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BitFenix is an up and coming PC enthusiast parts manufacturer. BitFenix states they would like to blur the line between the man and the machine. Let's see how this statement holds up as the Outlaw mid-tower case is reviewed. BitFenix has five models of cases and the Outlaw is the entry model.
The BitFenix Outlaw presents an interesting and unique item into the entry level mid-tower cases. From the outside the first thing to be noticed is the SoftTouch front bezel that Bitfenix has been using on many other models. What a PC enthusiast will notice next is the unique architecture of the inside. The case's main side is on its right side, not its left side. This just begins the uniqueness of the architecture. The first thing I thought when I saw the inside was, the motherboard mounts upside down! True enough if you watch the video you will see what I mean. I will go into more detail about this feature in a little bit. Ample 5.25″ and 3.5″ bays are available with one 2'5″ mount for SSDs. There are eight possible 120mm fan (two upgradable to 140mm) mounting points or even optional liquid cooling points. Of course there are also four USB 2.0 ports, audio ports, power button and reset button on the top bezel. The good people at Bitfenix have also allowed me to know that two of the USB ports will be replaced with USB 3.0 ports.
The Bitfenix will hit the US market at an MSRP of $49. European markets looks to get this item at 39 Euros. The case will only be featured in black. The case comes without a logo on the SoftTouch front but now with a sticker to place where the builder wishes.
Of course, whatever you end up buying you always want assurance of your purchase. The Outlaw warranty will cover basic coverage for 1 year. The case is designed for those who are looking for a value or entry level case. Also, those looking for new innovative designs in cooling may want to take a look at the inverted motherboard tray design. It's is a steel and plastic case that converge into a nice mid-tower. The interior paint almost looked like metallic paint under good lighting. The case weighs 6.9kg or just over 15lbs.
BitFenix Outlaw Case Specifications
*2 x USB 2.0 ports are to be replaced by 2 x 3.0 USB ports
Comments are closed.


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Puzzle games are always a hit with the toddler and preschool crowd. Live Transport Puzzle for Kids will be no different. With puzzles featuring a wide variety of vehicles, and additional activities included, this app is sure to be a favorite with your young learner.
Available for iOS - iTunes App Store and Android Platforms- Google Play and Amazon Store
Continue reading "Live Transport for Kids - A Fun Puzzle Game App for Toddlers and Preschoolers" »

subset: commoncrawl


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Rachel Bilson: PARADIS Party!
Rachel Bilson goes barefoot at the "Art of Elysium Paradis Dinner and Party" aboard private yacht Slip S05 during the 2010 Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday (May 19) in Cannes, France.
The 28-year-old actress rubbed shoulders with producer Ryan Kavanagh, actress Britta Lazenga, Art of Elysium founder Jennifer Howell and The Misshapes' Leigh Lezark and Greg Krelenstein.
The yacht belonged to Michael J. Saylor, CEO of the business intelligence software company MicroStrategy.
FYI: Rachel is wearing a vintage ensemble and accessorized with Cartier 18K white gold and diamond triple flower Caresse d'Orchidees earrings, which retails at $40,200. Wow!
15+ pictures inside of Rachel Bilson at the PARADIS party…


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With so many acne treatments available these days it can become difficult choosing the correct one for you.
Over the counter products tend to contain harsh ingredients that can cause permanent damage to your skin later down the line. That's why you should always choose natural remedies to treat your acne.
There are a number of different natural remedies that you can use that perhaps you have never thought of and are readily available from your health food store.
Adding Epsom salts to your bath twice a week is a fantastic natural remedy for acne. You can also create a cleanser from Epsom salts by adding a tablespoon to your cleansing cream. Massage the cream into your face or if you suffer from body acne you can massage the cream into the affected area; always massage gently as you don't want to cause further irritation on your skin. Once you have applied the cream, rinse off with cold water and pat your skin dry.
When honey is applied to your face is stops your skin from becoming too oily which stops the dreaded bacteria from thriving and causing further problems to your skin. Mix the honey with organic natural yoghurt and apply directly to your face. Wash off with lukewarm water and gently pat your face dry. You can also purchase face washes that contain honey but remember to only use products that contain natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals.
The fenugreek's seeds and leaves are a staple for many South Asian recipes but fenugreek paste (which is formed from fenugreek and water) is an ideal treatment for acne and eczema. To make the perfect natural remedy mix a teaspoon of fenugreek powder with some water to make a paste and then apply it to the affected areas with cotton wool. Leave it on for a couple of hours and then wash it off with cold water.
Aloe vera is not only effective in treating skin infections, burns and cuts but it's also an excellent natural remedy for the treatment of acne. When applied directly to the skin in the form of a gel or a natural product that contains aloe vera it helps reduce large pores on your skin and the oily effects that you experience when you suffer from acne. It removes bacteria from your skin and gives it nourishment which helps control your acne.
When oatmeal is applied to the skin it has a drying effect which is great for treating oily skin. Colloidal oatmeal (which is oatmeal ground into a powder) can be used as a gentle facial scrub. When you cook the oatmeal with water it can be used as a face mask. Apply to your skin when the oatmeal has cooled down and leave it on for 10 minutes or until it becomes slightly crusty on your face. Wash it off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
These natural remedies are perfect for the treatment of acne and will leave your skin with a beautiful radiant glow.


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Wolf is always managing to smash, sprain, strain, bruise or bang something. So a few days ago when he came home from Socorro with his hand about three times its normal size I was pained but not surprised. After hearing the somewhat grisly story I realized he was just lucky he hadn't completely smashed or punctured the whole center of his hand, from the top all the way through to the palm.
Now, normally I don't experiment on acute injuries, but Wolf being family, I didn't think he'd mind 😉
Usually, I would treat something like this with a liniment made with Cottonwood, Mugwort, Peony root and Datura. This combo will help with the pain and swelling and speed the healing process considerably. Comfrey is also nice if you suspect broken bones. I did feel there was the chance for fractures with immense swelling and pain, so I chose a native relative to Comfrey, Mountain Bluebells (Mertensia ciliata). I had a small amount of warm-process flower and leaf infused oil from my Arizona mountain adventure, so I immediately rubbed a generous amount into the area (very, very gently so he wouldn't scream).
Two days later, the hand is its normal size and the pain is minor. It would probably be pain-free at this point if he'd stop using it for five minutes. There is absolutely no bruising, even after the hand was pinned between a huge slab of metal and a trailer hitch crank.
So I'm impressed. I'm looking forward to using it again on someone who doesn't have quite as much quick healing capacity as Wolf to better test its capability.
2 Responses to "Bluebell Oil for Blunt Trauma"
WOW I will be on the lookout for these, I think we may have some up here (mt hood) 🙂


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Will you go Prime? That's a question of increasing importance for Amazon Studios as its second original television series, "Betas," gets underway.
The show, which premiered last month and continues to roll out new episodes on Fridays, is about a group of young Silicon Valley strivers working to create the next big tech sensation. The first three episodes of the half-hour comedy were free.
Amazon Studios: An article about Amazon Studios in the Dec. 15 Calendar section misidentified Joe Lewis as Amazon's programming chief. He is head of comedy series development.
Viewers who wish to watch additional...


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Wrestlings Greatest Matches Ever : 1992 DVD-R
DVD-R Version
Please verify you have a compatible player before purchasing our DVD-R titles. We are not responsible for the compatibility of your player to our DVD-R titles.
Click here to check: (DVD-R Compatibility Chart)
A special compilation of Wrestling's Greatest Matches EVER! This disc features matches from 1992 with such stars as Jushin Liger, Misawa, Kawada, Great Muta and more!
- Jushin Liger vs. El Samurai (Best of the Super Jr. finals, 21:15, 4/30/92) ******
- Triple Crown Champion Mitsuhara Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (29:02, 10/21/92)
- Mitsuhara Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama (Real World Tag League tournament match, 23:53, 12/4/92) ****1/2
- Jushin Liger & Koji Kanemoto vs. Ultimo Dragon & Masahiro Orihara (18:03,
12/11/92) ****1/2
- Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase (22:51, 12/14/92) ****1/2


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Check out the action from the recent Schalke-Galatasaray match – through the reflection of the sunglasses of a fan of the Turkish giants!
And the action at the Veltins-Arena was absorbing. The teams had drawn 1-1 in Istanbul in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, but Gala edged a five-goal thriller in Gelsenkirchen to storm into the quarter-finals.
Yet if that was an unexpected upset, Fatih Terim's men will need an even bigger one to stay alive in the competition. Indeed, standing in their way of a semi-place is no less a power than Real Madrid, the record nine-time European champions.


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Hinokio: Inter Galactic Love Comparison Review (JP - )
We examine the Japanese R2 & HK R3 discs to help you decide which to buy...
|Hinokio: Inter Galactic Love – Japan R2 (SHV) vs Hong Kong R3 (AVP)
9th March 2006
Rating/Certificate: Japan N/A
Region: 2
DVD Release Date: 25th November 2005
Run Time: 111 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Video Signal: NTSC
Disc Type: Single Sided, Dual Layer
Genre: Drama
Soundtrack: Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English, Japanese
Extra Features: Premiere Footage, Behind the Scenes Documentary, CGI Featurette, Conceptual Teaser, Trailers, Cast Information
Easter Egg: No
Director: Takahiko Akiyama
Starring: Kanata Hongo, Mikako Tabe
Related Movies: Jam Films, Jam Films 2, Hana and Alice, Sekai no Chushin de
Rating/Certificate: Hong Kong I
Region: 3
DVD Release Date: 22nd December 2005
Run Time: 111 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Video Signal: NTSC
Disc Type: Single Sided, Dual Layer
Genre: Drama
Soundtrack: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX Japanese, DTS-ES 6.1 Japanese, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX Cantonese
Subtitles: English, Chinese
Extra Features: Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Director: Takahiko Akiyama
Starring: Kanata Hongo, Mikako Tabe
Related Movies: Jam Films, Jam Films 2, Hana and Alice, Sekai no Chushin de
A fatal accident kills a woman and leaves her son, Satoru, partially paralysed and confined to a wheelchair. Unable to tolerate his condition, the junior high school pupil isolates himself from the outside world. In consequence, his father builds a remote controlled robot for Satoru to operate using a virtual reality style layout. The futuristic marvel is designed to help Satoru attend school, communicate with other children and possibly make friends. Inheriting the nickname "Hinokio" (Hinoki is a type of Japanese wood), Satoru struggles to achieve acceptance, as he endures constant pranks by tomboy Jun and her mini-gang. Eventually, Hinokio's popularity earns him respect and friendship amongst the school crowd. However when they request to meet the boy controlling the robot, Satoru's fear and anger keep his true identity a secret.
It is easy to dismiss Hinokio: Inter Galactic Love as yet another peculiar Japanese creation fused with melodrama. In reality, first time director, Takahiko Akiyama, paints a colourful portrait of social isolation – a reciprocal issue shared by a community always on the verge of breakthrough technology. The protagonist, Satoru, discovers solitude thanks to the robotic splendour; he lives his life in a virtual environment to such an extent that he despises human contact. As exaggerated as Akiyama's vision may be, many individuals are guilty of exhibiting similar behaviour. Examining the internet for example; it is a haven for the anonymous, allowing one to hide behind fabricated personas and spend hours roaming this online illusion. Questions are asked as to whether artificial reality can really fulfil life's greatest requirements. The fantasy element is played out rather nicely thanks to the film's inbuilt RPG known as Purgatory, which later becomes a metaphoric connection between fact and fiction.
A closer observation will reveal intertwining spiritual and philosophical subtexts but the relationship angle remains a principal motive in driving the premise. The aforementioned themes originate from society's dependence on modern technology; Akiyama's way of carefully relating his subjects to a common source. Satoru greatly blames his father for his mother's demise and likewise, his father's behaviour has adjusted to the deafening silence. Neither party is willing to make the first move in breaking the barrier. Similarly when Hinokio's friends wish to meet the boy behind the robot, Satoru's fear of disappointment is too much for him to bear. The director has certainly utilised every opportunity to develop the characters but leaves one or two open ends. With the wealth of ideas portrayed throughout the film, it is inevitable that certain resolutions will not be met. A decision that I found most effective was to keep Satoru's character silent, having him communicate via Hinokio's voice box. Sadly this mute approach was lost during the middle of the film; the first time that we hear Satoru speaking should have left a larger emotional impact.
Hinokio's strength lies in maintaining a consistent healthy balance of comedy and melodrama, as well as dialogue and eye-candy segments. The humour is well suited and completely intentional, if a little unorthodox. Being a family movie, one would not really expect to see a romantic encounter between human and machine. Somehow, the Japanese filmmakers manage to execute this notion with complete innocence and still generate those laughs. Moreover, the story delves into unexpectedly poignant chapters, where the sentimental encounters seem justified.
The producers have assembled a largely youthful cast to handle the roles of the school children. Every actor appears to be professional and a quick search reveals that most have a history in the Japanese entertainment industry. The performances are remarkably animated, especially Ryo Kato and Ryoko Kobayashi as the hyperkinetic Kenta and overzealous Sumire respectively. However the two leads deserve eternal praise for their solid portrayals of Satoru and Jun, demonstrating sincere warmth and responsiveness in their performances.
Akiyama's experience in visual effects is made apparent thanks to his hypnotic grasp of colour, lighting and computer generated imagery. He employs different pallets to differentiate between reality and fantasy. Hinokio appears to be a seamless mixture of puppetry and CGI, although the quality is of such high standard that it is difficult to tell. The Purgatory scenes are rendered to simulate a video game but the visuals reach their climax once the fantasy element becomes predominant. Takahiko Akiyama has done well to showcase aesthetically pleasing effects alongside thought provoking morals. It is not always easy to access Japanese cinema but to let Hinokio slip by unnoticed would be a wasted opportunity.
The Japanese SHV disc presents the film in an anamorphic widescreen format, maintaining an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The image is of reasonable sharpness, depicting foreground objects with admirable clarity. Similarly, one should not have an issue with secondary details, such as fabric composition or environmental setting. Saturation levels vary depending on the viewpoint of the character, where the real and imaginary worlds appear under and oversaturated respectively. As a result, the pallet does not really cover a natural range of colours; skin tones appear somewhat pale and there is evidence of slight smearing. In addition, the contrast balance is pushed higher than usual and the blacks are swaying slightly towards the lighter side. Aside from that, the Japanese disc is free of major discomforts that originate from the video encoding process.
The HK disc from AVP is virtually a carbon copy of its Japanese counterpart, except it shows a fraction more image at the top. Conversely, it loses the same fraction at the bottom. Examining it under a microscope will reveal areas exhibiting slightly harsher steps in colour transition but one would risk serious eye damage if concentrating on that for too long. Hinokio is solid evidence that AVP can provide healthy representations of recently released Japanese titles; they are a label to watch out for.
Japan Region 2 (SHV)
Hong Kong Region 3 (AVP)
Japan Region 2 (SHV)
Hong Kong Region 3 (AVP)
Japan Region 2 (SHV)
Hong Kong Region 3 (AVP)
Japan Region 2 (SHV)
Hong Kong Region 3 (AVP)
Japan Region 2 (SHV)
Hong Kong Region 3 (AVP)
The SHV disc contains a single Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 track, whereas AVP opt for Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS-ES 6.1 options. The soundtrack is quite music driven so it is vital to ensure a healthy dynamic balance between melody and dialogue. Thankfully this is maintained without interference or distortion on both Dolby mixes. Despite not being action heavy, the rears still manage to recreate a fully dimensional audio experience – out of screen characters can be located with ease and ambient noise is generated with the utmost precision. Furthermore, the LFE contribution is delightfully fulfilling, providing a richer texture to an already extravagant score. 6.1 users may feel disappointed, as the DTS-ES mix offers little, if any, improvements. Even the additional rear-centre channel is far too disguised to offer any distinguishable qualities.
Just like the video transfer, differences in the audio are too marginal for concern. Both discs exhibit similar separation, surround effects and dynamic balance, although DTS enthusiasts may be more persuaded by the AVP disc. It also has a Cantonese dub in Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, which is of decent quality as far as dubbing goes. Lip movement is synchronised and the volume alteration is undetectable. The optional English subtitles are identical and are fine to read with excellent translation.
Examining the Japanese SHV disc, there is a 7m Q&A session from the film's premiere. The director and young actors manage to discuss specific areas of the film that the Japanese press are interested in. They have even managed to provide a fully operational Hinokio robot to appear on stage.
Next up is a highly informative 10m behind the scenes documentary, comprising of interviews and a wealth of production footage. It is interesting to observe how key scenes were pieced together, as well as the creative diversity of these talented filmmakers. In addition, the documentary also highlights the video game angle and provides an insight into the wonderfully composed score. Lastly, one or two actors struggle to fight back those tears as they receive flower bouquets during the final day of filming.
Following swiftly is another 10m featurette, focusing on the CGI and motion capture involvement. Any questions one has about the creation of Hinokio will be fully answered here. It is relatively easy to follow, using images and videos to illustrate the special effects. Different stages are played side by side, ranging from early pre-rendered shots to the final product. In fact, a similar technique was used to create many Star Wars characters from Episodes I to III. Evidently, the quality of CGI is truly remarkable and amazingly seamless. Even with this featurette, it is still difficult to spot where puppetry ends and CGI begins.
Next is a very early teaser trailer, which features completely different actors with the exception of Ryo Kato and Kanata Hongo who play Kenta and Satoru respectively. The quality of special effects is ropey and there are some scenes not featured in the final film. It would be nice to find out the history behind Hinokio's production.
A few more trailers and cast information finish off the list of supplements on the Japanese disc. It should be noted that the text is in Japanese and there are no English subtitles for the extra materials.
The Hong Kong disc only has trailers.
Hinokio is an entertaining reflection of Japan's technological creativity, combining sublime visuals with sociological subtexts and captivating messages. The unconventional subject matter and over-sentimentality may appear awkward but this typically Japanese concept has the potential to communicate on a global scale. Director Takahiko Akiyama blurs the line between reality and fantasy, both literally and figuratively; his unique imagination will be duly noticed in future productions.
The differences between the two discs are not governed by the audio and video transfers, but instead by supplementary materials. The Japanese region two has some lovely extras, albeit without subtitles. Conversely, the HK disc is a nice option for those who simply want to watch the film, which appears to have been ported from the Japanese DVD. The choice is solely dependant on the individual's personal requirements.
Japan Region 2
HK Region 3
You can purchase Hinokio: Inter Galactic Love from CD Japan and Yes Asia for around $32.54 and $14.49 respectively.
Editorial by Bodhi Sarkar
Kaya Savas Member Join Date: April 2004 Location: United States Posts: 1,254
Whoa, lol, when I saw the title Intergalactic Love and I saw a picture of a human hugging a robot I got a different message, lol. I'm glad to see that this is not what my sick mind percieved it to be, lol.
Nic Mall Member Join Date: November 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,202
It's not about robo lurrrve?
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Microsoft Access has a pretty handy boolean property that you can set for any "text" column in your tables:
True means that empty strings ('') are allowed in the column, False means that they are not.
This is actually quite nice, because by using this along with the Required (i.e., disallow NULLS) property, you can ensure that your column has an actual, non-Null, non-Empty String value without the need for any additional constraints.
SQL Server does not have this property, but we can easily achieve the same effect by using a CHECK constraint:
create table foo
column1 varchar(100) not null check (column1 <>...
posted @ Wednesday, March 19, 2008 3:51 PM | Feedback (4) |
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Let's say you are struggling on a programming project. Your code is growing exponentially and becoming more convoluted by the day, and it is clearly out of control. You're getting run-time errors, compile-time errors, wrong output, no output, endless loops, your machine is overheating, and perhaps you are starting to feel like you might be a little over your head. Maybe this is the first time you are using a particular programming tool or language, or it's the first time you've worked with a particular database, or maybe it's your first complicated project overall in any technology and you're getting...
posted @ Thursday, March 13, 2008 2:51 PM | Feedback (11) |
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Vasi, candelabri, cippi, sarcofagi, tripodi, lucerne ed ornamenti antichi
Image rights: Courtesy Getty Trust Open Content Program
About Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Printmaker, engraver, and antiquarian Giovanni Battista Piranesi once said: "I need to produce great ideas, and I believe that if I were commissioned to design a new universe, I would be mad enough to undertake it." This would prove an apt description of the fantastical architectural prints he became famous for. An ardent lover of Roman, Greek, and Egyptian architecture, Piranesi was the son of a stonemason and builder, and first studied drawing with his uncle, an engineer. (In fact, Piranesi considered himself an architect.) His drawings and etchings demonstrate a sophisticated ability in manipulating perspective and architectural elements for dramatic effect. Piranesi's subjects not only included imaginings of ancient buildings, but also ominous prisons and mysterious ruins. His works were so popular that the prints were sold to Grand Tourists even after his death.
Italian, 1720-1778, Mogliano, Italy, based in Rome, Italy


text: You are on the download page of the driver 3Q (3QNTP-Sign ION-BLACKP-425) Black Atom D425-noRAM-noHDD-GT218-WiFi-noOS. Before downloading, you must choose the version and bitness (32 or 64-bit) for your operating system. There is support for the following versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems. Select the required version of the Windows operating system to download the driver 3Q (3QNTP-Sign ION-BLACKP-425) Black Atom D425-noRAM-noHDD-GT218-WiFi-noOS:


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April 29, 2013, 11:14 am
Why the Denver Broncos took Montee Ball over Eddie Lacy
The Broncos wanted a running back in the NFL draft. That was no secret. What the team tried to hide is Denver preferred Wisconsin's Montee Ball over the more hyped Eddie Lacy of Alabama.
When the Broncos picked Ball over Lacy in the second round, many fans were surprised. But Denver had its reasons. Peter Burns and I discuss the reasons why here:


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We invite you to discover more about The Americare Experience where our person-centered approach to care and caring are shared by our residents, families and care partners.
Sit back and enjoy this photo tour of Cypress Point. Better yet - let us show you around in person - schedule your tour today.


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If it had been Boba Fett and not Han I'd be ordering a case right now. Hasbro!!!
Fett will be back in a future case revision
SCORE!!!Best morning ever! On the way in to work I happened to stop by a Target that is usually pretty consistent about stocking new stuff on Fridays. There was nothing new on the pegs but as I was exiting the toy section I spied a pallet of still unopened boxes and as luck would have it, one of them said "SW 6 in W 1 14" so with breathless excitement I ripped that box open right there on the spot, at first only seeing Han's extra hands, but then lo and behold STORMTROOPER! I went ahead and snagged Luke and Obi-Wan too in case I need to swap out the ones I ordered from HTS for better paint apps. My stormy looks a little wonky around the eyes too, so I may hold off on opening that if I can find a better one. (Hey, it could happen!) Every night I go home and read all the SW forums for the first confirmed Target brick and mortar sighting of these, and lo and behold I end up being the one to break the news. (Mods feel free to run with this) Happy hunting people!
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The biscuit joiner is one of those tools that promises to make life so much easier. The ability to make relatively strong joints quickly and easily makes this a tool you really must have. Yet many woodworkers find it frustrating; for some reason the joints never quite line up and in the end it doesn't seem to save that much time.
It isn't the fault of the tool. The truth is that most woodworkers don't know the right techniques to make the most of their biscuit joiners, and there are some common attitudes and assumptions that hurt more than help, and don't speed things up.
Some joints in woodworking are for show and some are for utility. Biscuit joints won't make your friends and family ooh and aah over your skills, but they will help you locate and connect parts without much fuss so you can get on to more important things.
Fifty years ago, Swiss woodworker Hermann Steiner had a great idea and formed a company called Lamello to market the oval-shaped joining plates and the tools to cut the slots. I first saw one in 1981 when the German-born foreman of the cabinetshop I was working in brought out a new toy he called a cookie cutter.
We were all impressed with what it could do, and every one of us wanted one of our own. What stopped us in our tracks was the $600 price of the machine. The Lamello model is undoubtedly the best in the field. It's made like, well, a Swiss watch.
The Lamello is still the highest-priced machine in the category, selling for four to five times the price of other machines. In a production environment the investment is worthwhile, but if you're not using it on a daily basis, the lower-priced models will likely meet your needs. But if you drive to the tool store in a Mercedes or BMW, you won't regret buying the Lamello.
Make the Machine Perform
First you want to minimize any sloppiness in the tool's plunge mechanism.Every model is a little different, but generally you want to check that all the screws are tight and the motor slides freely on the base. Spraying a dry lubricant on the tool's ways will help. Check the fence. It too should move freely; the stop may need to be adjusted to 90°.The last adjustment to make is to set the depth stop. This is done by making a test cut for a #20 biscuit, with the tool on the correct setting. You want the resulting cut to be a bit beyond half the width of the wooden plate. This allows the two parts to join snugly while giving you a bit of room for lateral adjustment during assembly. Make a cut in some scrap, put a plate in the slot, then draw a pencil line where the plate meets the edge of the slot, as seen in the photos at right. Then turn the plate around, reinsert it, and draw a second pencil line. When the gap between the two lines is between 3?32″ and 1/8″, you have the depth setting adjusted correctly.
The Nut Behind the Wheel
Don't worry about centering the slot on the thickness of the material. Set the fence so that the slots will register from the base of the tool.With the machine ready to go, it's time to make sure you understand how the tool works and what it's good for. In some applications it's ideal, but it's not a panacea. If you're joining two pieces of solid wood edge to edge to make a panel, the main benefit of the biscuit is to align the parts. The joint is strong enough as it is, and adding biscuits may introduce additional problems as well as make extra work.
Turning a corner is a different story; with biscuits, you can make a simple butt joint in a case or box into a much stronger joint. You also get the benefit of having the parts line up at assembly – if your technique is sound.Using biscuits in miter joints can be an iffy proposition. Biscuits work well if you have the machine perfectly aligned when you make the slots. If you're off by even a tiny amount however, the error will be doubled, and you'll likely do more harm than good.Problems arise if you don't hold the work steady and you don't keep the tool flat. This simple jig will let you keep both hands on the tool and the workpiece from moving.
In any type of joint, small errors in aligning the tool to the work as you set it in place, and as you make the cut, account for nearly all the problems you may encounter (as seen in the photos below). It's common to think that the machine is so easy to use that you can't go wrong, but like any other joint, the care you take setting it up and cutting it make all the difference.
Two Total Time Wasters
People tend to concentrate on two things that don't matter and then ignore the most important part of the process. Centering the tool's cutter in the thickness of the material isn't necessary. You're far better off to set the fence by placing the tool on a flat surface, putting a piece of the material you plan to use next to it, and lowering the fence until it touches the top face of the material, as shown in the photo below.
Now you have the tool set so that the cut is indexed both from the fence and from the base of the machine. That is far more important than having the slot centered. There is in fact a big advantage to having the slot offset; it ensures that the face you want to show won't be hidden by accident.
It is also much easier to keep the machine flat by working from the base for as many cuts as you can. I only use the fence as a last resort. The jig shown above right will hold the work flat for you and provide a flat surface for the base of the machine.
To make this jig, all you need is a flat piece of Medium-density Fiberboard (MDF) or plywood, a smaller piece screwed down to one corner, and a third piece below the front edge to act as a hook to your bench. Attach the jig firmly to your bench with a clamp or a few screws, and mount a hold-down toggle clamp as shown above. This will hold your work safely, letting you keep both hands on the machine and it gives you a flat reference surface for the base of the tool.


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If all the research about the links between smoking and health problems like lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as well as the associations between smoking and its impact on infertility, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and SIDS haven't been enough to convince you to kick the habit, maybe this will. A new review of dozens of past scientific studies has definitively linked smoking with certain serious birth defects including heart defects, missing or deformed limbs, gastrointestinal disorders, and facial disorders.
Plus: Pregnant Woman Smokes to Make Fetus' Heart Stronger
The study, "Maternal smoking in pregnancy and birth defects," was published online today in the journal Human Reproduction Update from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, and is the first-ever comprehensive systematic review conducted to examine which specific birth defects are associated with smoking. The research team reviewed observational studies published between 1959 and 2010, including 101 different research studies. Dr. Michael Katz, senior Vice President for Research and Global Programs of the March of Dimes, a leading non-profit organization devoted to pregnancy and baby health, says the study "tells us specifically how bad smoking is."
Plus: 2-Year-Old Caught Smoking a Cigarette
Among the birth defects definitively linked to maternal smoking were increased risk of:
- heart defects
- limb reduction defects—the absence of severe underdevelopment of the hands, feet, radius, tibia, ulna or fibula
- digit anomalies—missing, fused or extra fingers or toes
- clubfoot
- cleft lip or palate
- eye defects
- gastrointestinal defects like gastroschisis, anal atresia, and umbilical/inguinal/ventral hernias
Additionally, the review found evidence that women who smoke are more likely to have a baby with two or more defects.
Although the review included a few surprises about the possible benefits of smoking, for example a reduced risk of skin defects like pigmentation disorders and moles, Dr. Katz said that the "overwhelming trend is that [smoking] is harmful," and the takeaway message is that, "Any woman who is pregnant and smokes endangers not only herself, but her unborn child."
Plus: There is No "Safe" Cigarette
According to data presented at the 2009 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Mumbai, about 250 million women worldwide use tobacco daily. In the U.S., about 20% of women reported smoking in 2009, and despite the known risks, many women still smoke during pregnancy.
Plus: NY May Ban Smoking in Cars with Kids
If you were a smoker, did you quit during pregnancy? Would these findings compel you to quit?


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Do you use Facebook to promote sales for your business?
Are you looking for ways to increase revenue with Facebook?
In this article, you'll discover six ways to use graphics on Facebook and how other ecommerce brands are using them to boost online sales.
Why Images?
According to Lab42, the number-one reason people like a Facebook page is to receive a discount or other promotion.
If you want to drive online sales for your business, images and graphics that feature discounts and promotions are an engaging way to give your Facebook fans what they want.


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- Where can I buy Arc'teryx products?
Arc'teryx products are available from specialty outdoor clothing and equipment retailers around the globe – including our own brand stores. Each individual item featured on this site contains links to authorized online dealers who carry Arc'teryx products.
To find an authorized retailer nearest you, or to locate an Arc'teryx brand store, click here: Find a Store.
Most retailers will special order Arc'teryx products not in stock. We also offer assistance in locating specific items for sale; try our Locate a Product Form.
Or, in select regions you can buy online directly through our website.
- Does Arc'teryx sell direct?
At this time, Arc'teryx sells directly to individuals online in the following countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czech Rep
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Arc'teryx offers a Pro Purchase Program for qualified outdoor professionals, including ski patrollers, mountain guides, etc. Please visit our Pro Purchase page for more information.
Arc'teryx also offers volume discounts to businesses, government agencies and other professional organizations. Custom embroidery is available for corporate logos at a modest charge. For more information, please visit our Corporate Sales page.
- Purchasing directly from Arc'teryx; adding items to your Cart.
You can purchase directly from Arc'teryx through this website. If we have stock in the size and colour you have selected we will show you the Arc'teryx Add To Cart button which will add the item to your Arc'teryx Shopping Cart. Once you start an Arc'teryx Shopping Cart we will continue to show you the Add To Cart and Add To Wishlist buttons on all of the product pages. Tip: All orders are eligible for free ground shipping.
- Do I need to set up an account to place an order?
No, an account is not required to place an order. You can check-out as a Guest, but setting up an account provides easy access to your order, faster returns, as well as quicker check-out next time.
- Does Arc'teryx sell gift cards?
Arc'teryx sells gift cards that are redeemable for purchases at participating Arc'teryx brand stores and on Arcteryx.com. See www.arcteryx.com/giftcards for more information, including participating stores and full terms and conditions.
- How can I get an Arcteryx sticker?
We currently ship stickers out with every online purchase as well as any repair that you send in. Also, if you visit one of our dealers or brand stores they may have some to offer you as well. We do not carry or ship stickers from the Customer Service department.
- How do I recognize a counterfeit?
In order to benefit from the best performance of an Arc'teryx product ensure that your purchase is authentic. Visit our How to Recognize A Counterfeit page for details on identifying features that sets Arc'teryx apart.
- Is my personal information kept private?
At Arc'teryx, we respect your privacy. Arc'teryx will never sell, trade, rent or loan your personal information to any other organization. "Personal information" is information about an identifiable individual as described in applicable privacy legislation.
At Arc'teryx, we take steps to ensure we meet the privacy principles and requirements for personal information under Canadian law. The purpose of our Privacy Policy is to inform our customers, visitors and other individuals we deal with about how we collect, use, and disclose personal information in our custody or control.
For more information, please visit our Privacy Policy page on our website.
- What are cookies? Should I be worried about them?
A cookie is a piece of text stored on a user's computer by their web browser used for authentication, and for storing site preferences and shopping cart contents. We employ "cookies" (a small text file that a website can use to identify your computer) or similar technology that provides additional functionality to our website and helps us analyze website usage more accurately.
Cookies allow for a personalized experience when you visit our website. Our web server may automatically recognize your registered user's domain name and email address, or recognize you as a return visitor to our site.
Cookies also record session information such as items that you add to your shopping cart. You can set your web browser to disable cookies but if you do, some features of our website may not function normally.
Please see our Privacy Policy link on our website for more information.
- How do I find replacement parts?
For replacement parts, please fill out the Part Replacement Request Form .
- How do I carry/store electronic items? Can I carry electronic items in my GORE-TEX® garment?
Although our WaterTight™ zippers are highly water resistant, they are not fully waterproof. Pockets constructed using waterproof fabrics may collect water if they are opened or accessed during wet or snowy conditions.
We do not recommend keeping items in your pockets that may be damaged by moisture. We strongly recommend that you keep any fragile or electronic devices in a sealable plastic bag inside an internal pocket. Arc'teryx is not responsible for any damage to electronic devices or personal equipment.
- How do I qualify/apply for the Pro Purchase Program?
Arc'teryx offers a Pro Purchase Program for qualified outdoor professionals, including ski patrollers, mountain guides, etc. Please visit our Pro Purchase website for more information.
Arc'teryx also offers volume discounts to businesses, government agencies and other professional organizations. Custom embroidery is available for corporate orders. For more information, please visit our Corporate Sales website firstname.lastname@example.com.
- How do I determine the name of the garment/item that I currently own?
There are 3 ways to find the name of a product you own depending upon the age of the product:
- Firstly, if your item appears to be an older model (from about 2003 or earlier), then it is likely that you will be able to find a product 'alias' (a set of 3 letters followed by 3 numbers) inside the garment. By locating the tags inside the garment (inside one of the hand pockets for jackets and on the inside seam for pants), we can establish what model number is assigned to that piece. For example, the series of letters/numbers will be formatted similar to these examples: MGJ 207 or MGP 006.
- Secondly, if you are able to locate a four or five-digit number on one of the tags, that product can also be identified using its assigned model number.
- Thirdly, several of our softshell jackets, fleece garments, base layers and shirts have a batch number located on the end/tip of the care label. The batch number is a nine-digit code with the first five numbers referencing the PO number. By using the PO number, we will be able to decipher the exact model name.
If you email us, or call us with any of these numbers, we will be able to identify which product you are referring to. Alternatively, you can email us a picture of your item and we will endeavor to identify the product for you.
- Sizing Info: How can I determine which size will fit me best?
General sizing information for Arc'teryx products is included on our Sizing Charts page.
For questions on specific sizing details, contact an Arc'teryx Product Specialist at 1-866-458-2473 or send us your question using the Ask a Specialist form.
- How do I return an item for a refund or repair?
To return an Arc'teryx item that you purchased from a store, please contact the original store to inquire about their individual Returns policy.
If your product is damaged or requires a repair and you would like to find out more about our Arc'teryx Warranty policy, please visit our Warranty page.
- Can I place orders by Phone?
Yes, Arc'teryx Customer Service Representatives will accept orders over the phone. Please call 1-866-458-2473.
- What payment methods does Arc'teryx accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Gift Cards.
- Is it safe to use my credit card and PayPal online at Arc'teryx?
Yes, it is secure to use your credit card and PayPal for purchases on our online store. Arc'teryx is PCI (Payment Card Industry) Compliant. Therefore we do not store any payment or financial information in our system.
- What is a foreign transaction fee? (USA applicable only)
Some banks or credit card companies charge a Foreign Transaction Fee, also known as an International Service Assessment Fee, for purchases from merchants located outside of the USA. As Arc'teryx is a Canadian company, some banks apply this fee to charges by Arc'teryx. Other banks use independent third party credit card processing companies that charge this fee. Your financial institution could also be applying a similar cross-border assessment fee.
Arc'teryx only charges the amount shown during check-out and in our email notifications. We encourage you to contact your card-issuing bank to learn more about this fee.
Procline Voluntary Recall FAQ
- How do I return my Procline Boots as a part of the voluntary recall?
Procline boots are to be returned directly to Arc'teryx for repair. Please visit recall.arcteryx.com/procline-boot for more information.
Grant Process FAQ
- What is the process to apply?
We will have one intake period. Organizations can apply starting May 2, 2018 and the deadline is midnight PST June 15, 2018. After the application deadline has closed, applications will be reviewed by a committee and the results communicated by October 31, 2018.
- We applied for a grant and it's now after October 31st and we haven't heard back, what's up?
If it's after October 31st and you haven't heard back from us by email, please reach out to us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
- How much support can my project receive?
Arc'teryx provides support based on projects costs up to a maximum of $25,000CAD. As part of our application process you will be asked to submit a budget.
- Can I submit multiple applications?
You may only submit one application per grant intake cycle. We ask that you pick your most important project to put forward for our committee to review.
- Can I make changes after I submit?
No, you cannot change an application once submitted.
- Can I apply for a project located outside of Canada?
The IMBY program is designed for projects that champion Wild Spaces and Access & Activity that are relevant to our community – be it proximate to one of our stores or offices around the globe.
- Is it okay to ask for the maximum amount allowed?
We expect you to ask for the amount needed for the project to be successful. When we fund projects, we try to fund the entire amount requested instead of funding portions of the amount.
- I was declined. Can I re-apply?
Organizations are welcome to re-apply for the same project. You should update and improve the new application based on any changed circumstances and feedback received.
- Are supporting documents required?
Submit supporting documents if they enhance the application and are pertinent to the project. Don't submit annual reports or documents that aren't specific to the project.
- Can I instruct project supporters to send their letters of support directly to Arc'teryx?
Submit all supporting documents, including letters of support, with your application. Letters of support received after the application is submitted will not be accepted.
- Who reviews the applications?
Review committees include Arc'teryx Staff from various departments from our Head Office and Design Centre located in North Vancouver. Please keep in mind that committee members who review your application may or may not be familiar with your organization and the project you are applying for – be as specific as necessary.
- How is funding distributed for successful grants?
Funding will be distributed once a signed agreement letter has been returned. You will receive full funding within a few weeks of receiving the signed agreement.
- Are there any reporting requirements?
Once you have completed your project, we ask that you submit a final report informing us of your wins, losses and learnings.
- What do successful projects have in common?
Successful applications are clear and concise with obvious goals. Each response is clearly thought out. The project needs to clearly relate to Arc'teryx grant objectives and how it will deliver on the eligibility criteria. Competition for approval can be stiff. Be sure your application does not include spelling errors, heavy use of acronyms or jargon, and that the budget is properly balanced. A clear and easy-to-read application makes the reviewers happy.
- Please contact us if you still have questions:


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BSU Catalog Home
Dr. Tim Kroeger (Coordinator; email@example.com), Dr. Dragoljub Bilanovic
Both the quantitative and qualitative factors are applied in decision-making processes that range from plans for worldwide concerns, such as global warming, and for natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, to evaluation of a building site for a home. Earth Science is also a companion field of study for hydrologists and environmental scientists and for related careers in government, business, and industry.
See Section II, Enrollment for required high school preparation.Recommended High School Courses
Students are encouraged to discuss with their advisor the option of a second major or minor that might strengthen or complement their major.


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Version: 2.0.0 Updated
Platforms: Series 60, Symbian OS
Developer: MCI Consultants
Distribution Type: Freeware
Downloads: 3220
File Size: 2753 Kb
cnectd is a messaging application for smartphones. Cnectd allows you to send text messages, and share pictures and your location with your contacts. The push notification messages ensure you will always get messages even when you are not in the app. No need to spend money on expensive SMS/MMS messaging anymore. Cnectd lets you find new friends in your area and begin chatting.
"cnectd (Symbian)":·· FIND & MAKE FRIENDS EASILY. make new friends and locate people nearby with our new search functionality. Search for friends in your city and country.
· IT'S COMPLETELY FREE. For a limited period only you will be able to download cnectd for free. Use cnectd as much as you like without any limitations.
· SEND IMAGES. Allows you send photo's to any of your contacts
· WORKS WORLDWIDE. It makes no difference what country your contacts reside in. Cnectd works across the globe.
· BETTER THAN IM. No more logging in and out. You are always logged in and will always get your messages. You are always cnectd!
· UPLOAD YOUR OWN PROFILE PIC & UPDATE STATUS. Manage your own personal profile. You can edit your status to alert people if you are available or not.
· GROUP CHAT. lets you chat with many friends at once. Create and manage your own groups.
· SHARE YOUR LOCATION. share your location with your contacts and view on a map so you are easily locatable.
What's New in This Release:
· Bug Fixes


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MIAMI — Ten days ago, Ruben Amaro Jr. said he was fielding calls from American League teams regarding Jim Thome. The future Hall of Famer was recently removed from a terrific nine-game stretch as designated hitter. Now he was relegated to the bench.
It's easy to see what will eventually happen. So AL teams called Amaro.
"I may very well have [received calls]," Amaro said June 19. "Fact of the matter was he was great and exceeded everyone's expectations — including mine. And honestly, he was fantastic and in some ways, it is a little bit of a disservice to have him sit there as a pinch hitter when he can't do much more than that.
"But we'll see what happens. Right now, I hope he gets a couple of chances to win some games, and then we'll go from there."
Since then, Thome has won the Phillies one game with a walk-off home run. He is 1 for 6 as a pinch-hitter in the last 10 days with four strikeouts. For the season, he is 1 for 17 with 11 strikeouts.
He needs regular work, something that will not happen while with the Phillies.
Thome will not finish the season with the Phillies; Amaro said as much 10 days ago. Now an ESPN.com report has piqued the Internet's interest by changing "fielding calls about Thome" to "shopping Thome."
Not much is different. The Phillies would like to do Thome right by finding the best situation for a man with 609 homers and zero World Series rings.
The return for Thome will be limited. Perhaps the Phillies can have the acquiring team pay the remainder of his $1.25 million salary. Perhaps they could fetch, at best, a marginal prospect — emphasis on the word "marginal" and not "prospect."
Either way, this is about Thome, a man the Phillies respect immensely.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.


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Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Radio Free Hipster Ep. 28: Interoffice Memorandum
See Hipster, please! for show notes and a full track listing.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Radio Free Hipster is the bi-weekly podcast of nerd music and culture weblog Hipster, please! In each episode, host Z. not only plays music from the ultra-geeky realms of VGM, geek rock, wizard rock, chiptunes, and nerdcore hip-hop, but also mash-ups, electronica, and oh-so nerdy gems from rock's sordid past.


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SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—A federal judge has paved the way for the execution of a convicted killer whose attorneys wanted to challenge the constitutionality of South Dakota's execution method over his objections.
Donald Moeller, 60, is scheduled for lethal injection later this month for the 1990 slaying of 9-year-old Becky O'Connell. Moeller has said he's ready to die for the crime and asked that the challenge to the execution protocol be dismissed.
U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence Piersol accepted Moeller's dismissal request this week despite objections from the Arkansas attorneys who had been representing him, according to a ruling filed Wednesday.
The attorneys wanted to press forward with arguments in their challenge, which focused on whether South Dakota's use of the drug pentobarbital in a one-drug method would inflict cruel and unusual punishment.
They argued that Moeller is incompetent and incapable of making voluntary and rational decisions. An affidavit from a psychology professor said Moeller's abusive upbringing and time in solitary confinement have undermined his will to live.
Judge Piersol, after questioning Moeller at length during a hearing last week, said Moeller has the capacity to appreciate his position and make a rational choice.
"During the Court's extensive questioning of Moeller, he was at all times articulate and coherent with regard to the nature of his civil rights action and the consequences of abandoning the action," the judge wrote.
Attorney Scott Braden, who had argued to have a guardian appointed for Moeller, said Wednesday that he couldn't comment on the ruling.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said dismissal of the constitutional challenge does not change the state's plans for Moeller's execution.
"The state is committed to performing an execution according to constitutional standards," Jackley said in a statement. "We have safeguards in place to assure a humane and dignified execution process for every inmate on South Dakota's death row."
Authorities say Moeller kidnapped O'Connell from a Sioux Falls convenience store, drove her to a secluded area near the Big Sioux River, then raped and killed her. Her naked body was found the next day. She had been stabbed and her throat was slashed.
Piersol previously upheld the constitutionality of Moeller's conviction and sentence, but he hadn't ruled on the constitutionality of a South Dakota Department of Corrections execution policy that was changed last year.
South Dakota previously used a three-drug protocol for executions. The change added one- and two-drug procedures as options. The two-drug protocol calls for sodium thiopental or pentobarbital to be used before pancuronium bromide is injected to stop the inmate's breathing. The three-drug procedure includes sodium thiopental or pentobarbital, followed by pancuronium bromide to stop the breathing and potassium chloride to stop the heart.
South Dakota's supply of sodium thiopental expired last month, so it's planning to use pentobarbital on Moeller.
A July court filing by the state suggests South Dakota will obtain its pentobarbital through a compounding pharmacy. Such pharmacies custom-mix solutions, creams and other medications in doses or forms that generally aren't commercially available. The pharmacy's identity and location have been sealed by the court.
The FDA considers compounding pharmacy products unapproved drugs and does not verify their safety or effectiveness. Compounding pharmacies have come under scrutiny in the wake a deadly meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated injections made by a Massachusetts specialty pharmacy.


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The Genesis of the New MG Mixers
The Yamaha team in Japan behind the new lineup of Yamaha MG mixers tell us more about their vision and extra-ordinary attention to detail during the development of this new series of analog mixers.
An audio mixer is needed in almost all areas of music production and live performance - from detailed classical acoustic recording to hardcore electronica its often the most important device in the chain. The new Yamaha MG Series delivers outstanding quality, and here the Yamaha team explains how they created this new series.
Mr. Tashiro: Engineering Manager
For us the new MG series had to be more than just "new." It had to deliver meaningful features and performance that actually meet or exceed the customer's needs and, as always, that turned out to be a difficult process.
Mr. Tanaka (Iggy): Supervisor
We started by researching the ways that the previous models were being used throughout the world, and ended up with 10 models that comprehensively satisfied the real-world use requirements.
Mr. Nonaka: Engineering Manager
This applies to all of our products, but the size of the Yamaha organization contributes to high product quality in a number of ways. There's the direct legacy from the PM series analog mixers, as well as technology developed for our digital products ranging from synthesizers to digital mixing consoles. And there's a healthy atmosphere of competition in each department that contributes to continued technological growth. This is all part of our strength as a general sound related manufacturer.
Mr. Tashiro:
We maintain the same quality standards from PM series consoles costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds right down to mixers like the MG series models that cost only a few hundred pounds. They're all made at the same factory. We built one of the largest and most advanced electromagnetic emission testing facilities in the industry in the same area as the design department, and that has resulted in a huge improvement in our quality control capabilities.
Parts Selection
Mr. Nonaka:
Every operational amplifier, transistor, and capacitor we use is chosen for high sound quality and reliability. In analog mixers like the MG series, we're able to take advantage of the expertise we've acquired through many years as leaders in the field, while applying the most advanced circuit design tools available today. While other manufacturers use outsourced, general purpose DSP chips, we develop our own DSP chip the most suitable for our needs. That translates into unbeatable cost versus performance.
Mr. Tashiro:
I'm sure that there are always difficulties, but what were some of the obstacles encountered in creating the new MG series?
Mr. Nonaka:
As always, achieving the required standard of quality was the main issue. We use the same quality testing standards that apply to consoles costing tens of thousands of pounds, and that's a tough challenge for models that will sell for just a few hundred pounds. The pressure is on us, designers and hardware engineers. But unless we can overcome the quality issues without compromise, the product cannot be released.
Mr. Nishizawa: Mechanical Engineering Group Manager
For example, some manufacturers promote the fact that they use a high-quality microphone preamp, but then they use cheap circuitry in the following stages that negates any sonic benefits the preamp might offer. In the MG series we've made sure that parts and circuitry are optimally selected and matched throughout. Just the fact that a design uses high-quality parts doesn't guarantee that the overall performance will be correspondingly high. An appropriate balance must be found through trial and error and actual listening tests.
Mr. Tanaka (Iggy):
Another advantage of being a world-wide organization is that parts can be sourced from the many branches we maintain in various locations around the world, plus the fact that we have access to parts acquired for other products such as electronic musical instruments. This means that for the same cost Yamaha can use parts that are a rank above those available to other manufacturers.
Mr. Nishizawa:
That's very true. Our motto is to make affordable products, but never "cheap" products. And since we have access to such high-quality parts we are able to maintain the same level of quality that the pros expect in our most expensive console in affordable mixers like the new MG models. We're using Neutrik™ connectors in the new models, and have completely redesigned the faders as well. We used CT scans for non-destructive structural analysis, and as a result have even employed a new type of grease for super-smooth operation.
New Environmentally Safe Finish
Mr. Tashiro:
It looks as though the new models had a different type of finish.
Mr. Nishizawa:
That's right. This time we used a powder finish that significantly cuts VOC usage.
Mr. Tashiro:
"VOC" stands for "Volatile Organic Compounds," right? Come to think of it, we've always tried to be easy on the environment. Of course we've cleared the very strict new European standards.
Mr. Nishizawa:
The special metallic blue finish used on the new MG models was developed in cooperation with specialist powder finish manufacturer. This powder finish is extremely durable compared to standard liquid finishes. It will last for a long time. Whereas with liquid coating equipment about 70 percent of the material evaporates into the air as volatile organic compounds, powder coating equipment produces essentially no VOC pollution. The panel of a mixer is subject to constant handling, and the extra durability of the power coating prevents wear and damage from sweat, cosmetics, and a range of other common causes of damage.
Mr. Tanaka:
At that point there were continuous product design requests. Every time a strength issue was found, the design had to be revised. It was a very tiring period. I remember re-drawing the rack ear screw contact area many, many times.
Mr. Tashiro:
I seem to remember people running up and down the corridors quite frequently at that particular time.
Mr. Tanaka:
We ended up with four rack ears, and added reinforcement at that point that resulted in a sleek look while making the unit easy to carry. The latest analysis tools have enabled us to see that although it provides more contact area with the rack, the normal straight configuration is actually weaker in several ways. The rack-mount models having 16 or more channels were particularly challenging, and we were delighted when all the elements finally fell into place and we had a good-looking design that was also easy to carry.
Control Layout and Feel
Mr. Tashiro:
We also redesigned the knobs, and significantly improved readability and feel.
Mr. Tanaka:
Right. The powder finish made it necessary to increase the size of the lettering, which resulted in better readability.
Mr. Nishizawa:
The meters are brighter, too. We used high-output LEDs that are easy to read even outdoors on a bright day. There are no other mixers in this class that offer separate multi-colored meters for different functions.
Mr. Tanaka (Iggy):
Yes, I remember everyone crowding around one of the new mixers to check out the meters in a bright section of the corridor.
Weight, Strength and Durability
Mr. Tashiro:
This is just about the right weight for hand carrying.
Mr. Tanaka (Iggy):
That's a very important point in a utility mixer.
Mr. Nagai: Mechanical Engineering Group
It's easy to achieve sufficient strength if you use steel or other heavy metals, but since the MG mixers were intended for utility use, we had to consider the portability and handling aspects. What's more, if you give priority to rack mounting in the rack-mountable models that have 16 or more channels, you end up with strength problems. But if you add reinforcing ribs you're faced with manufacturing problems. So we went back to the design and repeated structural analysis until we had a body with the ideal combination of design and strength.
Mr. Tashiro:
In many cases other manufacturers claim "heavy duty" or "high-reliability" as an excuse for the fact that they went with manufacture-friendly heavy-gauge steel and readily available oversized parts. But here at Yamaha we have access to the latest analysis tools that allow us to achieve superior strength in more refined designs, as well as source smaller parts of higher quality from all over the world. The trend towards smaller and lighter products is obvious in the latest computers and personal music players. This points to a fundamental growth in technology that reflects the needs of the market, and does not require any compromises in sound quality. Our small, lightweight mixers deliver the same sonic quality as our professional PM-series consoles. People want utility mixers to be small and light while sounding great, and that's just what the MG mixers provide.
Mr. Tanaka (Iggy):
So these are products that strike a perfect balance between cost and performance. There's absolutely nothing "cheap" about them in any way. By the way, what kind of durability testing do the mixers undergo?
Mr. Nagai:
We begin with number crunching on the computers, comparing different metals and manufacturing methods, and end up with the inevitable durability testing of the actual product. There are many tests we employ, but the main process involves an impact test, a secondary transportation test, a drop test (we drop the packaged product from a height of 74 centimeters), a vibration test, and finally another impact test. The current one-piece rackmount chassis design has passed all of these tests, and patents are pending.
Although each member of the MG design team clearly has individual goals within the project, the team is thoroughly united in terms of motivation and "Yamaha Vision." The confidence they convey is a good indication that the new MG-series mixers offer something special to users who are serious about sound and quality.


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Gross domestic product grew at a 0.1% annual rate, up from a previously estimated 0.1% drop, revised figures from the Commerce Department showed today. Also, weekly jobless claims declined by 22,000 to 344,000 in the week ended Feb. 23, and the number of people collecting unemployment insurance dropped to the lowest level since June 2008. With that fairly positive set of data releases, the MAR13 E-mini S&P 500 is up slightly on the day, trading up 1.5 pts to 1517.25. We see 1530 as the top of the recent range and think that the market does have a chance of moving beyond those levels if more really solid economic data comes out of the USA. The next big release is in the beginning of March with the employment numbers. Overall, even with the spending cuts looming, the market seems bullish and is having trouble holding below 1500 as of now.
The grain markets have picked up some bullish activity today, with MAY13 corn futures trading up $.08 to $7.03, or more than 1%. MAY13 soybeans are also up more than 1% today, trading up to $14.57. Wheat, after a very steady descent this year, has turned around today and is trading up more than 1% as well. We believe a lot of this activity, especially in the wheat market, is short-covering and value seeking.
We focus more on the Swiss franc futures today. Like the euro, the pound, and the Aussie dollar, the Swiss franc has been in a very bearish trading environment in February 2013. Today the franc is down further to the tune of -.23%. We notice that the Swiss franc is at the bottom of its five-month range, and if it stays below this level, we look for our next downside target of 1.0650 and then 1.0400 to be hit. 1.08 is our first upside resistance. We would not be surprised to see the Swiss franc break lower and trade in a new range between 1.04 and 1.07 for a while.
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Legion urges passing of HAVEN Act:
The American Legion is strongly encouraging Congress to pass the HAVEN Act, a bill that would amend the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to authorize funding to nonprofit organizations that can help veterans repair, rehabilitate and modify their homes. S. 3614 is set for a vote in the Senate this afternoon; a companion bill was approved by the House of Representatives in September.
"The American Legion supports the HAVEN Act because it would allow the public and private sectors to collaborate to assist veterans with housing services that are currently not fully met," said Mark Walker, deputy director of the Legion's Economic Division. "It's imperative that Congress make the bill law before the current lame-duck session of Congress ends."
If the HAVEN Act becomes law, it would amend the NDAA - Congress' annual act that specifies the budget for DoD - to include funding for nonprofit organizations that help veterans maintain their homes. Specifically, the measure would create a Department of Housing and Urban Development pilot program to give grants to nonprofit organizations - like Habitat For Humanity and Rebuilding Together - to rehabilitate and modify homes of low-income veterans and veterans with disabilities.
Under the bill, the nonprofit organizations that receive funding would be encouraged to collaborate with veterans organizations like The American Legion to locate veterans and provide them the assistance they need with their homes.
The housing pilot program also would help augment existing programs like VA's Specially Adaptive Housing program and housing assistance programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Nonprofit organizations could pool their resources with these federal housing-assistance programs and affect a larger population of veterans who need assistance with their homes.
With much of the Eastern Seaboard still cleaning up after Superstorm Sandy, the need for housing assistance is dire. The HAVEN Act, if passed, would be a significant help to veterans whose homes were either lost or damaged by the storm.
"The pilot program becomes an important template for meeting future needs of the veteran community," Walker said. "Our government can't do it all. It could use the help of nonprofit organizations with a proven track record of helping veterans."


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We're with you at each step of the Loan Process, from determining which program is right for you to closing on your new home.


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If you've always wanted to meet a "Jersey Shore" cast member but have yet to do so, you must not be trying very hard.
There were three cast members appearing in the Chicago-area last month – Snooki, Vinny and Ronnie -- and there will be two more this weekend. The Situation will visit Drink in Schaumburg and Zero Gravity in Naperville Friday. JWoww will visit the L.A. Tan in Downers Grove and Norridge and Vision nightclub in River North Saturday.
I know what some of you are thinking: Who still watches "Jersey Shore"?
To be honest, I'm not sure who still watches – well, besides me (I've been living vicariously through Pauly D and Vinny the last few seasons. I can't stop now). The show's ratings are still strong, but definitely not as strong as they used to be. It doesn't help that half the cast seems to get more unlikable every season.
The Situation has somehow gone from the best cast member to the worst in a span of five seasons. OK, that's not true. Sammi is the worst. If I hear her yell "STAAAHP" one more time, I'm going to head butt the wall harder than The Situation did.
Anyway, people must still be watching if they're bringing it back for another season, so make sure you line up early if you plan on attending any of the appearances this weekend. The cast members tend to draw big crowds, as was the case during Snooki's appearance at Ultimate Exposure in Hoffman Estates last Saturday.
Me? I think I'll skip the "Jersey Shore" appearances this weekend. I've interviewed the cast enough times. It's kind of getting old. Been there, done that.
And if you think I don't really mean that, well, you know me too well. The truth is I'd love to speak to JWoww again. She's one of the normal ones. But I'd rather spend my Saturday watching the Mayweather-Cotto fight and pretending to care about horse racing.
Hey, I have a life too. It's just not as interesting as Pauly D or Vinny's.
Heads up: The Bears' Lance Briggs, Kahlil Bell and Tim Jennings and Minnesota Vikings' Fred Evans will attend the Chicago United Hoops Classic's VIP reception Saturday at Privet. The event benefits the Norm Van Lier Scholarship Fund and its Non-Violence Legacy Campaign.
On the record: "To be honest, I wanted to keep trying to get pregnant myself. I was really excited about the experience of carrying a child, so I kept exhausting our options. But when the doctor said, 'We looked at your results, and we don't want you getting pregnant for up to five years,' that was it….after years of struggling, I'll take what I can get!... I've been given this amazing gift, and you won't hear me whine about it." – "E! News" co-host Giuliana Rancic talks to US Weekly about having a baby via surrogate.
"That album hit me when I was 14, 15, and I was discovering all this new music. … I know what people say about it; some people criticize Billy Corgan for putting himself out there like that. Like who is he to make a double album? But I loved it. You have to be a little bit selfish when you're making an album, as long as you stay true and sincere to the music, because that's how people connect to it." – M83's Anthony Gonzalez talks to my Tribune colleague Greg Kot about using Smashing Pumpkins' "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" as inspiration for his band's double disc album, "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming."
Sighting: The Los Angels Dodgers Matt Kemp – some know him as the baseball player who dated Rihanna, others know him as the guy who has more home runs this season than the entire Cubs roster -- was spotted at Cuvee in the early hours of Thursday. The Dodgers face the Cubs Friday at Wrigley Field.
Watch this: Whoever said you should never meet you heroes was absolutely right. I've been let down on more than one occasion, and so has Chamillionaire. The "Ridin' Dirty" rapper talks about meeting Michael Jordan in this video from 2009 (via Chicagoist.com).
Twitter @aboutluisgomez


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So, the person the Obama Administration has placed all our chips on in Egypt, the supposedly moderate Mohamad Morsi (pay no attention to the Muslim Brotherhood behind the curtain), turns out not to like Israel or Jews. As the New York Times reports this morning:
Nearly three years ago, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood delivered a speech urging Egyptians to "nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred" for Jews and Zionists. In a television interview around that time, the same leader described Zionists as "these bloodsuckers who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs."
I especially love Times reporter David Kirkpatrick's droll analysis:
In recent months, he has begun to forge a personal bond with President Obama around their successful efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Palestinian militants of the Gaza Strip.
But the exposure this month of his virulent comments from early 2010, both documented on video, have revealed sharp anti-Semitic and anti-Western sentiments, raising questions about Mr. Morsi's efforts to present himself as a force for moderation and stability.
What could possibly go wrong? To borrow Glenn Reynolds' formulation, the country's in the very best of hands.


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At least 12 million people from Africa were loaded into slave ships and transported to the Americas. How do people of African descent, scattered around the world, see their relationship to their ancestral home? Do they consider themselves "the African diaspora"? If their African heritage dates back several generations, is it "nebulous atavistic yearnings," as the Harlem Renaissance poet Countee Cullen once said, to search for their roots, to want some kind of bond with their ancestral homeland? Or is it important, in a neocolonial and still-racist world, that Africans and people of African descent see themselves as part of a transnational community? After all, the ancestors in question did not choose to leave their homeland; they arrived in the Americas in chains, and from the time they landed they were divided and dispersed, as a strategy of domination. And even though slavery has ended, people of African descent still wear its imprint on their skin, like a tattoo. Out of slavery came an ideology of racism that permeates the Western world to this day. Given the black collective memory of slavery, it is easy to understand the emotional tug of the ancestral land, the longing for Pan-African brotherhood and the desire for a community that is not racist. The trouble is, as these three books all show, Afro-diasporic solidarity is complex, and often fraught.
In Middle Passages James T. Campbell (not to be confused with James Campbell, the Baldwin biographer) looks at various African-American journeys to Africa over the past two centuries. What did Africa mean to them? asks Campbell. What did America mean to them? In the past, the number of African-Americans traveling to Africa remained small. Since the growth of the African tourist industry in the 1990s, tens of thousands of African-American tourists have made pilgrimages there each year, and it often proves a charged emotional experience.
The first story in the book, an astonishing tale of dramatic reversals of fortune worthy of a Grimm fairy tale, reminds us just how ruthless was this trade in "black gold." In 1730 Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, a highborn Muslim man in West Africa, made a 200-mile trek to a place on the Gambia River where an English ship was anchored. He had slaves to sell, but the English captain was not prepared to pay enough, and Ayuba continued south into Mandinke territory. He exchanged his slaves for cattle and set off for home, unaware that he was being followed. He was waylaid. His captors shaved his head and beard. Back at the English ship on the Gambia, the English captain recognized him but apparently had no qualms about loading him on board as part of his human cargo. Ayuba would find himself working on a tobacco plantation in Maryland. And then came another dramatic reversal of fortune: His noble birth was discovered, and he was put on a ship to England, where he was adopted by the English gentry and met the royal family. After a year there, he boarded another slave ship, this time as a passenger, back to Africa. He spent the rest of his days working for the Royal Africa Company and facilitating the slave trade. "Viewed through the moral lenses of our own time, Ayuba seems guilty of the most appalling hypocrisy," writes Campbell, "but he would not have seemed so to contemporaries."
Langston Hughes was 21 in the summer of 1923, when he boarded a ship in the Brooklyn dockyards heading for West Africa. The 1920s was the Jazz Age, and the time of the black arts movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. As Hughes puts it, "The Negro was in vogue." Caught up in the neo-Romantic "primitivism" was a new fascination with Africa, its tom-tom exoticism, its black vitality. Hughes was as prone to employ these stereotypes as everyone else; the difference was that he was one of the few who actually made the voyage to Africa. Eager to escape the humiliation of racism in America, he hoped to find a truer, freer self in the home of his ancestors. His first sight of the coastline filled him with excitement: "My Africa, Motherland of the Negro peoples!" He would respond viscerally to the beauty of the landscape and the people, but he left Africa feeling rebuffed. Africans treated him like a white man. Years later, in his memoir The Big Sea, he would mock his naïve hopes and illusions.


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I've never met Ben Affleck.
I only know him from his movies, which I have enjoyed with him serving as actor or director. And while you can never tell what a person is really like by seeing that person on the big screen or on TV talk shows or even during a chance meeting, you still form a picture.
Affleck comes across as a nice, likable enough guy. From a racial standpoint, he comes across as a guy with no indication of racial issues with regard to black Americans.
The recent revelation that one of his ancestors owned slaves does not change my view of him.
I just wish he had owned up to his ancestor's ownership rather than ask and receive the removal of this fact...


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Police believe accidental shooting injured Madbury woman SaturdayBy JOHN QUINN
Union Leader Correspondent
March 05. 2013 10:35AM
MADBURY - Police believe an accidental shooting sent a Knox Marsh Road woman to the hospital Saturday.
Police, firefighters and emergency personnel responded around 7 p.m. after receiving a report that the woman, Ashley Smith, 25, sustained a gunshot to the leg at her home at 309 Knox Marsh Road. Knox Marsh Road is Route 155 in Madbury.
McGann said investigators believe the incident occurred while her husband, Jeffery Smith, 27, was showing her his new 9 mm pistol.
"Right now, it appears to be a truly accidental shooting," Madbury Police Chief Joseph McGann said, adding the matter remains under investigation and will eventually be reviewed by the County Attorney's Office.
McGann said crews from McGregor Ambulance transported the woman, who sustained non-life threatening injuries, to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover. He said her husband, who was very cooperative, drove to the hospital to be with her.
"There was no exit wound - so it wasn't in and out," McGann said.
Regardless of experience or training, McGann said police hope everyone with a weapon always treat it as if it's loaded, keep it pointed "down range" and away from other people. "When you own firearms, there's a certain responsibility that comes with it," McGann said, adding all gun owners should complete a gun safety course and stay up to date with procedures and the law.
McGann said there are many qualified and certified weapons safety classes in the area. He added he usually refers local residents to take a course at Major Waldron Sportsmen's Association in Barrington.


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STOCKTON - The mother of a mentally disabled man has filed a lawsuit against United Cerebral Palsy after one of the organization's caretakers burned her son with scalding water.
STOCKTON - The mother of a mentally disabled man has filed a lawsuit against United Cerebral Palsy after one of the organization's caretakers burned her son with scalding water.
Court documents say former employee Matthew Telena placed the victim in a blistering shower after the client had soiled himself.
Telena pleaded guilty to felony charges in criminal court and is serving a one-year sentence in the San Joaquin County Jail for the abuse.
The victim's mother, Deanne Padilla, is suing the organization, claiming negligence and dependent adult abuse. Telena additionally is being sued for negligence, battery and assault.
"It appears this guy was unfit to be around and taking care of these disabled individuals," said Padilla's attorney Ray Waters of the Stockton law firm Drivon, Turner & Waters. "It's a horrible way to treat people who are in that position."
Padilla said prior to the burning incident, she had called the organization multiple times to complain that Telena was not caring for her son properly, and she suspected he caused an injury to her son's nose, her lawsuit says.
She said they didn't take action to protect her son. Her suit also alleges the organization had hired Telena even though he had a criminal record.
"Defendant UCP in conscious disregard of the rights and safety of plaintiff, continued to employ defendant Matthew Telena with actual knowledge of the unfitness of him, exposing plaintiff, to the risk of injury," the suit says.
The victim is a 30-year-old Stockton man with autism and schizophrenia. He is non-verbal and relies on caretakers for his everyday needs.
Court documents say that on March 18, Telena arrived to the victim's home in the afternoon to relieve the morning shift caretaker.
The morning caretaker described Telena as being "high strung" that day, according to the suit.
Sometime after that, the disabled man had a bowel movement on himself.
The lawsuit says Telena placed him in the tub, and unscrewed the shower head.
Stockton police additionally say Telena cleaned the victim with water so hot it caused second-and third-degree burns to his buttocks and inner thigh and groin area.
Police said he was transported to San Joaquin County General Hospital, and later to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment.
At the very least, Telena was negligent, Waters said. But even worse, Waters believes Telena purposely used hot water to punish his client.
Telena in May pleaded guilty to a felony dependant abuse charge with an enhancement of great bodily injury. He was sentenced to one year in San Joaquin County Jail and five years probation.
Ray Call, chief executive officer of United Cerebral Palsy of San Joaquin County, said he could not comment on the lawsuit because of client confidentiality rules.
He said he also could not comment on Telena's criminal conviction.
"The mom is devastated," Waters said. "She is very apprehensive about leaving him with caregivers now."
Waters said the victim's interactions with people have changed and he is scared of getting in the shower.
Padilla is suing for general, special and punitive damages. Waters said Telena's abuse has caused the victim physical and psychological damage.
Contact reporter Jennie Rodriguez-Moore at (209) 943-8564 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit her blog at recordnet.com/courtsblog.