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I was reading a friend's blog post the other day, about her new baby and the way her delivery went down. And it dawned on me that I never shared about Ava's birth. Now that I am a mom, I love sharing the story. Not only because it is the best day of my life, but also because it is a really nice, happy, joyful story and doesn't involve one bit of drama or pain or horror! :) I know, I was lucky. But I tell all of my first time mommy friends this story. I think it makes them feel better!!!
Ava was born February 11, at 6:37 pm. A Thursday. But let me start back on the 8th. A Monday. An icy, cold, dreary Monday. We had our 37 week appointment that day. And because the roads were so bad, I called my doctor to see if we should still come. She said that if we could safely make it, yes. So Cole and I loaded up and headed to the doctor's office. It was a scary drive, but my sweet husband was brilliant and we arrived safely and on time. So we went to the appointment. And while sitting in the waiting area, I began having pain. Bad cramp like pain. So I asked the doctor, and she assured me that those were contractions, but that they were not regular and I was only a one, and it would probably be at least a few more days if not more. But she was concerned because of my size, that Ava might be LARGE, so she set up for me to have an ultrasound done. Well because of the weather, and so many people had canceled their appointments, we were able to go upstairs to the radiology clinic and have the ultrasound done right then. And they said that Ava was between 7-9lbs. At a little before 37 weeks (we would be 37 weeks the day she was born...). YIKES. So mentally I was preping myself for a c-section. I had already informed Dr. Wiedower (aka the most wonderful OB in the world) that I was not interested in pushing out a 9 pounder even with drugs!!! HAHA!
So that was Monday. Monday night- icier, colder, drearier. And hello contractions! So after about an hour of contractions, and because they were becoming more regular, and because the roads were only getting worse, we loaded up the car and headed back to the hospital. Sure enough, I was in "early" labor. And had progressed to a 2. But they really didn't want to deliver me that night because she would be early, if only by a few days. So I got a shot and by early Tuesday morning, the contractions had stopped and I was sent home, and told to rest. So we slid home on the icy roads early Tuesday morning, a little disappointed that there wasn't a bambino yet.
Fast-forward to Thursday. 8:30 am. Cole is at work, at the unit. Thankfully not flying because of the weather. Now let me just say that he had re-programmed my phone with a list of numbers to call should I need him and not get him on his cell. So at 8:30, after eating several sweettart hearts and a couple of Reece's hearts (breakfast of champs, I know) I decided it was time to get myself and the belly out of bed. I stood up, and realized I was peeing on myself. Great. ANOTHER indignity of pregnancy. Then I realized that I couldn't make it stop. So I ran to the bathroom and sat on the toilet. Then I started to wonder. It wasn't stopping. It wasn't smelly. And it wasn't yellow. Hmmmm....at this point it dawns on me that my water has broken. Correction- my water is breaking. A LOT. EVERYWHERE!!! Well I rushed to the bathroom so fast that I didn't bother to grab my phone. So I grabbed a towel, shoved it between my legs, ran back to the bedroom, grabbed my phone, ran back to the bathroom and sat back down. My mind was racing.
So I called Cole's cell. No answer. I called the Maintenance Test Pilot Office. No answer. I call again. His co-worker Danny answers. I ask for Cole, and Danny tells me that he hasn't made it in yet. Now it is still icy, and Cole left maybe 3 hours before this, and it's a 15-20 minute drive on a clear day. So I am thinking "great. He slides off the road on the day I go into labor!" Before I can freak out too badly, Danny says he is kidding, and asks if I want him to have Cole call me. I tell him yes, that would be great, as soon as possible, because my water just broke. Now I am excited, but remarkably calm. Danny, on the other hand, is a little more spastic than me. He starts telling me, in a rather loud voice, to "stay calm. Just stay calm!!!" I inform him that I am calm, and he should be too. And that I just need Cole to call me as soon as possible. Well Danny goes and finds Cole, and because Danny is so worked up, and because Danny jokes around a lot, Cole is reluctant to believe him. After all, I still have 3 weeks left! So I get a text message from my dear husband...
"Did ur water break?"
my reply:
"yes. COME HOME!"
So he heads home, and I start calling everyone I can think of. Now my water broke at 8:30, but I didn't start contracting until we were at the hospital. So this whole time, I am feeling great. I am walking around getting things in order, feeding the dogs, chatting with my neighbor who was out clearing her driveway (she still thinks it's nuts that I came outside and said "hey Kathy! My water just broke! HAHA!"). So Cole comes home, my step-father-in-law is over putting rocksalt on the driveway. We load up and head to the hospital, stopping at Sonic on the way for my own stash of ice chips. :)
We get to the hospital and everything goes textbook. I progress beautifully, they give me some staydol when I start feeling the contractions, then the epidural when my labs come back. Then at 6:37, after less than an hour of pushing (which was not bad at all, and I had some great conversation with Cole and our wonderful nurse between pushes) Ava arrived! Weighing in at 7lbs, and 19" long!!!
Recovery was not fun. But the actual delivery was a breeze. I just pray that my other children are as easy on me!!!
Thanks for reading my story of how Ava came into the world. And just wanted to share my favorite picture of Ava and her Daddy!!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Story of a Baby
I was reading a friend's blog post the other day, about her new baby and the way her delivery went down. And it dawned on me that I never shared about Ava's birth. Now that I am a mom, I love sharing the story. Not only because it is the best day of my life, but also because it is a really nice, happy, joyful story and doesn't involve one bit of drama or pain or horror! :) I know, I was lucky. But I tell all of my first time mommy friends this story. I think it makes them feel better!!!
Posted by The Brewers at 3:44 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
So it is hot here in Arkansas. Like H to the O to the T HOT HOT HOT!!! So my white legs have been showing everyday for the past week! Ha! To those of your in the central Arkansas area, if you were out and about and struck with a sudden blindness, it was my legs. Sorry. :) I have so many friends who are pregnant right now, and I just feel so sorry for them! I was lucky...I found out I was pregnant in late June, and gave birth in February. So I was big during the cold months.
Speaking of hot, Ava and I have been a hot mess the last few days. She started solids, so that has been fun. We are back to working on our house, so the house has been a hot mess. And I keep finding these spiders! Ugh!!! Thankfully I am not as scared of them as I used to be. Otherwise we would be camped out at the grandparents and Terminex would be here everyday until they were gone.
And one last note on hot... I always swore my baby would not, under any circumstances, be a baby that wore just a diaper. I think that is not cute, especially on a girl, and I just would not have it. Well after a weeks worth of 90+ temps, combined with a child who is hot natured anyway and sweats like, well, whatever sweats a lot, I have changed my mind. If we are home, she is in a diaper. Wish I could walk around in my skivvy's all day. But alas, I guess I have to draw the line somewhere. :) I still put her in clothes when we go out. Which is good, because we have a lot of cute summer clothes to get through before she outgrows them!!!
Posted by The Brewers at 5:54 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 11, 2010
4th of July
So the 4th of July is coming up...and this has always been one of my favorite "holidays." Always. As a little girl I loved the fireworks, the watermelon, the BBQ. Both of my beloved grandfathers served in the military- My PawPaw in the Army, and my PawJim in the Marines. So there was always an underlying sense that the day was about more than just food and fun. But I never really got it. Even into my teen years and college days, it was really more of an opportunity to gather with family and friends, with a little reflection on patriotism and what it means to be an American.
But when I met my husband Cole, that all changed. Cole is a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter pilot for the US Army. He has served overseas multiple times, including 15 months in Iraq. He served his tour in Iraq while we were still dating. July 4, 2007 was the first 4th I celebrated with a true understanding of the day. I get very emotional on Independence Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day (which is Monday!)...I now understand that it is because of our military that we have the freedom to celebrate these days. And the irony is that those who, I guess have the most "right" or the most reasons to celebrate these days, can't. Because they are fighting on those days to keep our right to celebrate going.
I don't mean to say that people who are not "married to the military" are not patriotic or don't understand what it means to be an American. But I didn't until I fell in love with a soldier.
I was recently at Bunko (I love my Bunko group!) and we had a sweet girl subbing in that night. She is a nurse, and her husband is a pastor. We were chatting and she asked me what Cole does for a living, and I told her. She said "oh wow! That is a really cool job!!!" And I thought, "I guess it does sound like it." But the reality is far from the image. People see him in his uniform, flying his (very impressive, I think) Blackhawk. It sounds so cool and very romantic. But the part that people don't see is the time away from his family. The fact that he had to record himself reading books so that he could read to our daughter when he isn't home (which is often), the fact that sometimes the only thing he wants most is the one thing he can't have- a kiss from his wife and baby girl. I am so proud of him, and I support his service 100%...but it is still a hard life. I have known my husband since January 2006. And I have yet to spend my birthday with him. Thank you Army! :) Sigh...but it is the days and time apart that make the days and time together so very special.
And just today I was reminded how important his service is. We had MAJOR flooding in southern Arkansas last night, close to where I went to college. A rural campsite flooded, and at least 20 campers are dead, and 30-40 are still missing. Cole is serving elsewhere right now, but members of Cole's unit were called into search for the missing. This is a call that we have gotten many times before. Dinner plans have been changed, outings canceled....not because my husband had a last minute meeting or anything, but because he was needed to save a life. SAVE A LIFE. Katrina, he flew roof-top rescues. Bosnia & Iraq he flew medevac missions- and the Taliban doesn't care if there is a red cross on your helicopter- they shoot anyway! My husband saves lives. Wow. I thank God for him everyday. How did I get so blessed to be married to my hero???
And speaking of blessings....see our little Miss America? She was sitting in her daddy's helicopter! This picture is part of his Father's Day gift. He hasn't seen these yet...but he doesn't read the blog so I think I am safe to share! LOL!
God Bless America!!!
Posted by The Brewers at 7:48 PM 1 comments


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Howdy all,
Haven't been around much lately, due to a bunch of different things, namely that I just became a father! It's been the craziest, most nervewracking, surreal, joyous month of my life. It's definitely tried my patience, but it's all worth it in the end. I'm too tired to post a whole lot right now, but just wanted to stop in since I have a lot of old friends that post here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Casey SeidmanNova Southeastern University
Casey Seidman is the Public Sector Relations Liaison within the Huizenga Business College at Nova Southeastern University. Casey is active in the local non-profit community as a member of the Florida Association of Non-Profits and Leadership Broward (Emerge Broward). He began his volunteer work in 2005 by volunteering at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts followed by volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in the summer of 2008; where he assisted with putting together a mock political debate for the community. These experiences taught him the value of community service.
As the Public Sector Relations Liaison, Casey is responsible for building relationships with governments and non-profits for the purpose of student recruitment. Casey's other responsibilities include recruiting students for the MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Taxation, and the M.P.A. program. His belief in the power of social justice lead him to convince the Huizenga College at N.S.U. to offer 20% tuition awards to anyone who works in a non-profit. This is both his and N.S.U.'s way of saying "thank you" to the various community organizations that make our county a better place.
Casey received his Master's degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University in 2011 and his B.S. (Magna Cum Laude) in Political Science from Arizona State University in 2009. Prior to his role at Nova Southeastern University, Casey previously served as a Campaign Associate with the United Way of Broward County and before that as a policy analyst on the state relations team at Arizona State University.
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2017 copyright by Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. Website by Accrisoft


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Getty Images
The Chiefs announced the release of quarterback Matt Cassel on Thursday, multiple media outlets said. (The club's official Twitter account retweeted a report from a writer for the club's website saying Cassel had been cut.)
After a 27-touchdown, seven-interception season for a division-title winning Kansas City club in 2010, Cassel struggled the next two seasons. The Chiefs' trade for Alex Smith and the signing of Chase Daniel signaled the franchise would be going in a different direction at quarterback in 2013.
Cassel was due to earn a base salary of $7.5 million in 2013.
Cassel, who turns 31 in May, has made 62 career starts; such experience could give him some appeal. The question now is where he lands.


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------ Visual Studio ALM MVP ----- (also see new blog at http://hermit.no)
Memory for managed code is handled by the garbage collector, but if you use any kind of unmanaged code, like native resources of any kind, open files, streams and window handles, your application may leak memory if these are not properly handled. To handle such resources the classes that own these in your application should implement the IDisposable interface, and preferably implement it according to the pattern described for that interface.
When you suspect a memory leak, the immediate impulse would be to start up a memory profiler and start digging into that. However, before you follow that impulse, do a Static Code Analysis run with a ruleset tuned to finding possible memory leaks in your code. If you get any warnings from this, fix them before you go on with the profiling.
How to use a ruleset
In Visual Studio 2010 (Premium and Ultimate editions) you can define your own rulesets containing a list of Static Code Analysis checks. I have defined the memory checks as shown in the lists below as ruleset files, which can be downloaded – see bottom of this post. When you get them, you can easily attach them to every project in your solution using the Solution Properties dialog. Right click the solution, and choose Properties at the bottom, or use the Analyze menu and choose "Configure Code Analysis for Solution":
In this dialog you can now choose the Memorycheck ruleset for every project you want to investigate. Pressing Apply or Ok opens every project file and changes the projects code analysis ruleset to the one we have specified here.
How to define your own ruleset (skip this if you just download my predefined rulesets)
If you want to define the ruleset yourself, open the properties on any project, choose Code Analysis tab near the bottom, choose any ruleset in the drop box and press Open
Clear out all the rules by selecting "Source Rule Sets" in the Group By box, and unselect the box
Change the Group By box to ID, and select the checks you want to include from the lists below.
Note that you can change the action for each check to either warning, error or none, none being the same as unchecking the check.
Now go to the properties window and set a new name and description for your ruleset.
Then save (File/Save as) the ruleset using the new name as its name, and use it for your projects as detailed above.
It can also be wise to add the ruleset to your solution as a solution item. That way it's there if you want to enable Code Analysis in some of your TFS builds.
Running the code analysis
In Visual Studio 2010 you can either do your code analysis project by project using the context menu in the solution explorer and choose "Run Code Analysis", you can define a new solution configuration, call it for example Debug (Code Analysis), in for each project here enable the Enable Code Analysis on Build
In Visual Studio Dev-11 it is all much simpler, just go to the Solution root in the Solution explorer, right click and choose "Run code analysis on solution".
The ruleset checks
The following list is the essential and critical memory checks.
1) Does not result in memory leak, but may cause the application to crash
The list below is a set of optional checks that may be enabled for your ruleset, because the issues these points too often happen as a result of attempting to fix up the warnings from the first set.
Downloadable ruleset definitions
I have defined three rulesets, one called Inmeta.Memorycheck with the rules in the first list above, and Inmeta.Memorycheck.Optionals containing the rules in the second list, and the last one called Inmeta.Memorycheck.All containing the sum of the two first ones.
All three rulesets can be found in the zip archive "Inmeta.Memorycheck" downloadable from here.
Links to some other resources relevant to Static Code Analysis
MSDN Magazine Article by Mickey Gousset on Static Code Analysis in VS2010
MSDN : Analyzing Managed Code Quality by Using Code Analysis, root of the documentation for this
Preventing generated code from being analyzed using attributes
Online training course on Using Code Analysis with VS2010
Blogpost by Tatham Oddie on custom code analysis rules
How to write custom rules, from Microsoft Code Analysis Team Blog
Microsoft Code Analysis Team Blog
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Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:
Freebie: Kiddos' Current Favourite Reads
These are a few of the books that are read multiple times a week and sometimes a day. What did you pick for today's freebie topic? Hope you have a great day! (:


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We are a comprehensive roofing contractor in Hardinsburg, KY offering a full- range of services and material options to chose from.
We offer the following roofing services in Hardinsburg, KY:
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The goal of this project is to engage citizens in local watershed monitoring, work with regional partners to promote understanding and protection of watersheds, and organize and facilitate gathering of scientific data for the benefit of water quality in the Red River Basin.
The purpose of this project is to improve understanding of primary productivity in the Red River and the diversity and population structure of the algal communities occurring along the river system. This will be accomplished through taxonomic identification of periphyton and phytoplankton assemblages necessary for characterizing responses to nutrient gradients along the Red River of the North.


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My own take on history is that the present is neither more nor less violent than the past. Our access to social media means, however, that we have instant information about every tragic happening in ways that have not been available to us before. We not only have the written information but we have the pictures and the visual accounts that bring that reality into our living rooms with deadly speed and accuracy.
Do we watch? Do we let our children watch? Do we turn it all off and remain uninformed? My opinion is that as adults and citizens of our country and of the world we must be aware of what is happening around us. We can, of course, protect our children to some extent. But we must bear in mind that children have a way of finding things out and always know more than we think they know. With the access to information that they have, that is truer now than ever.
So how do we handle the glut of material that assaults us on a daily basis? First we have to sort it out. We needn't take in all of it. We must do this both literally in shutting off the screen and more importantly, internally, disciplining our minds to process only what we must. We are not personally responsible for all the tragedy in the world and our resources as individuals are limited. It's kind of like when my mother told me as a child that I had to clean my plate because the children in China were hungry. It took me a while to figure out that cleaning my plate made little difference to starving children anywhere. I learned that feeling guilty about calamities in the world did not help anybody. But it could make me miserable if I allowed it.
At this point the Serenity Prayer comes to mind:–
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
So if we can't do much about the terrible circumstances that are going on why pay attention at all? We must pay attention because we must care—not to feel guilty but to notice, to be aware. There is an important difference. Feeling guilty is all about us: Will someone be mad at us? Will we get in trouble? It is about protecting ourselves so that no one (real or imagined) yells at us. Caring is about someone else. Can we help another person carry his or her pain? Can we acknowledge that we are part of a very flawed humanity while knowing that we/they are all we have? Can we at the very least extend our caring to those around us? Can we try to rid ourselves and our families of hatred and bigotry? Can we take our place in this dysfunctional human family and try our best to make it work? I believe it is the answers to these questions that can make a difference for all of us.


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By Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D.
Graduation day is soon to arrive, and families are coming together to wish their young people well as they mark an important milestone in their lives. For some families, hopefully most families, graduation day brings pride, excitement, warmth, and togetherness. But for some divorced and reconfigured families, the expected togetherness of graduation shifts unresolved feelings into painful focus.
Certainly, there are couples that manage to divorce amicably and who are able to co-parent gracefully. It is when the divorce has been bitter and the issues that led to it continue to fester that family events are anxiety-laden for everyone involved.
Graduations often are the first occasions during which badly divorced moms and dads come together and have to be civil to each other. If one or the other has remarried and brings the new spouse along, it means that the un-partnered parent is confronted with that reality. If, as is often the case, one parent has sacrificed to make schooling possible, it can be infuriating to that parent and confusing to the child to have the other parent present to take some of the credit. As one of my young clients put it, "Why should I include my Dad in graduation pictures when it's been my Mom who has made all this possible?"
Remember, This is Your Child's Day
Even when everyone agrees to be on his or her best behavior, the prospect of a day fraught with underlying tensions is not an inviting one for the graduate. Often enough, the kids simply don't want to deal with the complications. Some go so far as to think they should skip graduation to protect one of their parents from having to deal with the other.
Generally, this is a mistake. The child should not have to sacrifice an important life milestone to make parents more comfortable. The family's public acknowledgment of pride in their offspring at the graduation ceremony is part of what makes such an event so significant and memorable. For the graduate, it is a recognition of their own accomplishments and a statement of intention. By standing in front of those who care, graduates demonstrate that they have completed a life-stage and affirm that they are moving on to the next one. The well wishes of friends and family help boost them over any anxiety and on to whatever they are going to do next.
It's unrealistic to think that a couple that was not able to divorce well will be able to suddenly manage each other just because there is a celebration going on. But some careful planning can minimize the discord and put the attention where it belongs — on the young person who is marking an important transition. The best gift that parents in this situation can give to their children is to shield them from another go-around of the same old fight.
How To Prepare
In therapy, I seldom see both sides of a bitterly divorced couple when a family gathering is imminent. I generally see one person who is still very hurt and angry in the wake of a divorce but who wants to make the day go well for her or his child. Here is what we usually talk about:
- Your former partner is not going to change, even for the sake of your child, even for the sake of this important day. Of course, I might be wrong. Perhaps she or he is doing painful and honest work with a therapist somewhere but, if you haven't seen an indication of major change in the past six months, it's a mistake to think that there will be change now. Your job is to stop having an investment in her or his change and to focus on your own.
- Do your personal work and make enough time for it. The only person you really have influence over is yourself. Work with your therapist to figure out why this person you divorced still gets your goat so thoroughly and how to let it go. You are no longer married. Whatever she or he says or does really has nothing to do with you!
- Be prepared. You already know which of your former spouse's behaviors hook you. Write them all down. Think about ways you can react to each one that changes the outcome. You can't change what he or she will do or say but you can certainly change what you do in response. Rehearse your new responses — in your mind and in role-plays with trusted people.
- Have supports available. Still feeling shaky? Make sure that you have friends at the event who will be there for you. Talk with them ahead of time about ways to create a buffer between you and your former partner. Ask them to keep you occupied and to surround you with conversation so there really isn't much room for more than a hello and a nod of acknowledgement to your ex.
- Arrange for "time outs." Figure out ahead of time how you can take a break if you need to. Perhaps arrange with one of your support people for a way to leave for a few minutes so that you can catch your breath, bang your head against the wall, count to ten, say a prayer, or whatever else would help.
- Don't drink! Whatever you do, don't have more than the obligatory toast. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and will unravel all these preparations.
- Have an exit plan. Figure out a graceful way to leave if things get too difficult. Often knowing we can leave allows us to stay.
If you've made the choice to put the old fight behind you, the ideas listed here will help you through. Focus on your child. It is his or her day. You can't prevent your former spouse from spoiling it if she or he is bent on doing so. But you certainly can avoid becoming a part of it. When you pull it off, you will feel very good about yourself. More importantly, your child's memory of you on his or her important day will be about your love for him or her, not your anger with the other parent.
Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker is a psychologist and parent educator in western Massachusetts. Her e-book "Tending the Family Heart" is available on www.amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. For more parenting information and resources, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Link for Tending the Family Heart – http://psychcentral.com/books/
Link for the Doctor's full bio – http://psychcentral.com/ask-the-therapist/about-the-therapist/#walker


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Skip to Content
A strong resume will concisely present your most relevant and positive credentials for admission to graduate school. It is advisable to include academic works such as research papers or capstone projects to market skills desired by the program you are applying to. Customizing your resume to each program will make your application more intentional, and therefore more competitive.
Much like a resume, a curriculum vitae highlights your professional and academic works, but in greater detail. A strong candidate for graduate school will have a CV that exceeds one page and includes the most relevant and impactful pieces of your academic portfolio. Remember, each application must be customized to the school and the same applies to your curriculum vitae.
Some programs, particularly in the arts or humanities, require submission of various kinds of writing samples or a portfolio of your work.


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Iran claims it has captured a 'foreign enemy drone'
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard says it has captured a foreign unmanned aircraft during a military exercise in southern Iran.
The official IRNA news agency on Saturday quoted Gen. Hamid Sarkheili as saying that the Guard's electronic warfare unit spotted signals indicating that foreign drones were trying to enter Iranian airspace. Sarkheili, a spokesman for the military exercise, says Guard experts took control of one drone and brought it down near the city of Sirjan where the exercise is being held.
Sarkheili didn't say if the drone was American. He referred to it only as a "foreign enemy drone."
Iran has claimed to have captured several U.S. drones, including a RQ-170 Sentinel advanced drone in December 2011 and at least three ScanEagle aircraft.


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Python Bindings
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Data Model
- 3 Connection Classes
- 4 Data Classes
- 5 External Classes
- 6 Other Classes
- 7 Exceptions
- 8 Utility
- 9 Advanced Use
The MythTV Python bindings are a set of bindings designed to provide access to the MythTV database and interfaces in an object oriented, 'pythonic' manner. If upgrading from 0.23, please see the upgrade guide.
These are the external runtime dependencies required by the python bindings. They are checked at configure time prior to installation, and the bindings will not install if these are not met.
- Python 2.6-2.7
- lxml 2.2.0+
- urlgrabber
Also required is one of the following two modules.
- mysql-python (1.2.2+ preferred)
- oursql
Python 2.7 is only supported in combination with the oursql module
Data Model
The data model used in the bindings is based around the DictData class, an ordered dictionary class intended to abstract lists of data provided by the backend and database, and provide them to users as dictionary values or object attributes.
Connection Classes
- MythDB - top level database connection
- MythBE - top level mythproto connection
- MythXML - pseudo-connection for accessing the XML interface
- Frontend - connection to frontend socket control
- MythVideo - database connection for managing mythvideo
- MythMusic - database connection for managing mythmusic
- BEEventMonitor - diagnostic mythproto connection for displaying events
- MythSystemEvent - implementation of the system event handler
Data Classes
Backend Data
Database Read-Only
Database Read-Write
- Record
- Recorded
- RecordedProgram
- OldRecorded
- Job
- Channel
- Video
- Song
- Album
- Artist
- MusicPlaylist
- MusicDirectory
External Classes
These classes provide access to external functions.
- System - manages calling external scripts and programs
- Grabber - modified system class for the universal grabber syntax
- VideoGrabber - modified grabber class for pulling data from MythVideo grabbers
- InternetSource - class for pulling data from MythNetvision grabbers over MythXML
- SystemEvent - modified system class emulating the system event handler in MythTV
Other Classes
The MythLog class intends to provide a logging faculty emulating that used by the MythTV libraries. The class accepts three keyword inputs:
- module - (optional) string, to be used for identification of log entries (def: 'pythonbindings')
- lstr - (optional) string, comma separated list of log filters
- lbit - (optional) bitwise, operator defining which log filters are active
The log filters are a number of keywords defining what sections of logs should be displayed. The stored filter is a bitwise operator, so multiple sections can be active simultaneously. If any bit in the filter matches the section specified in an individual log entry, the log will be passed. If neither 'lstr' nor 'lbit' is defined, the class will default to 'important,general'. The log filter is a global value, and will be shared among all instances of the MythLog class.
The MythLog.log method takes four inputs:
- mask - bitwise operator to test against log filter
- level - logging level
- message - log message to output
- detail - (optional) additional detail to output
The mask accepts multiple values, and if any bit matches with the filter, the message will be formatted and outputted by the log, but only if the given level is less than or equal to the current logging level. The formatting exists as:
YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.ttt <module>: <message> YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.ttt <module>: <message> - <detail>
The logger accepts multi-line messages, and will format them as:
YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.ttt <module>: <message line 1> <message line 2> <message line ...> <detail line 1> <detail line ...>
Objects of the MythLog class are callable directly, and will run this 'log' method.
The MythLog.logTB method takes level as an input and will print a copy of the current traceback to the log.
The MythLog class contains several classmethods for altering the function of all open instances.
- _setlevel - accepts 'lstr' and 'lbit' inputs, can be used to directly alter the log filter
- _setfile - accepts a filename, opens a new file path to log to, closing the previous (WARNING: file will be truncated)
- _setfileobject - accepts a file object to log to, closing the previous
Five exception classes are available for error handling. All errors will have at minimum 'ecode', 'ename', and 'args' defined as attributes. 'args' will be a list with a single string at index 0. The exceptions may provide additional attributes depending on the error code.
Base exception class, can be used to except all internally thrown errors.
- SYSTEM - retcode, command, stderr
- SOCKET - sockcode, sockerr
- DB_RAW - sqlerr
- DB_CONNECTION - dbconn
- DB_SETTING - setting, hostname
- DB_SCHEMAMISMATCH - setting, remote, local
- DB_SCHEMAUPDATE - sqlerr
- PROTO_CONNECTION - backend, port
- PROTO_ANNOUNCE - backend, port, response
- PROTO_MISMATCH - remote, local
- FE_CONNECTION - frontend, port
- FR_ANNOUNCE - frontend, port
- FILE_FAILED_READ - file
- FILE_FAILED_WRITE - file, reason
- FILE_FAILED_SEEK - file, offset, whence
For 'try' statements, MythError is a catch-all class. The exception will provide three attributes:
- args - tuple containing a single error string
- ename - string with the name of the error code
- ecode - numeric error code
The OrdDict class provides an ordered dictionary implementation. It behaves exactly as a normal dictionary, except that order of values are maintained in the order that they are added. Python 2.7 now includes an ordered dictionary implementation, so this class should be considered obsolete, and due for removal at such time as Python 2.7 or 3.x is make a minimum requirement.
The DictInvert class provides a pair of entangled dictionaries, which have their values and keys swapped. Any new entries added to one is automatically mapped to the other.
UPnP Search
The MSearch class provides a basic UPnP search utility. The search method accepts the following inputs:
- timeout - float, number of seconds to run the search before being automatically terminated
- filter - a single string or list/tuple of strings, if given, only results whose URN is listed in the filter will be passed
The search method is a generator, only processing results as requested by the user. As with all iterables, the result is only available once, and must be stored manually if multiple uses are desired. The method returns a dictionary with the following fields:
- content-length
- request
- date
- usn
- location
- cache-control
- server
- ext
- st
The search method can be terminated prematurely by the terminate method.
Canned searches of searchMythBE and searchMythFE will return one instance per host found.
This class connects to a backend and will remain locked until it has received an event matching a given compiled regular expression. The wait method will block until the event is received and the object unlocked.
The function takes a Myth URI and returns a file object, either from the local file system if found locally, or from a FileTransfer socket connected to the backend.


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If you are withdrawing from summer classes, please review the following policies and refund schedule.
Refunds for Partial and/or Complete Withdrawal
Financial aid recipients attending classes for the first time who are withdrawing completely are subject to a separate, pro-rata refund schedule as required by the U.S. Higher Education Reauthorization Act. Contact the Raider Student Services for details.
Refunds By Part-of-Term (POT)
Refund schedules for classes depend on the start date of a course's Part-of-Term (POT). Check the SOU Class Schedule to look up the POT for courses and use the appropriate refund schedule below.


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I am thrilled to have as our guest today the talented and successful author of twenty-eight books, Mariah Stewart! (Applause, whistles.) Mariah writes both romantic suspense and women's fiction for Ballantine, most recently her Chesapeake Bay series that launched last March with COMING HOME. Book two, ALMOST HOME, was released on July 27th. A native of New Jersey, Mariah now makes her home in Chester County, PA which, as you'll read below, puts her much further from bookstores that most of us would prefer! Mariah has generously agreed to give a signed copy of COMING HOME to on lucky commenter, and she'll pop in throughout the day to chat and answer questions, so please give a big, warm MSW welcome to Mariah Stewart!
Thanks, MSW, for inviting me to chat! I spent way too long trying to decide what to write about, but kept getting pulled back to Laura Griffin's 8/13 blog about book stores.
I love book stores. While I do admit to loving the convenience of ordering books online — we live 24.7 miles from the nearest book store — for me, there are few happier ways to spend an hour or so than wandering around a good book store and picking up books that catch my eye and chatting with a knowledgeable staff.
All of which makes me think about book sellers.
Is it me, or does it seem that real book sellers are hard to find? Does anyone share my frustration with the stores whose staff don't seem to know books beyond the latest best seller? Not to knock anyone, but I've asked to be directed to the latest J.D. Robb only to have the book seller ask, "What does he write?"
I want to talk about the book sellers who are worth their weight in gold. I'm talking about the book seller who really hand sells books — the one who, when you say, "I want a dark suspense novel", knows what to show you — or who, when you say, "I want a romantic suspense that's both darkly suspenseful yet sexy and romantic", immediately responds, "Have you read Allison Brennan? Roxanne St. Clair?"
That kind of bookseller.
Oh, and one whose upper lip doesn't curl into a sneer when you ask where the romances are.
Yeah, that book seller.
I've been lucky to know several such book selling stars. RWA's Bookseller of the Year, Gail Link (who is also a published author), is one. When I first met Gail, back in the early 90's, she was working for Waldenbooks in Granite Run Mall in Lima, PA. Now she's hand selling for Barnes & Noble in Wilmington, DE, and running a terrific romance readers group there. If you're a published author and you're going to be in the area, you should put this B&N on your list of stores to visit.
Another local (well, if you consider a 65 minute drive local!) book store where they know their customers and cater to them, is the fabulous Borders Express in the Springfield Mall in Springfield, PA, where Maureen Downey as manager and Jennifer Wilson as assistant manager really know their stuff!
Maureen and Jenn not only sell romance and romantic suspense and mysteries and thrillers by the boat load, they read it. They know which customers read which authors, and when a new author comes on the scene, they don't hesitate to let their customers know about it. Their customers rely so heavily on their recommendations, that several of them have standing orders for the store to put aside books they think the customers might like. That might be my new definition of trust, folks!
Chester County Books & Music in West Chester, PA, has a whole slew of real book sellers on their staff. Imagine, if you can, an entire store full of people who love books and love to talk about books and love to help you find just the right book. It's tough to single out anyone at this store, because the staff here is all pretty wonderful, but I can't think of CCBM without thinking about Joe Draybak, who is one of the best book sellers I've ever met: a man who not only loves books, but loves writers and readers alike. I've spent many hours in this store, sometimes shopping, sometimes signing my own books. It's no accident that this large independent book store is a book tour "must". It seems that everyone who's anyone has signed here — I mean, name a really big-name author, and chances are, they've been here at least once or twice. By the way, CCBM has a huge mystery and thriller section — more authors than I've seen represented anywhere else.
In my experience, book sellers like these are too few and far between, but those who are out there, are a reader's (and an author's) best friends.
So my question to you all today: Is there a store where you love to shop for books because the staff knows you and knows what you like to read? Do you know any book sellers like Gail, or Maureen and Jenn, or Joe and his remarkable co-workers? If so, give them a shout out — tell us who they are, and where their store is.


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I've been an appreciator or what Ninja Tune produces since I came across Amon Tobin's stuff in 2000. Being without regular, good FM radio has been one of the many bummers about being here. One small thing I found to fill the gap has been the Solid Steel weekly hour and half (or something) of _beatz_ overseen by the record label's honchos, Cold Cut & DK, and usually has a guest of some kind. Some of the mixes they've done over the last year have been sweet, especially a Beastie Boys special with DJ Cheeba. Also I thought it was a really cool move getting a bunch of the label's artists' music into the soundtrack for the computer game, 'Sleeping Dogs', which was released last year.
Anyway, Ninja even made the effort to track me down to this here website and emailing me a few new tracks from folks they're working with. And they've said it's alright for me to share with you. So, of the four, I liked this one the best: Moire – INTO. It's very 1st world urban sounding. It's the sound of London, baby! [I'll leave that file there for a few months but not forever. More reasonable people, HostCentral already give me so much, I wouldn't want to vampire their bandwidth.]

It's been a strange year for me listen-to-musically. My music library basically fucking broke when I tried to transfer the files for itune (on a mac mini) to itunes on a larger capacity windows box. Every song got a doppelganger, and the whole thing never really recovered. Also, the collection got so big and out of hand that I was losing control of it. I'm still kind of stuck using itunes and I'm really not happy with it. Electronic music files and the internet has introduced me to so much stuff I'd never have heard otherwise but it's so easy to lose, or forget — so ephemeral.
The most serious problem I've had is tracks mysteriously disappearing from itunes. Eg. an album of 12 songs will be there and viewable in the itunes window, but when I go to click through them, 1 out of 12 will say, for eg. "The song "Windowlicker" could not be used because the original file could not be found. Would you like to locate it?" and I say, 'Yes, you better bloody well locate it' but it's nowhere on the computer. Yet, strangely, it's still on the phone, from when the file was on the computer and copied to the phone. But I don't think there's any way for re-upload it from the phone to the computer. Thankfully, it's not at the ratio of 1 in 12, but any loss is bad.
An internet search shows me plenty of other people have this problem but nothing's being done about it yet.

My attitude toward music has grown a bit hackneyed in the last 12 months too. Sometimes it just feels like a thing I use to distract my monkey-mind. I haven't felt comfortable blasting the speakers in this apartment because the walls seem thinner and I don't know the people living around me, whereas I did in 2011 (and I knew there was no one downstairs). I use music to blot out the noise of people on public transport — that ain't good. And sometimes I get sick of all the old stuff I listen to habitually, but at the same time don't feel like there's any space in my life for new music either. For a long time I've been working on a theory that there's only so much new music that I can connect with in any given period of life. There needs to be some new stimulus — like being in a new place, a new feeling, a new season, a new section of life, for the new music to attach to. It's been slow going for me in those areas of late.


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"Ta-Nehisi Coates understands something big and he understands it better than anyone else right now. The Water Dancer led me on a journey up and down the landscape of American slavery with a narrative that feels like The Book of Exodus meets, well, Ta-Nehisi Coates. Over 400 pages I have cried, I have laughed, I have been educated, and I have been enlightened. Coates writes with an honesty that can only come from a sublime, even spiritual, understanding of the souls of the white man and the black man in America. Written with poignancy and humanity, The Water Dancer left me stunned but clear-headed, like I had just been woken up from a deep, dream-filled sleep."
— Norris Rettiger, Lemuria Bookstore, Jackson, MS


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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Spirit Temple
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Big Blue and SAP Dragged Down by Accenture Results
The business of consulting companies over their information technology needs is slowing down, and one of the companies hardest hit by that fact is Accenture — and its bad vibes are taking down a fairly wide swatch of enterprise-IT companies today.
Accenture reported quarterly earnings yesterday, and while earnings were up, sales missed the expectations of analysts, and the outlook for the current quarter was dour. For the quarter ending in August, Accenture said it sees sales of $6.7 billion to $7 billion, well below the $7.4 billion consensus view of analysts. The company also slashed its outlook for annual profits to a range of $4.18 to $4.22 per share — again, well below its prior forecast of $4.24 to $4.32.
Naturally, Accenture shares are taking a beating today, having fallen by more than $9, or more than 11 percent, by midafternoon ET. But the news is hammering other stocks, too. IBM, which has a huge IT consulting arm, fell by $5.25, or more than two percent. SAP fell by $2.77, or more than three percent.
Accenture said that clients in Brazil and in Europe — still plagued by an economy challenged by austerity measures intended to curb sovereign debt issues — held back on IT spending more than expected.


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In the winter, the one thing that many of us dread is our heating bill. Especially if you live on one of the northern state. Although we hate to see it skyrocket, we also cannot go without; to put it simply it is just too darn cold!
What can you do otherwise then? I mean going without heat is unheard and dangerous. Nevertheless, how can you heat you home without relying completely on the furnace or boiler? Is there even a way that a person can do that?
There is a way, there is a way! Do not fret there is always a way. This year instead of Turing up the thermostat in your home, try one of these to turn up the heat without turning up that gas bill.
Use your fireplace
I cannot count the number of times I have been in someone home with a fireplace, that works, and they never use it. What up with that? Use that bad boy! One of the best and oldest to heat you home without having to rely on your furnace or a heater to do it. By using this during the colder months of the year you not only effective and efficiently heat your home, you will not have touch the thermostat.
Seal all windows and doors
Go around your home with your hand and check if you have any draft around your windows and doors. Actually what I like to do is light an incense and watch how the smoke blows along different sills. This too will let you know if there are any leaks. Then get to caulking, weather-stripping, and insulating. Keep the cold air outside and the warm air inside.
Area rugs and carpet
Hardwood floors are beautiful and timeless update to any home. Trust me I know. I have hardwood floors throughout my entire home. They are beautiful. However, freezing during the winter months. A few years ago, I was told that having some large area rugs to place on the floor is a great way to insulated and hold heat in a room. Such a simple thing to do but it is very effective.
Old school lightbulbs
I love those energy efficient CFL's bulbs but those older type of bulbs produce heat. That means by turning on the lights you can raise the temperature of you home. Even if it is by a degree, it will make a different. Maybe consider during the winter changing the bulbs in your home to those regular ones.
Cook and bake more and more
Sometimes I bake something just so I do not have to turn up the thermostat. It seem so obvious but many of us do not consider just cooking and baking more at home add to the overall temperature of the home. I mean your oven and stove generate a lot of heat use this to your advantage. Heat your home and fill your belly all in one swoop.
All these are wonderful tips that worth giving a try. With that being said. When it comes to heating my home, I will try anything. However, I have to say the best thing that efficient heated my home was upgrading to an energy efficient heating system.


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There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.
Bern Williams
Angels are like lighthouses passing by in the storms
Karen Goldman
About Van HessTraveler ~ Writer ~ Dreamer Across the Web I blog at "New Journeys On Old Roads" Follow me on Twitter @VanHessTXred
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House bill likely to come up for vote after election.
A compromise on U.S. Postal Service reform legislation -- not expected until after the November election -- likely won't be as large of an overhaul on the cash-strapped agency as lawmakers had initially hoped, according to The Hill .
"We've been all along working on ideas that would be hybrids," House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif. told the newspaper. "We believe that at least some reform will get passed."
Issa, chief architect of the House's version of the postal reform bill, urged the White House last week to include some postal reform measures in the six-month continuing resolution to keep the government open after Sept. 30. Issa asked that interim reform legislation defer USPS' $5.5 billion obligation to prefund retiree health benefits, allow the agency to move to five-day delivery and ban it from entering into no-layoff agreements with employees.
In a letter to President Obama, Issa acknowledged that although those measures alone would not restore USPS to solvency, they "address the reality of a federal agency's default, and they help move the overall goal of comprehensive postal reform forward."
But Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., a leader on the Senate's postal reform efforts, was confused by Issa's letter, calling it "a piecemeal, short-term fix."
In a statement last week, Carper said: "This was an unusual development and surprising, given that House leaders have said for months that they have the votes necessary to pass chairman Issa's postal reform legislation."
Postal reformers in the House previously said the decision to table debate on their bill was made by House leadership, but Issa told The Hill last week that the bill is likely to floor after the election.
The Senate passed its postal reform bill in April; the House has stalled on debating its bill.
The House and Senate plans feature several key differences, including on postal delivery. The House recommends USPS switch to a five-day delivery schedule; the Senate would stick with six-day delivery. The Obama administration supports reducing mail delivery to five days beginning in fiscal 2013.
NEXT STORY: Senator: Congress can deal with 'fiscal cliff'


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From reinforcement bar to tubular products, metal producers are faced with a host of testing challenges. Manufacturers of metal products must not only meet advertised strength and performance ratings, but also comply with a wide range of ASTM, ISO, EN, JIS, SAE and other international standards. Instron is the total solution provider for tension, impact, fatigue, bend/flex, shear, and torsion testing.
Solutions for Reinforcement Bar Testing
Testing reinforcement bar (rebar) presents many challenges. Instron systems are designed to meet these challenges and are compliant with the following standards: ISO 6892-1:2009, 15630-1; ASTM E8M: 2013, A370, A615; AC133; BS 4449; GB 1499; and JIS G3112.


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Barney, former White House Scottie, dies
DALLAS (AP) -- Thanks to a tiny video camera on his collar, Barney offered a dog-level holiday tour of the White House in 2002 while shuffling from room to room and menacing the Christmas tree.
The video starring President George W. Bush's black Scottish terrier was a hit, drawing 24 million online tourists the first day. It also helped reopen the White House after it was closed to tourists the previous holiday season following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Bush and his wife, Laura, released a statement Friday saying their famous 12-year-old pooch had died after suffering from cancer.
Bush said, "Barney was by my side during our eight years in the White House," and noted Barney "never discussed politics and was always a faithful friend. Laura and I will miss our pal."


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Amanda Sitko
Amanda Sitko is an actor/writer/improviser who started performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade in 2006. She is a proud cast member of Coming Clean and can be seen in ASSSSCAT. Amanda has studied under Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts and more. She is a member of the UCB Touring Company and currently teaches for the UCB Training Center.
Guest Appearances
The Best of Meta Vol. 1
Please enjoy volume one of the all-time best i4h scenes about improv, Matt Besser, Earwolf, and all things meta! This compilation features amazing performances by Tim Meadows, Joe Wengert, John Gemberling, Zach Woods, Colton Dunn, Charlie Sanders, Sean Conroy, Billy Merritt, Paul…Listen
An Armen Brown Christmas
Christmas time is here, and its up to Charlie Brown (Armen Weitzman) to save the holidays by directing the annual Christmas Podcast for Mike Mitchell, Amanda Sitko, Mookie Blaiklock, Matt Besser, and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Will Charlie find the…Listen
A i4h Christmas Carol
On Christmas Eve, Matt is visited by the ghost of Armen Weitzman who helps guide him on a journey to the past, present, and future in hopes that he will become kindlier toward his fellow humons Jon Gabrus, Amanda Sitko, Engineer Brett…Listen
Into the Thunderdome
Andy Daly, Peter Gwinn, and Amanda Sitko join Matt Besser and witness listeners get into the Case Closed Thunderdome and settle the Sun Kil Moon debate on this week's improv4humans! We'll also hear what it would be like if your name became…Listen
Amanda Sitko and Jennie Pierson: Best Friends Podcast
Welcome back to the Amanda & Jennie Best Friends Podcast with your hosts Amanda Sitko & Jennie Pierson! It's the best podcast for snacks, gossip, boys, diet tips, tweens, fashion, magazines, skin care lines, also shirts, shoes, etc. Their assistant Karen joins…Listen
John Gemberling, Gil Ozeri, and Amanda Sitko show us exactly what it would be like if a Starbucks customer attempted to start a #RaceTogether conversation on today's improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also explore why you shouldn't mansplain, visit a new Woody…Listen
Rainbow Bridge
Baron Vaughn, Amanda Sitko, Joe Hartzler, Mookie Blaiklock are ghosting the world on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also browse through the foggie section of a cellphone store, make their way to the rainbow bridge, and follow the life of…Listen
Authentic Redneck Dialect
Martin Starr, Joe Wengert, Amanda Sitko and Mookie Blaiklock stop by the studio on this weeks improv4humans! They share their best police encounter and natural disaster stories before getting into the real heavy stuff regarding hobbies. Matt learns the meaning of the abbreviation…Listen
Best of improv4humans Vol. 2
Once again we asked YOU which were some of your favorite scenes from the past episodes of improv4humans and we put together volume 2 of this special collection of improvised scenes. Listen to an all star cast of improvisers create scenes based…Listen
Eric the Paid Intern
Eric the Paid Intern is leaving Earwolf to take a job in facial recognition software (because he's a genius) so here are some awesome Eric interviews and improv scenes that we've saved up from past episodes. Hear improv from Horatio Sanz, Adam…Listen
Agree to Disagree
Wouldn't it be funny if you guys, I don't know, like, listened to today's episode of improv4humans or whatever? Our humans for the week are Amanda Sitko, Mookie Blaiklock, and Will McLaughlin who get a vocab lesson and get to know some…Listen
Bonus Cut: Letters from Camp
In an effort to keep the podcast tight, some scenes are left on the cutting room floor. Rather than banish them to obscurity, we're releasing them as improv4humans bonus cuts! Today's scene features Amanda Sitko, Joe Wengert, Andy Daly, and Matt Besser…Listen
Fart Scientist
At the risk of rambling on and on like a woman, let me just say that we have a phenomenal improv4humans for you today. Joe Wengert, Amanda Sitko, and Andy Daly are the guests as we meet shitty bullies and dumbass counter…Listen


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Fanatic and North have both been in touch to proudly announce their all new rookie international team riders as well as an additional international team rider for North.
Here is the official press from Fanatic –
Fanatic is happy to announce the signing of French youngster Arthur Arutkin and beautiful Maxime van Gent to their International Windsurf & SUP team plus Arthur´s sister Alice Arutkin joins the International Windsurf team. Arthur is the most talented youngster in the French Windsurfing and SUP scene and Alice already has a name as a World Class Windsurfer with top results. At only 16 years of age, Maxime is very talented in Freestyle Windsurfing as well as SUP and will give us great coverage. For sure all three riders be great additions to our existing team. Leaving our International Windsurf Team 2013 will be Gonzalo Costa Hoevel and Yarden Meir – we wish them all the best for the future.
Craig Gertenbach, Fanatic Brand Manager:
"I´m happy to welcome Arthur, Alice and Maxime to our Fanatic International teams. Maxime is a really talented Freestyler and Paddler and her youth and personality are a great addition to our team. Women´s Windsurfing and SUP are both really attractive to the media and she personifies the spirit of both sports! Arthur is one of the most talented youngsters in the French Windsurfing and SUP scene, we have high hopes to be a part of what promises to be an outstanding career. Alice is already established as a World Class Windsurfer with top results, we are proud to have her joining our team and look forward to welcoming the Arutkin family aboard!"
Arthur Arutkin (FRA-111):
"I'm happy to be with Fanatic now. What I´m really looking forward is to train with my new team mates like Victor, Klaas in Windsurf or Olivia and Yoann in SUP in different spots, but also to meet the rest of the Fanatic team and being part of it to promote this fantastic brand. I will work hard this year, but also have a lot of fun on the water!"
Alice Arutkin (FRA-1111):
"I really would like to be in the Top 3 in the PWA and this year I would like to get the first place In the French Championship and with Fanatic boards I for sure have the right tools for that! I´m glad to be part of the team together with my brother now, we for sure will try our best to promote the brand as good as we can as a package!"
Maxime van Gent (NB-22):
"I'm very excited to be in the Fanatic International Team. I hope I can make women windsurfing more attractive again and will love to promote it all over the world and Fanatic for sure has the right boards for it! Fanatic also has the image to support their riders and I will be happy to be part of this great team. I will do my last year in high school now, but as well competing in the PWA Worldtour and also doing clinics for kids and girls."
On top of these 3 youngsters, North have also signed Caesar Finies, the light wind master. Here is what the North team had to say:
"With Caesar we are contracting an outstanding freestyle athlete. Especially well known for his low-wind freestyle Caesar can be named as the inventor of "Flowstyle". We believe that any talented and comitted sportsman – even not competing PWA – may have a considerable impact on our sport. Unlike hardcore freestyle, Caesar's flowstyle is accesible to any windsurfer and nonetheless incredibly awesome to watch. You will find Caesar in his home on Bonaire and he for sure will be present at windsurfing events around the globe to show off his incredible flowstyle move.
Welcome to the team Caesar!"


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This pretty Golden Retriever ornament will add personality and charm to your Christmas tree and makes a wonderful gift for the Golden Retriever lover. The ornament features original artwork of a Golden Retriever surrounded by a colorful floral pattern. The back of the ornament is hand-painted with golden yellow and cobalt blue circles.
To order your Golden Retriever dog Christmas ornament, select from the available coat options. If your item is in-stock, it will ship 2-3 days from ordering. I make my pottery in small batches and stock very little, if any, finished ware but attempt to keep a supply of my glazed base pottery. Thus, out of stock items will be made upon receiving your order and may take 2-3 weeks before the order ships.


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Native American Housing: GAO Survey of Tribal Housing Officials (GAO-10-373SP, February 2010), an E-supplement to GAO-10-326
Read the full report: Native American Housing: Tribes Generally View Block Grant Program as Effective, but Tracking of Infrastructure Plans and Investments Needs Improvement (GAO-10-326, February 2010)
This document presents the results of GAO's survey of tribal and tribally designated housing entity (TDHE)
officials who were the recipients of Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination (NAHASDA)
Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funds in fiscal year 2008. In order to learn about these officials'
experiences with and perspectives on the program, we conducted a Web-based survey of all recipients of
these grants. Of the 351 tribal and TDHE grantees in the nation that used these funds, we obtained a
66 percent response rate. Respondents differed from nonrespondents by grant amount sizes. We obtained
a higher percentage of responses from entities with larger grant amounts ($250,000 or more) compared to
those with smaller grant amounts (less than $250,000). Respondents to the survey represented about
80 percent of the IHBG funds that were awarded in fiscal year 2008. In this e-supplement we present
the survey results regarding responses related to how they used IHBG funds to address their affordable
housing needs, other sources of funding they used in combination with the IHBG program, some of the
experiences they had with leveraging, and program reporting issues.
Instructions for Viewing this Survey
How to View The Survey
How to View the Responses for Each Question
How to Return to a Page That You Previously Visited
How to Make the Font Larger on Your Screen
Contact Information?
|Table of Contents
|This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately.


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With a svelte redesign and a full-on spec bump, is this Apple's best full-size tablet yet? Find out in our full iPad Air review
Update:The iPad Air 2 is no longer the shiny, new kid on the tablet block, as it's been outflanked by the cunningly-namediPad Air 2, which has squeezed 18% of the thinness and yet upped the power of Apple's best slate.
Read more: Apple iPad Air 2019 review: the best tablet for 90% of people
However, the iPad Air still has a lot of charm at a lower price of £319; read on to find out what makes it tick.
Apple's product upgrades can be a funny beast. On paper, they can appear incremental. Eyes-on, the products can look almost identical. Hands-on, you sometimes have to pry to find exactly where the improvements are. Some changes (iMac G3 to G4, iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4) are blatant, some are refinements (iPad to iPad 2). Many, you actually have to get the product in your mitts to see for yourself. And that's definitely the case with the iPad Air (not the iPad 5, as we were expecting it to be called).
The clearest difference lies with its name - a shock to all but Jony Ive who says he's been working on the concept for years - but start using this tablet and the improvements are instantly tangible. It's lighter, thinner and more debonair than ever (providing you don't use the new one, that is).
iPad Air: Size and build
At 6.9mmApple managed to shave almost 1.5mm (a fifth) off the iPad 4's unibody aluminium girth and almost 2cm off its width. Boasting a one pound (or 469g) heft, at the time of the original review, the iPad Air took the title of the planet's lightest full-size tablet. It's since been bettered a number of times, including a few choice cuts from Asia, but with the Air 2 retains that crown.Article continues after the video.
With its new rounded and chamfered edges, it looks like a scaled-up iPad Mini – the reduced bezel centring your eyes on the screen and making the chassis almost slim enough to hold in one hand.
Colour-matching the iPad Mini 2, the iPad Air comes in (our favourite) Space Gray and Silver shades. The nano-SIM slot moved to the bottom right-hand-side edge of the device, which continues in the newer model.
Picking up the Air for the first time last year and using it for prolonged periods is an improved experience if you're used to older iPads (which you probably are if you're checking out this review). Where before a case of numb-arm might happen after 20 minutes use, we found ourselves reading and web surfing for much longer.
iPad Air vs iPad 4: What's changed?
You'll notice the weight reduction immediately, especially if you use its release contemporaries: the Nokia Lumia 2520 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 which are 146g and 78g heavier respectively. The bigger 10-inch Xperia Tablet Z fares better, weighing just 26g more at 495g.
Width-wise, the 7.5mm iPad Air trumps the Nokia 2520 at 8.7mm, the Nexus 10 at 8.9mm and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 at 8.6mm.
In short, it's simply a nicer tablet to use – taking all the best bits of the 2012 flagship iPad and refining the physical experience. it's less impressive than the Air 2, but at the price, it's still very, very effective. But, there's more than aesthetics that makes this upgrade so different.
iPad Air: Performance
The addition of the A7 chip and M7 coprocessor made the iPad Air the most powerful iPad ever, and brings it in line with the iPhone 5S's 64-bit architecture.
It's not got anywhere near the grunt of the iPad Air 2's A8X chip, which returns to making a more powerful core for the tablet, but does still power along with apps quite nicely.
Power-wise, you're not going to see the real benefit of 64-bit until app developers really start taking advantage of its potential. The same can be said of the M7 motion coprocessor. However, compared to the iPad 4, the Air renders iMovie video on-the-fly much quicker and zips around iOS 8 (which it's now been upgraded to) without any suggestion of lag.
With OpenGL ES 3.0 support, it can deliver some serious lighting and shading effects in games, too. Infinity Blade III being a case in point. We also experienced faster multi-tasking, without the need to periodically shut down apps to speed things up.
iPad Air: 4G and Wi-Fi
The iPad Air also came with some wireless improvements. MIMO (multiple in, multiple out) antennas are now packed inside the chassis, while LTE band compatibility has been expanded to cover pretty much all 4G frequencies in existence.
In a home Wi-Fi environment we didn't notice any speed increase (even with Apple's own Extreme) but found the Wi-Fi range better than the iPad 4. On EE's 4G network, download speeds remained the same – blisteringly fast (up to 50Mbp/s at times) in an area with a decent 4G connection. Standard in others.
Unlike the iPad Mini Retina, there's no storage capacity bump, and you're now limited to just the 16GB and 32GB models, with a £40 difference between the two, more if you opt for the cellular versions.
We say you're likely to need the 32GB to make room for all the apps and media you'll want and then some iCloud storage, which, for 15Gb, 25Gb and 50Gb, currently costs £14, £28 and £70 respectively per year.
iPad Air: Screen
The chassis may be 16mm narrower, but the Retina display remains the same size as the iPad 4 – 9.7 inches, 3.1 million pixels (2048x1536) with a pixel density of 264ppi. Colours are deep and vibrant, contrast is rich and text is pin-sharp. The thinner bezels draw your eyes to the screen more. Everything feels neater.
Naturally, when holding the Air, your thumb will be closer to the display, possibly pressing it, so Apple has integrated an algorithm that rejects digits if it deems they are resting on the screen. It's clever and works in practice.
Best iPad case: iPad Air, iPad 4 and iPad 2 cases and covers
The screen quality beats the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands down, with the Korean brand's tablet only mustering a pixel density of 149ppi on its 800 x 1280 display. It also beats Sony's Xperia Tablet Z (which has a pixel density of 224ppi on a 1,920 x 1,200 panel), while the new Nokia Lumia 2520's screen comes in last with a ppi of just 218.
It's still sharper than a lot of the others on the market, but competitors like the Galaxy Tab S have come in to start stripping past the screen performance Apple has prided itself on for so long.
iPad Air: Features
Let's start with the omissions. Well, one feature we thought would be a dead-cert: Touch ID. Why Apple neglected to integrate this new tech (which has actually got us using security for the first time) isn't clear. As a flagship tablet that almost mimics the flagship iPhone for features, we're a little frustrated not to see it. Not angry, just disappointed - but it's on the iPad Air 2, if you're desperate.
On the flip-side, the iPad Air comes with iWork and iLife for iOS 8 completely free. All Apple's apps have been built from the ground up for the new devices, and it shows – with more powerful editing tools taking advantage of the hardware bump and everything feeling a lot slicker. Rather than being pre-installed, you download them, gratis, after setting up the iPad Air for the first time.
iPad Air: Camera
Another mystery with this update is why Apple didn't upgrade the rear-facing 5MP camera to the excellent 8MP optics found in the iPhone 5S. It was pretty much the best thing about the 5S upgrade and the lack of it means no slo-mo video capture but the same low-light photography issues as before. You can now capture in HDR, though - and again, the better camera is found on the Air 2. It's almost like Apple wanted a reason to make you buy the newer model...
While we agree that taking photos on an iPad is cumbersome, have you SEEN how many people do so? Perhaps Apple wants to reduce that amount by offering a much better iPhone experience. 1080p video recording remains and, because of the A7 chip, can now benefit from a 3x zoom and automatic video stabilisation, which works well.
Mercifully, the front-facing camera has been upgraded to FaceTime HD, which is excellent. The improved backside illumination sensor, bigger pixels and dual-mics make FaceTiming (either on Wi-Fi or over 3/4G) a clear, bright experience. It captures video in 720p and stills at 1.2MP.
iPad Air: Battery
Apple quotes 10 hours of web-surfing, video watching and music listening on one charge, with nine hours web surfing on a mobile data network. In our testing, we found it didn't quite stretch this far in any situation but mimicked that of the iPad 4 – around seven hours when web surfing and eight hours of movies. To achieve the latter, you'll need the brightness set to around 75% and all wireless connectivity switched off.
We did notice an improvement in standby – hardly any drain after a couple of days – which we assume is helped by a combination of the M7 coprocessor switching high-energy functions off as soon as it detects the lack of use, and the more-efficient A7 chip
iPad Air: Verdict
Pitching the iPad Air against its competitors is quite easy – it was the best looking, premium, and app-happy tablet on the market last year. The cosmetic design changes are an unequivocal improvement, and the weight reduction proved a genuine benefit for everyday use.
We'd hoped for a better camera (more for the slo-mo video) and Touch ID tech, but the 64-bit processor improvements mean it'll cope with anything you throw at it for some time. The battery seems to have improved a touch, too.
If you can justify a 4G contract, then plump for that.
Web speeds were, at times, faster than our home broadband connection. The 33 free apps, many of which used to cost a few quid and now includes Pages, Numbers and Keynote, is also a welcome addition.
But is it worth upgrading from an older iPad? For those without a Retina screen, yes – you won't believe how you coped without it. For those who do a heavy chunk of tablet-based FaceTime, then the HD upgrade makes a real difference. For those who carry theirs around all day, then yes – you'll really notice the slimmed-down size and weight.
Of course, there's the iPad Air 2 out there, and myriad other tablets that promise the world and sometimes deliver. The £80 reduction in price is good, but if you can afford to spend a little more cash the iPad Air 2 certainly has a better, more vivid screen, is lighter and more powerful.
As ever, the model you go for will depend on the price. Paying £459 for the top-end Wi-Fi + 4G version seems a bit pricey, but not terrible.
However, it was our favourite tablet and still pleases today thanks to the price drop and iOS 8 upgrade. Still, make sure you check out the Air 2 if you're curious, and the iPad Mini 2 still presents a strong use case thanks to being smaller with all the same power.
iPad Air release date: 1 November 2013
iPad Air price:
Wi-Fi only: £319 (16GB), £359 (32GB)
Wi-Fi + 4G: £419 (16GB), £459 (32GB)


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The foil covered cake boards are the most strongest cake boards we have to offer supporting all your heavy cakes. All our cake boards are sprayed with a flavourless, antibacterial wax making it the most safest cake boards available in the UK today.
Cake boards are traditionally hand finished so please allow a certain amount of variation in accurate size and finish these include small folds, creases, scratches, bends and dents which are features occasionally found in the hand-finished product and are not considered as faults.
Found it cheaper? We aim to provide the cheapest rate on all products going so if we've missed a rate change let us know and we'll adjust it instantly (part of our price promise guarantee) ensuring you're paying less - always!
We have a number of delivery options for you to choose from, depending on your budget and preference. We select our courier partners carefully to ensure they offer the highest level of service and value for money for you.
Orders are despatched from our warehouse Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). All the below options are based on orders placed before 4pm (GMT) Monday to Friday. If you order after 3pm or at the weekend, your order will be despatched on the next available working day.
United Kingdom
FREE Standard Royal Mail 48 delivery
Click & Collect
Small Orders
Large Orders (mostly when buying sugarpaste or bulk purchases - we dispatch these orders for next day guaranteed EXPRESS delivery)
Saturday & Sunday
Credit Card Security
When you shop with The Cake Craft Company we use WorldPay (WorldPay is a payment service provider that offers fast and secure payment processing for online businesses of all sizes.) to take your payments and you can be assured that your card details are securely encrypted (128bit) during transport over the Internet so no one can read your card information. The card details are only transported to a Bank to authorise your purchase.
WorldPay guarantees that we will never:
• Pass on your financial details
• Pass on any personal information gathered when you place an order
• Sell or rent your details
• You will never receive junk mail.
• Leave invasive technologies such as cookies on your machine
• Exploit your details in any way.
Payment Options
We have several ways to take payment. We take payments online through a secure payment system which is described below or if you still do not feel safe making payments online we also have the option for us to call you back during office hours to take payment through our pay by phone option. Both of these options are displayed at the end of the checkout process. We offer various ways for you to pay for your order, including Paypal, Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa Debit, American Express (AMEX), Diners Club Internationals and JCB.


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We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
ELEGANT Traditional Radiator Cast Iron Style 3 Column White Horizontal Radiator 600x599mm
Width: 599mm
Height: 600mm
Depth: 100mm
BTU @ 50 Degrees: 3594
Columns: 3
ELEGANT Traditional Radiator Cast Iron Style 3 Column White Horizontal Radiator 600x599mm
A design that suits traditional and contemporary homes - the Elegant Showers range of cast-iron style radiators combines contemporary functionality with elegant design classics. This 600x599mm Triple column Victorian Iron Cast radiator has the look and feel of traditional style.
This horizontal radiator incorporates white high gloss finish (triple layer white powder coat finish), this Triple column traditional Victorian radiator is ever-popular - and sure to look great in kitchens, bathrooms and throughout the home. In the pack you'll find Wall brackets, blanking plug, air vent plug and fittings, and we recommend that you pick up radiator valves (sold separately).
♦ Product Features
Size: 600x599mm
BTU @ 50 Degrees: 3594
Columns: 3
Colour: White Gloss (High quality triple layer white powder coat finish)
Style: Traditional
Pipe Centre - 680mm
Installation - Can be Installed Either Way (Pipes from wall or Floor)
Projection from wall: 115mm
Conforms to BS EN442 standards
Connects to your central heating system
Suitable for all UK central heating systems
Pressure tested to 10 bar / maximum working pressure 6 bar
Finish is designed to exceed 200 hours of neutral acid salt spray testing
Includes: Wall brackets, blanking plug, air vent plug and fittings
♦ The traditional Radiators has certainly re-emerged over the past few years, and while it may be an old style of the radiator. Of course, one of the main advantages of this type of radiator is the style of it. When it comes to period renovations, be it a warehouse, church, house or barn conversion, there is nothing better than a cast-iron style radiator. It has a traditional style that cannot be emulated by any other type of radiator.
|Pipe Centre
Delays Are Expected
Please Note - Due to the current COVID-19 Restrictions in place in the UK, Major delays are expected, however, this can be subject to potential change & we are not offering collection at this stage until further notice. It can take up to 2-6 working days for delivery.
|Free postage to mainland UK
|Areas we don't post to
|Cross Domain Store
All products eligible for warranty are guaranteed for the lifetime of that particular product (25 years) (exclusions apply), whilst we hope you live a long and healthy life, we don't mean your lifetime unfortunately. We are confident in our product quality and therefore provide warranties for a reasonable period of time, after purchase, based on the product type.
♦ Manufacturing Faults
All our products @ elegantshowers are designed by some of the top designers around the globe and been delivered to its highest standards, so if you notice any manufacturing faults please update us within 30 days of purchase and we will send replacement without any further delays.
♦ Need Parts
While for some items we have a lifetime warranty, the parts in all of our items are offered with a 6 months Limited type of a Warranty. But you are always welcome to buy the part simply by calling us @ 0121 448 0880, but do make sure to have the part number handy as mentioned in the instruction manuals.
♦ Warranty Exceptions
All goods reported as faulty will be tested by manufacturers, if it is determined the goods are not faulty or if the faults are deemed to be caused by damage or abuse this will void any warranty, goods will be returned to you at your expense and no refund or replacement issued.


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Spike TV's four-fight main card for September's "Battle on the Bayou" is now set.
UFC officials recently announced that in addition to the evening's Jake Shields (26-5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) vs. Jake Ellenberger (25-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) headliner, UFC Fight Night 25 will also feature Court McGee (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Dongi Yang (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Jonathan Brookins (12-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Erik Koch (12-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Alan Belcher (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) vs. Jason MacDonald (25-14 MMA, 6-6 UFC).
UFC Fight Night 25 takes place Sept. 17 at New Orleans' Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Following a hard-fought split-decision loss to Carlos Condit in September 2009, Ellenberger has since rattled off four-straight wins in the octagon. His most recent victory was an emphatic first-round knockout of Sean Pierson at April's record-breaking UFC 129 event.
Ellenberger also counts UFC wins over Carlos Eduardo Rocha, John Howard and Mike Pyle. Ellenberger is 8-1 in his past nine overall contests.
Meanwhile, Shields looks to bounce back from a unanimous-decision loss to Georges St-Pierre, also at April's UFC 129 event. The loss snapped a 15-fight win streak that dated back to November 2005.
UFC officials have yet to announce broadcast plans for the evening's preliminary card.
The UFC Fight Night 25 lineup now includes:
- Jake Ellenberger vs. Jake Shields
- Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang
- Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch
- Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald
- Cody McKenzie vs. Vagner Rocha
- Shamar Bailey vs. Evan Dunham
- Lance Benoist vs. Matt Riddle
- Clay Harvison vs. DaMarques Johnson
- Daniel Roberts vs. T.J. Waldburger
- Mike Lullo vs. Mackens Semerzier
- Ken Stone vs. Donny Walker
For more on "UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou," stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Court McGee)


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Despite increasingly fierce annual competition from Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series, EA's FIFA remains the top selling football game out there. And, with a host of improvements, innovations and new features, the latest instalment is looking fighting fit for the new season. Described by EA as the 'most complete and authentic football experience ever released', the latest iteration in the all-conquering sports series includes a new animation engine, a new Career mode, improved team AI and innovative new 'Off the Ball' control.
As fans of the series have come to expect, FIFA 2004's presentation is second to none. Once again, EA's licensing muscle has secured a mind-boggling amount of official content; 16 leagues, 350 teams and 10,000 players to be precise. The number of official stadia has also rocketed, and you can expect to hear more than 300 crowd chants on your quest for footballing supremacy. The series has never been known for shabby graphics, but 2004 takes FIFA's visual splendour to dizzying new heights, with a finely tuned game engine and new animation engine making player movements more natural and organic than ever before.
But it's not just a case of prettier graphics and more content. Perhaps taking a leaf out of Pro Evolution's book, EA has made numerous changes and additions to the gameplay that result in a far more tactical game. Probably the most significant of these is the innovative Off the Ball control feature. When in possession of the ball, this nifty feature allows you to control supporting players, running them into space and creating opportunities that previously only came about at the team AI's discretion. You can even bring out your inner manager mid-match, using the D-pad to change team tactics on the fly.
This increased focus on management extends to the new Career mode, which lets you build your own squad and lead them to Championship glory, all the while making numerous management calls relating to the squad list, budgets and more besides. If you're really into the sheepskin coat side of things, FIFA 2004 allows you to import your squad from EA's new footie management sim, Total Club Manager, and put them through their paces on the pitch.
There's good news also for Network Adaptor owners, as FIFA 2004 is online, exclusively to PlayStation 2. Take on players all around the world and show off your skills online in numerous leagues, tournaments and special events.
1-2 Players
Network Play
See it in action


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Starting this weekend we'll be pounding the
pavement stained carpet to bring you the latest Detroit Auto Show reveals. Despite the Carpocalypse, we expect surprises. But what unveil would surprise you most?
We've already been leaked the Tracker-esque Kia Soul'ster concept, so a quasi-Kia-amino is one thing we can cross off the list. But there's so much more. We know the addition of the electric test track means any concept car to powered by an internal combustion engines would be the real shock.
What would be even more surprising? An ICE-powered truck like the Ford F-250 Super Chief revealed at a previous show. Last year, the show was home to the reveals of the 2009 Ford F-150 and 2009 Dodge Ram. This year it'll be all about fuel efficient cars. As exciting as this prospect is, bigass truck-building is the one area where American automakers have always owned the market and we think it's just what the American psyche needs. Just don't hold your breath.
(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)


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Up In Smoke
Congress' failure to control emissions from coal power plants
View and Download our report here: Up In Smoke
Electricity generation from old, heavily-polluting coal-fired power plants rose 15.8 percent nationwide between 1992 and 1998, an increase big enough to power all the industries, businesses and homes in the state of California for a year. This jump, which was spurred in large part by loopholes in the Clean Air Act and the deregulation of the wholesale electric power market, threatens to erode completely the steps that have been taken to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants. If not for this huge increase in generation from coal-fired power plants the air would be much cleaner today.
The environmental consequences of our continued reliance on coal-fired power plants are alarming. Compared to 1992, increased electricity generation at coal-burning power plants produced 755,000 tons of nitrogen oxide pollution in 1998, that would otherwise not have been emitted. This is the same amount of smog-forming pollution emitted each year by nearly 37 million cars. In addition, the increase in power generation from these plants is responsible for 298 million tons of carbon dioxide in 1998, the principal cause of global warming. This is an amount equal to the carbon dioxide emitted per year by nearly 44 million cars.
Several factors are encouraging the trend toward increased use of old, polluting coal plants. The Clean Air Act grandfathers pollution from power plants planned or constructed before 1977, allowing them to pollute up to ten times more than new facilities. The Clean Air Act also allows all power plants, regardless of age, to emit unlimited amounts of carbon dioxide and the toxic metal mercury. As a result, power plants are the largest industrial emitters of these pollutants.
These clean air loopholes give older, heavily-polluting plants a competitive edge over cleaner, modern power sources. Congress fueled this advantage in 1992 by deregulating the wholesale power market without equalizing environmental standards for all power plants. Wholesale power is the electricity that utilities sell to each other. Deregulation of the wholesale power market helped increase the demand for power from existing coal-fired facilities, while simultaneously discouraging the construction of new, cleaner power plants. Retail deregulation is likely to compound this effect unless accompanied by strong environmental standards.
View and Download our report here: Up In Smoke