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Holiday 2012 AMD Trinity Buyer's Guideby Zach Throckmorton on 11/29/2012 12:00 AM EST
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- Trinity
- Holiday 2012
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Jovec - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI understand prices change regularly, but you should check the linked prices. The general use budget build is currently $70 than the chart price. (-$3 for CPU, +$5 for mobo, +$35 for HDD, +$30 for the SSD, +$3 for the DVD). The HTPC build is $68 higher and the DVD burner chosen is listed as discontinued. The gaming build is $59 higher than the chart. Reply
randinspace - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAs the author said, it's important to watch out for price changes during the holidays as 16GB of Ram was available at 8GB prices (outside of 4GB quad kits anyway...), and I personally got a 2TB HDD for less than what 1TB internal drives and 500+ GB external ones are going for "on sale" this week....
That said, these guidelines might have done people more more good had they come out before some of the year's best sales rather than in the middle of some of its worst ones (I'm looking at you, Newegg "Cyber Week"), but such is life. Reply
Parhel - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI'm glad I'm not the only one to notice what Newegg's been doing. Most of their "deals" were old tech they're trying to clear out of inventory, even on Black Friday. Reply
MrRez - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI just built a system around the A10 5800k circa $600 all up, and I am really enjoying it! I paired it up with a 6670 1gig DDR5 cost me 80bucks and has given me a huge boost in some games.
The main reason I went with the Trinity was that I had a small budget and needed something that I could do my work on, encode some video and play the odd game. I did alot of research and couldn't get an Intel system for the same money that would even come close to what the trinity could do.
Anyway I would recommend this type of system to anyone on a budget. Reply
StevoLincolnite - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkConversely, I came from an "old" Phenom 2 x6 1090T @ 4ghz to a Core i7 3930K @ 4.8ghz and in games I noticed zero difference when gaming at 5760x1080 as I'm always going to be GPU limited.
However, encoding saw *massive* increases, but that's not a task I do very often and I usually do it during the night whilst I am asleep anyway.
Hardware today is still going to be more than ample for games of tomorrow, heck I know a few gamers still kicking around old Core 2 Quads that are heavily overclocked and game happily without a single issue, which says something about the state of games today not pushing the limits anymore. Reply
dishayu - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkHeavily overclocked Core 2 Quad user here and i approve of this message. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI know "LOTS" of gamers still on Quad 6600s.. C2D 8400s.. and Amd PIIs all happily playing along with decent video cards..
The thing "today" is we really haven't hit the new big cpu yet. That was the Core2 and before the the Athlon64. Are cpu's better? Absolutely but they've been going in a sideways arc... with power+features rather then noticable brute power. I can go from my 2700K to a Q6600 to a E8400 to a PII920 to a 5800K all with enjoyable experiences provided the gpu power is there with 4Gigs of ram.
Overclocking adds more umph on top of that but it's not neccessary. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAs a aside.. anyone on a C2D E6400 or under... time to move on. Every last cpu on the market today will give very noticable boosts right straight from the $60 cpu on up to the latest and greatest. Reply
JonnyDough - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkI finally upgraded from an Opteron 185 system (which I'm using to type this) to an i5 Ivy system. I also found an E8400 in the garbage and it works. It just needed a power supply a video card, and a hard drive. I have all of the above "just laying around" here so my girlfriend is getting a new system for Xmas too. :) Windows 7 is on sale at the Egg for $80. Reply
AndrewJacksonZA - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI agree. I'm gaming, programming and encoding on a Core2Duo E6750 and an AMD 6670 on Windows 8.
I can run *ALL* my games on their maximum resolution and detail settings seeing as my monitor is a 19" and runs at 1280 x 1024... and that I really dig my old games :-) However, my point is that the equipment I am using right now is "good enough" for my particular needs. Would I consider an upgrade? Definitely - but for something that runs much (much!) cooler and quieter. Is that a high priority in my life? Not right now. Reply
ImSpartacus - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkE8400 here, still begrudgingly using a 4890. Waiting for a nice deal or the next gen. I want to get something that's just barely bottlenecking so I know I've exhausted this great CPU. Reply
Paulman - Sunday, December 02, 2012 - linkCore 2 Duo E8400 Overclocked to 3.7GHz :P
Started with a Radeon HD 4870 512MB (which died) and then bought a friend's used Gigabyte NVIDIA Geforce 460 GTX 1GB.
It's been serving me decently for Starcraft 2 and BF3 was ok, too, I think :P 1920x1080 (no AA on SC2, I can't remember for BF3)
A Sandy Bridge Core i5 quad-core would be a really nice upgrade for me, though :P But way too much work to change.
Oh yeah, and I'm running Windows Vista 64-bit hee hee Reply
Stupido - Sunday, December 02, 2012 - linkHere, one more... Reply
dananski - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkSingle threaded CPU performance still becomes a bottleneck when the game is poorly coded. Ever played Cities XL? 100% CPU on one core all the time. Anything beyond a small town and it starts lagging, even on my i7-3770 :( Don't even get me started on Neverwinter Nights...
But yes, the majority of modern games will not experience much issue on a decent Core 2 Quad. Just get the beefiest graphics card(s) your wallet / power budget / ears can take! Reply
Ethaniel - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkSo, on average 20 percent of the computer's budget is eaten by the OS. The world is mad. Or is it Microsoft...? Reply
philosofool - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkThe price of the OS seems pretty reasonable to me. I know people who built a computer when XP came out that didn't have to upgrade their OS until 2010. There's no other part in a computer, except maybe the case, that has that sort of life span. Reply
Zodiark1593 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkDVD Drive? The drive in my parents computer lasted from 2003 to just a couple months ago when my little sister snapped the tray off. :/ Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkDvD Drives are fickle. Some last 6 months some just go on and on. Reply
JonnyDough - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkI second that. Although most run for years. Reply
jospoortvliet - Saturday, December 01, 2012 - linkWell, especially for an htpc that is insane. If you're going to run xbmc on it anyway, why bother with all the extra work you need to do to keep Windows secure and running - AND pay for that 'privilege'? With Valve coming to Linux and wine taking care of most slightly older games there's no need for that... Reply
MadMan007 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI am looking forward to AMD keeping up with the progress they've made with APUs. It looks like they might be going 'tick-tock' style with alternating updates to the CPU and GPU architectures. Piledriver makes these competitive-ish for their price point on the CPU side, a GCN GPU which I expect to be the next update will make these good for older games even at higher resolutions. I don't play the newest, most demanding games, so if AMD can make an APU with something like HD 7750ish-class graphics that would be awesome. I know that's asking a lot for 28nm, but maybe they can do it with GloFo's 14nm/20nm process, that will give them a lot more silicon to use. Reply
MadMan007 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkOh, I also meant to say...do something like that and I might consider buying an AMD CPU for my main computer for the first time since Core 2 came out. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAs a laptop gaming setup Trinity is damn nice.. and a great deal at current pricing.. but for desktops.. most gamers playing todays games will still want/need a little bit more umph then what the gpu offers. Pairing it up with a $75-100 card will give a happy experience for most who are not looking to win benchmark awards. The same applies to the i3 (obviously) A Radeon 7750 or a Geforce 650 (if you prefer Nvidia..) fits the bill nicely. Alternatively a 6670 which will take advantage of the hybrid crossfire. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAs a forinstance Guildwars2 needed to be turned down a fair ammount (going to 1440x900 for good playability.. Frames were good then but most eyecandy was off.. The GPU is great at lower resolutions and older games.. but it can't quite handle the good stuff at 1680/1050. Playable? yes. Enjoyable? not so much.
AMD is really really close but not quite there. Reply
frozentundra123456 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkPretty much the problem still with Trinity for the desktop IMO. Almost but not quite good enough. The graphics is either more than the non-gamer needs or not quite good enough for gaming. Yes, you can play some games at moderate resolutions and settings. But if you are spending a few hundred dollars for a computer, not to mention buying games, why would you want to limit yourself so much.
And if you are not interested in gaming, it still uses more power than a dual core intel without a descrete card.
I see a good place for Trinity in laptops if the price is right. But for the desktop, not so much. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkFor budget builds it's spot on.. an i3 or Trinity does the job nicely with a decent video card and won't break the bank. There is a place for it. If you need a everyday type computer with light gaming duties it also works well with the onboard gpu.. really well infact. Great for a office computer, or a set top box in the living room.
But yeah.. not quite there sums it up nicely for gamers looking to play todays games. Most are at 1080P or 1680/1050 resolutions and it's just not enough. Reply
tocket - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI recently upgraded my HTPC from a Pentium G620 to A10-5800K and the most obvious difference is really the power consumption. With the stock cooler the A10 easily heats up to the point where the fan gets too noisy when you're watching a movie in XBMC. Even though the Intel cooler is smaller, this was never a problem with the Pentium. I would really recommend adding a good cooler to your A10 HTPC setup if you're sensitive to noise. Personally I decided to get a Big Shuriken, which I'm very happy with. Reply
cyrusfox - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkDo you regret the upgrade? Do you notice any performance advantage, from your comment it seems it was a bad upgrade. Whats your opinion? Reply
tocket - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkOh, not at all. It was a good upgrade that I'm very happy with. The CPU is noticeably faster and the graphics are a huge improvement from the G620. I was just not fully prepared to deal with 100 W TDP in a mini-ITX system. With the upgraded cooler the system is nearly silent and the performance is great. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI didn't bother with the included cooler so wasn't sure how temps were with it. With a $17 Zalman cooler it rarely goes to 40 in a 8 year old case with limited airflow. (older lian-li with 2 80mm fans in the front and 1 80mm in the back) What were the temperatures like in your itx case with the included cooler? Curious.. Reply
zilexa - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI disagree with the HTPC setup, it's definitely NOT an HTPC.
HTPC should be small and completely silent (fanless) and use very, very little energy since it will be online all the time (so you can access your media in any room, your tvshows will be downloaded via rss or other system automatically etc).
The A10 uses little power when idle but way too much for an HTPC under load.
I understand you NEED to add a HTPC to this guide, and AMD simply doesn't have a Trinity-based HTPC solution for desktop because they lack mITX motherboards and they don't bring the 25watt and 17 watt mobile Trinitys to the desktop (BIG MISSED OPPERTUNITY!). But al least elaborate on that a bit more. Reply
Medallish - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI agree an HTPC should be small, but saying it has to be 25-17W is overdoing it, I have a mATX based HTPC and I'm using a 3870k, which works with the fanless design of my Streacom case, but obviously a 65W APU would be a better choice, and you could even go with mITX case from Streacom. The Trinity is superb as a HTPC processor.
Another thing you're simply wrong, there is HTPC's that uses Mobile APU's ranging from the 19W APU (Sapphire VS8) to 35W A10-4600. Reply
zilexa - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link@Medallish, Streacom case is just 1 solution (only works if you buy an expensive Streacom case). No choice in cases.
I Just want to buy a cheap ass small case such as this one:
No need for expensive passive case. Just need a low power APU.
The HTPC's you mention using Mobile APUs like the ones from Arctic or the miniplayers from Zotac are complete solutions (and Arctic is VERY expensive with €400. You cannot buy these mobo's with FP2 sockets (for mobile) and you cannot buy the Mobile APUs. So these solutions are not for people who want to build their own HTPC! Therefore not even related to this article. Reply
Medallish - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkYou said you wanted it to be fanless, If you want a fanless design then I'm afraid you've limited your choices, and currently there's basically no one who has the solution you ask for unless you look at Brazos or Atom solutions.
Buying any Mobile motherboard and mobile processor tends to be hard to find, as a system builder and if I wanted what you're asking for I'd probably get a A10-5700 and downclock and undervolt it like crazy, although I doubt you'd get any cooler big enough to be fanless, and that goes for the 25W APU idea too.
You're original claim was that Trinity simply wasn't a viable HTPC solution, and I just want to point out that's false, also there is several Mini-ITX boards for FM2, from Asus, Asrock and MSI. Reply
zilexa - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkCan't argue that. It's just soo sad AMD doesn't bring mobile Trinity to the desktop, would be the perfect basis for my HTPC. I am waiting for Brazos E2-1800 to arrive but I doubt it will ever arrive as motherboard (Sapphire announced the Pure White Mini E2-1800 6 months ago, I doubt they will ever release it to the market) . Reply
Hubb1e - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkYou can reach the same wattage limits on a desktop Trinity if you are willing to underclock and undervolt. Drop that multi as low as you are comfortable with the performance, and then find the lowest voltage that makes it stable and bam, you've got your mobile trinity. Reply
ThomasS31 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkIf you noticed usually the low TDP part are underclocked and speed cap binned.
Who told you, that you can't reduce the multiplier to get a low power part with a K series Trinity?
Also in case you might need processing power (like 10-bit high bitrate videos) you can alwas put it back...
Especially if your motherboard has a good management software for this. (Or use AMD's own "oc" app.) Reply
cjs150 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkTotally agree.
Ideally an HTPC should be in a passive case (both Hdplex and wesena are good) that means the CPU needs a low TDP and should be frugal even at load (for example ripping a blu ray disc).
HTPCs are meant to be on permanently so should be sipping not gulping energy at load.
I would argue that an HTPC needs only a Mini-ITX board - preferably with MSata (can we have sata3 on the Msata please!) if only to reduce cable clutter in the case.
I would also strongly recommend Samsung green low profile memory. Not only are they memory sticks potent overclockers but when they said low profile they really meant it, if you must have a CPU cooler the samsung memory will never interfere with it.
AMD could easily take over the HTPC market, just bring the mobile CPUs to a mini0itx desktop board Reply
zilexa - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkThanks for the HDPlex tip, I love the H3 case, absolutely beautiful, simple and small. But including power its $300!!! damn.. thats just an empty case. Anybody will just buy a Zotac for €230 you have complete system :(
If the H3 would be €100 or less I would definitely go for this solution..
Still would want a below-65watt APU. Reply
BPB - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI actually let my HTPC sleep a lot. I realize that when booting into WMC you may lose what was on the last half hour, but that's no biggie to me. WMC will wake the PC up to record shows, so I am good with letting it sleep at night. This helps save on cost when using a setup that isn't as low in wattage as you'd like. I do reboot it now and then because I find that after so many times going to sleep Windows gets messed up. Rebooting cleans that up. So if you're worried about electrical costs, let the PC sleep, it doesn't need to run 24/7. Just my 2 cents. Reply
superjim - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI don't understand how noise is a problem in HTPCs even with 4 fans running at moderate speeds during movie/music playback. How low is the volume and how close are you sitting to it?
In my world, an HTPC is meant to playback all media on a close-proximity display. If you want to be able to stream said media to any device in the house, that's what an energy-efficient, always-on NAS is for. I only turn-on/use my microATX HTPC when I want to watch a Blu-ray, digital videos/music or some light gaming. It runs 4 fans from 60mm to 120mm and I can't hear them even if I listen for them from 3 feet away. A microATX build gives me options for expansion later. Want to add a cable card? Done. Faster GPU for heavy gaming? Done. Turn it into a DVR with more HDD space? Done. With a mini-ITX build you would have to get a bigger case.
That said, Trinity is unmatched for HTPCs and budget laptop gaming. Reply
MadMan007 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAgreed. People talk about an HTPC being on 24/7, when the usage they mention means they are really talking about a hybrid HTPC+server. That's great if you want both together but for the storage alone you're looking at a larger box than it needs to be. To me an HTPC is a 'set top box PC' which is on when actively being used and with no significant local storage. Reply
benedict - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkWhy is the OS included in the price list? Does Zach receive a paycheck from Microsoft to promote their products? The article is about hardware, leave software out of it. Reply
frozentundra123456 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkHuh?? I have always thought it was bogus to NOT include the OS. What do you do, pirate yours? It is a valid expense unless you have a family license or something, and even then you have paid for it at some point. Reply
jabber - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkAll PC CPUs have been 'good enough for basic computing' since around 2005-6.
I think we need a better definition or metric really.
In the real world very few folks actually do video encoding etc. Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkDisagree. Top end X2's and low end Core2duo's really show their age in comparison to what's been on the market since 09. I work on them from time to time and it's very noticable now. Reply
jabber - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkHmm could that be due to the fact those machines are also using a 2006 spec HDDs also?
In most cases yes. Stick a SSD or modern large capacity HDD in and the difference largely disappears. Reply
just4U - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linksadly.. yes that's using newer HDDs. While their totally usable .. the slow down is very noticable. The way I see it, once you can really start to notice the difference between an older computer and more modern stuff with even simple tasks then it's time to maybe consider upgrading. Reply
jabber - Saturday, December 01, 2012 - linkIf a C2D machine is struggling with Office or the Web then I feel the problem lays elsewhere.
Not the CPU's fault.
More likely a poor build. Reply
just4U - Saturday, December 01, 2012 - linknow now .. these are systems built by me, and 95% of them last 5+ years with quality part selection. Lets see if I can word this better.
I don't see slow downs (much) for most programs on Quads and dual cores above 6550s. X2s and the 6300 I was on though were quite noticable. Even on fresh installs you can still tell the difference. Reply
mrsmegz - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkIs there any reason to use an A85X chipset other than the extra 16x slot/lanes for Xfire? Reply
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI would say no until the price comes down... I bought one and regret wasting the extra $60 as it simply wasn't neccessary. I don't even see a reason to pick Trinity for crossfire setups as that should be handled /w their new Piledriver proccessors or a intel offering. Reply
lmcd - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkYeah, if you're going to do XF anything it better be dual graphics, or you're wasting your money. Reply
Medallish - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkIt supports SLI afaik too. Reply
ThomasS31 - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkYes. If you need more that 6 hdd, you need the A85x.
I personally planning to build a media PC which can contail all my old HDDs with videos. I have 8HDDs... so this is my only choice. :) Reply
dingetje - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linki would drop the burnarrrr and drop windows (aarrrrr), and add an ssd daaarrrrive Reply
Death666Angel - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkI've bought a i7 860 (Socket 1156) and that only lasted for that one generation. I bought a A6-3500 (Socket FM1) and that only lasted one generation. That's the reason I'm not upgrading to IVB, and will only upgrade to Haswell when I know that socket lasts at least another generation. :D
Good guide, always interesting to see other peoples suggestions for these builds. Reply
xxtypersxx - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkHow were you able to play Amazon HD video? Last time I tried (admittedly a couple months ago) it indicated HD couldn't be played in browsers and required approved devices (eg. Roku 2's). Has this changed or do you have some secret I desperately want to know?
As others have said, pricing is tough during the holiday season as it fluctuates so much. Your writing however is excellent. Reply
bill.rookard - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkfrom someone who was having troubles with it and Win8. So - I took the tower computer, gutted it, dropped it into my HTPC case and did an install of Win7x64. Runs great. Geekbenches at 6100 or so with no clock adjustments which is right around what my Athlon quad-core benched at - at half the power budget.
More than enough power for HTPC use at a very reasonable power envelope with enough processing power for most anything I'd need to use it for. Reply
Esben - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkThanks for an interesting buyers guide, and good choice on components. An important feature for me to note with the ASRock FM2A55M-DGS is the support for 2560x1600 using the DVI-output. None of the Intel boards support dual-link DVI. Only through DisplayPort is this resolution possible. Intel boards with DisplayPort are usually much more expensive than boards with only DVI/HDMI.
Would it be possible for you to verify if the DVI output of the A55 can also support audio, if used with a DVI->HDMI converter? Reply
jwcalla - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkFrom a pure HTPC perspective, I always feel uneasy recommending AMD because it pretty much requires you to drop $100 on an OS license, which is a huge chunk for such a small function.
I think this market is best served with the smaller Zotac solutions, or if you want to build your own box, just use one of those $10 fanless NVIDIA cards. Then you're free to install XBMC Live or whatever and still get flawless video playback... since NVIDIA actually steps up to the plate and supports their products with drivers that don't suck. Reply
Medallish - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkHow is AMD related to having to buy an OS? I have an AMD based HTPC, it works perfect, and I don't have any issues with drivers or anything else. Reply
MadMan007 - Sunday, December 02, 2012 - linkI think he's talking about drivers: AMD's non-Windows drivers aren't as good as Nvidia's, so with an AMD system you 'have to' get a Windows license but with Nvidia you can use XMBC/linux for free. Reply
silverblue - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link"If you're hesitant about using the unlocked 100W Black Edition A10 APU, but don't want to drop all the way down to a meager dual-core, the A10-5700 is a lower-clocked 65W TDP quad-core with less capable graphics than the A10-5800K. Again, however, for most HTPC duties like SD and HD media content playback, you won't really save much electricity (and thus heat and noise) compared to the A10-5800K."
Hexus seems to think that the 5700 should use less power than the 5600K and perform generally between that and the 5800K in games as its GPU is merely 5% slower and has the same number of shaders.
There are very few 5700 reviews about so if AT ran one, it'd be very much appreciated, more so to see if it really does use much less power than the 5800K. I would find it very strange if boosting CPU clocks by about 10% really does eat all that power. Reply
lmcd - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkA10-5800K is the better bin I'm pretty sure. As in, you should be able to underclock and hit same or lower thermals versus the 5700 Reply
djsvetljo - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - linkHow do you stream HD videos from Amazon on a PC??? I tried so hard a few months ago and I could not get. Amazon does not allow that - they are scared of Streaming 1080p HD video from Amazon piracy.
So if anyone knows a away to stream HD movies on a PC (windows or linux) I will be very thankful ! Reply
iamben - Friday, November 30, 2012 - linkDo you guys think that the first would be a good webs server build? The website it would be hosting is techclimax.com. A website that me and a couple friends made. Reply
Mugur - Saturday, December 01, 2012 - linkWhat about put to use those 8 SATA 3 ports and build a home sever? Besides HTPC, this the best scenario for Trinity, in my opinion... Reply
bigbrave - Saturday, December 01, 2012 - linkThe FX 8350 is much faster than the Core i3s and actually complete very well against the Core i7s in both the desktop and notebook platforms. Only the deaf, blind and stupid (aka fanbois) think benchmarks are actually true. I can understand you have to believe all your hard work means something, but it doesn't.
Bench marks are equivalent to looking at sports teams on paper and determining how they will do in their respective leagues. That's why they play the game, because judging the teams on paper don't mean a damn thing and won't tell you anything.
When you benchmark the Core i7s vs. the 8150 or 8350 (desktop) or A10 (notebook), the bench marks are not even close. Intel's are way ahead, however, when you put the two systems next to each other, you won't be able to tell which is which. Especially in a blind test http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1838/1/. If bench marks were actually true, then those results would be very visible when using the computer the way it is when you add 2 GB of RAM to a computer running Vista with only 1 GB of RAM.
When it comes to notebooks, AMD destroys Intel. Why, because of the graphics that Intel lacks. AMD hit a home run with the APUs which is why Ivy Bridge is the start of Intel's own APUs. Haswell will be a version of an APU though Intel won't categorize it that way.
When surfing the internet, computers use more graphics and less CPU these days. Web Browsers use the graphics card to render data faster like with Firefox's Direct 2D hardware acceleration. Internet Explorer 9 and Chrome also do the same thing. The better the graphics, the better the video playback (watching videos) and video conferencing (Skype) is. This is where Intel falls short and AMD exceeds in the notebooks. With desktops, Intel is better because you get the better CPU and just have to plug in a nice graphics card. However, with the notebooks, you need good graphics and AMD's "Trinty" A-Series APUs provides a terrific CPU (Piledriver cores) with it. I'm not so big on the A4 or the A6, but the A8 and A10 are terrific and very fast.
My girlfriend purchased an ASUS notebook with the Core i5 (Sandy Bridge) in March of this year from BJs. I connected it to the internet and went to a site which allows me to check off many programs I want and it will download and install them for me. That was in one window, and in the other, I started the many Windows updates. That took close to two hours to finish before I was rebooting the computer. I thought the Core i5 was supposed to be fast?! Wait it's the hard drive right? Well, that's what I've heard many Intel fanbois say when using a notebook with an Intel Core processor and it's extremely slow.
Anyways, over the next two days, my girlfriend struggled to receive any joy from the system. The videos she tried watching on different websites were slow and blurry, and Skype didn't work very well. Three days later, she was feed up and took the computer back to BJ's were they have a 14 day return policy on all electronics. BJ's gave her a full refund and we left. The following Thursday evening when stopped by Office Depot. We picked out an HP notebook with the A8 "Llano" in it. The A8 had the 3520 quad-core CPU with the 6620 GPU (with 400 Stream processors). I did explain to her at the store that the ASUS quality would be much better than all the OEMs like HP, Dell, Toshiba and Sony for example. She didn't care she just was happy to rid herself from the ASUS. I told her that it wasn't the ASUS brand she hated, but the Intel crap (Core i5 - Sandy Bridge) which was powering it. Still don't think she understands that however.
When we arrived home, I did the exact with the HP as I had done with the ASUS. Went to the website and checked off many programs I wanted downloaded and installed for me in one window. Then using the Windows 7 snap command, I opened another window and began the Windows updates.
It only took 35 minutes to do what the Intel Core i5 2410 took almost 2 hours to do. I was so shocked that I actually thought HP had put a 7,200 RPM hard drive in the system instead of the common 5,400 RPM drive. Instead of rebooting, I shut the system off and ripped open the hard drive cover thinking I was about to see a faster drive. NOPE, it was the same 5,400 RPM crap that all the OEMs sell in their sub $1,000 notebook junk.
Despite one manufacture being a non-OEM (ASUS), and the other is simply just an OEM (HP), both systems came with crappy slow hard drives which won't last two years. My point though, is that the AMD A8 (Llano) completely destroyed the Core i5 Sandy Bridge in performance, speed and graphics!!! AND it was cheaper!!!!!
As a computer technician, I have worked on many notebooks with the crappy Intel processors inside, and I'm not impressed. I worked with a terrific tech who is an Intel fanboi through and through, and he would always just blame the slow performance on the hard drive. I would just laugh and tell him it's more the crappy Intel design.
I'm not an AMD fanboi as your suspecting, I'm actually NOT a fanboi of any product or company. All fanbois are deaf, blind and stupid. When you're a fanboi, you only accept information that supports your opinions and quickly reject everything else. So it could be facts you're rejecting, but won't even realize it.
I'm very objective and open-minded which allows me to learn more about what AMD, Intel and Nvidia have to offer. All three companies have strengths and weaknesses which I point out to my many customers. Of course, since 70-75% of consumers look at price FIRST, AMD tends to be the best choice for them. A better overall solution at an outstanding price! Sure I try to get my customers and others to look beyond the crappy $300 - $400 systems, but many times they only want the cheapest crap they can get due to total ignorance. Their excuse, "all I need is" or "all I'll use it for is…". This is what almost every customer of mine as told me and I just have to laugh. So I then point them in AMD's direction and tell them to buy either the A8 or A10 and stay away from the C & E class APUs and the A4s. The A6s are ok, but I recommend the A8 the most. They respond by purchasing the C or E class cheap garbage! Maybe they spring for the A4. lol
In both my girlfriend's account and AMD's FX experience, listed in the above link, provide examples of how benchmarks are just not true and don't provide proper or genuine guidance of the comparison between AMD and Intel products. If I had you play a game on a system with the FX 8350, could you really tell the difference from it and a system with the Core i7 3770 Ivy Bridge? In actuality, probably not.
These benchmarks have totally given the general public a false sense of reality when determining which system to purchase. So this is where computer review websites, like the one you work for, come in. You need to be impartial and unbiased. You should understand that instead of looking at stupid software results, you should place two systems next to each other and see which one is faster. Don't tell me you do, because if that was true, you would have a totally different opinion in regards to AMD.
I have worked on many notebooks with Intel processors and they all seem very slow compared to the AMD APU counter parts. Must just be the graphics as the difference maker. However, when it comes to the all mighty desktop, Intel isn't a bad way to go, it just cost more for the motherboards and CPUs. I have built customers Intel systems this year, I just prefer the way AMD sticks with one socket for later upgrades. Just another strength AMD has going for them! Reply
Burticus - Tuesday, December 04, 2012 - linkOK I understand that prices fluctuate daily on the net. But that proposed A10 build for $507 seemed high to me.
Pricing from my local Microcenter store, and ditching that A10 for a FX 6300... I come up $157 (not figuring tax) cheaper without a discreet video card. You will need one, surely, but a $150 discreet video card will kick that APU up and down the street for gaming.
Just sayin'. Reply
batguiide - Sunday, December 09, 2012 - linkShare
a website with you ,
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Believe you will love it.
laptop battery,CPU fan,AC power adapters.DC power adapters and laptop keyboard.
I bought two. Cheap, good quality, you can
go and ship with there. Reply


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Printable View
as i said, i just started. just has a normal focal length stock lens on it.
i actually prefer film pictures to digital prints i've seen, you can get much better density in black and white with film i think.
it is a bit expensive to buy paper and film though, but i think its better.
The 1.4 is a metal body, where the 1.8 is plastic. ~$320 for the 1.4 and you can find one for $100 for the 1.8. Only a partial step wider... which is it really worth it for ~$220? Stopped to around f/2.0-2.5, they are equally sharp. The small DoF is amazing with it. I say just pick it up. Its a great addition for any indoor work or where you want to shoot with just a street lamp.
I took a shot at night, ISO 400, 1/13s EV +1.7 and no flash, and it came out perfect.
Only thing, its not AF-S, so if you shoot with a D40, D40x or D60, its MF only. But I don't have a problem with it. But if your body has the autofocus mechanism on it, you'll be fine. They are coming out with a 1.4 AF-S, but its supposed to be in the $400 price range. There is the focus meter on it which tells you approximately how far your focus is. Minimum focus is ~1.5 ft.
Takes amazing pictures. I recommend it :)
HDR of Casino
I really like that HDR, its not overdone, just enough to bring out the highlights and shadows of each object. Well done :)


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Assessment |
Biopsychology |
Comparative |
Cognitive |
Developmental |
Language |
Individual differences |
Personality |
Philosophy |
Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Clinical: Approaches · Group therapy · Techniques · Types of problem · Areas of specialism · Taxonomies · Therapeutic issues · Modes of delivery · Model translation project · Personal experiences ·
Feature Search is the process of searching for distinctive feature in visual search tasks. Such as color, size, orientation or shape. Feature searches can sometimes be easily conducted if the target stimulus has a distinctive feature compared to its distracters. The object often appears to "pop out" of the display.
A unique feature which causes a stimulus to "pop out" is referred to as a feature singleton. Feature singletons can also attract attention even if they are distracters.
See alsoEdit
References & BibliographyEdit
Key textsEdit
- Folk, C. L., & Annett, S. (1994). Do locally defined feature discontinuities capture attention? Perception and Psychophysics, 56(3), 277-287.
- Humphreys, G. W., Quinlan, P. T., & Riddoch, M. J. (1989). Grouping processes in visual search: Effects with single and combined-feature targets.J. Experimental Psychology: General, 118(3), 258-279.
- Muller, H. J., Heller, D., & Ziegler, J. (1995). Visual search for singleton feature targets within and across feature dimensions. Perception and Psychophysics, 57(1), 1-17.
- Quinlan, P. T., & Humphreys, G. W. (1987). Visual search for targets defined by combinations of color, shape,
and size: An examination of the task constraints on feature and conjunction searches. Perception and Psychophysics, 41, 455- 472.
- Riggs, L. A. (1973 ). Curvature as a feature of pattern vision. . Science, 181, p1070--1072.
Additional materialEdit
External linksEdit


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Junior explorer Red Metal's shares have surged 45 per cent in two weeks on the hope that it is one of the few Australian minnows to find a giant ore body in Australia.
When Under the Radar says giant, we mean it. And expectations for this minnow are building fast. At 28 cents, its market cap is only $41 million.
But its Maronan silver-lead-zinc project near Mount Isa in northern Queensland is being touted as the next BHP Billiton-owned silver and lead mine, Cannington, which it happens to be next to (OK, about 80 kilometres away). In "near-ology" terms, it doesn't get better than this.
Well it might, and this would be Red Metal's other prospect. It has a huge but very deep copper target near Olympic Dam in South Australia.
Cannington is one of BHP's most profitable mines. The resources giant spent about $450 million developing it in the 1990s and it now returns three times that every year. It's estimated to contain more than $25 billion in minerals.
Under the Radar understands that some brokers are whipping their clients into a frenzy, telling them Santa will carry with him promising drill results at Maronan, sooner rather than later. Presumably many could use some Christmas cheer.
This week Red Metal said it had begun deep drill testing on the Maronan project following up on another hole, which had "significant widths of high-grade lead and silver mineralisation hosted within 50 metre-thick intervals of banded iron sulphide formation rocks".
Hyping investors into a frenzy is Red Metal itself. The company trumpets that Maronan has the same geological characteristics as its big brother, calling it a "Cannington look alike".
Radar's geological guru, Trent Allen of Bell Potter, summarises the anticipation investors may feel, keen as they are for Red Metal's Santa to deliver the goods: "The company should know shortly if it is really onto something . . . the good thing about giant ore bodies is you don't need much drilling to know if you've got one".
Of Maronan itself, he says: "I like the exploration strategy, of looking for blind deposits in Proterozoic rocks, though it's very speculative. Few companies, let alone juniors, have ever discovered a giant ore body in Australia. If there are any left to find they'll be hidden under cover, like Olympic Dam and Cannington were."
There are three gentlemen (not to confuse them with wise men) on Red Metal's board (there are no women, or anyone else, for that matter), and all have an extensive history in the game.
The chairman, Russell Barwick, is a former chief executive of Newcrest Mining and chief operating officer of Goldcorp.
The managing director, Rob Rutherford, comes from Phelps Dodge, which owns just over 12 per cent, and the non-executive director Joshua Pitt has been raising money to crush rocks all his adult life.
If Santa does deliver, these three will be able to buy the North Pole.
Click here to access the fortnightly newsletter Under the Radar Report: Small Caps edited by Richard Hemming. Visit here for more Under the Radar articles.


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Influence decisionmakers. Shape debate. Make a difference.
Since 1968, Urban Institute employees have contributed objective analysis and expertise to important economic and social policy conversations, from city halls to the White House and beyond. Blending academic rigor with on-the-ground engagement, our research results in evidence-based, real-world solutions to some of the country's biggest policy challenges.
Our work is an unqualified reflection of the great people we hire. Urban derives its strength from creativity, intellectual contribution and growth, and our differences in viewpoint, background, and experience. Accordingly, we welcome and celebrate diversity in all its forms—ideology, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, educational attainment, disability, or veteran status. Urban is proudly multidisciplinary, multicultural, multiracial, academic and applied, and highly schooled and practically experienced.
As an Urban employee, you can expect to
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From research to communications to finance to information technology, your skills can help us continue to influence policy, open minds, shape decisions, offer solutions, and improve lives.
We hope you'll consider joining us.
Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.
Urban values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of any protected status under federal or local law.


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LEBANON, Ohio (AP) -- Doctors who treated a southern Ohio toddler now in a vegetative state say his injuries are too severe to have been suffered in a fall off a chair as the child's accused abuser claims.
The Warren County court testimony came Tuesday in the trial of 30-year-old Jason Milby, who is accused of causing "neurologically devastating" injuries to the 2-year-old son of his fiance.
The Dayton Daily News (http://bit.ly/VbII1R ) reports Milby was babysitting the child and his two siblings when the child was hurt in July 2011. The boy now cannot walk, talk, feed himself or see.
Prosecutors argue Milby slammed Bryce's head onto something soft like a mattress.
A jury was unable to reach a verdict in Milby's first trial in June.
Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com


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Mother Dearest, We Salute You.
Bar Christmas, Easter and Valentine's, today is one of the most important dates of the year…Yes, it's mother's day! The bakeries of Nicaragua are overrun with orders, and the florists are raking in serious cash money. Hecho wants to wish all the mamacitas and mamasotas out there a very happy mother's day, and while we're at it we'd like to highlight two very special celebrations of this day.


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Lake Zurich High School Class of 2003 Reunion
Missy Clarin and Shaina Moran
Saturday, July 27, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
Join us on Saturday, July 27th to reunite with friends and classmates!
6:00-9:00 PM - Eat, drink, bowl, and mingle at Lucky Strike
Lucky Strike
322 East Illinois Street, Chicago IL, 60611
9:30- 12:30 PM - Walk over to Quay for the After-Party
465 East Illinois Street, Chicago IL, 60611
Ticket Cost Breakdown:
The cost of attending the Lucky Strike portion of the event with tax and gratuity is $34.50. We have added on a $5.50 donation to be split between the Chris Redding Scholarship Foundation and Billy Misik Foundation to honor our late classmates.
This cost does not include the price of alcoholic beverages as we understand that not everyone will be imbibing at the event and many people may have driven in from the suburbs or out of town.
The Quay portion of the evening will feature a drink package for those who want to continue the party. We will have beer, wine, and call drinks for three hours for $35.00. You will be able to buy drinks at Quay outside of the drink deal, but will not be able to purchase the drink package during the event.
We highly recommend taking public transportation but if you have to drive, there is a Standard Parking garage located at 505 East Illinois Street, which is about a two minute walk from Lucky Strike and Quay. Paid street parking is available in the area but is limited (you only have to pay between the hours of 8:00 AM-9:00 PM).
There is parking within the Lucky Strike building block beneath the AMC Theatre
Hotel overnight rate (with in & out privileges): $36.00.
Find All Parking options in the area- Parkopedia
Public Transportation:
Those who plan to take the El can get off at the Grand-Red Line stop and walk one block south to Illinois and .5 mile east to Columbus. If you are taking the Metra to Ogilvie, we suggest taking the 124 Navy Pier bus which will drop you off right at Columbus and Illinois. You can also walk east (from Ogilvie) to the Monroe-Red Line stop at Monroe and take it to Grand. And, of course, you can always just take a cab which is probably a $7.00 with fees.
*Please note that the bus requires cash ($2.25 one way) or a prepurchased CTA transit card. The bus will not give change if you put in, for example, a $5 bill, so be sure to use exact change.
All rates below are for the dates of 7/26-7/28. Rates are for single/double occupancy and are based on availability. Please reference the "Lake Zurich High School Reunion" room block when calling all hotels.
333 N Dearborn St Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 245-0333
*Reservations must be made through the hotel website. Use promo/corporate code "SAXWED" to receive 20% off the best available rate. (This promo code is technically for weddings, but since I used to work there I pulled some strings so we're able to use it.)
660 N State St Chicago, IL 60654
71 E Wacker Dr Chicago, IL 60601
When & Where
Lucky Strike
322 East Illinois St
Saturday, July 27, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Add to my calendar


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I guess they are Blizzard's way of giving us some extra story for those of us who are interested in that. Not everyone is crash hot on lore and story, and this is a convenient way for those people to skip the talk and head straight for more loot oriented goals.
Here is what I think of scenarios:
- Great source of achievements
- Quick easy way to group up with 2 mates and do stuff for a few valo(u)r points and some gold and the chance at a blue dropping from the box you get as a reward.
There is a funny achievement that wants you to do all the Scenarios on a Saturday (Scenaterday - I don't quite understand the spelling of that) but it's bugged, and not working properly but it was something fun that my husband, Lushnek and I could do - even though, really, we should be doing dailies.
Started off in Crypt of Forgotten Kings, where we have to cleanse a crypt and Destroy the Abomination of Anger. The achievement in there is to not get hid by red clouds.
Then we ventured into level 90 Theramore's Fall, but we failed all the achievements in there. I'm sure we didn't hit any totems...
After that we did Brewmoon Festival and unfortunately the town got burned...
Onto Unga Ingoo where we had to fill a pot with beer without spilling and the last boss we had to keep his orange away from him. It was quite fun really :)
Then we did A Brewing Storm, where we had to defend kegs of beer from mobs and from getting burned, and not get hit by lightning.
Then at the end we had to avoid the Swamp Smash ability from the last boss (which is a frontal cone attack) which was quite easy. We missed one achievement though, which we thought we'd get next time.
Queueing a random got us A Brewing Storm again! So we just did that last achievement, which was to make sure all six of the Thunderpaw Guardians still alive. We just marked them and tried to protect them, and now we didn't worry so much about the Swamp Smash it was easy.
The guild was missing one of the Scenarios, and we managed to do that one, earning us the guild achievement
So, a little bit of easy WoW stuff, a lot of achievements, and no Scenaterday for me - maybe another day!


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Dog-friendly Whitstable, 2 Dogs & 5 People
This mid-terrace holiday property is just a 5 minute stroll from the beach, harbour, quirky shops and station with good connections to London. Watch the catch being unloaded, browse the fish market and eat in one of the popular seafood restaurants and try the famous oysters.
- 1


text:
Note: This item is more than 13 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
March 1, 2004
Blind and Out-of-State Categories Added for '04 Birding Classic
AUSTIN, Texas Fresh elements for the Great Texas Birding Classic this April 17-25 include what is believed to be the world's first birding competition for blind and visually impaired participants and another new competition category for out-of-state competitors.
The new 'Outta-Sight Song Birder' Tournament developed from the interest of a group of visually-impaired people in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Supported by two Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grants totaling $66,000, this group has been learning birdsongs since last fall and developing their ability to identify birds by sound. The nonprofit Rensselaerville Institute is the conduit for these grants. It supports community volunteers it calls "Sparkplugs" to help schoolchildren, disadvantaged youth, people with visual impairments and other audiences in the Valley learn through nature outings. After they were exposed to birding through this program, 12 visually impaired Valley residents approached Birding Classic staff about creating a new competition category.
"Birding was something that never crossed my mind when I was sighted," said Raul Reyes, who lost his eyesight in middle age as the result of a laser surgery accident in 1989. "We're very excited because for the first time ever, they are going to give us, the blind, a chance to participate in this event, and for many of us this is very exciting, a chance to go out and do something. And birding, it's something that's free because there are all kinds of birds in the Valley, and we have beautiful parks there where we can listen to the birds. Anybody who wants to join can contact us."
Birding Classic organizers say calls and e-mails to major birding institutions such as Cornell University and events such as the World Series of Birding indicate this is likely the world's first birding competition for the blind and visually impaired.
"Although the concept of blind birding may sound unusual, the best birders often first identify the presence of a bird by its call and then look to see the bird," said Shelly Scroggs, Birding Classic coordinator in the TPWD Wildlife Division. "Birding Classic teams often start competing at midnight on a competition day and bird through the night by ear, so what these visually-impaired competitors are doing is building on established practice."
The other new Birding Classic category this year is the Migration Challenge, developed to recognize out-of-state competitors who often travel long distances to participate and are birding in unfamiliar territory.
During the past eight years, the Great Texas Birding Classic has drawn hundreds of birding competitors from across North America. Thousands of birding tourists also come to Texas each April to companion events along the coast.
Organizers say that it is the longest competitive birding event in the United States, with an impact that reaches far beyond Texas. This is because the Texas coast is important stopover habitat for birds that continue up the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic flyways. Species include many neotropical migratory songbirds, among the nation's most colorful and popular species, which migrate huge distances between South and Central America (the neotropics) and North America.
Since TPWD started the Birding Classic in 1997, winning teams have directed $351,000 in prize money to buy, restore or improve Texas coastal bird habitat. This year, winning teams will direct a total of $51,000 to habitat conservation projects they choose. Teams are also eligible for a variety of prizes, such as binoculars, cameras and field guides, donated by event sponsors.
Classic prizes and tournament categories are set up to accommodate birders of all age groups and skill levels. The main Birding Classic for adult and senior participants takes place on three separate days for the upper, central and lower coast. Most teams choose to focus only on one of the three coastal sections. Roughwings (13 and younger) and Gliders (14-18 years old) compete on either Sunday, April 18 or Saturday, April 24. For those with maximum endurance, there is also a five-day Weeklong Tournament covering the entire coast. In 2003, the Big Sit! Tournament was added for birders wanting to stay in one place all day—teams in this category bird from a 17-foot diameter circle. One tournament coordinator called the Big Sit! a "tailgate party for birders." College teams interested the Sectional or Weeklong Tournaments can take part in the College Challenge, giving the top team bragging rights over all other collegiate competitors.
The new Outta-Sight Song Birder Tournament will take place April 18 in all coastal sections. Teams may have a maximum of one sighted person, who must compete blindfolded, although they may have non-competing, sighted drivers and volunteers to help lead them. Teams can be mixed-age and consist of 3-5 people. More detailed rules are available for this new category.
For the new Migration Challenge, the top single day and weeklong out-of-state teams will take home a Migration Challenge prize and top honors for their state. Birding Classic organizers say they hope to see even more out-of-state teams participate this year.
Birding Classic prize money for habitat conservation comes from corporate sponsors, including Reliant Energy, ConocoPhillips and various optics companies, including Swarovski, Eagle Optics, Leica, and Bushnell.
For more information about the Birding Classic, phone toll-free (888) TXBIRDS, Ext. 2, or visit the TPWD Web site (http://tpwd.texas.gov/gtbc/).
For more about opportunities for the visually impaired, including birding, contact Jane Vaninger with the Texas Commission for the Blind at (512) 377-0376.
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LoreleiPhoto says: "Cleansing and purifying is the soul of the desert! "
Only voters receive the private messages a model sends to her fans.
Voting is how you show love and appreciation to your favorite models & photographers.
Zivity pays them a cash royalty for each vote they receive.
There's no end to your beauty.Copernicus
I love it! What a beautiful smile on such a beautiful woman :-Dskitzjones
Buy votes to support this artist on Zivity. Votes are $1 each, and when you vote on a set you like, 55% goes to the model and 30% to the photographer. You can vote in the next step after registering and purchasing votes.


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AROUND 100 bikers met on Poole Quay to pay tribute to a popular member of their community who died last month.
Donna 'Pixie' Turner passed away aged just 54, on February 27, 2014, following a battle with cancer, which is believed to have affected her lungs, neck and brain.
It was said that her final wish was to be joined by a procession of bikers for her funeral, which was fulfilled by the huge number of motorcycle riders who met on the Quay on Thursday.
Bystanders lined the streets to watch as the bikers followed Donna's coffin, carried in a motorcycle hearse, to Poole Crematorium, on Gravel Hill, attended by friends and family, including her two daughters, Lisa and Kelly.
Lisa said: "Mum was a very special person.
"She was very well known among the biker community and she would help anyone that she could."
She added: "We would just like to say thank you for all the support and love that we and our mum have received over the last few months."
Tony 'TC' Corbs, one of the bikers said: "It was important for us to be there.
"We followed the hearse and it was again a chance for her to have one last ride with us.
He added: "A lot of the bikers there on Thursday may not have even known her, but it is just something we wanted to do, to show our support for her last wish."
Tapper Funeral Service, who organised the funeral service, are accepting donations on behalf of Donna and her family, to the Defenders of Wildlife and The UK Wolf Conservation Trust.


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AFTER bringing a smile to the face of more than a million disadvantaged children, Operation Christmas Child coordinator Hilary McFall has packed her last shoebox. Mrs McFall has coordinated the annual appeal for the Samaritan's Purse charity from its Bowerhill HQ for 21 years, and announced this week she was stepping down.
The charity's depot at Hercules Way, where boxes are stored before being packed onto lorries, has also closed, with organisers now looking for an alternative location.
Mrs McFall said: "It's been a real privilege to help for so many years.
"I first got involved after I watched a video of children in a Romanian orphanage, and they didn't have anything to play with.
"I took it on and thought I would do it this year, maybe next year, and 21 years later we are still doing it. We must have sent well over a million boxes from Wiltshire now."
As area co-ordinator she has arranged the collection and distribution of thousands of shoeboxes each year, which are shipped to help children in eastern Europe and Africa.
She said: "Whether you have been a supporter for 21 years or just recently, packed a box, loaded cartons, knitted hats, mittens or anything else, can I just say thank you for your contribution to bringing a smile to children who otherwise would have nothing."
Samaritan's Purse regional manager Roger Fenton said: "What Hilary has achieved with the team in Melksham and across Wiltshire is almost beyond measure.
"She is a very special person and will be missed, but whether based in Melksham or elsewhere the appeal will carry on."
Anyone interested in helping can call Mr Fenton on 07900 270159. A coffee morning to mark Mrs McFall's retirement will take place at Melk-sham Baptist Church on February 1, at 10am.


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CUMBRIA Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has secured more than £5.6m of funding from the 'Safer Hospitals, Safer Wards' technology fund'.
The cash will be used to deliver three major programmes of work, which will enable electronic patient records, electronic referrals and the secure sharing of data from GPs to Trust services.
Electronic Patient Records (EPR) was awarded £5.2m. The EPR will hold all of patient-related clinical and health information in one place, to make it easier for doctors, nurses and healthcare staff within the trust make clinical decisions about patient care.
A programme called Strata was awarded £221,000. It will introduce the sending and receiving of referrals electronically.
The Medical Interoperability Gateway, a messaging gateway which allows the exchanging of data between GP Practice Clinical Systems and the trust's systems, was awarded £220k.
Dr Chris Hallewell, Medical Director, said: "This funding will play a major part in revolutionising the delivery of care across Cumbria. Trust staff and GPs directly involved in patient care will be able to share important information quickly, enabling them to provide more effective care and, more importantly, you should not have to repeat the same details each time you receive care."


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Toronto ends nine-year drought to finally make the postseason. Here is a look at the nine Leafs who made the difference.
1. James ReimerThe Leafs biggest question mark entering the season became their MVP. Reimer's .922 save percentage entering Saturday's game put him in eighth among goaltenders that started 20 or more games, making him one of the more dependable No. 1s leaguewide. And his 17-6-5 record is hard to argue with.
(Peter Power/The Globe and Mail)
2. Phil KesselPhil the Thrill may have started slowly, but he caught fire late, eventually climbing into a tie for seventh in the NHL in scoring with 46 points after 44 games. Surprisingly, too, only 16 of them were goals, as Kessel found his inner playmaker and made better use of his teammates.
(Mark Blinch/Reuters)
3. Dion PhaneufOft-criticized and heavily burdened on the Leafs back end, the captain has quietly had his best season in Toronto. Tied for fifth in scoring among defencemen and on pace for 50 points over an 82-game season, Phaneuf's greatest feat may have been logging more ice time than all but four others leaguewide while playing large portions of the season with Korbinian Holzer or Mike Kostka as his partner.
4. Nazem KadriThe Leafs biggest surprise of the year is an easy call. Kadri, 22, emerged in his first full NHL season as an excellent offensive player, with two hat tricks powering a torrid point-a-game pace after 40 games. "The Dream" may have slowed of late but that shouldn't be a surprise given he's had basically third line minutes all year.
5. Cody FransonRight behind Phaneuf in scoring among defencemen is the big man from Sicamous, B.C., with the big shot. Franson spent a lot of his first season last year in the doghouse but has been a key cog this time around, putting up a 50-point pace and logging increasingly bigger minutes as the season has gone along.
(The Canadian Press)
6. Nikolai KuleminPerennially unheralded and perennially underrated. Perhaps the best two-way forward on the team, Kulemin has contributed more points at even strength than all but three others on the team and played some of the most difficult minutes in the league. Add in his role as the No. 2 forward on one of the best penalty kills in the league, and it's clear that Kulemin's value far exceeds his point totals and modest salary.
(The Canadian Press)
7. Carl GunnarssonAnother Leaf in the underrated category. Playing through a chronic hip injury all season, Gunnarsson nonetheless logged the second most even strength minutes on the team and was sorely missed in the 11 games he was out of the lineup. On a blueline lacking depth, the quiet Swede's dramatic effect on the Leafs goals against is bigger than anyone outside of James Reimer: 2.30 per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 when he's been on the ice and 3.28 when he's not.
(The Canadian Press)
8. James van RiemsdykWith Joffrey Lupul out of the lineup for 32 games with two serious injuries and a suspension, the Leafs top line desperately needed a replacement and found a worthy one in JVR. The 23-year-old caught fire early with 11 goals in his first 18 games as a Leaf, helping propel Toronto to becoming one of the highest scoring teams in the league.
9. Jay McClementHis former coach, Andy Murray, calls him "the stopper" and the Leafs saw why this season. Toronto jumped from third last a year ago to third overall in penalty killing, in large part thanks to McClement's unique savvy when down a man. Amazingly, he led the league in shorthanded minutes played, with 3:40 per game – or nearly 70 per cent of every PK the team had all year.
(The Canadian Press)


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In Tribute
Planned Giving
Wherever you are in the process of determining your cancer risk or risk management options, you are not alone.
I need to know more about BRCA testing
I have a mutation. What do I do?
I am a healthcare provider
I want to participate in research
I want to help


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You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
"This product was exactly what my husband and I were looking for to announce our wedding. The proof was delivered to us promptly with some recommended changes and the final product was delivered to us incredibly fast. We ordered these on Saturday, April 30 and they were delivered prior to 9:00am on Saturday, May 7. The cardstock was heavy and the image was glossy. The background was a darker gray with "Newlyweds" written in pale turquoise. I'm very happy with my purchase and the announcements received many compliments from friends and family."
"This announcement fit the color theme of the wedding perfectly, groomsmen and bridesmaids wore brown...flowers were burnt orange...very fall looking. I placed my order on Tuesday night, received a call with clarification on Wed., proof on Thursday am and product was shipped on Thursday pm...received on Sat. Could not have gotten any quicker...excellent service. If I had one thing to do over it would be to order the 5 x 7 cards simply to allow for larger photos. Our son's wedding was for immediate family only and this announcement was mainly to share with all family and friends the beauty of the event. That was my only disappointment but no one's fault but my own! Great job divas!"


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The Fujitsu STYLISTIC Q702 is the perfect choice for mobile professionals looking for high-performance without compromising on versatility. With its attachable keyboard option, this lightweight hybrid tablet PC enables easy content creation and consumption. Either use it as a tablet when traveling or attach the keyboard and convert the STYLISTIC Q702 into a traditional notebook for additional usability in the office. The 29.5 cm (11.6-inch) display with pen and finger input support offers you excellent flexibility while optional 4G/LTE completes the picture of a professional tablet.
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Open Fist Presents LA Premiere of MACHINAL, Opening 10/14
The Open Fist Theatre Company today announced the fourth production of its 2011 Season, the Los Angeles premiere of MACHINAL, written by Sophie Treadwell and directed by Barbara Schofield.
MACHINAL will preview on Friday, October 7 & Saturday, October 8 at 8pm; Sunday, October 9 at 2pm and will open on Friday, October 14 at 8pm and run through Saturday, November 20 at the Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.
One of the great masterpieces of the American Theatre, Sophie Treadwell's MACHINAL explores with frightening intensity the America of the 1920's-and the nightmare nexus of capitalism, sexism, and violence in an increasingly mechanized and dehumanizing society.
Inspired by the "crime of the century"-the 1927 murder trial of Ruth Snyder and Judd Grey-the play burst upon the stage with incandescent originality-and remains today as fresh and fearsome a look at modern life as it was then. Open Fist is proud to present the Los Angeles premiere of this stunning and unforgettable work, by one of the country's most important playwrights.


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Enjoy the fine and sunny Christmas Day weather while you can, forecasters expect a rainy Boxing Day in Brisbane.
With temperatures expected to hit a top of 31 degrees today, the city should be spared any showers or storms.
But things are expected to take a turn for the worse tomorrow, as Brisbane could see between 5-10mm of rain on Boxing Day as the result of a surface trough moving up from New South Wales.
Weatherzone meteorologist Rob Sharpe said skies would be overcast and showers expected on and off throughout the day.
While were are only expected to a be a few sunny breaks, any storm activity wasn't expected to be anything significant.
''There is a chance of storms during the afternoon but it is mostly going to be a few lightning strikes in among the showers, you're unlikely to see any big tropical storms,'' he said.
Meanwhile Gold Coast chief lifeguard Warren Young said the swell was expected to be about one metre Christmas Day.
"There'll be a few rips and gutters inshore right along the coast, so it's really important to take care, and swim between those flags," he said.
He also said swimmers should avoid the water outside regulated hours.
"There's a dumping shore break along the beaches on the high tide as well and when the tide goes out, so be aware of that, and be a bit selective if you're not sure," he said.
Mr Young said many lifeguards gave up their Christmas Day to look after beachgoers, and has urged the public to respect them if they gave instructions on when and where to swim.
"We hope they have a great time, and great fun, but we really trust that they do it safely," he said.
- with Natalie Bochenski


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EXTRA officers with powers to use batons and chemical agents have been drafted in as reinforcements at the West Australian juvenile detention centre trashed in an angry riot last weekend.
A mob of 60 armed youths ran amok through Banksia Hill detention centre last Sunday night, damaging almost 100 cells and forcing officials to move 73 young offenders to the nearby adult Hakea prison.
As state Corrective Services minister Murray Cowper released the terms of reference into the independent inquiry ordered following the riot, Community and Public Sector Union branch secretary Toni Walkington said her members were still on red alert.
"From Wednesday, the running of the centre was declared an emergency situation, which means additional staff need to be on site," Ms Walkington said.
"Even though the detainees are in these cells, they know how to get out now.
"Quite simply staff shortages meant the safety of staff was going to be compromised and we weren't prepared to budge on that."
Mr Cowper ordered WA's prisons inspector Neil Morgan to investigate the riot, along with a police investigation and an internal Department of Corrective Services inquiry.
The Morgan inquiry will take in the context of the incident, contributing factors, the security and integrity of the cells, security systems, security practices, the adequacy of crisis management planning and response, and the controversial temporary housing of juveniles at Hakea.
"I have also asked the inspector to review staffing levels at the facility and report on the management of the incident and its impact on staff," Mr Cowper said.
"While I won't pre-empt the results of those investigations, I will ensure that all required resources are provided to mitigate against an incident like this occurring again."
Mr Cowper, who copped his own criticism after he described the incident as "entertaining" on a radio interview, said he had seen the destruction first hand and said it had affected staff morale.
"I not only saw the physical destruction these juvenile offenders caused, but the impact their behaviour has had on the morale of staff," Mr Cowper said.
Originally published as More officers drafted into trashed WA jail


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Freewheeling Competition Chester & N Wales CTC
Date:4 October 2014
Type:Local Group Event (inc DATC and Audax Rides)
The Freewheeling Competition will be held in Graigfechan once the Llysfasi Hill Climb event has been completed. Please book in for the Freewheel at Llysfasi College from 11am.
Entry forms and full details will be available from the Chester & North Wales CTC website on the events page nearer the date of the event.
Rides and activities
Map and Address
Contact name:Lowri Evans
Contact phone number:01824 705709
Contact address:
86 Bro Deg, Ruthin ,Denbighshire. LL15 1XY
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Events Listing Advice
The details above are correct to the best of our knowledge, for the most up to date details always refer to the organisers website or contact the event organiser.


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Former Jet Propulsion Laboratory director Bruce C. Murray, who battled Washington and NASA over money, projects and policy, has died. He was 81.
Murray died at his home in Oceanside at 4:57 a.m. Thursday, said Charlene Anderson, a longtime friend and former colleague at the Planetary Society.
In 1980, Murray co-founded The Planetary Society with the late astronomer Carl Sagan and astronautics engineer Louis Friedman as part of the quest to save JPL and the planetary exploration program.
"Bruce was an extremely strong personality, but brilliant. I worked with a lot of smart people in my time at the Planetary Society, but Bruce's mind was the mind I admired most for the way he could slice through a problem," Anderson said. "He was forceful and dynamic."
Murray took over JPL in 1976 when the Viking program was putting landers on Mars, Voyager was touring the solar system and the Apollo program was winding down.
According to JPL, Murray disagreed with NASA's focus on the search for life during the Viking missions to Mars. He said it was premature because the craft's biological instruments would not provide adequate results. As it turned out, that was right and probably helped him get the job at JPL when William Pickering retired.
Before taking the job at JPL, Murray took a sabbatical from the California Institute of Technology, which manages JPL, to read up on management and came back convinced that to survive, the laboratory would have to embrace change, said colleague John Casani, who is now retired, but was the project manager on the Voyager, Galileo and Cassini missions, and later chief engineer at JPL.
Murray ran into a lot of internal opposition because of that thinking, Casani said.
"Bruce Murray was a pioneer and undisputed leader in unmanned space exploration," said Dave Stevenson, a Caltech professor of planetary science.
In fact, Stevenson said, Murray was named Caltech's first planetary science professor in 1963.
As NASA focused on the space shuttle program and low-Earth-orbit capabilities, it cut back on the planetary program. Murray was able to start a solar energy research project for the Department of Energy, a study that was abruptly ended in 1981.
Murray stepped down as director in 1982, returning to the department he started at Caltech.
JPL said Murray was able to salvage the Galileo mission to Jupiter, but lost the American half of the two-satellite International Solar Polar Mission, which was ultimately launched with JPL instruments as the European Space Agency's Ulysses by space shuttle Discovery. A proposed mission to Halley's comet was also dropped.
Murray was able to obtain the American portion of the joint U.S.-Netherlands-United Kingdom infrared astronomy satellite to JPL, and Caltech gained the project's science data center.
"Bruce Murray was one of the most agile members of an agile generation. Under his leadership, the Jet Propulsion Lab's skilled teams extended humanity's reach and vision to distant worlds. A brilliant scientist, he also served his civilization in realms of policy, and even art," said science fiction writer and futurist David Brin.
"Murray was somewhat confrontational but never argumentative and never hostile," said Casani, who originally worked with Murray on imaging for the Mariner spacecraft in the early 1960s.
"People at JPL either loved or hated him. He was always shaking cages," he said.
At Caltech, Murray would throw out a challenge and students would attack or defend it. But the give-and-take needed for that kind of relationship didn't work that well at JPL, Casani said.
"He would throw out a crazy idea just to get reaction that never happened," he said. "The next Tuesday, there would be 30 people working on that crazy idea."
Shortly after he got to JPL, Murray set up an advisory council for women because there were hardly any women engineers, Casani said. He chose a group of 12 women to help him get the word out and recruit, changing the women on the board each year.
"Today it shows in terms of demographics," Casani said. More women are employed at JPL, in all positions, than any other NASA center, he said.
"He was very forward thinking. Then he had some crazy ideas too. Some worked and some didn't," Casani said.
Murray is survived by his wife, Suzanne, and five children: Steve in Nevada, Peter in Oregon, Christine in Maryland, Allison in California and Jonathan in Tennessee.
Services are pending.
He was also very close to his cousin, former House Speaker Tom Foley, who is in hospice care in Washington, D.C., Anderson said.


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A flourishing Otley-based national waste and recycling company is celebrating its fifth anniversary by planning for further growth.
707 Resource Management has grown from being a three-man outfit, started in 2009, to now employing 34 people and having a £6.5 million turnover.
Based at Wharfebank Business Centre, the business counts the likes of the NHS, Britannia Hotels, and Dairy Crest among its clients.
It also provides waste solution schemes to thousands of smaller firms in the office, retail, clinical and hospitality sectors - with the ultimate aim of helping them have no waste at all going to landfill.
Managing director David Adams said: "We're over the moon to be celebrating 707's fifth birthday at such an exciting time of business growth.
"I'm really proud of the team we've developed and I'm really excited that we still have so much potential for expansion.
"We have a growth plan that will see the business double in size in the next five years, and a target turnover of £13 million. We will continue to invest in businesses and the industry, with the hope of having a louder voice to shape how
we recycle."
The company, believing that 'zero landfill' is a realistic goal, uses innovative technologies to provide waste collection and recycling services that are focused on reducing costs.


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Kovrit is an adaptation of the Hebrew alphabet for writing Korean devised by Bae Jun. Everytime he learns a new scrpt, he attempts to modify it to write Korean. It helps him to memorize new writing systems. He has also devised methods of writing Korean with the Cyrillic (Korillic), Greek (Kellinica) and Arabic (Korabic) alphabets.
Modeun Ingan-eun Tae-eonal ttaebuteo Jayuroumyeo Geu Jon-eomgwa Gwonrie Iss-eo Dongdeunghada. Ingan-eun Cheonbujeog-euro Iseong-gwa Yangsim-eul Bu-yeobad-ass-eumyeo Seoro Hyungje-ae-ui Jeongsin-euro Haengdongha-yeo-yahanda.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
If you have any questions about Kovrit, you can contact Bae Jun at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Arcography, Byeokrando, Emoel gugu, Kara Hiragana, Korillic, Kovrit, Naljeogigeul (alphabetic), Naljeogigeul (syllabic), Seumul, T-8
Other writing systems invented by visitors to this site


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App of the Week: Sooners Gameday Program
The Oklahoma Sooner football team converted its print Gameday program to an iPad and iPhone app using Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. The app heightens the reading experience through video and audio recordings of past games and extended stats and information on each player. The Sooners are leaders in re-imagining a print product on an interactive mobile device.


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Things got quite exciting in London at noon on Tuesday. First Kweku Adoboli, the rogue trader formerly employed by UBS, was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud. Then Hewlett-Packard accused the former management of Autonomy, the UK software company, of wrongdoing. The moral appeared to be, as a New York journalist wryly tweeted: "Don't trust the British."
© The Financial Times Ltd 2016 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 2/2/2013 (1663 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OAK HAMMOCK MARSH - In a shocking turn of events, Manitoba is in for another six weeks of winter.
Manitoba Merv, the groundhog hand-puppet that resides at Oak Hammock Marsh, interrupted his slumber Saturday morning and was able to see his shadow, despite suffering from the handicap of being an inanimate object.
The use of a prognosticating puppet is necessary because groundhogs -- also known as woodchucks -- hibernate in Manitoba.
"They wouldn't wake up anyway. When they're in hibernation, their body temperature is about zero and their heart rate goes down to about five beats per minute," said Jacques Bourgeois, marketing coordinator for Oak Hammock Marsh.
Merv, a golf club cover, is named after Merv Farmer, former owner of the Stonewall Argus. The puppet has never made a mistake, said Bourgeois.
But he has been lost. Oak Hammock Marsh once had to order a new puppet – Manitoba Maria – after Merv was misplaced.
Maria now resides in a drawer in Oak Hammock Marsh's offices, where she never has the opportunity to see the light of day, let alone cast a shadow by it.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
HIV and AIDS
Elevated IgM in the Saliva
I found out that my saliva IgM is too high above average and my saliva IgA extremely low(almost 0). What does it mean? Also, can these values be correlated to the serum IgM and IgA levels? Thanks
IgA is the dominant immunoglobulin in saliva. Its primary function is to provide mucosal barrier protection from infectious challenges. Some individuals have been identified as being IgA deficient (IgAd) and may be more susceptible to respiratory infections and sinusitis and some autoimmune diseases. Interestingly enough, even though IgA is the major immunoglobulin in saliva, dental diseases such as periodontal disease and dental caries have not been related to the decrease in expression. Frequency of IgA deficiency is approximately 1 in 500-800 individuals, and not all deficient individuals present with increased respiratory infection susceptibility. In earlier studies on IgA deficiency, patients demonstrated increased levels of IgM in whole saliva. The associated increase in IgM may be a compensatory response to low levels of IgA.
Another associated oral problem encountered in IgA deficient patients is increased risk of Candida sp. yeast infections.
Richard J Jurevic, DDS, PhD
Formerly, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
School of Dental Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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Learn more about Mastercard® SecureCode. Use the links below to jump to specific topic areas.
About Mastercard SecureCode
Sign Up for Mastercard SecureCode
Shopping with Mastercard SecureCode
Security and Privacy
About Mastercard SecureCode
Q: What is Mastercard® SecureCode?
A: Mastercard SecureCode is a new service that enhances your existing Mastercard card. A private code gives added protection against unauthorized use of your card when you shop at participating online merchants.
Q: How does Mastercard SecureCode work?
A: Once you've registered and created your own private SecureCode, you will be automatically prompted by your card issuer to type in your SecureCode each time you make a purchase at participating online stores/retailers. Then your SecureCode will be quickly confirmed by your card issuer to complete your purchase. Your SecureCode will never be shared with the store/retailer and using it is as easy as entering your PIN at an ATM.
Q: How does Mastercard SecureCode protect me?
A: Correctly entering your SecureCode during a purchase at a participating online store/retailer confirms that you are the authorized cardholder. If an incorrect SecureCode is entered, the purchase will not be completed. Even if someone knows your credit or debit card number, the purchase cannot be completed without your SecureCode at a participating store/retailer.
Q: What are the system requirements for Mastercard SecureCode?
A: Mastercard SecureCode works with most browsers. Please be aware that software which prevents pop-up windows may interfere with your use of SecureCode.
Sign Up for Mastercard SecureCode
Q: What card do I use? Will I need to get a new card to use Mastercard SecureCode?
A: You will be able to use any of your existing Mastercard credit or debit cards, as long as the cards are from a participating card issuer. If you're not sure if your card issuer provides this service, please review our list of participating card issuers. If you don't see your card issuer listed, they may be planning to offer SecureCode in the near future, so check back frequently.
Q: How many cards can I register with Mastercard SecureCode?
A: We encourage you to register all of your Mastercard cards. There is no limit on how many cards you can register.
Shopping with Mastercard SecureCode
Q: How do I know whether a merchant participates in SecureCode?
A: Most participating stores/retailers will display the Mastercard SecureCode logo on their site. However, even if you don't see the SecureCode logo, the merchant may still offer SecureCode protection and you will be prompted to provide your SecureCode.
Q: How will the online store know that I'm registered for Mastercard SecureCode?
A: When you use a card that is protected with Mastercard SecureCode, the store/retailer automatically recognizes your Mastercard card number during the transaction.
Q: What happens when I use my SecureCode at a participating merchant?
A: There is no need to log-in or sign-in. When you make a purchase at a participating store/retailer and enter your registered Mastercard payment details, you will automatically be prompted by your card issuer to enter your SecureCode. After reviewing the details of your purchase and confirming that your Personal Greeting is correct, simply type in your SecureCode to complete your purchase.
Q: What is a Personal Greeting?
A: The Personal Greeting is a message that you create during sign-up. Each time you make an online purchase at a participating store/retailer, you will be prompted to enter your SecureCode. At this time, you'll see your Personal Greeting and other purchase details. The Personal Greeting is your assurance that you are communicating with your card issuer. If the Personal Greeting displayed in the pop-up box is incorrect, you should not enter your SecureCode, but should instead contact Customer Service immediately by calling the phone number on the back of your Mastercard card to report a possible fraud.
Q: How will SecureCode change the online purchase process?
A: The online purchase process will not change except that now you will be prompted to provide your SecureCode at the checkout. Your SecureCode will never be revealed to the store/retailer.
Q: Will I be able to make purchases at stores that accept Mastercard but do not offer the Mastercard SecureCode facility?
A: Yes, you will not be asked for your SecureCode during these purchases.
Q: I am a merchant who would like to offer SecureCode to my customers. How do I get more information?
A: For information on participating in the Mastercard SecureCode service please visit www.securecodemerchant.com
Security and Privacy
Q: Where can I view the Mastercard SecureCode Terms and Conditions?
A: Please visit your card issuer's website for the terms and conditions specific to your card.
Q: Where can I review the privacy policy?
A: Please visit your card issuer's website to review the privacy policy specific to your card.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/12/2010 (2431 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
ASESSIPPI SKI AREA — Let's begin with what this place is not.
It is not the Dolomites of Italy. It is not the Alps of Switzerland. It is not even the Tatras of Poland.
Closer to home, it is also not the Rockies of Alberta, the Laurentians of Quebec or even the Sangre De Cristos of New Mexico.
But it's when you get really close to home — right here in Manitoba — what this place is not — and what it is — gets really interesting. Because in addition to all the other downhill skiing resorts this place is not, it is also very definitely not Stony Mountain or Springhill.
All of which is to say that what they have here is a whole lot better, and in every sense of that term, than anything else we have in this province.
Are they going to be staging any World Cups here soon. No, of course not. This is Manitoba after all.
But if the only Manitoba downhill skiing that you know is shredding your mitts on a tow rope on a tiny hill that takes six carves and under 30 seconds to complete from peak to base, then you are going to be very pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer here at Asessippi.
The skiing here, both in the number of runs available and the challenge of those runs, is at least as good as anything within a six-hour drive of Winnipeg in any direction.
And that's a bargain when you consider that while Google Maps will tell you it's a four-and-a-half hour drive here from Winnipeg, I did it easily and at an unhurried pace in just over three-and-a-half hours this month.
Now, it is a fact that the downhill skiing fraternity is plagued by a tiny, but very vocal, minority of ski snobs for whom nothing but Europe or the Rockies will suffice. Those people are boring and will not be happy here.
But I am not such a person. I have been blessed in my days to have skied some of the worlds finest peaks. Indeed, I have skied every single one of the places I listed above in describing what this place is not.
I can report from personal experience that the chairlift in Veysonnaz, Switzerland is the most spectacular natural scenery you'll ever see; Zakopane in Poland is some of the cheapest skiing you'll ever do; Italy's Cortina is freakishly tough, New Mexico's Taos is way harder than you think, Lake Louise has my favourite slopes in Canada and Tremblant has the best apres-ski.
All of which is not to boast. It is simply to say that I've been around too, and I have no patience for ski snobs who seem to revel in telling the rest of us that what we're enjoying isn't really worth enjoying.
And I enjoyed Asessipi.
The price was right, the staff was abundant and very well trained, the equipment was still good after a decade in service, the lineups were short and there were challenges to be had on the slopes.
Staff will tell you they have the full gamut of runs here from beginner to expert, although my experience found the top end something more akin to a moderate intermediate run. But it was still enough of a challenge to keep things fun and allow me to work on some skills that needed some polishing.
My ski partner for the weekend was something closer to an advanced beginner and she flourished here. She raved about the private lesson she took the first day (from a native Austrian, no less) and she seemed to find just the right mix of challenge and comfort that beginners need so that they can enjoy while they learn.
And off the slopes, there's lots of fun to be had too. They've assembled a sort of mini-alpine village at the base of the mountain that includes a great pub, with panorama views of the hill, a restaurant and shops. A big private cottage development rims the outer edge of the resort.
Are there downsides? Look, would it be better if there was a couple thousand feet more of elevation? Of course. Can it get really cold? Oh, yeah.
Those are just the realities of downhill skiing in this province and nobody is ever going to change those things. But they make the most of what they do have here — and that's surprisingly quite considerable.
It's not a lot of things, but it is a lot of fun.
If you go
How to get there
The Asessippi Ski Resort is located 370 kms northwest of Winnipeg. It's sandwiched between the western edge of Riding Mountain National Park and the Saskatchewan border and is a 10 minute drive from Russell. Take the Trans Canada and then the Yellowhead. Drive time should be 3-1/2-4 hours.
Where do I stay?
There is presently no hotel at the hill, although one of the local shareholders tells me there are plans on the drawing board to build one eventually. For the time being, skiers make do with almost 30 area hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses. The Russell Inn is the biggest single shareholder in the resort and is also the biggest of the accommodation options.
I want a deal
Skiing is not cheap anywhere, but Asessippi is more affordable than most. A full-day adult lift ticket costs $44 and a set of skis, boots and poles will cost another $28.90 for the day. But they run all kinds of specials all the time that can get the price down dramatically. Right now, there is a weekday special running that includes two adult lift tickets, $45 in food vouchers at local restaurants and a room at the Russell Inn for $190 plus tax. Upgrade to a suite (I had one that would be great for a family of 4 or more) and the price goes to $235. You can get the same package on weekends for $220 and $265 respectively. (Offer valid Sundays to Thursdays in January, February and March. Excluded dates are Dec. 26-Jan. 5, Feb. 19-Feb. 26 and Mar. 27-Apr. 4). See the Russell Inn website at www.russellinn.com.
And on the hill's website, www.asessippi.com, they're advertising a 99 cent Sunday special for next month (Jan. 9, 16, and 23) in which you get a full set of rentals, a lift pass for the bunny hill and lessons — all for under a buck. Crazy.
I don't know how to ski.
The hill offers lessons at a very good price. Group lessons cost $25 an hour but the private lessons are probably the best bargain at $49 an hour, a fraction of what it would cost you at a mountain resort.
Asessippi By
The Numbers
64 Percentage of visitors to the resort who come from Manitoba
33 Percentage who come from Saskatchewan
16 Percentage who come
from Winnipeg
3 Percentage who come
from Brandon


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All Noveske match barrels have a medium contour, bead-blasted satin finish, M4 extended feed ramps, and are threaded at the muzzle for the addition of flash hiders, muzzle brakes and/or sound suppressors. Each barrel is shipped with a pinned, low profile gas block, gas tube and barrel extension.
- Length: 13.7"
- Material: 416R Stainless Steel
- Contour: Medium
- Chamber: 5.56 Match Mod O
- Twist Rate: 1 in 7" Polygonal
- Chrome Lined: No
- Finish: Bead-Blasted Satin Gray
- M4 Feed Ramps: Yes
- Muzzle Thread Pattern: 1/2"-28
- Gas Port Location: Mid
- Exterior Diameter at Gas Port: 0.750"
- Extras: Low Profile Gas Block, Gas Tube
- Weight: 30 oz
NOTE: Noveske Match Stainless Barrels use a proprietary 1" long gas block that comes installed from the factory. Standard AR-15 front sight bases (1.9" long) are NOT compatible.
Please Note: An "AR-15 Pistol" barrel is less than 16" in length. Pistol barrels are only for use on AR-15 pistol lowers and legal Short-Barreled Rifles. Other configurations may violate Federal law.