text:
Multi-Touch Table – Cameras and LEDs
The next set of components I'd like to talk about work together as the "source" and "detector" for touch-based input collection. But before I get into the components themselves I'd like to talk a bit about how touch detection works on a DSI table. I shall do my best to keep this post a bit shorter than the last two!
DSI Explained
Diffused Surface Illumination (DSI) works, as many multi-touch technologies do, by utilizing an infrared (IR) light source and specially filtered cameras to detect "touches" on the table surface. How the light source is generated is one of the key factors that differentiate the various technologies used to build a table. Previously I had planned to use IR lasers to build an LLP table, but for most other builds (FTIR, Rear/Front DI, DSI) IR LEDs are typically used as the light source. Configuration of the LEDs will vary depending on the build type but for DSI you typically have a strip of LEDs that inject IR light into a specially made acrylic that reflects the light out of the top and bottom of the sheet. I have discussed this property before in an earlier post.
So, imagine if you will, that you can see IR light. If you were to lay down directly beneath an IR lit piece of specialty acrylic you would see a nice even illumination of the surface – it would "glow" with light. Since you are underneath the table you would only be seeing the light that was projected "downwards" from the surface of the table. The light that was reflected "upwards" would largely be invisible – or basically overwhelmed by the light shining directly downward. This is best illustrated with some pictures and since I don't have my table up yet and I didn't want to steal anyone else's images I have made some of my own to simulate how this would all look.
So this is what the table would look like through our "infrared vision" eyes (Pretend you are an Elf, or Half-Elf) when viewed from beneath:
If someone were to touch or place an object on the surface of the table some of the light that was shining upward and away from us would be reflected back down towards us. We would see this as a "brightening" of the area where the touch or object was placed. It might look something like this:
Now, for us Elves, this point is easy to see, but it's not so easy for a machine to see. It would be a lot better if we could process the image such that the "bright" points really stood out. Well we can. I'm going to horribly oversimplify the process but one of the key bits is called background subtraction. As you might guess from the name, this processing involves "removing" the static areas of the image. In our case this means we can "remove" the light exiting from the bottom of the table surface since it doesn't really change very much. By removing it, the lighted area of the table pretty much becomes "black". If we then collapse the image to pure black and white – literally just two colors, not shades of grey – then the entire area of our view becomes black. Now when we touch the surface the most intense areas of reflected light will become pure "white" and stand out clearly from the background. These white points can then be tracked as touches – shown below:
And there you have it. Once you can detect the touches you can send touch events, just like mouse events (click, double-click, move, etc.), to applications.
So to recap, DSI uses a combination of IR LEDs and a specially manufactured acrylic that redirects light injected from the edges out of the front and rear surfaces. Touches on the top of the surface reflect some of the IR light downwards causing a brightening of the touched areas that can be detected by Elfin eyes (or specially prepared cameras which I'll get to shortly). Got it? Good.
Lighting the Acrylic
Since the acrylic used in a DSI setup must be lit from the edge most people build or buy an LED strip. In order to achieve the required brightness you might need hundreds of LEDs – so I wasn't terribly motivated to build. Thankfully the folks over at Environmental Lights are kind enough to have already built a few strips just for this sort of thing. I ended up buying the High Brightness 5050 strip which provides
5 meters of surface-mounted LED goodness. If you decide to go this route remember to also buy a PSU for the reel. Imagine how annoying it would be to get this lovely little number only to realize you can't turn it on! You can bring your own PSU but make sure to adhere to the proper specs for voltage and current.
This light strip will be strung around the edge of the acrylic to provide the required illumination for touch detection. The LEDs in this strip produce light in the 850nm frequency range. This is important to know because you'll want to make sure your cameras can receive light in that range. I can assure you that these LEDs are indeed bright. While I personally do have the eyes of an Elf, I took the chance to fire up the cameras and turn the reel on as-is, without un-spooling it. Let me assure you, the reel lit up like a supernova! Guess what else? It also heated up like a supernova! In hindsight I cannot believe the level of stupidity it took to do this. It was only a minute or so before I could smell a faint burning and when I picked up the reel it was… intensely hot. I quickly pulled the plug and threw it in front of a fan to cool. Thankfully no damage was done (except maybe a shortening of LED life?) or at least no damage I can see. Learn from these mistakes people. I do these kinds of things so that you don't have to.
Do you See the Light!?
As Reverend Cleophus James once said to Jake and Elwood Blues – "Do you see the light?!?" Well, no, because it's beyond the visible spectrum. But, with the right kind of camera you won't have any problems. What kind of camera is the right kind? Well most modern digital camera sensors can pick up infrared and if you've ever seen One Night in Paris (harumph, harumph) then you know this to be true. Sony's Night-Shot mode is a great example of this but in practice most cameras put in a filter to block IR light and most camcorders aren't really well suited to building this kind of table. What we need is something that easily connects to a PC and can deliver streaming framerates of at least 30fps (and ideally something more like 60fps) at a decent resolution. It just so happens there's a really economical choice that perfectly fits these requirements – the Sony PS3 Eye.
Yeah that's right. In fact the PS3 Eye will drive up to 60fps at 640×480 resolution over it's USB interface when the proper drivers are installed. But in order to work for our purposes it requires some modifications. Namely removing the IR filter that prevents it from seeing anything outside the visible spectrum of light. There's plenty of guides covering this on the net if you look around, but just like the LED strips there are people selling ready-to-go PS3 Eye cameras with the IR filter of your choice pre-installed. Some will even attach an m12 lens mount allowing you to choose from a variety of focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto. I bought mine from Peau Productions. The m12 mounts also allow you control focus much better than the stock lens and focus has been found to be very important especially for fiducial recognition. Something else also matters for fiducial recognition – resolution.
Since I'm building a table with a wide aspect ratio (16:10) if I were to try and cover it with a single PS3 Eye (4:3) I'd end up giving up a good bit of resolution in the "vertical" dimension to cover the width of the table surface or I'd need to use a very wide-angle lens which tends to smear the image at the edges. Since I want as much resolution as possible this didn't seem like a great option.
Fortunately there is a very simple solution – buy more cameras. Recent updates to both the PS3 drivers and the camera processing software (more on that in later posts) allow for the outputs of multiple cameras to be combined into a single image. This is called "stitching". In order to maximize the resolution of my captured images and give myself the best chance for reading small fiducials and possibly even barcodes I'll be using a pair of cameras. At this point you begin to understand why having a fairly burly PC is required. If I am doing the math right (and I'm probably not) then for a single camera streaming a 2bpp (pure black and white) image there will be: 640*480*2bpp*60fps=36.8Mbps of data coming in. Add a second camera and you're looking at almost 74Mbps. This doesn't include any of the additional processing required for background removal and other image processing, blob detection and tracking, and object recognition. It should be noted that all of that processing needs to be completed in no more than 16.6ms per frame to maintain a 60fps framerate. Modern CPUs are pretty damn impressive, no?
Well, that covers pretty much all the raw components outside of the acrylic itself but I'm holding off on ordering that until I can get a mock-up assembled and verify all my measurements are correct. Next time up I'll be assembling the PC, and the mock-up frame. Until then be happy that this post is about 900 words less than the previous one. I know I am.
Multi-Touch Table – The Projector
Finally it's time to talk about the projector. Why devote a whole post to this one component of the table? Because picking your projector is the single most maddening, difficult, and long lasting choice you will ever make about any part of your table build. The projector is forever, Bitch!
Why is the projector so damn hard to choose? Because many of the choices here will dictate entire sections of the rest of your build – overall table size, overall table height, bounce mirror(s), and camera placement to name a few. Why does the projector choice affect all of these items? Two words – Throw Ratio.
Throw Ratio
Simply put, the "throw" of a projector is a measure of the distance from the projector lens to the projection surface. It's how far the image is being "thrown" onto the surface. The throw ratio of a projector is determined by taking the throw distance and dividing it by the projected image width. Projectors with large throw ratios will need to be further away from the screen to get a certain projected image size, projectors with small throw ratios (particularly those less than 1.0) are referred to as "short throw" or even "ultra short throw" and can often produce a 40-60″ diagonal image while being only 12-18″ away from the projection surface.
Why does it matter?
The simplest way to get a projected image onto a tabletop surface is to simply aim the projector straight up at the bottom of the surface. There's a catch with that though, what if you want the table surface to sit 25″ from the ground? Well, let's say you have a projector that's 10″ long from front to rear. If you take that projector and point it straight up at the bottom of the table the lens is probably going to be sitting about 12-13″ from the bottom of the surface (remember you need to leave room for the cables to go into the back so that the actual front to rear length of the projector is going to be closer to 12-13″ rather than the 10″ length of the projector itself) leaving you with 12-13″ of "throw" to the bottom of the tabletop. Let's say you want a 45″ 16:10 diagonal image – to get that in this setup you'd need a projector with a throw ratio around 0.31 – 0.32. This is because a 45″ 16:10 image is about 38″ wide. 12″/38″ (Throw/Width) = 0.3157. This is a pretty short throw projector! Well that's great you say, you know the throw ratio you need, now just go find a projector with that ratio and you're done! Well, no, not exactly. You also need to worry about the offset of the projector.
The offset of a projector is a measure of the distance between a line shot straight out of the center of the lens and the actual bottom (or top if you're talking ceiling mounted) of the projected image. This is really hard to show without an image so thankfully the nice people over at InFocus have gone and made one that I will now share with you here. That doc does a far better job explaining offset in a few pictures than I ever could in words. Here's the important takeaway – a projector with a zero offset means the image is evenly split in height around the center of the lens. This would be great for just pointing it straight up – center it in the table and go. Only slightly less good than an offset of zero is any offset less than or up to 100. With an offset of 100 you just center the projector width-wise and place the center of the lens aligned to the bottom (or top) of the projection area and you're good. This works because most tables have a lip of some kind typically a few inches wide and most projectors are only 3-4″ tall, so you can easily "hide" the 2″ or so the projector sticks out past the projection inside the table. Problems arise as the offset increases and in almost every case it will be greater than 100. This means if you just point the projector straight up the distance it has to be offset from the actual projection area gets larger and larger and soon the entire projector will need to be placed "outside" your table enclosure to get any kind of image within your desired projection area. Now we have two problems to deal with – throw, and offset – so how do you deal with them?
I've already spoken about mirrors in a previous post and I'm just too lazy to link to it here but you can find it if you poke around. Mirrors can do two things for you – increase your throw distance and/or correct for an offset angle. So great, just tear the bathroom mirror off the wall and you're set, right? No, not at all really. Most of the mirrors we deal with in daily life are what's called second surface mirrors. This means the actual reflective surface is placed behind some kind of clear protective layer – typically glass, but often times acrylic. The reflective layer is typically very thin and fragile so putting it behind something makes a lot of sense – it allows you to clean the mirror without rubbing off the very thing that makes it a mirror!
A problem arises though if you try to use a second surface mirror as a way to collapse a projector's throw distance. You get ghosting. This is maybe best explained by thinking about the old rear view mirrors in cars (not the fancy electrochromic auto-dimming ones we have today) that had that little lever on the bottom for "night driving mode". These mirrors worked by exploiting the fact that the front surface of the transparent layer of the mirror ALSO acts like a mirror it's just way less good at reflecting (meaning it's less bright) so you typically can't see it. The fact that it's less bright is a good thing for a rear view mirror but this effect – when sitting a few inches away from a 2500 lumen projector is pretty noticeable. So what you get is a reflected image from the rear of the mirror, and a second "ghost" reflection from the front of the mirror. There's an easy (but not cheap) way to solve this and that's to use a… wait for it… First surface mirror.
A first surface mirror, as the name would imply, moves the reflective layer up to the front of the mirror substrate. This way there can be only one (!!!) reflection since the image never passes through to the back of the substrate and is only reflected off the "first" surface. The problem with first surface mirrors is that they are really expensive and also really fragile in the sense that it's easy to damage the reflective layer, not that they are more prone to breaking – thought hey do tend to be pretty thin. First surface mirrors are used a lot for guiding lasers and hence tend to require really strict optical properties which the dumb-ass like me who just wants to bounce a projected image around has to pay for. There are some cheaper variants around but quality really can vary so be sure of the product before you buy.
All that being said – for just futzing around and general "aiming" of your image a second surface mirror can and will work. I plan to do some rough planning and design with a cheap IKEA acrylic mirror before dropping the cash on a good first surface mirror. Yes there will be ghosting, but you can scratch and scrape that cheap mirror without much worry during the early stages of a build and not cry about wrecking it.
As you can guess – if the offset of my projector is too much (and I am confidant it will be) I plan to use a single mirror to adjust and bounce the image properly to my screen. There may be some challenges to this but hopefully less than the original two-mirror bounce I was planning on the previous table build. The more mirrors you add the harder it becomes to solve for the right angles at all points.
Are We Ready to Buy a Projector Yet?
Well, no. So we're already worried about throw ratios, lens offset, mirrors and angles – what else can there be? In addition to those items you also need to decide on the projector brightness (which is further impacted by your choice of projection material, the thickness of your acrylic "sandwich", the expected brightness of the area the table will be used in, etc.) which is measured in lumens, the resolution and aspect ratio of the projector, the actual projection technology (LCD, DLP), the cooling and airflow, the available inputs and outputs, and even the overall size and weight. And let's not forget flat out COST too. Oh and then there's optical zoom, lens shift, keystone correction, networked/serial/remote control options, and probably about 20 other potential pluses and minuses to consider. Now you begin to understand why this one piece of technology can be a f$%king nightmare to decide on.
Ok, Are We Ready to Buy One Now??
Yeah, sure. I'm sure you're thinking, armed with all this knowledge, that I spent days upon days planning, searching, and optimizing every aspect of my projector choice… nope. Here's the reality – you do need to be aware of all the factors involved in your choice but when it comes down to it, you'll have a budget, and you'll go to some of the big projector reseller sites on the net and you'll filter on price, then you'll filter a bit more, maybe for projectors with a short throw, and then projectors with the resolution you want, and then you'll have like 5-6 choices. NONE of those choices will be the projector you want. The projector you WANT is going to start somewhere around 5x your budget and it will be 3x larger in size than your table design can accommodate. But you'll have your 5-6 choices and now you need to start doing your homework. Pick the "best" of those choices. Hooray, you're a winner!
The good news is that you are not the first person to try and build one of these tables and there are places you can go to see what projectors other people have used. The NUI Group forums are a great place to do this. However, if you are a dumb-ass like me you'll avoid that completely and try a brand new, just released, totally untested projector. Which brings me to…
The Dell S300 Projector
FINALLY! This is what I bought.
The Dell S300 is pretty damn new. It wasn't even shipping from Dell when I ordered it but the specs all seem pretty good and the price was what made me willing to take the risk of buying it. The S300 is a short-throw, 1280×800 (16:10) DLP projector. It supports both digital and analog inputs as well as network and/or serial control. The light output can reach 2200 lumens and it even has support for 3D. Typically a short-throw projector with this resolution and feature set would cost over $1000, probably closer to $1500 (and many still do), but the S300 can be had for a mere $899! It's almost enough to make you think that it's LESS than $900!! Seriously though, $899 is not a bad price so I went for it.
The projector is both light and small which should help with placing it. The throw ratio is right around 0.51 meaning I can get a 45″ diagonal image (my desired size) with the projector only about 19-20″ from the screen. The catch here is that the smallest image the projector does is 44.6″ diagonal. Why is that bad? Because it's really damn close to 45″ and if I'm off just a bit the projector won't be able to focus the image. The throw distance between a 44.4″ image and a 45″ image is going to be a fraction of an inch but the complete and utter madness of wondering why the image is just never quite focused properly and tweaking it (accidentally moving the projector 1/8″) and then trying to re-focus and seeing the image too big… it's going to suck.
The projector sports a pretty significant array of connections which I hope to use to control it from the PC. This way when you power on the PC it will them power on the projector, and when you shut it down, it'll power it off. It's a small thing but it's a nice feature to have rather than trying to rig up some physical or purely electrical way to do the same thing.
In my rigorous and extensive testing (playing XBOX360 games through the HDMI port) the S300 looks and works quite well. I am able to get something around an 8′ – 10′ diagonal image with the projector around 3-4′ from the screen (wall). There is no tearing or ghosting that I have noticed (in both Left4Dead and Left4Dead 2) but that might be related to the fact that I'm just thrilled as hell to have an 8′ gaming screen.
I'm not going to say that my "testing" hasn't had any effect of delaying the build of the table. I'm just going to let you figure that out by yourself. Go ahead, figure it out, I'll wait.
So why is this a really dumb thing to do? Because I still don't know what the real offset of the projector is. It's not really addressed in the manual and I have not yet tried to measure it out myself. Either way, while the throw really is short, it's not so short that I can just stand it on end and have the image size I want within the table height that I want. So I will almost certainly have a mirror in play. But depending on the offset adding that mirror might be really easy, or it might be incredibly frustrating – I simply don't know yet.
I might be the first person to try a table build with this projector so there's no one else's experience to draw from. There is no reference design for these tables. That's part of the fun, but it's also part of the risk. I may have dropped $900 on a projector that won't actually do what I want/need it to do. I might get it aimed and bounced perfectly but find it's not bright enough, or too bright. But this is what hacking things like this table is about – picking the best parts from what you can afford and then finding a solution to the engineering challenges that arise from those choices. I'm sure I can make this thing work, I just can't tell you exactly how yet.
Next time I'll cover some of the other parts I already have that are key to the working of the table. I'll also try to make a post that's less than 2500 words. Even I'm getting sick of reading this post at this point. Until next time…
Multi-Touch Table – The PC
I was hoping to cover the projector selection in the first of these deep dives but as luck would have it the photos I took of it came out poorly focused for some reason and I've already re-connected everything and just don't feel like tearing it apart right now to get new pics. So for now I bring you "The PC"!
As stated before this is the heart of the system, it reads the camera images, detects touches, runs the applications (the whole point!), and sends the images to the projector. If you want a responsive table then it follows that you want a responsive PC running it. This isn't the place to skimp or cut corners but that doesn't mean you can't shop smart. I'll try to point out the places I went "high" and places I went "low" which might help you make some budget decisions for your own build. Strap-in cause this is likely to be a long post.
I should say that I had an initial goal of spending no more than $1200 for PC components. I ended up going over this amount. The total cost of the PC components with shipping was $1331.52. Some of that increase was due to cheaper components I wanted being out of stock and me being unwilling to wait for them but all in all I think I came pretty close to the target while still getting a lot for my money. Read on for a rundown of the component listing and some hopefully useful insight into the selection process. Component pricing can be found on the Cost Tally page here and linked to in the upper right corner of the blog.
Intel Core i7-860 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
This is certainly one of those points where you can make trade-offs to save money. I could have gone with an i5 and saved a little, I could have gone with a higher-end i7 and spent a little more. In the end I felt the best choice was somewhere in the mid-ground. I initially wanted to go with a higher-end i7 which would have been on the LGA 1366 socket (supporting 3 channels of RAM). While prices for the processors were only 10's of dollars apart the implication of using the LGA 1366 socket would be felt in motherboard selection – LGA1366 motherboards are measurably more costly than LGA 1156 (2 channels of RAM). In this case I felt the drop in memory bandwidth would be acceptable and that overall performance would not be significantly impacted – at least not enough to justify the additional cost.
The Core i7-860 is a quad-core processor with hyper-threading so it shows up as 8-cores under the OS. I really wanted a quad-core in this instance because I plan to stitch two cameras together for touch detection and I want to keep things highly responsive. Having multiple cores means I can run the camera processing and the actual touch applications each on dedicated cores (I can script them to start with core affinity if need be) removing the bottleneck of multi-tasking on a single, or dual core CPU. I won't cover the advanced functions and capabilities of the CPU like dynamic power management and turbo-boost (K.I.T.T.!) as those have already been well handled by far more reputable sources than I. Needless to say Intel has a winner with this CPU and now I do too.
ASUS P7P55D LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX
I really like Asus motherboards. I've probably built over a dozen PCs (well over most likely, I stopped counting) and I do not think an Asus board has ever failed me – and trust me, many of the mobos along the way HAVE failed me. This board is one of an extensive family of LGA 1156 boards in the P7P55D line sporting a wide array of features.
You can spend as much or as little as you want on the various models, but I chose to stick with the base model. This is a case where my CPU choice allowed me to save money on this item. Even in base trim this is a solid Core i5/i7 mobo. All I really cared about is that it had an x16 PCIe slot, plenty of USB, and at least one firewire port. Everything else is going to be pretty much standard these days – embedded 1Gb NIC, SATA 3Gbs, onboard audio, etc. My only complaint is that I would have liked the physical size of the board to be a bit smaller but it shouldn't end up being a huge issue going forward. Not much more to say here other than go team Asus!
Corsair XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
I wanted to have plenty of RAM for this build. If I had gone with an LGA 1366 CPU I'd have gone with 6GB of RAM (3x2GB) but since I went with the dual-channel LGA 1156 I decided that 4GB wasn't enough and went up to 8GB. I did buy the fastest memory the motherboard would support – 1600Mhz – to insure I got the most out of both channels. RAM prices have surged up recently so going for 8GB was a costly move but I think it will be rewarded in practice when running the multiple applications and services required for doing multi-touch systems.
Video Card
ASUS CuCore Series EAH5770 CuCore/2DI/1GD5 Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5
Ahhh yes, the video card. This is the place where you truly can spend as much as you want – but probably don't need to spend a whole lot. The recent models from both AMD/ATI and nVidia pack amazing amounts of graphical processing power into amazingly cheap cards.
Right now AMD/ATI is on top for price/performance so I knew that's where I was going to start looking. I wanted DirectX 11 support (don't ask why, I just did) and I wanted an HDMI port since I knew my projector was going to have one (the only digital port on it). Performance-wise I knew I didn't need the top-end but I wanted something capable that didn't make huge sacrifices to meet a price point. After doing a bit of homework I decided the Radeon 5770 was a good choice. I chose an Asus implementation of the card mostly because of the huge callout on the packaging detailing the large weight of the card's "Copper Rod" – any card that goes swinging it's big rod around at all the other cards is the one for me. Needless to say the card has been fully inserted into it's "slot" on the motherboard. Plus it's 11% "cooler"… than something. So if the other 5770 cards are cool, this one goes to 11.
The 5770 is clocked at 850Mhz and sports 800 stream processors, the 1GB of RAM runs at an effective clock rate of 1200Mhz. Most of the specs are similar to the MUCH higher priced 5870 except the stream processors are cut in half. My feeling is that the extra processing power will not be missed as the table is only running at 1280×800 resolution. This card can drive even the most modern and demanding video games at 60-90fps at 1920×1280 with all the goodies turned on. I just intend to move a few 3D objects around and probably won't even be doing multi-texturing or tessellation. It does support video acceleration which is important and will probably be the most utilized feature on the card. Bottom line – 70-80% of the performance of more expensive cards (in my use case) for less than half the price.
Mushkin Enhanced Io 64GB 2.5″ 64GB SATA II MLC SSD
It's important to keep in mind that this is a task-focused machine. It's not going to be my general purpose PC, it's meant to do a few things well. In light of that I wasn't looking for tons of storage. I have no plans to store a video library or my MP3 collection on here. I just want an OS, and a few core applications and most importantly I want them to load FAST.
This meant getting a Solid State Disk (SSD). SSD's are certainly the future of storage (or at least some form of hybrid of SSD and spinning rust will be) and typically blow any mechanical drive out of the water when it comes to sustained read/write speeds, seek times (approaching 0ms), and IOPS. But there's a catch – SSDs are expensive, really expensive. Again this is where being willing to accept some limitations will pay off – break the mindset that you need 5TB of storage in your PC, if all you need is an OS and a handful of supporting apps even 20GB can be enough space. I know this because at work we do far more, with far less space on a daily basis and somehow we run a $60B company with it.
Mushkin may not be a well known name to some of you, but they are probably best known for their enthusiast RAM – before there was Patriot, OCZ, and Corsair, there was Mushkin. If you wanted to overclock your old BX440-based motherboard (PII-PIII era legendary chipset) and you wanted it stable you bought Mushkin RAM. Mushkin's tech support would actually HELP you overclock where others would void your warranty. They replaced RAM that didn't overclock well, and one time when I had a bad DIMM before replacing it the tech asked "Is your PC ok?" – he was actually concerned that the RAM may have damaged the other components. This made me a rabid Mushkin fan back in the day. That being said – Mushkin wasn't my first choice for this SSD :) Not because of anything they did wrong, just because of cost. But after cycling through two other models that both went out of stock before I could order I settled on this drive from Mushkin. It's basically using the same stock build as all other Indilinx barefoot controller drives and I expect similar performance and reliability. It does support the TRIM command under Windows 7 which was another requirement.
In practice the thing is fast – apps launch instantly, seriously. It's also F'in TINY and totally silent (obviously) which is a little odd at first. Another benefit of SSDs is that they are mostly immune to mechanical shock – vibration/bumps/drops don't affect them like standard hard disks – I figured this was a desirable trait in a table that might get nudged, kicked, and moved around alot.
CORSAIR CMPSU-650HX 650W ATX12V v2.2
I knew early on that I wanted a modular PSU to reduce cable clutter as much as possible on the build. I also knew this would increase the cost but it's a worthwhile tradeoff and some of the previous decisions had freed up enough savings to compensate for it (mostly).
I had used Corsair modular PSUs for a number of previous builds and have been very happy with them. They use flat, black ribbon-type cabling that makes for neat and tidy routing and a clean appearance. I was looking for something in the 500-550W range and for whatever reason I just couldn't find a Corsair model in that range that also had modular cabling – despite knowing that I owned one previously (suppose I could have cannibalized it). Anyway I ended up getting a 650W variant of their HX line. Yes it cost more money and yes between this and the SSD I blew my budget – but not all that bad. I don't intend to put the PC portion of the table into a "case" in the traditional sense so mounting the PSU should be interesting. I'd like to have the exhaust fan exit through the table shell but if that doesn't work I can always duct to it.
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
While Windows XP is certainly an option for a table build, in order to utilize all the RAM I had bought I'd have needed the 64-bit version of it and the 64-bit version of XP was never fully baked in my mind. That left Vista, or Windows 7.
Windows 7 actually has native support for multi-touch input and I want to play with it at some point but most importantly it's a fairly solid OS with good 64-bit support and is also SSD aware (they do require some special handling). There really was only one option here and I do believe (mostly) in the fact that you should be buying an actual OS license for any PC you build. I also believe you should hit up your niece, nephew, or cousin who's still in college to hit the college book store and buy you the academic version that's 50% less than what you'd pay online or at retail – but hey, at least you're still buying it (that works for Office and Photoshop too BTW). NewEgg sells an OEM version of Win7 and that's what I went for. No real surprises or wisdom here.
So What's Missing?
Well, a case for one. But as I stated previously I don't intend to case this build. I have an old case with a removable motherboard tray and I plan to utilize that as the base of the build. I'll have pics of that up before too long.
Also, there's no optical storage. I have about 30 CD/DVD drives to choose from, I'm just going to reuse one. In practice I don't even know that the table needs one, but it might be nice to have. Even a USB device is an option here for when it's needed.
I didn't add a sound card because, for the tasks I plan to do, the integrated audio chipset will do just fine.
I also plan to add a bluetooth radio, RFID reader, 20,000-in-1 media reader (or whatever they're up to now), and possibly a barcode scanner at a later point. For now I just want to touch the stupid thing and make waves in water or draw bad finger art. Once I have that mastered I'll move on to device integration and proximity awareness.
That's all for now. I'll try to cover the projector next.
Multi-Touch Table – The Parts List
For the last build I did a run-down of the overall parts list (found here) and for the new build I think it'll be valuable to do the same as there are a few key differences. I think it might be surprising to see just how many off-the-shelf parts can be used in these builds. Future posts will go into greater detail on some of these items – particularly the computer and the projector.
Going from "top to bottom" the parts list for a DSI-based table goes like this:
- Projection layer/Touch surface – sits on top of everything and allows a projected image to be displayed
- DSI material – Some form of "end lighted" acrylic – it goes by various brand names (Endlighten being the most well known) but all exhibit the property that light entering from the edges of the material will be directed/reflected out of the face(s) of the material
- Infrared (IR) light source – In the case of a DSI build this typically means some kind of string of IR LEDs. I'll be looking at a 5M reel of LEDs – totally beats making it yourself. This reel of LEDs will be wrapped around the edge of the DSI material.
- Mirrors – used to extend the throw length of the projector or to alter the path of it's projection cone – might or might not need one of these in this build
- Projector – Magic image making machine!! Too much to talk about here, look for a future post.
- Camera(s) – These need to be filtered to pass only IR light, and more specifically only a certain frequency of IR light typically either 780nm or 850nm though sometimes higher frequencies are used.
- Computer – The heart of the system – performance matters.
- Framing and other construction materials – I'm still hoping to use T-slot aluminum extrusions for this but I'll probably get some 1×1's to build a mock-up design first
So what matters here? What's different from the last build? Mostly the first 3 items.
First off, the projection layer – DSI materials are transparent, otherwise it'd be hard to get any of that light sent in from the edges out the faces, so they require a separate projection layer to show an image. This should sit on top of the DSI layer to keep the projected image as close as possible to the users fingers. This avoids the strange sensation of feeling "separated" from the interface and the frustration of having an "offset" between where touches are registered and where they appear to be displayed. This sensation is more exaggerated the greater the viewing angle gets. All this means is that this layer should be as thin as possible. Typical thicknesses are 3mm-5mm.
Next the DSI layer – This is the key to making the whole system work and is the defining trait of this kind of multi-touch build. I've covered it's properties several times already so I'll skip that for now. What's important to note here is that this layer is the load-bearing part of the tabletop itself – it's thick. It needs to be, so that you can get a lot of light into it from the sides which will come from…
Infrared LEDs – The lighting is now LED-based rather than laser-based. This is safer, first off, but it is more costly. This whole setup is more costly though so you're either bought into that or not. You can certainly save some cash by buying a lot of high-powered IR LEDs and wiring them all up yourself but unless you're really good at that kind of thing (I'm passably good but I'm also really lazy) it's probably worth it to just buy something ready made that you know will work. A key difference is that rather than having a light plane above the table surface (where the LLP gets it's name) the light plane technically IS the table and the IR is directly injected into it. You can make an LED Light Plane table (LED-LP) that works much like the LLP tables but my take on those are that you get the worst of both worlds – the cost of a DSI or FTIR table (lots of LEDs), and no fiducial recognition.
So that's what I need to buy, well, technically I've already bought a good bit of it and that's what I'll talk about next time. I'm going to cover the major components and the thought process that went into buying them.
Till next time…
New Technology Selection – DSI
There are several core technologies available to build a multi-touch device – Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR), Diffused Illumination (DI), Laser Light Plane (LLP), and Diffused Surface Illumination (DSI) are among the most popular.
Previously I had intended to build my table based upon LLP technology as this was the most cost effective of the solutions and despite requiring a little extra TLC and setup provided very strong illumination and finger tracking. However, there are a few downsides to the technology, not the least of which is the chance of blinding yourself (no, really) with a powerful laser that doesn't emit any visible light. This means you won't realize you're in trouble until it's probably too late. The warning "Do not stare into laser with remaining eye" is ever so relevant here. If you're careful you have nothing to fear but this is a concern. Another is that there's no really good way to do fiducial (object) tracking with LLP. Some ideas were put forward but most are experimental and there is little software support for such a setup. Since I wanted to be able to track fiducials this was a negative, but I figured I'd get the table built first and then deal with this shortcoming later on.
Well, as my previous post pointed out, I'm starting a new build and with that new start comes a new technology choice as the basis for the build – DSI.
DSI utilizes a special acrylic with tiny micro-mirrors embedded throughout the entire surface that cause light injected into the edges of the material to be redirected out of the front and rear faces of the material. A simple writeup of the technology can be found on the NUI Group Wiki here. As you would expect a material that exhibits these kinds of properties doesn't come cheap which is what put it out of reach on my previous build. With a larger budget this time around DSI has become a viable option. Given proper infrared illumination DSI provides solid finger tracking without the occlusion concerns of LLP and, most important of all, DSI provides a good basis for fiducial recognition and tracking.
Once I get a bit more design work out of the way I'll be ordering the materials for this part (the actual surface of the table) – but for now I still have a PC to finish building and a projector to play with.


text:
CCIE Service Provider v4.1 Exam Review
Topic: MPLS L3VPN
This course is intended for those in the final stages of their CCIE studies who are preparing to take their CCIE Service Provider Lab Exam. There are no formal prerequisites, but viewers should have a foundational understanding of each of the blueprint technologies covered in this exam. For those preparing with INE's other training material, you'll want to have completed the INE's CCIE Service Provider Advanced Technologies course. You will also need a working knowledge of Cisco's IOS interface. Not only will you refine your skills and expand your knowledge of the blueprint technologies, you will also learn to change the way you think about problems and how to derive solutions. In addition to helping you pass your exam, this course will give you real-world practical knowledge to carry you past the CCIE lab and into everyday applications that you'll use as a CCIE in the field.
1Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 1
2Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 2
3Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 3
4Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 4
5Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 5
6Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 6
7Intra-AS L3VPN :: Part 7
8Inter-AS L3VPN :: Part 1
9Inter-AS L3VPN :: Part 2

subset: commoncrawl


text:
VANCOUVER -- CP Rail says it was more than fair to give gardeners a month to remove items and plants encroaching the Arbutus Corridor and will now take the next step to clear the land.
But community gardeners along the 11-kilometre strip of land adjacent to the non-operational rail line argue they weren't given enough time and add it's "punishing" not to be able to finish out this growing season, especially since the rail company has never objected to the gardens in the past.
Although the Aug. 1 deadline has passed, community gardens along the corridor still have sheds and plantings on the land, said CP spokesperson Breanne Feigel Tuesday.
"What we're doing is working to return the tracks to operating standards. We needed to ask to have any items that were encroaching be removed so we can safely operate trains," she said.
"We need our entire right-of-way. CP Rail crew have started to identify what needs to be removed. We've let people know and gave them a month to remove the encroachment. Since April we've been communicating to residents this was going to occur and we're at a point now where we need to remove (their) property. Unfortunately, this is the next step."
The city has 350 permitted garden plots, some of which have been operating for decades along the Arbutus Corridor, which stretches from the Fraser almost to False Creek.
George Pinch, who has been gardening with the Arbutus Victory Garden since it started in the 1980s, said his plot is about five to six feet into CP Rail land.
"My raspberry patch is definitely encroaching and a portion of my veggie garden. I had a hazelnut tree (on CP land) but I sawed that down one week ago. I planted it 10 years ago. I didn't want to (remove it) but I figured they were going to take it down anyways," he said.
"None of us (in the community garden) thought the deadline was fair. It was the beginning of August when we would be realizing the fruits of our labour. We all know it's their land but it was a little brutal."
He said a more fair deadline would have been in September or October to allow gardeners a chance to gather the beets, potatoes, lettuce and other plants now coming through.
"It would have been much kinder but we all believe they (CP Rail) are trying to force the city to come up with the money they are wanting for the land."
Sources familiar with the negotiations say the city has offered $20 million to buy the land from CP Rail but the company wants $80 million. Neither the city nor CP Rail would confirm the price being sought or offered for the land.
Maureen Ryan, a spokesperson for the Cypress and Maple Community Gardens, said both gardens were established decades ago and for years coexisted with CP trains until they stopped running nearly 14 years ago. She said when the trains were running, CP rail was fine with the gardens being 20 feet from the centre of the track but now they want to assert 33 feet right of way on both sides of the track.
She said over the years, the gardens have encroached and about one-third of their veggie gardens are on CP lands.
The club's water line is on CP lands, added Ryan, and it's having trouble finding volunteers able to move the line.
"If we knew in the spring, when we have a work party, we would have been able to move it then. But finding people in the heat of August is punishing," she said, adding many members are away on holiday.
Pine Street Community Garden spokesperson Verena Foxx said their club — on 6th Avenue between Burrard and Fir — is one of the youngest along the corridor, having been operating for about seven years.
"We've definitely encroached but we've looked after that area and made it functional," she said.
"Our main issue with CP was to let us continue to the end of this gardening season. We're just carrying on and hope to harvest our product this season and then we'll be adjusting our gardens."
Foxx said the club asked CP if it would extend the deadline but didn't get any response.
"They're not being very neighbourly about it."
Click here to report a typo or visit vancouversun.com/typo.
Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. CLICK HERE or go to vancouversun.com/moretothestory


text:
Enjoy Milk Breaks During June, National Dairy Month
By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
"Mom, milk break is done this week at school, so I will need something to drink and 24 birthday treats to share with everyone because my birthday is in the summer. Why does my birthday have to be in the summer, anyway?" my 8-year-old daughter exclaimed.
I think she delivered all this "end of the school year" and "don't forget my birthday" information in one breath.
"Sure, we can buy a snack for an early birthday party at school," I replied.
"We can have milk breaks at home, too," I added. "Did you know that a cow drinks 30 to 50 gallons of water a day? That would fill a very large bathtub."
She looked at me and asked: "Why didn't you tell my classmates that interesting information when you visited my class?"
"I didn't think of it. Did you know a cow produces enough milk to fill six gallon-sized jugs a day?" I queried.
"OK, that's nice. Remember, I need 24 birthday snacks," she reminded me.
I guess she was tired of hearing cow trivia, but I was having fun pestering her with questions.
"I have a joke, too. What do you call cheese that isn't yours?" I asked.
She shook her head but looked at me intently. I could almost hear her thinking: "This had better be good."
"Nacho cheese," I replied.
She must have liked the joke because she immediately repeated it to her older sister.
Although the school year is over, milk breaks make good sense for growing children and health-conscious adults. If not a milk break, how about a mozzarella cheese stick break or a yogurt parfait break this summer?
Children and adults benefit from the protein, vitamins and minerals found in milk and other dairy products. Dairy products are notable sources of calcium and most also provide vitamin D. About 60 percent of preteens and 70 percent of teens do not meet the calcium recommendations needed to grow and maintain strong bones.
Most teens, older children and adults need at least 3 cups of milk or the equivalent daily. Children ages 4 to 8 need about 2.5 cups, and children ages 2 to 3 need 2 cups. One cup of yogurt and 1.5 ounces of natural cheese each count as 1 cup of milk.
During June, National Dairy Month, consider these tips:
- Drink low-fat (1 percent milk) or fat-free (skim) milk. The calcium content is about the same regardless of the type of milk. The only difference is in the amount of fat and calories.
- Top your cereal with low-fat or fat-free milk. Add a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt to a baked potato.
- Choose cheese with less fat by looking for "reduced fat" or "low fat" on the label.
- Save calories by swapping fat-free evaporated milk for cream and ricotta cheese as a substitute for cream cheese. Cream cheese, cream and butter do not count toward to the dairy group recommendations.
- Be cautious about flavored milks, puddings and frozen yogurt. They are fine as occasional treats, but they contain extra calories from the sweeteners and other flavorings.
Some people cannot digest the lactose (natural sugar found in milk) and experience gastrointestinal problems as a result. If you are lactose-intolerant, try soy milk, lactose-free milk or the tablets that can be added to milk to digest the sugar prior to you drinking it. Some people with lactose intolerance can eat yogurt, or they can drink small amounts of milk with meals.
Be sure you are meeting your calcium and vitamin D needs through foods or with help from dietary supplements. Read nutrition facts labels to know what your other sources are of calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients.
Here is an easy calcium-rich snack or appetizer recipe courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association. Pair this colorful, tasty recipe with whole-grain crackers, carrot sticks or celery sticks.
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Yogurt Dip
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8-ounce) container plain low-fat yogurt
1 c. shredded low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, chopped
Combine all ingredients except red bell pepper and mix well. Pour mixture into a 1-quart casserole dish or 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Sprinkle with red peppers.
Makes eight servings. Each serving has 80 calories, 3 grams (g) of fat, 7 g of carbohydrate, 1 g of fiber, 220 milligrams of sodium and 20 percent of the daily value for calcium.
(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist and associate professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)
NDSU Agriculture Communication – May 31, 2012
|Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, firstname.lastname@example.com
|Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
This course explores the identity, ownership, appropriation and repatriation of both tangible and intangible cultural property – those items which are of great significance to the cultural heritage and cultural survival of a people. The course considers the importance of the preservation of cultural property as a means of maintaining group identity, self-determination, and collective rights. It examines both international and domestic law governing these issues, and addresses such questions as: How should cultural property be defined? Can cultural property be protected under the existing intellectual property and cultural property regimes? How can we balance the protection of cultural property against the need or desire for its use in creative expression or scientific advancement? Although the course examines the cultural property of groups in general, it maintains a particular emphasis on the cultural property of indigenous peoples, including folklore, traditional knowledge, burial grounds, sacred sites and ancient ceremonies and traditions.
This course is not offered in 2018 - 2019


text:
TOGAF®9 for Practitioners
Delivered by ATE Enterprises
1 January 1970
Start date
1 January 1970
End date
9:00 am to 5:30 pm
This training product includes:
- A TOGAF® Standard 9 examination voucher
- ATE Enterprises Exams practice paper
- Direct Access to our state of the art TOGAF® materials
About this Course
The ATE Enterprises TOGAF® Standard Training Products introduce all of the topics you will need to cover in order to use the latest TOGAF® Standard, Version 9.2 in your organisation and to prepare to take The Open Group's examination(s). This course is for Level 1 and 2 certification.
The latest version of the TOGAF® Standard features significant enhancements to key capabilities of the architecture framework. This includes new materials that show in detail how the Architecture Development Method (ADM) can be applied to specific situations, such as Security Architecture plus additions to the Business Architecture domain and changes as a result of ISO/IEC/IEEE42012:2011 and the impact of these to the TOGAF® Standard.
Whether Face-to-Face or by webinar, instructor led training courses provide an unbeatable teaching environment, in which the learner can thrive through a combination of an expert instructor and enthusiastic participants. The course is 4 days long.
The TOGAF® Standard 9 Practitioners course is taught at Level 1 and Level 1 & 2. Our TOGAF® Standard training course will help you prepare to take The Open Group's examination(s) at the level that you select. This course is an Open Group Accredited TOGAF® Standard Training Course and TOGAF® Standard exam vouchers and preparation pack are part of the course.
The training materials are based on ATE Enterprises extensive training programs.
Our Instructor-led and Webinar training combines:
- Formal teaching
- Interactive discussions
- Personal and group exercises undertake a series of exercises based around a case study
This training product includes:
- TOGAF® Standard 9 examination voucher
- The ATE Enterprises TOGAF® 9 Standard examination preparation package
- Direct Access to our state of the art TOGAF® Standard Material
- Extended versions of the course teaching modules
- Supplementary modules and documentation
- Additional papers complementing the teaching modules
Please feel free to speak to one of our advisers to obtain the course plan and timings.
Delegates require no prior knowledge of the TOGAF® Standard to attend this course
Topics covered in the TOGAF® standard for Practitioners course are:
- The business rationale for Enterprise Architecture and the TOGAF® standard
- The TOGAF® standard Architecture Development Method and its deliverables, including Business, Data, Applications and Technology Architecture
- The Enterprise Continuum
- Enterprise Architecture Governance
- Architecture Principles and their development
- Architecture Views and Viewpoints
- An Introduction to Building Blocks
- Architecture Partitioning
- Content Framework and Meta Model
- Capability Based Planning
- Business Transformation Readiness
- Architecture Repository
- Requirements Engineering using Business Scenarios
- Architecture Maturity Assessments
- Architecture Skills Framework
- Using the TOGAF® Framework to develop Security Architectures
- Changes to the Business Architecture domain
- Changes as a result of ISO/IEC/IEEE42012:2011 and the impact of these to the TOGAF® standard
Please feel free to speak to one of our advisers to obtain the course plan and timings.
To become a TOGAF® standard certified individual you must pass The Open Group's examinations. These are held at third party examination centers worldwide, with the accredited invigilator. We shall issue an exam voucher which will need to be redeemed via Pearson Vue whereby you will be able to book a location and date that suits you. Please refer to: https://certification.opengroup.org/take-exam
Please Note:
As part of the TOGAF® standard Level 1 and 2 course, we issue the combined voucher as standard, meaning you will take Level 2 directly after the Level 1 exam, if you wish to take them separately please mention this to our booking team.
Whilst you await your exam you can revise using our online learning portal and when you are ready you can take our practice exam to test your performance.
Foundation Level 1 Exam
- There are 40 multiple choice questions
- It is a closed book examination
- You have 1 hour to complete the exam
- The pass mark is 55% (22 questions out of 40)
Practitioner Level 2 Exam
- There are Eight scenario based questions
- It is and open book examination
- You have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the exam.
- The pass mark is 60% (24 points out of a possible 40)
English as a second language
Additional time may be provided for people taking an English language exam if English is not their first language. A candidate's country of residence, nationality, and the country in which they would like to take the exam are used in determining eligibility for additional time. The additional time allowance is 30 minutes for a Part 1, Part 2, or Bridge exam and 30 minutes for each part of a Combined exam, for a total of 60 additional minutes.
Candidates who reside in and are taking an English language exam in a country designated as an ESL country are eligible for extra time to complete the exam. If you are registered for a single part exam, the additional time will automatically be added on and reflected on your Order Summary when you complete your registration. For a Combined Part 1 and Part 2 exam, you must select the ESL specific exam (OG0-093-ESL, OG0-023-ESL) in order to be granted additional time.
Book Here


text:
AROUND MISSISSIPPI — A Mississippi turn-of-the-century car dealership, African American cemetery, two public schools, and a historic district are now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Department of Interior recently approved the listings on the recommendation of the Mississippi National Register Review Board. The Christian and Brough Building, one of the first automobile dealerships in Vicksburg, was built ...Read More »
Home » Tag Archives: Meridian High School and Junior Colege


text:
Air Force One (film)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Impenetrable. Invincible. In Trouble.Taglines
Air Force One is a 1997 action movie in which a group of terrorists take the President of the United States hostage aboard his private jet.
- Directed by Wolfgang Petersen and written by Andrew W. Marlow.
President James Marshall[edit]
- [in Russian, addressing state dinner in Moscow] The dead remember our indifference; the dead remember our silence. [turns back to English] I came here tonight to be congratulated. But today, when I visited the Red Cross camps, overwhelmed by the flood of refugees fleeing the horror of Kazakhstan, I realize I don't deserve to be congratulated. None of us do. The truth is we acted too late. Only when our own national security was threatened did we act. Radek's regime murdered over 200,000 men, women and children and we watched it on TV. We let it happen. People were being slaughtered for over a year and we issued economic sanctions and hid behind the rhetoric of diplomacy. How dare we? The dead remembered: real peace is not just the absence of conflict, it's the presence of justice. And tonight I come to you with a pledge to change America's policy. Never again will I allow our political self-interest to deter us from doing what we know to be morally right. Atrocity and terror are not political weapons, and to those who would use them, your day is over. We will never negotiate. We will no longer tolerate and we will no longer be afraid. It's your turn to be afraid.
- How far away are those MIGs? [Suddenly Kazakh Mig-29 fighters gain radar lock on Air Force One] Never mind.
- [to a subdued Korshunov] Get off my plane!
- We cannot release Radek.
Ivan Korshunov[edit]
- When you talk to the President, you might remind him that I am holding his wife, his daughter, his chief of staff, his national security advisor, his classified papers, AND his baseball glove!
- More time. [shoots National Security Advisor] Your national security advisor has just been executed. He's a very good negotiator. He bought you another half-hour.
- [mocking Vice-President Kathryn Bennett] The president is safe - but then you must know that. He ran from here like a whipped dog! I'm sure you can't wait for him to get back to making the decisions so you can stop... sweating... through that silk blouse of yours!
- Air Force General: [After hearing the president ordering them to fire on Air Force One] My God! Is he saying what I think he's saying?
- Vice-President Kathryn Bennett: If we're going to act, we have to act now.
- Defense Secretary Walter Dean: It's too risky.
- Bennett: The president is up there with a gun to his head!
- General Northwood: He's asking us to do that? To Air Force One?!
- Bennett: He's not asking. Your commander-in-chief has issued a direct order. DO IT!
- Vice-President Kathryn Bennett: What are your intentions?
- Ivan Korshunov: What arrogance to think you could ever understand my intentions.
- Bennett: I want to understand what it is that you want.
- Korshunov: What do I want...When Mother Russia becomes one great nation again, when the capitalists are dragged from the Kremlin and then shot in the street, when our enemies run and hide in fear at the mention of our name, and when America begs our forgiveness...on that great day of deliverance, you will know what I want.
- Ivan Korshunov: Madam Vice President, the time has come for you to show your good faith. I've read your press kits. I understand Air Force One is able to refuel in midair. Well, we need fuel and we need it now.
- Vice-President Kathryn Bennett: I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement. If you land the plane, we'll trade fuel for hostages.
- Korshunov: This is bullshit! It's simple physics. Without fuel, the plane crashes, everybody dies!
- Bennett: We're trying to do everything that we can-
- Korshunov: [Angrily] Tell me what I want to hear or I will execute a member of the senior staff and continue killing one hostage every minute until the plane crash or refueling plane arrive! [Calmly] Well, what do you say?
- Bennett: Fuel's on its way.
- Korshunov: [Politely] Thank you.
- F-15 Pilot: Sir, pull up! You've got one on your tail.
- President James Marshall: Get him off my tail!
- F-15 Pilot: Missile away. Air Force One, break left and climb!
- Major Caldwell: Sir, we've lost countermeasures!
- F-15 Pilot: This is Halo-2. They've lost countermeasures. I'm going in. [Takes the missile for Air Force One]
- [President Marshall is stunned about Agent Gibbs killing his men]
- Secret Service Agent Gibbs: Give me the strap!
- President James Marshall: I trusted you with my life!
- Gibbs: So will the next president! [gestures about safety line] Now give it to me!
- Colonel Axelrod: [as Ivan and Andrei are trying to get into the cockpit and stop the plane from landing]. No matter what happens, we land this aircraft is that understood? Come on. Come on. Flaps 30.
- Lieutenant Colonel Ingraham: Flaps 30
- Impenetrable. Invincible. In Trouble.
- The fate of a nation rests on the courage of one man.
- The most important man, the surest airplane, the most dangerous hijackers...
- Harrison Ford is the President of the United States
- Harrison Ford - President James Marshall
- Gary Oldman - Ivan Korshunov
- Glenn Close - Vice-President Kathryn Bennett
- Bill Smitrovich - General Northwood
- Wendy Crewson - First Lady Grace Marshall
- Liesel Matthews - First Daughter Alice Marshall
- Paul Guilfoyle - Chief of Staff Lloyd 'Shep' Shepherd
- Xander Berkeley - Secret Service Agent Gibbs
- William H. Macy - Major Caldwell
- Dean Stockwell - Defense Secretary Walter Dean
- Tom Everett - National Security Advisor Jack Doherty
- Jürgen Prochnow - General Ivan Radek
- Donna Bullock - Deputy Press Secretary Melanie Mitchell
External links[edit]
- Air Force One quotes at the Internet Movie Database
- Air Force One at Rotten Tomatoes


text:
• synthetic leather/suede palm• foam padding• great grip and comfort
To find the shipping costs for your item, add it to your basket and use "estimate shipping" option. Our system will calculate it for you! If your country is not on the list please email us for a shipping quote.
Our aim is to despatch all orders, of in-stock items placed before 3pm, on the same day. Please note, this might not be possible during busy periods, for example, immediately after Bank or Public Holidays.
We're experts in shipping bikes, frames, parts and accessories, both new and vintage, anywhere in the world, so there's no need to worry!
All orders are sent out for a Monday to Friday delivery. For more details visit our shipping & returns page.
Please note that spray paint & other aerosol products can only be shipped to the following countries: United Kingdom (Including Isle of Man & Channel Islands), Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy (mainland), Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain (mainland) and Sweden.
If you change your mind about your order, you have up to 14 days to return it to us. It must be unused/unassembled and in its original packaging and condition.
For the quickest response and help with returning your item, please email our customer service team at firstname.lastname@example.com. You'll also find a returns slip with your delivery, which you can complete and send your item(s) back directly. Once we have received your returns, we will provide a full refund within 5 working days. We regret that we cannot cover the cost of postage of items back to us.
For further information visit our shipping & returns page.


text:
High Speed Oven Global Market Analysis & Forecast 2018-2023: GE, Sharp, Electrolux, Siemens, Bosch, Whirlpool , Merrychef, Miele
The High Speed Oven report provides realistic data and significant information of the worldwide "High Speed Oven market". The report offers a full research of the marketplace growth factors as well as drivers. With the In-depth exploration of the market limits; the user is enabled with opportunities to create the upcoming projection. The report also features ongoing fashion depending on the manufacturing techniques, technological advances, and innovations. Besides, different key players influencing the global market including GE, Sharp, Electrolux, Siemens, Bosch, Whirlpool (Jenn-Air), Merrychef, Miele, ACP Solutions, Alto-Shaam, TurboChef, Viking Range, MIT are discussed in the report.
Get Free Sample Copy Here @: www.marketresearchstore.com/report/global-high-speed-oven-market-report-2018-by-257274#RequestSample
The High Speed Oven report also is made up of in detail info of the critical players along with suppliers and vendors. The report additionally focuses on the geographical division of across the world with the evaluation carried out by our skilled researchers. Furthermore, the report encompasses the main product type and segments Build-in High Speed Oven, Counter top High Speed Oven as well as the sub-segments Commercial Appliances, Home Appliances of the global High Speed Oven market.
The High Speed Oven market report offers a profound introduction of different segments based on the process, the conclusion of end-user industries, expertise, and product type. The regional evaluation report is actually created by thinking about the overall performance of the High Speed Oven market in the particular region. Hence, the related examination is actually used to estimate the upcoming forecast of the worldwide. Various regions covered in the global market report are .
Read full Research Report Study at @: www.marketresearchstore.com/report/global-high-speed-oven-market-report-2018-by-257274
The report also offers in-depth info regarding the specification, definitions, connected to the High Speed Oven business and additional highlights of the modification as well as changes made to relieve the production methods. Certain business chains, as well as government authorizations applicable to the High Speed Oven industry, are also provided in the report.
The characteristics of this High Speed Oven industry are actually evaluated in a quantitative and qualitative method to evaluate the market globally and regionally. Furthermore, the report is actually crafted with numerous graphical representations which include diagrams, figures, and graphs based on the statistical information along with accurate revenue graphs as well as pricing of the products and services. The report emphasizes more on the awaited system alteration, in progress activities and improvements, and open opportunities in the market
There are 15 Chapters to display the Global High Speed Oven market
Chapter 1, Definition, Specifications and Classification of High Speed Oven , Applications of High Speed Oven , Market Segment by Regions;
Chapter 2, Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;
Chapter 3, Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of High Speed Oven , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;
Chapter 4, Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);
Chapter 5 and 6, Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, China, Europe, Japan, Korea & Taiwan, High Speed Oven Segment Market Analysis (by Type);
Chapter 7 and 8, The High Speed Oven Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of High Speed Oven ;
Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type Build-in High Speed Oven, Counter top High Speed Oven, Market Trend by Application Commercial Appliances, Home Appliances;
Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;
Chapter 11, The Consumers Analysis of Global High Speed Oven ;
Chapter 12, High Speed Oven Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;
Chapter 13, 14 and 15, High Speed Oven sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.
Enquire Here Get customization & check discount for report @: www.marketresearchstore.com/report/global-high-speed-oven-market-report-2018-by-257274#InquiryForBuying
Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe, South America, Middle East & Africa.
About Us:
XYZ Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. XYZ Research also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. XYZ Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.


text:
Edouard Molinaro, a French film director best known for his groundbreaking, gay-themed comedy "La Cage Aux Folles," died Saturday at a Paris hospital. He was 85.
He had a pulmonary illness, according to French media.
Molinaro made more than 30 feature films, some with top French stars such as Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
Although he was well established in France before "La Cage Aux Folles," American audiences didn't know much of him until his madcap tale of a gay couple and their drag nightclub — La Cage Aux Folles, or, the Cage of Crazies, on the French Riviera.
When the film came to the U.S. in 1979, singer Anita Bryant had become nationally known for her condemnation of homosexuality. A year earlier, San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who was gay, had been gunned down at City Hall. "La Cage," though criticized in the gay press for its cliche drag queens, offered what was widely seen as a comic antidote to the venomous rhetoric of the day.
"The general public adored it," said Laurence Senelick, a Tufts University professor who wrote "The Changing Room: Sex, Drag, and Theatre," a history of cross-dressing on stage.
"Everything seemed fresh to them," Senelick said in an interview for the Criterion Collection, which releases DVD editions of well-known films. "It was like watching a comic National Geographic special — a world they had no concept of whatsoever but could find points in which they could connect."
That was Molinaro's aim when he chose to make a movie version of French playwright Jean Poiret's stage play, which ran for five years in Paris before the movie opened in France.
"To make a comedy enabled me to tackle the question in a non-racist way — so people would laugh with, not at, homosexuals," he told the New York Times in 1981.
Born May 31, 1928, in Bordeaux, France, Molinaro made crime thrillers before turning to comedy. Among his successes were "La Chasse A L'Homme" and "Une Ravissante Idiote," both released in 1964, and "Mon Oncle Benjamin," from 1969.
In 1979, "La Cage Aux Folles" brought him an Oscar nomination for best director. It spawned a 1980 sequel — "La Cage Aux Folles II," which Molinaro directed — as well as a Broadway musical, a number of revivals and the 1996 Mike Nichols film, "The Birdcage," starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Gene Hackman.
The story revolves around longtime partners Renato and Albin and a sudden visit to St. Tropez by Renato's grown son, the product of a one-night fling with a showgirl. The son, it turns out, is announcing his engagement to a very nice girl — the daughter of a strait-laced cabinet minister, who is coming to dinner that very night.
In deference to the young couple, Renato and Albin must pretend to be straight — a serious challenge for the frequently shrieking Albin and for denizens of La Cage, the unmistakably transvestite club just below Renato and Albin's ornately furnished apartment.
Despite its flamboyant setting, the story is "a 21-gun salute to 'family' values — even though the family in question happens to be covered in feathers, sequins and tulle," film writer David Ehrenstein said in an essay.
Molinaro, who was married to French actress Marie-Helene Breillat, never thought his farce would become beloved, or even respected. He told the New York Times that shooting it was a "terrible experience," with his two main actors, Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault, making "a circus" out of their roles.
"When I saw the film for the first time, I thought, 'This will be my last film!"' he said. "I'll never get another job after this!"


text:
Why See Kevin Hart?
Kevin Hart is America's biggest (in popularity, not stature) comedian. His humor isn't for kids, this guy can seriously curse for America. A lot of his material is drawn from his personal experiences with family, friends and loved ones, and his trademark catchphrase "All right, all right, all right" is a staple uttered by his fans across the country.
Citing Chris Tucker and DL Hughley as influences, he has established a firm fanbase amongst African-Americans as well as continuing to draw wider audiences through his various television projects and movies. Don't miss Hart as his Irresponsible Tour continues in 2018!
Kevin Hart is a Philly-born former shoe salesman who has become one of the funniest actor/comedians around. With an absent father who was in and out of jail for much of his childhood (now reconciled), Kevin learned to use humor to shield his difficult experiences growing up. He has appeared in various tv and films including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Along Came Polly, Get Hard and recent box office hit Central Intelligence.
Additional Information
Performance date: 13 January 2019
This show is not suitable for younger audience members
What you thought
41 reviews, average rating: (2.6 Stars)
GraySkyRider : "Worth every dime "
I read some previous reviews and thought we had wasted our money...I... more
Kay : "Best Show I have ever seen. Easily one of the best nights"
Kevin Hart's Irresponsible tour was hands down worth the money and I would... more
Spread the word
Sound good to you? Share this page on social media and let your friends know about Kevin Hart at Pensacola Civic Center.
Keep up to date
I want email news and updates for events in my area! Read how we protect your data.
Please note: The term Pensacola Civic Center and/or Kevin Hart as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other trademarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the Pensacola Civic Center and/or Kevin Hart and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the Pensacola Civic Center and/or Kevin Hart and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.


text:
What is Autism ? Overview for Teens
Personal Experiences of a Teen with ASD
My name is Kerry and I have Asperger's Syndrome. For me this has meant having very poor social skills and having to work on them everyday. It has meant not knowing when people are joking with me or when they are being serious. It has meant not having many friends and being anxious around kids my own age. It has meant feeling like I don't fit in. In school, it has meant not wanting to work in groups, sometimes not understanding what's important, and struggling to stay organized.
When I was younger, I remember how hard it was for me to fit in with the other kids. In most of elementary school, I was teased and made fun of because I was different. I was shy and nervous around the kids and really didn't focus on what I was supposed to be learning. I wasn't good at sports and was pretty much a loner. Rather than help me fit in, they treated me bad because they didn't understand why I was different.
Being me is difficult sometimes but I am who I am. I am proud of myself and of what I have accomplished. I wouldn't change who I am. I still struggle with social skills and probably always will. I sometimes stay too focused on topics I like, but I think that is because they make me feel comfortable. However, I feel I have improved so much in all areas that I find challenging.
There are different things that help me manage my day. I write down what I have to do and if I need help, I ask for it. Breaking things down in steps helps me learn. Doing tests orally has helped and being given more time to write tests and things has helped. Being told to never give up and keep on trying has also helped.
It is important for parents to check out what is available in order to help their child. I was part of some social groups like summer camp and social skills groups that helped teach me skills. I was part of Beavers, Youth Group, and other things that helped me interact with other people my age. I had a support worker that I went out with on a regular basis and that really helped.
My interests are politics, history, travelling, trivia, and wrestling. I like to listen to music, read some books, and hang out with my friends when I can. During the week I go to Tuesday night group through Kerry's Place and once a month, I go to Liberal Party meetings. I have also been volunteering with the different political campaigns that have been happening lately. I have travelled to NYC, Florida, Hawaii, Quebec and Darien Lake on trips with my family or with school.
High school is fine. While I was still in grade 8, I went to the high school to see what it was like when everyone was there. The summer before I started, I got my schedule early, visited to learn where my classrooms were, and practiced using the city bus to get to school. I am in grade 12 now and I will be graduating in June and have Prom in May. I have some friends there and for the most part it has been a good place to be. I had help from Program Support, especially in the first 2 years of high school. I did a Co-op placement at IGA through school and worked part time at Wendy's for over a year. However, I did not find these positive experiences for me. I found out that customer service is very difficult for me mostly because of my struggle with social skills.
I have just been accepted to Durham College in September for a 1 year certificate program. The program is General Arts & Science. It will take me 2 years to do it because I am doing a reduced course load. After this, I would like to come back for a 2 year diploma depending on if I can do history or political science courses, or enter university if I can for a degree. I have also been approved for the Employment supports Program through the Ontario Disabilities Support Program. They will help me with an employment plan when I am ready. They can help with job placement, job coaching, training, wage subsidy, and more.
Hopefully, I will get a job in the political field someday and run as a candidate. I want to be Prime Minister of Canada someday!!
More Information
Page 1 of 3


text:
Nathan Smith, University of Georgia Extension economist, provided a market update to Texas peanut farmers recently from the safety of the Lubbock Civic Center while a West Texas dust storm, whipped up by winds in excess of 60 miles per hour, turned the outside backdrop into a reddish-brown curtain of sand.
"I never understood until now why Texas peanut farmers include sand-fighting in their peanut budgets," Smith told the audience, participants in the Sixth Annual Southwest Crops Production Conference and Expo.
"We don't deal with this in Georgia."
He pointed out, however, that farmers across the peanut belt deal with many of the same concerns and especially with peanut marketing, a new wrinkle following the Food Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
He said farmers went into the 2003 season in fairly good shape, with a relatively short carryover from 2002. "But the 2003 crop produced a record average yield (more than 3,100 pounds per acre and a 2 million-ton production) and a larger carryover," he said.
But the increase doesn't tell the whole story. "Domestic use is projected up by 5 percent. We suffered a downturn in the 1990s because of health concerns." Most of those concerns have been put to rest with research that shows peanuts to be a healthy food. Aggressive promotion also stimulated demand.
The export market may offer some opportunities as well. Smith said Argentina cut production and China's crop had quality problems. "Also, the decreased value of the dollar helps exports."
He said NAFTA and other trade agreements allow a certain number of peanuts into the United States. Argentina, Mexico and Nicaragua have minimal access agreements, he said. "Argentina has not filled its quota for the last few years. Less than half its allotment has come to our ports."
He said Argentina's production problems and China's quality issues have stimulated export price offerings.
The key for 2004 prices, Smith said, may be early planting intentions. "We need 1.3 million acres and an average yield, 2,800 pounds per acre, to meet total demand," he said. He anticipates the 2004 export activity will mirror 2003.
"Right now we're on a fence." He said cotton acres likely will increase. "And the stocks-to-use ratio is bullish for corn prices. The weaker dollar supports export efforts. China needs cotton, and the domestic demand for peanuts is increasing."
Smith said early contracts in Georgia have hit $400 per ton as manufacturers line up supply to meet domestic demand.
Smith said high prices could hurt the export market. "But we have to take care of the domestic market first."
He said the National Posted Price for peanuts has remained above the loan rate for the 2003 crop and likely will be higher next year. "The expected counter-cyclical payment will be less, probably from $65 to $75 a ton." Last year's CC payment totaled $95.
He said many farmers who grew peanuts under the old program are no longer in the business. Acreage shifts following the 2002 legislation moved significant peanut acreage out of Virginia, North Carolina and Oklahoma. He said Southwest acreage dropped 37 percent but production fell only 10 percent as peanuts shifted to more productive, irrigated land. Smith said Texas might pick up virginia-type acreage when the figurative dust from the revamped program finally settles.
Smith said the latest acreage data come from the 2002 crop year. The Southeast has added acreage. "Alabama acres are moving to the southwest corner of the state, around Mobile. Florida acreage has increased a bit in the Panhandle. North Carolina and Virginia lost acreage and South Carolina acreage nearly doubled."
Smith said Texas peanuts moved out of the old eastern and central areas into West Texas, "where yields are more competitive."
e-mail: email@example.com


text:
Does anyone know of an application which would close a window given its handle? Command line is good.
Note, that I do not wish to kill the respective application, rather a modal window owned by that application.
Sometime, a modal dialog is opened beneath the main window on my laptop. This happened not once for VS and Firefox. Very annoying.
I can locate the window with Spy++, but have no means of killing it.
An application allowing to send messages to an arbitrary window is good as well, I guess I can then send something like WM_CLOSE or whatever.
I wish to stress, that I am not interesting in closing a visible window. The whole point is to deal with ugly abnormalities when a modal dialog gets open beneath the owning window, which did happen and not once for me while working with VS and Firefox. So, the desired solution is to close a window by its handle or, if it could specifically locate obscured windows and bring them forth.


text:
You see the following error code when you try to connect to the Xbox Live service on your Xbox 360 console:
This may mean one of the following:
Solution 1: Check the Xbox Live service status
Solution 4: If you recently changed your gamertag, delete and redownload your profile
If you recently changed your gamertag, the name change may not have completed successfully. To resolve the problem, delete your gamer profile, clear the system cache, and then redownload your gamer profile. Here's how:
Delete your gamer profile
Clear your system cache
See the instructions for clearing the cache in Solution 3, above.
Redownload your gamer profile
Thanks for your feedback!
Provide feedback for this topic
Would you like to contact Support regarding the "Error 80151006 occurs when connecting to Xbox Live on Xbox 360" issue you were reading about or a different issue?


text:
Lettering Practice Sheets - Style #022 lower letters
Print your own modern lettering practice sheets. If you are like me, you mess up a lot and need to keep trying over and over again. No worries, just print another set!
• Practice sheets for modern lettering
• Intended to help you develop hand control and letter form variation
• Use dip pen or a small brush pen (such as the Tombow Fude)
• Trace each letter twice and then have room to try on your own
• Lower case letters a-z
• 3 pages, 8.5" x 11" .pdf for easy printing
• Instant electronic download, files may not be resold or distributed
• Create a customer account to maintain access to digital purchases
• After checkout, see "My Downloadable Files" in your purchase history
• There are no rules here! If you find that you have a certain way that you naturally make your m and you like it, awesome!! Practice sheets are just meant to get you started on this journey of exploring different styles.
• Keep in mind that the quality of paper you use will greatly determine your lettering experience. While certainly not necessary, I recommend HP Premium Choice Laser Paper for it's smoothness.


text:
Stacy Adams
Plain Toe Double Monk
15,490.00 19,690.00
Price includes all taxes, duties and freight charges*
Expected delivery by
Redirecting to Insta Checkout...
Check COD Availability
- Smooth leather upper
- Leather linings for added breathability
- Fully cushioned insole with Memory Foam for all-day comfort
- Non-leather outsole
- Imported
Our aim is to display the colors of our products as accurately as possible. However the resolution, print methods and screen settings can affect how an item is displayed. Item color may show acceptable variation due to different shooting light and monitor display
Our products are 100% genuine and authentic. Products are sourced directly from brand stores, in some cases,we purchase merchandise from trusted independent suppliers and not directly from the brand owner. In all cases we stand by the authenticity of every product sold on our site and guarantee brand authenticity and product quality


text:
m (→Etymology: code fix)
m (iw)
|Line 29:
|Line 29:
[[Category:Quenya Locations]]
[[Category:Quenya Locations]]
Revision as of 18:41, 3 August 2011
Sirion was a river of Middle-earth in the First Age, the principal river of Beleriand. During most of its course it was the border between East and West Beleriand. Karen Wynn Fonstad estimates its length as 390 miles in her Atlas of Middle-earth.
The Sirion's source was at Eithel Sirion on the eastern side of the Ered Wethrin, which lay in between Ard-galen (later Anfauglith) and Mithrim and Hithlum. It was guarded by the tower of Barad Eithel.
Sirion flowed southwards along the border of the Ered Wethrin, passing through the Fen of Serech before entering the narrow steep-sided valley between the Ered Wethrin and the Echoriath named the Pass of Sirion. Sirion then continued south into Beleriand, with the Forest of Brethil to the west, and Dimbar and then Doriath to the east. After leaving Doriath at Aelin-uial (the Fens of Sirion) it plunged below ground in the Falls of Sirion at Andram (the Long Wall), where the ground fell steeply. Three leagues southwards the Sirion exited the underground caves at the Gates of Sirion. It then flowed southwards through Nan-Tathren until it reached the Bay of Balar, part of Belegaer, at the Mouths of Sirion.
In order from north to south, the principal tributaries of the Sirion were the Rivil, flowing from Dorthonion until it met Sirion in the Fen of Serech; the Mindeb, which had its source in Nan Dungortheb and the Ered Gorgoroth, the Teiglin, the Esgalduin of Doriath; the Aros flowing south from Dorthonion (and also containing the waters of the Celon from the Hills of Himring and Himlad) which met at Aelin-uial, and the Narog, which joined Sirion in Nan-Tathren.
Crossing Points
The main crossing point mentioned in the Silmarillion was the Ford of Brithiach where the road from Himlad which crossed the Esgalduin at Iant Iaur crossed Sirion, and the Ferries of Doriath.
Barad Eithel, at the source of the Sirion in the Ered Wethrin, was a chief fortress of Fingolfin and his son Fingon, probably guarding a pass into their realm of Mithrim. Further south, in the Pass of Sirion, lay Tol Sirion (see below). After the Coming of Men, the Edain of the House of Haleth made their home in the Forest of Brethil, and the Sindar ruled by Thingol lay secure within the Girdle of Melian in their realm of Doriath. At the outflow of Sirion into Belegaer, after the destruction of Eglarest and Brithombar, the Havens of Sirion were built by Círdan and his people.
The most important island in Sirion was Tol Sirion. The original Minas Tirith was built here by Finrod Felagund in the strategic location controlling the Pass of Sirion where it entered Beleriand between the Ered Wethrin and the Echoriath. Shortly after Dagor Bragollach it was captured by Sauron and the island became known as Tol-in-Gaurhoth.
Sirion is a Sindarin/Noldorin name which contains the element sîr.[1] Depending on the meaning of the second element, the name could either mean "great river" or "land of waters" (-ion as augmentative suffix or archaic plural genitive suffix).[2]
Its name in Khuzdul was Gabilān.[3]
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Three: The Etymologies", p. 385
- ↑ Compound Sindarin Names in Middle-earth at Tolkiendil.com (accessed 10 July 2011)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: III. Maeglin", p. 336


text:
Giraffes: Like Speckled Towers
Often reaching a height of five to six metres (15-20 feet), you could find a resemblance between giraffes and speckled towers. The longest part of a giraffe is its neck. Its long neck enables it to reach the remotest branches on trees and feed by grazing on the sprouts and leaves. These thorny plants, which the giraffes don't chew, first go directly into their four-compartment stomach. Then they regurgitate them back to the mouth, where the giraffe chews them. Finally, they swallow them again and send them to another compartment in their stomach.
However, there is something very interesting about this process. As we have recently mentioned, giraffes regurgitate thorny plants from their stomachs back to their mouths to be chewed. But, as you may imagine, this is rather a long journey. The food needs to travel a distance of three or four metres (10-13 feet) in the long neck of the giraffe. As you can also imagine, it is unlikely that the food could proceed to its destination on its own. You are curious about how giraffes could manage this, right? Let us explain it: there is a lift-like system in a giraffe's neck that makes this possible. No doubt, it is impossible for giraffes to think, "In order to digest our food, we need to send it back to our mouths; so, we must build a lift system to accomplish this".
Furthermore, a giraffe is not a lifeless building made up of rocks, soil and mud bricks. It is a living being that runs, feels hungry and delivers babies. Is it possible that such a living being could have come into existence accidentally? Is it possible that coincidence could grant him a long neck equipped with workable systems? Of course not.
It is obvious that anything a giraffe needs has been given it at birth by Allah. Allah has specially created the mouth and stomach structures of giraffes so that they can eat thorny, spiky plants without difficulty.
As in the case of the structure of its neck, the way a giraffe sleeps reminds us of Allah's existence. While sleeping, giraffes extend their necks towards their body. Except for a few minutes, they sleep on their feet in this position. Giraffes do not sleep all at the same time; one of them stays awake to protect the others. That a giraffe sacrifices its sleep for the sake of other giraffes and their reaching agreement about this shows us Allah's control over giraffes as in the case of all other animals.
Now, let's set aside how these speckled animals eat their food and talk about the way they drink water. Probably most people have never thought about how a giraffe bends down and drinks water without difficulty. However, our Lord, Who is the Creator of everything, wants us to ponder over such delicate systems.
First, let's make it clear that while drinking water, a serious problem awaits these long-necked creatures.
To understand this essential problem, we need to remember one thing: Do you recall what happens when you try to stand upside down? Exactly! Your face immediately turns red. That is because, our blood rushes to our heads with the effect of the force of gravity and exerts a pressure on the veins, which is called "blood pressure".
This is exactly what should happen when giraffes try to drink water. However, as you may also imagine this could be a major problem. Since giraffes are very tall animals – around five or six metres (15-20 feet) – the blood pressure on the head bending down from such a height becomes very great. If a human being were exposed to such high blood pressure, his brain would immediately burst.
This being the case, how do giraffes drink water without having a cerebral haemorrhage? That is because, Allah, the Creator of space, the sky, the earth and all creatures, has placed a very special mechanism inside a giraffe's head. There are little valves inside the veins of a giraffe's head. Once the height of a giraffe's head changes, these valves start to operate and prevent high blood pressure in the head.
Well, have you ever thought about why giraffes are speckled? This aesthetic appearance, in harmony with the grasslands, makes it hard for their enemies to distinguish the giraffes. Despite their giant bodies, they can thus hide from the king of the savannah, that is the lion, their foremost enemy.
This is, no doubt, not the case for young giraffes. With their premature and weak limbs, they cannot run as fast as their mothers. For this reason, they become easy prey for lions. Yet, as we mentioned earlier, these babies always remain with their mothers. With their long limbs, mothers can give fatal kicks and thus protect them. We must stop here for a moment and think. What we call a 'giraffe' is not a human being. It is an animal. Animals do not have the faculty of thought. So, the protection giraffes and other animals provide for their young becomes possible by Allah's inspiration to them. Allah is the All-Compassionate. Regarding the mercy and compassion of Allah, a verse in the Qur'an reads as follows:
For your Lord is All-Compassionate, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl: 47)