life, you can use credits to buy cool items. But you can also use them to speed up missions so you progress faster in the game. In games where you can buy Credits, they're totally optional—you can decide how you want to play!
Why do games use Credits?
In the 80s, people played coin-operated games in arcades. All the little payments added up to enough to keep the arcades open and the game developers making new games! In online gaming, these small payments are incorporated into the game, so you can still play without paying. We use the money players put into Credits to improve our games, and keep giving you new ones. All games can be played for free—but if you buy a few Credits, you're contributing to the upkeep and development of your favorite game.
How do I buy Credits?
If you can buy Credits in a game, there will be a tab at the top corner of your screen that says something like, "Add Gold" or "Add Credits." Clicking here will take you through the payment process. Just a few clicks more and you'll have Credits in your account. Easy!
How can I pay?
Different countries have different financial systems and laws—so the way players can pay for Credits differs around the world. When you buy Credits, you will only be shown the payment methods which are available in your country/region. Many of our players pay using credit cards, bank transfers, and via SMS!
Is it safe?
We work with payment providers to protect your financial information using advanced security methods, including encryption. We never share your financial information with anyone outside the payment process. We track all payment activity on our website to detect behavior that could indicate fraud or identity theft.
I need help!
If anything goes wrong during the payment process, we're here to help. First, go through the same steps that we advise here . If that doesn't solve your problem, please let us know by filling out the contact form. We'll do our best to get it sorted out as soon as we can.
My child has made a payment without my permission.
In order to make online payments possible, we have to assume that the player making the payment has permission from the cardholder. That's because we can't ask to see their signature or get them to enter a PIN like a store can. We recommend that you always make credit card payments yourself, rather than giving the card to your child. If your child has used your credit card, bank account, or phone account without asking, please let us know by filling in the following contact form with as much information as you can. We'll do our best to get the problem taken care of as fast as we can. You can find more information on this topic here.
Can my child spend money?
In some games it is possible to buy virtual goods for additional features within the game. This is completely voluntary.
All games on this website can be played for free, but sometimes additional features may require a purchase. As parents you can authorize purchases, but players can also make payments using mobile phones, for example. Other payment methods include iDEAL, DineroMail, paysafecard, PayPal, and credit cards.
We advise parents to discuss the possibilities and consequences of spending in-game money with your child and make sure to monitor their online behavior. You could also consider:
• Blocking or limiting the usage of premium phone numbers on your or your child's phone.
• Blocking or limiting the usage of text message/SMS functionalities on your or your child's phone.
It's also important for security that you never give your child access to your PIN or credit card details. If you'd like to give them money to spend online, a safer option could be using a prepaid payment system like paysafecard.
What does Spil Games do to protect my child on this website?
We take abuse very seriously and monitor our websites carefully. Our aim is to create an online environment that kids find fun and parents know is safe.
From time to time, our security measures can be bypassed by users. Every member of our community is empowered to report any behavior or content they see that is inappropriate or abusive. If you see anything you believe crosses the line, please click on 'Report' next to the content or comment. We review all reported content as soon as possible and will take appropriate action.
Why do I have a new username?
We changed our policy to protect our players' privacy. We hope you like your new username!
Where are my friends?
Some of your friends' usernames may have been changed. They're still in your friends list, though!
How does this change my account?
You'll still have all your old friends, your awards, and other info under your new username. You can log in using either your old or new username – your password is the same. It's easiest if you start using the new one, as you won't see your old one on the site anymore.
Why can't I see my comments or post any comments?
We've had a policy change that affects the messaging/commenting functions of our site. We also moderate comments, so if only a few of your comments are gone, they may have broken the rules of our site.


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Changes to liquor laws announced Friday mean Aldergrove's Dead Frog Brewery can move ahead with expansion plans more quickly.
"This is a good thing," the brewery's vice-president, Chris Landsman, said of the new rules that among other things, allow brewers and distillers to apply for on-site consumption areas such as a lounge, tasting room or event area, and sell larger quantities of booze with food. "It will definitely expedite our expansion plans.
"This means we can generate more revenue for our facility and turn it into a destination."
Energy and Mines Minister Rich Coleman announced several changes, which take effect March 1, that are meant to support breweries and distilleries.
They include allowing small and medium-sized liquor manufacturers to own licensed establishments that are separate from their brewery, winery or distillery; simplifying the rules for how liquor manufacturers can promote their products in bars and restaurants; and allowing liquor products made of 100-per-cent B.C. agricultural ingredients to be sold directly to the public without a liquor branch price markup.
Craft distillers have long argued they should be treated the same as winemakers, who have benefited for years from exemptions and lower rates on direct sales.
The changes bode well for Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery, said sales and marketing manager Rodney Goodchild.
"This is a huge opportunity for us," said Goodchild. "We've been asking for this change for a very long time. We'll retain all the revenue."
As well, rules around how liquor manufacturers can promote their products in bars and restaurants have been simplified, and an honourary B.C. wine envoy will have a mandate to help open domestic markets for B.C. wines.
"These changes reflect the evolving nature of the liquor industry in British Columbia," Coleman said in a statement. "As time passes, so does the need to re-evaluate our laws and find ways to ensure we're doing all we can to create an environment where liquor-related businesses can continue to succeed."
Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick also noted the changes will encourage B.C. craft distilleries to use local grains and produce.
The announcement is the latest in a series of recent updates to B.C. liquor laws that have also included allowing alcohol to be sold between shows at some movie theatres, allowing people bring their wine to restaurants, allowing people to import wine from other provinces without paying B.C. taxes, and allowing caterers to apply for a liquor licence to help them meet the food and beverage needs of their clients.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Like most new things, cloud computing has taken some getting used to for IT organizations. But a new survey of 201 IT professionals conducted by CloudPassage, a provider of security appliances for securing cloud computing environments, finds that confidence in both public and private cloud computing is gaining.
Of course, there are still lots of concerns about security, but overall the survey makes it pretty clear that cloud computing adoption is going to accelerate in 2013.
Related Topics : Cloud Computing, Dell, Services Vendors, SMBs, Web Platform Vendors
IT administrators need to identify zombie assets, verify idle status and shut off anything that is unused. Here's how to get your dormant infrastructure back in shape. ... More >>
Cloud SaaS adoption allows organizations to gain the flexibility and scalability necessary for creating a high-velocity business. ... More >>
IT executives need the right tools to monitor and control their cloud infrastructure to maximize the positive impacts and mitigate security threats. ... More >>


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Graduate Studies
Costs and Financial Assistance - 2012-2013
PDF version of Graduate Catalog
Cost Guarantee
Western Illinois University offers guaranteed tuition, fees, as well as room and board rates for graduate students. Students eligible for the graduate cost guarantee must meet the following:
1. Must be enrolled in a graduate degree program (unclassified graduate students will not be eligible);
2. The guarantee will be for four consecutive years, or until degree completion, whichever occurs first. If the student has not finished the degree program within four years, the rate will be advanced by one year and will continue for another two years, for a maximum of six years;
3. If the student becomes unclassified during the guarantee program, he/she will be moved to the current rates and will not be covered by the guarantee until enrolled in a degree program;
4. The guarantee will cover per-hour tuition rate, per-hour University fee rate, and room and board.
5. Students who finish a degree program and who then begin a new degree program will be assessed the rate in effect at the time of enrollment in the new degree program and will retain that rate as described above.
The following rates of tuition and fees are listed per credit hour for the fall and spring semesters 2012-2013. These rates apply to all who are classified as graduate students. Students residing in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin will be assessed the in-state rate for tuition. The amounts are subject to change without notice by action of the Board of Trustees. The most current tuition and fee rates can be viewed at wiu.edu/billing or can be obtained by contacting the Billing and Receivables Office at (309) 298-1831 or e-mailing firstname.lastname@example.com .
$294.52 per credit hour
$589.04 per credit hour
Macomb Campus Fees
Activity Fee: $ 6.00
Athletic Fee: $15.73
Bond Revenue Fee: $25.54
Computer Fee: $4.53
Facilities Enhancement/Life Safety: $14.93
Health Center Fee: $9.20
Publications Fee: $0.89
Talent Grant Fee: $1.64
Transit Fee: $2.59
Total Fees per Credit Hour $81.05
WIU-Quad Cities Campus Fees
Activity Fee: $4.20
Computer Fee: $4.33
Facility Enhancement/Life Safety: $7.00
Publication Fee: $0.78
Talent Grant Fee: $2.72
Transit Fee: $4.20
Total Fees per Credit Hour: $23.22
University fees are evaluated and recommended by the students and staff to help facilitate various services and programs on campus. University fees are mandatory for all students and require payment regardless of whether or not the student receives direct benefits. Students registered for nine or more semester hours of student teaching, internship, or overseas experience will receive a 25 % reduction in the student activity, athletics, computer, health center, publication and transit fees. The preceding tables reflect the full fee rates. Fees may vary depending on the location of course offering.
University fees are composed of the following:
Activity Fee: Used by various student organizations to help provide student activities. Examples include University Union Board, band, theatre, student government, etc.
Athletic Fee: Provides partial support for the men's and women's athletic programs.
Bond Revenue Fee: Supports payment of principal and interest on bonds issued to construct student activity facilities (University Union, Western Hall, etc.).
Computer Lab Fee: Supports computer labs and computer resource centers.
Facility Enhancement/Life Safety: Funds state-mandated sprinkler installation in residence halls and other safety features. Also supports other student services facilities.
Health Center Fee: Helps support the Beu Health Center, which provides many medical services at reduced rates.
Publication Fee: Supports the student newspaper.
Talent Grant Fee: provides funds to give grants to students who demonstrate outstanding talents in extracurricular activities. Examples include art, theatre, student government, band, etc.
Transit Fee: supports the bus service.
Miscellaneous Fees
A $15 nonrefundable transcript fee is assessed the first semester a student matriculates to Western Illinois University. This one-time fee entitles the student to unlimited transcripts at no additional cost.
A $75 nonrefundable fee is assessed to all new international students for orientation programming.
The student health insurance program is administered in cooperation with Beu Health Center through the Student Health Insurance Office. Students registered and assessed fees for nine hours or more of Macomb campus classes (identified as section numbers 001-399), and all graduate assistants under contract to the University taking one hour or more of any type of classes, are automatically assessed the insurance fee. Students taking WIU-Quad Cities, distance and outreach or web-based classes, as well as students with less than nine hours of Macomb campus classes, are not automatically assessed the Student Health Insurance fee but may be able to purchase it. Please contact the insurance office for further information.
Student health insurance may be waived if the student provides proof of equal or better deductible. Waiver request forms are available at the Student Health Insurance Office in Beu Health Center. Completed forms must be received in the office by the tenth day of the fall or spring semester and the sixth day of the summer session. Information and forms are available at student.services.wiu.edu/beu/insurance/index.asp.
Room Rates for Residence Halls - effective Fall 2012-Spring 2013
By Semester
Double Occupancy: $2,685.00
Single Occupancy: $3,893.00
Super Single: $4,027.00
Suite (Double): $2,985.00
Suite (Single): $5,074.00
Grote Hall Double Occupancy: $3,085.00
Grote Hall Single Occupancy: $3,856.00
Summer Term
Double Occupancy: $ 686.00
Single Occupancy: $1,081.00
Board Rates for Residence Halls - effective Fall 2012-Spring 2013
By Semester: $1,725.00
Summer Term: N/A
The Billing System
The student receivables system brings University charges and credits into one account. The Billing and Receivables Office will compile the latest information from University offices (i.e. Financial Aid, Registrar, and University Housing and Dining) and prepare the monthly billing statement. A finance charge of 1 % per month on the unpaid balance from prior month's billing will be assessed. A student with a past due (encumbered) account balance will be denied registration and transcripts.
The University bills by semester, not by academic year. Actively enrolled students will receive their billing statement via STARS. Notification will be sent to the student at his or her WIU e-mail address when each bill is ready to view on STARS. Details must be viewed on STARS. Students may establish additional e-mail addresses to which the notification may also be sent. The e-mail will include the account balance and the due date.
Payment Plans
WIU does not require advance payment of charges from new students or students in good financial standing with the University. It is recommended that fall charges be paid in full by November 1 and spring charges paid by April 1 to take advantage of pre-registration for the next term. There are two options, the Open Payment Plan and the Automated Payment Plan. However, both have four basic restrictions:
1. All appropriated financial aid including loans may first be applied to the student's account to cover current semester allowable charges. This will occur whether or not those costs have appeared on the bill.
2. Students will not be permitted to register for the next term if they have financial or administrative obligations.
3. A finance charge will be assessed after each bill's due date on any billed but unpaid balance (1 % per month).
4. University transcripts will not be issued to students who have financial or administrative obligations.
Automated Payment Plan
The Automated Payment Plan provides students a structured option for budgeting educational expenses over several months. The monthly payments will be deducted from a bank account on the fifth of each enrollment month. The 1 % finance charge listed in the basic restrictions is not assessed on the contract amount; however, there is a $2 per month transaction fee to cover processing. Additional charges incurred above the contract amount will be billed and subject to the 1 % finance charge assessment if not paid by the due date. A completed agreement form is required to participate in this plan. Students and individuals with login information to Parent & Guest Access may complete the B/R Automatic Payment Plan on STARS.
Open Payment Plan
The Open Payment Plan is a flexible plan that allows unlimited choice of payment options. No formal agreement form is needed, as this is the default plan. Payments may be made during the semester according to the student's individual resources.
University Credit/Refund Policy
Dropped Courses
Students enrolled in any combination of sessions, either on-campus and/or off-campus, must drop from the desired class within that session's 100 % refund/credit period to avoid assessment of tuition and mandatory fee charges. Students will be assessed full tuition and fees in accordance with the University's tuition and fee schedule for classes dropped after the 100 % refund/credit period. The 100 % refund/credit periods for regularly scheduled classes are as follows:
Fall and spring semester: on or before the tenth class day of the semester.
Summer session: on or before the sixth class day of the session.
Total University Withdrawal
Procedures: Any student making a TOTAL University withdrawal MUST withdraw within established refund/credit dates to avoid charges. Prior to the first day of the semester, a student may completely withdraw from the University through STARS. On or after the first day of the semester, in order to completely withdraw from the University, students who are classified as full-time students must contact the Student Development Office office at (309) 298-1884.
A student may withdraw during the first 10 weeks of a regular semester. After the first 10 weeks, a student may not withdraw from the University unless there are exceptional and documented circumstances. Withdrawal may affect a student's eligibility for current or future financial aid.
Fall and Spring Semesters
A student who has registered for regularly scheduled classes and officially andTOTALLY withdraws from Western Illinois University in accordance with established University procedures on or before the tenth class day of the semester shall receive credit for all tuition, mandatory fees, and pro-rated credit for room and board charges.
A student who officially and totally withdraws after the tenth day of the semester shall be entitled to a refund/credit of tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board charges as follows:
Remainder of Week 3: 80% refund
Week: 4: 70% refund
Week 5 and Week 6: 60% refund
Week 7 and Week 8: 50% refund
Week 9: 40% refund
Week 10: 30% refund
After Week 10: 0% refund
Summer Sessions
The University designates shorter withdrawal credit periods for the summer session, special courses, and short courses scheduled during that term. Withdrawal credit periods are available on the Office of the Registrar website at t wiu.edu/registrar.
Financial Assistance
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistants are an integral part of the intellectual community at Western Illinois University. The purpose of graduate education is to develop scholars and professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their chosen fields. By working under the supervision of faculty mentors or administrative professionals, graduate assistants gain valuable experience relevant to their profession.
Graduate assistantships are academic merit-based awards that recognize outstanding achievement and provide financial support to students as they pursue their degrees. Both the university and the student benefit from the assistantship. The student receives professional experience and financial support, while the university gains a student assistant dedicated to advancing its mission.
Graduate assistants are expected to balance the challenges presented by both the assistantship duties and the requirements of the graduate degree. As such, a student must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward the completion of scholarly tasks as well as assignments in the workplace. All graduate students are encouraged to consult with assistantship supervisors and departmental graduate advisors throughout this process.
Students with full-time assistantships are required to work up to 20 hours per week or teach up to six semester hours per semester, and will receive a monthly stipend and waiver of tuition. Current stipend amounts, policies, procedures, and additional information concerning the assistantship program may be found online at wiu.edu/grad. Assistantship applications received prior to March 15 may be given priority consideration.
Categories of Assistantships
1. Teaching Assistant (TA)
A Teaching Assistant is the instructor of record for a class or laboratory, within a specific academic department of the University. Teaching Assistants' duties consist of one or more of the following types of activities:
- conducting classes or laboratories,
- preparing lectures,
- constructing and grading tests/quizzes,
- holding student conferences,
- assigning course/laboratory grades,
- other duties related to the assigned course/laboratory.
2. Teaching Support Assistant (TSA)
A Teaching Support Assistant provides assistance/support to an academic course instructor. Teaching Support Assistants' primary (i.e., greater than 50%) duties consist of one or more of the following types of activities:
- taking attendance,
- proctoring exams/quizzes,
- grading,
- developing academic instructional materials,
- tutoring,
- facilitating review/study sessions,
- other instructional support services.
3. Research Assistant (RA)
A Research Assistant is assigned to faculty members to assist with their research. Research Assistants' primary duties (i.e., greater than 50%) consist of one or more of the following types of activities:
- conducting experiments,
- collecting or analyzing data,
- collaborating in preparing publications,
- library research,
- other research activities.
4. Graduate Assistant (GA)
A Graduate Assistant supports the administrative and operational functions of the University or approved external agencies. Graduate Assistants' primary duties (i.e., greater than 50%) consist of one or more of the following types of activities:
- technical support services (i.e., web, equipment management, etc.),
- advising students,
- clerical support,
- recruiting students,
- event development/management,
- other support services.
Application Process: To apply for an assistantship, an Application for Assistantship (available during the online Graduate School application process or at wiu.edu/grad) must be submitted along with three letters of recommendation (some programs require specialized recommendation letters) and a statement of personal goals. The application, letters, and statement must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies before an assistantship contract may be written.
Tuition Waiver Benefit: Graduate assistants receive a waiver of tuition (upon receipt of a signed contract in the Graduate School) for the period of appointment plus a maximum of one summer session adjacent to (preceding or following) the employment period. If eligible, the summer tuition waiver is automatically applied for the summer following the end of the contract period; students must notify the Graduate School at the time of signing a fall contract if they choose to use it the preceding summer. The waiver does not include insurance costs or student fees. Tuition waivers may be revoked if the assistant does not fulfill the original term of the contract.
Pay Schedule: Full paychecks for fall contracts with semester-long employment dates will be issued in October, November, December, and January. There are five paychecks issued to those with spring semester-long contracts: one-half check in February; full checks in March, April, and May; and one-half check in June. Payday is the first of the month unless that day is a weekend or holiday, in which case payday will be the weekday before the first. Assistants are required to participate in direct deposit of wages using the financial institution of their choice.
Eligibility Requirements:Students must meet all of the conditions listed below in order to hold an assistantship position:
1. Must have a graduate assistantship application, personal statement of goals, and three letters of recommendation on file in the Graduate School.
2. Must be a degree-seeking graduate student regularly accepted into a master's program. Probationary students, nondegree students, and second bachelor's degree students are not eligible to hold assistantship positions. Integrated bachelor's/master's students become eligible for assistantships once their undergraduate degree is completed.
3. Must maintain a 3.0 or higher graduate GPA once graduate-level courses have been completed.
4. Must be enrolled in at least nine semester hours of graduate coursework or undergraduate deficiencies if holding a graduate or research assistant position for fall/spring; or at least six semester hours if holding a teaching assistant position for fall/spring; or three semester hours for summer (any position). If it is the assistant's last semester of coursework (as verified by the degree plan on file in the Graduate School), it is acceptable to be registered for only the remaining required courses.
5. Sign an assistantship contract and complete all required employment paperwork.
Employment Requirements: All graduate assistants must participate in direct deposit of wages, which allows assistants to receive monthly stipends electronically from WIU. Additionally, if this is the student's first period of employment at WIU or if changes are necessary, an Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form and an Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate (W-4) must be completed in the Graduate School within three days of the contract begin date.
All graduate assistants under contract to the University will be assessed the student health insurance fee. A brochure explaining coverage of the student health insurance program is available at the Student Health Insurance Office, lower level of Beu Health Center, (309) 298-1882. Student health insurance may be waived if the student provides proof of equal or better deductible.
Graduate assistants must adhere to the same standards of professional ethics as regular faculty. All graduate assistants must conform to the Ethics Act of Illinois by completing the annual online test. Additionally, within 30 days of their begin date, newly hired assistants must review the WIU Ethics Orientation for Employees brochure and submit the signature/certification sheet to the Graduate School or the Office of the Vice President of Administrative Services, Sherman 200. The online brochure is available at http://www.wiu.edu/hr/documents/EthicsNewEmp.pdf.
All graduate assistants are required to complete online sexual harassment prevention training, in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act and in support of the University's anti-harassment policy. This training is administered by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access and may be accessed via https://secure.newmedialearning.com/psh/willinoisu.
In accordance with state statute, teaching assistants engaged in oral instruction in the classroom should be people who possess adequate competence in spoken English (unless the language of instruction is not English). For students whose native language is not English, this competence must be evaluated by the department chair. Certification of such evaluation is required on the Teaching Assistant Contract Request, which the department chair must submit to the Graduate School.
Teaching assistants are required to complete training on the WIUP University Information Management Systems (MVS) so they are able to enter grades online for the courses which they are assigned to teach. It is the responsibility of the teaching assistant to contact the Office of Human Resources ((309)298-1971 or Sherman Hall 105) to schedule the one-hour training session.
It is recommended by the Graduate School that graduate assistants not hold employment other than the assistantship.
Lump Sum Payment Request – Graduate Assistant Periodically, graduate assistants may perform duties in addition to their regular contract responsibilities. Supplemental pay for graduate assistants is processed via Lump Sum Payment Request – Graduate Assistant form available at wiu.edu/grad/lumpsumform.pdf. This method of payment is not to be used on a recurring basis.
Termination/Resignation: Resignation of an assistantship by a student or by a department/unit must be made to the Graduate School in writing. The employing unit or the Graduate School may terminate an assistantship contract for cause or if eligibility requirements are not met. Likewise, students may terminate a contract at any time for cause. As soon as an assistant has been terminated or has resigned, an e-mail notification will be sent to the hiring department's fiscal agent, the supervisor, and the student (using a WIU e-mail address).
Time Reporting: All assistantship personnel must record their hours worked via an online time reporting system. This report is not directly related to monthly stipend payments. Instructions for completing the time report may be found at wiu.edu/grad/GATimeReportingInstructions.pdf.
The School of Graduate Studies recognizes that the weekly scheduling of graduate assistant hours may vary across departments due to the variety of departmental needs. The Graduate Studies policy is meant to encompass the majority of situations and provide guidance for departments and graduate students. The Director of Graduate Studies should be consulted if a department's needs require a substantial deviation from these guidelines.
For most departments, a set schedule of a number of hours per week (20 for full award, 13 for 2/3 award) is the norm. Departments using this schedule should ensure that the total number of hours worked during the semester meets the standard for the amount of the assistantship. Departmental decisions to alter the GA schedule (e.g., to exclude duties during the first week or finals week) should increase the number of hours in the other weeks to account for the difference.
Assistantship personnel who are scheduled to work on a day that is listed on the academic calendar as a holiday or a University closure are excused from working that day and do not need to make up the hours later. Normally, assistants are not expected to work on a holiday or during the weeks of Spring Break and Thanksgiving Break unless it is written into their job description as an expectation. In this case, the assistant shall be compensated with equal time off or lump sum payment, as determined by unit policy or decision of supervisor.
While it is understood that individual departmental needs may demand additional student hours at certain times in a semester, care should be taken to ensure that the increased hours during those periods do not impede the student's academic progress. The number of hours during any one week should not exceed 20-25% more than the usual amount (a total of 24 hours for a full GA; 16 hours for a 2/3 GA). The overage should be documented and accounted for in a reduction of hours in other weeks.
Departments are encouraged to monitor the number of assistantship hours worked by means of assigned office or lab hours, during which grading, research assistance, and other preparatory tasks may be accomplished for supervising faculty or the department. In cases where this solution is impractical, some other method by which the department can monitor hours worked should be documented.
In all cases, graduate assistants should know the average number of hours that their assistantship duties require and should be encouraged to meet with their supervisor to discuss their assignment and the balance of hours between academic and assistantship duties. Clarification on these guidelines may be provided by the School of Graduate Studies.
Graduate Student Research and Professional Development Fund
The Graduate School strongly values professional development and research as important components of graduate study. As such, the Graduate Student Research and Professional Development Fund is designed to support student research projects and presentations, scholarly activities and professional development opportunities.
A minimum of $12,000 (up to $500 per recipient) will be available each academic year to degree-seeking graduate students. To be eligible for the award, students must be currently enrolled in a degree program, have at least a 3.0 graduate GPA, and have completed at least six semester hours of WIU graduate coursework.
Application deadline to be considered for the fall semester is September 15; for the spring/summer semesters is February 15. Applications should be submitted to the applicant's department chairperson on or before the deadline. A maximum of five applications may be submitted from each academic department. Departments must submit the applications to the Graduate School by October 1 (Fall) and March 1 (Spring/Summer).
Applications and full guidelines are available at wiu.edu/graduate_studies/current_students/index.php.
Special Opportunities for Minority Graduate Students
Financial assistance programs are available to students who are members of ethnic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in higher education. These programs include the President's Graduate Access Program for Under-represented Students (PGAP) and Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI). The PGAP award provides a stipend of $2,000 per semester, which is applied to tuition, fees, or other educational expenses. Students receiving graduate assistantships are not eligible for PGAP. Applications for the fall semester received before April 1 and applications for the spring semester received before November 1 will be given priority consideration. The DFI awards provide up to $20,000 annually. This program is designed to increase the number of minority faculty and staff at Illinois colleges and universities. Application deadline for the academic year is the previous February. Further DFI information and applications can be obtained at ibhe.state.il.us. PGAP applications are available at wiu.edu/scholarship.
Loans and Part-Time Employment
The University participates in the Federal Perkins Loan Program, the Federal Work Study Program, and the Federal Direct Loan Programs. For detailed information on the application process contact the Office of Financial Aid, Sherman Hall 127, (309) 298-2446. Please remember enrollment information is not always available to the financial aid office when a loan is processed. Therefore, a student's loan will be based on the assumption that they will be enrolled for nine hours each semester. Accordingly, revision to loan amounts may be necessary if students take less than nine semester hours. Federal loans and work study require at least six semester hours of graduate level course work each term plus enrollment in a qualified degree program. In addition, loans may be increased, by request, for the added amount of tuition if students register for more than 9 hours. Audit hours are not considered for financial aid.
Enrollment verification requests for the deferment of student loans may be requested through the Graduate School.
Note: Students enrolling in courses for more than one graduate degree or certificate at a time may jeopardize their financial aid eligibility. Students must earn their graduate degree/certificate before attempting more than 150% of the hours required for their first graduate degree/certificate. Hours beyond that may not be eligible for financial aid.
Departmental Scholarships
Some departments have scholarship opportunities for graduate students. Information concerning these scholarships can be obtained from the Scholarship Office, Sherman Hall 308, (309) 298-2001, or from the academic department.
Veterans Resource Center
The Veterans Resource Center, located in the Wright Residence, is committed to assisting those who have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military, and their family members. The Veterans Resource Center, in collaboration with an array of University departments and community organizations, provides coordinated services and resources in a one-stop location to ensure that all military service members are afforded the greatest opportunities for success. The center staff strives to provide a streamlined approach to helping veterans and military personnel obtain educational and military transcripts; complete applications for the G.I. Bill, Illinois Veterans Grant, Illinois National Guard Grant, Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship, Federal Tuition Assistance, and federal student aid programs. Individualized assistance in additional areas include, but are not limited to: questions regarding periods of military activation and deployment; obtaining appropriate housing accommodations; requesting military records; and acquiring community living information, outreach services, and health benefits. The Veterans Resource Center may be reached at (309) 298-3505.
Table of Contents
- General Information
- Campus and Facilities
- University Services
- Special Programs
- Admission
- Academic Guidelines
- Graduate School Policies
- Costs and Financial Assistance
- Programs of Study
- Integrated Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
- Other Departments Offering Courses for Graduate Credit
- Index


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PRETORIA, South Africa, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- South Africa's drive to become the continent's major arms exporter has failed, a leading European think tank reports, despite government hopes that weapons sales would help make the country the dominant power in the region.
But the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute observed in a new study that a significant portion of the arms Pretoria has sold to other states in the conflict-plagued continent "were vulnerable to abuse."
The report's author, Pieter Wezeman, said that some arms were shipped to Rwanda government forces before the genocide there in 1994 in which majority Hutu tribesmen massacred some 850,000 Tutsis.
Official South African data show that in 2000-09 arms were delivered to several states engaged in conflict, including Chad in 2008-09, Rwanda in 2004-09, Sudan in 2007-08 and Uganda in 2002-09.
"Assessing the impact these deliveries may have had on conflicts in these recipient countries is not possible because it remains unclear what type of equipment was delivered to which end-user and if and how it was used," Wezeman commented.
Pretoria doesn't usually comment on its arms exports but, based on what government data are available, South Africa seems to be willing to supply most sub-Saharan states, except Zimbabwe and those under U.N. arms embargo.
South Africa's high-tech defense industry is the most advanced on the continent. The only other continental state that comes close to its technological level is Egypt, long a military heavyweight in the Arab world.
When minority white rule ended in 1993 and the African National Congress took power, South Africa's arms industry was flourishing.
"Some people within the new ANC-led government saw arms exports as a potential tool for foreign policy and the industry as an essential attribute to a strong sovereign state," said Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI.
"They placed an emphasis on arms exports within Africa, in particular to states in southern Africa, an area perceived as South Africa's natural sphere of influence.
"Politicians and government officials hoped that arms sales within Africa would provide political leverage and they promoted arms sales as a key to establishing regional security cooperation," Wezeman observed.
"They argued that African states would benefit from buying South African arms because it would lessen their dependence on non-African sources.
"However, countries in Africa proved apprehensive of strengthening South African dominance in the region and have been hesitant about procuring arms from South Africa."
The downsizing of South Africa's military forces in the post-apartheid era forced the arms industry, once heavily bankrolled by the state, particularly in research and development, to depend on exports for survival.
According to industry statistics, exports accounted for 40-50 percent of the defense industry's turnover in 2003-07.
Government figures show that defense exports for that period were worth $5 billion. But of that, less than 5 percent, or $241 million, was accounted for by sub-Saharan African states.
Denel, the state-owned flagship of South Africa's defense sector and the largest arms manufacturer in Africa, reported in 2009 that of its overall export revenue of $165.8 million, only $6.7 million came from sales to other African states.
SIPRI noted that South Africa was the 17th largest arms exporter in the world in 2004-08 with reported defense sales of $2.5 billion to 96 countries.
The arms industry grew largely because South Africa was forced to manufacture its own military equipment after the apartheid regime was hit by U.N. economic sanctions in the 1960s. The United States added its weight in 1986.
South Africa's arms industry mushroomed, aided by Israel. The South Africans produced combat aircraft, armor, artillery and electronic systems for its military fighting black African adversaries.
But after minority white rule ended in 1994, the arms industry went into decline and it has never really recovered.
In 1993, there were 122 companies earning more than half their revenue from defense. In 2007, there were 49 and, unlike in the apartheid era, they depended on exports to survive.
Apart from Denel, the major players include Land Systems South Africa, a subsidiary of Britain's BAE Systems, one of the world's leading defense conglomerates. Others are Thales Defense Systems, Saab Grintek Defense & Technologies, Reutech and Aerosud, a civil and military aviation specialist.


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|J. I. Rodale (1898-1971)
On this day in history... a man died (big surprise, huh?).
Like the late James Ferrozzo, it wasn't so much that he died, but how he left us. In death, as in life, style and timing are everything.
Jerome Rodale was an early proponent of healthier eating, and his legacy continues today. He was one of the first to support sustainable agriculture, and believed crops should be grown without pesticides. His publishing empire lives on today, with the magazine Prevention, which he founded, and more recent additions such as Men's Health, Women's Health, and Runner's World.
On this day in 1971 he appeared on the then-popular television talk show, The Dick Cavett Show. It aired late-night, but was taped earlier each day in front of a live studio audience.
Mr. Rodale (age 72) was the first guest interviewed, and happily went over his beliefs in living a healthier lifestyle. He promoted the benefits of organic farming, and expressed his optimism over its effects on himself. Things he said during the show included:
"I'm in such good health that I fell down a long flight of stairs yesterday and I laughed all the way."
"I've decided to live to be 100."
"I never felt better in my life!"
"I'm going to live to be 100, unless I'm run down by some sugar-crazed taxi driver."
After the interview, Mr. Rodale sat back in his chair as Dick Cavett brought the next guest onstage (New York Post writer Pete Hamill). As Cavett and Hamill chatted, Rodale made a loud snoring noise, and appeared to doze off in his chair. The audience thought he was pretending to be bored, and laughed.
According to witnesses, Cavett asked "Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?" (Cavett to this day denies making that remark). Hamill looked at Rodale, then turned to Cavett and said "This looks bad."
Two production interns ran onstage and began doing CPR (unsuccessfully) on the healthy-lifestyle advocate as Cavett took the microphone and asked "Is there a doctor in the audience?"
Cavett, in a 2007 interview with the New York Times, said "I thought, 'Good God, I'm in charge here. What do I do?' Next thing I knew I was holding his wrist, thinking, I don't know anything about what a wrist is supposed to feel like."
Mr. Rodale was later found to have suffered a heart attack. The episode was never aired, with the network choosing to show a re-run in its scheduled place.


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The babies of a small village has been disappearing lately, rumour has it that a demon living in the forest has taken them. The monster has the appearance of a shriveled old woman. A hag, disheveled, with maniacal appearance, wild-looking hair, and an oversized gaping mouth. Long pendelous breasts. The villagers say she eats the newborns and has sharp claws that are created for mangling. No one dears to challenge her, enter the PCs.
Encounter ( Forest/ Jungle ) | February 15, 2011 | 3xp


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1 in custody after "possible security threat" aboard Denver flight
DENVER – Officials say one person was taken into custody following a "possible security threat" on a Denver-bound flight.
Denver International Airport spokeswoman Laura Coale says Frontier Airlines flight 601 from Knoxville, Tenn., landed safely at 7:30 p.m. MDT Friday and was moved to a remote location.
She says in a recorded statement that the FBI and police responded due to "a possible security threat on board," and one person was taken into custody.
Coale says a police bomb squad also responded, but did not provide any more information on the nature of the possible threat.
Other passengers were interviewed by authorities.
Media reports say there were 136 passengers and five crew members aboard.


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If you continue to encounter this error, please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at (217) 244-7000. Please provide a description of the problem, including which service you are trying to access, any specific error messages you receive, and your NetID.


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Mark Pitchford specializes in software test as a Field Applications Engineer with LDRA.
Software test tools have been traditionally designed with the expectation that the code has been (or is being) designed and developed following an ideal development process which adheres to a best practice approach. Such an approach implies the existence of clearly defined requirements, an adherence to corporate or international coding standards, a well-controlled development process, and a coherent test regime.
Legacy code turns the ideal process on its head. Although such code is a valuable asset, proven in the field over many years, it was likely to have been developed on an experimental, ad hoc basis by a series of "gurus" -- experts who prided themselves at getting things done and in knowing the application itself, but not necessarily expert at complying with modern development thinking and bored with providing complete documentation.
Frequently, this legacy software -- software of unknown pedigree ("SOUP") -- forms the basis of new developments which must meet modern coding standards either due to client demands or simply a policy of continuous improvement within the developer organization. The need to leverage the value of SOUP while meeting new standards and further developing functionality presents its own set of unique challenges.
The Dangers of SOUP
Many SOUP projects will have initially been subjected to functional system testing which usually offers very poor code coverage, leaving many code paths unexercised. When that code is applied in service, the different data and circumstances are likely to use many such paths for the first time and hence unexpected results may occur (Figure 1).
The European System and Software Initiative "Performance of Errors through experience-driven Test" (PET) investigated this phenomenon and agreed that deployed code often possesses many errors. Their findings demonstrated that the number of bugs that can be found by newer methods of testing, such as static and dynamic analysis, is quite large, even in code that has been through functional system testing and has subsequently been released.
It is often argued that legacy code which forms the basis of new developments has been adequately tested just by being deployed in the field. However, even in the field, it is highly likely that the circumstances required to exercise some parts of the code have never (and possibly can never) occur. It follows that many unexercised paths are likely to remain in software tested only through functional testing and in the field, and such applications have therefore sustained little more than an extension of functional system testing by their in-field use.
When there is a requirement for ongoing development of legacy code for later revisions or new applications, previously unexercised code paths are likely to be called into use by combinations of data never previously encountered (Figure 2).
Such situations may become particularly challenging when the legacy code has been developed by individuals who have long since left the development team, particularly if the legacy code originates from a time when documentation was not of the high standard expected today.
Given that commercial pressures often rule out a rewrite, what options are available?
Static Analysis of SOUP's Dynamic Behavior
Exercising all routes through legacy code may appear to be a daunting task, and there are a number of static analysis tools on the market which use mathematical techniques such as abstract interpretation to try to verify all possible executions of a program. As a result, they aim to prove which operations are free of run-time errors, including overflows, divisions by zero, buffer overflows, or pointer issues, and which identify where run-time errors will or might occur.
Such claims sound appealing, especially if engineers believe the half truth that problems can be isolated without any need for code to be changed or even understood.
It is indeed true that some problems,in simpler code sections can be readily isolated and corrected with relatively little knowledge of the code, and that such successes can provide great encouragement during tool evaluation. It is easy to derive some level of warm, fuzzy feelings that the software is reasonably robust in this way.
However, where source code is complex such tools have to rely ever more heavily on data approximations and hence raise many false warnings. These require the user to confirm or deny the existence of each problem in the very code sections which by definition are likely to represent the most complex parts of the application and the most obtuse parts of the sources.
Even setting that aside, these tools provide no evidence that the code is functionally correct -- and software which is proven to be robust but which remains functionally flawed is unusable.
Using Static and Dynamic Analysis In Combination
If the panacea of purely static techniques is a mirage, then how can the more traditional combination of static and dynamic methodologies be adapted to address the unique demands of SOUP?
The traditional application of formal test tools demands the sequence outlined in Figure 3.
The team facing the task of building on SOUP will be required to follow a more pragmatic approach not only because the code already exists, but also because the code itself may well be the only available detailed (or at least current) "design document". In other words, the existing code effectively defines the functionality of the system rather than any documentation. In enhancing the existing code, it is vital that the existing functionality is not unintentionally modified either by rewriting to meet coding standards or as the result of the enhancements under development.
The challenge is therefore to identify and use the building blocks within the test tools which, when used in a different sequence, can help in creating an efficient enhancement of SOUP.


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Rick Bidlack shows us the basics of Background Recording, a VoxPro feature that allows you to do other work in VoxPro while continuing to record audio in the background.
VoxPro How-To: Tips and Tricks Videos
Logging and and logging out may seem like VoxPro's most fundamental features, but Rick gives us the basics just the same in this video.
In this lesson, Rick Bidlack, lead developer of VoxPro, goes over the setting of input and output audio devices for the editor and Hot Keys.
Rick Bidlack, the man behind VoxPro's inner workings, gives us a tour of the VoxPro screen in "Classic Mode," describing each feature.
Wheatstone's lead developer of VoxPro, Rick Bidlack, takes us through some of the most basic editing features of the premiere recorder/editor software for the radio industry.
VoxPro lead developer Rick Bidlack takes us through some of the playback features of VoxPro6 in this short video.
Rick Bidlack takes a couple of minutes to show us the various scrubbing functions in VoxPro6 and how to use and configure them.
In this video we get a quick introduction to basic recording using VoxPro6.
Wheatstone's Rick Bidlack, lead developer of VoxPro, introduces us to the concept of Insert Recording, which allows us to insert material at any point in the middle of an existing file.
Rick Bidlack shows us the basics of Background Recording, a VoxPro6 feature that allows you to do other work in VoxPro while continuing to record audio in the background.
Rick Bidlack teaches us a bit about the Auto Record function in VoxPro6, which allows recording several elements (calls, etc.) sequentially without stopping to name each one.
Rick Bidlack, lead developer of VoxPro, shows us the basics of the multitrack mode in VoxPro6, which allows playing mulitple files at once, so you can add music and sound effects to your work.
In a previous video, Rick Bidlack introduced us to the multitrack feature of VoxPro6. Here, he goes into a bit more detail, showing us how to manipulate and render (mix down) a multitrack file.
Rick Bidlack shows us the basics of Gap Buster, a VoxPro6 feature that automates the removal of undesired silence from any audio track.
In this video, VoxPro's Rick Bidlack shows us how to calibrate the Gap Buster feature of VoxPro6 to compensate for such things as background noise.
Rick Bidlack, lead developer of VoxPro, gives us an introduction to using the Voice Slip feature of VoxPro6 to eliminate talkover in an interview.
Rick Bidlack describes the Back Slip function in VoxPro6, which is sort of the opposite of Voice Slip ... it CREATES overlap or talkover.
As an introduction to the Hot Key feature in VoxPro, lead developer Rick Bidlack gives us the basics on turning on the Hot Key window and dragging a file in, creating a new Hot Key.
Rick Bidlack continues his instruction on the use of Hot Keys in VoxPro with a tutorial on moving audio between the active file and a Hot Key.
This third lesson on VoxPro Hot Keys from lead developer Rick Bidlack shows us how to edit an existing hot key.
In this fourth lesson on VoxPro Hot Keys, Rick Bidlack shows us several different ways to label, display, and configure the Hot Key window, including how to move the Hot Keys to a separate monitor.
Markers are a key feature of VoxPro. Here, Rick Bidlack shows us how to create a marker in the first of several lessons about markers.
In this, the second of Rick Bidlack's helpful lessons on the use of markers in VoxPro, we learn how to edit or move a marker that's already been placed.
In the third of a series of lessons by Rick Bidlack about the use of markers in VoxPro, we learn how to insert markers into a file while it's being played, which we call inserting markers "on the fly."
Following up on the tutorial where we learned to insert markers "on the fly," Rick Bidlack shows us that we can insert markers during a recording, too!
In this final tutorial on VoxPro markers, Rick Bidlack shows us the various options under the "Marker" menu in VoxPro6.
Can you edit the two channels of a stereo VoxPro file independently? You bet you can, and Rick Bidlack shows us just how to do that.
VoxPro's lead developer, Wheatstone's Rick Bidlack, explains how to vary the length of a clip without changing the pitch using VoxPro's Pitch and Time function.
In this handy tutorial, Rick Bidlack shows us how to modify the time duration of a clip in order to fit it into a fixed time slot.
Amazingly, you can't really accidentally lose anything you record on VoxPro6. Rick Bidlack shows us why that's so.
Rick Bidlack describes the Back Slip function in VoxPro6, which is sort of the opposite of Voice Slip ... it CREATES overlap or talkover.
In this video intended mainly for administrators and experts, Rick shows us where the VoxPro software stores its own files as well as the files and folders created by its users.
In this second "under the hood" lesson for experts and administrators, Rick shows us that if files get moved around, added, or deleted to the folders VoxPro "owns," we need to manually update the database before VoxPro can work with those files again.
In this third lesson on the VoxPro Filesystem (for experts and engineers), Rick shows us where the software stores information on each of its users, and how to manipulate those lists.
VoxPro 7 - What's New Videos
VoxPro Overview
In this video, we'll introduce you to VoxPro, the de facto standard audio recorder/editor for live radio broadcast use. It's hard to walk into any radio studio in the world today and not see VoxPro next to the console.
DJ Kim Ashley Using VoxPro Live In Studio
In this video, DJ Kim Ashley from Fresh 102.7 in NY gives an impromptu demonstration of how VoxPro works in a live, on-the-air setting.
Video shot by Elissa Nieves
The Original Vintage 1995 VoxPro Promo Video
Seattle radio's former/great top-40 DJ Charlie Brown hosts this rare 1995 sales video re a new invention called the VoxPro® - where he also played a big part in the development - for radio broadcasters and station production in the digital recording and expert editing of audio to use on-the-air. This unit is believed to be the FIRST digital tool that was used primarily for radio stations via the Apple computer software.
You'll also see how this once performed (at 3:10) on Seattle's now-defunct KRPM K-106 Radio with Ichabod Caine (who left 94.1 KMPS since late '90s), at Newsradio 710 KIRO (now all-sports) and with KUBE-FM's former deejay Chet Buchanan.
Charlie has since retired and he and Kimberly have sold VoxPro to Wheatstone Corporation in 2015.
Rick Bidlack on VoxPro 6 at NAB 2016
In the Wheatstone booth at NAB 2016, Scott Fybush talks with Chief Engineer Rick Bidlack about VoxPro 6, the latest version of the extremely popular recorder/editor that is now part of the Wheatstone family.
Kaden on VoxPro 6 at NAB 2016
By Josh Gordon - A crowd unexpectedly gathered at the Wheatstone booth during the NAB show in Las Vegas last month when KISS-FM's afternoon drive personality, who goes by the name of Kaden, stopped by to be filmed in a demo video for the new VoxPro 6.0 digital recorder/editor, the radio industry standard for real-time audio editors.
According to Rick Bidlack, VoxPro product manager at Wheatstone, "There was no plan for a crowd. We were going to quietly shoot an educational video showing how a DJ can edit down a listener phone-in call. When the video production crew turned up the audio of the editing system so it could be heard on the video recording, passersby could hear what was going on. Within a minute, about 25 people were watching the shoot, with more on the way."
What drew the crowd was the Phoenix jock himself. Starting with a real listener phone call used a week before on-air, along with a microphone attached to the VoxPro 6.0, he rapidly edited and transformed an ordinary phone conversation into a polished, edgy and airable listener call. The crowd loved it. Kaden's reaction: "We jocks use VoxPro as a golden tool to pack the most personality and entertainment into the shortest time possible. In Top 40 radio, the golden rule is keep the music moving. A typical phoner can't slow the pace, and needs to sell our brand and personality. A typical call may be 2-3 minutes in length; the best 20 seconds makes it on the air and we have to keep it fun!" Several in the crowd commented how Kaden's flingers flew in a blur as he used the new VoxPro 6.0 controller. Explained Kaden, "The controller is designed to be very fast. We take phone calls while songs and commercials are playing, then heavily edit and get them on-air, almost in real time. If you do this for a few years, you get very fast. When I'm on the air, my eyes are on the computer screen, and my fingers do all the work, making the call as tight and entertaining as possible."
Radio Peeps Interview with Big Tom Lawler About VoxPro Academy
Episode 35 is a full 30 minutes devoted to the first VoxPro Academy. Radio Peeps host David Jackson, talking with Big Tom Lawler, covers everything you'd like to know. AND, the entire episode was captured on VoxPro6!
More Wheatstone Videos
Idea Factory Videos
We asked some of our folks to go on camera and simply talk to each other. We think you'll like what they had to say... unrehearsed and unscripted. Be sure to check out this series which gets into great detail about how and why Wheatstone does what it does with respect to Wheatstone and Audioarts consoles, our television audio products, our audio processing gear, as well as WheatNet-IP.
Wheatstone Interviews the Broadcast Industry
At this year's NAB show, we invited many people from all corners of the industry to join us in conversations about all things broadcast. Obviously, we focused on audio for broadcast because, well, it's what we know.
We didn't really know what to expect, but the results definitely exceeded even our greatest expectations. We touched on many, many subjects and heard some fascinating things about what people are doing with audio in the broadcast world. Each of these videos is a wealth of information spanning every aspect of audio for broadcast.


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- Signature 'CAZAL' lens insignia
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NOTE: The condition on our vintage product is as pictured; all vintage product is guaranteed to be authentic. All sales on vintage are final, contact email@example.com with any questions.
Vintage Cazal Sunglasses Turquoise


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|10:10 AM PT11:10 AM MT12:10 PM CT1:10 PM ET13:10 ET17:10 GMT1:10 10:10 AM MST12:10 PM EST12:40 PM VEN21:10 UAE12:10 PM CT, July 11, 2018
Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota Attendance: 26,708
Royals aim for consecutive wins over Twins
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins signed veteran right-hander Lance Lynn in March in the hopes of bolstering their starting rotation for a possible run to the postseason after reaching the wild-card game a year ago.
Lynn (6-7, 5.21 ERA), who gets the starting nod Wednesday as the Twins wrap up a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals at Target Field, still could be a deciding factor during the season's final months, but it may not be while wearing a Twins uniform.
The 31-year-old has quietly pitched his way into the annual rumor mill ahead of baseball's annual non-waiver trade deadline by going 5-3 with a 3.49 ERA in his last nine starts, including a 2.83 ERA in five June outings.
He was tagged for seven runs and failed to get out of the second inning in his first July start but bounced back his last time out, holding the Orioles to a run on six hits while striking out three over six innings to snap a two-game losing streak.
Lynn himself is partially to blame for the Twins' woes in 2018. He opened the season 1-4 with a 7.47 ERA through his first eight starts before turning it around.
Combined with his track record during six seasons with the Cardinals, which includes a 5-4 record and 4.50 ERA in 24 postseason appearances, Lynn could be an attractive player for a contender looking to round out its rotation.
"He's been fairly steady for us," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It looks like he's really got command of his fastball. He can notch it up when he needs to."
Lynn is 1-1 with a 5.04 ERA in five career starts against the Royals. One of those starts came this season, when he allowed two runs and six hits over six innings and picked up a win in an 8-5 victory over the Royals on May 28.
Minnesota sits 8 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the AL Central after having its five-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night by Kansas City.
The Royals had dropped 10 in a row coming into Tuesday's contest and will try to win consecutive games for the first time since taking the last two contests of a three-game series with the Twins in Kansas City on May 29-30.
Twins right-hander Burch Smith (0-0, 5.40) will get his first start since 2013 on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old right-hander made seven starts for the Padres in 2013 but returned to the minors a year later before missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons following Tommy John surgery.
He spent last season in the Rays' minor league system and was acquired by the Royals after the Mets selected him sixth overall in the Rule 5 draft last winter.
Working out of the bullpen for Kansas City, Smith appeared in 24 games, allowing 23 runs on 38 hits with 39 strikeouts and 21 walks in 38 1/3 innings.
When struggling starter Jason Hammel was moved to the bullpen, manager Ned Yost decided to give Smith a chance.
"He's got more of a starter's mentality than a reliever, if you understand what I'm saying," Yost said. "It takes him a long time to get loose. He's got routines. It's not good for a reliever."
Smith has made two career appearances against the Twins, both this season as a reliever. He gave up five hits, three walks and seven runs over three innings in those outings, but did not get a decision in either.
Updated July 11, 2018


text: What is the 642 Club? Just a place to hang a snubnose post? No. We are a testament to a very popular revolver. We are a front-line, almost real-time, almost face-to-face, first-rate reference, with a vast wealth of knowledge on grips, ammo, carry methods, etc. I am proud of this, particularly with all the new members coming on board. Without a doubt, this thread itself has become a vital accessory to the 642. And we are trying to positively influence the manufacture of new 642 accessories with the Hogue grips petition. Instead of asking "What is the 642 Club?", we should really ask "Who is the 642 Club?". We are a band of friendly, decent folk who have bonded (albeit maybe loosely) around a very cool snubnose revolver. This is a good thread because it is made up of good people, and together we have created a warm, decent place on the web. I'm thankful we have such a quality board on which to exist. The High Road is a beacon on the internet and a standard that every board should follow. Thank you, Oleg and moderators for letting us be here. I do hope we will be seen as a thread with substance and not just size. While I do have a life outside THR, I am proud of my membership here. When I created post #1, I never could have imagined this thread would grow to over 5000 posts and I never could have do it alone. In other words, this happened because of you--over 600 of you--not me. So....thanks. What's next? I think we should keep doing what we've been doing--stay friendly, post your range reports, post your reviews on ammo, holsters, etc., help the newbies, and if you discover/experience anything new with your 642, be sure to share it. I hope this thread is as big a blessing to you as it is to me. Safe shootin'. Peace, fiVe


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Terms & Conditions
Y Gwynedd Terms & Conditions
Nobody really likes pages and pages of 'small print' with complicated jargon & hard to understand phrases. However sadly these days they are a fact of life. Here at the Gwynedd Inn & Restaurant we have done our best to keep it all to a minimum, but the following terms should be read & understood as by making a booking with us, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.
To book a room, we must have credit card details. This shall include the card number, expiry date, start date (if applicable), issue number (if applicable), CVC code, billing postcode, house number, card holder name & issuing bank. The card shall be checked but we do NOT charge the card in advance unless there is a breach of the cancellation policy detailed below
Please note, we no longer accept cheques.
You shall be liable for any damage caused to any part of the hotel and grounds or equipment by yourself or any person invited by you or on your behalf. The hotel shall not accept liability in respect of any loss or damage to articles brought into the hotel or to vehicles left in the car park.
Cancellation & Curtailment
All bookings (except special offers which have their own, stricter cancellation policies) are governed by the main hotel cancellation policy.
Credit Card Secured Bookings
In the event of a cancellation more than seven days in advance, the hotel will cancel the booking with no financial penalty providing notice is received at least seven days in advance of the first nights stay.
In the event of a cancellation less than seven days in advance, a charge equivalent to the total firsts nights booking shall be charged to the card on record as a cancellation fee. This means that if the stay was for (say) three nights, you would be charged for the first night only. However if the stay was for just one night, you would still be charged for the one night.
All Bookings
Some periods require a minimum stay of two or three nights. If you cut your break short during one of these periods, you shall still be charged for the full minimum period. This means that if the stay was for (say) two nights and the minimum booking was two nights, even if you only stayed one night you would still be charged for two nights.
Nobody likes to pay cancellation charges, particularly if the reason for cancelling is for some kind of emergency, so for this reason we STRONGLY advice taking out ADEQUATE TRAVEL INSURANCE to cover you for this unfortunate event.
Check In & Check Out Times
Your room will be ready for you to check in to by 3.00pm. If you arrive earlier than this, we will try our best to accommodate but this cannot be guaranteed.
Check out time is 10.30am on the day of departure. We will try and be flexible on this if you tell us and we can accommodate, however if you check out later than this but before 1.00pm we reserve the right to charge the equivalent of an extra half day's date. If you check out later than 1pm, you shall be charged for a full extra days stay.
Any form of intoxicating liquor must not be brought onto the premises without prior consent of the management. A corkage may be charged in certain circumstances.
Since Monday, 2nd April 2007, the Smoking ban has come into force in in Wales. as such Y Gwynedd is now STRICTLY TOTALLY NON SMOKING VENUE. This INCLUDES all bedrooms and the entire building. It is illegal to smoke anywhere in the building. If you want a smoking bedroom, please DO NOT BOOK. All our bedrooms are strictly NON smoking rooms. They are all fitted with highly sensitive smoke detectors. If you smoke in a non smoking room, you shall be charged a non negotiable £100 per night supplement for deep cleaning etc. You might set off the fire alarm, may infringe the law and you may also be asked to leave the premises immediately.
Please take good care of your room key. If you loose the key, we have to change the locks and you shall be charged £50 towards our costs of doing so.
Y Gwynedd, Y Gwynedd Inn, Y Gwynedd Inn & Restaurant (and formerly The Gwynedd Hotel & Gwynedd Hotel & Restaurant) are trading names for Llanberis Leisure Ltd, who operate the business. Llanberis Leisure Ltd is a registered company no 4617696. Registered Address Office 6A, Popin Business Centre, South Way, Wembley, Middx, HA9 0HF. Vat No 805 9050 40.


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It's August, and for hundreds of high school football players in the area, that can only mean one thing � it's time to get serious.
It's August, and for hundreds of high school football players in the area, that can only mean one thing � it's time to get serious.
On Thursday, local football teams will get to work, in preparation for the season-opener in three weeks. It's the first day teams can hold mandatory, organized practices.
Havelock starts its venture toward winning a third-consecutive state title, while New Bern is looking to defend its 4A state championship.
West Craven and Jones Senior are aspiring to build on its playoff appearances from last year, and Pamlico is out to prove it is better than a one-win squad under first-year head coach Kevin Yost.
Here's when the local football teams hit the practice field on Thursday: New Bern gets started in the morning at 8 a.m.; Havelock is set to begin in the morning, as well, at 8 a.m.
West Craven plans on practicing in the evening at 5:30 p.m.; Pamlico is expecting to go at 6 p.m.; Jones Senior will hit the field at 4 p.m.
Last season, New Bern finished with an area-best 15-0 record. The Bears knocked off Porter Ridge, 39-38, in Chapel Hill in the 4A state championship game last November. Havelock, whose lone loss was to New Bern, went 15-1 last season after knocking off Concord, 55-21, in Winston-Salem in the 3A state finals.
West Craven improved to 6-6 last season under first-year coach Matt Riggsbee. The Eagles season ended with a loss to Washington in the first round of the postseason. Jones Senior won its final two games of the regular season to qualify for the 2012 playoffs. Pamlico won just one game in each of the past two seasons.
The new season begins on Aug. 23.
New Bern hosts Durham Hillside; Havelock travels to Washington; West Craven hits the road to play Edenton Holmes; Pamlico travels to Croatan; Jones Senior opens at home against Kinston.


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A small company has found a way to synthesize Petrol form air and water
A small company has found a way to synthesize Petrol form air and water
So it is same as hydrogen fuel cell, but smarter. Good.
This discovery is not going to be of any harm to the developing demand for EV's.
There is one thing that is good about this synthetic petrol. And that is that it is better to use this synthetic petrol than petrol that comes from oil (which is a real disaster for our planet).
Although the energy it takes to produce this synthetic petrol is more than the energy produced, it still could be useful up to a certain level. Offcourse, nothing beats EV's that can be driven on electricity which is generated through solar panels using pure sunlight (although wind energy is not bad either).
I think that at a certain point in time (2050?) the fast majority of vehicles on the road will be electric. But not 100%!!! There will always be people who will be stubborn. They will never leave their vehicles with an ICE. Let's say that 1% of all the vehicles on the road will be vehicles with an ICE. To make it possible for these stubborn people to drive their ICE vehicles, I would say let them use this synthetical petrol (which can be produced by using solar energy and wind energy). It might be inefficient, yes. But that is not the most important priority. The really most important priority is that we eliminate consumption of oil (petrol etc.). This synthetic petrol can be used to keep these stubborn people happy, and not having them polluting the environment, at the same time. Think about it. There is unlimited sunshine and wind. We have the technology to build/construct/manufactur/engineer all things that we need to make this possible.
Thinking that one day all the vehicles on our planet will be electric is appealing and ideal, but it is not realistic (because of the stubborn part of mankind).
More like 2025 than 2050 IMO. I don't think many ICE cars survive longer than that.
One day not far in future there will not be any ICE cars beyond museum-pieces simply because they break down and no-one repairs them anymore. Other ICE vehicles might survive a bit longer, and not all will be battery-electric because it would be stupid to use that to everything.
@ Timo
I would prefer a world with only EV. And the earlier the better. So, 2025 sounds good to me as well. Let that be clear.
Do not underestimate how stubborn people can be. There are people who restore old cars because they are so passionate about certain models from the past. They take these cars from scratch and they invest loads of money and time into it, just to have them restored in original condition because they have this passion for these cars. These people drive these cars on a sunny day just for fun. And they drive these cars a few 1,000 km per year in total. These people do not care about efficiency or money. For them it's the passion that counts. Do not underestimate the passion of these stubborn people.
That's how I define "museum-piece", and I'm OK with that.
These people have these old cars not only to look at them (in a museum), but also to really drive in these old cars. And when they really have to do that, I would prefer them doing that using this new synthetic petrol rather than petrol that comes from oil. That is my point.
This process go via hydrogen. It uses even more energy, as hydrogen electrolysis is only a part of the process.
Not sure if this will be a viable path, way to energy consuming. As a chrisis solution if we run out of oil tomorrow, perhaps..
TIMO are you serious about 2025? That is a scant 12 years away. EV's are struggleing to reach .5% market share. Do you really think all car companies will be able to convert to EV's in 12 years even if they wanted to?
I have had many cars over 20 years old, not show cars not museum cars just basic transportation cars. Even if we were to go 100% EV by 2025 there will be millions of ICE cars still road worthy.
While I own an EV and believe it is the future we have a LONG way to go. A very long way.
@ Runar
Even if we do not run out of oil. We have to stop burning oil in any case. That's the whole point. And as long as there will be ICE vehicles, people will want to drive in them as well. So, we need something that can be used to as fuel for these ICE vehicles, so that there will be no pollution. This synthetic petrol (which can be produced with solar energy and wind energy) can be the sollution for that. Even if it is not efficient. The point is that we need something to keep these stubborn people happy with their ICE vehicles. As these stubborn people will never put a foot in a EV. That's their choice. It would not be my choice. I like EV.
@ DHrivnak
So, 2050 (my initial estimate) is more likely?
Now we just need to make coal from air, then wood from air... and complete the circle. :-P
This is ridiculous. Here is a better analysis:
"Sixty kWh of electric energy are used up to store 9 kWh of that energy in a liter of gasoline. "... "To synthesize sufficient gasoline to supply the world's present consumption would require about half of all energy currently being used by civilization in any form – heating, manufacturing, lighting, transportation, and so on."
LOL Yes, it's inane. Where do all the kWh come from to make the synthetic oil?
For the incurably dim, when energy in > energy out, you have a net SINK. A bottomless HOLE. You can never pour enough into it to fill it (break even), much less build a hill. BTW, hydrocarbons are not going away. To quote one industry letter, some experts are now calling the US' supply of natural gas "effectively infinite". It is by far the cheapest source of energy currently in existence, and as such is empowering the revival of whole industries in the US.
@DHrivnak "TIMO are you serious about 2025? That is a scant 12 years away. EV's are struggleing to reach .5% market share"
That's just because Tesla is just starting ;-)
When big old ones see how Tesla starts to eat their share in serious way they get serious at doing their own versions of the car. I believe that a company with several times the resources Tesla has doesn't have any trouble to make proper EV in record time if they really wanted. Problem just is that there is no will for that to happen (yet).
Though 2025 is too soon, I just reacted to 2050 which is too far into future IMO. Problem with me is that it feels like 2003 and not 2013. We should have already colonized Mars and wondering about terraforming Venus. World seems to come several decades behind Tesla.
@ Brian H
What about the stubborn people who will never let go of their ICE vehicles? Just let them keep on burning petrol (that comes from oil)? Like this, pollution will never stop.
The amount of pollution from modern cars is not actually an issue. And CO2 is not a pollutant. If anything, it's an agricultural resource. By any and all measures, it's effect on climate is scientifically negligible, and positive were it measurable.
When the Cooling starts, we'll wish it weren't so, however. (We're overdue to start back on the slide into the Little Ice Age, or even the Big Ice Age. You won't like it.)
@Brian H:
"The amount of pollution from modern cars is not actually an issue."
I'm going to have to disagree, but I will say that my little Hyundai Accent was recently e-tested and blew 1/100th of the allowable emissions on most of the specific tests. It was impressive. You are definitely right in that modern automobiles are better at containing many types of emissions. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to move towards EVs and possibly targeted hybrids though! (If for no other reason than we need to keep oil for other purposes.)
@BrianH - the battery in your Model S is like that -- more energy goes into it than you get out of it. So, just that fact isn't sufficient to dismiss this, but the scale of that inefficiency and the fact you still wind up with all the emissions issues is.
Also, the current levels of natural gas production are only possible with fracking, which has issues all its own.
Energy "in" to a battery pack vs "energy out" is not an an accurate model because the battery is a storage platform. The pack does not generate energy, it stores it much like a gas tank in an ICE.
So over the packs lifetime it probably stores / delivers much more usable energy to power ?? than it takes to build it.
If it took more energy to produce electricity than was produced (I am talking about expended energy), you would never get a kW over the wires to put in the battery. It would be like spending $15 to earn $10 total return.
Can they synthesize gold from lead also?
"What about the stubborn people who will never let go of their ICE vehicles?"
I think you guys are being a bit unfair. Eventually, most people will recognize that an EV will work fine for them 90% of the time. When the costs come down, I think there will be a day when almost all the cars driving around are EV's.
When we get to that point, we won't care if a very small percentage of people use an ICE. In fact, I think that's the beauty of it. It will be about a significant has cows farting or you and I exhaling CO2.
90% of people are happy with their commuter cars, and they don't care how ir works, as long as it does. Then there's some others who love to drive their special cars, whatever it is, every day, and still there's others who have some kind of special car they use for special occassions, like car shows, or racing, or whatever.
I think that's the beauty of it. When the vast majority of driving is done by EV, we won't care if a small amount of enthusiasts use ICE for whatever they like. It simply won't be that significant.
Yes, I believe there will be a hump that we need to get over, where your so-called "stubborn" people might hesitate to buy an EV, but eventually, it will be seen as silly not too, assuming the technology, and the industry really works. Switches like these always take time, and I feel like the economics and quality of EVs will eventually work out in the market. I don't feel like we should "push" EV's on people, and I don't feel that we will ever need to either. It will come about naturally.
Yes, in the end we should be happy with the fact that the fast majority will be driving an EV. And the few people who will not be driving an EV? They will be too few and they will not be able to cause any substantial problems.
"Can they synthesize gold from lead also?"
Yes, yes they can!
"Yes, in the end we should be happy with the fact that the fast majority will be driving an EV. And the few people who will not be driving an EV? They will be too few and they will not be able to cause any substantial problems."
I am usually fairly pedantic and inflexible about ICE-based cards but I think it's important for some recreational and historic vehicles to remain in service. Besides, we don't want to be entirely disabled for transportation the next time the electrical grid goes down.
Essentially I think many of us would like to see a strong mix of environmentally-concious vehicles available for purchase/rent or as part of our public transport network.
As long as the pollution of the planet is minimized enormously, it's OK with me.
About being disabled with a blackout...
I see that some time in the not too distant future, away from the city centers they will be more independent of the grid because of solar panels on the roof of their homes. There is some good development progress here too. Sun is everywhere so collection of its energy can be too (almost but maybe not near the poles). Then there is wind energy too. This is what I like about EV's, they are the ultimate flex-fuel vehicles. It helps to make one less dependent on the big corporations for energy. I also see home and community based power generation with the grid essentially serving as a balancing the demand capacity equation.
In the future we will more and more rely on the sun and the wind as our main sources of energy.
Or not. LPPhysics.com 's Focus Fusion would replace them all forever at 1% the cost.
And with 1% of 1% of the environmental destruction and waste.
Right, I forgot about that one. But it has not been completely finalised yet, but it seems that they will do that in a few years time. I hope that they will manage to do it.
Therefore I only mentioned the sun and the wind, as these technologies are already available today.
IMO, they are grossly overpriced, damaging technologies on the large scale; suitable for small isolated applications, being misapplied to large systems. They cannot cover base load, only interfere with the economical operation of power plants that can. As proven by the soaring power prices wherever they are relied upon.
The Invisible Hand: You WILL pay the real prices for goods and services, however much you try to avoid it.
Maybe we should pay the "real" cost. Nothing makes people waste less than facing economic consequence.
The $90K car is a way-station. Fools and babies should never see unfinished work. (Scots saying).


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The scoop: Backup Plus Fast external storage drive, by Seagate, about $270 (for 4TB capacity)
What is it? The latest external storage hard drive from Seagate, the Backup Plus FAST drive was announced at the 2014 International CES sporting a whopping 4TB of data. The all-in-black portable drive connects to your PC or Macintosh via USB 3.0 cable (two cables are provided, one which offers additional USB power if your older system needs it). The latest version of Seagate Dashboard software provides additional backup capabilities that enhance the drive you can download photos and videos from social sites (Facebook and Flickr) to the drive, as well as upload photos and videos from the drive to other social sites (Facebook, Flickr and YouTube). Mobile phone users (both iOS and Android) can access the Seagate Backup app, which lets you back up photos and videos from your device to either the cloud (Dropbox or Google Drive) or indirectly to the drive (works via Wi-Fi if the phone/app and PC-connected drive is on the same Wi-Fi network).
Why it's cool: The data transfer speed improvements that Seagate has made to their drives is remarkably impressive. In our speed tests, we achieved write speeds between 225M and 253MBps, and read speeds between 218M and 236MBps. These are dramatically faster than similar USB 3.0 speeds we saw on some other drives (for example, a USB 3.0-connected G-Drive ev unit achieved about 128MBps. of write and read speeds. These speeds even trounced a Thunderbolt-connected storage drive system (see below), which tested at 127MBps of write and read speeds.
Here's a quick comparison of some of the speeds we achieved with the drive:
- Connected to USB 2.0 port, Seagate Backup Plus FAST drive, (MacBook Pro, 2011) 25M-30MBps write, 32M-34MBps read.
- USB 3.0 port, WD Passport drive (connected to HP EliteBook 840 G1) 88M-89MBps write, 88M-89MBps read.
- USB 3.0 G-Tech ev drive (connected to MacBook Air, 2013) 128MBps write, 127MBps read.
- Thunderbolt-connected G-Tech docking station, G-Drive ev unit 125MBps write, 127MBps read. (Add Thunderbolt docking station via MacBook Air)
- USB 3.0 port, Seagate Backup Plus FAST drive (HP EliteBook) 253MBps write, 218MBps read.
If the speed factor alone doesn't pique your interest, maybe the 4TB capacity will. I'm still having a hard time filling up some of my 1TB drives with video footage (despite a considerable effort to do so), and now this drive gives me four times the capacity. For videographers experimenting with new 4K resolution cameras and footage, the extra capacity will be welcomed.
Having the additional capacity on the drive does add some weight to the unit, compared with similar Seagate drives such as the Slim (the Slims are about half the height of the new Backup Plus Fast unit). But users looking for that much space won't likely mind the additional weight.
Some caveats: While the drive speeds are impressive, I was less impressed with the Seagate Dashboard software, especially the Mobile Backup app. It's a cool idea to provide backup from your phone to the cloud, especially if the connected Seagate drive can then download those photos/videos directly to the drive. But in practice, getting the data from Point A (my phone) to Point B (the cloud) and then Point C (the device) took more work (and battery life and network bandwidth) than I really wanted to tolerate. The app also lets you perform the phone-to-drive backup over Wi-Fi if both devices (phone and drive) are connected via the same Wi-Fi network, and I'd recommend this cut the cloud out of the picture, at least initially, or when you can afford to do a cloud backup overnight with a power-connected phone.
Grade: 4 stars (out of five).
Shaw can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter: @shawkeith.
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