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I am still a bit new to Flightgear, and still learning. I am having some problems getting connected to any of the multiplayer servers. I have tried multiple servers, but have been frequently trying mpserver05, as it seems more populated at the moment. Here are the steps I'm using, as referenced from the Multiplayer Guide (http://wiki.flightgear.org/Howto:_Multiplayer#Coping_with_abusive_behaviour):
I open up FGRun and select my aircraft and airport as normal. Then, on the config page, I check the box to enable AI Models also check the Multiplayer box. In the hostname field, I fill out mpserver05.flightgear.org and use port 5000 in the In and Out fields. Then, I simply run the game as I normally would.
I chose the San Francisco airport because it seems to be the most populated, and it would help me identify whether I'm connected and seeing other pilots or not. When I get into the game, I see no other aircraft, though the MP Map shows there are planes at the airport I'm at. Also, if I choose Multiplayer>Pilots, it says there are 0 pilots, and I also don't see my call sign showing up on the MP Map.
I think I've pretty much verified that I'm not getting connected, but can somebody help me try to identify what I'm doing wrong? I also tried addressing the host name as http://mpserver05.flightgear.org, with no luck. Additionally, for good practice, I forwarded port 5000 to the IP address of the machine I'm trying to make the connection from.
My specs are:
OS: Kubuntu 11.10 32-bit Linux operating system
Graphics: Nvidia 9600M GT
Memory: 4GB
Flightgear version 2.4.0
Any help is much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
EDIT: I got a chance to try some more things. Disabling my router's firewall had no effect. Also, I noticed that in the menu Multiplayer>Multiplayer Settings, it reports that I am connected to the server. As mentioned above, I am on what appears to be an empty "server" though I tried connecting to several that MP Map shows people flying around in.


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December 03, 2009
LE and Rare Clean & Clear blotters - Pink Grapefruit and Powdered
When I went on my mad shopping spree in Singapore I couldn't resist hauling these two facial blotters not available in Malaysia. Now, I really wish the powdered ones were!
Pink Grapefruit
These really don't disappoint. The box is pink, the sheets of blotting films are pink, and the scent is tangy, refreshing grapefruit. In the midsts of a hectic, hot day I have to admit I get a kick from the scent.
I'm semi-sensitive to fragranced products and was worried it would break me out but thank heavens that isn't the case. They work just as well as the classic C&C blue blotters.
But I won't be repurchasing. If the blotters were 50 sen more pricey I may buy it for fun. But considering how much pricier it is, (about RM12 compared to about RM8) it really isn't worth paying the price for a change of colour and scent.
Now these are worth paying extra for! Combining the oil sucking powers of the C&C blotters with a translucent, colourless mattifying powder is a match made in heaven.
And it works! I find my face stays oil free about as long as it does when I blot and powder my face normally.
I don't use these daily because they are rather pricey (about RM15) and are not readily available. But I want these on hand for tiny-bag events. When clubbing or in evening wear these cut down in the need to bring a compact and a pack of blotters. Plus you can use these one handed (although I'm not sure when exactly you'll need to use them one handed).
So C&C Malaysia, please bring these powdered blotters in to Malaysia and make them regular rather than LE.
Until then does anyone have a great powdered blotter to recommend?
9 comments:
- LyNn said...
haha make this available not LE and make it cheaper too laaa
double the price
i feel the regular ones are already quite priceyy
need to get hold of daiso desktop one and give it a try to save money
- 3 December 2009 at 08:34
- ~Lisa said...
=O My friend was using the pink grapefruit one! She said she got it from HK and I tried it and it smelled soo good! ^.^ I remember Sasa was selling it for pretty cheap! About $2?
- 3 December 2009 at 10:13
- prettybeautiful said...
thanks for posting this :D
if my singapore xmas trip is on, will be on the hunt for this powdered one :D
- 3 December 2009 at 10:13
- AskMeWhats said...
my friends love using this! I don't use these much due to my super dry skin! But this post is definitely helpful! I don't think we have the Pink Grapefruit down here, I could be wrong!
- 3 December 2009 at 10:51
- All Women Stalker said...
I would love the powdered ones! They will indeed come in handy during purse-only nightouts. It's just too much hassle sometimes to bring an oil blotter + a compact for those touch ups. But I don't think we have those variants here.
- Kaith
- 3 December 2009 at 13:10
I love powdered ones..am currently using the one from palladio range.
- 3 December 2009 at 20:25
- Syen said...
We can keep an eye out for these when we're in HK! =P
- 3 December 2009 at 23:01
- Natalie said...
Great Blog! have any one use any herbal products to heal skin problems.. give them a try i hope you like them..
- 4 December 2009 at 20:13
pink grapefruit is now available here!!! and in MUCH prettier packaging too! i'm a total miser though, so i didn't get them... :(
- 26 July 2010 at 08:18

subset: commoncrawl


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In its first ranking of the 100 Best High Schools in America, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Boston Latin School as one of the best in the country. The study released today – which examines a variety of factors about a school's ability to prepare students for college – ranks BLS number 19 on the list. The December issue of the magazine features a slide show of Boston Latin School (pictured here: Angela Liu, Class of 2010). A sidebar about the school cites its 22 Advanced Placement course offerings, "perhaps the largest selection of any high school in Massachusetts." Four other Massachusetts high schools made the top 100: Weston High School (#60), Dover-Sherborn Regional High School (#65), Wellesley Senior High School (#70) and Media and Technology Charter School (#99).
In addition to the 100 high schools awarded gold medals, the magazine commended an additional 405 schools around the country with silver medals, including Boston Latin Academy and the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Six other Boston Public Schools were among the 1,086 schools awarded bronze medals: Another Course to College, Boston Community Leadership Academy, Brighton High School, Charlestown High School, Snowden International High School, and TechBoston Academy.


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/ Thursday, January 28, 2010 / 3 Comments / Appetizers and Snacks , Italian , Vegetables
Portobello Tower
This is an elegant oven baked Portobello Tower appetizer. The Portobello mushrooms are simply mated with zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers, and a variety of cheese. Prepare the layered vegetables ahead of time and then pop them into the oven just before serving. Easy.
Recipe adapted from Patsy's Cookbook-Classic Italian Recipes
Portobello Tower
(Printable Recipe)
4 Large Portobello Mushrooms
½ Cup Olive Oil, plus more for coating pan
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 Large Zucchini, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 Small Italian Eggplants
¼ lb Provolone, thinly sliced
1 Roasted Red Bell Pepper, quartered
¼ lb Mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Clean the mushrooms.
Lightly coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with olive oil. Place the mushrooms, cap side down, in the pan and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and reserve. Don't turn off the oven or clean the pan.
Heat 1 to 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini slices and sauté, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and reserve.
Remove the stems from the eggplants; halve each lengthwise, and then cut into ¼ inch crescent slices. Adding more oil if necessary and keeping the skillet hot at all times, add the eggplant and sauté, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and reserve.
Re-oil the baking dish, if necessary, and add the mushrooms, create the layers by topping each mushroom with the zucchini, eggplant, provolone, red pepper, and mozzarella on top. Bake the Portobello tower for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and ingredients are heated through. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, before serving.
Labels: Appetizers and Snacks, Italian, Vegetables
Related Posts
3 comments:
Angie, it's gorgeous, the layering and all. You are such a marvelous cook I can't wait to see you in person! Thanks for sharing the recipes!ReplyDelete
Beautiful pics! Love all the flavors in this-- can't wait to try it--ReplyDelete
This looks yummy! I love everything you've put into this, and it looks beautiful as well. :)ReplyDelete
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USC's Annenberg's School of Journalism Director Set to Leave Post
Los Angeles–The University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism announced that Geneva Overholser, who has led the School of Journalism since 2008, will complete her term as director and leave USC in June 2013. USC Annenberg has launched a recruitment campaign for her successor.
"Geneva Overholser is a visionary leader who has spent her career focused on how to make journalism excellent in every way — more inclusive, more democratic, more focused on civic engagement," said USC Annenberg Dean Ernest J. Wilson III. "When she agreed to put her experience and energy toward the education of the next generation of journalists for a five-year term here at USC Annenberg, we knew we were embarking on a revolutionary time for the school. Geneva has set the bar very high for her successor."
During the past four years, USC Annenberg's journalism school has transformed its curriculum, strengthened its digital expertise and doubled the size of the public relations program faculty. Overall, 12 faculty members have been added to the Journalism School.
Overholser launched several key initiatives at Annenberg, including Neon Tommy, the award-winning Annenberg digital news site, along with civic engagement projects such as Intersections South LA, a hyper-local news site.
"It has been a remarkable four years, and we have big things on the agenda for this year as well," said Overholser. "My time as director of this school has been enormously rewarding, and it is gratifying to see the results of our efforts in the success of our students."
"Along with our exceptional faculty, we are creating a new kind of journalism school — innovative, collaborative and inclusive of all voices," Overholser continued. "It's a magical place, and my husband and I will miss USC Annenberg, along with Los Angeles, when we return to New York next summer. We look forward to continuing to work with others on reinventing news and information in the public interest at this exciting moment."
Under Overholser's direction, USC Annenberg has closely aligned and strengthened the curriculum and news laboratories to give students a deeper practicum experience. Partnerships with outside media organizations have expanded dramatically, giving journalism and public relations students the opportunity to work alongside professionals in their fields and to build career experience as they pursue their degrees.
Overholser enriched the representation of diverse voices throughout the School, culminating in the 2012 national diversity award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). The award cited the school's curriculum enhancements, recruitment and retention of students and faculty and its relationships with such organizations as the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. The AEJMC committee also said the school's diversity report, "Celebrating Difference," offered a blueprint for other U.S. journalism and mass communication schools.
This month, USC Annenberg broke ground on a new 88,000-square-foot building with a 20,000-square-foot digitally converged newsroom for collaboration and production among all USC Annenberg students — communication, journalism and public relations. The new building will feature an ultramodern interior with a four-story atrium, a rooftop skylight and a multistory digital media tower showcasing student programming along with social media and live broadcast news. The structure itself is a physical manifestation of USC Annenberg's dedication to transparency, collaboration and experimentation, all of which have been championed by Overholser.
Overholser came to USC Annenberg from the Missouri School of Journalism, where she held the Curtis B. Hurley Chair in Public Affairs Reporting, based in the school's Washington bureau. Her career has included positions at The Washington Post, The New York Times and Colorado Springs Sun. From 1988-1995, Overholser was editor of The Des Moines Register, where she led the paper to a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
"During this academic year, Geneva will be engaged in the very important work of leading the school, undertaking major curricular reviews, thinking about new courses, innovating how we teach and serve the community and continuing her work as a public intellectual in the field of journalism," said Wilson.
"Her accomplishments in just a few years are extraordinary. The Columbia Journalism Review got it right when they included Geneva on its list of 40 women who changed the media business during the past 40 years. USC Annenberg will be forever in her debt for the path she has forged in directing a school to greater heights. For me, Geneva has been a wonderful colleague, close friend and collaborator in moving the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism into the future."


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This sweet and sour fish is based on a beautiful (in sight and taste) dish I ate in Shanghai last year. I couldn't get the flesh of the fish as elegantly opened like a coral or flower because I wasn't sure if the flesh'll fall apart if I cut it too finely. It was fun though to cook this dish. Put on an 'antique' ceramic plate from my mom, the fish looked restaurant-worthy. It was delicious too except that I was a little bit disappointed that the salt-water fish didn't have that special flavor found only in those fresh-water fishes of China. Again, in my opinion, sweet and sour fish is more about the fried flavor and the sauce. All-in, still, a delicious and showy dish that is good for festive occasions.
Sweet & Sour Fish
1 whole fish, about 1 kg
salt & white pepper
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 cup cornflour
oil for frying
The Sauce:
1 T white vinegar*
4 T tomato ketchup
3/4 cup diluted chicken stock
2 t sugar, or to taste
1/2 t salt
2 t Worchestershire sauce
2 t cornstarch
--mix above ingredients well and season to taste
1 cup of green peas or diced cucumber, pineapple, cherries, chilies etc for color
1 T toasted pinenuts
* if using canned pineapple, I substitute the water with the water from the can and decrease the sugar to 1 teaspoon.
1. Clean and scale the fish. Wipe dry with paper towels. Remove the fillets (keep the skin on) and feel for the bones with your hands and remove them. Season the fillets and fish skeleton lightly with salt and pepper and massage them with beaten egg white . Turn the fillets flesh-side up and cut diagonal lines 3/4 cm apart deep into the flesh and to the skin but don't cut through. Cut diagonal lines in the opposite direction to make a diamond pattern. Cut the fillets into 4 x 6 cm slices and thoroughly coat the flesh, opening it up and getting all the cut sides. Coat the fish's skeleton and head with cornflour.
2. Heat about 5 cups of oil for deep-frying. When oil begins to smoke, fry the fish's skeleton until golden and arrange on an oval plate. Now fry the fillets in 2 or 3 batches until crispy and golden. For prettier results, open up the flesh neatly so that they spread out. Arrange the fried fillet pieces around the skeleton.
3. Pour all the oil away and add the sauce ingredients and the veggies to the wok or frying pan. For a more classy looking dish, omit the veggies and use pinenuts to garnish. Cook over medium heat until thickened but not too thick. Add some water if it gets too thick. If you want a shiny sheen, add a tablespoon of the oil from frying the fish to the sauce and stir well. Season to taste if necessary. Pour the sauce over the fish and sprinkle pinenuts all over.


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Retail / Warehouse Stock Counter Assistant - Driver - Dundee
Dundee, Scotland
Job type:
Up to £8.25 per hour + + driver enhancements
C2 Recruitment
Contact email:
Job ref:
7 months ago
Expiry date:
Retail / Warehouse Stock Counter Assistant - Driver
Salary: £8.25 per hour + driver enhancements
Location: Dundee
On top of your hourly rate, you will receive up to a £50 weekly bonus based on performance.
Our client is currently looking for Stock Counter Assistant / Driver in several locations across the UK for ongoing work on a casual worker's basis.
The role will require you to oversee the transportation of a small team of retail stock counters to and from shifts, whilst forming part of the stock take team whist on site to undertake accurate stock taking duties using hand held terminals / bar code scanners for various retailers.
Driver Responsibilities include;
- Follow the correct processes for notifying the stock counters in your team of the pick-up point and timings
- Drive the team from pick up point to site and back
- Escalating any issues with the vehicle in a timely and efficient manner
- Complete a team attendance sheet, detailing who was expected on the bus; who was on the bus and what time the bus arrived on site.
For this role you must have a full UK Driving License
This role may involve working unsociable hours, working early mornings and night shifts, this therefore means we are unable to hire anyone under the age of 18 years.
If you think your suitable for this position, please APPLY.
To find out more about this position, please call Retail Asset Solutions (RAS) on 01689 879 444 (option 3)
This role is being handled by C2 Recruitment the leading specialist Retail, Hospitality and Leisure recruitment consultancy recruiting across the whole of the UK.
By applying for this role, you are consenting for C2 Recruitment to hold and process your data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations. If you have any questions or wish to exercise your right to access, erase or restrict the holding or processing of your data please contact us at email@example.com and we will respond to your query within 48 working hours.
To view other great opportunities please check out our website or call us on 01743 770280 for a confidential chat about upcoming opportunities.
Follow C2 Recruitment on your favourite social networks - Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn


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Red eye (patient information)
Red eye
Red eye On the Web
For wikidoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]
Eye redness is due to swollen or dilated blood vessels, which cause the surface of the eye to look red, or bloodshot.
There are many possible causes of a red eye or eyes. Some are cause for concern; some are medical emergencies. Others are nothing to worry about.
How red the eye appears is often less of a concern than whether you also have eye pain or difficulty seeing.
What are the causes?
Bloodshot eyes appear red because the vessels in the surface of the white portion of the eye (sclera) become swollen. This may result from dry air, too much sun, dust, something in the eye, allergies, infection, or injury.
One common cause of a red eye is straining or coughing. This can lead to a bright red, dense bloody area on the white part of the eye. This is called a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage. Although this bloody area may appear alarming, it is a fairly common occurrence and of little significance. If you notice a bloody spot in one eye that doesn't hurt, but just looks bad, don't worry. It should clear up on its own within a week or two.
Eye infections or inflammation can occur, causing redness as well as possibly itching, discharge, pain, or vision problems.
- Blepharitis: Swelling of the eyelash along the edge of the eyelid.
- Conjunctivitis: Swelling or infection of the tissue that lines the eyelids and coats the surface of the eye (the conjunctiva). This is often referred to as "pink eye."
- Corneal ulcers: Ulcers on the outer covering of the eye, usually because of a bacterial or viral infection.
- Uveitis: Swelling of the uvea, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. This is often related to an autoimmune disorder, infection, or exposure to toxins. Often, only the iris is inflamed, which is called iritis.
Other potential causes include:
- Cold or allergies
- Acute glaucoma -- a sudden increase in eye pressure that is extremely painful and causes serious visual disturbances. This is a medical emergency. Most times, glaucoma is chronic and gradual
- Corneal scratches caused by sand, dust, or overuse of contacts
Physical Examination
Your doctor will perform a physical exam, including an eye exam, and ask questions about your medical history. Questions may include;
- Are both of your eyes affected? If only one eye, which one?
- What part of the eye is affected -- the white part, or elsewhere?
- Did the redness come on suddenly?
- Have you ever had eye redness before?
- Do you have eye pain? Does it get worse after movement of the eyes?
- Do you have other symptoms like eye discharge, burning, or itching? Nausea or vomiting? A headache?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Go to the hospital or call your local emergency number (such as 911) if:
- Your eye is red after a penetrating injury.
- You have a headache along with blurred vision or confusion.
- You are seeing halos around lights.
- You have nausea and vomiting.
Call your health care provider if:
- Your eyes are red longer than 1-2 days.
- You have eye pain or vision changes.
- You take blood thinning medication, like warfarin.
- You may have an object in your eye.
- You are very sensitive to light.
- You have a yellow or greenish discharge from one or both eyes.
Treatment options
For fatigue or eyestrain, try to rest your eyes. No treatment is necessary.
If you have eye pain or a vision problem, call your doctor or nurse.
The eyes may need to be washed out with normal saline solution, and any foreign bodies will need to be removed. Eye drops may be prescribed.
- Good hygiene
- Proper contact lens maintenance
- Hand washing
- Eye protection in potentially injuring situations


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Chili Cook-off in New Boston this Saturday
This Saturday (Mar. 16), come out and sample some of the best Chili in East Texas. It's the Telford Chili Cook Off Benefit for James Poole at Trailhead Park in downtown New Boston, Texas.
James has been a corrections officer at the Telford Unit since 1995, and was recently diagnosed with brain and lung cancer. His friends, family and co-workers would like to invite everyone to participate in this event to show support for Mr. Poole and his battle with this horrible disease.
The chili cook-off is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Judging will begin at 3:30 p.m., and chili will be served after the judging. The cost is $5 a bowl, and includes a drink, crackers, jalepeno peppers, and ketchup.
Chili Cook-off teams must register no later than March 14.
For more information contact Nita Burgess at 903-733-1878 or Debbie May at 903-277-1723.
(I don't personally know Mr. Poole, but I saw on Facebook that Randy (James) Poole is a very important volunteer of the "Boxer Rescue of Texarkana". He fosters dogs, adopts, transports, and volunteers at events. If it's true that you can judge the character of a man, by how he treats animals, I believe this is a good man.)


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Welcome to Vietnam !Learn more
The 20 Best Island in Thailand
Ko Chang
Edged with a chain of long, mostly white-sand beaches and dominated by a broad central spine of jungle-clad hills, Ko Chang is developing fast but still feels green. It's Thailand's second largest island, after Phuket, but unlike its bigger sister it has no villages or tourist facilities within its steeply contoured and densely forested interior, just a few rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails. Despite its popularity with mainstream and package tourists, it's still possible to find accommodation to suit most budgets and though the beaches may be busy, they're undeniably handsome with plenty of inviting places to swim, stroll or snooze under a palm tree.
Ko Si Chang
The unhurried pace and absence of consumer pressures make tiny, rocky Ko Si Chang an engaging place to wind down for a few days. Unlike most other east coast destinations, it offers no real beach life – though the water can be beautifully clear and there are opportunities to dive and snorkel. There's little to do here but explore the craggy coastline by kayak or ramble up and down the steep contours on foot or by motorbike.
Ko Pha Ngan
For drinking and dancing – and then more dancing – Ko Pha Ngan gets a mention in this list thanks to its world famous beach, Hat Rin. It's now established as the major party venue in Southeast Asia, especially in the peak seasons of August, December and January, but every month of the year people flock in for the infamous Full Moon Party. The atmosphere created by thousands of folk mashing it up on the beautiful, moon-bathed beach, lit up by fireworks and fire jugglers, ought to be enough of a buzz in itself, but unfortunately drug related horror stories are common currency here, and many of them are true, so be careful.
Ko Samet
Blessed with the softest, squeakiest sand within weekending distance of Bangkok, the tiny island of Ko Samet, which measures just six kilometres from top to toe, is a favourite escape for Thais, expats and tourists. Its 14 small but dazzlingly white beaches are breathtakingly beautiful, lapped by pale blue water and in places still shaded by coconut palms and the occasional cajeput (samet) tree that gave the island its name. They are also, however, rather overcrowded and developed to full capacity, so don't come here expecting a secluded break.
Ko Mak
Small, slow-paced, peaceful Ko Mak makes an idyllically low-key alternative to Ko Chang. Home to little more than 400 people, many of them descended from the islands' five main clans, Ko Mak measures just 16 square kilometres and is dominated by coconut and rubber plantations. The island is shaped like a star and has fine white-sand beaches where most of the tourist accommodation is concentrated.
Ko Kood
The fourth-largest island in Thailand, forested Ko Kood (sometimes spelt Ko Kut or Ko Kud) is still a wild and largely uncommercialized island. Though it's known for its sparkling white sand and exceptionally clear turquoise water, particularly along the west coast, Ko Kood is as much a nature lover's destination as a beach bum's. Swathes of shoreline are fringed by scrub and mangrove rather than broad sandy beaches and those parts of the island not still covered in virgin tropical rainforest are filled with palm groves and rubber plantations. Ko Kood is a surprisingly pleasant place to explore on foot (or kayak), especially as the cool season brings refreshing breezes most days.
Ko Tao
Ko Tao (Turtle Island) is so named because its outline resembles a turtle nosediving towards Ko Pha Ngan, 40km to the south. The rugged shell of the turtle, to the east, is crenellated with secluded coves where one or two bungalows hide among the rocks. On the western side, the turtle's underbelly is a long curve of classic beach, Hat Sai Ree, and the 21 square kilometres of granite in between is topped by dense forest on the higher slopes and dotted with huge boulders that look as if they await some Easter Island sculptor. There are rough trails inland that are great for exploring but Ko Tao is most famous for its great scuba diving.
Ko Chang (Andaman Coast)
No, we're not repeating ourselves, this is a different Ko Chang, not to be confused with its much larger namesake off the east coast of Thailand. It's a forested little island about 5km offshore, whose car-free, ultra laid-back, roll-your-own vibe more than compensates for the less-than-perfect beaches. The pace of life here is very slow and for the relatively small number of tourists who make it to the island the emphasis is strongly on kicking back and chilling out – bring your own hammock and you'll fit right in.
Ko Phayam
The diminutive kangaroo-shaped island of Ko Phayam offers fine white-sand beaches and coral reefs and is home to around 500 people, most of whom either make their living from prawn, squid or crab fishing, or from growing cashew nuts, sator beans, coconut palms and rubber trees. Because of its roads, Ko Phayam has a slightly more developed feel than neighbouring Ko Chang, underlined by a low-key beach-bar scene – all hand-painted signs and driftwood sculptures – and the presences of a significant number of foreigners who choose to spend six or more months here every year.
Ko Ra
Hilly, forested Ko Ra (measuring about 10km north to south and 3km across) sits just off Khuraburi pier's mangrove-lined estuary and is covered with intact rainforest full of towering trees, hornbills and wild, empty beaches. The island is home to some two-dozen Moken and Mai Tai people and just one place to stay, the rather special American-Thai run Ko Ra Ecolodge.
Mu Ko Surin National Park
Spectacularly varied and unusually shallow reefs, a palette of awesomely clear turquoise waters and dazzling white sands, and dense forests of lofty dipterocarps combine to make the islands of Mu Ko Surin National Park one of the must-visit destinations in south Thailand. It's very much an outdoors experience, with most of the bulk of accommodation in national park tents, no commerce on the island at all, and twice-daily snorkelling the main activity.
Mu Ko Similan National Park
Rated as one of the world's best spots for both above-water and underwater beauty, the eleven islands at the heart of the Mu Ko Similan National Park are among the most exciting diving destinations in Thailand. Massive granite boulders set magnificently against the turquoise waters give the islands their distinctive character, but it's the thirty-metre visibility that draws the divers. The underwater scenery is nothing short of overwhelming here: the reefs teem with coral fish, and you'll see turtles, manta rays, moray eels, sea snakes, red grouper and possibly white tip sharks, barracuda, giant lobster and enormous tuna.
Ko Jum
This is the sort of laidback spot people come to for a couple of days, then can't bring themselves to leave. Though there's plenty of accommodation on the island, there's nothing more than a handful of beach bars for evening entertainment, and little to do during the day except try out the half-dozen west coast beaches and read your book under a tree. Nights are low key: it's paraffin lamps and starlight after 11pm at places off the main grid and many don't even provide fans as ocean breezes are sufficiently cooling.
Ko Yao Noi
Located in an idyllic spot on the edge of Phang Nga bay, almost equidistant from Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, the island of Ko Yao Noi enjoys magnificent maritime views from almost every angle and makes a refreshingly tranquil getaway. Measuring about 12km at its longest point, it's home to some four thousand islanders, most of whom earn their living from rubber and coconut plantations, fishing and shrimp-farming. While the beaches don't have that same wow factor as many of the other islands in Thailand, tourism here is low-key so it's a peaceful escape.
Ko Lanta Yai
Although Ko Lanta Yai can't compete with neighbouring Ko Phi Phi's stupendous scenery, the thickly forested 25-kilometre-long island has the longest beaches in the Krabi area – and plenty of them. There's good snorkelling and diving nearby, plus caves to explore, elephant trekking and kayaking, so many people base themselves here for their entire holiday fortnight. The island is especially popular with families, in part because of the local laws that have so far prevented jet-skis, beachfront parasols and girlie bars from turning it into another Phuket.
Ko Hai
The most developed of the Trang islands, Ko Hai (also known as Ko Ngai) is still decidedly low-key. The island's action, such as it is, centres on the east coast, where half a dozen resorts enjoy a dreamy panorama of jagged limestone outcrops, whose crags glow pink and blue against the setting sun, stretching across the sea to the mainland behind. The gently sloping, fine white sand beach here runs unbroken for 2km and there's some good snorkelling in the shallow, clear water off the island's southeastern tip.
Ko Kradan
Ko Kradan is the remotest of the inhabited islands off Trang, and one of the most beautiful, with crystal clear waters. On this slender triangle of thick jungle, the main beach is a long strand of steeply sloping, powdery sand on the east coast with fine views of Ko Mook, Ko Libong and the karst-strewn mainland. An offshore reef to the north has a great variety of hard coral. Such beauty, however, has not escaped the attention of day-trip boats from Ko Lanta who often turn the beach into a lunchtime picnic ground.
Ko Sukorn
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Ko Adang
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EDISON - You can tell how historic a win it was for the Notre Dame High girls soccer team when you've got to research the record books to find anything that compares to the 4-0 win Amy Hoyer's girls scored Wednesday at Bishop Ahr.
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Notre Dame (15-6-0) 3 1 - 4
Bishop Ahr (13-7-0) 0 0 - 0 Goals: ND-Tuttle, Ramharack, Romulus, Horne. Assists: ND-Panko, Tuttle, Romulus, Hicks. Shots: ND-18, Ahr 7.
Saves: ND-Binz 6, Fantozzi 1; Ahr-Foster 13.


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Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
[Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
December 29, 2010, 09:37:58 AM »
This is the most significant non-conflict mechanic in my new fantasy game Legends of Lanasia.
Destiny Points are designed to be the players' reward for good play.
This is defined as:
- Engaging in the GM's contributions
- Entertaining the group
- Contributing to the story being told at the table.
I have very specific ideas of what these look like, but for the purposes of brevity, I will keep it short and sweet.
So, the Destiny Points do not have a direct mechanical effect (you cannot spend them to alter a die roll or re-roll or anything like that).
Their only use is for the player to ask for their reward in the form of story currency. The list of uses is as follows:
1) Introduce an event to the story
2) Introduce a plot twist
3) Introduce a sub-plot
4) Introduce a new NPC
5) Introduce a relationship with an existing NPC
6) Introduce a sub-quest
7) Introduce am item to the scene (this might be a magic sword, pile of gold or something more important to the PC like their mother's locket).
It is important to understand that once the Destiny Point is spent, something in the game will change. And the player spending it should determine what that change is.
I am going to let players besides the GM and the player spending the Destiny Point to veto, but only on two conditions:
1) Genre conventions (like, maybe they can find a golem instead of a robot)
2) Disruptive (the sub-quest takes them halfway across the world when there is a lot happening locally already)
Once that is out of the way, there are two pairs of questions that need to be answered:
1) "How big is the change?" or "How much effort does the character still need to exert?"
So, the player has to be able to answer one of these questions, Then the other is answered automatically based on their answer. So, if the change they want is earth shattering, then the player will have to spend a monumental amount of effort.
2) "What is the Mechanical effect?" or "How much effort has the character exerted?"
Again, the player answers one and the other is answered automatically. If the character already put a lot of effort to achieve this change, then the mechanical impact should be big as well..
So, to break this down to a step-by-step procedure, this is how it goes:
1) What type of change?
2) What is the change?
3) Exerted/Size? (questions 1 above)
4) Effort/Mechanics (questions 2 above)
5) Agreement (the players all think it is fun/fair and it is incorporated inot the story being told at the table)
So, what do you guys think, does this look fair and/or fun?
Dave M
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
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Posts: 280
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #1 on:
December 29, 2010, 10:31:04 AM »
Hi Dave,
This is definitely a workable idea.
If you get a chance, you may want to look at Houses of the Blooded or FATE. FATE uses fate points spent in a similar manner, except without the formalized "what does it do, exactly" process. HOTB is a bit more specific, in that points are earned in a similar manner to what you're outlining, but more importantly, the game reinforces the idea of how they're to be earned and used, which I think will be crucial.
Given that Destiny points, here, are used for the right to "ask" for a change, you'll want it to be clear for both the players and the GM of what is an expected level of change and an expected level of cost/effort in return.
You don't want players spending points to "cut the earth in half" all the time, and you don't want GM's stonewalling reasonable requests ("I have a friend in this town" "But only if you spend 10 years looking for him! LOL!"). It might be good to list some things as guaranteed requests that don't require massive GM vetoing, at least.
The other thing to look for as you're playtesting, is if players actually DO go through the effort of earning these points- since the points don't have a specific and definite reward, but rather, the opportunity for a reward, some players might just avoid dealing with it altogether.
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #2 on:
December 29, 2010, 11:20:28 AM »
In previous playtests, that was the case. Some players had a sort of creative block and didn't want to engage it. Others used it and enjoyed it. I think the issues with the previous edition was that the rules were more loosey-goosey and less precise. It sort of trusted the players and GM to know what I meant. In the new version, I will be ratcheting down the description of the mechanic so that more people will have the same expectation.
The main hitch I think will be item-related. That is part of why I wanted to tie effort to mechanical effect. If they want a sword that can cut the world in half, then they better have earned it.
I was going to do a fancy point-based system, but I like the linked questions much better. Also, each question will only have three possible answers:
"How much effort has the character exerted to accomplish this change (even retroactively)?"
a) No effort the character has exerted in this or previous scenes can be linked to this change
b) Some effort from this or previous scenes is related, but it doesn't seem like the character could have accomplished this yet
c) All the steps necessary to accomplish this change have already been narrated in this and previous scenes.
So, when they answer this, then the following question gets answered automatically
"What is the Mechanical effect?"
a) Small mechanical effect (+1 if the conditions are right)
b) Moderate Mechanical Effect (the item provides luck points equal to your Destiny Points per day)
c) Large mechanical effect (The item turns one luck point spent into a number equal to your Destiny Points).
And, if they want to run it the other way (answer the mechanical effect question), then they just have to justify the effort already spent requirement of the other linked question.
It is not perfect, but if the rules are written well, it should help players come to the same conclusions regarding what they want for their character as rewards for good play.
Thanks for taking a look at this, I really appreciate it.
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Dan Maruschak
Posts: 128
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #3 on:
December 29, 2010, 12:38:27 PM »
So you've got a mechanic for players to get what they want: they spend destiny points and they get it (with caveats, apparently).
You've also got a mechanic for players to get what they want: they make it the stakes of a conflict and win.
How do these two systems interact?
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Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #4 on:
December 29, 2010, 01:00:08 PM »
Good question.
Well, in truth they don't directly interact. Setting stakes is about what are you fighting for. Destiny Points is about "You won, what should your character get as a reward (more story, more loot, more trouble, whatever you like)?"
Also, Destiny Points work if no one is trying to stop you from getting it, Stakes (which are part of the conflict mechanics) only work if someone is trying to stop you from getting it.
To put it another way, the idea behind Destiny Points is to say "After a big adventure, it is important to me that my character earns X." For you, it may be a plot twist, for me it might be a cool sword, for Chris it might be a cool castle. This is a reward, but it is customizable to what the player wants.
Whereas, Stakes are designed to be the logical outcome of a clash of interests. In other words, the Conflict mechanics separate, "I am arguing with this NPC because they acted like a jerk to me" from "I am arguing with this PC in order to recruit them to my side of the war." One would be role playing with little or no mechanics, the other would be a conflict.
Now, the alliance might be able to be accomplished with a Destiny Point, but if that were the case, it would be defined what the character had to do to win over the NPC, not how badass the guy stopping him from joining your side was.
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Posts: 280
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #5 on:
December 29, 2010, 01:08:52 PM »
Hi Dave,
Let's say a PC and an NPC are having a duel on a rope bridge, and the PC is losing. The player wants to spend a Destiny point to introduce an event- "The bridge breaks, and we're fighting while hanging from the bridge!" - in part for fun, in part for possibly being at a better advantage ("I've got a good climbing skill!" or whatever).
Is this a legal use of Destiny Points? More importantly, is it a -good- use (as far as what you're intending as a designer)? And, what mechanically should the GM use to judge how that effects the situation? Would it use the a/b/c options you've laid out, GM decided modifiers, or something else?
The actual specific answers aren't important here, in this thread, but important for you to be able to communicate in your game. Although more specific rules might help your playtesters and future players, maybe being very clear about the spirit of Destiny Points, and "best practices" for their use might be the way to go. (Houses of the Blooded does this very well).
Edited in after preview:
Also, are Destiny Points not designed to be used IN a conflict?
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #6 on:
December 29, 2010, 01:44:55 PM »
Well, Destiny Points are independent of the Conflict system.
An example that happened in playtesting was:
The players decided to rob a gambling house. One group distracted the owner while another snuck in back and took out the guards.
Then they rolled a barrel full of coins out the back.
Now, the barrel full of coins happened to be the stakes for the fight with the guards.
So, the way this should be handled is that the coins should have been of a moderate value (mostly silver and copper).
Then, the players could have spent Destiny Points to do the following:
- Upgrade the copper to gold
- Add gem(s) to the mix
- Add a magic item to the mix (maybe someone pawned it on a bad bet?)
- Add an NPC (bounty hunter hired by the owner maybe?)
- Add a relationship with an existing NPC (rivalry with the owner maybe?)
- Add a plot twist (its mob money!)
- Add a sub-plot (how do we launder a barrel full of coins?)
- Add a sub-quest (there's a map inside, where does it lead?)
- Add an event (the city guard pops ny and ask what in the barrel?)
Or anything like that a player might want to see in the game.
As to your example. Honestly, that is an awesome use of Destiny Points (although if I was the GM, I would probably just use it without any cost in resources to the PC). Yeah, you can then use the questions to figure out if there is a mechanical bonus to the situation and if the character has to actually cut a rope or if it crumbles of its own accord, etc.
Does that make sense, does it answer your questions?
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Posts: 280
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #7 on:
December 29, 2010, 03:10:30 PM »
Hi Dave,
I'm not totally clear, but that's ok. I just wanted to highlight some things you'll need to be clear on in your game for people to play:
1. Is spending Destiny in the middle of a conflict possible?
2. How does a play group translate those facts into effects in play?
3. What's the "ideal"/best practices/spirit of the law idea that people should be pursuing?
You may also want to check out Clinton R. Nixon's Donjon, as the entire game is based around players creating "facts" based on successful rolls- including using their facts to describe what treasure is in a chest.
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #8 on:
December 29, 2010, 03:41:48 PM »
Sorry about the confusion. Of course it is clear in my mind, but I am still figuring out how to decode it for general consumption.
1) Yes, it is possible. It is not the way it is designed, but it doesn't break anything either.
2) Once everyone agrees what the expenditure of the point means, then the GM is expected to play it out over at least one scene (many scenes for some of the more epic rewards). This part is hard to put together as "Do A, then B, then C" because I don't know the particulars of each expenditure. As you can see from the choices the players could make though, there should be a lot of guidance as to how the future scenes would go down by the time it is done.
3) So, the ideal of the mechanic is that in the mind of the players, what makes playing their characters more fun. For instance, Lawrence in our Thursday night group loves to see his character in jeopardy. I imagine he might use Destiny Points to introduce plot twists that get his character into all kinds of complications. While Nate in the same group is all about character growth, so he might use Destiny Points to create sub-plots and sub-quests that makes his character grow. The point is, there is no way for a GM to know what the players want for their characters, but this is a tool for the players to say, "Hey! My character has been striving and he should be getting X by now." And it gives guidelines for the GM to incorporate that into the game in a way that is reasonable.
Essentially, I started thinking about this mechanic when I got heavy into playing Supers RPGs (mostly DC Heroes) and I noticed that the PCs never really got loot, they got more story for their reward. And it made me wonder, how do I satisfy both players (the ones that want loot and the ones that want story). This is my answer to that question.
Does that help at all?
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Posts: 346
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #9 on:
December 29, 2010, 08:51:11 PM »
I haven't read the demo so this might already be outlined, but when and why do players gain destiny points?
Nolan Callender
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #10 on:
December 30, 2010, 07:36:48 AM »
I had posted it in my OP, to summarize:
- Engaging in the GM's contributions
- Entertaining the group
- Contributing to the story being told at the table.
This should be something you get about once per session. Basically, I want to reward people that take into account the entire group at the table by letting them choose their own reward. some specific examples would be Chris' Bridge breaks example. Instead of costing a Destiny Point, that would earn you one (under the Contributing to the story being told at the table heading).
The Demo is out of date, I am about to post an updated version that people can playtest, but I am not there yet.
Thanks for checking, I really appreciate it.
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Posts: 346
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #11 on:
December 31, 2010, 02:50:02 PM »
Have you played games before that had these kind of GM awarded brownie points? If so, how did they work for you?
Nolan Callender
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #12 on:
December 31, 2010, 04:54:48 PM »
The original Lanasia had this same reward structure.
As Chris pointed out, some people shied away it due to creative block/confidence.
Others used it to get what they wanted for their character.
Typically, there is a one or two session warm up phase, then people are able to engage it enthusiastically.
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
Posts: 346
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #13 on:
December 31, 2010, 05:04:07 PM »
I just ask because I've had a lot of problems with these kinds of rewards in the past. Its not that there's any problem with them per se, but rewarding people for expected behavior (i.e. everyone SHOULD be getting one per session) can often act as a counter-incentive. Of course, if you have first hand experience and it works for you, then thats awesome. I would just be careful in your game text to make it very clear how to award these points and how to earn them and how to make this a fun part of play.
Nolan Callender
Posts: 1049
Don't Panic!
Re: [Legends of Lanasia] Destiny Points
Reply #14 on:
December 31, 2010, 08:11:06 PM »
Yeah, the original text had good guidelines, the new version will be more specific, yes.
Dave M
Author of Legends of Lanasia RPG (Still in beta)
My blog
Free Demo
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|- Wheeling reports and pics pics, pics, pics... Stories of the trail and race
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PNWBA North Colockum Tour (Oct 16, 2010)
Pacific Northwest Backroad Adventures -
North Colockum Tour
October 16, 2010
At 8:30 AM on October 16th, 2010 we meet up at the Bar 14 Restaurant in Ellensburg.
We had a drivers meeting and headed out through Kittitas to Colockum Road.
We stopped along the road and aired down for a better ride.
We headed up to cross the pass.
On the North side of the pass we got a great view of the Columbia River.
Leaving the Colockum Wildlife Area.
We turned off the Colockum Road and turned up Ingersoll Road.
We passed through a herd of cattle. One followed my rig up the road yelling at me.
That cow dropped off and another started follow us after we crossed the bridge.
Finally cow free at moving up the mountain.
Oh wait! I got cut off from the group by another cow.
The cow moved on off the road and I hauled butt to catch the group.
On up the road the group found a gate and turned around.
We re-grouped at a turn-out and took a lunch break.
The kids were glad to be out of the rig playing.
We brought the Yuppie Dog with us on the run.
After lunch we headed back down the mountain.
Here are some of the what the kids called, "attack cows".
Turning up Moses Carr Road.
Some bike riders stopped to let the group pass.
We some how miss the turn off and all had to turn around again.
We found the right road and headed across the ridge.
We came out on Kingsbury Road overlooking the Wenatchee area.
Next we headed back up the ridge taking Loop road and then Upper Basin Loop Road.
My boys tired from getting up early and hungry for dinner.
Steffen Brothers Reservoir.
Turning back onto Loop Road.
Down the road we found a good place to stop and air up.
The kids were hungry. Since we were going home by the way of Hwy-97 to take a look at some Liberty 4x4 trail heads,
we decided to stop in Leavenworth for Brats. Not a good day to try to find parking in Leavenworth. I forgot about Oktoberfest was going on there.
We passed on the Leavenworth crowd which the kids were not happy about and headed to Ellensburg to eat.
We hit the McDonald's Drive through in Ellensburg and parked to hand out food at 6:24 PM.
The kids were happy to again.
This we a very fun day thanks to all who went.
Great pics and write up.
I can't believe that I live so close to this trail and still haven't traveled it.
Maybe next time?
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The problem of oil wastage in dealerships
In franchised dealerships, oil has a habit of disappearing without trace. Oil 'wastage' typically means oil that is taken into a dealership but not charged out. The oil could be spilt, lost through leakage, mischarged, stolen, used in demonstrations or transferred between departments without being recorded. Research conducted by Castrol found that failure to keep a grip on oil waste was costing franchised networks around 60 million euros per year, which equates to losing 11% of motor oils profit.
Addressing the issue
Castrol conducted an internal project to evaluate options to upgrade their existing fluid management system to improve the monitoring of daily oil usage and reduce wastage. The main criteria for the new specification was a wireless system with stable signalling, ease of installation, straightforward end user control, Dealer Management System (DMS) connectivity and market competitiveness.
Complete control of fluid inventory
Graco presented its Matrix Total Fluid Management System, which provides automated tracking and monitoring plus state-of-the-art dispensing for complete control of a facility's fluid inventory. It consists of management software, transceiver, Matrix meter, pump air control and tank level monitor. Together, these components wirelessly talk to each other through an RF signal to collect data from fluid dispensers, levels in bulk oil and waste tanks, plus much more
Installed in over 300 workshops
Graco and Castrol conducted a five-month pilot project with Matrix. Castrol was impressed with the capabilities of Matrix, and the system was endorsed as a premium product suitable to support the Castrol Lubricants business. It was rolled out in Castrol workshops across UK & Ireland; currently over 300 Matrix systems have been installed. The Matrix system can be retrofitted to a dealership oil storage tank without the need to cut pipes and with relatively little disruption to business in an aftersales department
Increased profitability and reduced wastage
Matrix is helping Castrol dealers monitor day-to-day oil usage, reduce oil wastage and improve oil profitability. Dealerships that have installed the Matrix fluid management system have recorded a rise in oil profits of up to 22%.
Founded in 1926, Graco is a world leader in fluid handling systems and components. Graco products move, measure, control, dispense and apply a wide range of fluids and viscous materials used in vehicle lubrication, commercial and industrial settings.


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As was alluded to in the Daily News earlier this week, the Eagles have made some changes on their coaching staff, the team announced today.
James Urban, the offensive assistant/quality control, is taking over Pat Shurmur's role as the quarterbacks coach. Shurmur is now the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. Ex-quarterback Doug Pederson will inherit Urban's old job.
Ted Daisher, who assisted John Harbaugh with the Eagles' special teams in 2004-05, is returning as the special teams coordinator. He replaces Rory Segrest, who is moving to defensive line coach, following the retirement of Pete Jenkins.
Wide receivers coach David Culley will assume a larger role in gameplanning and in the passing game in general, the team said.
None of these changes has anything to do with the situation involving defensive coordinator Jim Johnson'c cancer treatment. Officially, Johnson will continue in his job. Unofficially, if Johnson finds he is unable to continue, secondary coach Sean McDermott is next in line for the role. McDermott did not interview elsewhere for defensive coordinator jobs this month, though there was interest.
Last but certainly not least, to the strained wallets of season-ticketholders, is the ticket price increase the Birds announced today. A team spokesman said most tickets are going up $5 per ticket per game, with lower level end zone seats going up $10. The spokesman said the most expensive Eagles ticket will go from $90 to $95.
The Eagles ranked 15th in NFL ticket costs last season, when they did not raise prices. The spokesman said ticket buyers can put half their money down by March 15, then pay the rest by June 5.


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|Working Group I: The Scientific Basis
|Other reports in this collection
3.7 Projections of CO2 Concentration and their Implications
3.7.1 Terrestrial Carbon Model Responses to Scenarios of
Change in CO2 and Climate
Possible feedbacks from terrestrial carbon cycling to atmospheric CO2 were assessed using multiple models by Cramer et al. (2001). Six DGVMs (Figure 3.10a) (Foley et al., 1996; Brovkin et al., 1997; Friend et al., 1997; Woodward et al., 1998; Huntingford et al., 2000; Sitch, 2000) were driven first by CO2 concentrations derived from the IS92a emissions scenario as in the SAR, and then with CO2 changes plus climate changes derived from the HadCM2 coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model simulation including sulphate aerosol effects as described by Mitchell et al. (1995). Except for one empirical model (VECODE; Brovkin et al., 1997), the models included explicit representation of all the following processes: the CO2 fertilisation effect on NPP (modelled explicitly in terms of photosynthesis, respiration, and feedbacks associated with carbon allocation); responses of NPP to climate specific to each plant functional type (PFT); competition among PFTs for light and water; dynamic shifts in vegetation structure due to climate and CO2 effects; competitive limits to above-ground biomass; natural disturbance regimes and their interaction with PFT composition; soil temperature and moisture effects on heterotrophic respiration. Two models include an interactive N cycle. Land use and anthropogenic N deposition were not considered.
Driven by increases in CO2 beyond the present day, the modelled sink due to CO2 fertilisation continued to increase. By the middle of the 21st century the simulated land-atmosphere flux due to CO2 was in the range -8.7 to -3.6 PgC/yr. Beyond mid-century the rate of increase became less, due to the declining photosynthetic response to CO2. When the climate change scenario was included as well as the CO2 increase, modelled uptake was reduced compared with the CO2-only analysis. At mid-century, climate change reduced the uptake by 21 to 43%. A marked decline in terrestrial uptake after the mid-century was seen in two models, and one model had zero terrestrial uptake by 2100. By 2100 the range of model estimates of the land-atmosphere flux had widened to -6.7 to +0.4 PgC/yr. Increasing heterotrophic respiration in response to warming (Cao and Woodward, 1998a,b; Cramer et al., 2001) was a common factor (but not the only one) leading to reduced land uptake. The differences among the modelled climate responses were largely due to unresolved discrepancies in the response of global NPP to temperature. The balance of positive versus negative regional effects of climate change on NPP was estimated differently by these models, to the extent that the sign of the global response of NPP to climate change alone was not consistent. In addition, one model simulated a partial replacement of the Amazon rainforest by C4 grassland. This response was not shown, or occurred on a much smaller scale, in the other models. The details of this modelling exercise are presumably dependent on sensitivity of the particular climate model, and regional aspects of the simulated climate change (Cramer et al., 2001).
Other reports in this collection


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Ice cream!
It's got to be my husband and I's favorite dessert. We are both so bad. We can possibly gorge down a whole container of ice cream in one sitting… if we don't control ourselves. But I'm glad to say that it hasn't happened yet, not so far anyways. Hahhaha.. Not that we are planning on doing it anytime soon, or ever. God forbid.
But I got to say, I've never had this much ice cream indulgement until I came to the US. In the Philippines, ice cream is more of an occassional treat for most families, so I've never really enjoyed a lot of it when I was growing up (except for the local ice-cream from the push-cart being sold in the street, which is more like a sherbet actually). But everything changed a bit when I started working. Ice cream became a familiar treat to my palate, as it was present on every birthday celebration there was in my office. That and cake. Couldn't be badder (yeah, i know, wrong grammar), but couldn' be better at the same time (now you know, I wanted my words to rhyme!). Ice cream and cake is the yin and yang of every birthday celebration, in my opinion. One is not the same withouth the other.
Anyways, back to my advent in the US. Imagine my delight in discoving the BUY ONE, TAKE ONE deals in the groceries for ice cream! Sweet!!! (Yeah, literally) My ice-cream starved pysche dictated that I should buy everytime there was a sale, so I began hoarding them in my fridge. Actually, I'm over exaggerating… but I was buying them more often than I should. But don't worry. I'm over that stage now (though I admit buy-one-take-one ice cream is still pretty hard to resist sometimes).
Since summer is here, cool treats are in! And so, to celebrate my love for this frozen dessert, and to surprise Mr. J with something a little special, I made a tulipe – which is actually a hazelnut cookie curl.
I really do think that the addition of finely ground hazelnut made the cookie extra special. This was my first time to try doing this, so I was proceeding with caution. Yeah, some cookies did not come out successfully, but I did manage to get 4 good tulipes out of the 6 that I made. Pretty good for a first try, don't you think?
Next time though, I'll make it a point to follow the instructions to the T. I thought that the amount of the batter required for the cookie was too little that I doubled it. That was a major mistake. For the tulipe to be pliable, it has to be as thin as possible; mine came out a tiny bit thicker. Also, I chose to leave it a few minutes longer in the oven than called for, because I wanted crispier edges.. So as you can see, they are short of being burnt!
The ice cream is, of course, store bought. I have yet to try making a homemade one, when I get my ice cream maker that is. The recipe recommended vanilla ice cream, but I decided that Neapolitan is more exciting with its three different flavors.
Oh, the raspberry sauce is also homemade. Initially, I thought of doing a chocolate ganache for drizzling on top, but the dessert is already rich as it is, so I decided to go with the fruit puree instead.
As you can see, the presentation came out elegant. The tulipe surrounds a mound of ice cream in a crunchy embrace while it rests on a pool of raspberry sauce. No wonder the hubby exclaimed, "OOOH!".
That was music to my ears. :o)
Hazelnut Tulipe
1/3 c shelled hazelnuts (filberts)
1/4 c butter or margarine
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp rum extract
1/3 c unsifted all-purpose flour
Raspberry Sauce
2 pkg (12 oz size) frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed
1/2 c sugar
1-1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1/2 pint fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Mint leaves, for garnish(optional)
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a shallow pan, bake hazelnuts 10-15 mins or until skins crack. Remove from oven; wrap in towel. When cool enough to handle, roll nuts in towel to remove as much skin as possible. Let cool; finely chop cooled nuts in food processor or blender.
2. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Grease and flour three large baking sheets. In a small saucepan, melt butter; cool. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites with 1/2 cup sugar, the salt and rum extract until foamy. Whisk in melter butter, then flour. Add nuts.
3. Use the rim of a glass to make two 5-in circles on prepared baking sheets. (I made the marks at the back of the parchment paper). Spoon 2 level tablespoons batter onto each circle. Spread evenly to fill circle. Bake 5 minutes or until edges are brown. Spray the bottoms of six 6-oz custard cups with non stick cooking spray.
4. Using pancake turner, lift cookies from baking sheets; invert onto greased bottoms of custard cups. With fingers, gently mold around cup. If cookies are too brittle, reheat briefly in oven. Cool tulipes completely on wire rack; then lift tulipes off cups and place on wire racks.
5. Make raspberry sauce. Combine thawed raspberries and 1/2 cup sugar; let stand 20-30 mins. Using back of large spoon, press berries and any juice through a strainer set over a large deep bowl until only seeds remain; discard seeds. Cover raspberry puree and refrigerate until serving.
NOTE: I did not have rum extract, so I used coconut rum instead, and it worked! If you don't have hazelnuts, you may use toasted almonds. In this case, Amarretto Liqueur might be good to use since it's almond-flavored. Also, you can use strawberries for the sauce in place of raspberries. The puree can be made ahead and will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. For a lighter alternative, you can fill tulipe with a low-fat frozen yoghurt. Or, you can fill the bowl with slices of fresh tropical fruit such as mango, kiwi, pineapple and papaya; top with vanilla yoghurt.


text: KL Bird Park ADD TO TRIP PLANNER REMOVE FROM TRIP PLANNER The KL Bird Park is located in the serene and scenic Perdana Botanical Gardens, 10 minutes away from the Kuala Lumpur city centre. Home to more than 3,000 birds of 200 local and foreign bird species, the main feature that distinguishes KL Bird Park from other bird parks is the concept of free-flight. Stroll through the park, and take the opportunity to see Mandarin ducks, hawk eagles, hornbills, ostriches and other birds. Visit the Egg Incubation Room and Nursery and see how chicken eggs are artificially incubated using incubators. Don't forget to take photographs with the different species of birds, and catch the feeding programme and daily bird shows taking place at the semi-open air amphitheater at 12.30pm and 3.30pm daily. Opening Hours : The Park is open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm including Public Holidays & School Holidays Admission : Adult (Standard) RM 63.00 Child (Standard) RM 42.00 Adult (with MyKad) RM 25.00 Child (with MyKid) RM 12.00 Getting Here By TrainBy KTM Commuter Train, disembark at the KTM Old Railway Kuala Lumpur Station located near the National Mosque. KL Bird Park is just a 5-minute walk from the National Museum.By CarFrom Jalan Bangsar, head straight towards the KTM Railway Station round-a-bout, then turn left towards Masjid Negara. From Jalan Mahameru, turn left into Jalan Parlimen. At the traffic light, turn right towards the Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens.By BusTake the Rapid KL Bus No. B115 from Kotaraya to Jalan Parlimen. KL Hop-On-Hop-Off Double Decker Tour Bus Service: Disembark at Station No. 14 in front of KL Bird Park Main Entrance. Buses available every 30 to 45 minutes. Who To Contact Safari Bird Park & Wonderland Sdn. Bhd. Phone: +603-2272 1010 Visit website Related Brochure View all brochure


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Grant is next step in establishing first national museum on American writers
CHICAGO -- The American Writers Museum Foundation announced today that it has received a grant from the Exelon Corporation which will enable the foundation to take an important next step in establishing the first national museum in the United States focused on American writers. According to Malcolm E. O'Hagan, president of the American Writers Museum Foundation, the two-year Exelon grant will enable the foundation to conduct vital research into requirements related to the first phase of the museum as set forth in its recently published concept plan. "Exelon is proud to help bring the American Writers Museum another step closer to reality," said Steve Solomon, Exelon vice president of corporate relations. "The museum is consistent with our work to improve the quality of life and enrich the community, including supporting arts and culture. The research Exelon is funding represents a milestone in advancing the American Writers Museum Foundation's important work." Exelon has a strong tradition of community giving and supports institutions which seek to make arts and culture more accessible to a wider audience. The company is the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with approximately $33 billion in annual revenues. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon operates in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Exelon has one of the cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets and one of the largest retail customer bases in the United States. The mission of the American Writers Museum Foundation is to establish the first national museum in the United States dedicated to engaging the public in celebrating American writers and exploring their influence on our history, our identity, our culture, and our daily lives. Learn more at www.americanwritersmuseum.org.


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From June 5th to 8th thousands of Canadian HealthIT professionals, government representatives, hospital leaders and policy consultants will gather for the annual eHealth Conference (#eHealth2016) in Vancouver. This event is like HIMSS, but smaller and focused on Canada.
Full disclosure: I am Canadian, but I spend about 80% of my time focused on US Healthcare. I manage to stay informed about the happenings in my home country through the tweets and posts of people like Glenn Lanteigne @GlennLanteigne, Mark Casselman @markcasselman, Michael Martineau @eHealthMusings, Colleen Young @colleen_young and Pat Rich @pat_health
Ahead of the #eHealth2016 conference Pat Rich sent out this tweet:
As Canada's electronic medical record leads gear up to meet across the Strait at #ehealth2016, this: https://t.co/Z7YjEapGoE via
— Pat Rich (@pat_health) May 28, 2016
This tweet got me thinking about the state of EHRs in my home country. After hours of catching up on the latest Canadian EHR news – a light bulb went off – Canada could be the ideal test bed for new EHR innovations.
Here's 5 reasons why
Reason 1 – No Meaningful Use, MACRA or MIPS
Like the US, Canada did allocate government dollars to help encourage the adoption of EHRs by physician practices and healthcare institutions. However, the dollars given out to Canadians paled in comparison to the US $34B CMS program. In fact, in some provinces (like Quebec) the incentive payments were so insignificant that many choose not to fill out the paperwork to receive their funding.
As well, none of the incentive programs have attestation requirements similar to the US Meaningful Use criteria. Nor do Canadian programs have penalties for not adopting an EHR.
This combination of relatively low incentive dollars, lack of MU-style adherence programs and zero penalties means that EHR vendors in Canada are relatively free to pursue their own product roadmaps. There is less government and end-user pressure to build functionality simply to meet funding criteria. Instead, EHR vendors can focus more on what end-users really want (better user interfaces anyone?)
Reason 2 – PIPEDA vs HIPAA
Canada does have privacy legislation. It's called PIPEDA and it places the onus on healthcare organizations to protect the personal identifiable health information of patients. At a high level the protections for health information under PIPEDA is similar to that of the US HIPAA laws.
The biggest difference, however, is in the attitude of healthcare providers towards PIPEDA vs HIPAA. In Canada PIPEDA is not thought of as a barrier to information sharing. Privacy is definitely a concern, but PIPEDA isn't used as often as an excuse to prevent access to information.
@reedsmith We can use HIPAA as a excuse not to do just anything we simply don't want to do. And yes. Lazy. #mcsmn
— Cynthia Floyd Manley (@CynthiaManley) May 17, 2016
Reason 3 – Single Payer
Each provincial government in Canada is the single payer for healthcare for its citizens. If you live in Ontario and you go to the hospital, the hospital bills the Ontario government for the care you received. There are no other payers involved, no co-pays, nothing.
For EHR vendors this makes payment processing and collection a lot simpler – giving them more time to focus on other areas of EHR functionality.
Reason 4 – Patient Identifiers
A beneficial consequence of the single-payer system is that every person in Canada has a unique patient identifier. Consolidating health information from multiple healthcare organizations is therefore much easier since every lab result, prescription, requisition and image has this unique identifier. It's Canada's built-in unique key.
Reason 5 – Sorry, eh.
Canadians by nature are very apologetic. We say "sorry" when people bump into us. We apologize when we feel we are inconveniencing someone else. It's something in the water.
I've personally found Canadian end-users to be very tolerant and understanding of new technologies. It's not in our nature to complain so things have to go REALLY wrong before we make it an issue. Admittedly I have a small sample size, but when I speak to HealthIT vendors doing business in Canada, I hear similar stories.
In combination, the 5 reasons above create an innovation-friendly environment for EHR vendors. Instead of having product functionality dictated by government legislation and financial incentives, vendors are free to incorporate real end-user feedback into their EHR platforms. They can push the usability envelop in a tolerant environment where privacy isn't used as a blocker to progress.
Maybe I'm delusional, but I'm really hoping to see signs of EHR innovation at the upcoming #eHealth2016 conference. If you are an EHR vendor that's doing business in Canada and you are doing something innovative with user experience or functionality I want to hear from you!


text:
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The prep ice hockey season is highlighted by the Lawrenceville Tournament, the Princeton Day Invitational, along with Pennington and Hun battling for the Independence League championship.
The Big Red will be looking toward their tourney to set the tempo for the season. PDS continues to improve its competition. Hun has plenty of talent to join Pennington in making a run at the league championship.
Here is a look at each prep team for 2012-13.
Hun Coach: Ian McNally (2nd year)
Last Year: 10-7-1 Roster: Devin Chiefetz (Jr., G), Natty Bayona (Jr., G), Brad Stern (Jr., D), J.C. Moritz (PG, D), Zack Robertson (PG, D), Boris Gavrilov (So., D), Danny Seelagy (So., D), Andrew Zhou (Sr., D), Eric Szeker (Sr., D), Will Benthem de Grave (Fr., D), Jon Pensler (Fr., D), Reed Doerler (Fr., D), Chris Nathan (Fr., F), Peter Nawn (Sr., F), Jordan Wang (Sr., F), Justin Grossman Fr., F), Ray Demoine (so., F), Matt Waxman (Sr., F), Michael Gavaletz (Fr., F), Alex Vukason (Sr., F), Alec Karanikolas (Jr., F), Spy Avgoustiniatos (Jr., F), Chris Rossi (So., F), Alex Bidwell (Jr., F), Nick Guns (Jr., F), Anton Ssalienko (Sr, F), Kevin Gins (Fr., F), Patrick Brake (Fr., F).
Outlook: Hun reached the finals of the Independence Hockey League last year. With a plethora of talent returning, they should be contending again. Alex Vukasin was the leading scorer last season and will lead the forward line. Eric Szeker will anchor the defense and Devin Chiefetz will be in the net again. This is a very solid group and the Raiders will contend all year long.
Lawrenceville Coach: Etienne Bilodeau (14th year)
Last Year: 6-18-3 Roster: Andrew Lux (Sr., G), Gage Spolansky (Fr., D), Alexander England (So., D), Nick Minno ((Sr. D), Joe Stancato ((Jr., D), Jack Burt (Jr., D), Matt Weinberg (Sr., D), Misha Song (Jr., D), John Kowalewski (Jr., F), Misha Mrotchek ((Fr., F), Jakob Hicks (Jr., F), Robert Cerepak (Sr., F), Jordan Kaplan (Jr., F), Jonathan Coffey (Fr., F), Robbie Baldwin (Sr., F), Griffin Spolansky (So., F), Antoine Crepin-Heroux (Sr., F), Stephen Clarke (Jr., F), Peter Kuenne (Sr., F), Tylar Novy (Sr., F), Dylan Jones (Jr., D), Zach McCloskey (Fr., G).
Outlook: The Big Red are returning several key players, like Robert Cerepak and Nick Minno, who are going to be keys on the forward line and on the defense. As usual, Lawrenceville will be playing a very difficult and varied schedule. It was a disappointing season in 2011-12 and they should improve on that mark.
Pennington Coach: Ryan Bailey (3rd year)
Last Year: 11-8 Independence League Champions
Roster: Ryan McGann (Sr., F), Chris Pibi (Sr., F), Dan Speeney (Jr., F), Bradley Frank (Jr., F), Luke Lawlor (So., F), Pierce Lawlor (So., F), Alex Thomas (So., F), Sean Harris (Fr., F), Hardy Walther (Fr., D), Katie Widenmeyer (So., D), Bobby Inman (Fr., D), Thomas Horsley (Fr., D), Andrew Speeney (Fr., D), Wyatt Kop'Kash (Fr., G).
Outlook: The Red Raiders lost some talent from the league championship season, but by no stretch is the cupboard bare. Captains Chris Pibi and Ryan McGann will be the leaders on ice and will see the Red Raiders blend several solid newcomers. It might take a few games to get the right mixture, but once it does Pennington will once again contend for a league title.
Princeton Day Coach: Scott Bertoli (6th year)
Last Year: 18-5-1, won PDS Invitational
Roster: Connor Walker (G), Mark Anarumo (G), Colin Burgess (G), Taran Auslander (D), Eddie Meyercord (D), Grahame Davis (D), CJ Young (D), Andrew Clayton (D), Will Garrymore (D), Rob Colton (F), Conrad Denise (D), Connor Bitterman (D), Ross Colton (F), Sean Timmons (F), Kyle Weller (F), John Egner (F), Cody Triolo (F), Lewie Blackburn (F), Gabe Castagna (F), Connor Fletcher (F), Tucker Triolo (F).
Outlook: It was an amazing season at PDS last year, and with 13 very experienced players returning, this year should be even more successful. Connor Walker returns to the goal, and scorers like Rob Colton and Conrad Denise are going to make the Panthers very dangerous. They play a schedule that will test this group, but more often than not they are going to be up to the challenge.