text:
When Pill = Sleep
In America alone, tens of millions take sleeping pills to sleep each night. Yet sleeping pills don't produce natural sleep. They worsen memory. They increase the risk of death.
But people can't stop. Physically or behaviorally addicted, they know pill = sleep.
Here are some reasons why that happens – and what they can do about it:
"Normal" Sleep is Not Natural Sleep
Whether you look at historical diaries or put people in laboratories that mimic pre-industrial nights, sleep occurs in three phases. In olden days – not so long ago – people slept from near the beginning of the night until the middle. Then they woke for perhaps an hour – reading, musing, doing housework. Later they took a nap in the midafternoon.
The American "lie down and die model" of six and three quarter hours of sleep sandwiched between late night emails and booming alarms may be efficient. It may be economically effective, our new version of "normal."
It is not natural. Sleep is naturally tri-phasic.
Sleep Is About Conditioning
One of the most common forms of insomnia is caused by worrying and thinking about lack of sleep.
Or as the manufacturers advertise, you can just take a pill.
The truth – your body wants to sleep. It needs to sleep. It will die without sleep. It performs inadequately with inadequate sleep.
So you need to see that sleep rests your body, letting it learn and renew while you slumber.
It pays to use your body the way it's built. Body clocks want you to sleep during set, genetically in-built hours.
Try to let them have their way. Time rules life. As does habit.
So go to bed at the same time every day. Get up at the same time. Calm your body and brain before you sleep. Do it with ritual: turn off the computer monitors, tablets and TVs. Click off the cell phone. Turn down the lights. Floss your teeth. Brush. Read a book you fondly remember from high school. Then imagine the dreams you want to have. Write them down. See them in your head.
Sleep is not a religion nor an obstacle, just as necessary for life as food. Done right, it can be fun.
Dream sleep is necessary to memory and learning. In dreams begin possibilities.
Rest to Regenerate
One of the most pernicious myths of modern medicine is the body as machine.
Machines are fixable. All you need is the right pill or the right device. Then everything can work – again.
But you're not a machine. Don't treat yourself like one.
Machines are dead. Your computer's hard drive doesn't remake itself.
Your heart does renew. Most of it is remade in about three days. Most of your body takes a few weeks to replace and re-create itself.
And you – your body and mind – never stay the same. Not any part, nor your ideas. Every time you retrieve a memory you change it. Even the autobiography you tell yourself changes all the time.
That adaptability helps you stay alive. Bodies continually and continuously remake themselves. That's how they adjust to aging, the different environment, time and life.
Which may explain why sleeping pills increase death through accidents, heart disease, and if Dan Kripke's data can be believed, cancer. His rising dose response curve shows regular pill use increasing death rates five times.
Even if they add perhaps 10-20 minutes of sleep, sleeping pills don't produce natural sleep. The human regenerative system is vast, fast, powerful and complex. The sleep produced by sleeping pills may not be the ticket for what it takes to remake you. Sleeping pill "sleep" may not regenerate you as well as natural sleep.
Their success is also part illusion. Sleeping pills worsen memory. That includes memories of waking up.
Using sleeping pills is an experiment on yourself. Your memories will change. Some will unnecessarily disappear.
We live and die as information systems. What's left of us at the end of the day but our memories?
Taking Sleeping Pills Off One Pill At A Time
Getting people off sleeping pills is hard. I've been doing it for over a quarter century. One of my hardest jobs was getting a 95 year old off pills.
She had been taking sleeping pills for 65 years. I didn't see her much, and it took more than three years to get her off entirely.
You don't need to take three years. Whether you can't sleep because of depression or anxiety, sleep apnea or nightmares, alcoholism or ending drinking, you can try to stop on your own. And certainly professionals can help – and if there are problems, be consulted.
As in health, the trick is to not get sick. So you go off pills slowly.
Let's take the most commonly used sleeping pills – zolpidem or ambien. The government just belatedly recognized that the drug really sticks around by morning – particularly in women.
So it suggested halving the doses of women. Right now.
Except time can be your ally in going pills. Most times you don't have a forced deadline. So here's a conceptually simple way to get off:
Whatever sleeping pill your own, get it in the form of the lowest prescribed dose. If you're taking 10 mg of zolpidem, the smallest generic dose is 5 mg.
If you're taking 10 mg every night, take that "normal" dose six days of the week. On the seventh day, take 5 mg – half your regular dose.
The next week, make it two days of the week when you cut the dose to 5 mg. The third week, make it three days of 5 mg.
You can speed this process up or slow it down – depending on how you feel. You can slice doses into halves or quarters or pills. Repeat doses after a tough week.
But keep going. It may get rough towards the end. Going off pills completely is often is the hardest part.
Yet consider the benefits. Less money. Less prescriptions. Less feelings of addiction and helplessness. More normal, natural sleep.
You'll be using your body the way it's built. Helping it regenerate right. Living a more natural life.
And probably a healthier, more memorable, longer one.
Rest, sleep, Sarasota Sleep Doctor, well-being, regeneration,healthy without health insurance, longevity, body clocks, insomnia, sleep disorders, the rest doctor, matthew edlund, the power of rest, the body clock, psychology today, huffington post, redbook, longboat key news


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[1up] has posted his portable NES as an entry for the Sanyo Eneloop contest. We've seen some really cool portable builds, but this one has a complete step by step writeup of the process too. Many of these projects start with the little all in one devices that contain 99 games already. [1up] wanted to use original hardware so you could play any cartridge you could get. He used a complete NES and a portable PS1 screen. The total project cost was roughly $130, if you don't include all the stuff he broke in the process.
Not only does he make it portable, but also points out easy ways to improve your experience. One example is to disable the lockout chip. This was an anti piracy precaution from Nintendo. If the cartridge doesn't pass this, it won't play. Often, games won't pass due to something as simple dirty contact. He explains all of this and takes you through the process of disabling the chip so everything can run smoother.
He has it all encased in a clear box. Some people prefer a more professional finish, but we have to admit that seeing the guts is pretty cool.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Artist: Wu-Tang Clan f/ Madame D, Two On Da Road Album: Wu-Tang Iron Flag Song: Chrome Wheels Typed by: firstname.lastname@example.com [Hook: Madame D] Woke up this morning, smoked some sticky green to get me started Choclate thai, all in my eye, I'm never broken-hearted Bang us in ya cars, bang us in ya Jeep, bang that shit retarded [Intro: 12 O'Clock (RZA)] (Bob Digi) Sun Zeini (P. Sunn) 12 O'Clock Two On Da Road on this (12 O'Clock) I love my brother to death (That old hip-hop, catch this) (Hot Nix', you know? Big tits) [12 O'Clock] I love my brother to death, nigga pussy to the rest Shared a pair of Guess and an Eddie Bauer vest A bitch named Celeste I met her when I was goin to cash a Def Jam check She had some big ass breasts I had to catch her like a shortstop on the Mets A nigga high off a dime from Gates and Best Remember grandmother live on Louis and Lex I remember Dirt Dog crashed his white Lex I remember me and Meth won a dice game against Ghost and Deck Remember Portland had Clyde Drex' Remember 12 O'Clock is a vet Big Dogs we put 'em to sleep, keep 'em on a leash I move like days in a week Niggaz don't know the face and names on my teeth Niggaz carry a cold piece, and separate the heat Ain't scared of the motherfuckin police [RZA] Yo, yo Guns jammed up, I'm cramed up in my lab Six niggaz, six bitches, two fifths and eight bags One toilet, three weedheads, an alcoholic And two niggaz hooked on pussy And in the corner, was this brother who would study his lessons And learned how operate the Smith and the Wesson Still cut class and played hookey Threw freshmens in garbage cans, gave 'em nookies Rolled the, back of the bus with a gun in his socks Big forehead, had ears like Spock He was mightier than a truckload of gats And bound to make a bitch cum in six minutes flat [Raekwon] What up kid? Stay livin Seen you look good, you look live in ya linen And you survived ninth innin The hood got us off the prop without women All my niggaz that ride that provide to the end of this [Madame D] Ain't nothin but the real, yeah Ain't nothin but the real Ain't nothin but the real, yeah Million dollar deals, rollin on Chrome Wheels [Prodical] Yeah, uh-huh, yeah (Ain't nothin but the real) This one's on P. Sunn, word up? Yeah, uh-huh We gamble the dice, remain humble, scramble through the jungle of life While the we rumble with the foul and trife Shots fired on the block in threes like Glen Rice Made men think twice about the sacrifice Black on white, write it for the world to hear Write it for my fam who not here who do care Glance and stare, why when you can't compare? From the bottom of my feet to the end of my hair Move rear, cop the blue steel bare, groove to the snare Bass and drums, see my face in the slums Pedia Brown, media surround my sound When you see me in the hood of ya town, respect my sound Sample with black, criminal, mechanical rap Assemblin hat, laced in a suit from Phat Two On Da Road, got them bitches screamin, "Who Dat?" Two with the plaques, two with the gats, it's like that [Hook] [Madame D] Two On Da Road, Bobby Digital He's a gangsta, yeah No, no, no, no, no, no Live it up, live it up Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no [Hook] [Outro: Prodical *over Madame D's singing*] Bang us in ya Jeeps Shaolin! Bobby Digital Uh-huh, Sunn who? Yeah Haha! Yeah! Get that money y'all Get that money y'all Get that money y'all Shout in pain Uh-huh, yeah Weed blazin, cocoa hazin, cocoa hazin


text:
Released as preview in January, Power BI publisher for Excel enables you to take snapshots of important PivotTables, Charts, cell ranges, and more from across all of your spreadsheets to a dashboard, then share the dashboard with your colleagues.
Today, we're happy to announce the general availability of the Power BI publisher for Excel.
Go ahead and download the newest version:
Key new features since Preview:
Here is what we've added for this release.
Support for 42 languages
Install and use in your preferred locale.
Download from the list of available languages.
Pin to a group dashboard
We heard your feedback, and added the most requested ask: Pin to a dashboard in a group workspace.
From the Power BI tab in the ribbon, select the workspace you wish to pin to, then click "Pin".
Pin from the right-click context menu
Pinning is now even easier! Select the range or object you want to pin, right-click, and select "Pin to Power BI dashboard…"
If you want to learn more about Power BI publisher for Excel, you can read our documentation.
Enjoy and let us know what you think! Please feel free to send us your questions or feedback directly to firstname.lastname@example.com, or use one of the following channels:


text:
Major food companies and retailers now demand their suppliers adhere to GFSI schemes to ensure food safety.
The beginning of the second millennium witnessed a number of food safety crises across the world, ranging from widespread salmonella poisoning in eatables, to finding of worms in packaged food products. Several well-documented contamination and product recall cases led to the launch of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) in 2000.
The GFSI platform acts as an international quality benchmark in the food industry, and helps establish uniform and consistent international food safety standards. The GFSI schemes also enable companies to comply with the requirements of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that aims to create a safer, transparent and efficient food supply chain.
Understanding the Key GFSI Approved Food Safety Schemes
Currently, there are 10 benchmarked standards by different scheme owners, who developed their own food safety standards by incorporating the basic benchmarking factors laid down by GFSI.
The four key GFSI-benchmarked schemes are[1]:
1. Safe Quality Food (SQF) owned by the Food Marketing Institute
SQF certification implies that a company's food safety and quality management system is in compliance with global and regional food safety mandates. SQF code governs all aspects of a food supply chain, including primary food manufacturing, ingredient manufacturing, product packaging and distribution. The SQF audit takes 14 days from initiation to closure. The major non-conformances have to be closed within 14 days, while minor non-conformances must be addressed within 30 days.
2. British Retail Consortium (BRC) Food Standard
The BRC scheme is relevant to food manufacturers, retailers and brands. The scheme underlines that all entities in the end-to-end food supply chain must have systems in place to detect, monitor and control food safety hazards. It also specifies legal due diligence activities for the supplier and the retailer. The BRC audit takes five days to complete, after which 14 days are given to close major non-conformances, and 28 days for minor non-conformances.
3. International Featured Standards (IFS)
The IFS certification is relevant to companies that process or deal with food and food ingredients. Key aspects governed by this scheme include safety criteria for transportation, packaging, storage and/or distribution of pre-packaged food, senior management responsibility, food quality and safety management, resource management, and production process. The IFS audit takes two days. Six weeks are given to clear the major non-conformances, and 12 months to clear the minors.
4. Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000
FSSC has an added prerequisite program certification called ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 to control food safety hazards in food manufacturing environments, developed by the British Standards Institution. FSSC 22000 auditing is done in two stages comprising document review and facility evaluation, and takes four to five days.
Here, the auditor makes recommendation to the certification body, which in conjunction with the auditor makes the final decision. Companies have up to 180 days to close out non-conformances.
Choosing the Right GFSI Scheme
Food manufacturers and retailers can choose the best scheme by considering the following:
- Examine the various GFSI recognized schemes and determine if the industry in which a company operates is included in the scope of a specific certification.
- Access and understand the scheme documents relevant to a company's business.
The Food Safety Audits
Independently trained, authorized and licensed experts in the industry conduct GFSI scheme audits. An independent certification body audits the schemes, while an accreditation body audits the certification body.
Getting Ready for Certification in a GFSI Recognized Scheme
The company must have in place a food safety team (FST) led by a food safety leader to conduct self-assessment and determine the gaps in the food safety system inconsistent with the chosen food safety scheme. Now, a third-party gap assessment is done to help companies gain idea about their program status. Finally, the company can schedule a full certification by the chosen certification body, or the company that will perform the audit.
A glimpse into the full certification process:
- The certification body issues a proposal consistent with the size and nature of the organization.
- At 'pre-audit' stage, loopholes are identified and corrected.
- At 'Readiness Review' stage, organization's documented system is examined against set standards and audit is planned.
- Key elements of the system are tested, and report is generated. Immediate action is taken in case of any non-compliance. An authorized certification manager performs technical review and decides whether to issue the certificate.
- Full recertification audits are scheduled at defined intervals.
Leveraging Technology to Manage GFSI Requirements
Technology enables companies to adopt an integrated approach to food safety programs. Advanced web-based solutions with sophisticated technology architecture facilitate end-to-end processes involved in planning and implementing GFSI food safety schemes. Technology can help companies to adopt a workflow based approach, automate and streamline key processes, eliminate silos, and seamlessly achieve the desired results from the program.
Technology can help companies strengthen their food safety programs by managing various components like compliance, hazard analysis and risk, preventive controls, audits, non-conformance, corrective action, customer complaints, and training.
Adhering to the GFSI benchmarking in food safety enables companies to perform with discipline, and be more efficient and profitable, and to strengthen brand value and product integrity. GFSI certified companies can be assessed with equivalence across countries and continents, and their products enjoy greater acceptance in the global markets.
Good food processes means improved consumer confidence in an enterprise. To achieve this goal, companies in the food business must embrace GFSI approved schemes, and enhance their food safety processes, with the added support of relevant technology.
This article has been adopted from a detailed MetricStream Insight article on 'Strengthen Food Safety Management Programs by Adopting the Right GFSI Recognized Standard'. To view the original article click here.
[1] https://mygfsi.com/how-to-implement/recognition/ (Section 3.3, pg. 36)
For more food industry news and information, subscribe here and follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.


text:
TechRadar Verdict
Apart from the odd bit of motion smearing, there is not much we can find wrong with this TV. A great TV at a good price
- +
Sensational HD pictures
- +
Freeview, Freesat HD tuners
- +
Excellent SD broadcast images
- -
Occasional motion-smoothing artefacts
- -
High-power usage at times
- -
Speakers lack welly
Why you can trust TechRadar
The Panasonic TX-P46G20 is the first TV equipped to handle Freeview HD and Freesat HD broadcasts, making this one of the most highly specified TVs ever made. Well apart from its smaller brother, the Panasonic TX-P42G20.
It has four of the very latest HDMI 1.4 inputs, Ethernet for the VieraCast internet video service, Wi-Fi networking and even PVR recording via USB. You can record one (Freeview or Freesat SD/HD) programme at a time while watching a live programme on another tuner and timeshift TV. However, the hard drive must be self powered and recordings can only be played on the TV.
Intelligent design
The image processor is the latest incarnation of Panasonic's NeoPDP engine with 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation (IFC) Pro. This describes the process whereby 12 extra sub-frames are inserted into each of the 50 frames scanned per second. The result is super-smooth, judder and flicker-free images.
Throw in a native contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, more picture tweaks than there are buses in London and you have what amounts to one of the most cutting-edge screens on the planet, and not bad value for £1,300.
The gloss black styling is a bit run of the mill, but it doesn't distract from the picture. Installation is commendably straightforward for such a multi-faceted machine, with the option to add non-Freesat satellite channels manually or automatically via settings for Astra 2/Eurobird, Astra 1, Hotbird or a user-specified satellite.
Freesat's EPG has the standard, multi-genre home page and the GuidePlus enhanced Freeview EPG is little better, featuring tawdry-looking ads where you would hope to see a window of the live channel. Shows that are simultaneously broadcast in HD are flagged up on the BBC channels but, unlike Sky, you can't actually tell what is native HD.
The main drawback of IFC – which is not easy to switch off – is that a lot of content shot with a film grain (either original or simulated) often looks like low-budget video and introduces unwanted haloing around moving subjects. A bit of judder is infinitely preferable.
At least IFC is automatically disabled when watching Blu-ray movies in 1080p/24Hz, and the THX mode is optimised for THX discs.
Images are beautifully precise in terms of detail, resolution, and especially colours, which are so much more accurate than LCD or LED. The screen's other fortes are HD sport (with IFC on) and broadcast HD on Freeview and Freesat.
It also makes a jolly good fist of standard-definition content too, with commendably little MPEG noise.


text:
Queensland ALP President v. Whozadog.com, Supreme Court claim, 19 Feb 2009
From WikiLeaks
Unless otherwise specified, the document described here:
- Was first publicly revealed by WikiLeaks working with our source.
- Was classified, confidential, censored or otherwise withheld from the public before release.
- Is of political, diplomatic, ethical or historical significance.
Any questions about this document's veracity are noted.
The summary is approved by the editorial board.
See here for a detailed explanation of the information on this page.
If you have similar or updated material, see our submission instructions.
- Release date
- March 29, 2009
Claim by the Queensland President of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) against Whozadog.com, seeking the source of a posting claimed to be defamatory. See Queensland ALP President v. Whozadog.com, Supreme Court Orders, 20 Feb 2009 for additional information.
Further information


text:
Who we are:Belize is a biodiversity hotspot and efforts are still needed to inventory and describe the country's biological diversity, monitor invasive species, identify biological consequences of anthropogenic change, and train native students and scientists in the latest techniques in biodiversity informatics. Through the establishment of laboratories, education and outreach programs, and longterm scientific research, PRI-BioBelize supports training of the next-generation of Belizean scientists to better understand and use the country's biological resources.
Our Goals:
PRI-BioBelize Updates:


text:
Webelos Scout Activity Badges
Do these:
Talk to an artist in your area or to your art teacher about the different occupations in the art field. Make a list of them.
Create a scrapbook (portfolio) of your Artist activity badge projects and show it to your den leader.
And do Do
five of these:
Draw or paint an original picture out-of-doors, using the
art materials you prefer. Frame the picture for your room or home.
Create a collage that expresses something about
yourself. you.
While you are a Webelos Scout, earn the Cub Scout Academics belt loop for Art.
Do this:
With your parent, guardian, or Webelos den leader, complete the Positive Attitude Character Connection.
Know: Discuss with your parent, guardian, or your Webelos den leader, what it means to have a positive attitude and the "BEST" steps you can take to have a positive attitude. (Believe it can happen, Expect success, Set your mind, and Try, try, try.
Commit: Plan with your parent, guardian, or your Webelos den leader, how you will apply the "BEST" steps for a positive attitude in doing your school-work and in other areas of your life.
Practice: Do your "BEST" to have a cheerful and positive attitude while doing the requirements for this activity badge.
And do Do
three of these:
Have a good record in attendance, behavior, and grades at school.
an active part in a school activity or service.
Discuss with your teacher or principal the value of having an education.
List in writing some important things you can do now because of what
you've learned in school.
While you are a Webelos Scout, earn the Cub Scout Academics belt loop for Language.
While you are a Webelos Scout, and if you have not earned it for another activity badge, earn the Cub Scout Academics belt loop for Mathematics.
While you are a Webelos Scout, earn the Cub Scout Academics belt loop for Chess.
And do three of these:
Trace through history the different kinds of schools. Tell how our
present public school system grew out of these early schools.
Make a chart showing how your school system is run.
Ask a parent and five other grown-ups these questions:
Tell what What do
you think were the best answers and why?
List and explain some of the full-time positions in the field of
education field.
Help another student with schoolwork. Tell what you did to help.
Complete six activities of your choice; these can be from any area (puppetry, music, or drama).
Choose one set of
requirements for this badge:
Write a puppet play about one of your Webelos den activities or a
subject of your choice.
Make a set of puppets or marionettes for the play you have written or
for another play.
Build a simple stage for puppets or
marionettes or puppets.
Alone or with the help of others, put on a puppet show for your den or
Make a set of four paper bag puppets for a singing group. With the help
of three other den members, sing a song with the puppets as the
There are sock, stick and finger puppets. There are paper bag puppets
and marionettes. Explain their differences and show any puppets you have
made for this badge.
While you are a Webelos Scout, earn the Cub Scout Academics belt loop for Music.
For requirement 1 of the Showman activity badge, you'll choose six activities from puppetry, music, or drama. Then later you'll do one additional activity in each of these areas, for a total of 9 activities.
Do five of these:
Page updated on: August 28, 2022
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text:
Mike Luckas Draws 'Samurai Champloo,' Samus Aran And The Gender Swapped Skullkickers [Art]
I don't watch a whole lot of anime these days, but there was a time, my friends. There was a time. It's not often that I think about it, but when I saw the anime-inspired artwork of Mike Luckas, I was immediately drawn back to memories of those younger summers where I cared an awful lot about Faye Valentine and Vash the Stampede. It was sort of like getting in that time machine from Back to the Future, except that instead of having to help my parents hook up, I had to confront the fact that I have spent a lot of money on imported Japanese action figures in my lifetime.
But we're getting off track here. The point is, Luckas's art is awesome, whether he's drawing classic anime characters, video game stars like Metroid's Samus Aran, or his own creations. Check out some favorites below!
For more, check out Mike Luckas on DeviantArt and Tumblr!


text: 20 February 2017 10 Ways to Use Quinoa! gloria alcohol and health, breakfast, diet, dinner, eat, eating, food, gluten-free, grain, health, healthy, healthy choices, healthy eating, healthy food, healthy recipes, lunch, plant-based, porridge, quinoa, recipe, recipes, seed, vegan, vegetarian, wholegrains Quinoa (pronounced 'keen – wa') is a nutty flavoured grain originating in South America that has been cultivated in the Andes for over 5000 years. It comes in a creamy


text:
Get an Inside Look at The Office! A Musical Parody on Broadway Profiles
On the latest episode of Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal, fans can get an inside look at the first musical production restarting performances in New York City: The Office! A Musical Parody. Written by Tobly and Bob McSmith, and inspired by the hit comedy series, The Office! A Musical Parody highlights a typical day at Scranton's third-largest paper company, Dunder Mifflin. The show paused performances due to COVID-19 last year, and Broadway.com correspondent Charlie Cooper headed to the Jerry Orbach Theater to chat with the show's creators, cast and the newest member of the company, Bradley Bemboom, the COVID-safety compliance officer. "I promise not to be too mean," he joked. "But I need to make sure everyone is wearing a mask. We have hand sanitizers added throughout the entire theater, both backstage and onstage."
Creator Tobly McSmith added, "We're taking all the steps. We feel safe doing this. Our actors feel safe. We're taking all the precautions. We want people to come when they're ready." Watch the video below, and head here to check your local listings for Broadway Profiles.
Hosted by Emmy-winning anchor Tamsen Fadal and powered by Broadway.com, it is the only nationally syndicated weekly theater news program.


text:
SL steps up security
World Twenty20 hosts Sri Lanka are to beef up security after angry fans clashed with baton wielding police in Hambantota where the home side lost a match to South Africa, officials said Sunday.
Local residents in the southern port town stormed the ground after they were told that tickets for Saturday's match at the 35,000-capa-city Mahinda Rajapakse International Stadium had been sold out, a security official told AFP.
"The crowds got very boisterous and they smashed the barricades and forcibly entered the grounds," the official said, asking not to be named. "The baton charge did not deter them. A few thousand got in."
Heavy rains shortened the group C game to seven-overs-a-side, which South Africa won by 32 runs.
Witnesses said local fans pelted stones at vehicles leaving the match venue after Sri Lanka lost the match. A heavy presence of the elite Special Task Forces commandos could not deter the angry crowds.
"Their anger was because they could not enter the grounds," another official said. "When they broke down the barricades and came in they started shouting and making a big rumpus."
Camillus Abeygunawardena, the top security officer for the tournament, said there were unruly scenes outside the stadium, but insisted that players and spectators inside the stadium were well protected.
"The problem was that locals residents wanted to get in, but they did not have ticket," Abeygunawardena said. "That is when trouble started."
With Hambantota not due to host any more matches, he said security would be stepped up for the rest of the tournament in Pallekele and Colombo, but was confident there will be no repeat of Saturday's incident.
The clashes between police and fans came despite an unprecedented security operation for the tournament, the biggest sporting event ever to be hosted by Sri Lanka.
Bodyguards from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) and commandos of the elite Special Task Force have been deployed to guard players in a drill usually reserved for visiting heads of state.
Armed security has been deployed at team hotels where floors occupied by players have been declared out of bounds for other hotel guests.
Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist war ended in May 2009 with government forces declaring victory over the separatist Tamil rebels, but no international match or players in Sri Lanka had been targeted by the militants.


text: Arrow 1x14 "The Odyssey" - After Oliver (Stephen Amell) is shot, he turns to a surprising person for help -- Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). Diggle (David Ramsey) is stunned when he sees Felicity walk through the front door of the lair dragging a dying Oliver behind her, and the two team up to save Oliver's life. As Oliver (Stephen Amell) hovers between life and death, he flashes back to a seminal event on the island -- a daring escape attempt with his new friend Slade Wilson (guest star Manu Bennett). Katie Cassidy, Willa Holland, Paul Blackthorne and Susanna Thompson also star. John Behring directed the episode with story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg and teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg and Marc Guggenheim (#114).


text:
Archive ::/:: Davechicken ::/:: Shadow Side ::/:: Links ::/:: Planet of the Dinosaurs
The Gestalt also occasionally functions in multiple personalities, some of which are visible to the public. Davechicken and Shadow Side are the main ones. For convenience, and tax reasons, they have been known to think of themselves as separate, and to make sure some of the voices in their heads don't take over. Their writings can be found here and links they like can be found here.
The Gestalt was, at the outset, hardly noticeable. Two people/beings/creatures happened to be introduced, through the marvels of coincidence and so on. They happened to have several things in common. Some of these things were related to science-fiction, fantasy and fandom in general. Some other of these things involved a tendancy to write (or attempt to write). Some of these things involved weaponry, long, dark coats, leather and pain (usually that of others). For a while, all was as normal. There were long nights of DVD watching (with cheese) socialising (with swords) and talking (with mouths). Then, one day, It Happened. Most specifically, the Tall One ceased to run away when the Short One squeed about a little thing called slash. Or, to be precise, the Tall One only ran away when the Short One mentioned slash in order to go and write some. Before long, there were matching swords. Matching sticks. Matching socks. (There had always been socks, and they had often matched, but their significance in the Grand Scheme Of Things was not revealed until later, due to Tension and Suspense.) Then they started to finish one another's sentences. They started to think the same thing, at the same time. They got hungry together. They plotted Stories Of Doom together. They broke teeth together. They made this website together. Now they plan to assimilate all those who come in their way. They do this by spreading the Crack, writing the Fic, making the Vids and driving the YarisJumper. There may or may not be knives, alcohol, cookies and more socks. And cheese. But not sockcheese. Ever. Things, as they say, can only get Especially when they start writing together. Then things like Achronism, or Planet of the Dinosaurs happen.
The Gestalt, surprisingly enough, took its time choosing a name to best fit its identity. Various possibilities were thrown in the air, only to fall back down with a resounding splat. For one thing, neither of the alter-egos had names especially well suited to combining. Shadow Chicken? Dave Side? The Gestalt would like to point out that it is neither a superhero avian with interesting lycra, nor the bloke who does the dodgy late-night radio show. What could it be, then? What could suitably encapsulate the spirit of stick-waving, fire-lighting, map-dominating, fic-writing moral ambiguity? Why, bad multilingual punning, of course. Literally, 'penumbra' is the area of partial shadow. It is the slight illumination which divides the light from the dark. It is the hinterland, the border, the.. you get the picture. But also, it is pen-umbris, the pen from the shadow. Did I mention you might get scared? From the bad jokes if nothing else... |


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The 353-unit Sycamore Lakes apartment complex at 2174 Raleigh-LaGrange Road in Raleigh has sold for $9 million.
An entity called Sycamore Lake Property Owner LLC bought the sprawling complex in an Oct. 1 special warranty deed from Sycamore Lakes, successor to Sycamore Lakes LLC. A quitclaim deed, in which Robert F. Fogelman transferred the property to the seller, preceded the sale.
Built in 1973, the Class C multifamily property contains 293,062 square feet and sits on 22.5 acres along the north side of Raleigh-LaGrange Road east of its intersection with Sycamore View Road. The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2013 appraisal is $6.8 million.
In conjunction with the transaction, Sycamore Lake Property Owner filed a $6.8 million deed of trust, assignment of rents, security agreement and fixture filing Oct. 1 through BankUnited NA. Fred Stahl signed the deed as manager of the borrower.
Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports– Daily News staff
Memphis-based Wright Medical Group Inc. announced Wednesday, Oct. 16, it has an agreement to buy the French company Biotech International for $75 million.
Biotech is a privately held manufacturer of surgical implants and advanced fixation technologies that deal with fractures. In the case of Biotech, its devices are primarily in the extremities market. In this case, that market is for European devices for feet and ankles.
Preliminary terms of the acquisition Wednesday were $75 million to be paid at closing of the deal, with $55 million of that in cash and the remaining $20 million in Wright common stock.
The terms also include up to $5 million in cash if Biotech reaches agreed-upon revenue goals in 2014 and 2015 once it is owned by Wright.
Biotech will spin off its dental business before closing, which is anticipated by the end of this calendar year.
– Bill Dries
Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp. has been again named to the InformationWeek 500 list of the nation's most innovative users of business technology.
It's the fifth straight appearance on the list for the company, which is the parent of First Tennessee Bank. First Horizon was recognized for developing mobile banking services that keep pace with the changing preferences of business customers.
The InformationWeek 500 tracks the information technology practices of the nation's most innovative IT organizations.
– Andy Meek
The Memphis Area Association of Realtors has honored more than 20 industry professionals with the Realtor Emeritus designation.
The Realtor Emeritus designation recognizes individuals who have held successive membership in the National Association of Realtors and a local association for 40 years.
This year's honorees, recognized Wednesday, Oct. 16, are: Russell "Rusty" Bloodworth, Bebe McWater, Edith Barlow, Gary Blume, Wanda Bowen, Sue Ruby, Mark Halperin, Charles Callis, Jerry Davidson, Nell Wade, Roger Watkins, William "Bill" C. Irby, Jeanne Lubiani-Carnes, David Peck, Kathleen Pender, Nick French, James R. Maddox Jr., Myra Quinley, Robert B. Tayloe, Duke Schaeffer, Alta Simpson, Shirley Westby and William Cary Whitehead III.
– Amos Maki
Trumbull Laboratories LLC has been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists based on the results of a recent onsite inspection.
The CAP program has been recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government's own laboratory inspection program. CAP is the world's largest association composed exclusively of board-certified pathologists.
During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the management of the laboratory and the laboratory's records and quality control measures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, and safety programs and records.
Electrolux will donate $100,000 in cooking appliances and products to low-income Shelby County residents, just in time for the busy holiday season.
The company, which recently completed construction on its 750,000-square-foot Memphis manufacturing facility, will deliver Frigidaire Gallery double-oven ranges and Frigidaire countertop microwaves to Neighborhood Christian Center on Thursday, Oct. 24, for distribution to low-income Shelby County families.
The company will make a similar donation in Charlotte, N.C., where Electrolux North America has its headquarters.
Zachary Kerr, chief program officer for Neighborhood Christian Center, said the donation will help fill a large need.
"Many people request appliances from the Neighborhood Christian Center, especially ovens," said Kerr. "The high level of requests means that we often run out of ovens. This generous donation will help to meet this need; we are honored to receive this gift."
J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. volunteered to deliver the cooking products.
Shelby County residents in need of an oven or microwave should contact the Neighborhood Christian Center hotline at 881-6013. Applicants will need to provide proof of homeownership for an oven donation and proof of homeownership or rental agreement for a microwave donation; a Tennessee state ID or driver's license; their most recent pay stub or SSI statement; and a vehicle to transport the appliance.
Gov. Bill Haslam is making his annual case for Tennessee to keep its strong bond rating.
The Republican governor traveled to New York on Wednesday to meet with the three main bond rating agencies, Standard and Poor's, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Inc.
Haslam told reporters this week that he's been asked to address the impact on the state of the partial shutdown of the federal government along with the effects of previous federal spending cuts.
Federal dollars account for about half of the state's annual $32.8 billion budget.
A Fitch analysis of all 50 states released earlier this year concluded that Tennessee's debt ratio was the lowest in the nation.
Higher bond ratings means lower interest rates on borrowing for the state.
– The Associated Press
Mississippi's two largest universities could increase tuition by 5 percent a year over the next two years, while three smaller universities could hold tuition flat, according to a plan a College Board committee considered Wednesday.
While the board is likely to vote on the plan Thursday, rules require a second vote after 30 days. That means increases can't become final until after the board meets in November.
Average in-state tuition would rise 2.8 percent to $6,509 in 2014-2015, including mandatory facility fees, under the proposal. In 2015-2016, average tuition would rise 3 percent to $6,703.
The plans would push tuition above $7,000 a year at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi. Both Ole Miss and MSU plan increases of roughly 5 percent a year, while USM proposes a pair of 3.5 percent increases.
"We continue to find the balance between fairness to our students and their families and the resources the university needs to provide a quality educational experience," said Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones.
Ole Miss and other schools have been using tuition increases to generate money for faculty raises.
Delta State University, Mississippi Valley State University and Mississippi University for Women plan to hold prices flat. MUW President Jim Borsig said many students at the Columbus institution are the first in their families to attend college and are older than traditional students. He also said that limits on federal Pell Grants for poorer students have made it harder to come up with the money for school.
Alcorn State University and Jackson State University would also increase tuition, but by smaller percentages than Ole Miss and MSU.
Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds implemented the two-year schedule to reduce uncertainty.


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The SIPRI Arms Transfers Database contains information on all transfers of major conventional weapons from 1950 to the most recent full calendar year. It is a unique resource for researchers, policy-makers and analysts, the media and civil society interested in monitoring and measuring the international flow of major conventional arms.
The SIPRI Arms Transfers Database can be used to generate detailed written reports (trade registers) and statistical data (trend-indicator values, TIV). To access the trade registers and TIV data, see the links provided below.
The database was updated on 13 March 2023. The SIPRI Arms Transfers Database includes updated data on transfers of major arms for 1950–2022, which replaces all previous data on arms transfers published by SIPRI.
The database can be used to address a range of questions, including:
- Who are the suppliers and recipients of major conventional weapons?
- What weapons have been exported or imported by specific suppliers or recipients?
- How have the relationships between different suppliers and recipients changed over time?
- Where do countries in conflict get their weapons from?
- How do states implement their export control regulations?
- Where are potentially destabilizing build ups of weapons occurring?
- What is the relationship between access to natural resources and arms transfers?
The publicly accessible database is updated every spring. A brief overview of highlights of the preceding year and more general trends in international arms transfers is published to coincide with the release of each year's new dataset. A broader analysis is published every year in the SIPRI Yearbook.
For full details of our user rules for the database, please see our Terms and Conditions. For questions about the database see the sources and methods or contact email@example.com.
Trade registers
The interface below provides information on each deal included in the database. The information provided includes the suppliers and recipients, the type and number of weapon systems ordered and delivered, the years of deliveries and the financial value of the deal.
Importer/exporter TIV tables
The interface below provides the total trend-indicator value (TIV) of a country or rebel group's arms imports or exports, broken down by supplier, recipient or type of weapon system.
Generate importer/exporter TIV tables.
Top list TIV tables
This interface provides the total trend-indicator value (TIV) of arms imports or exports for a selection of the largest suppliers or recipients, along with the TIV of global arms imports or exports.


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Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Vocational/Plumbing
Plumbing | ||
Vocational General Conference |
Skill Level 3 | |
Year of Introduction: 1938 |
The Plumbing Honor is a component of the Technician Master Award . |
1. Make a diagram showing the plumbing system of a four-room house which includes fixtures for the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry.[edit | edit source]
This diagram shows the pipes and fixtures involved in plumbing a typical four-room house.
2. Submit two pieces of iron pipe that you have threaded and connected with proper fitting.[edit | edit source]
Insert the correct size die into the die stock. Slide the die stock over the pipe and apply pressure with one hand. With the other hand, turn the stock handle slowly clockwise until the die has taken a bite on the pipe. Apply cutting oil to the die as the stock handle is given one complete clockwise turn and backed off a quarter turn. Repeat this action until 1/4 inch of the pipe is beyond the die stock. The pipe is now threaded properly. Turn the handle in a counterclockwise direction to remove the pipe.
3. Submit a repaired plastic (PVC), iron, or copper pipe, and tell how to repair all three.[edit | edit source]
PVC[edit | edit source]
Turn off the water, then cut out the damaged section of pipe using a hacksaw or a handsaw. Then clean the two ends of the existing pipe thoroughly and let it dry. Cut a new piece of PVC pipe the same length as the damaged and removed piece and make sure it is clean too. Apply PVC primer and cement to the ends of the replacement pipe and slide couplings over them, one on each side. Then apply PVC primer and cement to the existing pipes, and join them together. Let the cement cure for the amount of time indicated on the can. Finally, turn the water back on and check for leaks.
Iron[edit | edit source]
In galvanized pipe installations, where the fittings on either side of the leak are not readily available, the leaking section may be cut out. In this operation, one person holds the pipe with a wrench to keep it from turning in the next fitting, and another person cuts a thread on it while it is in place using a hand type of pipe threader. The cutout section is then replaced with a coupling, a pipe section of the required length, and a union.
Copper[edit | edit source]
If a copper pipe leaks, cut out the damaged section and replace it with a new section, using either soldered or compression-type joints. Soldering requires quite a bit of skill, and there is always the risk of setting a house on fire with a soldering torch. Watch where the flame goes at all times. It is easy to get absorbed in watching the solder joint and not notice that the flame is licking a joist behind the pipe. Pay attention!
4. Demonstrate ability to repair a leaky sink faucet and replace or repair toilet flush mechanisms.[edit | edit source]
Leaky Faucet[edit | edit source]
There are many different types of faucets used in plumbing installations. If you can repair the compression washer faucet, you should have no trouble in repairing other types of faucets. A cutaway view of a compression faucet is shown in the figure to the right. This faucet, with a disc washer and a solid or removable seat, requires frequent attention to maintain tight closure against water pressure.
When a faucet is turned off, the washer on the end of the stem rubs against the seat. Frequent use wears down the washer and eventually causes the faucet to drip. A small, steady leak in a faucet wastes water. The remedy for a dripping faucet is simply to replace the washer. Be sure to replace flat or beveled washers with washers of the same design.
To repair a standard washer faucet, follow the steps below.
- First, shut off the water supply to the faucet and open the faucet all the way.
- Now, remove the faucet handle, bonnet, and stem.
- Next, remove the brass screw holding the washer to the bottom of the spindle. Replace the washer with a new one which is flat on one side and slightly rounded on the other, so it can get both horizontal and vertical pressure and provide a firm seat. Use a good quality hard-composition washer because leather or soft washers do not give long service, particularly in hot-water lines.
- If the brass screw is in poor condition, replace it with a new one.
- Examine the valve seat and repair or replace it with a new one, if necessary, before replacing the spindle; otherwise, a new washer provides adequate service for only a short time.
- Reface or ream solid seats with a standard reseating tool consisting of a cutter, a stem, and a handle. Rotate the tool with the cutter centered and held firmly on the worn or scored seat. Take care to prevent excessive reaming. Remove all grinding residue before reassembly. A solid seat can be replaced with a renewable seat by tapping a standard thread into the old solid seat and inserting a renewable seat.
- Remove renewable seats with a regular seat- removing tool or Allen wrench. When the seat is frozen to the body, apply penetrating oil to loosen it. Faucet seats can usually be tapped, reseated, or replaced without removing the faucet from its fixture.
- To stop leakage at the bonnet, replace the stem packing and the bib gasket.
Toilet Flush Mechanism[edit | edit source]
Before a person can repair anything, he or she must understand how that item is supposed to work. The illustration below shows the steps in a toilet flush mechanism:
To repair a toilet flush mechanism, remove the tank lid, flush the toilet and observe. See which of the thirteen steps listed above is not happening, try to determine why it is not happening, and address the problem. In some cases it is easier to replace the flush mechanism rather than repair an existing one. The replacement parts are sold in a single package and comes with instructions geared toward a typical homeowner. Since Pathfinders tackling the Plumbing honor are not "typical," this shoud present no problems!
5. Describe the proper drainage system of the house in #1 and explain the use of traps and vents.[edit | edit source]
Drainage systems generally work by gravity. The waste pipes are installed so that they drop at least a quarter of an inch per foot (or 2 cm per meter). Any drains below a building's waste exit point must be drained into a tank equipped with an effluent pump to move the waste out of the building.
Each drain is equipped with a trap. A trap is an S-shaped curve below the drain designed to trap a little water in the drain pipe. Having this water in the drain pipe prevents sewer gases from entering the building.
Drain systems are also vented by running a pipe from the waste pipe through the roof. This is to allow air to enter the drain system so that waste water rushing out of the pipes does not create a siphon and empty the traps. As water rushes through a pipe, it pushes air out in front of it. Air needs to be able to enter the system behind the water or it will pull a vacuum, sucking water out of the traps. A vent supplies this "replacement" air to prevent this from happening.
6. Have a knowledge of the ordinary hot and cold water system of a house and explain how to make the system safe from freezing if the house has to be left without heat during the winter.[edit | edit source]
Hot and Cold Water systems[edit | edit source]
Fresh water enters a house at the main, going through a master shutoff valve. The pipe then hits a tee, with one side feeding the water heater and the other side feeding the cold water taps, toilets, dishwashers, etc. A water heater has two lines coming to it. One is the cold water supply already mentioned. The other is the heated water outlet which feeds all the hot water taps in the house.
Winterizing[edit | edit source]
If a house is to be left unheated over the winter, the plumbing system must be treated beforehand so that the pipes do not freeze and break. One approach to this problem is to shut off the water main and then drain the system by opening all the taps. The problem with this approach is that it can leave water in low spots, and if that water freezes, it can burst the pipe.
Another method is to inject RV antifreeze into the plumbing system. Unlike regular vehicle coolant, RV anti-freeze is rated for use in potable water systems. Thus, it is safe to introduce it into the fresh water supply of a plumbing system. RV antifreeze has a freezing point of -58 °F. To do this, you first shut off the water main. Then put two gallons of RV antifreeze in a five gallon bucket near the washing machine. Disconnect the washing machine's cold water feed, and connect a pony pump's outlet to the faucet. Submerge the pony pump's intake hose in the bucket of antifreeze and turn on the pump. Then go to all the other cold water taps and turn them on. Run them until the pink antifreeze comes out. Lift the lid from the toilet tanks and press the ball cock down until antifreeze enters the tank. Do not flush the toilets yet. Cycle the dishwasher until antifreeze shows up there, cycle it until it pumps the water out. Go back to the basement and open the main valve's waste nut until antifreeze comes out. Now go back to the washing machine, turn off the pony pump, move it to the hot water side, and repeat the procedure with all the hot water taps. Turn off the pump when finished.
Finally, it is time to treat the traps and toilets. Add regular car antifreeze to the toilet tanks and flush, holding down the handle draining out as much of the water from the tank as possible. Pour a cup of antifreeze down each sink drain too so that the traps are treated. Finally, open the water heater's drain valve and all hot water taps which will allow water to drain out of the heater.
7. Diagram at least one type of passive water heating system, such as the use of solar energy.[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Technician Master Award
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Honors
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Skill Level 3
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Honors Introduced in 1938
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Vocational
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/General Conference
- Book:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Completed Honors


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- Cheap and effective distribution: Your platform reaches over 350 million players, more than all home consoles combined. A poor college student can release a half decent game and within a month, a million people will play it. Such reach is unheard of on almost any other platform.
- Robust technology: Graphics, animation, sound, video, physics and networking technology is freely available and works surprisingly well. You are building on one of the most accessible and robust multimedia platforms that has ever existed in the history of the world. Where other teams waste man months just getting a black triangle showing on the screen, you can have a working game up and running in hours.
- World class creative tools: Flash is fed by an art pipeline familiar to millions of artists that has been polished and tested over the past decade.
- Thousands of developers making stuff just for you: With a few simple API calls, you have the entire power of the web at your finger tips. Want to send emails, suck in friend lists from Facebook, access payment systems, or let people buy underpants emblazoned with your logo? It is all there waiting for you to piggyback atop.
- Immense creative opportunities: Flash is uniquely positioned to create social games, mobile games, location-based games, games that suck in databases, games that use video, games that use real-time audio, games that connect millions. The number of radical new game genres is primed to explode like no other time since the 80's. And you have all the tools necessary to drive the wave of game play innovation forward.
- Freedom: You can make whatever you want. Unlike developers of other platforms, there is minimal interference from traditional gate keepers such as big company politics, retailers or publishers. The Man doesn't own you, at least not yet.
- Chapter 2 - Making money: How do Flash developers currently make money.
- Chapter 3 - Generating value: How Flash developers currently create 'valuable' game for their players?
- Chapter 4 - Reaching customers: How developers currently reach their players.
- Chapter 5 - Premium Flash games as a service: A mental model for understanding the new world of web gaming.
- Direct: The game developer sells ads from a generic ad service on their personal website or portal.
- Game specific ad service: An ad service such as Mochi collects Flash ads that are typically placed in front of a game during loading.
- Site licenses: A portal pays a developer a fixed fee for a customized site locked version they hope will increase player retention.
- Sponsorship: A company pays a developer a fixed fee in order to direct customers from other portal to their portal in the hopes of capture those customer's lifetime ad revenue.
- Most Flash game developers have little financial cushion and live paycheck to paycheck.
- Flash game revenue is highly bursty due to a reliance on landing sponsorships upon release of their latest game.
- Be a full time student: This is the dominant category of Flash developers.
- Live in a socialist country: I'm looking at you, Scandinavians.
- Have (rich) family that will support you: I've met folks that do this but it is uncommon.
- Starve for your art: The Jason Rohrers of the world are also rather rare.
- Players have access to lots of games. Most of which are free. This is the reality of the market.
- However, at a certain point, they start playing your game.
- If you've created a great game, some players will fall in love. They will be in the thrall of your reward system and your in game value structures. At this point, they don't care that there are other games. They don't care that they are playing on a portal. All they care about is your game. Games create value through play.
- When a player is in love, money is no object. If you ask the player for cash in exchange for more value, they will often agree. It is a good exchange in their eyes: They give you a small bit of change and in return, they get proven, addictive experience that they love.
- Offer: Offer premium content
- Tell: Tell players about what they get if they pay you.
- Repeat: Repeat the first two steps until it clicks with the player.
- Accept payment: Get the money in your bank account.
Time gates | Players can play for some period of time and then they are locked out until until they pay. For example, players could play for 45 minutes - 1 hour (effective free trial times in the casual space) and then pay to play longer. |
Content gate | Players play an initial teaser portion of the game for free and then pay to unlock access to additional content. For example, players could pay to unlock all the levels in a game. This is how many shareware titles worked. |
Aesthetic items | Players purchase non-gameplay additions that increase their identity or status. For example, players could pay to give their character a cool outfit that they can show off to their friends. |
Abilities | Sell unique abilities that let players experience the game in a new way. For example, players could purchase new jumping boots that let them fly through levels in a way that let's them re-experience the game all over again. |
Bundles | Virtual items can be bundled together to create additional value. For example, if people love buying food for their virtual pet, let them buy a 10 pack of food for a 30% discount. |
Consumables | Some abilities can expire after a period of time or after a number of uses. For example, you could buy a potion that increases your strength, but you can drink from it 3 times. Also known as "item rentals." |
Subscriptions | If certain abilities or bonus are a valuable long term, consider charging a reoccurring fee. For example, you could offer extra storage for advanced players, but charge a monthly fee. |
Stackable subscriptions | If certain abilities are additive(such as an experience or currencies multiplier), let players buy multiples of the same thing. |
Rare items | Limit the number of items available so that players feel special when they purchase it. |
Time limited items | Offer some items for short periods of time so that players feels that they lucked out finding the product in time. |
Sale items | Set a standard pricing system for items and then offer some items for sale. This works great with time limited offers. Again, players love to get deals. |
Gifts | Players seek to maintain social bonds by gifting other players with items or abilities. |
Accelerators | Many games have a 'grind' that artificially lengthens the game. Players with little time are willing to purchase items that let them reduce or eliminate the time consuming activities in the game. |
Physical goods | T-shirts and other branded items |
- People who don't want to pay: Advertising is a good option to keep around. A few hundred bucks is still money in the bank.
- People who are interested in more of the same: Once you've established the value of your game, some players want more. Give them more levels, more puzzles, more enemies in exchange for cash.
- People who are interested in status or identity improvements: Some people see games as means of expression and identity. Give them items that let them express themselves or customize their experience.
- People who have limited time: Some people live busy lives and want to consume your game when they desire and how they desire. Cheat codes, experience multipliers and other systems that bypass the typical progression all help satisfying this customer need.
- Ensure the user sees the offer: Screenshots, feature lists, and evocative language should be placed clearly in front of the user. You want convey to the player the value, both practical and emotional that they will experience if they were to gain access to the premium content.
- Tie your offer of premium value to an explicit request for money. We live in a capitalist society so people understand the concept of buying something. Don't ask for a donation. Don't ask players to "give you what they feel like giving." People will think you are a charity case and in my experience your revenues will drop by 90% or more. Give the offer a specific price, be it $10 or 200 gold in your favorite virtual currency.
- Time the appearance of the offer. You can ask for money when players are caught up in the emotional moment of play. Which is more valuable to the player? A Pirates of the Caribbean T-shirt at the mall or a Pirates of the Caribbean T-shirt right after you walk off the Disney ride and are flush with excitement? Both your odds of buy the shirt and your pleasure in owning the shirt are greater when you buy it after the ride. Use game design to make players fall in love and in their moment of game playing passion, they will be willing to spend money.
- Prominently place the offer in high traffic areas of the game such as entry, save, in game store and exit screens.
- Email the user periodically to let them know about specials or sales. By asking them to read an email, you are costing them time, so make sure that what you offer is valuable and delightful or else you'll end up with angry customers.
- Margin: How much does the payment service take? The payment company is providing you with a service and deserves to be paid. However, you'll find that some companies take 10% and others take upwards of 75%. Companies pitch various bundled services such as storage or fraud protection as justification for their increased fees. Some companies will also share some of the margin with portals in return for them carrying the games. Shop around and be honest with the trade off you are making. Remember you'd need to get 5 times as much traffic to makes the same amount of money if you pick a service with a 50% margin vs a 10% margin.
- Processing fees: Most Flash payment systems are simply a repackaging of non-Flash payment services with a pretty UI and a bigger margin tacked on top. The existing payment services already takes a chunk of the user's money in the form of 'processing fees' Ask if the advertised payment company margin is inclusive or additional to the existing 'processing fees'. A 30% margin seems reasonable, until you realize that it is on top of an existing 50% margin for a mobile provider. I like to ask "If the customer pays $10 on their credit card or phone, how much cash ends up in my bank account?"
- White box or branded?: Some services like Super Rewards can be reskinned so that they are transparent to the end user. Until the player enters into the actual payment portion of the process, they feel like the stores and such are part of the game. Services like Noboba and MochiCoins are heavily branded with the payment company's logo. Their goal is to get the customer to invest their trust in them, the payment provider. The downside is that customers don't invest as much trust in you, the game developer.
- Customer registration?: In order to track customers and their purchases, you'll want a secure login system. Some payment services let you build your own. Others require you to use theirs so that they can control the primary relationship with the customer. Often these services will not release customer lists to the developer. This becomes a problem long term if you release multiple games and want to run cross promotions.
- Storage support: Once players purchase an item or feature, they'll want to have access to their stuff when they sign back in. This means your game will need online storage and a server back end. Some payment services offer this as part of the package, which is great for the common situation where the developer doesn't know much about back end programming.
- Lock-in: Do you have the ability to easily switch to another payment service? In general, the more comprehensive solutions with customer make it more difficult to switch. With some comprehensive services, capturing customers is more valuable than your money. You only provide cash for a single game, but a customer can be sold and resold dozens of times to dozens of games. Run far, far away from such companies since their best business interests are not aligned with your best interests.
- The call to action isn't clear. The offer is labled 'cheats' (not a positive connotation) and then crams lots of little detail in a tiny font at the bottom of the screen. I'm looking for a big 'buy now' button and some pretty pictures telling me all the lovely things I'll get. This is nowhere to be seen.
- The value of the offer is questionable. He gives 90+% of the game away for free, and lets you purchase a few miscellaneous features that most people don't need. A good rule of thumb when using a content gate is that your premium content should be seen as twice as valuable as the demo experience.
- Making purchasing difficult: In order to purchase, you need to manually type in a URL, find the right link to click on and then purchase. Is this necessary? Every step of the pipeline, you are going to lose large numbers of users. As much of the purchase flow should be within the game as possible.
- Charging too little. Dan charges $1.50 for his game and this is likely too little. Beware your natural tendency to undercharge. People who love your game are surprisingly price insensitive. For example, in the microtransaction-based MMO Domain of Heroes, prices range from "$0.99 to $349.99 and about 80% of the revenue comes from purchases at the $19.99 pricepoint." With a little price experimentation I suspect Dan could have increased his price to $5 or $10 and increased his overall revenues substancially.
- Bad reputation: Many Flash game developers are not in it for the money, but to be part of the indie community. The threat of a poor reputation can be frightening. The truth is that modest, self effacing developers that find financial success are worshiped like heroes. Just ask Colin of Fantastic Contraption how he was received at GDC. If you are worried about your reputation, stop starving yourself into hipness. Instead create great games and be generous to others. A good reputation follows naturally.
- Players complaining: So what if you end up being hated by a few kids that feel entitled to free stuff? It isn't the end of the world. Usually the money and thanks from delighted customers more than make up for a few sour grapes tossed about on dark and skanky corners of the Internet.
- Bad rankings: It is true that players will occasionally mark down paid games out of ignorance and spite. Luckily there is a solution. If you offer real value to customers in love with your game, your fan's rapturous applause will drown out whiners. Players, in aggregate, tend to forgive great games, even if they need to pay for them.
- Sponsors: Sponsors don't want the game they serve competing directly with their primary source of revenue, ads. If you can promote that your premium game results in better player engagement and repeat plays, most portals will happily take their cuts of the resulting ad revenue and leave you to monetize your customers. A smaller number will worry that your premium content will pollute their 'free' label. An even smaller number will be greedy and ask for a cut of your hard earned customer revenue. In the short term, you can ignore demanding portals. The market is highly fragmented (30,000 portals!) and no portal owns more than 5% of the players. At this point in the market, developers have the ability to walk away from the greedy minority. Suggest reasonable terms where portal keep their existing ad revenue and you keep all in game revenue. If they balk, leave the bastards to rot.
- Are you asking users for money?
- Are you telling users what they'll get if they pay you?
- Have you hooked up a payment system before you launch your game?
- Are you tapping multiple revenue streams that appeal to different types of users?
- Are you basing your design decisions on the behavior of people who make you money?
- Are you appropriately filtering the feedback of people who do not make you money?
- http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3924/wheres_the_cash_for_flash.php?page=1
- http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/GregMcClanahan/20090325/985/Nitpicking_Flash_Game_Summit.php
- http://www.gamepoetry.com/blog/2009/02/27/interview-with-kongregate-about-sponsorships/
- Puzzle Pirates Metrics: http://www.slideshare.net/capncleaver/metrics-for-a-brave-new-whirled?type=presentation
- Andy Moore interview on Fantastic Contraption: http://freelanceflashgames.com/news/2009/05/18/interview-with-andy-moore-manager-of-fantastic-contraption/
- http://evolutionlive.blogspot.com/2009/06/ten-ways-to-monetize-your-flash-game.html
- http://virtual-economy.org/blog/arpus_in_social_networks_and_s
- Ways of monetizing Flash games: http://www.heyzap.com/developers/guide
- http://www.flashgamesponsorship.com/advice/advice-from-industry-players/selling-premium-content-the-drunken-masters-experiment.html


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Geminid Meteor Shower
Meteor showers are times when you can see a lot of meteors in one night. There are several different meteor showers. Each meteor shower happens at the same time every year. There is a meteor shower in December every year. That one is called the Geminid meteor shower.
The best night to see Geminid meteors is usually December 14th. That night is called the "peak" of the meteor shower. You can usually see meteors from this shower for a few days before and after the peak night. If you are lucky, you might see more than 100 meteors in an hour on the peak night!
During a meteor shower, it looks like all of the meteors shoot outward from one place in the sky. That place is called the "radiant" of the meteor shower. Each shower has a different radiant. The radiant for the Geminid shower is in the constellation Gemini. That is why this shower is called the Geminid meteor shower.
Can you guess where meteors come from? Most meteors in meteor showers are actually dust from a comet! When a comet gets near the Sun and heats up, its ices melt and dust trapped in the ice escapes into space. The dust spreads out over the comet's orbit. When Earth crosses the comet's orbit, we run into the dust - and see a meteor shower!
The Geminids are a strange meteor shower. The meteors in the Geminids come from an object called 3200 Phaethon. Astronomers aren't sure whether 3200 Phaethon is a comet or an asteroid.


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Although dogs occasionally become infected with Brucella abortus, B suis, or B melitensis, these sporadic occurrences typically are closely associated with exposure to infected domestic livestock ( see Brucellosis in Large Animals Brucellosis in Large Animals ).
B canis is a cause of abortion at 45–55 days of gestation in kenneled dogs. Dogs are the only definitive host of this organism. Infection has caused a reduction of 75% in the number of pups weaned in some breeding kennels. The disease disseminates rapidly among closely confined dogs, especially at time of breeding or when abortions occur. Transmission occurs via ingestion of contaminated materials or venereal routes. Urine transmission has been reported but seems to be unusual. Both sexes appear to be equally susceptible.
Primary signs are abortion during the last trimester of pregnancy without premonitory signs, stillbirths, and conception failures. Prolonged vaginal discharge usually follows abortion. Abortions may occur during subsequent pregnancies. Infected dogs may develop generalized lymphadenitis and frequently epididymitis, periorchitis, and prostatitis. Spondylitis and uveitis are occasional complications. Bacteremia is frequent and persists for ~18 mo after exposure. Fever is not characteristic.
Diagnosis is based on isolation and identification of the causative agent or by serology. The organisms can usually be readily isolated from vaginal exudate, aborted pups, blood, milk, or semen of infected dogs. The most widely used serologic test is an agglutination test by a tube or slide method. Nonspecific agglutination reactions occur in some dogs. To eliminate nonspecific antibody reactions, the serum is treated with 2-mercaptoethanol and retested. An agar gel immunodiffusion test performed in some laboratories is quite specific. Other tests, such as immunofluorescence and ELISA, have been used sometimes.
Attempts at immunization have not been successful. Control is based on elimination or isolation of infected dogs identified by positive cultural or serologic tests at monthly intervals. Incidence of infection is much lower in kennels where dogs are caged individually. Longterm therapy, eg, with a combination regimen of streptomycin or gentamicin and tetracycline, has been successful in many cases. Neutering of infected dogs is sometimes an alternative to euthanasia.
Prevention of canine brucellosis is done by testing before entry and breeding. The disease is reportable in some states. B canis is zoonotic, although cases of human infection are rare and less severe than those caused by the smooth species of the genus. The true incidence is unknown. Diagnostic tests used for smooth species do not cross-react with those for rough species; this may result in a missed diagnosis. In addition, signs of B canis infections may resemble those of other diseases. Appropriate measures to prevent exposure should be taken.


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Featured on Louis Vuitton's first trunks, this crisscrossing pattern padded the insides of pieces. It's high time "malletage" was unpacked from the box.
This galon trim set in crossing diagonals has, since the beginnings of the House, padded
trunk interiors. This simple ingenuity fixed documents in their place regardless
of the twists and turns of traveling.
Leather goods
An ultra-graphical element, it leaves its creative mark,
resurfacing on this season's bags
as a reinvention of "malletage".
This pattern is also the perfect finish to clothing.
Embroidery, topstitching, trompe-l'oeil, the "malletage"
plays nice with all these effects.
Inside and out, the "malletage" pattern shows off and graces shoes, jewelry
and jewels in a crisscrossing of embellishment.
A long-standing code of Maison Louis Vuitton,
it inspires top architects and emblazons the shopfronts
of a few stores around the world,
the lights flashing through the openwork.


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Intel Core 2 Performance, Overclocking, Power Usage Review
The most anticipated CPU of the year is here! Intel has released the Core 2 which promises amazing performance at low watts. Does it live up to expectations? Find out in this review where we focus on overclocking, CPU scaling and power consumption.


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Motley Crue Returning to Las Vegas for Second Residency in Fall 2013
Back in February of 2012, Motley Crue broke new ground for the rock genre with a successful residency at The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. The 12-show run proved to be a huge success for the band, so much so in fact, that they are preparing to shower the Sin City with their signature brand of pure debauchery all over again with a return engagement.
The Crue have just revealed that they will be returning to the stage at The Joint for 12 more shows spanning Sept. 18 through Oct. 6. With their return, they'll bring along an updated production designed specifically for their second residency that promises a brand new show and surprises around every corner.
Bassist Nikki Sixx dropped (literally) a hint yesterday on April Fools' Day about the upcoming gigs, posting a photo of a bed that was allegedly tossed out of an 11th story window at the Hard Rock Hotel and tweeted a few select words that some savvy fans picked up on.
Sixx also commented further on the new residency with today's official announcement, saying, "We are proud to have pioneered the Las Vegas rock residency last year and can't wait to come back this year to take it over the top with a brand new show that will be unlike anything you've ever seen Motley Crue do before."
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Vice-President of entertainment Paul Davis is excited about the new venture as well, adding, "The guys had such a wild and successful run the first time around, I'm sure they will want to do everything bigger and better this time." He continued, "We are extremely excited to see what the band brings to The Joint and Vegas during their second residency."
Tickets for the Vegas run go on sale Wednesday (April 3) at 10AM PT with prices starting at $49.50. Visit Motley Crue's website for more detailed ticketing info.


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The City of Jenks allows the installation of any storm shelters or safe rooms that meet the standards of either FEMA P-320 or ICC-500. Some types of storm shelters and safe rooms require a permit from the City of Jenks before installation. A permit is required to ensure compliance of the location, construction, and installation with the local codes and the guidelines established by FEMA P-320 and/or ICC-500.
Yes. However, there are a few restrictions and considerations that must be examined with this type of shelter.
In homes located within the floodplain, FEMA P-320 requires that the safe room need only be elevated to the minimum lowest floor elevation identified by the floodplain ordinance of the community. If you are located in the floodplain within the City of Jenks and want to install this type of shelter, you must provide documentation that your home is elevated to this standard. Contact the City of Jenks for more information.
The best possible location for an in-ground safe room within a garage is in a no parking area. It is our recommendation that you place your safe room in such a way that it is unlikely that a vehicle would need to be moved to access the safe room.
Homes with a post-tension cable reinforcement system in the slab require an additional step in installation and an additional inspection. A post-tension slab has cables in the slab instead of traditional steel rebar. These cables are stressed to high levels of tension after the slab is poured and cured and provide support to the slab and protection from settlement of the foundation. The spacing of these cables is such that a safe room installed in a slab will require the removal of a portion of two to four cables typically. In order to protect the integrity of the cable system, cables that are cut must be re-stressed.
This process requires overcutting the slab on two sides of the intended installation area and installing hardware on the cut cables that will allow them to be re-stressed. A new section of concrete is then poured, allowed to cure, and the cables are then re-stressed. It is imperative that a homeowner with this type of slab contact a professional post-tension company, such as Stresscon or Oklahoma Post Tension, to perform this work. An inspection of this process is required and will be made by a City of Jenks inspector before new concrete is poured or a safe room placed in the ground. Homes with traditional rebar slab systems do not require this process or inspection, and a portion of the slab can be cut away for the installation of a safe room with minimal adverse effect to the foundation.
A permit can be issued to either the homeowner or the shelter/safe room company/contractor, but both parties will need to be involved with the permit process. The permit application requires information on construction, installation, zoning, and location. The City of Jenks permit processor may call the homeowner or shelter/safe room company to request more information.
Once a permit application has been turned in to the City of Jenks at Jenks City Hall at the following address it needs a minimum of three working days to process the permit:211 N Elm StreetJenks, OK 74037
This process may be delayed if more information is requested by the permit processors or due to an increased volume of applications. Once a permit is complete and ready to be issued, we will contact the person or company that has submitted the permit application.
Applications can be picked up in person at Jenks City Hall:211 N Elm StreetSecond FloorJenks, OK 74037
It can also be printed from the City of Jenks Protective Inspections page. Storm shelter and safe room permits are processed as a Residential Building Permit (PDF).
The City of Jenks requires a site plan for both outdoor and indoor shelter and safe room installations.
Outdoor shelters cannot be placed within the setbacks from property lines required by the zoning code, nor can they be installed within easements on the property, such as utility or drainage easements. These easements can typically be found on a copy of the mortgage plat, or by contacting the City of Jenks. The Jenks Zoning Code also requires that all shelters be placed in the rear yard of homes. The site plan for outdoor shelters must show property lines, the home, and the intended location of the shelter, with accurate dimensions from the shelter to the property lines and any easements related to your lot. This is usually accomplished by sketching the information onto a copy of the mortgage plat but can be drawn or printed on paper by the applicant as well.
Indoor safe rooms require a site plan showing the intended location and size or dimensions of the safe room, along with dimensions to the nearest walls on all sides. This information can be drawn onto a copy of construction blueprints or sketched accurately by the applicant on paper.
The City of Jenks recognizes that some of the legal and technical information that the permit requests might be confusing or unavailable to the homeowner. Our permit processors will help to acquire this information on any missing portions of the permit, with the understanding that this may delay the process slightly. Legal descriptions of your home can usually be acquired from a mortgage plat. Please work with your chosen shelter or safe room company/contractor to acquire as much information from them as possible. Some information, such as technical specifications, will need to be supplied by the shelter or safe room company.
Outdoor in-ground shelters require an inspection after the ground has been excavated, but before the shelter is placed. An additional inspection prior to digging may be requested to verify the shelter is out of all easements and setbacks. As with any outdoor digging, the contractor or homeowner should call OKIE to locate all utilities and buried lines.
Outdoor above ground shelters require a site inspection before placement to ensure zoning and easement requirements are met. An additional inspection will be required for any new foundation that is installed for the shelter.
Indoor in-ground safe rooms require an inspection if the slab has a post-tension cable system or if re-routing of plumbing lines or mechanical systems is performed.
Inspections requests should be called into Jenks City Hall at 918-299-5883. Requests may be made by the homeowners or the contractors. Many shelters and safe room companies require that the homeowners handle all permits and inspection requests. Homeowners should verify with the company or contractors who will be responsible for scheduling inspections.
Inspections are a necessary part of any construction process, to ensure that structures comply with construction and zoning codes. These codes are designed with the health and safety of both the community and individuals in mind. It is imperative that shelters and safe rooms are placed and installed properly. Failure to comply with the required inspections, zoning code, or building code is a punishable offense under local and state law.
The City of Jenks has created a registry of storm shelters and safe rooms within Jenks. This registry will be used by Emergency Responders in search and rescue operations if the need arises. We consider it very important that all shelter owners register so that their shelter or safe room and occupants can be located if the shelter or safe room was to be obstructed by debris. View the registration form online (PDF) or may be obtained at the Jenks Police Department. Please fill out the form and return it to the Jenks Police Department as directed on the form.
Inspection of any new foundation (if applicable) before pouring new concrete.


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INFORMATION ON THIS WEB SITE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY and although it is believed accurate at time of posting, there may be some inaccurate, and/or out-of-date material. 21st Mortgage Corporation may make improvement and/or changes in products and services at anytime without notice.
21st Mortgage Corporation makes no representations as to material found on Web Sites published by others which may be accessed through this site. Such information could be inaccurate, contain viruses, and present other problems for the user. 21st Mortgage Corporation will not be responsible even if notice of such had been received.
We respect the privacy of every customer. We strive to protect personal information and maintain customer trust.
(revised October 26, 2015)
We have prepared this policy to help you understand more about how we collect, use, and disclose information from web site visitors. This policy does not cover information that we collect about you outside of our normal web site services. This policy also does not cover information that you voluntarily make public.
What information do you collect about me?
The information that we collect about you generally falls into two categories, information that you provide and information that is automatically collected.
Information that you provide
You may provide information to us through our web sites that you visit. This information may consist of, but is not limited to, personal contact information (name, address, phone number, email address, user ID and password), requests for services, banking and financial information, information submitted with a credit application, bid information, quote requests and claim submission. We do not collect personal information about visitors to our web sites unless you choose to provide such information voluntarily.
Automatically collected information
When you visit our web sites we, and third party vendors that we may use, may automatically collect information from you that consists of, but is not limited to, IP address, connection information such as browser type and version, plug-in types and versions, operating system, length of visit to certain sites, demographic information, which of our web sites you visit and which web sites not affiliated with us that you visit in addition to other analytic tracking information.
How do you use this information?
Information that you provide is used for a variety of purposes including but not limited to contacting you, either by us or by an affiliated or non-affiliated third party, regarding services or information you have requested or to process payments or claims you have submitted. We may also use or share your contact information, which information may be enhanced or merged with data collected from other sources to the extent permitted by law, to tell you about information you might find useful or interesting regarding our products and services as well as the products and services of our affiliates or non-affiliated third parties.
Information that is automatically collected is used to optimize web site performance, retrieve user preferences, and ensure data integrity as well as to provide third parties with usage statistics in an aggregated form not identifying individual users. Automatically collected information is also used by third party vendors to help us with online tracking and to provide you with targeted display advertisements, also known as behavioral advertising, on other web sites that you visit. We and third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to provide you with these advertisements. The cookies that we and third party vendors such as Google use to provide you with ads based on your past visits to our web sites include both first party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) used together to report how the ad impressions and advertisements that you are provided and interact with are related to visits to our web sites. We do not track URLs that you type into your computer browser, but we do use cookies to track which websites you visit on the Internet after you leave our web site.
With whom do you share this information?
For information regarding our privacy policy, and with whom we share information that you provide, please review our privacy notice as linked above.
How do you protect the security of the information you store?
We store information on our servers to carry out the purposes described here. While we use reasonable security measures, we cannot guarantee that the Internet or your mobile device will be completely secure. Our intent is to maintain any data provided as confidential, however, information transmitted over the Internet cannot be guaranteed to remain confidential and we assume no responsibility for maintaining such information as confidential. We encourage you to take steps to protect yourself online, including ensuring that any online account information you have remains secure. For example, do not share your passwords with other people.
What are cookies?
When you visit our web sites, we, and third party vendors that we may use, may send one or more cookies to your computer or other device that uniquely identifies your browser. A cookie is a small file containing a string of characters that are stored as text files by your browser on your computer's hard drive. We use cookies to track web analytics information and session information including user trends and search preferences. The purposes for tracking include but are not limited to improving the quality of our services, storing and retrieving user preferences and providing you with advertisements that may be of interest to you as described above in Automatically collected information. Cookies collect anonymous information, both individually and in the aggregate, but do not collect personally identifiable information.
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You can set your browser to notify you before you receive cookies so you have a chance to accept the cookies, and you can set your browser to turn off cookies by updating your privacy settings in your browser. Please note that if you choose to reject or disable cookies, your access to certain areas of our web sites may be limited. You may opt out of the use of cookies used for remarketing purposes and behavioral advertising by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp. If you prefer not to have your IP address and corresponding geographic information collected for web site analytic purposes, you may download and install the Google Analytic Opt-out Browser Add-on which is available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/. You may also change your ad settings at http://www.google.com/settings/ads to control certain interest based ads.
If you provide your email address to opt in to receiving future commercial marketing emails from us and our affiliates, then we may send information to you about our products or services and the products and services of our affiliates. To opt out from receiving commercial marketing email communications from us, please click on the opt-out (unsubscribe) link in the message you receive from us.
What happens when this information collection and use policy changes?
From time to time we may change our information collection and use policy. The latest version of this policy will be posted here.
Who can I contact if I have questions regarding this web site use policy?
Questions regarding this web site information collection and use policy should be directed to us by writing to us at:21st Mortgage CorporationATTN: Compliance Department620 Market Street Suite 100Knoxville, TN 37902


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Characterisation of myocardial structure and function in adult-onset growth hormone deficiency using cardiac magnetic resonance.
Growth hormone (GH) can profoundly influence cardiac function. While GH excess causes well-defined cardiac pathology, fewer data are available regarding the more subtle cardiac changes seen in GH deficiency (GHD). This ...