text:
Today, website programming has become a business necessity making hiring a qualified website programmer or web development company essential to a business' success. Finding an experienced and dependable website programmer can be a very challenging endeavor. Generally if you don't have referrals for quality website programmers you are forced to search online and hope that you will come across a programmer or development company that can provide you with a custom website or an enhancement to your current website. It's definitely a risk to hire a programmer you really know nothing about. Most of the time it's a trial and error experience and that can become very costly.
Here are a few tips for hiring a website programmer or web developer:
- Decide what type of programming you want or need. Do you want a website programmer to build you a new custom website built from scratch, a website built from a template, a website redesign or particular website programming enhancements such as quote forms, contact forms etc.
- Be as specific as possible in you search engine keywords. If you know what website programming language you need i.e php programming, type in php programmer or custom php programmer. You can even be more specific such as American php programmer or USA php programmer. If you don't know what programming language you need or want you might try typing in custom website programming for medical supplies. So ideally the more specific your keyword search the more likely you will find a website programmer or web development company that is best suited to your criteria.
- Make contact with your perspective website programmer. Choose 3 or 4 different website programmers or programming companies. Don't bother making contact with any programmer or development company that doesn't have a phone number in addition to a contact form or email address. Having phone contact is imperative to your successful communication with the website programmer you choose. The best way to initially contact a website programmer is with an email or the use of the perspective programmers contact form and be as specific as possible. If you are not contacted back from your initial email within 1 day take that website programmer off of your list. This is key! If they are a professional and quality website programmer or website programming company they will be returning your email promptly. The quickness of the reply is indicative of a programmers' professionalism and willingness to take care of your needs.
- Have a realistic budget in mind. The old saying goes 'You get what you pay for'. This is also key when you hire a programmer. As a general rule of thumb if they charge more per hour (within reason) it's because they're good at at what they do. You don't want to trust the success of your website to a programmer that is advertising 'affordable' low rate per hour or a newbie programmer that will basically be learning as they go when they build or enhance your website. If you want quality website programming and professional service from a USA web programming or development company look at spending anywhere from $85.00 to $150.00 per hour. Anything less then that… well you must know this saying too "penny wise and pound foolish". So budget accordingly. A good website developer will be able to accommodate your budget by supplying you with alternatives or even a multiple phase way of approaching your website development.
- Talk to a live person. Make phone contact somewhere in between your intitial contact and making your final choice. Make sure you get a good feeling that the person you're about to trust 'get's it' and is easy to communicate with. First impressions are important. Trust that.
- Plan on paying a deposit before work begins. Most programmers will generally ask for a deposit of anywhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of the estimated quote before commencing. This is standard and should be expected. Before you give any deposits make sure you have a good quote ( generally a range for example 10 to14 hours to be completed in 4 to 7 business days). Generally the smaller the programming job the higher the deposit and the larger the programming job the smaller the deposit.
- Read testimonials and verify them if necessary by requesting references. When qualifying your website programmer be sure that the clients they have done work for in the past are happy with their services. This goes without saying. Check them out on the web if you have to. Search for "company name"+complaints or +reviews
The bottom line is if you need a programmer make sure you do your homework and follow the simple but effective guidelines above. By doing so your chances to hire a programmer who provides quality website programming and professional service are very good and your overall experience will be well worth the time and effort you spent.


text:
This calculator will help you to decide whether or not you should refinance your current mortgage at a lower interest rate. Not only will this calculator calculate the monthly payment and net interest savings, but it will also calculate how many months it will take to break even on the closing costs.
Thank you, we'll be in touch!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Shadow Fight 2 is a nail-biting mix of RPG and classical Fighting. This game lets you equip your character with countless lethal weapons and rare armor sets, and features dozens of lifelike-animated Martial Arts techniques! Crush your enemies, humiliate demon bosses, and be the one to close the Gate of Shadows. Do you have what it takes to kick, punch, jump, and slash your way to victory? There's only one way to find out.
- Plunge into epic combat sequences, rendered in astonishingly lifelike detail by an
all-new animation system.
- Devastate your enemies with delightfully intuitive controls, thanks to an all-new
fighting interface designed especially for touchscreens.
- Journey through six different worlds full of menacing demons in this action-
packed, adrenaline-fueled combat RPG with an immersive, intriguing storyline.
- Customize your fighter with epic swords, nunchacku, armor suits, magical powers,
and more.
Shadow Fight 2. May the battle begin!.
- Add Unlimited Coins.
- Add Unlimited Rubies.
- SHADOW FIGHT 2 Hack Latest Version (With New Version).
- SHADOW FIGHT 2 Cheat Tool Undetectable, Safe and Effective (100% Safe).
- Protected with Anti Ban Security and User - friendly Layout.
- No Need ROOT or JAILBREAK Mobile Devices.
- No Download Needed apk. So simple but Worked.
- Open page generator by click Hack Now Button
- Input your username or E-mail.
- Input amount of Coins & Rubies resources with what you want (MAX: 1.000.000).
- Wait for a second, the server is processing your request. (we also showing process detail).
- If the generator is working, it will display human verification to avoid Spam or Robot.
- and If the generator not showing human verification, so reload the current page and start from first step again.
- After all is done, go back in the generator page and you'll see a status.
- Let's open the game in your devices and look, your resources is there and ready to use.
SHADOW FIGHT 2 apk
how to hack SHADOW FIGHT 2
hack SHADOW FIGHT 2
SHADOW FIGHT 2 cheat tips
free hack
SHADOW FIGHT 2 iphone generator
SHADOW FIGHT 2 game cheats
SHADOW FIGHT 2 hack no download
SHADOW FIGHT 2 Hacks
SHADOW FIGHT 2 hack tutorial
SHADOW FIGHT 2 hack video
SHADOW FIGHT 2 Resources
SHADOW FIGHT 2 hack iphone
SHADOW FIGHT 2 Today
Today 834 User has Generated FM TUTHACK COM FIFA 19 Coins and Points.
From 834 User Today, we Record 781 User Success Generated FM TUTHACK COM FIFA 19 Coins and Points
From 834 User Today, we Record 99 User Failed Generated FM TUTHACK COM FIFA 19 Coins and Points.


text:
We Deliver the Best...to Enable the Best
The Inter-Sec Group is a small veteran owned business with a Quick Reaction Capability, in that we can provide highly experienced manpower solutions to the advancing and growing needs of the U.S. Government, the U.S. Military, the Intelligence Community, the Law Enforcement Community, State and Local Governments and the Corporate community worldwide. In response to these advances and the changing requirements, the Inter-Sec Group endeavors to employ and develop quality personnel, resources, and services that meet the diverse and ever evolving mission related needs of communities. We possess the appropriate security clearances to engage in all classified operations.
The Inter-Sec Group | 5814 Gabor Drive, San Antonio, TX 78240, USA


text:
The Transformers star also complains Maxim magazine used an outdated picture of her
Megan Fox is heating up the newsstands with two sultry cover poses – but only one of them comes with the stamp of approval from the Transformers star.
That's the tongue-across-the-teeth, barely-there-bikini picture gracing the October issue of GQ, in which Fox, 22, makes no apologies about her movie roles.
"If I get stuck doing comic book lms for the rest of my life, I'll be really happy," she tells the magazine. "I love those types of movies. And I don't mind being sexy – if it's a character with a back story and an arc and something progresses."
Of posing for the magazine, Fox says: I am very excited to be involved with GQ, as it is such a great magazine.
Fox, meanwhile, is also on the cover of Maxim, but her reps say the magazine proceeded without her cooperation, purchasing older photos that already have run in other magazines.
A Maxim rep says: "Megan Fox is a talented actor and a favorite of our 13 million readers and we're pleased to recognize her accomplishments in the October issue with this beautiful photo portfolio."


text:
Fifth disease is caused by a virus called human parvovirus B19. The illness causes the body to stop making red blood
cells for a short time. This usually does not cause a problem for an otherwise
normally healthy child or adult. But it can become a serious threat for
certain people.
If a woman gets fifth disease during pregnancy and she's never had the infection before, the doctor will want to watch for certain problems in the fetus. In very rare cases, a fetus that becomes infected with parvovirus
B19 may develop severe anemia and swelling, a condition called
fetal hydrops. The mother and fetus should be closely
watched with
fetal ultrasounds to detect this condition.
When fetal hydrops is detected, the fetus may be treated with blood transfusions while in the uterus, although this is not usually
Some babies born to mothers who were infected with fifth disease
during pregnancy may also be treated with blood transfusions.
People who have blood disorders that cause anemia (such as
sickle cell disease or
thalassemia) may require
blood transfusions if a rapid worsening of existing
anemia (called transient aplastic anemia)
develops. People who
have this type of anemia can become very sick. Symptoms include fever,
lethargy, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing.
People who have
impaired immune systems and get fifth
disease may develop a chronic parvovirus B19 infection that can lead to severe
anemia. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be needed to prevent a chronic parvovirus B19
infection and severe anemia.
Last Revised:
May 29, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
John Pope, MD - Pediatrics & Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MD, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


text:
Around the Home Flashcards - Dutch
Around the Home Flashcards - Dutch
Learn the name, spelling, and pronunciation (audio by native speakers) of 52 common home objects in Dutch, while playing over 8 different fun games to practice your knowledge! You may play the games with just one Linguacious™ deck or with several different decks.
Winner of the prestigious Tillywig Brain Child Award and Dr. Toy's 100 Best Educational Toys Award! Your child will learn reading, writing, listening, and speaking with these cards. MADE IN USA and a portion of our profits are donated to foster foreign language learning in K-12 in the USA.
The only vocabulary flashcards that feature real pronunciation by native speakers (Internet required)
Fun and perfect for toddlers, children, and even adults. Real color photographs only.
Learn the names and pronunciation of 52 common home objects in Dutch in less than a week of play!
Our suggested games to learn Dutch (includes word bingo) are guaranteed to get you to learn all words in no time!
If Dutch for kids is what you are looking for, our Dutch flashcards are the perfect resource for that!
Linguacious® would like to kindly thank Jelke Bloem, PhD for leading the team of Dutch consultants for this Dutch project.


text:
Elephant Family with Twins
Twins Baby Shower Invitations
Elephant Family with Twins, Item# SI7014TCC
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Elephant Family with Twins, Item# SI7014TCC
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Elephant Family with Twins Thank You Card
Elephant Family with Twins Envelope Seals
Elephant Family with Twins Return Address Labels
Shower Poem Insert Card
Shower Notes of Advice for a New Mommy
Elephant Family with Twins Postage Stamps Sheet
Place Card
"Elephant Family with Twins" features an adorable Mama and Papa walking down the street with their babies. The elephant family is walking in front of a classic picket fence, and the Dad is holding an umbrella. The baby elephants are between the Momama and the Papa, swinging by the Mom's trunk and Dad's tail. Great little details further accent this adorable design, from the raining hearts, to the heart shaped ears, to the baby's curly cue hair.
You will be able to select the typestyle and ink colors to use for your personalized text during the design process. Start by clicking on the green 'Personalize and Continue' button. We recommend using the default typestyle and ink colors.
|Estimated Postage Required:
|$0.55 stamp - if other items are not added into the Envelope. Click here for additional postage information.
|Item Type:
|Flat Card
|Card Dimensions:
|7.5" x 5.25" (W x H)
|Printing Process:
|Digital Press
|Paper Weight:
|Multiple Stock Options
|Typestyle Shown:
|Futura and Lainie
|Matching Ink Color:
|Your choice of White or Cream Envelopes included. Printed return address and/or Calligraphy is available for an additional cost.
|Inner Lined Envelopes:
|Inner Lined Envelopes available for an Additional $.40 each. Choose from 20 different colors.


text:
Laurie Wright
101 Gorevale Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6J 2R5
The Fine Print: (Please read before purchasing) Items purchased from this web site will have the same number, size and kind of beads that you see on your screen BUT... slight variations of color and form may occur. Also... the colors you see may vary slightly depending on your computer system and monitor. In general our online shopping cart adds up prices accurately BUT... if we receive invoices with incorrect prices we will not process the order but rather contact you with the correct price and give you the opportunity to cancel or resubmit your order at the correct price.
Returns Policy: For customized items all sales are final. All other items which you ship back to us in original condition within 30 days receive a refund (minus 15% restocking fee and shipping charge). Shipping: I have no to way track parcels shipped by regular mail. I will only refund for lost parcels if they are shipped in a trackable manner. I will ship orders in north america over 300 dollars by express or expedited parcel at no extra charge. I do my best to ship in a timely manner. However, I have no control over how long parcels may be held up by customs or postal agencies. Procedures for refunds for lost parcels will not be started until a minimum of 6 weeks have elapsed from the date of shipping. It would seem that some of the new spam filters are not allowing my email to get through. If your spam filter is set too high I have no way of knowing and I can't be responsible for lost email. If you have not heard from me please phone. Copyright Notice: The designers are the true owners of all copyrights. All rights are reserved by the designers. No reproduction of any design, in part or in whole, in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means is permitted without written permission of the copyright owner.
Designerbeads.com is pleased to link to...
The Ganoksin Project - The gem and jewelry world's foremost information resource on the Internet. Open to the public, Free of charge - a substantial library of articles, publications, reports, and technical data on gem and jewelry related topics; as well as a sizable collection of art and jewelry galleries, for both the casual visitor and the professional.
Metal Arts Guild
Bead Societies in Canada:
The Toronto Bead Society
Niagara Bead Society
Grand River Bead Society
Bead Societies in the USA:
The Bead Society of Greater Washington/Bead Museum Home Page
National Bead Society - Discussion Board
The Bead Society of Greater New York
Portand Bead Society
Rocky Mountain Bead Society (RMBS), Denver, Colo.
Austin Bead Society - homepage
Northwest Bead Society
Bead Society of Greater Chicago


text:
How to keep your tomato plants healthy. Award winning garden expert Steve Brookes shares great fun and informative gardening tips.
How to keep your tomato plants healthy. Award winning garden expert Steve Brookes shares great fun and informative gardening tips.
Great video. I never would have thought of vacuum fluff. I have an amazing tomato growing video on my channel. I actually had a really nice volunteer tomato plant grow out of a concrete wall! If you see it let me know what you think and how that may have happened?? Thanks.
I repaired vacuums for 13 years Before becoming a nurseryman. Yep, compost pile is a good place for this…at least out here in the country, not so much if you live in a high metal contamination levels
well if it makes me vacume the house more its a good thing…lol. i am also concerned about whats in my bag tho..yep..mostly dog hair.
I want to grow some pumpkins can anyone give me advice?
We have kids and a dog. No way would I mt the vac bag in the garden.
huuuuhhh thats cool
do = so
I wouldn't of believed him if he didn't have the English accent. But he does, do I have to do this now
what about dryer lint…hehehe…
not at all, but the different nutrients whatever there is will be transported all the way through the stems and in to the fruits, or else the fruits wouldn´t be there.. happy growing..
Iv'e learned that it's ok for fruit bearing plants, because even if there is 'scary stuff in the fluff' the plant might suck it up-but it will only stay in the leaves and not get into the fruit. But it's dodgy for leafy greens.
I am such a sceptic on this idea about reusing vacuum fluff, but, I do have an idea.. how about making a tea out of it? just like compost tea?.. run some hot water through it and hopefully the water will absorb the nutrient this dude is talking about is in the vacuum fluff.. I´d rather do that than what he suggests.. hehe…
allright, I can´t help you with the fluff stuff, but I can hear you are a little of a newbie in this, and there is no one who can actually give you a correct answer to the questions you have. but yourself, and what I mean about that is, we don´t know the exact brands of soil you will use, therefore we do not know how good at draining this soil is.. and we don´t know how hot it is in your invironment, therefore we don´t know how long it takes for the soil to drain out, but I will be happy to help
finally I found a way to reuse my vacuum cleaner fluff, hahaha 😛 never thought I would see this day 😛
hes either an evil genius or hes loosing it
kfc ad was funny
interesting, never even thought about vacuum fluff as a fertilizer. Will have to try it this growing season, but won't mould grow in the vacuum cleaner fluff?
i have a dog that sheds hair like crazy, so most of whats in mine will be dog hair will that be a problem? also how often do they need to be watered iv heard they need regular watering and iv also heard they only need to be watered once a week but alot in one go?
tumata plont
I now vacuum my neighbors homes for free
mebbe work long term in an allotment or some such , not sure about efficacy short term in a grow bag.
good idea though. am gonna try it…. at the plot. hmm. sheep wool too, little clumps here and there can be had for free off fences etc., soon mounts up.
cheers , got me thinkin, good vid.
i like the idea and i think i would just plant it down in the tomato hole
U serrious???!!
i am making on i hope you watch it i am doing flowers cabige and carrot
how ironic plants are… when you feed them your waste they get better ;)
Does your cat recognize the plants?
this is really wonderful. i have always like to try and grow my own tomato.
feed them
I know a few tomato plants that need feeding.
A tomato garden is a happy garden.
I planted some tomatoes and they grew up but my friend knocked them off my balcony so I have to do it again now. 🙁
really like this video! I have 10 ft. tall tomato plants!
I tried that this year on 3 plants They are the best 3 plants in my garden. It works ! Thank you
ICongratulations! incredible system for growing tomatoes, look at my channel and tell me what you think:)
MY CHANEL : Hortelano¿Yo..? in youtube… Bye
Sprinklers.iFind2.com installed mine. It was only $1399 Front & Back Yard in Richmond, TX . You can also get the Install Yourself Kit for $39 which explains everything. All items are sold at the Home Depot or Lowes. I got it at Sprinklers.iFind2.com
wow, this was very informative. finally, a useful purpose for vacuum cleaner fluff, lol
you're my hero xoxoxoxoxo.
Thank you for sharing
did this work well or not
I'm going to try it! I have been using a couple drops per gallon of micronutrient solution for pond plants in old aquarium water plus miracle grow and they went from seedling to 5 feet with fruit in 38 days. But if I can get those nutrients for free, I'll do it!
Great video #UN#! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I'm growing black cherry tomatoes again… wonderful colour and flavour. I'm also using a live bumblebee hive in the greenhouse as well, called a Beepol hive and bought online!
im growing a tomato plant now. the tomatoes are going to be striped.
do you really need to do stuff like this? I mean I have five tumbler tomato plants and there about six inches tall, a month and a bit old and are thriving wery well off the all purpose soil they are in. Don't you only need to start feeding the plant once it has flowers starting to grow so the tomatoes will have a lot more nutrients?
Wow…this is crazy. But I do have alot of yucky stuff full in my vaccum so I will give this a try.
Wow these comments to other people are so nice lol xD
@dnbktune886 dont take the piss mate
Your enthusiasm is admirable. I stand corrected…But… I said produce (not organically grown produce) is grown in poop, an obvious point making overstatement intended to inject levity. Point being decomposed living matter is the essence of life, the cycle of life and death. We come from the earth ourselves, to which we return and bring forth new life. But what do I know, I'm just the Bible clinging, gun toting, ignorant grandson of a depression era farmer.


text:
Current USA 12 Inch TrueLumen Pro Dual Dimmable LED Striplight Kit.
Minimal Presence…Maximum Performance
- Brilliant shimmer & color rendition
- Sleek, elegant design
- Ultra-bright, energy efficient LEDs
- Includes inline dimmer control
Brilliant illumination - in every sense of the word. View your marine aquarium at a whole new level with TrueLumen Pro Dual LED kits. The sleek, low profile aluminum LED strips look cool on any aquarium and are packed with ultra-bright LEDs rivaling even the brightest T5's. You'll not only see amazing shimmer and stunning color, your tank inhabitants will experience improved growth and color rendition.
Two powerful LED strips - Marine Fusion (12,000K white and 453nm blue) & Deepwater Blue (453nm Blue) casts a brilliant spectrum of light for saltwater aquariums. You'll see incredible shimmer effects while making colors pop in your fish and corals. With a simple turn of a dial, you can independently adjust the brightness of each light strip, providing cool dawn/dusk effects and moonlighting. The extruded aluminum housing is sleek and low profile, making them a perfect fit for almost any marine aquarium. Mount them directly to your aquarium using the adjustable aluminum docking mounts, or retrofit them inside your canopy using the included swivel canopy brackets. Completely water resistant and powered by low voltage, they are super safe and completely silent (no cooling fan.)
TrueLumenPro Dual LED Strip Kits are excellent for marine fish, fish only with live rock (FOWLR) and mixed reef aquariums.
Each TrueLumenPro Dual LED Kit includes:
- 1 - 12" TrueLumen Pro 9.1W LED Striplight (Marine Fusion - 12K white & 453nm blue)
- 1 - 12" TrueLumen Pro 9.1W LED Striplight (Deepwater Blue - 453nm blue)
- 4 - Aluminum Mounting Brackets
- 4 - Swivel Canopy Brackets
- 1 – 3-Way Splitter
- 2 - Inline Dimmer - with ON/OFF control
- 1 - 60 Watt 24V Transformer (UL Listed)
- 1 – Instructions
Questions on Current USA 12 Inch TrueLumen Pro Dual Dimmable LED Striplight Kit
No questions asked yet


text:
How can you get the word out about your blog? Share it with our girlfriends!
For my blogger girlfriends: One of the best ways to find a new audience for your blog, is to guest blog on a site that has traffic you'd like to attract, right? It's kind of like going to a party of your friends' friends – it's a room of new people to introduce to you and fun potential future friends to make.
At Girlfriendology we're all about women supporting women, so we're looking for FEMALE BLOGGERS to share their girlfriend inspiration, advice and stories in guest blogs that we'll promote to our 60,000+ female Facebook friends, Twitter followers (primarily women) and our thousands of blog and newsletter readers.
What's required? First, if you're a FEMALE blogger – contact us with your idea*. Keep in mind that it can't be a sales pitch and needs to offer helpful information that you'd share with a girlfriend, inspiring stories of friends or share some great girlfriend advice. Please share your guest blog idea, your blog URL and why you should be the one to write this in your introductory email to judicogen (at) gmail (dot) com. Once we agree on the angle, please send in a Word document with a short bio (75 words or less) and a photo* (jpg, 250×250 pixels is great). The bio should have no more than two links total. It should be well-written (in paragraphs, with possibly bullets/highlights, spell-checked and with proper punctuation) and fit the tone of Girlfriendology (positive, helpful content you'd share with a girlfriend). (We do reserve the right to reject any content that we don't feel is positive, all inclusive for all women, helpful or that meets our standards/brand. We do not link to gambling/dating/diet sites or other links as we see fit.) We do ask that you also post it on your blog, as well as Tweet, Facebook and share with your online communities/fans. We want as many women as possible to read your guest blog!
We all have a Girlfriend Story that needs to be told. When a friend was there for you, inspired, supported, cracked you up (when you really needed it). A friend who has inspired you by her bravery, kindness, strength. A sister-friend, or a sister who's your BFF. We want to share Your Girlfriend Story on Girlfriendology to inspire, amuse, and help other women.
We'd love to share your story on Girlfriendology. We'll let you know when it goes live so you can share with your girlfriends. We'll share your bio (with up to three personal links) and photos. You'll inspire women and friendship. Isn't that pretty awesome?!
It's easy. Just go to this form and share Your Girlfriend Story.
P.S. Every woman I talk to about Girlfriendology has a Girlfriend Story that she loves to tell. Please share this with your girlfriends. Maybe they'll write about you 🙂
* PLEASE NOTE: Girlfriendology is not seeking or accepting guest posts from outside companies/independent writers at this time – only BLOGGERS. If you are interested in advertising, a product buy sertraline 50 mg review or sponsored post, please contact info(at)girlfriendology.com for pricing information. Due to large volume of requests for guest promotional posts from companies, emails may not be responded to. Also, we will determine which links will be NO FOLLOW.
Here are a couple examples from great guest blogs on Girlfriendology:
- Get Healthy and Fit with Your Girlfriends, by Crystal Collins (shown above), aka: The Thrifty Mama. Great girlfriend advice on taking care of ourselves and our friends.
- Girlfriend Advice for Friends dealing with Infertility, by infertility specialist Mindy Berkson (great example of girlfriend advice, she's been through it and is helping other women)
- Girlfriend Advice on Women's Sexual Health, by Tisa Powell (fabulous female content – just the kind of information that you trust when it comes from a girlfriend)
- Frientimacy – The Intimacy of Friends, by Shasta Nelson (This is such a perfect fit for our mission of inspiring female friendships!)
COMPANY SPONSORED GUEST BLOGS: Upon approval we do accept company sponsored guest blogs IF they fit our tone (as in offering 'girlfriend advice'). This option starts at $100/post. Contact info (at) girlfriendology.com for more information. (The above 'free' guest blogs are for bloggers or women who are not representatives of a company.)
* SHARE PHOTOS OF YOU & YOUR FRIENDS – We love to feature real-life friends on Girlfriendology, share your stories and see the smiles that come from being with your friends. If you have a photo to share, first check with everyone in the photo to make sure they approve us posting it on Girlfriendology. Then write up a little description of the girlfriend group, who is in the picture, why you're such great friends, etc. We'd love to feature you and your beautiful friends on Girlfriendology!
Want to be a regular feature here on Girlfriendology? Have great girlfriend advice, inspiration and information to share with women? We're looking for GIRLFRIEND GURU's to share guest blogs monthly on Girlfriendology. (<– Check out that link for more info!)
Can we guest blog for you?
Girlfriendology has over 2000 blog posts based on inspiration, appreciation and celebration of girlfriends. If this topic fits your audience or would be helpful to share with your readers, we'd love to write a guest blog for you! We can create a new blog post or re-purpose/edit a previous post for publication on your site. A few of our favorite topics are: why female friendship is so important, situations for being a better friend (to a friend who is looking for a job, to a friend dealing with cancer, or to a friend who has lost a beloved pet), social media and friendship and even social media marketing (like this guest blog I did for FeedBlitz on 9 Ways I use Facebook to grow the Girlfriendology Community).
If you're interested in a guest blog from Girlfriendology, please share your blog name/URL and any information on your community, as well as ideas/guidelines in an email to info (at) girlfriendology (dot) com. (We'll also reciprocate and promote it on Girlfriendology, and to our Facebook and Twitter communities.)


text:
|MS Word (472 KB) | PDF (544 KB)
Rural Education Initiative
(Title VI, Part B)
Retains the current Rural Education Achievement Program (renamed Small, Rural School Achievement), which provides additional formula funds and flexibility in the use of certain Federal funds to small rural districts. Creates a new program to provide additional funds to rural districts that: (1) are ineligible to participate in the Small, Rural School Achievement program; and (2) serve concentrations of poor students. Appropriations are to be divided equally between the two programs.
National Assessment of Educational Progress
(National Education Statistics Act, Section 411)
Amends the legislation authorizing, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which provides high-quality data on the achievement of elementary and secondary school students in reading, mathematics, science, and other subjects. Also makes minor changes to the authority for the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB).
Changes from Current Law
State Assessments - Requires the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to conduct biennial State assessments in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8. Removes the prohibition on using Federal funds to pay for the administration of State assessments. Authorizes $72 million for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as necessary for 5 succeeding years for administering these assessments.
Reporting Subgroups - Prior legislation required separate reporting, where feasible, by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender. The new law adds disability and limited English proficiency.
Assessment Frequency - Prior law required national assessments at least every two years on students at ages 9, 13, and 17 and in grades 4, 8, and 12, and it permitted State assessments at grades 4, 8, and 12. The reauthorized Act mandates biennial national and State assessments in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 and a national assessment in reading and mathematics at grade 12. To the extent that funds are available after conducting those assessments, NCES may conduct national assessments in other subject areas at grades 4, 8, and 12 and may conduct the long-term trend assessments of students at ages 9, 13, and 17. NCES also is permitted to conduct 12th grade State reading and mathematics assessments and State grades 4, 8, and 12 assessments in other subject areas.
Prohibitions - The new legislation specifically prohibits agents of the Federal Government from using NAEP to influence standards, assessments, curriculum, or instructional practices at the State and local level; from using NAEP to evaluate individual students or teachers; or provide rewards or sanctions for individual students, teachers, schools, or school districts. In addition, the statute specifies that nothing in the law shall be construed to prescribe the use of NAEP for student promotion or graduation purposes, and that NAEP should not affect home schools. Maintenance of a system of records containing personally identifiable information on students is prohibited. Assessments must not evaluate or assess personal or family beliefs or attitudes.
Access to Assessment Materials - Maintains the ability for NCES to ensure test integrity by not releasing cognitive test items that will be used in future assessments and continues to provide for public scrutiny of assessment materials in secure settings, but includes new provisions designed to ensure that the public is notified about access to assessment materials, requires that such access be provided within 45 days in a convenient setting, and establishes procedures for receiving, reviewing, and reporting complaints. Provides criminal penalties for unauthorized release of assessment instruments.
Voluntary Participation - Mandates that participation is voluntary for students and schools, as well as for local educational agencies. State participation continues to be voluntary other than in the reading and mathematics assessments in grades 4 and 8.
National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) - Gives NAGB final authority over all assessment items, not just cognitive items. Requires NAGB to ensure that all items used in NAEP are secular, neutral, and non-ideological. Specifies the types of technical experts with whom NAGB is to consult in the design of the assessments. Adds to NAGB duties the development of standards and procedures for interstate comparisons. Makes minor modifications to the composition of NAGB.
Reviews of NAEP - Continues the requirement for NCES to provide for on-going review of NAEP assessments by professional organizations to ensure quality. Continues to require State NAEP to be considered "developmental" until such review determines that the assessment produces high-quality data. Adds a requirement for NAGB to provide for a review of any trial student achievement levels under development by representatives of a State educational agency or a chief State school officer.


text:
Low Miniprep Yield - (Aug/02/2011 )
Hey board,
I've recently been trying to miniprep pEntry vectors using home-made P1, P2, N3 buffers, filter/binding plates, etc. etc. (for the purpose of Gateway cloning). Previously, I've been able obtain quite a decent plasmid yield (~100 ng/uL). But it's been 7 months since my last miniprep spree of these vectors and, suddenly it seems, my yield has been very low (15-50 ng/uL). All of my buffers were freshly made except for P1 which was made ~7 months ago and did not have RNase A added until very recently (and stored at 4C). I tried to vary my DH5 alpha inoculation times between 16 and 28 hours with very little change in yield (previously when the yields were good, I inoculated anywhere from 18 to 20 hours). I always inoculate my bacteria in SOC media (should be richer in nutrients than LB) with kanamycin antibiotics.
Can it be possible that my P1 solution without RNase A and stored at 4C for 7 months got bad and somehow ruined the minipreps?
*Also, I do not reuse filter/binding plates or buffers. The buffers were made according to Qiagen's recipe or somewhere else I found. And I don't think it's due to variation in my pipetting...since I automate my minipreps. I just script something and a robot does it for me. =)
It is possible that your P1 is off, though this is usually just salt, a buffer and some glucose. It may be that your NaOH has precipitated, if you have a stock solution, try preparing fresh and see how it goes.


text:
By Hans Ebert Saying 2016 has been a bad year for music- and this year ain't over yet- is an understatement. So is saying it's been a bad year for the world of entertainment and the world in general. Whatever's in the water, it's not helped that river of life to be smooth sailing. No [...]
Posts Tagged 'Coppola'
THE SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION…Posted: 28th December 2016 by We-Enhance in Beatles, Music, Music Industry, Music Marketing
Tags: Antonioni. Woody Allen, Coppola, David Bowie, David Lynch, DePalma, FACEBOOK, Frank Capra, George Michael, Hitchcock, Jean Luc Goddard, John Ford, Polanski, Prince, Scorsese, Sgt Pepper's, Spielberg, Truffaut


text:
Rotary encoders from HEIDENHAIN are currently designed for the connection of KTY 84-130 temperature sensors. Future generations will be capable of processing other temperature sensor types (e.g., the PT 1000) in addition to the KTY 84-130.
However, the subsequent electronics or the rotary encoder installed in the motor can already now be configured to automatically detect the connected temperature sensor type. Information on the adaptations to the EnDat specification and recommendations for manufacturers of motors or subsequent electronics can be found in the EnDat Application Notes in the chapter "Processing of various temperature sensor types." For more information on the compensation calculation by the subsequent electronics, please refer to the "Encoders for Servo Drives" brochure in the chapter "Temperature measurement in motors."
Multi-channel master: Use of the EnDat Master Basic
- EnDat Master Basic is supplied as EDIF netlist (encrypted VHDL code available on request)
- Register interface and APB interface are included
- To be provided by customer:
- Bus interface
- Low cost of design and testing Bus interface: e.g. APB to SPI is commercially available
- The number of logic elements (LE) is usually higher in comparison to a solution with EnDat Master Reduced
Multi-channel master: Use of the EnDat Master Reduced
- EnDat Master Reduced is supplied as VHDL code
- To be provided by customer:
- Register interface
- Bus interface
- The solution usually has fewer logic elements (LE) than does a solution with the EnDat Master Basic
- The register interface can be tailored to the customer's needs
- Higher cost of design and testing
For data storage, HEIDENHAIN encoders use so-called EEPROMs, which have a limited endurance due to their physical design. These encoders are thus of only limited suitability for the cyclical storage of data. For more information, refer to the EnDat Application Note.
The following RS-485 transceivers with fail-safe receivers are currently recommended by HEIDENHAIN, depending on the transmission frequency, temperature and supply voltage requirements. Identical blocks (same internal signal propagation time) must be used for clock and data:
These are the essential requirements on the RS-485 transceiver:
- For EnDat2.2, HEIDENHAIN recommends RS-485 transceivers with a data rate of at least 32 Mbps. This makes it possible to support the maximum clock frequency of 16 MHz defined for EnDat 2.2.
- For EnDat2.1, HEIDENHAIN recommends RS-485 transceivers with a data rate of at least 4 Mbps. This makes it possible to support the maximum clock frequency of 2 MHz defined for EnDat 2.1.
- The edge steepness of the driver (rise or fall time) must be <25 ns (for EnDat 2.1 and EnDat 2.2).
Application test under operating conditions:
In all cases, an application test must be conducted, taking into account the complete transmission distance (RS-485 transceiver, cable, connector, etc.). This also applies to the application-specific requirements for the operating conditions, including voltage supply, temperature, EMC and ESD.
Before accessing the memory, the MRS code for the desired range must always be set first. An MRS range remains set until
a) a new MRS range is selected
b) an EnDat 2.1 reset is sent
c) an EnDat 2.2 reset is sent
See also the EnDat Application Notes, Chapter "Sequences and data structures"
See also the "Sequences and data structures" chapter of the EnDat Application Note.
Error messages:
The two composite error bits F1 and F2 should be monitored in every query. F1 and F2 are generated independently of each other, and must be evaluated separately from each other. It is recommended that errors and warnings be buffered in the subsequent electronics before they are cleared (for diagnostic purposes at a later date, e.g. error log). Clearing of errors and warnings is basically possible with EnDat 2.1 and EnDat 2.2 commands. However, not all causes of errors can be reset within one communication cycle with the EnDat 2.2 command. In these cases the error messages can remain set. The following priorities for the clearing of errors are the result (the timing requirements of an application decide when the next priority stage is to be switched to):
- Stage 1: Clearing with EnDat 2.2 mode commands in the control cycle
Resetting of error causes that can be reset within one control cycle
- Stage 2: Clearing with EnDat 2.1 mode commands
Resetting of error causes that require the encoder to be re-initialized
- Stage 3: Switching the unit off and on again
Resetting of error causes that require the encoder to be entirely restarted
The group bit for warnings is transmitted with the additional data. The warning bit should be queried at regular intervals, even if the application does not require the processing of additional data.
Error handling of the interface:
Along with the CRC check there are three different types of errors, which should also be monitored continuously; see Attachment A2 of the EnDat specification.
Also see the "EnDat Monitoring Functions" section of the EnDat Application Note.
- Errors and warnings should be reset independently of each other; see the sequence "Clearing errors or warnings".
- As long as the encoder outputs a group error bit, it must be assumed that the values transmitted by the encoder, particularly the position values, are erroneous.
- With incremental encoders certain error states can only be detected after traversing the reference mark(s).
- See the "How to get started" chapter in the EnDat Application Note
- See the "Implementation" section on the website
See also the EnDat Application Note, Chapter "Implementation Examples"
See also the EnDat Application Note, Chapter "EnDat Monitoring Functions"
Certain hardware and software combinations of the MASTERDRIVES inverters erroneously send a clock or entire clock-pulse group in the boot phase of the connected position measuring system. If the encoder is driven by a clock during the boot phase, this can lead to an interruption of the boot procedure and output of incorrect position values.
SIEMENS initiated a redesign of the MASTERDRIVES electronics (SBM 2) and developed appropriate software. These modifications will be available starting in December 2008. To ensure functional combinations of encoders and MASTERDRIVES for the transition period, HEIDENHAIN will modify, upon request, PCBs of the standard rotary encoders of the 35-mm and 56-mm series with optical scanning and deliver them in limited quantity. They can be distinguished by the index after the serial number according to the enclosure.
The following procedure is recommended to find out whether a combination of MASTERDRIVES and HEIDENHAIN encoder is functional:
- Compare the ID number and the index of the serial number (letter at the end of the serial number) of the HEIDENHAIN encoder on the ID label with the encoders included in the attached list. See also the two attached examples of HEIDENHAIN ID labels.
- If the index of the serial number is lower than the one indicated, please refer to your contact person within the HEIDENHAIN Sales department. Indicate the serial and ID numbers of the encoder and mention these FAQ.
- If the index of the serial number is equal or higher, there should be no problems with the MASTERDRIVES inverter.
|1st clock period:
|The driver in the encoder is deactivated
|2nd clock period:
|The driver in the subsequent electronics is activated
|3rd to 8th clock period:
|Transmission of the mode word
|9th clock period:
|The driver in the subsequent electronics is deactivated
|10th clock period:
|The driver in the encoder is activated
- Before the first position-value request, word 13 of the EnDat 2.1 parameters must be read out, so that the subsequent electronics can correctly determine the number of clock pulses to be sent. EnDat 2.1 commands must be used to read out the information.
- If not enough clock pulses are transmitted, then some information will not be available to the user, and the encoder hangs in the middle of the communication cycle. So under certain circumstances, the next communication will fail.
- If too many clock pulses are transmitted, then the encoder interprets this as a continuous clock. The encoder is then within a communication cycle again, and under circumstances the next communication will fail.
- The communication with the encoder may seem to be functioning, but if the timing changes slightly, for example, it will fail suddenly. Sporadic communication errors can also occur.
- In principle the memory is freely programmable. HEIDENHAIN does not have requirements for the contents of the programming.
- The memory is divided into four areas. These areas can be used either by the OEM (parameters of the OEM areas 1..4) or by the encoder manufacturer for compensation values (compensation values areas 1..4).
- The content of the compensation-value areas is not of interest to the user.
- The EnDat 2.1 parameters (words 9-12, interrogation of words 9 and 10 suffices) contain information on whether the OEM area is supported, and which addresses within an available area can be addressed.
- Different families of encoders support different OEM memory areas and different address areas. Therefore, the assignment of the OEM areas must be read out for each and every encoder.
- For this reason, the subsequent electronics should form addresses relative to the determined values, and not use absolute addresses. The programming must be adapted to the individual encoder.
(See also the EnDat Application Note, Chapter "OEM Memory Area".)
- After the encoder has been powered, error messages can be set. Also refer to the EnDat specification.
- Please refer to the "Procedure After Switch-On" section in Chapter 2 of the EnDat Application Note.
- Certain types of measuring devices, such as those with buffer battery backup or incremental encoders, require particular measures after switch-on; see also the corresponding chapter of the EnDat Application Note.
Other information regarding errors and warnings:
- The error word can be reset; individual error bits cannot be reset (see specification).
- Not every encoder supports all alarms. The alarms that are supported can be read out from the encoder. Alarms that are not supported should be masked out.
- This way the control can determine whether the errors "demanded" by the application are even supported.
- In the future, additional error messages may be used by HEIDENHAIN !
- Once write-protection has been activated, it cannot be rescinded.
- The encoder must be sent to the Service Department at HEIDENHAIN, where the write-protection can be removed.
See also EnDat Technical Information
Clock frequency
Ordering designation
EnDat 2.1
with incremental signals
≤ 2MHz
EnDat 01
EnDat 2.1
without incremental signals
≤ 2MHz
EnDat 21
EnDat 2.2
with incremental signals
≤ 2MHz
EnDat 02
EnDat 2.2
without incremental signals
≤ 8MHz (bzw. 16 MHz)
EnDat 22
bold: Standard version
- Distinguishing features between EnDat 2.1 and 2.2:
- Supply voltage and clock frequency; not command set!
- The ordering designation is indicated on the ID label.
- In the future, EnDat 2.1 encoders (EnDat 01 or 21) will also be available with the EnDat 2.2 command set!
- The clock frequency is based on the properties of the encoder (especially for pluggable cable assemblies and EnDat 02)
- Service encoders: Caution with parameters !
- If the clock must be interrupted during communication, the clock level must be kept at low. The encoder would interpret a high level for > 10 µs (or > 1.25 µs with reduced recovery time) as the end of the recovery time I, and therefore as the end of the communication cycle.
- With the exception of the LC (max. 30 µs), the clock level can be held at low for several ms.
|EnDat 2.1
|The maximum permitted clock frequency depends on the maximum cable length. This results from the answer from the control also needing to be read in within one clock. The encoder places the data on the line with the rising clock edge. It is recommended that the control assume the data with the rising clock edge of the subsequent clock.
|EnDat 2.2
|In order to increase the clock frequency, propagation delay compensation (see EnDat specification) is performed. After power-on, but before propagation delay compensation is performed, the clock frequency must be limited to 300 kHz.
The EnDat interface provides the possibility to reduce the recovery time for EnDat 2.2 mode commands (see EnDat specification). The reduction of the recovery time makes the realization of very short cycle times possible. The reduced recovery time led to misunderstandings regarding the specification data:
- The reduction of the recovery time is only allowed for EnDat 2.2 mode commands. EnDat 2.1 commands must always be sent with the standard recovery time of 10 .. 30 µs.
- The reduced recovery time must only be set once, because the setting is stored in the EEPROM.
- If the reduction of the recovery time is set by the customer (see EnDat specification), then only mode commands (2.1 or 2.2) with high frequency may be sent after the first EnDat 2.2 mode command with high frequency (> 1 MHz) has been sent. Switching back to the slow frequency (< 1 MHz) and EnDat 2.1 mode commands can cause problems with certain encoders because this operating mode is not available
- If it is necessary to switch from high frequency (> 1 MHz) to low frequency, the following sequence should be followed:
1) Deactivation of all selected additional information
2) Transmission of an EnDat 2.1 command with high transmission frequency
3) Switchover to low transmission frequency
- The shortened recovery time should only be used if this is necessary for reducing the cycle times.
- If the reduced recovery time is used, only EnDat 2.2 mode commands should be used in closed-loop control operation.
- Avoid switching from high to low transmission frequencies.
In the diagram in the EnDat specification it appears as if, after sending the mode word, I have to keep the clock at LOW, wait at least the time tCAL, and then the start bit appears immediately with the first clock pulse. I tried that with an encoder, and it worked. Is this correct, or do I continually have to send clock pulses and poll the start bit? A waiting period of 1 ms must be maintained when switching.
Unfortunately this is an incorrect interpretation of the diagram. It cannot be guaranteed that the behavior you described applies to all different encoder models. The dashed lines in the diagram indicate that the clock must continue to be sent to the encoder. The start bit must be polled; i.e. clock pulses must be sent until the start bit is sent. That is what the dashed lines in the diagram indicate. The EnDat 2.1 specifications and the EnDat 2.2 specifications refer to Appendix A4 and Appendix A5, respectively, several times. The timing for the EnDat 2.1 position command is described in Appendix A4/A5. Continued clocking while polling the start bit is described there. The time tCAL indicates the earliest possible time at which the position value can be retrieved from the encoder. The start bit must be polled independently of tCAL.
Due to the new scope of features of the EnDat02 interface, several encoder parameters differ from those of the predecessor encoders. For example, the measuring step was reduced from 100 nm to 5 nm, the OEM area was expanded, ….
Because it is now possible to control the axis "purely serially" or "with sinusoidal signals," the LC xx3 encoders have some special characteristics that must be noted for correct operation of the encoders.
EnDat 2.1 and 2.2 position requests
The time absolute linear encoders need for calculating the position values (tcal) differs depending on whether EnDat 2.1 or EnDat 2.2 mode commands are transmitted (see the encoder specifications). If the incremental signals are evaluated for axis control, then the EnDat 2.1 mode commands should be used. Only in this manner can an active error message be transmitted synchronously with the currently requested position value. EnDat 2.1 or EnDat 2.2 mode commands can be used for pure serial position-value transfer for axis control. Position requests with EnDat 2.1 take about 1 ms until the position values are available. For position requests with EnDat 2.2, the position values can be determined in about 5 µs. However, any active error message can then only be transmitted after a delay of approx. 1 ms, due to internal processing times. A one-time position request with EnDat 2.2 may not be performed.
Continuous clock (only possible with EnDat 2.1 position requests)
Is not supported.
Clock interruptions
A clock interruption during the LOW phase may not last longer than 30 ?s..
Interruption of an EnDat request
The subsequent position request is not valid, and the encoder reacts with error type I or II.
Invalid memory access (incorrect MRS code)
Interruption of an EnDat request Is at first acknowledged by the encoder with error type II. The subsequent position request transmits the last position value transmitted. No error message is output: EnDat 2.1 position request: One-time EnDat 2.2 position request: Up to 1 ms
Switching between EnDat 2.1 and EnDat 2.2 commands (either direction):
A waiting period of 1 ms must be maintained when switching.
See also "Procedure After Switch-On" in the EnDat Application Note, Chapter 2 "Sequences and Data Structures"
Build-up time of supply voltage until Up.min is reached should be > 10 V/sec.
The 1 Vpp incremental signals attain valid values after at most 1.3 sec.
The encoder can be recognized as an EnDat or SSI encoder by the logic level on the data line, after power has been switched on.
Clock pulse edges during t1 or t2 can interrupt booting; this can only be corrected by switching the encoder off and then on again.
A first EnDat request (falling edge) is permissible once t3 has ended after at least 1 ms (there is no maximum time limit). After the first clock pulse, the direction of data on the data line is reversed (this is why the data line is then at "high impedance").
The encoder requires a defined reset: Falling edge + end of recovery time; For the duration of the low phase the following applies: 0.125 < tlow < 30 µs
t1: Boot or reset time of the EnDat encoder
t2: Initialization phase of the EnDat encoder
t3: Must be maintained for downward compatibility to EnDat 2.1
The supported encoder types can be taken from the "parameters of the encoder manufacturer," word 14:
- Incremental linear encoder
- Absolute linear encoder
- Rotational incremental singleturn encoder
- Rotational absolute singleturn encoder
- Multiturn encoder
- Multiturn encoder with battery buffer
- ….
The EnDat additional information must be processed for the connection of incremental encoders; For details, see the EnDat Application Note. The EnDat Master light cannot be used.
-> See the EnDat Application Note, Chapter 2:
"The additional data is saved in the non-volatile memory of the encoder, and not in the EEPROM. This is necessary to be able to switch between the pieces of additional data within a control cycle. Each additional data was assigned its own MRC code so that only one mode command is necessary for switchover. An address must not be specified. Not all encoders provide the full range of additional data. The available additional data can be read out of the EnDat 2.2 parameter, words 0 and 1."/p>
As a rule, only supported additional data should be selected. If additional data that is not supported is selected, EnDat error type III is issued (see the EnDat Specification). In rare exceptions, a CRC error can be issued instead during the transmission of the corresponding additional data.
Error bits F1 and F2 play a central role here; see also the EnDat Application Note, Chapter 2, in the section on "General information on the processing of error messages, warnings and error handling in the interface." This means that an error reaction should be triggered in reference to F1 or F2. Information contained in the error or warning register or in the operating status error sources is complementary information. For more information, see the EnDat Application Note, Chapter 7.
Simultaneous reading of the error or warning register through additional data 1 and of the operating status error sources through additional data 2 is not defined for the EnDat 2.2 interface, and can result in incorrect information.
These encoders differ from encoders with gear-based revolution counters in particular regarding how error messages are handled as well as the referencing of the multiturn range. For details, see the appropriate chapter of the EnDat Application Note.
EnDat 2.1
Maximum 40-bit data width for the position value.
EnDat 2.2
Maximum 48-bit data width for the position value.
In general
It is recommended that the maximum possible data widths be available, so that future generations of encoders can also be connected. The trend is towards ever higher resolutions.
32-bit data width
Definitively not enough. For example, the EQN 1337 has 12-bit multiturn and 25-bit singleturn resolution, for a total of 37 bits of position information.


text:
Polar bear to be listed as a threatened species
WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday that the agency will list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, a decision that could cast the bears as the enduring symbol of the effects of global warming.
But Kempthorne also warned that the listing "will not stop global climate change or prevent sea ice from melting" and that he will not permit the Endangered Species Act to be used as a tool for changing U.S. policy on global warming or greenhouse gas emissions. He pledged that the listing would not "set backdoor climate policy."
"Listing the polar bear as threatened can reduce avoidable losses of polar bears," Kempthorne said. "But it should not open the door to use the ESA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, power plants, and other sources. That would be a wholly inappropriate use of the ESA."
Kempthorne's decision, forced by federal courts, is his first Endangered Species Act listing since joining President Bush's Cabinet in 2006. Conservation groups petitioned the agency in 2005 for the designation, the first for an animal that's losing its habitat to global warming. Polar bears use sea ice as a platform to trap their primary prey, seals.
In his announcement, Kempthorne showed satellite images of the retreating polar ice over an 18-year period and said government scientists have predicted that global warming will continue to melt the bears' sea ice habitat at an alarming rate.
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey predicted in September that only a small population of the existing 25,000 of the world's polar bears would remain in the islands of the Canadian Arctic by mid-century. The study, done as part of the assessment for listing the bears, found that two-thirds of the world's polar bears will have disappeared, mostly along the coasts of Alaska and Russia. About one-fifth of the bears live in Alaska and nearby on the coast of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
But Kempthorne said that there is simply no scientific way to connect specific greenhouse gas emissions from specific smokestacks to the harm of a species or its habitat.
Kempthorne on Wednesday had the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issue a memo that says the existing science doesn't make such a connection. As a result, when new power plants and other emitters of greenhouse gases seek permission to operate, the Fish and Wildlife Service can't use the polar bear listing as a reason to deny a permit.
The Interior Department also issued a rule Wednesday saying that if oil and gas development is allowed under the standards of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it would be allowed under the Endangered Species Act.
"This rule, effective immediately, will ensure the protection of the bear while allowing us to continue to develop our natural resources in the arctic region in an environmentally sound way," Kempthorne said.
Those reassurances were not enough for many Alaskans, however. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said that she was disappointed in the ruling and remains concerned that federal actions will "threaten the viable, productive and environmentally responsible oil and gas industry along Alaska's North Slope."
Palin also said the state will "continue balancing responsible development of our nonrenewable resources while we're protecting that magnificent species of wildlife. We will work with this decision."
Environmentalists also had conflicting feelings about the ruling. The listing is a "watershed event because it has forced the Bush administration to acknowledge global warming's brutal impacts," said Kassie Siegel, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity and author of the 2005 petition to list polar bears.
But Siegel also called the administration's failure to connect the polar bear from greenhouse gas emissions "illegal" and said she didn't think it would hold up in court.
"It's not too late to save the polar bear, and we'll keep fighting to ensure that the polar bear gets the help it needs through the full protections of the Endangered Species Act," she said.
Kempthorne, a former U.S. senator and Idaho governor, has long been a critic of the Endangered Species Act. On Wednesday, he said that he was compelled to make the listing decision because he believed the agency's own research shows that global warming is melting the bears' polar habitat. His decision was a reluctant one, though, and he repeatedly criticized the Endangered Species Act for its emphasis on listing, rather than on developing management plans.
In fact, the agency had to be prodded by courts to consider listing polar bears. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began studying a possible listing in December 2006. When the Interior Department failed to make a decision by a January 2008 deadline, a federal court in California ordered a decision by Thursday.


text:
Looks rather draughty around the neck ... dhb syndrome perhaps.
Rohan certainly couldn't be considered Johnny-come-latelys in the outdoor clothing field, but cycling apparel is a new direction for them. This Elite Stormer jacket manages to be light, breathable and waterproof – normally you have to pick two – and is certainly packs in some high performance to justify the £195 price tag. It does come up slightly odd in the fit department though.
First things first: the fabric. It's a Rohan-designed three-layer fabric with a waterproof membrane sandwiched between a polyamide outer coating and a soft, open-weave nylon liner. At 70g per square metre it's very light; the whole jacket weighs in at 340g and will pack pretty easily into a jersey pocket.
The Barricade™ membrane "responds directly to your body temperature and the humidity of the surrounding environment" according to Rohan, so if you get hotter it lets more moisture out. The outer surface is treated with a water-repellent coating to help the rain bead up and roll off the jacket to keep it breathable. The coating is designed to withstand 20 washes and still be 80% as effective as when new.
Construction is as good as you'll find. All the seams are taped, as are the sewn logos. There's thin fleece on the collar, a garage for the zip on the collar to stop it rubbing your neck, drawstrings at the neck and bottom to adjust the fit. there's a zippered chest pocket and one at the back, and subtle reflectives in the seams; white at the front and red at the back - nice touch. The cuffs are velcro-adjustable and the orange colour is just the right compromise between getting you noticed and not looking like a roadmender.
We've been blessed with all sorts of rain while I've been testing the Stormer. Such rain as April has not known in 100 years, so we're told. Anyway, if you want a jacket that'll perform in a deluge then this is one for the list. The performance of the fabric is about as good as I've come across.
Waterproofing is the easiest part of the cycling jacket equation to crack. No problems here: the Stormer didn't let a drop of rain in, even in some frankly atrocious conditions. Normally the payoff for that kind of protection is that you cook on the climbs, but that's not the case here and it's down to two things.
Firstly, the material is properly breathable. It's best with a full-length wicking baselayer underneath, but even against bare arms it does a pretty decent job of not getting clammy, even when you're going after a Strava segment on the ride home. I don't know how much of that's down to its active moisture control claims, but hey, it's good.
Secondly, the surface treatment on the jacket is as good as they come. You'd expect a new jacket to get the rain beading nicely and rolling off, but normally after a while in the rain the fabric eventually gets wet and that's when breathability starts to suffer. That just didn't happen here, even when pulling an already damp and crumpled jacket out of a pocket to face a second shower. The surface treatment just keeps on doing the work. After a couple of deliberately aggressive washes, a quick tumble dry and the jacket was as good as new. I didn't have the time or patience to put the 20-wash claim to the test but I'm impressed so far.
What's not so good is the fit. It's okay, but I can't help thinking that Rohan could have made the cut a bit more aggressive. The fact that they talk about the chest pocket being ideal for a brevet card, and the reflectives being for road safety, suggests it's primarily aimed at tourers and roadies, but the cut could just do with being a bit lower at the back, and a bit longer in the arm. It's more of a MTB cut.
The sizing's a bit odd, too. I started the test with a medium, which fitted pretty well around the body but was a touch shorter than I'd like in the arms. Given that I'm 1.90m and 100kg, that's a pretty big medium, so be aware of that if you're not going to have the chance to try before you buy. I've got a large now, which is just right in the arm department but a bit big around the chest so it can get a little flappy when you're going quickly. It's not a deal-breaker but it's a shame it isn't a slightly closer fit.
The advice, as always, is to try it on if you can to get a handle on whether the cut and sizing will work for you. If it does, then you'll have spent £195 on a jacket that promises a lot and then delivers on those promises.
Best-in-class performance from the fabric, let down a touch by the fit.
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Rohan Elite Stormer Jacket
Size tested: Blaze, Medium
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
The no-compromise waterproof jacket for the keen rider.
Our Elite Stormer jacket is an ultra-lightweight waterproof jacket which takes advantage of cutting-edge fabric technology, rarely seen in cycling gear, to offer the keen rider the ultimate in protection and comfort.
It's made from the same fabric that powers our award-wining and hugely popular Elite Jacket. It's a 3-layer material consisting of a polyamide outer, our high-spec Barricade™ membrane and a fine tricot lining. It's amazingly durable – but, at only 70 grams per square, astonishingly light. By any standards.
Obviously it's totally waterproof but it's also phenomenally breathable. And that's because Barricade™ works a bit differently from ordinary waterproof-breathables. It operates dynamically and responds directly to your body temperature and the humidity of the surrounding environment. We call it Active Diffusion™. Basically, the steamier it gets inside, the more vapour escapes - keeping you more comfortable. Even on those long climbs.
We've also treated the fabric with our advanced Durable Water Repellency™ finish to stop the outer fabric wetting out and keep the jacket breathing at its maximum capacity.
The Elite Stormer has been designed, from the ground up, to meet the needs of cyclists – without any compromises. It's built around our Forward Pitch Cut™ - it's a bit short at the front, a bit long at the back but, when you're on the bike, it's absolutely spot on.
It features a full-length, water-resistant front zip and a water-resistant slash pocket on the chest, sized for a mobile phone or brevet card. The rear zipped pocket doubles as a Packpocket™ into which the whole jacket stows.
Adjustable cuffs seal out the elements and feature reflective bands for clear, poor-visibility signalling.
The collar features a soft, wicking lining and has a drawcord adjuster at the rear.
The shoulder seams feature reflective piping at both the front and rear. They're silver at the front, red at the back - we call them Running Lights™. Because, when it comes to keeping safe on the road, every little helps.
It's a beautifully made jacket.
Very waterproof, very breathable, super lightweight.
It's really light given the performance.
Comfy enough but the fit is a bit of a compromise.
£195 is a lot of money. You're getting a good quality jacket though.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well, though the fit isn't quite there.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Performance in the rain.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Slightly odd fit.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Maybe - the fabric is excellent; the fit isn't quite there.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, the better-off ones that are the right shape.
About the tester
Age: 38 Height: 190cm Weight: 98kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
4 comments
Rohan seem to do vanity sizing. Over the years, I've shrunk from an XL to a M. Their stuff lasts for ages, you just need to be sure the sizing is correct.
They've probably sized for their core customers - freshly retired baby-boomers with oodles of pension to spend on holidays/trips away.
Certainly their stuff lasts a long time ( or used to anyway) - we've found that their walking gear, trousers, tops and the like is good for ten to fifteen years if looked after.
Can't say the same about my waist size mind ; maybe that's just the babyboomer in me....:~}
So although this jacket is out of my usual Lidl/dhb-esque price bracket I'd be tempted to give it a look-see


text:
Dorothea Sharp
English, 1874–1955
In the Orchard, c. 1910
oil on canvas
91.8 x 106.5 cm
Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift of Chief Justice G. Tritschler
Dorothea Sharp was one of England's best-known Impressionist painters, working among the generation of artists who succeeded the French Impressionists. Borrowing stylistic elements from her French colleagues, Sharp used an unconventional palette and loose brushstrokes to create naturalistic renderings or impressions of the landscape. As is typical of Sharp's choice in subject matter, In the Orchard celebrates rural labour in the outdoors, showing a woman feeding chickens. Focusing on domestic activities-—in this instance work on a farm—Sharp's painting echoes the work of Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, two French artists who championed the honest depiction of women and children at work, at play, and at home in urban and rural settings.
Gallery Hours
- Tuesday 11am-5pm
- Wednesday 11am-5pm
- Thursday 11am-5pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 11am-5pm
- Sunday 11am-5pm
- Closed Monday


text:
rtgames Imperator LOS TITINES Thursday 07/02/2013, 21:06
I have been in a guild for a while now but our message board has been very quiet this last year and I am pretty bored of waiting that it gets active again.
I am middle age regular player. I mainly play DMs and ELO in order to complete missions of the clans. I do not have a large collection as I do not buy credits or clintz but only collect them by playing. So basically I sell the characters of a clan when I finish the missions (which can be pretty annoying sometimes if I buy and sell at the wrong moment...). I do not participate to events as I am not free for continuous periods. I prefer to play when I have the time.
I am looking for a guild with an active forum where I could share problems, decks, questions...
Basically, it should be middle age..so we could share the same interest, reasonable, not over-enthusiastic and active
My guild is currently level 22 so if my possible new guild is around these numbers it will be great.
Thank you and enjoy the game!
MrkingPin_MoB Colossus Masters of Battle Friday 08/02/2013, 01:04
Come Check out MoB. Active boards.. helpful members
lemiho19 Novice night school Saturday 09/02/2013, 01:51
Night School #1 most active united states guild


text:
coopermktg needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 62 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
AtlanticIT.net provides managed IT services for small businesses — in other words, we provide remote network monitoring and support, on-site preventive maintenance, security, etc. for firms that have little or no in-house IT staff. The key concepts we'd like to convey with this logo are strength, stability and security.
Suggestions welcome!
Desired Color Scheme:
No more than two colors plus black
Accepted File Formats:
.PSD, .JPG, .EPS and any necessary fonts
AtlanticIT.net is a spin-off of an established technology firm (Atlantic Voice & Data Solutions http://www.atlanticvoicedata.com) but the two logos dont necessarily have to correlate.
Managed IT services is a very hot concept right now; a lot of firms are entering the field. So we want to somehow visually express the many years of experience of our technical staff and ownership. Also, top-notch customer service is a very important aspect of what we offer and another thing that sets us apart.
All rights to the logo will be transferred to us. Please use no more than two colors in addition to black as this will be for stationery and print advertising as well as Web applications.
We look forward to seeing some fresh, creative ideas. We will provide regular feedback as submissions come in.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
- Income Investing
Bonds Now Higher On The Day As Stocks Suffer
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
That midmorning turnaround in the bond market has accelerated into flat-out strength, as Treasury prices are now higher on the day after starting out sharply lower. The gains come as U.S. stocks are struggling after European stocks fell sharply during the European trading day. All parts of the Treasury yield curve from 1 year out are slightly higher in price on the day now, with the 10-year note up 2/32 to trim its yield to 2.545%, down from an intraday high of 2.609%, per Tradeweb data, while the 30-year bond is up 6/32 to yield 3.302%, down from an intraday high 3.371%.
Exchange traded funds in various bond sectors are mixed to slightly lower at midday, with the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond (TLT) ETF down 13 cents to $114.19; the iShares S&P National AMT-Free Muni Bond (MUB) ETF up 7 cents at $108.82; the SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) down 33 cents at $40.62; and the iShares iBoxx $ InvesTop Investment Grade Corp. Bond Fund (LQD) down 29 cents at $118.59.


text:
The Financial Planning Association this month announced its 2011 Heart of Financial Planning Award winners, honoring people who give back to the community through their financial planning work.
The Denver-based FPA is the largest membership organization for personal financial planners in the United States. It seeks to recognize individuals, financial planning firms, FPA chapters or organizations that represent the core values of competence, integrity, relationships and stewardship with their "extraordinary work," the FPA said in a news release.
This year's seven winners, in alphabetical order, are:
Marco Chavarín, San Francisco – Chavarín manages the Bank on San Francisco and Payday Plus SF program for the San Francisco treasurer's Office of Financial Empowerment. He connects low-income San Franciscans to "healthy" financial products and provides financial education "to ensure success in the mainstream," the FPA said. Chavarín also serves as chair of San Francisco's Financial Education Network of nonprofit service providers, philanthropic funders and public sector representatives.
John Comer, Minnesota – Comer serves FPA of Minnesota as a member of the Financial Literacy & Stability Committee and is on the Steering Committee for the Twin Cities Financial Planning Day event. Comer is also a past chapter board member and regularly volunteers for FPA national committees. He is on the Steering Committee for Financial Matters at Best Prep, a statewide organization with a mission to prepare Minnesota students with business, career and financial literacy skills.
Robert Glovsky, Massachusetts – Glovsky has spent more than 20 years helping develop the CFP program at Boston University, and is director emeritus of its Program for Financial Planners. Glovsky has practiced as a financial planner for more than 30 years and is president of Mintz Levin Financial Advisors in Boston. Glovsky was 2010 chair of the CFP Board of Standards and also led its Board of Examiners, which sets standards for professionals worldwide. Nicholas Nicolette, New Jersey – Nicolette, in the financial planning profession since 1981 and a principal of Sterling Financial Planning in Sparta, N.J., served as the 2007 national president of the FPA. He was the first FPA spokesperson to appear before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, where he testified regarding fraudulent or inappropriate investment advice given to seniors. Nicolette was also active on the post 9/11 relief effort assisting victims' families with pro bono planning help.
Frank Paré, East Bay, Calif. –While serving as co-chair of government relations for FPA of East Bay, Paré helped develop a program of local and state governments to host financial planning clinics in Oakland and other cities across the country to help low-income families affected by the economic downturn. Paré helped FPA and its partners coordinate the inaugural Financial Planning Days program that launched in 2010, which aided thousands of Americans nationwide. As a result of his efforts, Paré was asked to submit a resolution on behalf of FPA to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, "Financial Planning Clinics for Retirement Preparedness & Financial Literacy." The resolution was adopted by the Conference of Mayors and has been submitted to Congress for adoption.
Gary Schaer, New Jersey – State Assemblyman Schaer has championed legislation that supports financial literacy in schools and protects seniors from deceptive sales techniques. As chairman of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, Schaer has supported legislation that introduces financial education in high school, prevents predatory annuity sales and marketing activities, and prohibits misleading use of senior citizen-specific financial certifications and professional designations.
Judith Volkmann, New York – Volkmann has created pro bono opportunities for FPA, making connections with nonprofit community groups to provide financial literacy workshops for their clients. Volkmann taught planners how to give the workshops and found a successor so the committee would continue. She was instrumental in starting the Money Work$ program at a New York community college, a 12-week-course that teaches financial literacy to students. The program is in its seventh year.
Read about 2010′s Heart of Financial Planning Award winners at AdvisorOne.com.


text:
Out of the guts of the internet, we find an endless stream of misattributed quotes and made-up stories that end up in chain emails that you eventually receive from your loopy uncle in Texas who's trying to justify right-wing economics or anti-Obama conspiracy theories.
It's just one of the headaches of the Internet Age.
But, there's one quote in particular that's always attributed to an obscure Scottish historian, Sir Alexander Frasier Tytler (as if that gave it great credibility), and it seemed to both make sense and prophecy the end of the American Republic.
Tytler was supposed to have said: "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess of the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
Tyltler goes on to talk about the process by which democracies fail as a result of this "voter selfishness."
The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years," he was rumored to have said. "These nations have progressed through this sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from great courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependency back again to bondage."
Now, here's the reality: Tytler never said any of these words. They can all be tracked back to right-wing American businessmen in the early decades of the twentieth century. And why would right-wing businessmen say such things? Because, in actual point of fact, the thing that corrupts democracies is not "the voters" demanding "free stuff" (to paraphrase Romney), but, instead, its businessmen buying off politicians.
It's not the powerless who corrupt democracies, as that viral right-wing quote would suggest; it's the powerful who corrupt democracies. And money is the source of that power.
Yes, over the last hundred years, average American people have voted themselves benefits like Social Security, unemployment insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. But at the same time, they've also supported tax increases to pay for all of these things. Remember, the Social Security tax only applies to the first $113,000 of wages - earned income. People like Paris Hilton and Mitt Romney, when they get all their money from capital gains, dividends, and carried interest, don't pay a penny of Social Security taxes on their millions of income. And the average top CEO in America, with an income of $13.7 million a year, over a million a month, only pays Social Security taxes on his first few days of income every year - every other day is Social Security tax-free. Quite literally, as Leona Helmsley famously said, only the "little people" pay such taxes. The safety net program for working class people is exclusively paid for by working class people.
On the other hand, when the Billionaire Class extracts benefits from the government for themselves, the generally don't pay higher taxes. The billions in taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil, trillions in bailouts and bonuses for Wall Street banksters, and hundreds of billions for war profiteers are always accompanied by demands for more tax cuts at the top.
And, truth be told, billionaires aren't even receiving these benefits by voting for them. Instead, they always get them through the simple process of buying politicians. For example, Sheldon Adelson spent $150 million in the last election. That's more than any American spent in any election in American history. And he spent all that money to give himself the "benefits" of derailing an Obama Justice Department investigation into his casino in China and to get his taxes cut even further.
Billionaires also corrupt democracy to get their benefits through billionaire-funded think tanks, like the Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council that writes legislation to benefit Corporate America, and then has Republicans state lawmakers introduce and pass laws in state after state, across the nation.
But despite this very clear reality of who is demanding largesse from our government, it's still working people and average voters who are targeted by right-wingers and their viral emails as the selfish "takers." That's the reason why the Business Roundtable is saying the best way to fix insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare is to raise the retirement age to 70 and voucherize Medicare.
Of course, the average CEO for an S&P 500 company doesn't need Social Security. But they know that by raising the retirement age, they're shielding themselves from any tax increases that may come with raising that payroll tax cap, so even billionaires pay into Social Security, which will quickly and easily make that insurance program solvent forever.
America's fiscal problems have nothing to do with voters. In fact, the Billionaire Class is trying to make it harder and harder for people to vote by pushing for voter suppression ID laws and restrictions on early voting.
America's fiscal problems are a direct result of the Billionaire Class working behind the scenes of our democracy and syphoning off massive amounts of wealth for themselves while paying lower taxes than they've paid in a half-century. As Senator Bernie Sanders points out, a quarter of all profitable corporations in America pay zero federal taxes. And Mitt Romney and Paris Hilton's income tax rates top out at 20 percent.
Tytler didn't really say those words that the Billionaire Class think-tanks and email shills attribute to him. But, had he said them, he probably would have something more along the lines of this: "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the billionaires discover that they can steal for themselves largess of the public treasury through buying politicians. From that time on the billionaires will always buy candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
If we are concerned about the future of our American democratic republic, the way to preserve it isn't to protect it from greedy Social Security recipients by pushing the retirement age back to 70. It's to get money out of government, thus neutering the political power of the Billionaire Class. And that means reversing two core doctrines that the US Supreme Court has created out of thin air (at the request of big business and billionaires): that corporations are people, and that money is speech.
The best way to do that is through a constitutional amendment that says corporations are not people, and money is property and not speech.
Go to MoveToAmend.org to join the fight for the survival of our democratic republic.


text:
Flowers are known to attract pollinators through petal colors, shapes and scent. But now scientists have found an invisible feature that flowers use to get more attraction: their unique electric fields.
Plants generally emit weak negative electric fields and bees are able to detect these electric signals, according to researchers at the University of Bristol in England. The research was published Thursday in the latest online edition of the journal Science Express.
The study found that bees' flapping wings create a positive electrical charge of up to 200 volts as they fly through the air. They forge a special connection when encountering the charged flowers, scienti.
The electricity is not enough to produce sparks, but it makes flowers easier for the bees to remember. And the bees can keep track of different flowers by their electric fields.
"This novel communication channel reveals how flowers can potentially inform their pollinators about the honest status of their precious nectar and pollen reserves," study leader Professor Daniel Robert, from the University of Bristol, told the U.K Guardian.


text:
Virtual reality researcher Hiroo Iwata has developed cubes that utilise a pressure-sensitive fabric and ultrasonic sensors to predict movement, analyse positions and shuffle accordingly. Essentially, this creates an "infinite" walkway.
As you can see in the video, the walking pace is a little on the slow side, but Iwata believes that refinement of the technology could lead to more realistic virtual simulations. Throw some lights in there and I smell an awesome redux of Billie Jean for the 21st century. [Technabob via Popular Science]


text:
Partnerships in Character Education Program
Montana Office of Public Instruction
Honor, Respect and Responsibility (HR2)
Contact Information:
Al McMilin, Project Director
Montana Office of Public Instruction
1300 11th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
or PO Box 202501
Helena, MT 59620-2501
Web site: www.OPI.mt.gov
Grant Period: 2005-2009
Amount Requested: $735,165 for a four-year project
Program Description
The Montana Honor, Respect and Responsibility (HR2) Project proposes to address the programmatic barriers that impeded total success of the state's first attempt to develop a statewide character education initiative (the Montana Character Education Project). HR2 will focus on American Indian youth in grades K-8 because state data confirmed that these students are significantly left behind in educational achievement. Since little research is available about successful strategies to address this population, the project will identify best practices, which could make an important contribution to the field. HR2 will involve 166 staff serving 3,334 students in 19 schools.
Goals and Objectives
- To integrate character education into classroom instruction statewide
- To align character education programs with state standards and school reform efforts
- To create respectful home, school and community environments
- To enable all students to develop the bi-cultural qualities of character required to attain academic success and the skills to be successful students, citizens and productive members of their community
Evaluation Design
The evaluation design will incorporate an interrupted time series to demonstrate the causal relationship between the intervention and student outcomes and will include a pre-post test design format.
Program Highlights
The HR2 project has evolved from the pilot Montana Character Education Project into a school-reform model based on culturally appropriate character education for schools with high populations of American Indian students. During 2005-2006, project schools and communities participated in trainings focused on enhancing the implementation of successful reading initiatives based on the cultural values and traditions relevant to each specific tribe involved in the project. Trainings in the following topics were offered: Martin BrokenLeg's Circle of Courage; Ruby Payne's Framework for Understanding Poverty; Eleven Principles of Character Education; The Culture of Implementing Institutional Change; the Montana Behavior Initiative; service-learning strategies; and the curriculum developed in the pilot project. All participating schools began implementing their strategic plans during the 2006-2007 school year.


text:
Hollande says no French troops in Mali offensive
Issued on: Modified:
President François Hollande said French soldiers would not join any future combat operations against Islamic militants in northern Mali in an exclusive interview given on the eve of his first African tour as France's head of state.
Watch the full interview here.
President François Hollande said on Thursday that he would not commit French combat troops to future military operations against Islamic militants in northern Mali, but would help with logistical support and training, a day before he embarked on his first official tour of Africa.
"We can't intervene in the place of Africans, but we can offer logistical help, we can train, but France will not intervene" Hollande told FRANCE 24 in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
He said that it was up to the Malian government, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the African Union to organise and man a military response to Mali's Islamist rebels.
Armed Tuareg groups and Islamist militants allied to al Qaeda overran Mali's north in April 2012, proclaiming the region's independence and imposing sharia law.
Hollande said on Thursday that no negotiations were possible with those rebels. "Negotiate with whom? (…) With terrorists who impose sharia, cut off people's hands and destroy monuments that were until now considered world heritage sites?" the president asked, referring to the destruction of centuries-old Malian mausoleums by religious extremists since the upheaval.
The French president added that allowing Muslim extremists free reign in northern Mali and the Sahel region could turn the territory into a training ground for terrorists and represent a threat to France and other countries' internal security.
"We must cut off that road to terrorists," Hollande said, adding that European funding to combating food and health shortages in the Sahel were also important initiatives to combat terrorism.
Meeting opposition in DRC
Hollande said he wanted to "write a new chapter" in Franco-African relations a day before a trip that will see him deliver a key speech to Senegalese lawmakers in the capital of Dakar on Friday, and later hold meetings with both Congolese President Joseph Kabila and DR Congo's historic opposition leader.
Hollande said that a gathering with Etienne Tshisekedi – who lost a contested presidential poll against Kabila in November 2011 – was meant to "send a message to all African leaders" about respecting opposition groups and democratic institutions.
Nevertheless, the French president said he was not travelling to Senegal and DR Congo to dictate policy to his African counterparts.
Earlier this week Hollande turned heads when he described the political and human rights situation in DR Congo as "unacceptable". The remark earned him a sharp rebuke from Kinshasa, which said it was up to the Congolese – not Hollande – to decide what was acceptable.
He seemed eager to ease tensions on the eve of his tour. "I am not going [to Africa] to play the role of a referee or a judge," he noted. "That is not what is being asked of France and it is not what France wants."
Hollande also sought to break with his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy, who infamously said in 2007, "the African man has never fully entered into history", saying:
"Times have changed. Today France is willing to both meet other leaders but also tell them the truth. This truth is not a French truth; it is about universal rights, basic freedoms and democracy.
Defending French interests
Hollande said that on his trip he would address France's historical "mistakes" – including colonialism and slavery – but that he wanted to focus on the future of Africa and, in particular, economic opportunities.
He recognised that, unlike Europe, African economies were currently growing in leaps and bounds.
"It is the continent of the future… and countries are investing there, including China and the United States (…) I am going to tell Africans 'We want to be part of your grand adventure'," the president said, adding that 20% of all foreign businesses operating in Africa were already French.
He said he was ready to defend France's economic interests in Africa, and push for them to be transparent. "Yes, there are economic interests, but are not going to dictate diplomacy based on economic interests," he said.