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Almost 2,000 visitors attended the various events of Vaasa EnergyWeek, which was organised for the second time this March. EnergyWeek is a series of events promoting the energy technology cluster in the Vaasa region and the EnergyVaasa brand, and once again this year it succeeded in filling the city's hotels and being a visible part of the cityscape.
Vaasa EnergyWeek 2013 started with the Energy and Environment Seminar, which was organised for the ninth time. Its purpose is to inspire nationwide discussion about important issues concerning energy and the environment, and this year almost 300 guests gathered in the assembly room of Vaasa City Hall to listen to topical speeches about energy production in the future.
Organised for the third time, the international Vaasa Wind Exchange event once again brought together experts and interested parties in the wind power field as a part of the Vaasa EnergyWeek. Held at the beautiful City Hall, Vaasa Wind Exchange was a two-day event. The first day with its lectures and trade fair stands was aimed at the general public, while the second day was reserved for business meetings between the exhibitors.
This year, the two-day long Renewable Efficient Energy III Conference (REE), organised by the Vaasa Energy Institute (VEI), focused on renewable energy and wind power. The introductions and discussions of the first conference day concentrated on engine and motor technology, biofuels, geothermal energy and electric power networks. The second day was dedicated to wind power, with the introductions focusing specifically on noise reduction in wind power plants, as well as on wind turbines and wind speed measurements.
The Radisson Blu Royal Hotel's conference facilities were full to the brim when the Energy Match Metal event, organised for the second time in connection with Vaasa EnergyWeek, brought together representatives from the energy, engineering and metal industries to listen to presentations on subcontracting and to make contacts. The event was organised following the principles of matchmaking, and after the formal presentations the representatives of the 40 companies that participated in the event had an opportunity to meet other company representatives in a total of 10 meetings. All in all, 320 meetings were organised during the afternoon.
In March 2013, Vaasa EnergyWeek took its first in-depth look at energy-efficient construction. The domestic and foreign speakers at the Energy & Building Seminar discussed examples of low energy and passive house construction in Finland and other Nordic countries.
Vaasa EnergyWeek 2013, the international event for the energy industry, is drawing near. Inspired by last year's success, this is the second EnergyWeek organised, taking place next week from the 18th to the 21st March, in the heart of the most significant energy technology cluster in the Nordic countries. The event will bring together the top names in the industry in the beautiful city of Vaasa. The seminars and other events organised during EnergyWeek will offer information and advice from top experts on important issues in the industry, of interest to energy companies, decision-makers and many others. This information will include discussions about the present state of the industry, as well as future trends.
A long time researcher of biofuels at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Jyväskylä, Doctor Margareta Wihersaari has completed her doctoral thesis on the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of the production chains of bioenergy. Wihersaari started work as Professor of Energy Technology at the Åbo Akademi University's Vaasa campus in early November last year. She will be talking about bioenergy and its production chains on 19th March at the Renewable Efficient Energy III Conference, which is a part of Vaasa EnergyWeek.
Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings effectively decreases the carbon footprint, especially here in the north, where a large part of the energy consumed is spent on heating. For the present, Finland is slightly behind its Nordic neighbours in issues concerning energy efficiency, but we are working hard to catch up.
The Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr Jan Vapaavuori, is the official Patron of the Vaasa EnergyWeek 2013
Fossil fuels are still running our globe and without oil and coal the world would simply stop. The earth's population, people's consumption and with it the need for energy and raw materials keep growing and this causes serious challenges for the battle against climate change, increases environmental emissions and causes inadequacy of fossil fuels.
At the end of 2012, district heat production in Vaasa made a significant turnabout in its energy focus when Vaskiluodon Voima Oy's new gasification plant and Westenergy Oy's waste incineration plant were completed. A producer of electricity and district heat, Vaskiluodon Voima pressed the world's largest biomass gasification plant into service. Due to this 140 MW power plant, 25% to 40% of the coal can be replaced by domestic biofuels.
Small and open economies like Finland need enterprises that work well in the international market. Usually, an enterprise's process of internationalisation is spurred on by its growth, but for some the domestic market is too small right from the beginning. Economic decision-makers would like to see more businesses in Finland that are born global, but unfortunately there is no ready-made formula for bringing them about.
Finland has undertaken to build more wind power plants by 2020, worth a total capacity of 2,500 MW, in addition to its other projects involving the production of renewable energy. This represents a considerable increase in the country's production of wind power energy when compared to the 145 wind power plants that were in operation in August 2012, whose combined output was just 234 MW.
The indicator lights on the protection relays set side by side in substation simulators glow, as Jari Koski, lecturer at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, checks that the relays are correctly programmed. There is still work to be done, but it won't be long until tests can be begun at the Technobothnia Research Centre to find out how protection relays from different manufacturers function together in practice in the transmission and distribution of electrical energy, and in decentralised energy production. While relays observe the IEC 61850 Standard on data transfer, their ability to work together is far from guaranteed. This ground-breaking research by Vaasa-based experts in the energy field will vitally reduce the problems between different manufacturers' protection products and consequently simplify the data transfer and communication of smart grids needed in substation automation and decentralised energy production.
Lately, the fields of energy and environmental technology have been seen as the most potential successors to the current giants of Finnish exports, the mobile technology and forest industries. The export figures of the industry specialising in renewable energy production and energy efficiency have been very positive. New energy investments are being made in far-off countries as well as in Europe, where MEUR 640 will be invested over the next eight years just in improving energy efficiency.
Vaasa Engineering Oy (VEO) has developed an innovation that offers cost-effectiveness to the manufacturing and use of new wind power turbines. The men behind the new excitation solution, Hannu Erkkilä, Tuomo Peltoniemi and Markus Hattara, received the national innovation award for their innovation in January 2012.
The first Vaasa EnergyWeek, held from 19th to 22nd March, will not be the last of its kind, because both the participants and organisers were extremely happy with what the event had to offer. The three events that were held during the same week – the national Energy and Environment Seminar, the Vaasa Wind Exchange event and Vaasa Energy Institute's Renewable Efficient Energy II Conference – assembled between them almost 1,400 satisfied visitors from the Vaasa region, elsewhere in Finland and abroad.
A new geothermal energy park will investigate energy storing and exploitation
Esa Härmälä from the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy:
The targets which are in accordance with the European Union's climate and energy package obligate member states to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent, to increase the proportion of renewable energy to 20 percent of consumption and to improve energy efficiency by 20 percent, all by 2020. Finnish energy policies are mainly derived from these targets and domestic circumstances.
March is drawing near and with it, Vaasa EnergyWeek. The expectations of both organisers and participants are high. The wind power event called Vaasa Wind Exchange, organised for the second time, will be held on Tuesday the 20th March. This year the event will be run by Pohjanmaan Expo.
The cost of energy governs the technical development of wind power plants. In designing and building the new generation of wind power plants, the goal is to achieve more energy while keeping the total costs as low as possible. The objective is to minimise the operating and servicing costs of the plant's whole life cycle, as well as the building costs.
Our society is dependent on electricity. This is especially clear after there have been disruptions in the distribution of electricity for some reason, as there have with storms this winter.
In the Vaasa region and throughout the west-coast area of Finland known as Ostrobothnia, things are better than average: businesses are doing well, the employment rate is amongst the best in Finland and the development of the region's gross domestic product is better than in the rest of the country as a whole. Population has also grown over the last few years, although more people are still needed.
The proximity of current and potential partners, excellent opportunities for wind power construction, a welcoming atmosphere and open cooperation discussions – these are some of the reasons that prompted the German Prokon Energiesysteme GmbH, specialising in the production methods of renewable energy, to choose Vaasa as the location of its new subsidiary.


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The sale of the Tulsa World to the Berkshire Hathaway's BH Media Group represents an historic moment for Tulsa and all of northeastern Oklahoma. The sad reality of this most unwelcome but seemingly inevitable transition is that the institutional fabric of our community will be inalterably and most likely negatively impacted forever.
My love affair with the Tulsa World started about 60 of my 68 years ago when I discovered the "funny papers" in the Sunday edition. It was the beginning of a daily ritual in my life that has included spending a minimum of one hour with my morning daily and a couple cups of coffee. Until 1992, it was followed by one hour with the Tulsa Tribune in the afternoon.
Like thousands of other Tulsans my first employment opportunity was as a carrier for the Tulsa World. An enterprising 12 year old could earn some serious spending money. Today, most families would never consider allowing someone that age to be out by themselves at 4am, but in the '50s we thought nothing of it.
The sense of responsibility I learned from that experience cannot be overstated. In those days we collected our accounts door to door, and I met every single one of the 130 customers on my route, face to face. I knew their delivery preferences and in many cases I knew about them and their families, from the cheerful new moms to the grumpy old grandpas.
Unlike the isolation felt by so many people in today's world, the newspaper carriers of that era were truly connected to their community. What a shame to have lost this wonderful tradition where youthful newspaper carriers gained valuable experience -- that often lasted a lifetime -- as independent business people.
Regrettably and for whatever reason, I have never been much a reader of either fiction or non-fiction but I have always read the daily newspaper. Because it keeps me informed about what is going on in my town, region and nation I am the richer for it. For the most part, local people still trust their local newspaper, more than they trust the national media, to tell them what's really going on in their neighborhood. That is why it is so troubling that we are losing that local ownership and control of our community's flagship daily newspaper.
None other than Mahatma Gandhi observed that the careful and controlled dissemination of local news is vital to the thriving heart of any society. Setting up a newspaper was the first thing he would suggest for a village; it is a central point through which all news is filtered and which brings people together.
Gandhi looked upon journalism as a means to serve the people. He said in his autobiography: "The sole aim of journalism should be service. The newspaper is a great power, but just as an unchained torrent of water submerges whole countryside and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy. If the control is from without, it proves more poisonous than want of control. It can be profitable only when exercised from within."
If the above line of reasoning is correct, how many journals of the world can stand the test in 2013? The Tulsa World will still be published after the sale is closed. I will still brush my teeth and get my newspaper and my cup of java every morning to begin my day. But over 100 years and four generations of local stewardship will be missing from that paper and that bothers me, a lot.
The way the media landscape is evolving so quickly these days, it is difficult to predict the impact of the sale on the future quantity and quality of the newspaper. On the surface it would appear that the BH Media Group represents the best case scenario of potential absentee owners.
The fact that the World would be targeted by someone with the unparalleled business acumen of Mr. Buffett says volumes about the paper's potential long-term viability. You would hope that the efficiencies and economies of scale they bring to the table would allow for increasing investments in the staffing levels which have obviously declined in recent years. I wish them all the best but only time will tell how it will play out and a lot of pressure will be on them to earn local support.
In the meantime, I offer a big thank you to the Lorton family for starting my day off right for the past 60 years. They have been generous corporate and private citizens over the years by sharing their wealth and resources with the community. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for their service, their dedication and their love of Tulsa.
As we move on, let us acknowledge that only a daily newspaper can be a daily, and only a weekly can be a weekly, if that makes any sense. If you want to know what happened at yesterday's City Council meeting, only a daily can bring that to you in a timely fashion. And if you want a thousand word op-ed piece like mine, only a weekly can deliver that to you.
With that said, this change in the World's ownership does create some challenges and opportunities for Tulsa's alternative media, like UTW and others, to assume a more prominent role in serving local readers. Because, ironically, it's the abundance of information and news now available that requires the local journalist to help us to make sense of the digital cacophony which surrounds us.
The news business will always be competitive but what we really need is for all of our local media to help us make sense of an enormous range of differing views about multiple complex issues, by doing it quickly, by knowing the right questions to ask of the right people at the right time.
Thanks again to the Lorton family and Godspeed to you. And all the best to the surviving World staffers as you brace for the uncertain future which lies ahead. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Subscriptions Available at $124/yr.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing. No refunds are issued. Back issues are available for $10/copy.
We accept Visa, M/C, checks and money orders. Call to charge by phone 918-592-5550. Enter your contact information in the form below and we will contact you.
If ordering by mail, make checks and money orders payable to Urban Tulsa Weekly. Send your payment along with your complete postal delivery address to Urban Tulsa Weekly, Attn: Samantha, PO Box 50499, Tulsa, OK 74150
Urban Tulsa Weekly 1924 E. 6th St. Tulsa OK 74104 Phone: (918) 592-5550 Fax: (918) 592-5970 e-mail: Subscriptions

subset: commoncrawl


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I just bought and downloaded Civ V through D2D. After initial problems of getting them to accept my CC because the ship to URL is in Mexico and my bank address is in NC, I downloaded Civ V. It took 12 hours and then another 30 minutes or so to install it. The first thing I noticed is that it seems that the game will not run unless there is an internet connection because the desktop icon links to steam://rungameid/8930 and is listed as an Internet Shortcut. That is a little annoying since I paid full price for the game. The next thing that happened is really annoying. I have no cursor indicator after loading the game. I can move the mouse and get indications that there is a mouse position becaue different things will highlight and a click will give the desired results. The problem is that playing the game is impossible because I don't know where the cursor is.
My PC is just over the minimum requirements because of the Video card, I have a Gforce 8400.
Any suggestions as to how to fix this. Who do I complain to, Sid Meier or D2D or Steam. This is the first time I have purchased a game this size by download and will probably be the last.


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All Android Titles
The Business of Android Apps Development 2nd Edition
- OpenGL has set the standard for 3D computer graphics, and is an essential aspect of Android development. This book offers everything you need to know, from basic mathematical concepts to advanced coding techniques. You'll learn by building a fascinating 3D solar system simulator!
- So, you've created a few projects with Arduino, and now it's time to kick it up a notch. Where do you go next? With Pro Arduino, you'll learn about new tools, techniques, and frameworks to make even more ground-breaking, eye-popping projects.
Pro Android Web Game Apps is a hands-on guide to building web games, focused on Android devices. You'll start with a blank HTML page, and by the end of the book, have the skills needed to create a multiplayer online game with rich graphics, sound, animation, and more.
- Pro Android Web Apps teaches developers already familiar with web application development how to code and structure a web app for use on the Google Android mobile platform.
- Android programming is now accessible to all developers! Whether you write your code in Python, Lua, or even just Beanshell, Pro Android Python with SL4A will teach you to write fully-functional non-Java apps for Android-based devices.
- Pro Android Media provides concise and clear instruction on how to utilize the media APIs made available through Android to create dynamic apps.
Pro Android Graphics is a comprehensive goldmine of knowledge and techniques that will help you design, create, and optimize 2D graphics for use in your Android Jelly Bean applications. Learn to leverage Android's powerful graphics APIs in conjunction with professional open source graphics design tools such as GIMP 2.8.6 and more.
Pro Android Games 2nd Edition
Combining actionable, real-world source code with graphics, Pro Android Games, Second Edition shows you how to build more sophisticated and addictive Android game apps with minimum effort. Harness the power of the latest Android Jelly Beans NDK to bring countless legendary, action-packed PC games to the Android Platform. - Do you remember landmark games like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Asteroids? Well, here's an exciting opportunity to build and/or port these games to one of the hottest mobile and netbooks platforms today: Google's Android.
- Pro Android Flash is your definitive guide to building rich, immersive user experiences on Android. Learn how to program Android smartphones and tablets with the most popular rich Internet application (RIA) frameworks for Android developersFlash and Flex!
- Pro Android C++ with the NDK (Native Development Kit) is an advanced tutorial and professional reference for experienced app developers now porting, developing or employing C++ and other native code to integrate into the Android platform to run more sophisticated native apps with increased performance.


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3 Meetup Groups match "Brunch" near Scarborough, ME
Sunday late morning is the perfect time to relax and enjoy great food and good conversation. Come and join in on the fun. We will meet once or twice a month for brunch in the Greater Portland area.
There are no upcoming Meetups.
This is a group for anyone interested in meeting and making new friends over coffee and a great breakfast or brunch. We will meet once every two weeks on a weekend morning in the seacoast or surrounding towns at local area eateries. This is a fantastic way to get to know the area's best local restaurants and to also "eat local" and make a lasting contribution to small businesses. Hope you will join us!!!
A place to meet new friends in the greater Portland area! The Greater Portland Social Club WHO: Join us, and meet single and coupled men and women in their 40's & 50's, interested in gathering to explore what Portland and our greater area of Maine has to offer. WHAT: The Greater Portland Social Club is unique! Members gather early in the evening for cocktails (or club sodas etc... if you don't drink!) each month, rather then for pricy dinners or other pricy social events. WHEN: Since The Greater …
Get an alert email when new Meetup Groups like this start near you.
You'll get advice, help finding members, and tools to make running a Meetup Group easier.


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Jonah Takagi's mixed-media coffee tables and pendant lights can be found at edgy design stores like Matter and the Future Perfect. But the 33-year-old designer's house is full of Ikea basics and estate-sale finds, not unlike most of his fashionable 30-something guy friends. So it's with them — and himself — in mind that he started Field (field-online.com), a new male-centric housewares collection designed by, well, himself and his friends, which include Hallgeir Homstvedt, Jonathan Nesci and Oscar Diaz. "I saw an opportunity to make new vintage pieces, ones that will age well and hold their own alongside a cast-iron desk or shop lights," says Takagi.
Making its debut this month in New York at the men's fashion mecca Project No. 8, Field features wares like a tool-inspired bottle opener and a compact aluminum-slab side table. To keep it all within a reasonable price range ($45 to $550), Takagi scoured the country for craftsmen and factories that could do small-batch work on a budget: a desk set (above) by the Aussie duo Daniel Emma includes soapstone bookends carved in Colorado and a reclaimed-pine pen cup that is hand-turned in Baltimore. The result is a collection that's old school but looks brand-new.


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A striped check plaid bedding collection in shades of blue, navy, and white, the Hanes June Bug bed set will transform any boys or teenagers bedroom into a chamber of nautical calmness. Complete the Hanes June Bug bed set with matching sheet sets in a navy blue and sky blue mini check plaid that feature 300 thread count cotton and include one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and two standard pillowcases.
Our mission is to provide an unparalleled online shopping experience for our customers, offering the widest selection of top-quality home products at affordable prices. Founded in 2000 in Franklin, CT. the Yankee Retail Company is an authorized retailer of many world-renowned brands; such as Croscill, Waterford Crystal, American Drew, Brownstone Furniture, Reed & Barton, Swarovski, Lenox, Laura Ashley, and Waverly.


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The Socal regional series is hosting the grand finale to their circuit on June 23rd 2012! This is going to be an awesome event as always but there are a few things that are bringing some extra hype for you. With the help of the smash community we've raised funds to help both Mr. R and Vinnie make it out to the tournament. That's right - both the European swagmonster and East Coast grabguy will be at this event. Neither one of these players have set foot on the West Coast before and with the high skill level at this tournament I'm positive pride will be broken. Just to give you an idea of the difficulty here is a list of players confirmed to make it out: Mr. R Vinnie Tyrant Fow TKD DEHF SK92 RichBrown Havok Mike Haze OBVIOUSLY STACKED. We're having a special promotion for new players as well. If you're new to the offline tournament scene you can save money. If you print out the flyer posted in this article you will receive $5 off of your 1v1 entry fee. This won't be a tournament you'll want to miss so hopefully that will serve as an extra incentive for you.
The tournament will be hosted at a Anime/card shop in Temple City, California called Desu-Nation. They have an awesome collection of anime merch so even if you don't enter feel free to come by and check out the event/store. The address is as followed: Signups for both 1v1 and 2v2 begin at 11:00AM and end at 12:00 PM. This is running on a strict schedule so do not be late, otherwise you may not be able to enter. We hope you make it out to the event, this will definitely be a great one. If you have any other questions, feel free to post here or on the tournament page! CLICK HERE TO BE LINKED TO THE PAGE


text: Home Politics Can Wyclef Jean Tap Haiti's Youth Movement? Since the departure of Aristide, Haiti's youth have created a network of grass-roots organizations that could propel the hip-hop candidate to power. By: Landon Yarrington Posted: Aug. 11 2010 7:23 PM 0 Frederic Dupoux/Getty Images During his 14-year reign as Haiti's "president for life," François "Papa Doc" Duvalier waged a war of attrition against his own people, looted the country's finances and "disappeared" thousands of dissident voices. Duvalier, like capitalism, was no respecter of persons. Knowing this, one would not expect to find an abundance of Papa Doc memorabilia on display in many Haitian homes, but this was exactly what I found during a research trip last winter. In fact, most Haitians I spoke with in Port-au-Prince, from both the Duvalier and Aristide generations, hasten to contrast his benevolent legacy with the chronic turmoil of the Aristide era. There's no doubt that things were better then, one friend told me, when electricity was an everyday affair, when five Haitian gourdes had the purchasing power of one U.S. dollar (vs. 34 gourdes today), when tourism was booming and Haitians had jobs. But what about the impoverished rural areas of Bombardopolis and Jean Rabel, the trigger-happy tonton macoutes and all-around state-sponsored terrorism? Now that every corner in the working-class Delmas neighborhood has either aba (down with) Préval or aba Titid (Aristide) sprayed defiantly on its walls, Papa Doc has become the subject of a systematic forgetting (and forgiving), much the same way that Joseph Stalin has in contemporary Russia. Students of Haitian history know that the lionization of its leaders is nothing new -- nearly all of Haiti's 45 heads of state have relied on their ability to appear larger than life to gain, and keep, office. The increasing likelihood that Wyclef Jean could join this illustrious genealogy prompts us to reflect on both the historic role of the presidency as well as what it would actually mean if someone like Wyclef were to win. Strong national consensus has meant life or death for Haiti's presidents. Most presidents, however, manufacture that consensus. During the course of what anthropologist Drexel Woodson calls "the long Haitian nineteenth century" (1804-1915), presidents often employed rural armed militias known as piquets or cacos to solidify power under the guise of genuine civil support. In the 20th century, Duvalier had his tonton macoutes; before him, presidential hopeful Daniel Fignolé had his "steamroller" protest marches. Click on the page numbers below to continue reading this article or check out:*Dear Wyclef: Please Don't Run!*CHART: The Gap Between Promises and Reality in Haiti But things fell apart once Aristide left. The ti legliz model spawned an ever-increasing number of localized peasant organizations for support that the fragile state either cannot or will not provide. Haiti's labyrinthine political culture, which saw 34 presidential candidates and 36 separate political parties on the ballot in 2006, is partly due to this explosion of civil society organizations. My research with baz (grass-roots) youth groups suggests a new trend in the way citizenship is exercised in Haiti. Baz modified the peasant organizations of the Aristide era into a model of citizenship defined by their mobility and relationship with other baz. These groups travel long distances to chita palé (literally "sit and talk") with others, resulting in a national network of civic-minded youth. When asked how baz differ from other civil-society groups, one member said that they represent a true movement; they insist that a decentralized dialogue replaced the centralizing force that Lavalas exerted over the past generation. Baz members believe this movement is the key to dismantling the hegemony of the "Republic of Port-au-Prince," but it may also have an important impact on the coming elections, especially for Wyclef Jean, who has made his appeal to the youth base clear. Page 1 of 2 NEXT PAGE > Powered by Livefyre


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Need it before Christmas?
Click here for shipping deadlines
Series: | XRP |
Cordless: | Yes |
Length: | 10.75 in. |
Weight: | 7.55 lbs. |
Shipping Weight: | 16 lbs. |
Drive Size: | 1/2-in |
Voltage: | 18V |
Onboard Light: | No |
Batteries Included: | 2 |
Power Type: | Cordless |
Battery Type: | Li-Ion |
Torque: | 300 ft-lbs. |
Reviewed by 1 customer
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Best Uses
This is a great tool for automotive use as well machinery. We use it on race cars that have long lug studs as well maintaining our fleet. So much more convenient and quicker than dragging out the air hose and impact
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Three-Year Limited Warranty. DEWALT will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse. For further detail of warranty coverage and warranty repair information, visit www.dewalt.com or call 1-800-4-DEWALT (1-800-433-9258). This warranty does not apply to accessories or damage caused where repairs have been made or attempted by others. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary in certain states or provinces.
One-Year Free Service Contract. DEWALT will maintain the tool and replace worn parts caused by normal use, for free, any time during the first year after purchase.
90-Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the performance of your DEWALT Power Tool, Laser, or Nailer for any reason, you can return it within 90 days from the date of purchase with a receipt for a full refund - no questions asked.


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Perennials is a term that describes what many gardeners and homeowners strive for, which is a plant that comes back every spring. There are perennial plants that can meet just about every need a landscape has. Perennials range from low growing plants to tall growing plants, from those that produce colorful flowers to those that provide visual pleasure with glowing seed heads, such as those exhibited by some ornamental grasses. Perennial gardens need to be planted only once. The perennial garden can contain plants that flower, plants with colorful leaves and foliage, and low growing ground covers for that especially shady spot.
Perennials tend to die back to the ground each winter. Perennial plants generally have fewer major problems than annuals and are sustainable with lower care and maintenance needs. Blooming perennials tend to average about 3 weeks of bloom time so choosing plants with attractive structure and foliage and flowers will enhance your landscape for years to come. We offer an extensive list of perennials for various needs below.


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SP Air's 1/4" and 3/8" Baby Butterfly Impact Wrench, Nos. SP-1850S and SP-1850, features a butterfly throttle which allows the user to operate the tool at the speed s/he wants in either forward or reverse, with one hand. It can work in confined areas, and is used for transmission work and small engine repair. The air inlet swivels 160 degrees providing greater ease of operation. The unit specifications include a maximum torque of 72 ft/lbs., a free speed of 10,000 rpm, a sound level of 87.4 dB, a vibration level of 6.2 m/s and has an air consumption of 9.3 CFM (4.4 L/sec).
1/4" and 3/8" Baby Butterfly Impact Wrench, Nos. SP-1850S and SP-1850
From SP Air Corporation
1/4" and 3/8" Baby Butterfly Impact Wrench, Nos. SP-1850S and SP-1850
Product From SP Air Corporation
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3/8" drive air ratchet FAR7000
Product From Snap-on -
The Snap-on 3/8" Drive Air Ratchet (FAR7000) is a high-speed, low-torque air ratchet will make fast work of any service or repair job. The tool is ideal for working on a variety of applications such as: hoods, fenders, mud flaps, intake manifolds, engine brackets, bumpers, transmissions and oil pans, alternators, brake calipers, ERG valves and water pumps. It has 410 RPM free speed for fast removal/installation; slim drive head combined with long reach, 11.2-inch overall, makes getting into tight spots easier; adjustable exhaust deflector directs exhaust away from the work area; light weight (just 2.08 pounds) and the ergonomic comfort grip handle reduces fatigue; maximum torque of just 30 foot-pounds; and 2.6 CFM air consumption.
AR Titanium Series close quarter sealed head ratchets, Nos. AR038B and AR050B
Product From MAC Tools -
The AR Titanium Series close quarter sealed head ratchets from Mac Tools include a 3/8" drive, No. AR038B, and 1/2" drive, No. AR050B, models. They come constructed with titanium sealed heads for reduced weight and maximum durability in the garage. The tool's close quarter sealed head design grants better access to tight spots and provides improved durability and reduced maintenance by eliminating binding gears in the industry standard pear head design. Its sealed head design also allowed the forward/reverse control to be removed from the head of the tool which prevents trapped tools and allows for a quick socket release to be added where others put their forward/reverse.
- Product From Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co.
The Chicago Pneumatic 1" CP7779 impact wrench provides 1440 ft/lbs of maximum torque. Thanks to an optimal balance and interaction between motor and clutch mechanism, this energy-efficient impact has an average air consumption of only 7.7 cfm. The CP7779 offers the convenient, S2S single-hand forward/reverse switch for more efficient operation. In any wrench position, and even in tight places, the operator can easily switch between forward and reverse with one hand. The CP7779 is compact, well-balanced and lightweight. A fiber-reinforced composite body and magnesium clutch housing make it one of the industry's lightest wrenches weighing only 7.7 lbs. Combined, these features help reduce both arm stress and operator fatigue.
- Product From K&E Tools
K&E Tools offers one of the most ergonomic tire changing impact tools on the market, according to the company. The KE-1650-EXT offers unique features that will reduce back and wrist strain on tire technicians while improving performance. The tool's ergonomic features include a lightweight design at only 15.9 lbs, as well as a curved rear handle that promotes use in a natural working position. Advanced performance features include a powerful torque rating of 1650 ft/lbs with a speed of 6,000 rpm. This tool offers the perfect blend of power, speed and ergonomics that professionals appreciate, according to the company. K&E Tools supports products with parts availability and service.
2135TiMAX 1/2" air Impactool - 10th Anniversary Edition
Product From Ingersoll Rand -
Ingersoll Rand celebrates 10 years of Titanium with the limited edition 2135TiMAX air impact wrench kit. The 2135TiMAX 1/2" air Impactool has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class with 1,100 ft/bs of nut-busting torque from a tool weighing less than 4 lbs. A feather-touch trigger, wider range of power regulator settings in forward, always max power in reverse and patented one-hand forward/reverse control round out the list of this tool's hardworking features. The limited-edition package includes a uniquely styled commemorative version of the 2135TiMAX Impactool, plus a flashlight and a decal (No. 2135Ti10YR).
1880P 1" Pistol Grip Heavy Duty Impact Wrench
Product From AIRCAT Pneumatic Tools -
The AIRCAT 1" Pistol Grip Heavy Duty Impact Wrench provides of 1,850 ft/lbs of loosening torque, and comes equipped with a durable twin hammer, to help with the removal of spring bolts, maintenance of buses, large trucks, farm machinery, truck tire work and major engine tear downs. The aluminum body with D-style handle grip offers the user a sleek, comfortable ergonomic design. The handle exhaust directs air away from the workplace and operator. This impact provides 200 to 1,580 ft/lbs of working torque at 900 blows per minute with 4,800 rpm. The 1880-P includes a one-year parts and labor warranty.
1620 3/4" Composite Impact Wrench
Product From AIRCAT Pneumatic Tools -
The AIRCAT 1620 Composit Heavy Duty 3/4" Impact Wrench provides 1,150 blows per minute, with all the speed of a 1/2" impact, and all the power of 3/4", according to the company. Weighing 6.89 lbs, this impact feature a comfortable, durable lightweight composite housing, and comes equipped with a durable twin hammer for use on heavy duty, industrial and truck work. With AIRCAT's patented ergonomically designed handle and easy flip lever for effortless forward and reverse operation, this tool has a one-year parts and labor warranty. Other features include 1,250 ft/lbs of loosening torque, a working torque of 200 to 1,100 ft/lbs and a free speed of 5,750 rpm.
Swivel Head Pneumatic Riveter, No. AVAK XP200
Product From RidgeGate Tools & Technologies Inc. -
The Swivel Head Pneumatic Riveter, No. AVAK XP200, from RidgeGate delivers powerful and rapid pneumatic rivet fastening with a patented, 360-degree rotating head for unparalleled access to tight places, according to the company. It delivers a 19mm stroke in a single cycle with a powerful 3,860 lbs of force capable of fastening the most demanding rivets in one single cycle. The rotating head design dramatically reduces strain on the user and increases workplace efficiency by reducing awkward postures when fastening hard-to-reach work pieces.
Commemorative version of the 2135TiMAX Impactool
Product From Ingersoll Rand -
The limited-edition commemorative version of the 2135TiMAX Impactool from Ingersoll Rand coms with the tool itself plus a flashlight and a decal. It has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and 1,100 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque, according tot he company. It weighs less than 4 lbs and features a feather-touch trigger. It also has a wider range of power regulator settings in forward, always uses its maximum power in reverse and has a patented one-hand forward/reverse control.
- Product From Bosch Power Tools
The Bosch Power Tools PS41-2A cordless 12V maximum pocket driver includes 12V maximum 1/4" hex, an impact kit, two lithium-ion 2.0 Ah batteries and a 30-minute charger. The tool has 930" lbs of maximum torque. It comes 2.1 lbs and 6.5" in length, giving a light weight design with short head length that puts power in the palm. It can replace air ratchets for many jobs. It has 0-2,600 RPM and 0-3,100 BPM. It has an LED that enables the use of the tool in low light or darkness.


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The Smash scene has always been something of a mystery to those outside the community. It is often isolated from other gaming communities and as a result few realize the draw and staying power the games have had for over half a decade. One of the staples of the Smash community are the occasional community run, grassroots national tournaments. The roots of these tournaments go all the way back to 2003, when Matt Deezie ran the very first Smash national tournament, TG4. Since that time dozens more have occurred and a few tournaments have even risen to the international level in scope.
One of these tournaments is coming this weekend. As I mentioned a few weeks ago in "Super Smash Bros. Thriving Across the Country" over at majorleaguegaming.com, in just a few short days the Smash scene is looking forward to the international tournament Apex 2012. The last international tournament occurred in the summer of 2011 with over 400 people attending and over $22,000 in prize money. At that tournament, Genesis II, a Melee player from outside the United States won for the first time ever. The player Armada, hailing from Sweden, had traveled to the United States repeatedly over the years but until 2011 had not finished higher than second in singles at a major US tournament. Unlike many other competitive games, the US has typically dominated the international scene and is often considered the best at both Brawl and Melee. This history goes all the way back to former world champion Ken Hoang winning the Jack Garden tournament in Japan in 2005.
Many players outside the United States have proven they can achieve great heights, but until Armada's victory six months ago none had proven they had what it took to be a champion. At Apex 2012 the saga will continue, with Armada once again coming to the United States –only this time he will not be the underdog, but the defending champion. Apex 2012 will have a plethora of high-level players attending for both games. Melee, having such a long history, offers an interesting diversity in talent. At the top of the list are all former and current national champions. Dr Peepee, the Falco main who won Pound 5 in early 2011, is by many considered the favorite to challenge Armada. To win though he will have to overcome other champions like Hungrybox and his Jigglypuff. Hungrybox's time at the top has been steady for years; he won Apex 2010 and is typically in the top 3 at major national tournaments. Probably the most electrifying Melee player though will be Mango, considered at one point to be the most dominant player after Ken, he has won multiple national tournaments since 2009 and he is considered a threat with many characters.
Moving past these national champions though are former Melee players and legends in their own right. Isai, former Major League Gaming Doubles National Champion in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and widely considered the best Smash 64 player ever, will be attending. MLG 2006 National Champion PC Chris should also be showing off his, possibly rusty but certainly thrilling, skills. Other players from the days that MLG held Melee include Chillin, KoreanDJ, and Azen—two of which won MLG tournaments in 2005 and 2006. Captain Jack has reportedly booked his flight from Japan, he had placed top 3 at MLG's 2004 National Championship. Looking at these players, the talent at Apex 2012 is almost surpassed by the long and storied history and it is anyone's guess who'll come out on top.
For Brawl the event looks to be just as exciting. Apex 2010 winner, DEHF, is set to defend his crown and shake off what was likely a bit disappointing 2010 MLG season. The player currently considered the best at Brawl will surely give DEHF one of his biggest obstacles in defending his crown. Since taking 4th place at MLG's 2010 National Championship, Ally has been on a rampage, winning over 20 tournaments in the last year alone, including the national Pound 5. He is the first player since Brawl's release to overtake Mew2King in the SWF Rankings, a catalogue of over 4,500 unique players and 500 tournaments occurring in the last year alone. Other challenges to DEHF include Mr. R, considered one of the best Marth players and the best player from Europe.
While the competition will be fierce from all the aforementioned players, probably the most exciting matches will come from the Japanese. So far over ten Japanese players are slated to travel to Apex 2012. Among them was the Apex 2010 Runner-up, Brood, who showed the US players that Olimar can compete on an entirely different level. He stands as one of the only players to ever defeat both Ally and Mew2King in the same tournament. Another Japanese player, Kakera, is believed to have a Meta Knight that rivals Mew2King's and many are looking forward to a potential showdown between the two. Finally, there is Nietono, who's Olimar is held as the best in the world and who is frequently referred to as the best player in Japan.
All of these international players will be fighting a slew of American goliaths. The best of the US includes ADHD (Diddy Kong), Anti (Meta Knight), Atomsk (everything), NickRiddle (Zero Suit Samus), and ESAM (Pikachu). Many of these players are considered the best in the country with their character. 2010 MLG National Champion and winner of $12,500, Gnes, will grace the tournament and hopes are high for his and other Texas' player's attendance. Likely the odds-on favorite to win the tournament is Mew2King though, who despite a surge from Ally is still the most consistent Brawl player of the last four years. Mew2King has mentioned Apex 2012 may be his last tournament and a competitor at his level will always want to go out on top. He will be entering both Brawl and Melee and stands to win upwards of $10,000 if he performs well in both games.
Though the tournament is just three days away and already records have been set. With 410 Unique Brawl entrances it will be the largest Brawl tournament in history. The experience lasts three days from January 6th-8th, and aside from all three Smash games will also include competitions for Super Street Fighter IV AE, Ultimate Marvel v Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9, and even Pokemon Black/White. If you live near the New Jersey area and don't wish to enter a tournament but want to check it out, spectator passes are a mere $10. Registration will be taken at the door for Super Street Fighter IV AE, Ultimate Marvel v Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9, and Pokemon. This is huge considering the recently EVO2k12 announced that Apex 2012 will be its kickoff event for their Road to EVO.
*Photo Credits: PBnJ, getyourtournament.com, apexsmash.com
3 Stocks 8 Minute Time Limit Items set to "Off" and "None" All infinites are legal. Meta Knight's Infinite Cape Glitch and Extended Cape Glitch are banned. There is a Ledge Grab Limit of 35 for Meta Knight and 50 for all other characters. If a game goes to time and one player goes over the Ledge Grab Limit for their character, they will automatically lose the game. If both players exceed their Ledge Grab Limit, then this rule is ignored. The act of stalling is banned: stalling is intentionally making the game unplaybale: Such as becoming invisible, continuing infinites past 300%, and reaching a position that your opponent can never reach you. Any action that can prevent the game from continuing (i.e., freezing, disappearing characters, game reset, etc.) will result in a forfeit of that match for the player that initiatied the action. You are responsible for knowing your own character, and must be wary about accidentally triggering one of these effects. If the Ledge Grab Limit does not declare one player the winner, the winner will be declared by what the game says in all situations, except for when players are presented with sudden death: In the event of a match going to time, the winner will be determined by who has less percent (stock difference still takes priority but will be shown in the results screen). If the match ends with both players dying at the same time (either coincidentally or via suicide move) or if time ran out with both players at equal percent, a one stock three minute rematch will be played on the same stage. For a tie-breaker match, a Ledge Grab Limit of 13 is used for Meta Knight, and 18 for all other characters.
Team Attack set to "On" Life stealing is allowed. In the event of a game reaching the time limit, if a single player on a team exceeds their Ledge Grab Limit, that team loses. If one or more players on both teams exceed their Ledge Grab Limit, then the Ledge Grab Limit rule is ignored. In the event of a game going to time and the Ledge Grab Limit can not determine a winner and both teams have an equal amount of combined stocks, then whichever team has a lower combined percent is declared the winner. If a player is using the character Pokemon Trainer, Lucario, or Sonic, either team may request that team colors be changed to make it easier to tell the difference between team players.
Player Priority is determined if it can not be agreed on. (See below for details) Each Team selects one controller port to use for each Player. Each Team selects one character for each Player. A double blind pick may be called by any player. The first game is played on a Stage selected from the Starter Stage List either by mutual consent or through the Stage Striking Method. The order of stage striking will be 1-2-2-1 (Team 1 strikes a stage, followed by Team 2 striking two stages, with Team 1 then striking one of the two remaining stages). The first match is played. The Team that won the previous match may announce one "Stage Ban" if they have not already done so in this set. The Team that lost the previous match announces the stage for the next match from either the Starter or the Counterpick Stage List. Any Stage named as a "Stage Ban" by the either Team may not be selected. No Stage may be used by a Team that has already won on that Stage in this set. The Team that won the previous match chooses one character for each Player. The Team that lost the previous match chooses one character for each Player. The next match is played. Repeat steps 6-10 for all proceeding matches. Determining Player Priority If there is a dispute in controller port selection or initiating Stage Strike use the following method: Teams agree to Rock-Paper-Scissors, otherwise it is determined with a coin-flip. The winning Team shall either elect to have first choice in port selection or first choice in Stage Strike. Whichever Team does not receive first choice in Port Selection will be compensated with first choice in Stage Striking. Note: In Doubles, port selection is ordered 1-2-2-1 fashion (with Team-1 having first choice in controller slot select, Team-2 having both second and third choice, and the final slot going to Team-1).
BYOC (Bring your own controller): Players are expected to bring their own controller and be prepared for every tournament set. Pausing may be turned off by request and the request cannot be denied. In the event pause is on and is pressed, whether by accident or on purpose, the result will be a loss of the current stock for the perpetrating player. Players who use the Wii Remote must take the batteries out of the Wii Remote when not playing. If the Wii Remote is still synced up to a Wii with the batteries in, you could unintentionally disrupt a match. If problems persist, a DQ may happen. Intentional forfeiting, match fixing, splitting, and any other forms of bracket manipulation is not allowed and punishable by the TO. No substitutions are allowed for singles or doubles. Coaching is allowed only between games, not during. Failure to adhere to this will lead to punishment at the TO's discretion, which could include the removal from the venue. DQ Rule: Arriving too late for a match will result in a DQ. Player(s) will have 5 minutes to show up before a loss of the first match. 5 more minutes results in a loss of the set. For doubles, both players on a team need to be present in order to play. The tournament organizer has the right to save/record any tournament match if possible and has the right to upload said match. Regarding textures and other game hacks: Players may request that any texture, stage, or other hacks be disabled during a tournament set. If this is unable to be done, they may switch to a different setup if available. The BBR-RC recommends players do not use intrusive texture and stage hacks. Players are not allowed to use any game altering hacks, such as no-tripping or model hacks. If someone is caught setting up a system they brought with such hacks enabled can face punishment at the TO's discretion. Check out discussion on vVv's Directional Influece by clickin here!
MLG Raleigh is just around the corner and it's time to remind everyone to register before the deadline closes! The event will kick off August 27th with the Brawl 1v1 Event and conclude on August 29th with the Brawl 2v2 event. The first two MLG events were a huge success, with all of the best players in the US in attendance. The matches were hype, the crowd was consistently going crazy, and everyone had a ton of fun. Raleigh is approaching fast, and the deadline to get in on the action is August 23rd - so make sure to click here to register for the event. Registration is only $35 ($45 including at-the-venue-only 2v2 Registration), which is a drop in the bucket compared to most Nationals.
Here is what has been said about previous MLG Events, in case there is any doubt about the amazing style and production of the largest and strongest competitive gaming company in North America:
The best tournament I have been to in my entire life! - DojoThe tournament was run very smoothly and I had a great experience with the Refs. Really well done overall, amazing job! - MetalMusicManMLG was a terrific experience, probably the best tournament I will ever go to in my life.-ClowsuiAnother MLG is in the books, and like Orlando, it didn't disappoint. -MavI would just like to say that this was the best tournament I have ever been to without a doubt. Not only will I try my best to come to Raleigh, but I think everyone else should do the same. -SnackAttack
The place is huge. It's ten times the size of my house. They've got good systems, it's very well run. Most efficient tournament I've ever been to. - ESAMThe venue is amazing and the crowd is a lot of fun. I've never had this much fun at a tournament before. I loved the crowd. It made things a lot more fun.-ADHDThis has best the best tournament I have ever been to in the history of forever. I am not kidding, real talk. -SkyThis is my first MLG...and not only has it fulfilled my dreams but it has supported everything I ever expected.-Pierce7dI absolutely thought it was a great tournament. Seeding could have been better but I know that couldn't be helped. The event was really professionally done and it was a blast. Free Dr. Pepper. I really liked that TV's were turned off for finals to increase the hype of the event.-LeeMartinThis was one of the fastest and most efficiently ran events that I have been to in years. Amazing!-D1MLG Orlando is one of the best tournaments I have been to. I love Brawl and I love the community.-Tyrant
Of course, maybe these testimonials aren't enough. Maybe you need even more reasons to attend MLG Raleigh this August 27th-29th. Well, lets check out the free stuff you get for just being at the event:
Of course, free food, free drinks, free merchandise, that is just part of the experience that MLG provides. MLG has gotten together just about every top player in the country to attend the event. Just who are we talking about?
Throw in others like Hunger, Kismit, Reflex, Anti, Fatal, Felix, and RichBrown and the competition is stacked. If you have ever wanted to play the best in the world, while getting tons of free stuff, MLG Raleigh is where it is at.
Of course, maybe Brawl isn't the only game you are interested in. That's OK. For Raleigh only, we will be bringing in a few Melee set ups to celebrate the MLG's 50th Event. In addition to that, you can watch the best players in North America and the world go head to head in four other official tournament titles:
Still not enough? Well, if you can hang with the Pro's, then you can get your shot at a $7,000 prize pool paid out to Top 8. That is more money than any other national except for other MLG Pro Circuit Events! Here is the prize breakdown:
And at the National Championships later this November in Dallas, we get to see an event with $35,000 in prizes paid to the Top 8:
The best players. The best sponsors. The best gaming experience. Come to MLG Raleigh and see all that competitive gaming has to offer. You will not be disappointed. Remember to register here for only $35! Do it today. Do it right now. Don't wait.
MLG will be offering coverage in the next week leading up the event, including interviews and a preview article. The first of these articles is already up on the site: Count interviews Apex 2010 Champion and MLG Pro Player DEHF. Click here to check it out!
Here is some additional, important information regarding the event:
Register now!
Umbre: Who are you two on AiB? And what are your mains? Rizakor: Hi. I'm Rizakor, and I main Meta Knight. FightAdamantEevee: I'm FightAdamantEevee and I main Pit and Lucas ^^ Umbre: What do you like most about the AiB ladder? (its strong points) FightAdamantEevee: Meeting new people and teams, and using it for experience. Rizakor: Yeah, I really enjoy meeting new people! The ladder helps me learn a lot of match-ups too, which has been improving my offline game. Umbre: Yeah, ladder is good for meeting new people. Match-ups are always important too. What drives you to play online? (why do you play online/ladder) FightAdamantEevee: Mom johns, she's sick. I can't go anywhere offline as of now. Therefore, Wi-Fi is my only way to play anyone. Rizakor: Brawl is honestly my favorite game at the moment, and I can't always play offline on school days, so I just play online. Ladder is fun because you monitor your progress with points and try to get the best streak you can. It also leads to playoffs, which is full of tough players and I absolutely thrive for competition, I love it. Umbre: Do you use online as a way to practice for offline? (during the times you two play offline)
FightAdamantEevee: My next tournament is January 30th. I guess I could say I'm using Wi-Fi to practice for this. Other than that, I don't use it to practice for offline. FightAdamantEevee: My next offline tournament* Rizakor: Oh definitely. I can honestly say I've improved by a significant amount by playing online, but it's important to apply what you learn online to your offline play. For instance, Snake used to be my worst match-up, but by playing so many on Wi-Fi, Snake has become one of my best and favorite match-ups. Umbre: Yeah, Wi-Fi can be helpful in those ways. You've gotten pretty far into the bracket, and recently ended up into losers. How does it feel to be pretty far into the bracket? FightAdamantEevee: It feels pretty good. I didn't think we'd make it this far, honestly, but Smash God and llodownedu are a really good team, so I wasn't surprised that we lost. Good luck to those two in the finals, btw. ^^ Rizakor: FAE and I were very optimistic, and before a match we always tell each other "Let's win this one!" and any time we get a win we celebrate with "Oh you did great that last match!" We try not to get intimidated by tough teams, and just play to the best of our ability. It feels great, I'm glad we're in this far and hopefully we get further. Seriously, Smash God and llodownedu are a great team, I gotta give it up to them <3. Umbre: Yeah, they're a good team. Who's the toughest team you've played online? Rizakor: There have been a couple of tough teams, but I'd have to say Smash God and llodownedu are the toughest so far. They work great together and they're really precise. A few other teams that were tough for us were Ally's+ Holy's team and Mango254's team. Umbre: What's the toughest character combo for you to face online? Rizakor: Personally, I can't stand a Diddy and Meta Knight team. Two of my worst match-ups, and together they're extremely difficult, especially on FD. I'd probably ban it, but yeah, definitely don't like Diddy/Meta teams. FightAdamantEevee: GnW and Wario. GnW rapes my characters and I can never seem to hit Wario in doubles, then wind up getting punished with a fart. It's a frikkin scary team. :/ Also, Wario has good DI and GnW can bucket brake, so it's really hard to kill them. They both have a nice supply of kill moves as well, and Pit+MK = light team. Umbre: Pretty good combination of characters; pretty understandable. Ok, final question, coming up; Do you have any advice for the people/teams out there who wish to improve in doubles? Rizakor: Mhm. You should ask your teammate a couple important questions such as: Are you a defensive or offensive player? What's your favorite CPs? What stages are you bad on? Aside from that, practice, practice, and more practice. The more you play with your teammate, the more you understand them and the better you'll be able to follow up whenever they hit the opponents towards you. If you're facing a character you don't like, let your teammate handle them while you take on the other. And please don't bash on your opponent if he/she makes a mistake that costs the game. I've seen a lot of teams do that, and I hate it because we all make mistakes, and if you honestly can't take it anymore, find a new partner. Stay optimistic, and NEVER give up. Comebacks DO happen. :] FightAdamantEevee: Well, the most important thing is to make sure that you don't treat 2v2's as two 1v1's. Teamwork is involved, and is a major element of doubles. Also make sure that you have general team strategies such as "Mainly I'll be doing 'x' and you'll be doing 'y'" Example: As Snake I'll be going defensive and stock tanking, so you can feel free to go aggressive. However, don't be afraid to change it if it doesn't work against a certain team. It's good to change styles every now and then, especially if it's more efficient and works better. Also, have mini, easy-to-execute combos such as a throw to aerial or attack that will hit. Throws are so easy to combo out of in doubles it's not even funny. Also, if you keep getting followed by a match-up that you dislike, have your partner handle them, and you take the other guy. There's not really a point in fighting a match-up that you know you can't play unless the opponent's partner is the same or a worse match-up. Lastly, support your teammate when they need it. For example, if you see your partner getting beaten badly for a few moments or getting ganged up on, don't sit back and watch until you see the outcome. Go in and help out. And if you see your partner at a high %, try to shield off the opponents so your partner can live longer. That's about it ^^ Umbre: Ok, very good responses to that. Well, the interview is now over. Thank you two for taking the time for the interview, and good luck in the rest of your playoffs matches. FightAdamantEevee: No problem, and thanks =D Rizakor: Thank you! XD
We are experiencing some problems with the bracket image. However, at this point in the playoffs, there are only a few matches left to be played, so we should be able to finish up even if the errors keep occuring.
Loser's Semi-Finals: Brawl4Lifee vs Samboner
Loser's Finals: SuperMarioMC vs (winner of Semi-Finals)
Grand Finals: Junebugx vs (winner of Loser's Finals)
How the Singles Playoffs Work
Your duty is to check this announcement for information every day. I (AlphaZealot) will keep this updated with current match up information (view the bracket link at bottom of this post, which will be updated after every round). After you identify your opponent your next step is to send this opponent a message if for some reason you cannot play at the scheduled match time. If this is the case, you must play your match before the NEXT scheduled match time. No exceptions. Last season we tried to accommodate people past this point (including a couple people for vacations and such), but in the end the process got so delayed that a few players problems began effecting everyone. Once you have completed your match, whether early or at the scheduled match time, you must report your result via Private Message to AlphaZealot. If you do not follow this step your result is at risk of being lost and/or misrepresented. AlphaZealot will attempt to be in the chat at 10:00PM each night, but even if he is not there you should still be able to report your result. This includes no shows: simply send a PM at 10:30PM ET noting your opponent was a no-show - if you send this PM and your opponent send nothing it is considered proof of a no-show DQ.
Let's use the first round as an example:
If you can't show up at 10:00PM on August 10, you should PM your opponent to play the match early (the first round match ups have now been posted for at least two days). Once you have played the match simply send a Private Message (not a wall post) to AlphaZealot. Simple. If you can't play early, you have up until the next schedule round to play your match, in this case Tuesday, August 11th, at 10:00PM. If your match is not played at this time then one player will be advanced by DQ.
How do DQ's work?
NOTE: DO NOT TRUST YOUR OPPONENT THAT HE HAS INFORMED ME OF A SITUATION. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE I AM INFORMED OF ANY RESCHEDULING. IF YOU DO NOT SHOW AT THE SCHEDULED TIME AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY PM'S FROM YOU, THEN YOU WILL BE DQ'D THAT NIGHT (instead of having that one (1) extra day of leniency).
If you are a European player (or a player from another time zone other than the US) please make sure to work quickly to reschedule. I realize your are at a disadvantage here, but unfortunately the playoffs have to be tuned for the majority of players. If you are a US player matched with a player from a (vastly) different time zone, please be prepared to play your match at possible extreme times (early morning or late at night). Please send me a PM if you are from a non-US time zone so that all entrants are informed and can be as accommodating as possible.
-Staco is from Germany, he is 6 hours ahead of the East Coast of the US.
NOTICE (Aug 20, 8:40PM): BRACKET IMAGE IS DOWN. HOPEFULLY THE PROBLEM IS ONLY TEMP.
If you are looking for doubles information, Cheese is your man.View this announcement.
All badges and Pro Lounge invites have been sent out as of August 12th.
Just a reminder to all ladder participants - the Spring Ladder closes tonight at midnight PST. Just as in previous seasons, the top 60 players on the ladder will be invited to the playoffs, which will take place during the month of August. The top 4 players from the playoffs will recieve the following awards:
Players who finish in the top 64 at the end of the season will also recieve badges for their performance.
Tomorrow we will post the bracket and announce the schedule for each round. Stay tuned!
Doubles Information
The top 30 teams from the doubles ladder will compete in the doubles playoffs. Much like the singles ladder, the doubles ladder playoffs will feature a double elimination bracket with prizes. Here are the further details!
After making it into the field of 60 for our Winter Ladder Playoffs, Dabuz, the 8th seed, won the month long event last Thursday. He defeated the ladders first seed, Ally, in a close 4 game finale.
A big congratulation goes out to Dabuz and all the other finishers in the ladder playoffs.
Grand Finals
(1)Ally vs (8)Dabuz
To be played Thursday night at 10:00PM ET in Tournament Chat 4.
Grand Finals is best of 5. Dabuz is still in winners bracket.
(This links to the event, you have to click on "Playoffs" and then "View Bracket". Apparently not many of you are use to seeing the event page.) Bracket is not completely up-to-date. Another note is a mistake on the bracket: Sosuk and Player-1 still need to play their match (even though it shows the match as having been played).
Losers Round 7 (Must be played Monday at 10:00PM ET
Losers Round 8 (Must be played Monday @ 10:30PM ET)
These players all contacted me in some form and are allowed to reschedule. Plays who did not do this were DQ'd. If neither played showed the higher seed was advanced (only 1 case of this). Please contact your opponents and reschedule ASAP. Be proactive!
Finish these matches ASAP.
Losers Round 2 Matches to be played tonight at 10:00PM ET in Tournament Chat 4!
Kain needs to reschedule to tomrrow.
Winners Round 3 Matches (to be played Monday @ 10:00PM ET, play earlier if you can!)
DQ's start at 10:15PM ET, so do not be late!
When matches have been finished report the score to AlphaZealot via Private Message. Private messaging is NOT sending me a message in the chatroom, it is clicking my profile name and clicking the option to "Send Private Message". Not following this step may result in a lost score or a misreported result.
Monday, April 6th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 1Tuesday, April 7th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 1Wednesday, April 8th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 2Thursday, April 9th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 2 Monday, April 13th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 3, Loser's Bracket Round 3 Tuesday, April 14th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 4, Loser's Bracket Round 4 Wednesday, April 15th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 5, Loser's Bracket Round 6 Thursday, April 16th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 5, Loser's Bracket Round 7, Loser's Round 8 Monday, April 20th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 9, Loser's Bracket Round 10 Tuesday, April 21st - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Finals Wednesday, April 22nd - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Finals Thursday, April 23rd - 10:00PM ET: Grand Finals
"We are extremely excited and proud to be a part of Evolution 2009. We are talking about the top long standing competitive fighting event out there. A stage I wholeheartedly believe Brawl deserves to be on. The guys behind EVO (Tony, Joey) that I have spoken with are committed to doing right by the community (I think it's great of them to do so… we wouldn't be involved otherwise). That means control over the ruleset, the necessary resources, proper setups, etc to really run a great event. All this means it's a tremendous opportunity for us to not only really get to check out and appreciate different fighters but also for us to really show these different communities just how great Brawl and the Brawl community is. When it comes down to it we are all in the same boat, we are all gamers, all trying to learn, master, and appreciate a competitive fighter. Be a part of our community and have fun while doing it all. It's important that everyone realizes this so we can grow together. So what can you expect from AiB? Lots of sexy! Over the coming months we will be trying involve some sponsors. This means more money to the prize pool, cool stuff going on, maybe an AiB Rio Suite throughout the weekend for people to hang out at. On top of that we will be trying to put together some just general Vegas AiB community events. Be it at the pools, casinos, free sightseeing spots (I know Vegas well!), side events, shoot, even a Vegas scavenger hunt would be good times. Bottom line, we will put together some cool stuff. So be on the look out for some more exciting EVO/Vegas related announcements in the coming months."
Why should you attend All is Brawl's first sponsored national tournament? 1. Rules in line with the community standards 2. The tournament will be run by JV and Nealdt (with a little AlphaZealot on the side). This combination of tournament organizers is the best that Smash has to offer. 3. The partnership with EVO provides Smash with a great prime time venue the likes of which have not been witnessed since MLG's 2006 season (unless you count other EVO events). 4. Multiple other games available to enter or spectate. View the best players from other games like Street Fighter 4 and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Meet your traditional fighting game brethren. EVO isn't just a tournament, it is a gaming convention! 5. This is the weekend after Genesis and Supercon! So let's say you are heading out west to California for that national tournament, why not stop by Las Vegas while you're in the neighborhood before heading home? That's what I plan to do, at least. Make it a couple weeks to remember by hitting two top flight amazing tournaments in back to back weekends.
Location: The tournament will be held at the RIO Hotel and Casino in the fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. Date: Between Friday, July 17th, and Sunday, July 19th, with the competition to take place on Saturday (the 18th) and Sunday (the 19th). You can register for this event here (note, you must enter online) The entrance fees for this event are as follows: Venue Fee (before May 31st): $30 Singles Registration: $15 Doubles Registration (per team): $25 Total package for just entering Brawl (before May 31st): $57.50 Total package for just entering Brawl (after May 31st): $77.50 The venue fee is raised from $30 to $50 after May 31st, so register early to save money on both airline tickets and registration fees. The cost of this tournament ($57.50 before May 31st) is in line with other national scale tournaments scheduled in the future like Genesis ($80 total package, $50 Brawl only) and in the past like Melee FCD ($75) and OC3 ($60).
Additionally, if desired, there are other games that you can enter for at $10 each if your interest is peaked, they are: Street Fighter 4 Soul Caliber 4 Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Street Fighter HD Remix GGXX Accent Core Street Fighter 3rd Strike Teams Our goal attendance number is 200 entrants and 100 teams. If we make this goal there will be at least $5,500 in the pot for this event. We will be using a scaled payout system based on the number of attendees, the payouts are as follows: Singes Payouts 100 entrants or less 1st: 60% = $900 (if 100 entrants) 2nd: 30% = $450 3rd: 10% = $150 Between 101-150 entrants 1st: 60% = $1350 (if 150 entrants) 2nd: 25% = $562.50 3rd: 10% = $225 4th: 5% = $112.50 Between 151-200 entrants 1st: 48% = $1,440 (if 200 entrants) 2nd: 22% = $660 3rd: 14% = $420 4th: 8% = $240 5th: 4% = $120 5th: 4% = $120 201 entrants or higher 1st: 46% = $1725 (if 250 entrants) 2nd: 20% = $750 3rd: 12% = $450 4th: 8% = $300 5th: 5% = $225 5th: 5% = $225 7th: 2% = $112.50 7th: 2% = $112.50 Doubles Payouts 50 teams or less 1: 60% = $750 (if 50 teams) 2: 30% = $375 3: 10% = $125 Between 51-100 teams 1: 60% = $1,500 (if 100 teams) 2: 25% = $625 3: 10% = $250 4: 5% = $125 101 teams or higher 1: 55% = $1,718.75 (if 125 teams) 2: 22% = $687.50 3: 10% = $312.50 4: 5% = $156.25 5: 4% = $125 5: 4% = $125
Set Format (In Order of Procedure):
*Double blind character selection may be called for the first match. In which case the players will each write down their characters on a sheet of paper and exchange them.
**One Player/Team will strike 1 stage, then their opponent will strike another 2 stages, leaving 2 stages in which the first team will strike 1 leaving one to be played on. Neutral Stages:
Counterpick Stages:
Doubles Same standard rules and stages as singles.
Winter Ladder Playoffs: Round 1 Pairings
Top 4 seeds recieved byes into the second round.
Playoffs start tonight at 10:00PM ET, meet in Tournament Chatroom 4. Do not arrive later than 10:15PM ET. Unless you have otherwise informed AlphaZealot, all matches are expected to be played and DQ's will be given out promptly at 10:15PM ET.
Known reshedulers
Everyone listed here needs to coordinate with their opponents ASAP to get these matches done. Matches for subsequent rounds with be announced either later tonight or tomorrow morning. For those wondering, the weekends will be used to catch up parts of the bracket that fall behind because of delays such as these.
Initial Playoff Announcement
We just wrapped up the Winter Ladder season yesterday which means today is the day we announce our Ladder Playoff Schedule! This seasons playoffs will be double elimination, which means you must lose two best-of-three sets before you are eliminated.
Here's how the playoffs work. Each week there will be meeting times for playing out the bracket. The tournament bracket contains the top 60 players from AiB's Fall Ladder Season with the top 4 players receiving byes in Winner's Bracket Round 1. Each player will be expected to meet in Tournament Chat Room 4 at 10:00PM ET on these scheduled days. If players know they cannot attend a selected time they should contact their opponent to schedule a new time before said selected time occurs. In addition to this, send AlphaZealot a PM to inform him of the situation. All rescheduled matches must occur before the next scheduled round (one to four day grace period, depending when the conflict occurs). Failing to be in Tournament Chat Room 4 at 10:00PM may result in a forfeit. *
*If one player fails to show up at the scheduled time (without having rescheduled) the player who did show up is advanced. If both players fail to show up at the scheduled time the higher seeded player will be advanced.
Required Meeting Dates
Monday, April 6th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 1Tuesday, April 7th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 1Wednesday, April 8th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 2Thursday, April 9th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 2 Monday, April 13th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 3, Loser's Bracket Round 3 Tuesday, April 14th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 4, Loser's Bracket Round 4 Wednesday, April 15th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 5, Loser's Bracket Round 6 Thursday, April 16th - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Bracket Round 5, Loser's Bracket Round 7 Monday, April 20th - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Bracket Round 9, Loser's Bracket Round 10 Tuesday, April 21st - 10:00PM ET: Winner's Finals Wednesday, April 22nd - 10:00PM ET: Loser's Finals Thursday, April 23rd - 10:00PM ET: Grand Finals
Playoff Qualified Players
Winners Round 1 match ups will be announced on Monday afternoon (April 6, 2009). All players listed here except the top 4 are expected to show in Tournament Chat Room 4 at 10:00PM ET unless prior notice is given to AlphaZealot about a rescheduled match (matches do not need to be pre-approved before they are rescheduled, notice must simply be given so-as not to receive a forfeit, the result of a rescheduled match must be PM'd to AlphaZealot by both parties).
Winter Season Prize Information
The statistics, badges, and prizes will all be announced sometime next week. JV and I are heading to the Meadowlands with MLG this weekend and won't return until Monday. Once I step off the plan and open my laptop I'll get the playoff round 1 information and winter ladder recap posted (including who got badges!).


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Yeah but I could never own a newer Vespa for several reasons. IMO they're ugly and they have a CVT transmission. No more shifting gears and they would probably SUCK to work on. I will never take my cars/bikes to the stealership or mechanic. They charge so much to fix ish it's rape.Squirrel Ninja wrote:The modern 150 cc vespas can get to 59 mph (95 km). You could swing going on the highway with that, you'd just want to be pretty careful. All and all there a good cheap alternitive to a car, I've been thinking about getting one myself. It's curious that so many FLCL fans would look into vespas, I wonder why that is.
Problem is it's not even a full face helmet. Most head injuries result in the rider falling on his/her chin and Haruko's helmet doesn't cover your mouth. Not good if you like your jaw.space_patrol_officer wrote:her helmet brand is davida and you can buy the same exact style that she has with the black stripe but i dont know what type her goggles are in the credits its salice but they only make ski goggles now so i dont know?
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Lowest Prices of the Year! - Holiday Sale ends Monday Dec. 16th
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Dimensions: 14" L x 21.9" W x 57.1" H
Collector's Cabinet, Drawers 57"
In case your best friend is human, is he or she to be categorized a collector? Admittedly it's like entering another world to graciously accompany a friend collecting fossils, or possibly Louis Vuitton handbags?
In the 16th C. you wouldn't be considered cultured if collecting wasn't part of your world. Too many new discoveries, treasures, finds of any kind popped up daily. Collecting was de rigueur!
And Collectors need drawers. To store, categorize. To inspect, admire, to gloat... And collectors with taste would want a cabinet of elegant proportions, an infinite number of drawers, beckoning to be pulled out and celebrated. Above all a cabinet that is easily transportable, a real Collector collects on weekends, on vacations.... And a cabinet, when multiplied, can fill a wall as if it's one whole. Such are Collectors demands!
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Search results for : | discover halfblood |
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Twitter freaks out over fizzy Chobani Greek yogurt, prompting recall
Twitter users expressed shock and awe at the discovery of fizzy, wine-tasting Chobani Greek yogurt, prompting the company to issue a voluntary recall after mold was discovered in some of its products.
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Dr. Silverman is a Professor of Radiology, the Gerald D. Dodd, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Diagnostic Imaging, and Director of Academic Development; and Dr. Szklaruk and Dr. Tamm are Assistant Professors of Radiology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
[Note: Part I of this article was published in the May 2003 issue of Applied Radiology: Silverman PM, Szklaruk J, Tamm E. Contrast usage for liver imaging in the era of multislice (MSCT), multidetector (MDCT) CT: Part I. Appl Radiol. 2003;32(5):30-38.]
In the early 1990s, dual or split detector systems became available allowing the acquisition of 2 slices during a single gantry rotation. In 1998, the first multislice systems were introduced with 4 data channels providing a quantum leap in CT technology. 1-5 These scanners have been referred to by various names, including multidetector, multidetector row, and, most appropriately, multislice CT (MSCT). In the past couple of years, 8-slice, 16-slice, and even 32-slice detector systems have been developed, and manufacturers are now testing the incorporation of flat-panel detectors in scanners in an attempt to extend this technology to near-instantaneous data acquisition with volumetric data acquisition.
Scanners already allow the acquisition of multislice data sets with sub-second scan times. 6 These advances allow the acquisition of thinner slices, shorter scanning times, and greater volumetric coverage in the z-axis (Figure 1). Depending on the specific clinical application, relative trade-offs between speed and collimation are tailored to create optimal protocols for multislice CT. 2,4 The development of MSCT has also allowed for near-isotropic and, in the past year, isotropic voxels that can provide the ability to image in multiple planes without loss of resolution. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging is not only practical but results in extremely high-quality images devoid of previous stair-step artifacts. Reconstructions from very thinly collimated images provide exquisite depiction of anatomy when coupled with optimized timing of scanning with contrast enhancement usually using bolus-tracking approaches. Three-dimensional images readily performed in the arterial and venous phases are valuable for staging tumors, as well as for the evaluation for vascular anomalies and vascular disease as part of a detailed preoperative assessment. Such imaging is also of great value in planning X-ray therapy.
The liver, because of its unique dual blood supply (20% from the hepatic artery and 80% from the portal venous system), remains just as much or more of a challenge for optimizing protocols in the current era of MSCT. These scanners offer a quantum leap in speed and flexibility when compared with even standard single-slice helical scanners. The previously termed portal venous phase (PVP) for single-slice CT (SSCT) has now been more appropriately named the hepatic venous phase (HVP) on MSCT, as this phase captures the opacification of these veins and maximal liver enhancement (Figures 2 through 8). 6,7 The main impact of MSCT scanners has been to provide the ability to examine an organ, such as the liver, in multiple phases of contrast dynamics with the hope of allowing increased detection of lesions as well as improved lesion characterization. 7-10 Optimizing protocols for multiphasic imaging includes adding phase(s) to the HVP (ie, dual-phase imaging) and/or inclusion of a very early arterial phase for 3D imaging of the vascular system, (ie, triple-phase imaging). In contrast to helical SSCT, MSCT is able to define three distinct phases of contrast enhancement, rather than just two. With SSCT, the two phases are the hepatic arterial dominant phase (HADP) and the PVP; with MSCT these phases have been termed the hepatic arterial phase (HAP), late arterial phase (LAP) or portal venous inflow phase (PVIP), and a hepatic venous phase (HVP). 7 The first two phases were incorporated in the HADP described with SSCT (Figures 9 through 12). The ability to scan rapidly with MSCT allows one to separate these and scan in two phases what could only be done in one phase previously. Hypervascular lesions, either primary or metastatic, are usually best seen in the LAP; however, some lesions are seen only in either the HAP or LAP phases (Figures 13 through 15). Hypervascular lesions have always presented a challenge to the radiologist. 10 Failing to image hypervascular lesions during the HAP results in an insensitive examination similar to failing to image hypovascular lesions in the PVP. The HAP is best identified 10 to 20 seconds after the administration of contrast and is characterized by enhancement of the hepatic artery. The LAP is best identified 25 to 30 seconds after injection and shows enhancement of the hepatic artery and some enhancement of the portal venous structures. The HVP is marked by opacification of the hepatic veins at the dome of the liver and enhancement of the portal veins. The speed results in one of the most important challenges in developing optimized protocols for this new, robust technology. Although multiphasic studies could be performed with helical scanners, high-quality, whole-organ imaging with multiple phases awaited the introduction of MSCT. 11-15
Detection of liver lesions is dependent on scanning during the phase that optimally distinguishes normal from abnormal tissue as discussed. Optimized imaging requires using adequate amounts of contrast, ie, grams of iodine. 16 The grams of iodine have a direct impact on the difference in hepatic attenuation relative to lesion detection that defines the relative conspicuity of lesions (normal hepatic attenuation liver lesion attenuation = lesion conspicuity).
Most recently, with the rapid proliferation of MSCT technology, the concept of using higher concentrations of contrast material has begun to be explored. 16-18 The impetus for this has been that the standard contrast concentrations of 300 to 320 mg I/mL have required volumes on the order of 150 mL to deliver adequate grams of iodine to image the liver effectively. This is in contrast to examining other areas of the body, such as the chest, where the dose and volume of iodinated contrast can be significantly reduced (ie, 150 to 100 mL [helical CT] to 60 to 75 mL [MSCT]). Imaging of liver lesions requires more precise protocols. Studies of the liver with less than optimal contrast enhancement result in compromised lesion detectability. Fortunately, to date, prices of contrast material are not directly tied to grams of iodine within the product, but are most closely linked with the volume of contrast. Thus, if we can use lower volumes and higher concentrations of contrast, it has the additional benefit of becoming highly cost effective. With SSCT and helical scanning, protocols for body CT required volumes of contrast in the range of 150 mL with 300 mg I/mL and 320 mg I/mL to be able to have optimal enhancement of the liver and also provide adequate enhancement of abdominal and pelvic structures. With MSCT, this can be accomplished without requiring such large volumes since scans can be completed so rapidly. Thus, it becomes the challenge for radiologists to adopt new protocols to take advantage of this continually evolving technology.
Higher concentrations of contrast, 350, 370, and even 400 mg I/mL, have been developed and are being used clinically. If a target range of 37 to 48 grams of iodine is considered to image the liver, then this can be achieved by a number of different permutations of volume and concentration of contrast (Table 1). Higher concentrations of contrast also allow contrast delivery of the same grams of iodine per second to the target organ at lower rates. For example, the administration of 150 mL of 300 mg I/mL at 5 mL/sec delivers an iodine dose of 1.5 g/sec whereas the administration of 100 mL of 370 mg I/mL at only 4 mL/sec delivers essentially the same iodine dose of 1.48 g/sec. The ability to decrease the total volume of contrast will result in overall substantial cost savings in a busy clinical CT service.
The introduction of MSCT has created a new challenge for radiologists. These very fast scanners provide a great deal of flexibility for body imaging, especially in the liver. It also provides for very high-quality 3D vascular imaging, which can aid in surgical and therapeutic planning. It is only by understanding the flexibility of this new technology and new developments made by contrast companies in providing a variety of concentrations of contrast material that we can take full advantage and harness its potential for the benefit of our patients. AR