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This week in the magazine, James Surowiecki writes about Wall Street. Today, Surowiecki answered readers' questions in a live chat. A transcript of their discussion follows.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Hi, everyone. I'm James Surowiecki, the business columnist at The New Yorker, and I'm here to answer your questions about the financial crisis, the Goldman scandal, and whatever else you're interested in talking about. Welcome.
QUESTION FROM GUEST: "Shorting" was such a focus of Levin's remarks and questioning yesterday…why is the public so interested in this now, and why do we know so little about it?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: You're right—short selling was a major focus of the Goldman hearing yesterday. Senator Levin, in particular, really pointed to Goldman's shorting the housing market as a major problem. I think the reason the public is so interested in it right now is that we now know that were a small number of money managers—some of whom Michael Lewis has written about in his new book "The Big Short"—who bet against the housing market in 2007 and 2008 and made a ton of money.
It's also true that there's a long history, not just in the US but elsewhere, of attacks on short sellers. There's something seemingly un-American about betting on things to go down. And I think when it comes to betting against the housing market, that's especially true. When everyone else is doing bad, it's a little hard to watch these shorts doing well.
The thing I think is important to keep in mind is that shorting is actually, on the whole, good for markets—it's better when you have lots of different opinions in the market. The real problems on Wall Street, I think, weren't with the shorting, but really with the housing bubble—that's how we got in all this trouble.
QUESTION FROM ERIC: Let's get real: Yesterday was just for show, right?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Well, there certainly was a big element of show in it. On the other hand, I do think that hearing did potentially move some people in the direction of supporting more regulation rather than less. Some of the senators did seem a bit surprised at the stance the Goldman people took, and that could make a difference. But until we can actually get a financial-reform bill onto the floor of the Senate, it's hard to know if anything is going to happen.
QUESTION FROM GUEST: what do you think Goldman did wrong and what have you learned?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: My personal opinion is that when it came to the Abacus deal in particular—this is the deal that's at the heart of the SEC complaint—that Goldman should have told the investors who bought the CDO that John Paulson, the investor who was going short the CDO, had helped pick the securities that went into it. I don't know if they were legally responsible to do that, but I think they should have done it.
In terms of what I've learned, the thing that surprises me most is what I wrote about this week in the magazine, which is that investors have a surprising ability to convince themselves that Wall Street has their best interests at heart. I really thought that after everything we saw during the stock-market bubble, that investors would be much more skeptical that investment banks were looking out for their best interests. But there doesn't seem to have been much caveat emptor-ing going on at all.
QUESTION FROM DAVE PELL: Isn't Goldman Sachs a little like Elliot Spitzer? They both must feel like they've had to answer for what everyone in their industry does.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Well, I'm not sure everyone in government is doing what Eliot Spitzer did. But it's definitely true that Goldman is serving as the exemplar for the industry as a whole, and is being raked over the coals for practices that probably are not uncommon on Wall Street.
I think there are a couple of reasons for that:
First, Goldman has just been much more successful than the other firms, and therefore it makes an easier target.
Second, partly because they've been so successful, people tend to believe that Goldman had profound insight into what was happening, and that it, as one senator said yesterday, "gamed the system" to perfection. I'm less convinced of that—I think there was a big element of luck at work.
QUESTION FROM ARI: Like you said, shorting is good and not the problem. However creating CDO's just so you can short them (see The Big Short and Propublica/This American Life Magnetar Investigation) is a problem.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Well, I actually think this is an interesting and complicated question. Not to get too deep in the weeds here, but what was going on in 2007—as you say—is that people who wanted to short the market big-time were looking for ways to do that. So investment banks created these synthetic CDOs, and in effect the shorts took one end of the trade and then people who wanted to bet on the housing market took the other end.
You're right—this did have some negative effects. It actually may have helped keep the prices of these housing securities higher initially than they otherwise would have been. On the other hand, I'm not convinced there was anything inherently dishonest about it—there were two sides of the bet, and people mostly knew what they were betting on.
I think the real problem is that we had to come up with these crazy financial structures in order to let people short the market. If it had been easier to do that earlier, it's possible the housing bubble wouldn't have become as inflated as it did.
QUESTION FROM ALLISON: Are there any regulations preventing financial institutions from investing in the products they market and sell—just like baseball owners can't bet on their own teams?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: No, as far as I know there aren't. There aren't, in fact, any regulations preventing financial institutions from shorting the products they market and sell—this is what Carl Levin was so angry about yesterday.
QUESTION FROM TOM SCHUYLER: Do you think the indictment was essentially a scare tactic to get financial institutions to accept for regulatory oversight?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: I may be naive, but I don't think there was any conscious collaboration between the SEC and politicians to make it easier to get financial regulation through Congress. The thing to remember is that the SEC notified Goldman about its intention to pursue a case many months ago. So I'm not sure the whole thing is quite as suspicious as some people think. I really think this case has more to do with the SEC wanting to show that it's going to be taking potential fraud seriously going forward.
QUESTION FROM ERIC: William K. Black thinks control fraud was (and remains) rampant yet the administration has difficulty acknowledging fraud. Do you agree?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: I tend to disagree with Black on the question of how ubiquitous fraud was—at least at the higher levels of the food chain. I think what happened on Wall Street was really a classic bubble, driven by terrible incentive structures and the kind of herding we've seen in other bubbles.
On the other hand, it's very clear that at the level of individual mortgages and mortgage brokering, there was a lot of dubious behavior—and that has not really been pursued.
QUESTION FROM GUEST: you don't believe that they "gamed the system" and you do believe it was just luck then?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Not entirely luck—I assume there was some level of smart risk management, and the like. And certainly I think they gamed the system in the sense that they worked the rules to their benefit as much as they could. I just don't think that they had a visionary insight into what housing prices were going to do.
QUESTION FROM TOM: Is this issue too complex to have a serious vetting in the court of public opinion?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: This is an important question, and I'm not sure I know the answer. My gut reaction, though, is that it has to be possible to deal with this issue seriously in public.
The complexity of the problem is very real. And it's also very easy for people's eyes to glaze over when they hear talk of CDOs and CDS and the like. That's one reason the issues often get reduced to soundbites.
On the other hand, I think the financial-reform proposals that Congress is considering are reasonably serious, and I would also say that for all the grandstanding, I thought there were moments in yesterday's hearing that really got some important issues out there. There are some fundamental differences of opinion about what, exactly, Wall Street should do—and I think those are things that, in theory, we can talk about in public without having the debate get reduced to slogans. But, as I said, I'm probably naive.
QUESTION FROM MIKE: why not admit "big casino" and go home? what can levin and co possible ask we don't already know, and what is the punishment?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: So this kind of follows up the last question nicely. I think what Levin and Co. were trying to get at was how, exactly, investment bankers see their own roles in the market, and how they define their responsibility to customers. I actually think it would probably be better for investors if they just admitted "big casino"—it would make it less likely that people would be taken in. But no one seems too happy with that conclusion.
QUESTION FROM MONEEK: How can Goldman bet for and against something and come out ahead? Who is covering these bets? Who is the House?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: In a case where Goldman is playing the role of market-maker, which often tries to do in a deal like the Abacus deal, Goldman is the House. In other words, what it does is take the short side when it sells the CDO to outside investors, then turn around and take the long side—basically selling the position it just took—with the shorts. So it, in theory, ends up with no risk, and collects hefty fees.
That's the way a bookie at a casino does it. In practice, it's more complicated than this: investment banks aren't always able to lay off all the risk, and sometimes they want to make a bet on one side or the other.
QUESTION FROM TOM SCHUYLER: Isn't Abacus supposed to be just as sophisticated an investor as Goldman? They wanted more risk, Goldman wanted less? Right?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Not Abacus—ACA. (Abacus was the name of the deal, ACA was the manager and one of the big investors in the deal.) But yes, ACA was supposed to be a sophisticated investor. One of the things that the SEC's charges make clear, though, is that ACA and IKB—the other investor in the deal—didn't act much like sophisticated investors. They seem to have done very little due diligence, and didn't really look at the securities that went into the CDO.
As I said, I still think Goldman had a responsibility to disclose that John Paulson had played a role in the selection of the securities, but if I were a shareholder in IKB or ACA, I would also hold them responsible for being completely derelict in their duties.
QUESTION FROM JASON: Why should they have disclosed that Paulson was on the other side of the trade? Every synthetic product requires a long and short? Doesn't blame lie with ACA for even allowing Paulson to participate? At the end of the day, ACA had final say on the portfolio regardless of who was providing input.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Well, I certainly don't think ACA is without blame in this—of course, they were punished for their ineptitude by going broke. But while every synthetic has a long and a short (it's a little more complicated than this, but that'll do for now), it's not true that every synthetic has the guy on the short side weighing in on what securities go into the deal or not.
I don't think the disclosure to ACA is the real issue—ACA was working with Paulson, and had plenty of chances to ask him what his position was. But IKB appears not to have known. The way I think of it is this: if you were in IKB's position, and after you did the deal, would you feel like there was something wrong about the fact that Paulson's involvement hadn't been disclosed. I think in that situation I would. Again, this doesn't answer the legal question. But from the perspective of how we'd like companies to do business, I think disclosure would have been better.
QUESTION FROM GUEST: Why do long and short sellers need a market maker, a middle man? What prevents them from dealing directly with each other?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: This is an excellent question, because with today's technology it doesn't seem as if a middle man should really be necessary. If IKB wanted to go long, and Paulson wanted to go short, why didn't they just do the trade with each other? That is, obviously, what happens generally in the stock market—market makers play a much smaller role than they once did.
I think the answer is that in more specialized markets, it's harder for buyers and sellers to find each other, and that especially when you talk about huge sums of money it's hard to find a single seller or small number of sellers to take the other side of a trade.
What Wall Street offers, in theory, is the ability to do a big trade without having to go through the hassle of breaking the deal up into lots of small parts, or without messing up your price. Basically, an investment bank does the deal with you, and then it goes out and finds people on the other side. But I do think that as technology gets even better, that role of middle man could become less important.
QUESTION FROM STOCKCHICAGO: Two sides to every trade doesn't mean both sides have to lose. Zero-sum politicians are like ignorant longs. Someone has to be wrong if someone else makes money?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: So this is one of the interesting things about yesterday's hearing …
What the investment bankers were trying, not very successfully, to say was that a deal can be in everyone's interest even if it somebody ends up losing money, because at the time the deal was made, it allowed everyone involved to accomplish what they wanted to accomplish—get risk off their books, take on more risk, bet against the housing market, or whatever.
There's something to this—but a lot depends, again, on how knowledgeable you think these banks are about what's going to happen. If you know disaster is looming for a product, and you sell it anyway, that seems dubious to most people. It's just not clear that when it comes to investments, what's going to happen is ever that clear.
QUESTION FROM DIOGENES OF SINOPE: Do you believe there's too much "speculation" in finance and not enough "investment"? People are betting and what they think others will think in the next few months as opposed to betting on what they think will be productive in the long run…
JAMES SUROWIECKI: I think it depends on how you define "speculation." John Paulson, for instance, was "speculating" according to many people: he was betting that the housing market, which he didn't have any underlying investment in, was going to crash. So he was speculating as opposed to hedging.
But by your definition, which I think is a good one, you could also say that Paulson was investing. He wasn't betting on what others were going to think in a few months. He was betting on what was actually going to happen in the real world.
I think that kind of investment is a good thing. I think the kind of speculation that mainly involves trying to guess what everyone else is going to be thinking a few months from now is not especially useful, and when it starts to dominate markets—as it did during the stock-market bubble, for instance—it's very easy for markets to get out of whack. The challenge is figure out how to encourage investment and discourage speculation. We do it now by having a lower tax rate for long-term investments. But there might be other ways to do it as well.
QUESTION FROM MATT: James—For anyone who understands what Goldman does, didn't you find yesterday ridiculous? The senators seemed to fundamentally not understand what a market maker does? Goldman's "clients" are looking to make trades that require a market maker. In this instance, Goldman is not an investment advisor and the senators seemed to think that Goldman has the responsibility to share its views on every security it trades with clients. The relationship with the client in this instance is purely to provide a market that they wanted traded. The client is not relying on Goldman's views and therefore, it is irrelevant for Goldman to provide investment advice. What are your thoughts?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: So this is the flipside of the "Goldman is evil" argument—namely, that as a market marker Goldman doesn't need to tell its customers what it's thinking about the products it's marketing, because customers aren't relying on it for investment advice.
I actually think the markets would work better if everyone involved understood this and accepted it—in other words, if investors did not take an investment bank's involvement in a deal as an imprimatur of approval. In that case, we'd kind of be saying that Wall Street firms are like casino bookies—their job is to provide a market and offer fair prices and being willing to take bets.
The problem is that it's not clear that investors really understand this, nor is it clear that investment banks are always clear that this is what they're doing. The biggest problem with saying that these banks are just market makers is that they spend a lot of time selling and marketing deals, which casinos generally don't do. And I do think that the selling of these deals is what clouds this question of whether they're just market makers.
QUESTION FROM ARI: It's important people realize that when they referred to investors yesterday , they are not referring to middle class people. These investors are major institutions who have their own requirement of due diligence and responsibility to their clients. Goldman cannot be held responsible for other's bad bets. If Goldman is proved to be lying or hiding, that's another story.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Well, I do think the key issue in the Abacus deal has to do with the potential deception (or omission of material information). IKB and ACA, as you say, were sophisticated investors who were big players in the mortgage space—and in theory they had every opportunity to do the necessary due diligence on the deal.
So, as I said, I think they bear a lot of the responsibility for what happened. But that doesn't mean that they couldn't also have been taken advantage of. As I said in a blog post last week, it's possible to be both a fool and a victim.
QUESTION FROM MIKE: you are way too kind to these pirates. I get that you must be objective, but out here on main street, they are villans and the posse should be called to action. but when you think of it Levin makes a Carl Reiner sheriff how perfect!
JAMES SUROWIECKI: I think this is the way a lot of people feel, which is why it still seems possible that we'll get serious reform. The one thing that I think yesterday's hearing really brought out was that many of those senators had a fundamental problem with the basic way that Wall Street does business—what they were most worked up about was not the things that might have been done that were illegal, but rather the things that were legal.
QUESTION FROM MIKE: I support the "big casino" agreement, then let those select players in that market but keep out Jane and Joe investors such as mutual funds, IRAs, etc. sort of a high stakes game for high risk players.
JAMES SUROWIECKI: This is one of those ideas that I like, even if it's tricky to figure out how it would work in practice. One rule that I think does make sense would be to prohibit institutions that get government support (access to the discount window, etc.) from engaging in proprietary trading—making these big bets on one side or the other. That's what Paul Volcker would like to do, and I think it seems smart.
QUESTION FROM WILL: How would this story be playing differently if Goldman based overseas and IKB and ACA were American banks?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Interesting question—I'm not really sure what the difference would be, in the sense that I don't really think the backlash against Goldman could be any bigger than it is now, although I could be wrong about that.
QUESTION FROM STOCKCHICAGO: Again, with two sides, and different hedges (protection), someone doesn't have to lose outright… shorts are long on intelligence, longs are short on the same…
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Just though I'd show that question to give the pro-short side a voice.
QUESTION FROM TIM CONNOLLY: What do you think happens to Goldman if they are found guilty of failing to disclose a material fact? Slap on the wrist? Major fine? (Oh, CRH '84 BTW)
JAMES SUROWIECKI: Hey, Tim—good to hear from you. I think a big fine is likely, but it's hard to say what "major" means in this case. One of the interesting questions when it comes to the punishment (if Goldman were to lose) is that Goldman seems to have lost money on the deal, because it got stuck with a chunk of the deal it couldn't get rid of so that makes it tricky to figure out what the damages are.
QUESTION FROM GUEST: Do you think that this is a real problem of information transparency? Is Goldman opening doors for a public financial system reform discussed in public, like everybody wants to see, but the real issue has not be touched yet?
JAMES SUROWIECKI: This'll be the last question, I guess.
I think the most important issues about financial reform don't, actually, have much to do with the issues that the hearing dealt with yesterday. As I said at the beginning, the real damage to the economy was done by the housing bubble, and the way that created massive distortions throughout the country, distortions that then wreaked havoc when the bubble burst.
Figuring out how to limit bubbles before they really get going, figuring out how to deal with too-big-to-fail institutions, figuring out how to help consumers not make disastrously bad choices: these are the most important issues for financial reform, and I think the bills Congress is considering actually deal well with at least some of them. But even if the hearing didn't really get at these issues, it probably will play a role in getting people to think harder about what they want Wall Street to be, and what kind of financial system we should have, and as frustrating as the hearings were, that's at least something.
In any case, thanks to all of you for the questions, which were terrific. I enjoyed this. Thanks for coming.


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How to Make Cowboy Coffee over a CampfireCLICK HERE to subscribe to our weekly emails on finding and brewing amazing coffee!
Just because you head out for a weekend of camping doesn't mean you need to do without your coffee or bring with you a complicated brewing system. Why not just make cowboy coffee?
Unfortunately, many people who try to make cowboy coffee fail miserably. But, in many ways it is really one of the easiest ways to make coffee. All you need are the right tools for the job and a little knowledge about the brewing method and you should be able to make cowboy coffee that tastes every bit as good as the coffee you brew in the comfort of your own home using your favorite, and expensive, brewer.
What Is Cowboy Coffee
Basically, cowboy coffee is much like any other coffee. The only real difference is how it is brewed. You make cowboy coffee over a campfire using a few simple tools. Essentially, it takes advantage of the extraction technique called decoction. In this method, coffee is intermingled with the boiling water during the brewing process.
When you are finished, you wait for the coffee grounds to settle to the bottom and then you pour yourself a cup of joe. While this is really one of the simplest ways of making coffee, you would be surprised how many people mess it up when trying to do it for the first time.
Why Make Cowboy Coffee
Many people ask me why you should bother making coffee this way. After all, there are many great and very portable pour over methods you can take with you when you hit the trails and sleep under the stars. So why bother with this method?
First, if you are camping with your friends or family, chances are more than one person will want a cup of coffee. Let's face it, coffee is even better when enjoyed with someone, so why make anyone wait for their cup when you can just brew an entire pot all at once?
The other big reason is simply nostalgia. This method was used by many cowboys and other frontier people when they were moving west or sleeping under the stars as they explored uncharted territory. It is fun to try and relive a little of their experience, even if it is in just one small way.
What You Will Need
Before we begin, first let's gather up all the tools and ingredients we will need in order to start your first brew of cowboy coffee.
- Freshly Ground Coffee (I recommend using a very coarse grind setting)
- Water
- Small Pot
- Campfire
- Small Measuring Cup
In reality, these are tools and ingredients that you probably already have sitting around your kitchen, but if you don't they are easy to get. Make sure you get a pot that can be placed over a fire without damage and, if possible, take filtered water with you for the best results. Whatever you do, do NOT use water you have gathered from the lakes or streams. Not only will it make a bad cup of coffee, but it could be polluted and dangerous to drink.
Make Cowboy Coffee
In an effort to put a stop to bad tasting coffee while you are sitting around the campfire enjoying the great the outdoors, let's take a look at the exact steps you need to take to brew the perfect cup of joe while sitting around the campfire.
- Add water to your pot measuring exactly how much water your pot will hold as you add the water.
- Place the pot on the campfire and bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the fire and allow it to sit for 30 seconds. This will lower the temperature to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit which is perfect for brewing coffee.
- Add 2 tablespoons of coffee to your pot for every 8 ounces of water that your pot will hold.
- Stir the grounds in the water thoroughly.
- Allow the pot with the coffee to sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir the coffee again.
- Leave the coffee pot alone for another 2 minutes.
- After 4 minutes of brewing time has passed, sprinkle a little cold water onto the coffee to help it settle on the bottom.
- Pour the coffee slowly into your mug of choice making sure the grounds remain in the pot.
- Dispose of your used grounds and rinse out your coffee pot.
See, this method is pretty easy and allows you to brew a great pot of coffee even when you are sleeping under the stars, just the way the cowboys used to do on their long cattle drives.
Consider Adding Eggshells
One of the biggest complaints people have when making cowboy coffee is the fact that the coffee comes out tasting too bitter or strong. The reason for this is because of the acidic nature of coffee and how acidic it can become when brewed in the cowboy fashion. Now if you like strong coffee, this may be the brewing method for you. However, if your cowboy coffee comes out too strong, then may I suggest adding some eggshells to your brew.
Eggshells are alkaline, meaning they can reduce the acidity in coffee. At the same time, they are also great at keeping coffee grounds out of your cup of coffee when you pour it. While this isn't as big a deal in most coffee pots today, it can still make a difference. Here's what you do.
- Take cracked eggshells that have been washed and place them in your pot when you add the coffee to the water.
- Allow the eggshells to remain in the pot during brewing and pouring.
With the simple addition of eggshells, you can greatly reduce the acidity of your coffee so it doesn't come out tasting quite so strong and bitter and you may just keep a few coffee grounds out of your mug when you pour the coffee.
See, brewing cowboy coffee doesn't mean you have to brew something that looks and tastes like tar. Just make sure you use freshly ground coffee and take the extra time to measure your water and coffee ratios carefully. If you do that, you should be able to enjoy a truly spectacular cup of coffee that will impress all of your fellow campers.
So saddle up and start making your coffee over a campfire today. Now that you know what to do, your coffee should be pretty darn good. Yeehaw!
Recommended Reading
Greek Coffee: Exploring a Deeply Social TraditionWant something with espresso-level intensity with a little more flair? Then Greek coffee might be just the thing. Rich in both flavor and cultural, Greek coffee is a cornerstone of social gatherings! Read on for the full low-down on the history of Greek coffee, how it's made, and what makes it so interesting.
Dominican Republic CoffeeInterested in doing some research on where some of your delicious coffee beans come from? They're probably from the Dominican Republic. We've got all the information you need on coffee from this unique country, right here.
How to Brew Coffee with an AeropressWatch this entertaining video on brewing coffee with an AeroPress: perfect for a really quick, really clean cup of coffee. Oh and it's really easy to clean.
How to Make a Coffee Travel KitHere at Roasty, we believe that travel is no excuse to deprive yourself of great coffee. Watch this video on how to build your own coffee travel kit.
Cuban Coffee: A Rich Coffee with a Richer HistoryWant something that has the delightful bitterness of a rich espresso with just a hint of sweetness? Or maybe you just want something with a story behind it. Believe it or not, you can have it all. It's called Cuban Coffee, and it might just be the drink you're looking for.
How to Make Coffee While CampingJust because you're camping doesn't mean you have to completely rough it and go without your daily caffeine. Water, heat, coffee, and a few easy methods, and you're all set.
Learn to Make Barista-Level Coffee From The Comfort of Your Home
The Home Barista Coffee Course 14-lesson video course about brewing consistently amazing coffee at home. Stream or download the entire course to learn how to make coffee as good as your local barista for a fraction of the cost.Click Here To Learn More

subset: commoncrawl


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(Sep 22nd, 2012)
RARE FUROTICON FINDS -- Lot of 7 Demo Starter decks
by Seppel
We're retiring the old
demo starter decks!
These were used from 2009 - 2011 for players new to Furoticon to demo the game. As such, they have been opened, marked with "demo" and played. 99% of the cards are intact, and there may be extras within them. Contains roughly 280 cards total. If you want them,
start bidding now!
Sorry, comments are closed for this article.
14 comments:
on Oct 31st, 2012 @ 04:25 AM
Wow, he definitely got a good deal there for only $66.
on Sep 27th, 2012 @ 02:00 PM
save ur money. :D
personally its a good thing i mistyped on the first auction though. ive saved but not good enough.i almost ended up paying for something im almost 600 short of.lucky escape.
on Sep 26th, 2012 @ 07:58 PM
again, all the good stuff comes out when i'm broke
on Sep 26th, 2012 @ 06:03 PM
hope they arent weak when i play them.thatz no fuun.btw.i wins.:D
on Sep 24th, 2012 @ 07:42 AM
Yes you can play with Herm Haven still, Altythearcal. What is on sale here are some starters they used to demo the game at cons.
on Sep 24th, 2012 @ 03:25 AM
So wait i cant play with the herm haven now? I just bought it
on Sep 23rd, 2012 @ 08:15 PM
Aw, I wish I could afford that... :(
on Sep 23rd, 2012 @ 04:58 PM
awwwwwwwwww! *sad face* well im glad i have one of each. :) i might as well get more i guess...
on Sep 23rd, 2012 @ 04:49 PM
I'm glad I already have the decks from each set so far.
on Sep 23rd, 2012 @ 01:04 PM
Seppel -_- ....Why are you so Evil -_- ? *Gos off to Bid*
on Sep 22nd, 2012 @ 08:19 PM
Interesting. Not somethin I'd be interested in, but kinda cool to see the old demos are still around haha.
on Sep 22nd, 2012 @ 05:16 PM
Dx I wish I could get this I know a few friends that would love it and I could play with them so not awesome
on Sep 22nd, 2012 @ 12:12 PM
sweet i have got to have one of them for me and my friends
on Sep 22nd, 2012 @ 11:59 AM
This, of course, will be one of the only ways to get that "Boys will be Boys" starter deck
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Thirty Years Ago
For Marty Levin, life can still be a drag. Once the area's most celebrated ex-smoker, the Channel 10 anchorman is now back puffing away, although at a reduced rate. A year ago Levin announced to his viewers that he planned to quit smoking on his 32nd birthday, May 22, and invited all those interested to join him in his struggle.
Levin had been inspired by the efforts of his weatherman, Mike Ambrose, who had quit smoking on his birthday. And since Ambrose got quite a reaction from the viewing audience — the switchboard lit up with calls of encouragement — Levin and Channel 10 decided to make a campaign out of it.
— CITY LIGHTS: "LIKE A CIGARETTE SHOULD," Dan Trigoboff, April 26, 1979
Twenty-Five Years Ago
Neighborhood organizer Steve Temko and 200 of his midcity loyalists certainly got the city council's attention last February. These residents of North Park, Normal Heights, and other neighborhoods from Park Boulevard east to 54th Street had demanded a moratorium on new apartment and condominium construction. Their councilwoman, Gloria McColl, was forced to support the building halt because she'd promised to do so last year during a heated election campaign. And Mayor Roger Hedgecock — who listens to community groups because their members tend to vote in large numbers — also promised his help for the crowded neighborhoods.
— CITY LIGHTS: "DEVELOPMENTS," Paul Krueger, April 26, 1984
Twenty Years Ago
"We've got people we've bailed out nine, ten times this year. They fill up a whole page with their Polaroids."
Stahlman Bail Bonds does the Hell's Angels' and Chargers' business. "You never know what kind of person's going to walk in — a nut maybe. We get a lot of nuts walking in here. You get so many different types — doctors to garbage collectors, literally. This whole thing — 80 to 85 percent — is drug related. Somebody was caught with drugs or assault because somebody's on something."
— "SON OF THE KING," Elizabeth Cook, April 27, 1989
Fifteen Years Ago
I was fired from my own newspaper! The paper I had started less than a year before had just terminated me in a most humiliating way. As I sat in my bedroom two weeks after my 22nd birthday in November 1986, I reflected on the previous year and on how this could possibly have occurred. What I was experiencing was pure politics.
It had been a year since I "came out" in the San Diego gay community. Walking around University and Fifth avenues on Sunday afternoons, I had what I thought was a firsthand look at the inside of San Diego's gay and lesbian community.
— "QUEER SAN DIEGO," Tony Zampella, April 21, 1994
Ten Years Ago
When Vulgar Favors, Maureen Orth's book about the murderous saga of Andrew Cunanan, hit the bestseller lists last month, a national audience was offered a sinister portrait of San Diego. She quotes Joe Sullivan, "a former crystal-meth user who knew Andrew in San Diego," who describes a summer party circuit in La Jolla never written up by the Union-Tribune's Burl Stiff.
— "CUNANAN'S CURSE," Matt Potter, April 22, 1999
Five Years Ago
On November 18, 2002, pro skateboarder Neil Heddings drove his van to San Diego to pick up his two-year-old son, Marty. Heddings's fianceé Christine Rams had come with him. They collected Marty and then drove back to San Jacinto. Five days later, on the morning of November 23, Heddings and Rams discovered that Marty was dead.
Heddings told police that Marty had fallen during a bath and hit his head. On March 3, 2003, Heddings and Rams were arrested. At their preliminary hearing, the forensic pathologist testified that the injuries were not consistent with a single fall.
— "SKATEBOARDING IS NOT A CRIME BUT MURDER IS," Josh Board, April 22, 2004
More from SDReader
- The violent life — Jan. 1, 2016
- Back When Point Loma Was Lomaland — April 16, 2008
- Back when Skip Frye was shaping boards in a stall — April 9, 2008
- Did pro-skateboarder Neil Heddings kill his son? — April 22, 2004


text:
I recently updated the systemd RPM on my SLES12 SP3 machine, and wanted to review the changes:
rpm --changelog -q systemd
The changelog seems quite detailed, but I'm trying to correlate the misc messages/ IDs numbers to some bug database / git repo / whatever, so I can see what's addressed.
For example:
* Mon Apr 29 2019 email@example.com
- Import commit f35c6dc530aa46d1ed68cc9d191c790474049f8e
I think that's a git commit number. But, when I try to search across all of github for that commit ID, I can't find any hits:
What are these bsc numbers?
fc332d83ad core: only watch processes when it's really necessary (bsc#955942 bsc#1128657)
What's a jsc number?
- systemd-coredump: generate a stack trace of all core dumps (jsc#SLE-5933)
etc. There are many mysterious tags, and I'm trying to track down if any of the applied changes pertain to symptom's I'm seeing.
Thanks in advance...


text:
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Anatomy of an Office Business Application.
Chapter 2: Architecture Guidance and Design Patterns for Office Business Applications.
Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring MOSS.
Chapter 4: Customizing the Office Fluent Ribbon and the Task Pane.
Chapter 5: Creating and Deploying a Custom MOSS 2007 Workflow Using Visual Studio 2008.
Chapter 6: Creating A Custom Outlook Form Region.
Chapter 7: Using OpenXML and Business Data.
Chapter 8: Adding Business Intelligence through Excel Web Services and Key Performance Indicators.
Chapter 9: Integrating the LOB System using the Business Data Catalog, and Extending Search into your LOB System.
Chapter 10: Deploying your Client Components.
Chapter 11: Deploying and Securing Your OBA Server Components.
Appendix A: What's Next?


text:
Report from North Korea (III) 去北朝鲜旅游:报告(III)
The day after it's Panmunjom (Military Demarcation Line)'s turn. It's at the border line with South Korea, two hours by bus from Pyongyang. The highway is always full of holes and army check points. The border line which divide the Korean peninsula is 248 km long and 4 km wide. After the war in 1950, the two parts managed an armistice, discussed and signed it in a small house here in Panmunjom. The two countries are still officially in war. According to DPRK, U.S. army and corrupted South Korean government don't allow the reunification of the peninsula, ruling a dictatorship against the interest of Korean people and menacing the north and free part of Korea with military actions. Mr. Jin and some soldiers brought us to the border line, telling us to not take picture of military stuff and pay attention to American and South Korean army, cause it's not a safe place. The Military Demarcation Line is the area in the world with the biggest amount of soldiers.
Unfortunately, there were not American or South Korea soldiers, maybe because it was Sunday and it was cold. There are no eagles in the sky of Democratic Korea
After a few pictures with our "safety" DPRK soldiers and some cigarettes we took the bus back to Kaesong, the first city and industrialized area you meet leaving Panmunjom. It is considered a rich city with a glorious past, but it's just an horrible town with tall empty building and bare countryside around, farmers and a couple of temples. In Kaesong, from the bus, we saw something I wouldn't have seen: thousands of boys and girls in military clothes, holding fake rifles, running and singing behind a truck with the DPRK flag. I mean boys and girls from six to fifteen years, behaving like soldiers, ready to the war. Really horrible. In this occasion our bus driver and Mr. Jin seem really embarrassed and nervous, the latter demand us to not take any picture, absolutely. It was so horrible, and hard to describe.
Once out of the bus, we were in the middle of the town, with common people not much surprised of us but still with many kids always scared of me, a bastard western imperialist.
We had lunch in a courtyard and than visited Gaoli Temple, the first University in Korea. Even inside the temple there were soldiers, or at least, people with military clothes. And newlyweds taking pictures with family (and soldiers!). Some shopping in a stamps and book shop, before leaving to Pyongyang and Kim Il Song's birthplace.
It's 12 km north of Pyongyang and it is amazing how similar is to ShaoShou village in Hunan (birthplace of Mao Zedong). We had a walk around the park and saw the places Kim grow up before leaving his family at age of 13 years.
Next stop has been the subway of Pyongyang. Not bad, really beautiful to say the truth, really cheap for Koreans, free for us. It's in Stalinist architecture, a mix of Beijing and Moscow's subway style. Amazing was the silence inside the subway. People walking without saying a word, someone reading. No one was talking while we were sitting inside a cabin. I mean no one, and there were at least fifty persons around us. Maybe they were scared of us. Or maybe scared, but not of us.
Next, always in the center of Pyongyang, the Juche Tower. Juche is the socialist political philosophy set up by Kim Il-sung. It's a sort of Confucian Stalinist Dictatorship, with high respect for authority, Workers' Party and Kim's family leaders. It focuses its economy on agricultural and technological development, gender and class egalitarianism, cooperation between workers, farmers and intellectuals (Juche's symbol is an hammer, a sickle and a brush crossed together) on the way to the socialist paradise.
Every year on Summer, Workers' Party organizes Mass Games at the May Day Stadium (the biggest in Asia with 150.000 seats), to celebrate Kim Il-sung, DPRK and its leadership. It's a two weeks performance with more than 50.000 artists and acrobats taking part on it.
After Juche Tower, on my Chinese fellows' demand, Mr. Jin brought us to a "hot pot" restaurant, in front of the embassies of Jordan, Iran, Romania, and Malaysia. "Hot pot" is a common way of cooking and eating in Korean restaurants, especially in China's Korean restaurants. But maybe it's not that common in DPRK, in fact the food was not that good, and my Chinese friends not happy at all. They ran away to the hotel to eat something of their feed and cold noodles. A final drive by bus for the central no-lights streets of Pyongyang and a last watch to the main square of the city, between the National Library and Juche Tower, with two huge portraits of Marx and Lenin.
On the hotel we invited Mr. Jin to have a beer with us; he looks happy to share time with us, never stopping to talk us about his wonderful socialist country, his people, habits, leadership and socio-economic situations. Everything works until one of us starts to ask questions or Mr. Guang starts to jeer DPRK and compare it with China before 1978's reforms. Mr. Guang told me that the life in South Korea is completely different and told Tom to have a deep look to nowadays' DPRK if he wants to know what was the life of his parents when they where young. Maybe in the head of Mr. Guang (and not only of him I guess, but of all the other Chinese friends) DPRK is just waiting for the death of his leader Kim Jong-il and a new era of reform and economic development, de-militarization and peace. Discussing with Tom and Wu about our impression of DPRK we realized that Mr. Jin and Miss Ki gave us different info about their own life and education, and how they could speak a so good Chinese. We discovered that there are soldiers holding machine guns all around the hotel. And someone stole Mr. Guang's carton of cigarettes in his room. Maybe he was just drunk and forgot where he put it, or maybe it was just a little revenge from DPRK's people.
I spent the last night watching TV serial about Korean farmers' life. The last day, we bought some souvenir… I bought a big flag of DPRK (just to make my South Korean friends in Beijing feel angry), a book written by Kim Jong-il about Juche in 1982, Pyongyang city map, the weekly "Pyongyang Times" in English language and a VCD documentary of DPRK revolution. "Pyongyang Times" gives some propaganda news about Kim Jong-il visiting factories, farms and foreign leaders, economic accomplishments in the field of medicine and science, brief news about China and opposition forces in South Korea, Women's International Day and stuff like this. But having a look at the recent pictures of Kim Jong-il, I think professor Toshimitsu Shigemura (from Tokyo Waseda University, a scholar of DPRK) is right when he asserts that Kim is dead in 2003 and now replaced by some other stand-ins. In these pictures he look different, never smiling, holding big and black glasses and a Russian style fur hat to hide half of his face…. Who knows!?
Fortunately, this time we left from Pyongyang railway station on the morning, so no problem of power shortage. Mr. Jin helped us with tickets and food. The station was crowd of people, but mainly Chinese workers. In our cabin we drank the last Korean beer; Tom and Wu were a little bit scared because they still have some Korean money (it's forbidden to bring them outside, they said) and many pictures of army stuff and soldiers in their camera. Fortunately we had no problem at the customs, and we spent only a couple of hours this time. Customs police and soldiers just took our passport, gave a look to our pockets and bags. No dogs. So no way to discover drugs or weapons I think. A couple of policewomen (beautiful women!) I met four days ago in the same customs greeted me with a smile. DPRK soldiers haven't been bad with us, after all. In spite of their "famous brainwashing", they were not so many as I saw in Turkey or Sri Lanka, and not so ass hole like in Romania, U.S. or Russia. DPRK is a country in war. Or at least this is what their leaders tell to the people. And the result is that one person each ten is a soldier.
It has been the first time in all my life I haven't seen at all any track or sign of capitalism (expect in the hotel, of course). Nothing. No beggars, no homeless, no bars, no shopping mall, no commercial, no fashion, no drug sellers, no banks, nothing. Nothing even on TV. No pubs, no disco, no rich people, no money, no shopping. Silence, clean streets, no cars, power shortage, soldiers, poor farmers, ambiguous walkers, ambiguous digging in the countryside, ambiguous guides. Many slogans and portraits of the two Kim.
Well, I think Mr. Guang is right when he suggests me DPRK is 1970s China, and they are just waiting for a new era of reforms and open relations with foreign countries. According to Mr. Bei, Mao's era was not completely bad for the people, but he made big mistakes like the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Tom and Wu are too young to say something about that period. But they, like me, think there's something fucking strange in DPRK, like the lack of freedom and this atmosphere of fear and silence.
DPRK should be really similar to last Mao's China. And to 1950s Soviet Union. In other words, I think DPRK is still living the Cold War. And educate its children to the war and to hate Americans, South Koreans and Japanese. At the moment, I just want to know and read more about DPRK contemporary history, Juche and economic planning, but I do hope Kim Jong-il era will finish with his life.
And now I know how to answer to the previous question, "Why I decided to go to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea?". The Cold War. I decided to go there to have the opportunity, twenty years after the smash of Berlin's wall, to have a look and to feel the crazy atmosphere of Cold War. At the same time, I hope this "atmosphere" will end soon.
Beijing, March 17th 2009
Daniele Massaccesi


text:
ResearchThe Bernstein-Center Göttingen focuses on the adaptivity of the nervous system ranging from the level of single synapses to the level of cognitive processes. The brain's capability of allocating resources adaptively, i.e. flexibly and adequately, is one of the reasons why neuronal information processing is extremely swift and accurate.
What are the mechanisms underlying this adaptivity? What role does synaptic dynamics play in the flexible encoding of sensory stimuli? What are the mechanisms which assign neuronal resources to specific cognitive tasks through selective attention? These are examples of problems whose solutions require a combination of sophisticated experimental methods with both mathematical modeling and computer simulations.
In the BCCN Göttingen, research groups from three faculties of the University of Göttingen (physics, biology, and medicine), the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, the German Primate Center, and the research lab of Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH collaborate in joint projects applying a wide range of modern experimental and theoretical methods. The work achieved at the BCCN will also contribute to the scientific foundations of future applications in neuroprosthetics.
Prof. Dr. Fred Wolf
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
Am Faßberg 17
D - 37077 Göttingen
Tel: ++49 (0)551 5176 423
Fax: ++49 (0)551 5176 474
fred @ nld.ds.mpg.de


text: Parisi has helped numerous communities in developing the transportation sections of their general plans, including the required circulation element. Tasks involve assessing existing conditions, conducting traffic counts, developing multimodal level of service standards, as well as developing goals, policies, and programs that meet the needs of all users. Parisi works closely with jurisdictions and participates in public outreach efforts in order to form policies that are unique to each community.


text:
Are You Making These Top 5 Mistakes?
With this guide, we will help you prevent the 5 most common mistakes we see when people are trying to lose weight.
Enter your info below to download the free guide!
At No Excuses we have a vision of building a fit community. No Excuses isn't just a gym or a place to train, it is a thriving community of people all making positive changes in their lives, in their health, and in their quality of life through CrossFit. At No Excuses everybody is welcome, and despite their starting level of fitness or long-term goals, we're on board to help achieve results.
No Excuses workouts are constantly varied and consist of functional movements that mimic daily life or sports to improve the functionality that gets you through the day. CrossFit's sweet spot is in the intensity of the workout—working hard for a short period of time—as this achieves results. We seldom repeat the same workout, but when we do it's so we can track our progress, smash fitness goals, and create new ones.
CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that combines gymnastics, cardio and weightlifting. Classes or Workouts of the Day (WODs) generally last an hour and are programmed for constant variation, high intensity and functional movements. Our programming aims to help our members improve their capacity in the ten components of fitness: cardio-respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. The results are a lifestyle of physical fitness and increased vitality.
Scalable to Fitness Levels
CrossFit is scalable for any person despite age, athletic ability or previous injury.
Constantly Varied
Every day the workout is different. Routine is the enemy. This keeps training enjoyable and well-rounded.
Broad and Inclusive
Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing.
High Intensity
Our classes are only 60 minutes long, but they are designed to increase strength and fitness fast.
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Our gym is a big family that trains, motivates and socializes together.
Quality Coaching
All of our coaches are CrossFit Level-1 certified.
Ready to Sign Up?
Free 1-on-1 Assessment
This will give you an opportunity to see the gym in person, discuss your fitness goals and try a CrossFit workout.
Foundations Class
This class is designed to help you learn the basic movements of CrossFit. You will learn how to squat, press, and deadlift safely and efficiently.
Mainstream Class
Our classes have three different levels for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced athletes in mind.
Our Coaches
No Excuses CrossFit's coaching staff is dedicated to knowing you, your abilities and your goals.
We all come from diverse backgrounds, but share the common goal to educate, encourage and help deliver results.


text:
I had to install Windows Identity Foundation SDK in a Windows 2012 R2 server for setting up Claims-based authentication. So I downloaded the SDK and started the installation. Immediately I was shown this error popup.
The cause of the error is apparent – Windows Identity Foundation (WIF, going forward) is not installed in my server.
To install WIF runtime, follow the below steps if you're using Windows Server 2012
- Open server manager. Click on Add Roles & features.
- Click Next and navigate till the Features section. If you want to know how to navigate through "Add Roles and Features" dialog box, refer to my post here. Make sure you come back to this post once you reach Features section.
- Scroll down and you will find "Windows Identity Foundation". Select that and click next.
Note: In your case, it will be unchecked and not disabled and available for selection unlike the one shown here in the screen shot below.
- Click next and finish the installation.
This will install WIF Runtime in your server. After this is completed, run the SDK setup file again. This time, WIF SDK will get installed without any issues.
To install WIF Runtime on Windows 8, 8.1:
- In start menu, type "Turn Windows Features On and Off". Open the dialog box.
- Scroll down and enable Windows Identity Foundation.
- Click OK.
This install WIF Runtime in Windows 8, 8.1.
Hope this helps!


text:
- Secure Storage Containers in Alexandria, LA.
- All Steel Container Products.
- Rent or Purchase.
Storage Containers in Alexandria
When you need storage containers in Alexandria you can count on Cork'd to get the best prices, selection and customization you need. Whether you are looking to rent or need a used storage container for sale in Alexandria you don't need to go anywhere else. Cork'd helps you quickly research storage container pricing faster than ever before. Pick up the phone or send us your request now!
We offer:
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Try to see what the widest storage container in Alexandria, LA will cost, need to fit large machinery inside of it.
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Don't mind dents only require a working storage container no less than ten ft long.
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10 Ft Container Purchase
$ 2126/unit


text:
The Toronto restaurant that told a hearing impaired man to leave his service dog outside broke more than the Ontario Human Rights Act.
It appears that Spring Rolls contravened a 2008 provision of the Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act which requires businesses to implement customer accessibility policies, including staff training and customer complaints procedures to ensure people don't face this kind of discrimination, said disability rights lawyer David Lepofsky.
Businesses with more than 20 employees were required to report their policies to the government by Dec. 31, 2012.
"More than five years after the Ontario government enacted the Customer Service Accessibility Standard under the disabilities act, why are we hearing about alleged incidents like this?" said Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, a community coalition working to ensure the act is enforced.
"Why should a person with a disability have to resort to possibly taking a case to the Human Rights Tribunal . . . when the disabilities act is supposed to be effectively enforced to reduce the need for such individual litigation?" he added.
As reported in the Sunday Star, Oakville resident Peter Stelmacovich said staff at Spring Rolls restaurant on Queen St. W. told him last Thursday he would have to sit upstairs or outside because of his Hearing Ear dog, Flora. The other option was to tie his dog outside. Stelmacovich, who ate elsewhere, said he was considering a complaint to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
Spring Rolls apologized on Facebook and in a statement emailed to the Star Sunday morning, saying the situation would never happen again and that the company will implement more staff training.
The restaurant will also post signs in its windows welcoming service dogs, said restaurant sales and marketing manager Jose Munoz. The chain, with 12 franchises in the GTA, Hamilton and Waterloo, filed its customer accessibility report on time, he added in an interview Monday.
Stelmacovich, who has accepted the eatery's apology, said he is pleased with the awareness the issue has created.
"This is clearly not an isolated incident," said the 47-year-old man who has had Hearing Ear dogs for 25 years. "This happens in other restaurants and businesses and I hope this will result in some change."
A spokesman for Economic Development and Trade Minister Eric Hoskins, who oversees disability issues, was unable to say how many businesses have filed their customer accessibility reports.
"We still have work to do to improve the number," said Gabe DeRoche.
Lepofsky said the Spring Rolls incident is an example of why the government, which has promised to enforce the act, must do more.
In a letter to Hoskins in February, he suggested government inspectors under other legislation include enforcement of the disabilities act in their activities. He is still waiting for a response.


text:
noblechairs is releasing a brand-new addition to its range today. The Black Edition is the latest update to noblechairs EPIC, ICON and HERO series of high-quality PC gaming chairs and introduces all-new features to the brand. The Black Edition is branded with the slogan 'Always Breathing' which is a reference …Read More »
noblechairs Epic Black Edition Gaming Chair Review
If you want a high quality gaming chair, the noblechairs Black Edition lineup could be for youRead More »
Sharkoon Elbrus 2 Gaming Chair Review
Want a new racer-style gaming chair? we review the Sharkoon Elbrus 2Read More »
Sharkoon's new ELBRUS gaming chairs are the best value yet
Sharkoon has been working its way into the gaming chair market for a while now, with several models hitting different price points. This week, Sharkoon is launching two new chairs, the ELBRUS 1 and ELBRUS 2, delivering more affordable options for PC gaming enthusiasts. The ELBRUS 1 is upholstered with …Read More »
Briony checks out the noblechairs EPIC Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Edition
Briony sits down with Steven Levitt to check out the new noblechairs Mercedes-AMG Petronas chair, designed as part of an exclusive partnership.Read More »
noblechairs teams up with Mercedes-AMG Petronas for new racing chair
It looks like noblechairs has scored itself a new major partnership. Today, the premium gaming chair maker announced a new collaboration with Mercedes-AMG to launch the noblechairs EPIC Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Edition, built for Formula 1 enthusiasts. As the name suggests, this chair is based on the noblechairs EPIC series, …Read More »
Briony goes POSTAL – and cuts up GAMING CHAIRS!
Briony has reviewed a lot of gaming chairs in her time with KitGuru and she has always wanted to see what was inside them. She wanted to cut up her OWN 18 month old Noblechair - and we asked Noblechairs if they would like to come along when we cut the hell out of it with a stanley knife. They said 'sure no problem' we will bring you a new one too and watch you cut it up. We also bought a no name 'cheap' gaming chair from Amazon - just to see if there was any difference at all. Is it all a CON?Read More »
Secretlab Omega Gaming Chair Review
Got £300 to spend on a new gaming chair? Briony reviews the Secretlab OmegaRead More »
AKRacing Core Series EX Gaming Chair Review
It's a £240 gaming chair from AKRacing - but can it do enough to standout in a crowded market?Read More »
Aerocool AC220 AIR RGB Gaming chair Review
Are you an RGB fanboy? We have just the chair for you today !Read More »
Sharkoon tackles high-end gaming chairs with real leather SGS5
Over the last year, Sharkoon has been expanding in to the gaming chair market with affordable, sub-£200 options. Now this week, the company is aiming to tackle the high-end too, with a new premium chair with real leather, rather than faux leather or cheaper fabric. The Sharkoon SKILLER SGS5 is …Read More »
Edge GX1 Luxury Gaming Chair Review: world's best gaming chair?
Can any chair be worth the guts of £1,000 ? How much is your spine worth ?Read More »
EDGE challenges the racing seat style with its "truly ergonomic" GX1 Gaming Chair
The term 'gaming chair' has become synonymous with the racing seat style over the years, but the ergonomic value of such design has consistently been challenged. Now, British gaming brand EDGE has introduced its premium, hand-crafted GX1 Gaming Chair to disrupt the market, designed by Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors …Read More »
AKRacing release an ASUS Republic Of Gamers chair
Are you a big Asus fan? then the new ROG chair by AKRacing might tick the boxes. Its certainly built well.Read More »
noblechairs HERO PU leather Gaming Chair Review
Could this chair be the Hero we need?Read More »
noblechairs Hero Series is built with longer gaming sessions in mind
noblechairs has made a name for itself as a premium designer of gaming chairs, impressing us on both accounts with its Epic and Icon Series. In a bid to outdo itself, the company has bolstered its line-up with the brand new Hero Series, built from the ground up with customer …Read More »
The Nitro Concepts S300 now comes in urban camo
Over the past two years, the gaming chair market has become highly competitive, with several newcomers entering the market, posing a serious challenge to bigger brands. One such newcomer has been Nitro Concepts. In 2016, we saw the company release its E200 and E220 gaming chairs and in 2017, the …Read More »
noblechairs Icon Leather Gaming Chair Review
It's a lush, high end gaming chair from Noblechairs. At over £500 does it deliver the goods?Read More »
Noblechairs launch complimenting footrests with an adjustable cushion
Expanding on its quality seating solutions, Noblechairs has launched a footrest accessory to complement its range of racing chairs. The Noblechairs footrest range comes in at a price that reflects its premium quality, along with a handful of features that places user comfort at the forefront. Each footrest comes with …Read More »
Corsair T2 Road Warrior Gaming Chair Review
It costs £320 and it sure looks pretty. But is the beauty just skin deep?Read More »
Sharkoon swaps leather with breathable fabric for new affordable SKILLER SGS2 gaming chairs
When you spend hours a day sat at a desk, it is important to make sure you have a comfortable place to sit with plenty of back support. We've seen a big rise in the gaming chair market over the last few years because of this but many options end …Read More »
Nitro Concepts partners with football team SL Benfica for special edition S300 Gaming Chair
Nitro Concepts' S300 gaming chair has managed to impress KitGuru and our readers alike, with its comfort and versatility being highlighted as among the best. Now, the company has partnered with football club Sport Lisboa e Benfica to make a brand new special edition variant of the S300, clad out …Read More »
Nitro Concepts S300 Gaming Chair Review
Its one of the more affordable gaming chairs on the market at £229 - but how much do we like it?Read More »
CES: Thermaltake unleash new X1 mechanical keyboard and rebranded software.
This year, Thermaltake is attempting to move up the peripheral market, laying out its plans to have a selection of Tt Premium mice, mouse pads and headsets by Computex in June 2018. Kicking off this trend, the company has unveiled its X1 mechanical gaming keyboard, its X Comfort Air gaming …Read More »
Reader review: Nitro Concepts S300 gaming chair
Throughout December and early January, we ran a series of daily giveaways for the holiday season. These were all 'reviewer' giveaways, in hopes that readers would come back and share their thoughts on what they won with us and other KitGuru visitors. We've had a couple of submissions so far …Read More »
Nitro Concepts S300 Gaming Chair launches at OCUK
Over the past two years, the gaming chair market has become highly competitive, with several newcomers entering the market, posing a serious challenge to bigger brands. One such newcomer has been Nitro Concepts. Last year, we saw the company release its E200 and E220 gaming chairs and this year, they …Read More »
noblechairs launches new Icon series of chairs
While we have heard quite a bit about noblechairs over the past year or two, up until now the company has been focused on its Epic series – with the Epic Real Leather being a highlight. However, noblechairs has today launched its new Icon series of chairs, promising thicker cushioning, increased …Read More »
Corsair T1 Race gaming chair
Vvroom Vrroom - Corsair goes full on sports with their new £300 T1 Race Gaming chair.Read More »
Vertagear unleashes new range of Triigger chairs
Vertagear might be a relatively new company to the world of gaming chairs but we have liked the company's previous SL4000 and SL6000 offerings quite a bit. However, not everyone is after a highly stylised gaming chair, some would prefer something a little more suited to an office environment and …Read More »
Nitro Concepts E200 Race Chair Review
Back in June, we took a look at the Epic Real Leather gaming chair from noblechairs. While we deemed it worthy of an award, it comes with a hefty £450 price tag. What if you want a decent, racer-style chair without breaking the bank? Priced at £167.99, that is where the …Read More »


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At this time, our ADC campus application deadline has passed. We accept and review applications year-round. Please apply using the links below if you are interested in working at BCG. We will provide an update on your application status 2-3 weeks after submission. If selected to interview, you will interview in the BCG office closest to your campus. If you intend to graduate in 2021+, please visit our Bridge to BCG website in February 2020 for updated recruiting information.
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States › Sikkim › Fairs & Festivals › Guru Rinpoche's Trungkar Tshechu
One of the most significant Buddhist festivals, Trungkar Tsechu marks the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padmasambhava), the founder of Tibetan Buddhism who first introduced Buddhism in Sikkim and other neighbouring Himalayan regions during 8th century. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and show throughout the state; special prayers and rituals are held in the monasteries and huge processions are carried across the streets that are led by monks and lamas playing various traditional instruments.
Guru Padmasambhava is the most adored patron saint of Sikkim who is believed to have introduced Tantric & Vajrayana Buddhism in the region after vanquishing demons during 8th century AD. Considered as the 'Second Buddha born on the Lotus Flower', he is held in high regards and is revered by Buddhists not only in Sikkim but across all other Buddhist regions in the world. The concept of Tsechu was started by Guru Rinpoche himself, who by manifesting himself in eight different human forms, danced in-front of a demon in order to conquer him. These dances later came to be known as 'Chaams' and depict glory of the patron saint during several Buddhist festivals.
Trungkar Tsechu is observed on the tenth day of the fifth month of Tibetan Lunar Calendar (July-August) every year. The ancient Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok serves as one of the prime venues for the festival, which is attended by thousands of devotees and tourists alike.
Entire state of Sikkim comes to life on the auspicious occasion of Trungkar Tsechu with huge processions, carrying statue of Guru Padmasambhava, taken across the streets amidst reverberating chanting of "Om Ah Hung Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung Rhi" by countless devotees and followers. All monasteries in the state, on this sacred day, hold special prayers and rituals to seek blessings of the great patron saint. "Chaam Dance" performances enacting eight manifestations and various episodes from the life of Padmasambhava are one of the major highlights during the festival and that provide for a hypnotic spectacle to one and all.


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Shooting guard James Harden of the Houston Rockets is one of the top candidates for the Most Valuable Player award this season. On Wednesday, he'll lead the Rockets to Minnesota, where they'll face the Timberwolves.
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The first meeting went to overtime after the Rockets stormed back from 12 down with just over two minutes to go. You can use a Bovada Bonus Code before your deposit to bet on sports. Houston went on to win 111-109. James Harden just missed a triple-double with 28 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds for the Rockets, while Karl-Anthony Towns countered with 41 points and 16 boards for the Timberwolves. Houston has now won nine of their last 10 against Minnesota, but they've covered in just four of those games.
Harden is flourishing under head coach Mike D'Antoni, ranking third in the league in scoring, first in assists and is registering over eight rebounds per game. The Rockets are also lighting it up from three-point land, ranking sixth in long-distance shooting percentage, which has them second in the league in points scored behind Golden State.
The young Timberwolves are struggling, although they have a decent nucleus in Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine. They've had 16 close games, losing by 10 points or less. They're also 16th in points allowed, which Minnesota would love to improve under defensive-minded head coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Rockets are 9-1 SU (eight straight wins) in their last 10 meetings with the Timberwolves, but only 4-6 ATS. The two met in Minnesota on December 17 with the Rockets pulling out an 111-109 overtime win. Harden posted 28 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. Towns had 41 points, 16 boards and five assists for the Timberwolves.
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145 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central.
Open Mon – Fri, 11:30am–late & Sat-Sun, 4pm–late
Why we love King of Snake
King of Snake is a great place to grab a bit to eat, do some people watching and get a feel for life in the city. The atmosphere is vibrant and relaxed, with a mix of shared seating, tables and bar stools. They serve great cocktails and the food is perfect for sharing with a group. Think unique Asian-fusion dishes with punchy flavour combinations.
It's often pumping at night – so it's worth making a booking!
Must try
King of Snake's unique menu offers the perfect environment to step out of your comfort zone and order something you normally wouldn't. Try the sticky beef wontons and the prawn dumplings in supreme broth. And if you are after a cocktail, it would be amiss not to have the 'King of Snake' signature cocktail.
Discover more about this hot spot on their website.


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AV Joins The Nuclear Waste Debate
Install adds AV capabilities to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 8,000-square-foot Nevada hearing room.
CHALLENGE: Design and install a robust AV system capable of presenting the VGA-resolution content of an expansive digital evidence database, while simultaneously presenting the composite video of live testimony and allowing ample individual control for lawyers and judges.
SOLUTION: Expand an existing system already designed and installed for the same client, while accounting for unique challenges, such as state laws banning the use of unprotected wiring.
AS ROOMS designed for legal proceedings go, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's new public hearing facility in Las Vegas is probably as big and well equipped as they come.
The facility, which features an 8,000-square-foot room with 35-foot ceilings, was built last year for the sole purpose of hosting what promises to be one of the bigger public hearings in United States history. It's here that Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) officials will observe a vast array of evidence and testimony, as the Department of Energy seeks to gain authorization to build a massive repository for nuclear waste at Nevada's Yucca Mountain, and myriad local public and private agencies seek to stop it.
"The NRC needed something that was bullet-proof," explains Kevin Sandler, CEO and president of Phoenix-based systems integrator ExhibitOne Corp., which designed and installed the hearing room's robust AV system "The last thing they need while overseeing one of the largest cases in U.S. history is for a piece of technology to let them down."
Already under contract with the federal government to outfit the nation's bankruptcy and district courts, ExhibitOne began working with the NRC in 2003, when it was brought in by Fairfax, VA-based Nortel Government Solutions (then known as PEC Solutions), the contractor that was installing a digital evidence database at the NRC's Rockville, MD, headquarters.
"PEC Solutions heard about us through our federal contract with the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts," explains Michael J. Lofaro, vice president of engineering for ExhibitOne. "We've done more than 450 courtrooms around the U.S."
With the Rockville project deemed successful, the NRC awarded Nortel a new contract valued at $2.3 million to design and build a second evidence database system for its Las Vegas facility in 2004. And Nortel once again brought along ExhibitOne to design the AV system.
With the Americans with Disabilities Act mandating — albeit in somewhat vague language — that public hearing rooms include closed captioning services for the hearing impaired, Phoenix-based systems integrator ExhibitOne designed such functionality into the presentation system of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Nevada hearing room.
The NRC's hearing room employs an "online" captioning system, meaning it's designed to add text captioning in real time to the live testimony occurring in the hearing room. All transcripts taken by the court stenographer are — in the form of RS232 serial data — fed into the digital evidence system, which stores this data and processes it into actual English using a custom programmed computer-aided-transcription (CAT) software.
The computer then outputs ASCII-formatted data — also via RS232 signal — to a Link Electronics PCE-845D closed captioning encoder, which embeds the captioning into the video signal. The captions are hidden on Line 21 of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) within this NTSC signal. In television terms, the VBI is the non-viewable portion of the video signal —occupying 45 of the total 525 lines per frame. This portion of NTSC was created so that traditional CRT monitors could reset their guns to the upper left corner of the monitor screen to begin painting the next frame.
The NRC's closed captioning system uses a Link IEC-785 module to decode this captioning data so that it can be displayed. Because the captions are being input live, they scroll left to right at a rate of about two characters per frame.
According to ExhibitOne engineer Michael Lofaro, the system allows presentations of VGA-resolution evidence to include closed captioning — a trick that involves the melding of VGA and composite video images into the same picture.
"I hadn't seen closed captioning put on a VGA image anywhere else before," Lofaro says. "But I didn't want to have to take digital evidence down to a composite video resolution in order to closed caption it."
To make it work, ExhibitOne employed an RGB Spectrum DualView XL display processor ($6,495 MSRP), which allows computer and video sources to be simultaneously viewed on the same screen, with the images stretched, shaped, and moved around per operator discretion. "We were able to give the NRC what they were really asking for," Lofaro adds.
"The Rockville hearing room has a system that's basically identical to the one we have in Las Vegas, yet much smaller in scale," notes Andy Welkie, digital data management systems project manager for the NRC. "The AV system is designed to be a subsystem to the digital evidence database. It allows us to bring in every document and testimony that's presented, process it electronically, and then display it in the hearing room."
Budgeted at about $1 million, the AV system in the NRC's Las Vegas hearing room is designed to match the enormity of both the room and the proceedings. Fifteen attorney tables — each with two locations — are spread about the vast room, which also includes separate locations for three judges and five witnesses. The system also had to be designed to simultaneously display the VGA-resolution digital files stored in the evidence database and the composite video of live testimony.
"I've never done a courtroom before with this much equipment in it," says Lofaro of an AV system that consumes four full Middle Atlantic ERK-4425 equipment racks in a control area tucked into the corner of the hearing room. "This is by far the most technologically advanced courtroom in the country."
For Lofaro, just wiring everything together was tough enough. "In Nevada, the building code states that everything has to be in conduit, even low-voltage stuff," he explains. "So we had to enclose everything."
Lofaro's team dealt with that issue by putting on its electrical contractor hats and running flexible conduit to all the attorney, judge, witness, and court-reporter work stations scattered about the massive room, and then connecting everything by running conduit beneath the room's depressed slab.
Meanwhile, dealing with a security-sensitive government project involving nuclear waste presented other challenges. "Challenges exist in any government project we do," Sandler notes. "Obviously, the NRC is very stringent when it comes to security issues, so they wanted to be aware of every aspect of the system we were putting in to make sure there weren't potential points of security breach. There are good reasons for this, of course, but approvals took more time because they had to go through more layers. When you deal with the government, you need to come in with patience. And if you're an integrator who's more used to dealing with the commercial sector, you need to be aware of certain differences — it's a bureaucratic machine, it's just the way it works, and you need to be prepared for it to be slower and more cumbersome."
Not only did ExhibitOne have to deal with the lag time it took to get approvals, it had to account for a building design for which it had no input. "They did a lot of things backward," Lofaro explains. "For example, they got an acoustical consultant after the room was built."
In virtually all cases, however, Lofaro and his team successfully designed around these challenges. For instance, original building specs called for 19 42-inch plasma displays to be hung from the room's three-story-high, windowed ceiling. "But the room is actually near the airport, and whenever a plane flies over, everything in the building rattles and moves," Lofaro says. "And it wouldn't have looked right with all those plasmas there — it would have taken away from the grandness of the room."
So instead of ceiling-suspended displays, ExhibitOne ultimately settled on a design built around four wall-mounted 61-inch NEC PlasmaSync 61XM2 monitors, which flank the room, two to a side. But the system — controlled for the most part via AMX interface in the master control room — is also designed to also emphasize individual control and viewing at each attorney and judge station.
Each of the 15 attorney tables, for example, features two NEC 15-inch LCD1560-V-BK monitors and three video feeds. At each of the 30 attorney workstations, lawyers can individually access more than 50,000 documents in the digital evidence database, switch to the closed-captioned video presentation of the person speaking at any given point in time, or view whatever's being presented on the room's Samsung SVP-6500 document camera. For each of the 15 attorney tables, there's a small meeting room adjacent to the main area where lawyers can keep in touch with court proceedings via a 21-inch NEC LCD2180UX-BK monitor.
Each of the three judges, meanwhile, can mute evidence with a touch of an AMX MVP-7500 monitor, which is routed straight into the AV system's control software.
"Each one of those tables allows the participants to access all parts of the system," Sandler explains. "That was very important to the NRC."
The video display system — which feeds into the plasmas, the individual attorney and judge stations, and a series of small conference rooms that surround the main hearing room — supports not only composite video, but the VGA display that originates from the collection of Dell servers that make up Nortel's IT-based evidence data management system.
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Digital files from the evidence database — as well as other IT devices, such as a PowerPoint presentation stored on lawyer's laptop computer — can be routed through an Extron Crosspoint Plus 3232HVA matrix switcher, and then viewed onscreen in VGA resolution with composite video components, such as closed captioning, added in (see sidebar).
All testimony occurring in the hearing room, meanwhile, is captured by a collection of 12 Sony EVI-D100 cameras, which are controlled via an AMX Accent3 module. Video testimony is not only stored digitally in the evidence system, it's output in real time as a closed captioned composite video feed and routed through an Extron MAV2424 switcher. (A notable control feature to this system lets attorneys or judges pause and rewind live testimony, as a TV viewer would with a digital video recording device like TiVo.)
Audio, meanwhile, is handled by a custom-ordered, 48-channel Biamp AudiaFlex digital audio platform, and includes 50 Atlas Soundolier SM82 wall-mounted loudspeakers. Given the expansiveness of the room, some of these speakers are mounted in boxes on the attorney tables, each with their own volume control. Each attorney, judge, witness, and court-reporter location is equipped with a Shure 18-inch gooseneck MX418D/C microphone — the system employs 44 mics in all. Each microphone has mix-minus functionality, which is processed through the Biamp system.
For his part, Lofaro — who says the system design took him about eight times longer than it would for a typical courtroom — claims the installation went pretty much according to schedule and came in on budget, despite the lag time in approvals. And according to the NRC's Welkie, the AV system has been tested and has worked flawlessly, although no one is sure when it will be used for hearings regarding Yucca Mountain. The hearings are subject to a complex permutation of NRC and Department of Energy filings, several of which have yet to occur.
Still, Welkie states confidence in ExhibitOne's work. "We see no reason why this system won't function as it's delivered," he says.
Daniel Frankel is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. You can reach him at email@example.com.


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Research Interests:
Research focus for cell biology includes: cytotoxicity screening, stains for structural proteins and cell phenotype markers, and imaging nanoparticle/cell interaction.
Focus in nanotechnology includes iron nanoparticle synthesis and characterization for water treatment and alternative energy catalysis applications. The characterization portion includes tools to evaluate size, morphology, composition, surface charge and functionalization, magnetization, lifetime, and catalytic activity.
Another main focus in membrane synthesis, which includes typical water treatment applications, such a phase inversion membranes with polymers. We are interested in studying the membrane structure and pore size while incorporating nanoparticles into the membrane structure. Lastly, we are interested in how nanoparticles change membrane chemical and mechanical properties, with direct application to water transport, contaminant degradation, antifouling, and anticmicrobial uses.
My focus for the permeation standards work is to have reliable testing and an understanding of how water permeates through brittle materials, such as stainless steel and silcon wafers.


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What to Do When You Love Someone Who Hurts You10.07.2017 in Empowerment, Gratitude, Healing, Love, Psychic Development, Psychics, Relationships, Spirituality, Twin Flame
"Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know." ~Pema Chödrön
There is a person in my life who I love with all my heart, but in this relationship I struggle to keep a full cup myself. They are family, the situation is complicated and tender. But learning to have compassion for this other person begins with having compassion for myself.
A nasty divorce spanning most of my childhood set the stage for our current situation. My mother was deeply emotionally wounded by my father,
2 comments Read More


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Oracle SQL to test for numerics
With reference to your answer to the question "How can SQL test for pure numerics?" I was surprised that since the column is headed "Ask the Oracle Expert" you did not provide an Oracle solution to the question.
With reference to your answer to the question How can SQL test for pure numerics? I was surprised that since the column is headed "Ask the Oracle Expert" you did not provide an Oracle solution to the question.
Great question. Other regular Oracle readers of this column must surely also have noticed the scarcity of Oracle examples. A wee explanation is in order.
This column has always, since its inception over six years ago, been about just SQL, with as few proprietary or non-standard wrinkles as possible. (See the list of expert categories.) Naturally, as most of you are aware, standard SQL doesn't always work on your database of choice, nor does it have what you could call a robust set of functions (date calculation and string manipulation come easily to mind). So the examples in the solutions often had to use some particular flavour of SQL.
A few years later, TechTarget decided to re-align its "Search" portals with technology platforms. Gone was the generic database web site, and so this column had to be assigned elsewhere. SearchOracle.com is where it ended up. Unfortunately, PL/SQL is the weakest of my SQL dialects, which is why there are so few Oracle examples.
Reader Pete from Sheffield, who asked this follow-up question, was kind enough to provide the following Oracle code:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION is_numeric (p_in VARCHAR2) RETURN VARCHAR2 IS /* Returns 'T' if the value is NUMERIC 'F' otherwise */ l_temp NUMBER; l_return VARCHAR2(1) := 'F'; BEGIN SELECT p_in INTO l_temp FROM DUAL; l_return := 'T'; RETURN l_return; EXCEPTION WHEN OTHERS THEN RETURN l_return; END; /
Thanks, Pete!
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Using the SQL GROUP BY clause for counting combinations
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Contraindications to Taking Rectal Temperature
A rectal temperature is often considered more accurate than an oral or axillary temperature, due to potential alterations in the mouth temperature from beverage intake and alterations in skin temperature due to ambient conditions 3. There are many types of thermometers available on the market today. For a rectal temperature, a digital thermometer with a probe cover is recommended 3. A normal rectal temperature is 99.6 degrees F., one degree higher than a normal oral temperature 3. Taking a rectal temperature is contraindicated for certain conditions 3.
Heart Conditions
Rectal temperatures should not be taken in most people with a heart condition 2. According to "Taking Vital Signs," a rectal probe can stimulate the vagus nerve, which surrounds the anus. This can cause a dangerous heart arrhythmia and fainting.
Recent rectal, anal, vaginal and prostate surgeries are all contraindications for taking a rectal temperature due to the risk of damage from the thermometer 3. A different route must be used until the patient has healed from surgery.
Diarrhea can change the temperature inside the rectum. Also, inserting the temperature probe inside the rectum of someone experiencing diarrhea can cause that person to have another bowel movement while you are trying to get the temperature reading.
Hemorrhoids are considered a contraindication for taking a rectal temperature 3. This is true whether the hemorrhoids are external or internal. This contraindication is due to the risk of the temperature probe harming the tissues. Additionally, if the probe is placed near hemorrhoids, the temperature reading could be incorrect.
Certain Intestinal Conditions
Colitis is considered to be a contraindication for taking a rectal temperature due to the chance of damage to the rectum from the thermometer 3. Bleeding from the rectum is another contraindication. Sometimes, it is because the cause of the bleed is unknown and adding the possibility of causing bleeding by inserting the thermometer can confuse the diagnosis. Secondly, the bleeding could be due to a condition that could be further harmed by the insertion of the probe.
Bleeding Tendencies
Drugs.com relates that rectal temperatures are contraindicated in people who have a tendency to bleed easily 3. Patients with a low platelet count or hemophilia fall into this category. Patients who take blood-thinners may also need to avoid getting a rectal temperature 3. This is due to the possibility of injuring the rectum and causing a bleed that is difficult to control.
Fecal Impaction
Age-Related Contraindications
Some practitioners recommend that only medical personnel take a rectal temperature in an infant under one month old 3. Others recommend avoiding rectal temperatures in people over 80 years of age. Both of these recommendations are based on the increased likelihood of damage to the tissues of the rectum.
Rectal temperatures should not be performed on people with a fecal impaction (a large, firm stool that is caught in the large intestine or rectum due to an inability to pass it) for two reasons: the thermometer may go into the stool, causing an inaccurate reading, and the tissue in the rectum may be compromised by a large fecal impaction, increasing the odds that a temperature probe will cause damage to the tissue 3. Recent rectal, anal, vaginal and prostate surgeries are all contraindications for taking a rectal temperature due to the risk of damage from the thermometer 3. Colitis is considered to be a contraindication for taking a rectal temperature due to the chance of damage to the rectum from the thermometer 3.
- thermometer image by CraterValley Photo from Fotolia.com


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DuckTales Remasterd has received a suitably-dubbed 'Duckumentary' focusing on the art of the upcoming Disney platform title.
The team at WayForward discuss the evolution of Scrooge McDuck and co. from classic NES sprites into the modern high-definition era, where the team have given the Richest Duck in the World a range of new animations.
Check it out below.
DuckTales was originally released on the NES in 1989, garnering critical acclaim for its non-linear gameplay and going on to become one of the most treasured retro platform titles created. This update has faithfully re-created the game's stages, characters and soundtrack, albeit with improved sound effects and visuals.
DuckTales Remastered is due out on PlayStation Network in August.
Did you enjoy the original DuckTales? Or perhaps you missed out on the game but grew up watching the Disney cartoon series? Share your memories below.


text: Explore the varied ways ICS helps businesses like yours create transformational products, and generate greater value for their customers and themselves. From addressing tricky development challenges to finding creative ways around product development roadblocks, ICS goes the extra distance to ensure our customers get to market on time, on budget with a compelling product. Read some of our customer success stories. See some of our work in our portfolio.


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Western Pride became the second team to record consecutive wins in 2015, placing themselves top of the league in the process defeating Northern Fury 1-0 at Briggs Road Complex on Saturday night.
Harrison Sawyer's first half goal proved decisive for the hosts in a tightly fought contest of few clear cut opportunities for either side.
Opportunities proved particularly sparse in the opening exchanges before Pride started to take the initiative, however it was Fury that came closest in the opening half hour when Jacob Crowley's free-kick deflected wide of the target.
Pride broke the deadlock on 32 minutes through Sawyer though, the young attacker running on to a well-placed through ball before delivering a solid finish from the edge of the area to beat Fury goalkeeper Joe Simons.
Soon after Fury survived another scare, ultimately clearing the danger after a Pride free-kick resulted in a goal mouth scramble.
As the half drew to a close Fury spurned a pair of chances to equalise – Michael Eisenhut was through on goal but unable to avoid onrushing Pride goalkeeper Bon Scott, while Crowley evaded the attentions of three defenders in time added on before steering his just shot wide of the target.
After the restart Sawyer again proved dangerous but failed to find the target following pressure from the looming Simons after breaking through Fury's defences.
Immediately after the hour the visitors saw a possible equaliser disallowed when Jake Perry was flagged for offside after pouncing on a fumbled save from Scott.
Lacklustre finishing continued to plague both sides as Pride's Pete Drager and Fury's Perry both failed to find the target in quick succession.
Fury finished the stronger but ultimately proved unable to fashion an equaliser – a goal mouth scramble in time added on summing up their night as the final whistle was blown seconds before the ball crossed the line.
The result lifts Pride to top of the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland standings ahead of fellow first round winners Sunshine Coast FC's clash with FNQ Heat on Sunday.
Speaking post-match, Pride coach Karl Dodd said he was happy with the result and the performance of his players under late pressure from Fury.
"It was a bit of a backs-to-the-wall kind of effort towards the end there. They were really going for it and throwing the kitchen sink at us, but the boys held on," he said.
Fury coach Ian Ferguson expressed disappointment with the result and with elements of his side's performance.
"When we create chances we have to be desperate to put them away and I just didn't see that tonight," he said.
Western Pride FC 1 (Harrison SAWYER 32')
Northern Fury FC 0