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YahooFanChicago wrote:Furls, what do you make of these rumors that 4-7 Michgan underclassmen are considering transferring due to playing time issues and broken recruiting promises (Green, Kalis, etc.)? Is it BS?
Amazing about 5* Kalis so far. I doubt too many expected Decker to be doing so much better at this point.
Am I reading this correctly?
Kalis is complaining about broken recruiting promises?

subset: commoncrawl


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Yin and Yang Transformation Therapy in Cancer Patients
by Trong Le Do, Hélène Momer, Marie Françoise Belin, Françoise Argoul
In conventional Western medicine, cancer is depicted from a somatic point of view, as a clone of cells which has proliferated at the expense of its environment and has outgrown the body control mechanisms. These cells are considered as abnormal, hostile to the body. When such cell proliferation is discovered in a patient, the occidental medicine, in this state of emergency, proposes a palliative treatment consisting of annihilating the abnormal cancer cells by chemotherapy or immunotherapy. In Asian medicines, the treatment of cancer is performed in a healing optic consisting of restoring, in priority, an adequate internal terrain in the sick organ. In fact, the visible cancer manifestations (the symptoms) are only a fraction of a global syndrome of a major deleterious alteration of Yin/Yang imbalance. To understand cancer processes in a global way, it is necessary to reach the root of the disorders by deciphering the impairments of Yin/Yang imbalance.
The Sino-Vietnamese medicine considers in priority the internal global terrain of the patient and more precisely its Yin-Yang picture as a key factor. Acupuncture and herbal medicine, combined with a suitable behaviour including diet, therapeutic massage, including fitness exercises such as Qi gong, are capable of restoring Yin/Yang balance, to help the body to recover from illness and to sustain health.
In this article, we discuss the essence of Yin-Yang transformations in chronic diseases and how this Yin-Yang imbalance could be preserved during modern cancer treatments.
Yin-Yang transformation: the book of change in medicine
Chinese culture takes it roots in the Book of Changes (Yang 1998) which has exerted a great influence on Chinese philosophy, literature, historical, as well as natural and social sciences. The basic theories of the Yellow Emperors Inner Canon (Anonymous in Warring States Period), such as Yin and Yang, Zang Xiang (the representation of organs from outside) and Qi Hua (the production, transformation and circulation of vital energy) were derived from here. It also provides a reservoir of medical data, such as the description of diseases and medical herbs, and many terms of physiological dissection, sterility and psychological treatment.
What must be reminded first from the Book of Changes that everything is permanently changing, transforming in a dynamical way. The Yin-Yang picture tells us more than the existence of two opposite entities (Yin and Yang) whose balance may give the fitness to a body. Yin-Yang means permanent instability, movement, interchange. The practitioner of Chinese medicine must understand this principle to put it into application and offer the best treatment that this medicine can afford, according to the concept of Tao, as Lao Zi (2002) said:
The Tao begets the One
The One consists of Two in opposition
The Two begets the Three
The Three begets all things of the world
All things connote the Yin and the Yang
The Yin and the Yang keep acting upon each other
And thus things keep changing and unifying themselves
Briefly, the "moving Qi is the great one from which Yin and Yang arise. It is the root and origin of the whole body energetic system. The transformation of the Tao into energy occurs in the energetic centre, the abdomen, the Hara or Dan Tian. The eight extra meridians play a fundamental role in keeping and optimizing the alternation of Yin and Yang in the body, because they are the precursors of all the other meridians. These meridians do not have a precise pathway as the twelve meridians. Their nature is different, if we can compare the twelve meridians as waveguides that stimulate communication in between organs and tissues, the extra meridians are more likely global resonance modes that shape the body and orchestrate the different embryonic stages. The extra meridians are presently considered (Maciocia 2006) to form vortex of energy emanating from the centre of the body from the space between the kidneys where the motive force resides, in synchrony with the embryo development. Li Shi-zhen who lived in the 16th century (Li Shi-zhen 1984) called them the `Source of Creation'. The thoroughfare vessel (Chong Mai) is at the centre of this energetic vortex as it is also the `sea of the five yin and six yang organs', the `sea of Qi and blood' and the `sea of the twelve channels' and it starts from the kidney itself.
The Qi and blood of the thoroughfare vessel are then distributed all over the body in small channels. When its Qi reaches KI-6 (zhao hai), KI-9 (zhu bin), BL-62 (zhen mai), BL-63 (jin men) and GB-26 (dai mai), it gives rise to the yin heel vessel (Yin Jiao), yin link vessel (Yin Wei), yang heel vessel (Yang Jiao), yang link vessel (Yang Wei) and belt vessel (Dai Mai) respectively. Thus the thoroughfare vessel can be considered as the origin of these five extra meridians.
These meridians contain the morphogenetic and metabolic program of the body which must be preserved. This is particularly important when treating chronic, systemic diseases such as cancer that touch the root, the essence of the body regulation. Cancer occurs as a breakdown of this Yin-Yang continuous alternation, and leads inevitably to Yin exhaustion. Combination of acupuncture and medical herbs used in the correct direction to restore a suitable global terrain the body can revive this alternation. Unfortunately the original spirit of this art is only partly preserved in the modern treatises of Chinese medicine. By turning back to more ancient treatises or to sino-medicines such as Vietnamese medicine, it is possible to meet again the root of the Yin-Yang principle of treatment. When the 'program' has been lost by the regulation mechanism of the body, it is necessary to reset this program and this must be performed by a delicate work on the eight extra meridians. In particular, as discussed later, the Yin extraordinary vessels and their command points give us the key for restoring the Yin Qi and finally nourishing the Yang aspect of the body by its counterbalancing.
Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac (Lan-Ong) (1720-1791) played a major role in the transmission and the development of Chinese medicine in Vietnam. For him, the pathological physiology is essentially based on the Yin-Yang principle. Human characters where Yang dominates are called hypertonic, those where Yin dominates are called hypotonic. Those where the Yin-Yang distribution is equal are called amphotonic. The study of the pulse occupies a very important place, because he considers that beyond diagnosis the pulse can be used for prognosis. A whole chapter is devoted to the description of the kidney which is the perfect example of Yin-Yang regulation. For Lan-Ong, the left and right kidneys are not antagonist in their nature (Yin and Yang), but they both sustain a Yin exocrine function (urinary excretion). The endocrine function (Yang), usually attributed to the right kidney is provided by a median organ, the Life gate (Ming men), whose role can be compared to the one attributed to adrenal glands by occidental medicine. The Life gate (Ming men) is itself separated in three elements: a median one corresponding to the sexual principle (Yang), surrounded by two capsules; one of which is Yang and is a satellite of the right kidney and the other one is Yin and is a satellite of the left kidney. There must be a constant interaction between the thermic (Yang) principle and the aqueous (Yin) principle for health preservation. The Life gate (Ming men) deserves its names, since it presides the whole embryonic development. For Lan-Ong, the loss of dynamical compensation of the two constituents of the Life gate would be the main cause for most somatic and psychic disorders. The knowledge of the principle of the Life gate is essential for the treatment of somatic perturbations. For instance, if the aqueous (Yin) principle dominates over the thermic (Yang) principle, the treatment will avoid inhibiting the first one but will rather stimulate the second one. If the inverse situation occurs, when the aqueous (Yin) principle is weak, the principle of treatment will be to tone the Yin. "It is dangerous to limit our treatment to fight the thermic principle with a brutal method, it must rather be spared. Lan-Ong considers that the kidney participates to the genesis of weird and complex diseases. In that case, the external manifestations of the disease must not be given too much importance; the root of the disease must rather be reached. The acupuncture and herb treatments suggested by Lan-Ong revive the oldest foundations of Chinese medicine because they use the extra meridian concept in a global way.
Addressing cancer process with a like-therapy
Cancer results from physical impairments of the patient terrain, reflecting how the different organs, which interact with each other to sustain life have progressively loss their correct regulation. Some recent advances on cancer research show an evolution of our state of mind, since the concept of stroma (extra-cellular matrix) has recently been pointed out in occidental medicine as environmental factor on tumour proliferation (De Wever 2003). Hiding the symptoms and visible manifestations of cancer by destroying abnormal cells is rather like hiding the root of cancer.
Interestingly, Sino-Vietnamese medicine (Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac) emphasises the detrimental effect of a major Yin deficiency in cancer, thus offering possibilities to treat the roots of cancer in addition to the efficient occidental destruction of cancer cells.
Four major Yin-like principles are proposed to approach chronic, systemic diseases and to decode the hidden face of cancer behind its appearance and origin:
- Compassion for the patient that allows a deep psycho-somatic exchange with the physician through all the senses (seeing, listening, touching, tasting, smelling).
- Therapist development of a deep sensibility for evaluating impairment of Yin-Yang balance by pulse detection.
- Observance of the Yin-Yang principle of treatment to find the pitch that will help restore the free alternation of these two entities.
- Combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture for optimal restoration of the Yin-Yang compensation dynamics. If the patient has enough energetic resources the treatment can be focused on acupuncture, but if their resources are exhausted, herbal medicine is strongly required to consolidate the acupuncture treatment and the combined acupuncture-herb treatment will be longer.
To evaluate the Yin-Yang impairment, the traditional diagnosis method of Chinese medicine (look, listen, question and pulse sensing) must be completed by a meticulous observation and palpation of the meridians that irrigate the sick tissues and organs. This requires not only a long clinical experience with patients but also a personal training in global energetic equilibration methods such as Tai qi, Qi gong, Yoga, meditation, etc. This method is based on a profound respect of the person as a whole in his/her cosmo-telluric environment. Getting into the Yin aspect of a person, shows his/her relationship with a multi-dimensional environment, consciously or unconsciously. This "spirit point of view which can be defined as a superior Conscience of the Being in its environment (terrestrial and cosmic) (Bel 2011) is something natural among human beings (not cultural). We are bodily and spiritually, deeply rooted in our environment and we are nurtured by this environment.
Presentation of the method
The acupuncture treatment of this method combines extra meridians (Qi jing ba mai), tendon meridians (Jin mai) and collateral (luò ) points, and uses the season rhythms (transport points (Wang Ju-Yi 2008, Pirog 1996)) to make an efficient and correct distribution of the Yin and Yang energies throughout the body of the patient. After the treatment, the modification of the flux of energy from Yang to Yin is visible, palpable on the pulse and on the general state of the patient. Respiration, sleeping, joint, back and head pain are clearly improved. Compared to herbal treatment, acupuncture efficacy is immediate. Since the beginning of the acupuncture treatment, the patient observes that his/her pains are soothing, he/she looks well, feels less stressed, less tired, breathes more freely and his/her pulse progressively regulates.
The needling method is also important to follow the Yin-therapy principle. Small needles (less than 25 mm in length) are inserted softly and rapidly on groups of points chosen on major acupuncture channels for their synergetic function. The needles are warmed with a moxa or a flame for a few seconds and rapidly withdrawn. Three zones of the body are successively and separately treated: the legs and arms, the abdomen and the back. On each zone, the same protocol of needle insertion, short heating and withdrawal is applied. The Yin character of this method relies on the very soft insertion of small and fine needles, the body is not aggressed by the needles, the warming of the needles is securing the body, making it feel comfortable. The use of a quite high number of needles requires a special dexterity for the practitioner, and could be considered as lengthy; however the combination of many needles on a same meridian reinforces their action by a kind of resonance or amplification effect.
Restoring the Yin/Yang balance
For Yin deficiency restoration, the list of points given in table 1, will be needled and heated.
A combination of the Yin extraordinary vessel command points to fortify the Yin energy of the whole body: LU7 (r) (liè quē), SP4 (r) (qōng sūn), PC6 (l) (nèi guān), KI6 (l) (zhào hăi). (r) = right side, (l) = left side. A strengthening of the two foot Yin meridians (KI, SP) using for each of these meridians the season tonification points (see table 1) with the collateral (luò) points, respectively SP4 (gōng sūn) and KI4 (dà zhōng). Deliverance of the liver meridian stagnation with a combination of the ting point LR1 (dà dūn), the collateral (luò) point LR5 (lí gōu) and the season dispersion point of the liver meridian (see table 1). Finally, to consolidate the Yin/Yang balance, a set of points chosen on front and back sides and the legs are needled and heated: RM12 (zhōng wăn), RM6 (qì hăi), RM4 (guān yuán), DM4 (mìng mén), DM1 (cháng qiàng), ST36 (zú sān li) (2), BL52 (zhì shì)) (2), BL40 (wĕi zhōng) (2), BL57 (chéng shān) (2). ((2) for bilateral needling). Note that the combination of BL52 and DM4 is particularly suited for stimulating the kidney with its Yin-Yang duality.
To understand the use of transport points with seasons we refer to the engendering cycle interconnecting the five phases or five movements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water. Each phase begets the next phase in the sequence. In acupuncture, we apply this concept, i.e. toning up an organ through its mother and dispersing it through its son. To treat the organ disorders, we combine this five phase ordering of the five transport points with the seasons. These seasons are classified with a slight shift of date for the two hemispheres; we show in table 2 the classification for the north and south hemispheres. For instance, depending on the season we take the transport point corresponding to the organ to be treated and use the mother point on the same meridian to tone up or the child point on the same meridian to drain the meridian. Table 1 summarises this method.
Table 1: Tonifying (orange) and draining (light green) season points (Deadman 2007, Focks 2008).
Table 2: Annual schedule of the seasons in the north (left) and south (right) hemispheres.
Herbal medicine
Rationale for applying Chinese medicine as chronotherapy against cancer have been proposed to integrate western and Chinese medicines (Seki et al. 2005). However, the term integration is misleading. For us what is important to consider is the nature (Yin or Yang) of the therapeutic principle itself and not simply the composition of the treatment. Herbal treatment must work in the correct sense and with correct amplitude, adapted to the person. This can be illustrated by what we feel during very hot summer days, where we feel very tired, wrinkled as the vegetation in the fields. All these phenomena are the consequence of an excess of Yang and of a loss of Yin. If there is rain, the ground can restore its smoothness, the air is fresh and plants and animals recover their vivacity. The same phenomenon occurs inside our body. When the Yin is too low in the lower part of the body, we observe cold extremities (pain in the lower abdomen, oedema in the legs, constipation, etc) and it produces an elevation of the Yang in the upper part of the body (red face, elevation of the cardiac rhythm, tiredness, vertigo, headaches, etc). The re-establishment of the Yin-Yang balance in the body brings back blood circulation to the lower part of the body and heat the lower extremities, the lower abdomen organs are better fed and stronger; they recover their Yin energy.
The formula called the "eight flavours (noted as BV1 in table 3) is actually like rain for the body; it fortifies the Yin and leads to a quick recovery of the Yin-Yang balance. This formula which is one of the major herbal combinations was proposed by Zhang Zhongjing who authored the Shang Han Lun (Zhang Zhong-jing, 3rd century): Treatise on cold damage, in the third century AD.
Table 3. Formula BV1 elaborated from the "eight flavour formula.
Table 4. Formula SB6. SB6 is combined with BV1 for lower burner tumour treatment.
Radix Rehmanniae preparata (Shu Di Huang) has the higher percentage of this formula as the emperor; it fortifies the kidney in organic liquids and in energy, by clearing heat and cooling the blood. Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao) is the minister, it fortifies and nourishes the spleen, stomach, lung and kidney Yin energy and organic liquids.
The three assistants: (i) Fructus Corni Officinalis (Shan Zhu Yu) fortifies the liver and kidney, it retains the essence (jing) and the kidney Yin energy, (ii) Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling) promotes urination and resolves dampness, it strengthens the spleen and calms the shen, (iii) Rhizoma Alismatis Orientalis (Ze Xie) fortifies the kidney and the bladder and regulates water circulation and resolves dampness. The three ambassadors: (i) Cortex Moutan Radicis (Mu Dan Pi) neutralizes the hidden heat inside the organs, particularly in the lower abdomen, (ii) Cortex Cinnamomi Cassiae (Rou gui) helps with blood circulation and tonifies kidney Yang energy and augments Life gate ming men fire, (iii) Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata (Fu Zi) warms the right Yang kidney. They stimulate the triple burner function in a correct way. The triple burner regulates the whole body temperature and ensures a good drainage of water towards the kidney and bladder.
The "eight flavour BV1 formula (see table 3) reinforces the energy of three organs in the following order: first the kidney, then the spleen and finally the liver. The kidneys have a direct relation with heart and lungs through their meridians. The spleen is also related to stomach and heart. The liver has an energetic relation with the lung. Regulating the function of the meridians of these three organs revives immediately the heart and the lung. The person feels a global improvement of their body state and can recover a better sleep. This formula gives the recovery of the Yin-Yang balance, so the Du Mai, Ren Mai and Chong Mai meridians can restore a normal function. Since the two meridians Chong Mai and Ren Mai control and nourish the uterus and the ovaries, these two organs recover a better energy circulation, the tumours or induration in the matrix resorb naturally. This reinforces the principle of body balance restoration, by a direct action on the eight extra meridians. This formula must be adapted, depending on the patient and its pulse response, to compensate as closely as possible the Yin-Yang imbalance.
Illustration of the Yin method for cancer
A person with a tumour has a systematically imbalance of Yin-Yang and mostly a vacuity of Yin, with an energetic obstruction or stagnation because the cellular proliferation of cancer cells is no longer controlled (Bel 2011). Restoring the Yin-Yang balance and releasing the energetic obstruction improves the Yin energy of the sick organ, providing a better blood flow, a better oxygenation and an improvement of the global energetic state of the patient (better sleep, better digestion, better tone, etc). The cells of the sick organ may consequently recover a normal division stage, and imply a progressive extinction of the tumour process. Whereas occidental treatment of cancer targets the tumour process itself, in a Yang method: fighting the fire by the fire, this Yin method offers a complementary view for compensating the drawbacks of a Yang method.
Lower burner cancers
The lower burner area, located in the lower abdomen, spreads from the navel to the genitals and involves three meridians: kidney, liver and spleen that irrigate all the organs of the lower abdomen. The restoration of the Yin energy in the lower burner will be afforded thanks to the global Yin/Yang balance recovery and to the release of the liver meridian obstruction (which is mainly concerned by these tumours). More generally, the energetic re-establishment in this area leads to (i) a better elimination of urine, (ii) an easier evacuation of faecal material, (iii) a recovery of the vital essence (jing) and (iv) a better production of hormones (male and female), of sperm (male) and an improvement of the menstruations (female).
The lower burner cancers concern the uterus, the ovaries, the small intestine, the peritoneum, the kidneys and the bladder. These cancers are considered as Yin pathologies, in comparison to large intestine and rectum cancers. For their treatment, the three Yin meridians: kidney, spleen and liver must be treated to ensure the Yin-Yang balance and a correct energetic circulation in the lower abdomen. The acupuncture treatment will be similar to the one described above, with some variants depending on the pulse of the patient. The herbal treatment will use the BV1 formula, with the addition of Yin ingredients that will facilitate the release of the obstruction of the affected meridian by the tumour process and will promote healing of the sick area. The addition of Fructus Lycii (Gou qi zi) and Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommiae) will stimulate the blood and the Yang. A second formula noted SB6 will be given in combination with the "eight flavour formula (see table 4).
The association of formulas BV1 and SB6 magnifies the effect of each of these formulas taken separately. It gives a faster restoration of an undisturbed sleep, good appetite, better digestion and a faster recovery of the Qi. The three Yin meridians kidney, liver and spleen are reconstituted and reinforced, which improves automatically the Qi circulation in the lower abdomen and the unlocking of the obstructions which were the initial cause of the tumour.
In conclusion, by restoring a global Yin-Yang balance in the patient, before the release of the meridian blockages interrelated to the organ tumour, this Sino-Vietnamese method proposes a rich complementary view of cancer care. The Ying-Yang transformation principle could be considered as the forerunner of the perpetual motion principle for living systems, as a minimisation principle of consumed Qi. The way we treat the diseases must also follow this principle, combining Yin and Yang approaches to adapt the medicine to the body impairment. Efficacy of acupuncture to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy has been often proclaimed in the past decades (O'Regan 2010). This Sino-vietnamese Yin-type healing method may be a powerful adjunct to occidental palliative medical systems using chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery which can be considered, in our terminology, as Yang-type treatments. It gives us strategies to operate synergisms between palliative and healing treatments in cancer.
Anonymous in Warring States Period, (457 BC - 221 BC) Huang dis Internal Classic.
Bel MF (2011) Corps Subtils - Science et Medecine. Dangles edition.
Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K (2007) A manual of acupuncture. Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications.
Focks C (2008) Atlas of acupuncture. Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone.
Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac (1720-1791) Treatise of medical science of Hai Thuong.
Lao Zi, translation of Claude Larre (2002) Dao de Jing: le livre de la voie et de la vertu. Desclée de Brouwer, France.
Li Shi-zhen (1984) Study of the eight extra meridians, China, Lida Chubanshe.
Maciocia G (2006) The channels of acupuncture. Clinical Use of the secondary channels and eight extraordinary vessels.Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone.
O'Regan D., Filshie J (2010) Acupuncture and cancer. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 157:96-100.
Pirog JE (1996) The practical application of meridian style acupuncture. Pacific View Press.
Seki H, Chisaka M, Eriguchi M, Yanagie H, Hisa T, Osada I, Sairenji T, Otsuka K, Halberg F (2005) An attempt to integrate Western and Chinese medicine: rationale for applying Chinese medicine as chronotherapy against cancer. Biomedical Pharmacotherapies 59 (Suppl 1) S132S140.
Wang Ju-Yi, Robertson JD (2008) Applied channel theory in chinese medicine, Wang Ju-Yis lectures on channel therapeutics. Seattle, Estland Press.
De Wever O., Mareel M. (2003) Role of tissue stroma in cancer cell invastion, The Journal of Pathology, 200 (4) 429-447.
Yang L, (1998) Book of changes and traditional chinese medicine, Beijing Science and Technology Press, p.575.
Zhang Zhong-jing (3rd century) Treatise on Cold Damage.


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You may remember the often-heroic adventures of Lassie, a collie, or the gentle demeanor portrayed by golden retriever Shadow in family movie "Homeward Bound." There's a reason families, real and fictional, choose breeds like collies, retrievers and beagles as their canine companions. These dogs, and several others, are known for being good with children. So what makes a great family dog?
Sturdy build, plenty of energy
Looking for a playmate for the kids? Make sure your dog is large enough that it cannot be injured by the often-rough hands of children, especially if you have kids under the age of three. As the kids grow, you'll also want to make sure your dog will be able to keep up with their fast-paced lives. Large, high-energy breeds like boxers, Staffordshire bull terriers, retrievers and Bernese mountain dogs fit these categories. Bred to work, they are ready to run and play all day with their child companions.
Wouldn't hurt a fly
Of course, a key concern for many parents is the safety of their children. Although most dogs can be trained to be friendly and gentle, some are simply more amiable by nature. Dogs who were bred for human companionship, like beagles and retrievers who spent much of their time in the field with a master when they were at work, are particularly friendly and tolerant. If you are looking for an easygoing gentle giant, you might choose a Great Dane. However, many smaller breeds like miniature poodles and pugs are loving and devoted family dogs, too. If you are choosing a smaller or larger dog, make sure your children are old enough so they don't feel overwhelmed by the dog's size, or unintentionally harm a smaller one.
Loyal and loving
They say dogs are a man's best friend, but some breeds are particularly family-oriented and loyal. Breeds like the Newfoundland are known for their sweet demeanor and temperament, and can be incredibly loyal to their owners. In fact, these canines may become protective if they sense that their family is threatened. Bernese mountain dogs are also known for their sensitivity and loyal, devoted personalities. Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers are also known for loyalty to their families.
While these traits are important to consider when choosing a dog, you should also think about what type of care the breed will require and whether you have enough time and energy to give it. For example, Bernies, Newfoundlands and golden retrievers may require a fair share of dog grooming, since they tend to have fluffy fur. Larger breeds may also be prone to arthritis in dogs, and smaller breeds like pugs are prone to obesity in dogs. Do your research and talk to your vet to decide which breed would best fit your family.


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By Matthew Lickona, July 12, 2011
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Hikohadon wrote:Tucker and Dale vs. Evil had some really great parts and was pretty solid until the last half hour, which was just ah-ight. Still worth a watch, esp under the influence.
Yeah I liked it too. I think they missed a few laughs here and there, but it's still a fun movie.
The scene where dude is talking to those kids with the scythe in the parking lot was great.


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Saint Bernard
Basic Saint Bernard Information
- Lifespan: 8 - 10 years
- Height: 25 - 28 inches
- Weight: 120 - 200 pounds
Medical Conditions Seen in Saint Bernards
- Hip Dysplasia
- Epilepsy
- Ectropion
- Gastric Dilation and Volvulus
- Patellar Luxation
- Cherry Eye
- Entropion
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cataracts
- Deafness
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
Saint Bernard Traits
- Jogging Partner
- Lap Dog
- Good with Children
- Warm Weather
- Cold Weather
- Grooming Requirements
- Shedding
- Barking
- Ease of Training
Saint Bernard History
- The Saint Bernard is the original search and rescue dog.
- In the mid 1600s the monks of the St. Bernard Hospice, which was a refuge for travelers journeying between Italy and Switzerland, brought in large dogs to pull carts and turn spits. Inevitably the dogs also became valued as companions and watchdogs. They found their fame, however, as pathfinders in deep snow and especially, as locators of lost travelers.
- When a dog found somebody, the dog would lick at the person and lie beside him, warming him with body heat.
- The dogs are credited with finding more than 2000 people over the course of 300 years. The most famous of these dogs was Barry, who was credited with saving 40 lives.
- The dogs were known by several names, including hospice dogs and Barryhunds.
- In the early 1800s many of the dogs were lost to severe weather, disease and inbreeding, so that crosses were made with Newfoundlands. This introduced the longer coat to the breed. The longer coats weren't used for rescue work because the ice tended to clump in their hair.
- The first Saints came to England around 1810. They were called "sacred dogs" at the time.
- By 1865, the name Saint Bernard was in common use.
- The AKC recognized the breed in 1885.
Saint Bernard Behavior Concerns
- Makes a loyal and protective companion.
- Gentle and generally good with children, but may be overly protective of them when around strangers. It also may not be playful enough for children. As with all large dogs, dogs and children should always be supervised.
- Tends to be somewhat aloof toward strangers.
- Fairly friendly toward strange dogs.
- Good with other pets.
- Learns quickly, but can be stubborn.
- Does best with a firm owner who can combine reward-based training with good control and leadership.
Saint Bernard Suggested Exercises
- Makes a calm and well-mannered housedog.
- Requires daily exercise in the form of a moderate walk or short jog.
- The Saint Bernard enjoys cold weather, but doesn't do well in warm weather.
- Obedience training is essential not only for control, but for the mental exercise it provides.
Saint Bernard Grooming
- Coat can be either smooth, in which the hair is dense and tough; or long, in which the hair is of medium length, and straight to slightly wavy.
- The coat needs only occasional brushing, once every week or so, to remove dead hair.
- Shedding is average.
- Be prepared for drool.
Suggested Saint Bernard Nutritional Needs
- Saint Bernards tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight.
- Adult dogs should be fed a balanced diet, with restricted calories if the dog starts to gain too much weight.
- Puppies should be fed a large-breed growth food, which slows their growing rate but not final size. This may decrease the incidence or severity of hip dysplasia in adults.
Did you know?
- Grapes and raisins are harmful to dogs.
- Some dog parasites are transferable to humans.
- Many common pet ailments may be detected early and prevented by visiting your veterinarian twice yearly - saving both time, money, and most importantly, ensuring the best quality of life for your dog.
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More than 2,700 colleges offer online courses. Ninety percent of those schools say they're influenced by the needs of today's employers and businesses. (Source: NCES Report, Table 12)
To receive more information about online programs offered by Regis University, simply complete the form. The requested information will be sent to you as soon as possible.


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Lie, Walk Away and Shrug Off Bad Credit? We're OK With That
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- No doubt about it, Americans have had a tough past few years as a wheezing, gasping economy lowered living standards and forced many to re-evaluate how they view key personal financial themes such credit and debt.
The figures don't lie:
- 20% of U.S. households have student loan debt, up from 9% in 1989.
- About 33% of Americans say they are now members of the lower economic class, up from 25% only four years ago.
- Median U.S. household income fell 4.1% in the past two years, from $52,000 to $50,000.
In fact, Americans have been beaten down so much over the past few years that many have shrugged their shoulders, readjusted their attitudes on money, credit and debt and are more willing to cut corners financially or even ignore bad financial news. That's the conclusion of a study from ID Analytics, a San Diego consumer risk management firm.
The IDA study points out three breaking points for U.S. consumers that show just how significantly attitudes about money (especially debt) have shifted since the advent of the so-called Great Recession:
- It's OK to walk away from a home loan. Sixty-eight percent of Americans say it's OK to strategically default on a mortgage debt and walk away from a mortgage obligation with no penalty or accountability. The study suggests a representative 13% of Americans would "likely" default on a mortgage loan and 17% "know someone" who has defaulted on a home mortgage.
- It's OK to lie about credit. IDA found that 17% of Americans would "exaggerate" personal financial information to get credit or a loan.
- It's OK to have a lousy credit score. The IDA study also says 36% of Americans say it's "socially acceptable" to have a low credit score.
Why the attitude?
The IDA study doesn't say, but all the talk of a "new normal" may not be mere hyperbole. U.S. consumers, it seems, have taken their a personal financial inventory since the Great Recession and concluded they are not only significantly worse off before the recession hit but learning to live with that downhill financial slide.
"Our research into the consumer opinion of the economic crisis of 2008 found alarming results," explains John Zogby, senior analyst at JZ Analytics, which conducted the survey for IDA. "What jumped out is how many Americans feel it is acceptable for homeowners to walk away from a mortgage and go into foreclosure. If Americans carry on with that mindset, it will continue to cause problems as the economy undergoes a slow recovery."


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3 Video Game Mainstays Set to Disappear After CES
PORTLAND, Ore. ( TheStreet) -- The video game industry as you know it is coming to an end with a bit of help from the Consumer Electronics Show.
Yes, Nintendo already released its next-generation Wii U console. No, Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT) aren't going to announce successors to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 until the Electronics Entertainment Expo at the earliest. No, Microsoft isn't even going to deliver a keynote at this year's event, and Nintendo isn't even attending.
That said, things are happening on the edges of CES that should give gamers a clue about where the industry is headed within the next few years. Consider it a welcome change, as everything in gaming that isn't playable on a smartphone or downloaded from an online store has been headed nowhere for at least the past year.
Despite the release of the Wii U and the $1 billion generated by Activision's (ATVI) Call of Duty: Black Ops II in its first 15 days of release, NPD Group says video game sales are still in decline. Total industry sales in November -- the last month for which data were available -- fell 11% from November 2011. New game sales also fell 11%, while console sales dropped 13% as the Wii U ate into other consoles' numbers and the lame-duck Wii quickened its slide into history.
That was the 12th-straight month of industry declines. While industry insiders note that November's drop was the smallest monthly decline during that span and that the industry's numbers are still double what they were the last time a generation of consoles was released in 2005, things admittedly don't look great.
Sales of consoles, physical games and accessories dropped 16% during the past quarter from the same period in 2011, according to NPD Group numbers. Meanwhile, sales of digital content such as downloaded game apps and add-ons jumped 22% over the same span. NPD Group research also finds that smartphones and their apps now account for roughly half of all game downloads. Last year the number of gamers playing on mobile devices just surpassed the number playing on dedicated consoles.
Looking into CES and beyond, here are a few pillars of the video game industry that should come crashing down after CES:
1. Handheld consoles
Why someone at Nvidia (NVDA) thought it would be a great idea to release not only a handheld console, but one dedicated to personal computer games is beyond us. The chipmaker already announced its Project Shield device that looks like a Microsoft Xbox 360 controller with a screen and streams PC games through services such as Steam, but there's still little indication of why.
The handheld market and mobile gaming in general is dominated by the casual gamer. These people typically aren't the kind to sit in front of their dual monitors with a case of Mountain Dew and lead raiding parties until sunrise. More importantly, they're not the type of folks who support frivolous little trifles such as handheld consoles in the least.


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Backpack vacuums are incredible devices. Rather than straining to make your heavy vacuum reach corners and high places, backpack vacuums are incredible mobile and allow you to reach even the most difficult areas with ease. You can climb a ladder and reach high ceilings, or use one of the many attachments to add several feet to your reach.
Modern backpack vacuum cleaner units are designed to not only give you incredible cleaning power, but also for comfort. Ergonomic designs allow you to wear the vacuum for extended periods, though the power it holds will likely make such stints unnecessary.
To take your cleaning to a whole new level, use a backpack vacuum with a HEPA filter. The dust particles will be trapped in the large sized canister, transforming this cleaner into a purifier. Rather than using dusters to brush off high places and simply pushing those flakes into the air you and your family breathe, you can store them safely in your backpack vacuum cleaner and throw them in the trash.
Today, there's a wide selection of backpack vacuums, some designed by chiropractors, some designed for reach, but all with an incredible range of options. To pick the best one for your home, talk to the professionals at ABC Vacuum.


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May 07, 2013
Technological Transformation
President Obama, speaking last month at a $1 billion tunnel construction project at the busy Port of Miami, called for increased investment in the nation's infrastructure. The project promises not only to unclog Miami's streets, but to make room for future development downtown.
"You ask any CEO where would they rather locate their business and hire new workers," Obama said. "Are you going to set up shop in a country that's got raggedy roads, runways that are potholed and backed-up supply chains? Or are you going to seek out high-speed rail, Internet, high-tech schools, new state-of-the-art power grids, new bridges, new tunnels, new ports that help you ship products made in America to the rest of the world as fast as possible?"
The answer is obvious, and mayors, civic planners, business leaders and technologists across the U.S. are taking steps to transform their cities into sustainable, technology-ready urban centers -- so-called smart cities -- that aren't just good for business but also are great places to live. (R6071112)
Survey Name InformationWeek Future Cities Survey
Survey Date October 2012
Region North America
Number of Respondents 198
Purpose To identify the challenges and opportunities the "Future Cities" trend poses to business and technology managers involved in municipal operations.
Research Report


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""Corporate executives should be your core business…You need [salespeople who are] comfortable with the kind of boardroom leaders that see Lear Jet as a tool, not a frivolous extravagance for movie stars and their pets. "
Cabin Tech 2013
With this gear aboard, you may wish your flight were longer.
A few years ago, wireless connectivity in the cabin was a cutting-edge feature. Now we rarely see a new airplane delivered without it and passengers routinely surf the Internet from laptops and tablets and share movies from their smartphones with fellow travelers.
The Blu-ray player, which began offering high-definition video in business jets in 2007, is already old technology. It's rapidly being replaced by high-definition audio/video on demand (AVOD) equipment with media servers holding hundreds of movies.
In-flight Internet connectivity is a matter of bandwidth, and there wasn't enough via satellite systems. Then Aircell introduced Gogo Biz, using ground stations. Now, a few years later, aircraft flying over the U.S. are experiencing data-transfer rates of up to 3.1 mbps. Industry insiders forecast that passengers will enjoy rates of 20 mbps within a couple of years.
As for cabin technology that isn't related to entertainment or connectivity, we're seeing everything from improved cabin humidification units and noise-canceling headphones to more sophisticated water-purification systems.
Here's a look at some of the most noteworthy new and upcoming products. A few of the items were not created for the business jet cabin, but are nevertheless useful additions to it.
3-D Video Comes to the Cabin
While consumer interest in 3-D video has been minimal, Custom Control Concepts (CCC) is betting that business jet owners will welcome an HD monitor that can be switched from 3-D to 2-D and that can convert 2-D images for viewing in 3-D. The certified monitors, which come with 3-D glasses, are available in sizes ranging from 42 to 64 inches (measured diagonally). CCC introduced them at the European Business Association Convention & Exhibition earlier this year and a company spokesman notes that interest has been high. "We have several upcoming projects that will be delivered with 3-D monitors," he says.
A Better Air Purifier
Airocide designed its air purifier for the International Space Station, so it will likely work quite nicely in a business jet. In the shape of a rectangular box, just 7 by 18 by 6 inches, with an open center, it weighs only nine pounds. According to the manufacturer, it uses tiny glass rings covered in titanium dioxide to "instantly destroy almost all airborne pathogens and allergens" with which they come in contact.
In a hospital surgery environment, the device was shown to reduce bacteria and mold by 72 percent. In tests at Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center, Airocide inactivated myocotoxins (toxic chemical compounds produced by fungi) at all tested concentrations. The air purifier costs $799, far less than you'd pay for a built-in system.
Headset Delivers More Comfort, Less Noise
A noise-canceling headphone from Avid appears to offer excellent value. The headset "effectively reduces environmental noise by 85 percent with a 20-decibel maximum noise attenuation," according to the company, and 40-millimeter speakers "ensure crisp, clear sound and well-defined bass." Gel padding in the full-size ear cups and a padded, adjustable headband provide exceptional comfort. The flat-black headset, called Clarity, weighs just seven ounces; comes with a zippered, reinforced carrying case and dual-plug adaptor; and, at $55, costs much less than many competing models.
Hands-free Video Control
At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, last April, people lined up to experience new technology from Thales that employs an infrared camera mounted on a video screen to track eye movement and hand gestures. With gestures, you'll be able to scroll through Web pages without touching the screen. And simply gazing at an icon for more than a couple of seconds will activate it. Thales is looking first at a launch date for airlines, but business jet installations probably won't be far behind.
eRouter Enhances Cabin Communications
Improvements in cabin communications are coming faster and faster, and one of the latest is the eRouter from International Communications Group. Just 21 by 8.5 by 3.75 inches, ICG's router weighs only eight pounds. It offers access to multiple communications networks, including Inmarsat, SwiftBroadband, Ku- and Ka-band, VSAT and Iridium. And in addition to satellite communication connectivity, it provides 4G global cellular services at a much lower price for data and file transfers while the airplane is on the ground. Total costs depend on the contract negotiated between customer and service provider.
Get a Checkup at 41,000 Feet
If you'd like to keep tabs on your fitness level while traveling, you may appreciate the Tinké Wellness Monitor. The matchbox-sized $120 device, from a company called Zensorium, requires no batteries and plugs into an iPhone. You need only touch a thumb to it for readings of heartbeat and respiratory rate, heart-rate variability and blood oxygen levels, all of which appear on the phone's screen. You can share the data with a doctor or privately with others via social-media platforms.
A Jukebox on Your Jet
In 1890, Louis Glass and William Arnold invented the nickel-in-the-slot phonograph—or as those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s might remember it, the jukebox. Now Flight Display Systems has reintroduced that icon of music history as the Jet Jukebox, with a lot of new bells and whistles, including a server with 500 gigabytes of storage. It works as a wireless media source for the aircraft cabin, to stream audio and video and also to share PowerPoint presentations, photos and spreadsheets. It can hold more than 100 DVD-quality movies, allows simultaneous viewing of up to eight of them and accommodates iOS and Android devices.
Priced at $12,000, much less than you'd pay for a permanently installed AVOD server, it includes Flight Display's worldwide moving-map database with satellite-generated imagery.
A Quieter Helicopter
Helicopters aren't known for quietude, but Italian cabin completion and refurbishment specialist Mecaer has announced an AgustaWestland AW139 in which it has reduced cabin noise to 68 dBA—approximately what you'd experience in an average office. The noise-reduction package, called Silens, employs a shell of advanced composites, vibration- and noise-isolating attach points for the shell and proprietary soundproofing materials.
Live TV, with Lots of Channels
Rockwell Collins's Tailwind 500 and Tailwind 550 multi-region, in-flight direct broadcast satellite systems allow live, high-definition and high-compression digital video (MPEG-4) programs in the business jet cabin. With Tailwind, passengers have access to "the most comprehensive selection and widest regional coverage of live television programming in the air or on the ground, [and] the addition of HD and MPEG-4 video enables hundreds of additional channels," according to Steve Timm, vice president and general manager of flight information solutions for Rockwell Collins. The cabin electronics specialist claims to be the first company to offer these capabilities and says Tailwind with HD and MPEG-4 will be an option for new aircraft by sometime this August.
Little Box, Big Capabilities
Arinc Direct is jumping into the market for small, portable onboard communication devices that use the iPad as the control/display unit for cabin data services. The company's product, called Xplore, is lightweight and just two inches thick. Users would carry it onto the aircraft as what is considered "loose equipment" not requiring FAA certification. Attaching it to a power outlet and an external dual Iridium/GPS antenna will enable communication with the Iridium satellite system.
The first Xplore software application will be a moving-map display and Arinc Direct is planning many more, including programs that give info on points of interest and weather in destination cities.
The company expected shipping to begin in late July, with a suggested retail price of $25,000. Installation of an Iridium/GPS antenna would add about $5,000 to the cost and would require an FAA supplemental type certificate. Xplore can, however, plug into an aircraft's existing Iridium system. Arinc has not yet published usage prices, but it expects voice calls will run approximately $1.50 per minute. It is also considering a monthly package price of $700 to $800.
Sophisticated Satcom System to Debut
Satellite communications provider ViaSat and executive aircraft completion specialist L-3 Platform Integration have agreed to collaborate on an airborne satellite communication system. Designed for large business jets such as the BBJ and ACJ340, the system will include a hardware ship set and global network service from ViaSat. L-3 Platform will provide design, engineering, system integration, installation, passenger networking and certification. Following STC approval, the product will be made available to the industry in kit form.
Facial-recognition technology is coming to bizjet cabins, and enhanced security is just one of several benefits.
Is facial-recognition technology coming to business jet cabins? Flight Display Systems thinks so and is promoting equipment that employs the technology, not merely for security but as an enhancement to service.
Facial-recognition technology isn't new. The German Federal Criminal Police offers it for all law-enforcement agencies in that country; casinos have been using it for years to identify known card counters and other blacklisted players; and the Pennsylvania Justice Network has been employing it since 2005 to solve cold cases.
Not every facial-recognition system has been successful, but new techniques such as 3-D sensing and skin-texture analysis are greatly improving its accuracy.
The system under development by Flight Display Systems, called See3, is based on Linus Fast Access facial-recognition software but with the addition of Flight Display's proprietary and expanding set of algorithms. The hardware includes a camera (placed at the entrance of the aircraft) and a computer, both of which already have FAA approval. See3 uses nearly 100,000 values to code a facial image, and while accuracy ranges between 75 and 90 percent, Flight Display president David Gray expects those figures to improve "substantially" as algorithms are added.
The system will alert an aircraft crew if anyone not in the database enters the cabin, but Gray noted that security is only one of several advantages. Integrated into the cabin-management system, the technology can enhance passenger service by "recognizing an individual via an unobtrusive mini-cam focused on a seat." As such, the system can greet people by name and automatically load their entertainment and lighting preferences. It can also provide the flight attendant with passengers' names and information about allergies. "It creates a more individualized cabin environment than ever," said Gray.
Flight Display Systems is apparently the only business aviation electronics supplier moving forward with facial-recognition software for corporate and private jets. A Lufthansa Technik spokesman stated that "we do not have any activities in that area." At Custom Control Concepts in Kent, Washington, meanwhile, a spokesman said that "while we would be thrilled to investigate" if a client were interested, "we have yet to see a desire on the part of the end-users [for such a system]."
Flight Display Systems' Gray, however, said, "We had enough interest in the idea…to keep us interested." He added that the company might have its See3 product available as early as the second quarter of this year, at a hardware price of $9,275, not including any additional programming charges. —K.J.H.
Kirby Harrison welcomes comments and suggestions at email@example.com.
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Last update: Monday 28 October 2013 [6 news items]
Compal to acquire Toshiba LCD TV factory in Poland
Oct 28, 22:02
Taiwan-based ODM Compal Electronics on October 28 announced it will acquire Toshiba Television Central Europe (TTCE), Toshiba's LCD TV assembly factory in Wroclaw, Poland, for US$25...
Commentary: Poland has potential to build a strong renewable energy sector
Jun 14, 15:45
Compared to countries in the same region, Poland seems promising. From the printed version of The Economist on June 9, Poland's latest GDP was 3.5%. This relatively high...
Foxconn to strengthen communication with workers at Dell Poland factory
Oct 22, 13:59
Following the European Commission's approval of Dell's sale of its factory in Lodz, Poland, to Foxconn Electronics, media reports of employee suicides at Foxconn's Shenzhen production...
AUO and TPV to establish joint venture for LCM production and TV ODM in Poland
Mar 15, 09:40
AU Optronics (AUO) held a meeting of the board of directors on March 12, 2010, at which the board approved a resolution establishing a joint venture of TFT-LCD module production and...
Foxconn purchase of Dell PC plant unlikely to impact notebook makers in the short term
Dec 4, 11:39
Foxconn Electronics' (Hon Hai Precision Industry's) acquisition of Dell's PC plant in Poland is unlikely to help boost its notebook shipments significantly in the short term since...
Foxconn acquisition of Dell plant in Poland expected to proceed in 2H10
Dec 3, 16:54
Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) announced on December 2, that the company will acquire Dell's PC production lines in Lodz, Poland. The deal is currently being evaluated...
- The synergy of NXP acquisition: An interview with Qualcomm president Derek Aberle
- Dell to separate Greater China office from Asia Pacific branch
- Foxconn Electronics to have Sharp produce 4K TV panels in Japan
- Taiwan December export order value down on month, up on year, says MOEA
- Acer to be free of amortization cost for intangible assets beginning 2018, says CEO
- China re-assessing subsidies for PV projects
- Passive component supplier Ta-I to buy back shares to fend off a tender offer
- China polysilicon imports in January-November 2016 grow 18.2% on year, says CNMIA
- Asustek, Gigabyte, MSI to hike motherboard, graphics card prices in China
- Amtran to ship companion robots, says paper
- SerComm to offer AI-integrated devices in mid-2017
- EIH cooperates with Texen to offer smart cosmetics packaging solution
- TV panel demand, supply to drop in 1Q17, says Sigmaintell
- Asustek to launch next generation ZenFone 4 smartphones in May, say sources
- Global shipments of OLED-equipped smartphones to exceed LCD ones in 2019, says DSCC
- Pihsiang Machinery sets up 2MWp rooftop PV system in northeastern Taiwan
- Gintech to raise additional paid-in capital of NT$1.204 billion
- Tatung starts operation of PV power stations at former landfill sites
- Taiwan market: Asustek launches police service app
- Taiwan attracts foreign direct investment of over US$11 billion in 2016, says MOEA
- Digitimes Research: ASEAN 3G/4G mobile broadband penetration to rise to 60% in 2017
- Semiconductor M&A reach peak in 2015-2016, says IC Insights
- Foxconn to set up factory in conjunction with Apple R&D center in Shenzhen, says report
- Global VR production value to take off in 2017, says TCA chairman
- Tsinghua Unigroup to build US$30 billion memory plant in Nanjing
- Releases
- White papers
- Bulletin
- Quanmax opens up 'Blue Ocean' infotainment opportunities with OPS compliant display
- TUV NORD launches SECURITY 4 SAFETY service to build Industry 4.0 foundation for customers
- ABB wins $100 million order to upgrade historic HVDC link in the U.S.
- Supermicro introduces latest SUPERO desktop and gaming solutions at CES 2017
- Wanshih Electronic will exhibit USB3.1 cable assemblies with type C in 2017 Consumer Technology Association (CES)
- Unisys IT Implementation of Unisys Stealth Solution for Data Center Segmentation
- AccuTouch Five Wire Resistive Touchscreens
- Getting the Most Out Of Your Next Generation Digital Security Surveillance System
- Embracing the New Generation Intel Atom Family with DDR3 Memory Support
- Got The Message? Ensuring efficient and reliable delivery of content across a mission critical digital signage network
- Perforce Software Wins Develop Industry Excellence Award for the Second Year in a Row
- Perforce Teams with Leading Git Client Developer fournova
- Perforce Introduces Helix GitSwarm: Flexible Git Ecosystem Mirrored to a Powerful Mainline Repository
- Perforce Helix Distributed Version Control System Brings Greater Flexibility While Maintaining Enterprise-class Security, Auditability and Control
- Perforce Powers Development of Legacy Quest for iOS and Android
23-Jan-2017 11:45 (GMT+8)
|TSE electronic
- Uber to pay US$20m to 'misled' drivers (Jan 20) - BBC News
- China's Oceanwide, IDG Capital to buy tech publisher IDG (Jan 19) - Reuters
- Foxconn billionaire assuages China about US investment plans (Jan 17) - Bloomberg
- China chip policy poses risk to US firms, White House says (Jan 7) - Bloomberg
- China defends big chip bet (Jan 12) - EE Times
- Nintendo announces Switch price and date (Jan 13) - BBC News
- Donald Trump has 'great meeting' with Alibaba boss Jack Ma (Jan 10) - BBC News
- Prototypes of Razer triple screen gaming laptop stolen (Jan 10) - BBC News
- Digitimes Research: Samsung Note 7 issues may help Apple to regain number-1 crown in 4Q16
- Digitimes Research: 4 million 9.7-inch iPad Pros to ship in 1H16
- Digitimes Research: Global all-in-one PC shipments to drop 3.9% on year in 2015
- Mentor Graphics Veloce VirtuaLAB adds protocols for networking designs
- Mouser Electronics undergoing expansion
The synergy of NXP acquisition: An interview with Qualcomm president Derek Aberle
Qualcomm agreed in late 2016 to buy NXP Semiconductor for about US$4.7 billion in the biggest-ever...
Era of Silicon 4.0: TSIA chairman talks about virtual Moore's Law
With 2015 being the 50th anniversary of Moore's Law, one of the hottest topics that has continued to...
7nm process is essential for semi industry: Q&A with Globalfoundries CTO Gary Patton
Gary Patton, a 30-year veteran in the semiconductor industry, joined Globalfoundries as CTO in July...
Potential of wireless charging technology: Q&A with WPC chairman Menno Treffers
To help foster the development of related wireless charging technology in Taiwan, the Wireless Power...
- Smartphone and tablet industry: The view from Taiwan - May 2012
Taiwan-based companies have a long and successful history of involvement in the supply chain for mobile devices, which for the purposes of this article consist...
- Taiwan motherboard industry overview - May 2012
The year 2011 saw the motherboard industry reverse its trend of declining shipments year-on-year, to post a slight 0.2% growth. This upturn in fortunes was expected...
- Notebook market overview - Jun 2011
The notebook industry in 2010 experienced several major events that significantly changed the industry's ecosystem for the year and the industry is also believed...
- LCD TV overview - Jun 2011
Growth of the global LCD TV market was not as strong as expected in 2010 as the market continued to feel the aftershocks of the economic recession that had hit...
- Wireless broadband developments in Southeast Asia markets
As of 2013, the 10 ASEAN nations had a total of over 700 million mobile subscriptions, with the CAGR from 2003-2013 reaching 24%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various mobile broadband markets in ASEAN and looks at the respective trends in 4G LTE development for those markets.
- 2015 global tablet demand forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report provides a 2015 forecast for the global tablet market and analyzes the strategies of key market players such as Google, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
- 2015 China smartphone panel trend forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the strategies of key China-based major panel makers BOE, Tianma and IVO for attacking the different market segments through technology and pricing, and their relationship to local vendors Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Coolpad.


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Loo wrote:I hope TCU or Boise do go the title game, and they play OSU for it.
Even better to see TCU meet Boise St in the title game. Think that might be more powerful than seeing one of those schools get handled by a big team in the championship game.


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Deep V-Neck White Burnout Tunic
Style: 1570075053
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Semi-transparent stripes on a feather-light tunic with dolman sleeves and adjustable drawstring waist. A cool customer over the Seamfree Fab Cami and Perfect Pant Legging. And a terrific cover up for swimsuits.
- Luxuriously soft Live. Lounge. Wear. collection of relaxed separates.
- V-neck. 3/4 dolman sleeve. Adjustable drawstring.
- For a relaxed fit, we recommend ordering one size up.
- Approximate length: 32.5" from shoulder.
- 65% Polyester, 35% Rayon. machine wash, cold; tumble dry low. Imported.
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We're moving! Lensway.com will become Coastal.com on February 1st.
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Product DescriptionJoseph Marc 4071 Green Tortoise eyeglasses are all about classic masculine style. These rectangular eyeglasses come in dark green tortoise acetate. You'll love wearing these frames not only for its great style but comfortable fit with its light weight and flexible spring hinges.
About the BrandThe Joseph Marc collection offers a strong sophisticated edge. Confident, intelligent, and unwavering style are displayed in the refined materials and clean lines of these masterful frames. High power fashion at its finest.
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Purchase Tickets
Saturday, October 26, 2013 8:00 PM
UP Comedy Club, Chicago, IL
Show Details
- Ticket Price: $0.00
- Door Time: 7:15 PM
- Show Type: Comedy
- Tags: R Rated/Dirty, Edgy
Featuring: Rachel BradleyEmploying what he's labeled "hard funny," Christopher Titus has released three ninety-minute albums in as many years. That's 270 minutes of material when most comics do the same act for years. He has three one-hour comedy specials currently running on Comedy Central. After years of experimentation with dark and personal storytelling, he debuted his one-man show "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding" at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles. It was from this performance that the dark comedy, "Titus," was born on Fox. The show earned Titus a Writer's Guild nomination as well as an Emmy nomination, and Newsday called him "TV's most original voice since Seinfeld."
His second show, "The Fifth Annual End of the World Tour," was released in 2007 to rave reviews. Titus tackled such difficult issues as the Iraq war, racism, pedophilia and even his father's unconventional and ridiculous funeral, where he, with his brother and sister's help, spread his father's ashes in a casino. These are issues most comedians would run from, but Titus never walks into the familiar.
Titus' newest one-man show, "Love Is Evol," deconstructs relationships in a way no comic has ever attempted. Titus wades into domestic violence, plastic surgery, custody and all aspects of the nightmare relationships that made him question the existence of God. Then, his new girlfriend helped him reconfirm it. This groundbreaking comedy special premiered on Comedy Central on Valentine's Day. The album and dvd were released on February 15th, 2009. Titus claims that "this show will either fix your relationship or destroy it, and either way, you're welcome. If my comedy ends your relationship, then it needed to end."
He is currently preparing to film his newest one-man show, "Neverlution," for Comedy Central. The special will air on July the 4th.
Titus shone in 2007 as the lovable character, Brody, in ABC's "Big Shots." He shared the screen with Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan and Joshua Molina as a successful CEO who had total control in business, and no control in his relationship.
Inspired by such greats as Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Cosby, who wrote, directed, produced and performed, Titus has sold ideas to NBC, ABC, FOX and Comedy Central. His pilot "Special Unit" which is about four disabled detectives, is edgy and laugh-out-loud funny. Titus describes it as "The Shield with handicapped people" and is shooting for film production in 2012. His script "Five Seconds" has been optioned by High Road Entertainment and is slated for a 2012 release.
After watching Christopher Titus perform live, there is no doubt that he is one of the best comics working today. With the complete package of comedy, acting and writing, there hasn't been someone like him in a long time.


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Earthies shoes are beautifully designed and crafted for women who care about their personal health and longevity. Each Earthies shoe comes with a unique wellness footbed with a cupped heel, anatomic arch support, and cradled toe area for the ultimate in fit and comfort.
Earthies Vanya Maroon Suede Women's Shoe
Features include:
This a decent shoe with good arch support. They took quite a bit of wearing in before they were really comfortable & even so I do not like to wear them two days in a row. I have wide feet so I had to have thes professionally stretched- which Footwear Etc does a great job of for free.
All Earthies have the arch support and the structure I need to stabilize my foot.
I needed a basic black low heel shoe for serious events, (occasional business meetings, funerals, etc), with a low heel. At the sale price, these are perfect, even if I only wear them a few times a year.
The reason I only gave 4 stars is because it took awhile to break them in.
Good looking shoe but it just wasn't right for my foot. I've been wearing only MBT's for years and I don't think I would've been able to get used to these. The sides are cut higher than I'd expected, too. I think most people would've found them to be comfortable.
Purchased this shoe in the black size 11 and the fit is perfect. I have several earthies and earth brand shoes because they offer good arch support and comfortable padded insoles in their shoes and this shoe is no exception. I'm only giving it 4 stars because they aren't the cutest shoes out there but that's difficult to find in a size 11.
I have two pairs of these now (pewter and copper). They are a comfortable pair of flats for work. I like the color, and haven't noticed any color rubbing off yet, as the other reviewer mentioned. As the day wears on, and my foot expands, they are not a quite as comfortable as they were at the beginning of the day. Many shoes are like that, I think it speaks more to the size/flexibility of the toe box than anything.
The shoes were a bit snug when I got them (I have wide feet), but they broke in well and are now very comfortable to wear. I don't wear them a lot, but love them with my shorter hemmed pants when I don't want to wear sandals. I have had my Vanya's about six months and am now noticing that the finish on the shoes is rubbing off on the inside hem of my pants. I have the pewter, and the finish has come off of the front (toe area), top of the heel area, the ridges on the top of the shoe, and most of the sides back by the heel, leaving a soft black suede look instead of the original pewter. I am also starting to see tearing by the back heel.
Runs a little wide, but works well when I wear with socks. I love them. Great every day shoe.
My feet changed and I need a secure shoe with a low heel. But I like feminine. Earthies fit the bill. It's hard too because where the arch is located in the shoe is as important as there being good arch support. All of the Earth brand shoes have the perfect structure for my foot. I love the fact that I can try the shoes at home and return the ones that don't work for me.
I have been waiting for Valla to come on sale and just purchased a pair in dark grey.
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"Very comfortable for work and relaxation"
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Pay Per View is a feature that can provide live entertainment your family will love. This live entertainment comes in the form of live UFC fights, live boxing and wrestling matches, as well as live music and comedy events. This service can give you front row seats to all the newest events, while allowing you to stay in the comfort and safety of the family home.
These selections can be watched with the DVR, or digital video recorder. The DVR allows you to rewind, pause and fast forward live events from the Pay Per View menu or the programming from On Demand. The DVR can also record and store programming from up to five channels at one time, offering the entire family a way to get their favorite programming, even if it airs when they are at work or school.
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Oct 23, 2012
6 Most Evil Phishing Scams of 2012
IT can invest millions in advanced defenses, but it's all out the window if an attacker waltzes in the front door using a valid password gained via some combination of con job and malware. All it takes is a clever phishing email that appears to come from an employee's own IT department and, before you know it, the bad guys are in your network and either publicly wreaking havoc or stealthily making off with valuable data.
If your end users think of phishing as the ham-handed emails from Nigerian princes or barristers representing deceased wealthy Europeans who want to share their riches, you have a real problem. Today's phishing expeditions are far more clever. Lures may look like they come from reputable businesses, such as PayPal, eBay or even an employee's own bank. They could even appear to emanate from an internal address in the guise of looking for information, preying on the natural human desire to be helpful. Simply clicking a link, even if the victim doesn't do anything once on a rogue site, could mean downloading malware or a keylogger, thus giving the bad guys easy access. And all it takes is one careless or naïve user.
Phishers are making use of social networks, using information gleaned from hacks—anything to get an edge. We'll highlight throughout this report six of the most evil phishing attempts seen by an array of experts and how IT can defend against such insidious attacks. (S5891012)
Research Report


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""It's a massive, unbelievable competitive advantage. Having access to a private jet is the single most important asset to any national political campaign." Source: WALL STREET JOURNAL "
Avantair's bargain proposition
It's no secret that the fractional aircraft industry has limped along during the Great Recession and following anemic recovery period, but one provider—Clearwater, Florida-based Avantair—has seemed to defy gravity. The four other, larger national fractional operators—NetJets, Flight Options, Flexjet and CitationAir—all saw their flying fall by high single-digit percentages during this time, while Avantair's fleet of 57 Piaggio Avanti twin-turboprop pushers has mostly been logging double-digit gains, according to flight activity data from aviation research firm ARGUS.
This is because the Avanti offers shareowners a good value: a cabin equivalent to that of a midsize jet, near-jet-like speeds and lower operating costs. Moreover, the 10-year-old Avantair has patterned itself on the Southwest Airlines business model by flying just one type, resulting in numerous efficiencies: maintenance technicians and flight crews need to be trained on only one aircraft; spare-parts inventory is simplified; and the fleet, and crews, are interchangeable.
The result is a fractional aircraft with occupied hourly rates that are a third less than those for light jets at competing providers. Kevin O'Leary, president at the business aircraft consultancy firm Jet Advisors, said that when all management and occupied costs are included, Avantair costs about $4,500 per hour, while light jets at other programs run about $6,000 an hour. The larger aircraft cabin of the Avanti is just icing on the cake.
However, O'Leary and Michael Riegel, owner at the consultancy AviationIQ, pointed out that Avantair starts to lose this price advantage at about 700 miles, where the jets' higher speed translates into significantly shorter flights (and correspondingly less occupied time), virtually erasing the Avanti's cost advantage. For this reason, both consultants do not recommend Avantair for customers who typically fly trips of more than approximately 1,000 nautical miles; they view the company as more of a regional lift provider.
O'Leary said Avantair's "sweet spot" is at around 300 nautical miles, a trip that would take about an hour in the Avanti. "Though the light jets at competing programs can do this trip in about 50 minutes, the owners would be charged for the minimum one hour of occupied time," O'Leary noted. "So Avantair would actually cost a third less in this case." But a 1,000-mile trip in the Avanti would take three hours and one minute, nearly one third longer than in a Learjet, he calculated.
Avantair also has a different method for charging monthly management and occupied hourly fees than its competitors. It assesses a fixed amount each month that includes the regular monthly fees and a twelfth of the owner's annual occupied flight time. For a one-sixteenth share (50 hours of flight time annually), this amounts to $22,000 per month. The other fractionals charge a monthly management fee and then separately bill owners for occupied time after flights are conducted.
While this pricing structure provides budgetary certainty to customers, it causes some heartburn for the two consultants because they dislike customers prepaying for occupied hours they might not use. "They are collecting this money before you fly. The only way I could see this as a good thing is for the customer who uses all of their flight hours early in the year," said O'Leary. "The fact is, however, that shareowners typically fly only 80 percent of their flight hours over the life of their five-year contract."
Riegel and O'Leary said the service at Avantair has been good—that is, until a mechanical issue grounded the entire fleet for three weeks last October, meaning customers couldn't fly in their airplanes during this period. The grounding resulted from an issue with the Avanti's elevator, a flight-control surface that changes the attitude of the airplane's nose. This exposed the Achilles' heel of the Southwest Airlines model, Riegel said. "Avantair was handed a lesson about having a single type. There was no backup available during the grounding," he noted. "The company is going to have to add a second aircraft type to prevent something like this in the future." (In 2006, Avantair did place a firm order for 20 Embraer Phenom 100 light jets, along with options on 80 more, but it sold these positions in 2008 to central U.S. regional fractional provider Executive AirShare. At the time, it said that the Phenoms no longer fit into its strategy. At present, Avantair has no plans to add another fleet type.)
The problems with the Avanti started last July, when one of Avantair's airplanes shed an elevator while taking off in Camarillo, California. This aircraft later landed safely, despite the fact that one of its control surfaces was missing.
A subsequent investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board found that directions from Avanti manufacturer Piaggio Aero for FAA-required maintenance on the elevator specified reusing locking nuts to secure the control surfaces. However, these fasteners lose their locking ability when removed, and the vibration from aircraft operations eventually caused one of the nuts to loosen and come off, resulting in the loss of the control surface.
To fix the problem, Avantair could have rotated its turboprop airplanes through maintenance bases to replace all of the reused locking nuts with new fasteners. While this would have minimized disruptions for customers, company founder and CEO Steven Santo decided to voluntarily ground the entire fleet "out of an abundance of caution." Explaining further, he said, "What it really came down to was this question: would I put my family onboard these aircraft knowing that some of the locking nuts could unfasten? And I kept coming back with the same answer: 'No.'"
Besides replacing the fleet's elevator fasteners, Santo used the opportunity to inspect all of the aircraft from top to bottom, and to review their maintenance logbooks and associated paperwork. When Avantair notified the FAA of the problems with the locking nuts and its actions to correct the situation, the agency sent in a dozen inspectors. Though the FAA found no violations, its involvement stretched out the process to a three-week event. Santo estimates that all of Avantair's inspections could have been done in less than a week sans the FAA participation.
During this review, Avantair also brought in Nick Sabatini, the FAA's associate administrator for safety until he retired three years ago, to lead an examination of the company's aircraft and maintenance operations. That led to changes, most notably that "light" maintenance is now outsourced to a half dozen Piaggio-authorized service centers in the U.S. in an effort to increase maintenance capacity and thus reduce aircraft downtimes. Avantair still conducts "heavy" maintenance, including engine overhauls, at its Florida headquarters.
In addition, the review prompted the company to incorporate airline-style safety management systems for maintenance and operations, even though the FAA does not require them at the fractional providers. In November, the company brought in another former high-level FAA official, David Cann, as its senior vice president of safety, quality and compliance to oversee this effort. Cann, a 22-year veteran of the federal agency, had been responsible for drafting its maintenance program regulations, in addition to guidance and policy now used by the airlines. In other words, he wrote the book for the safety systems that Avantair is implementing.
The company's fleet returned to full operations early this year, and it is doing everything it can to repair its reputation. Santo admitted that Avantair did lose a few dozen customers over the grounding, but said that most of its 900 shareowners, aircraft-leasing and card-program clients have stayed put. In fact, several customers have called or written to thank Santo for putting their safety over company profits, even if that meant some inconvenience for them this past fall.
As for customers who remain wary of the fleet's reliability due to the grounding, Avantair is working hard to retain them. In some cases, the company is allowing them to renew for shorter terms (less than five years) to give itself the opportunity to prove its value again. "Our job is to provide dependable, top-notch service, without compromising safety," Santo said. "We've done this in the past, so I have no doubt we can do this going forward."
Santo believes that Avantair will not only recover from the grounding, but also be a better and more prosperous company over the long run. "Fractional sales bounced back strongly in February," he said, "and we see a lot of pent-up demand for private aircraft lift. We have a heavy number of leads for new customers, and existing customers are starting to fly more, which are encouraging signs."
Avant Air is not a good option. We have tried booking flights and if you are looking for a Friday or Sunday flight, they dont have enough capacity, either their fleet is over subscribed or they dont have enough planes flying due to maintenance issues.
The other problem with this plane is the limited weight capacity. Although they will tell you it seats 8, they are limited to 1000 lbs. at take off, which is about 5 grown male adults. I have had them tell me many times that we can not fly with 6 people because we are overweight.
Avant is not a good option.
low for the year is 10 cents, high of 85 cents...
How does that bode for capitalization long term?
Avantair is always down for maintenance, leaves you stranded without backup is not a good option and unilaterally alters the terms and conditions of the edge card contract. Find someone with better knowhow and finances.
Three experiences: Four hours late and then cancelled at our home airport so flew out on NetJets the next day; Told they were sold out on two dates so flew on airline; Two hours late to fly 2 1/2 hours but diverted half-way through flight and left at an airport in the middle of nowhere because of maintenance issue. Never, ever, ever again.
Business model is and has always been flawed. Too bad they convinced many folks otherwise. I can refuse to take care of myself by eating terribly and never exercising my whole life while burning the candle at both ends and never getting enough sleep and the result will be that I won't live long. Get the comparison?
Avantair is the worst private plane choice.I was stranded,late by over a day,lied to,told to use Delta at my expense so many times that I gave up and walked away even though they still have my money.Their leader Santo should have been fired by their toothless Board atlest a year ago.Santo could not run a 2 car funeral leave alone a 60 aircraft company.
I find it appalling that this article was written only months before Avantair shut its doors without notice, failing to pay their employees for nearly 3 weeks of pay. It has come to light that they only had a handful of airworthy planes and were robbing parts from other aircraft because they had maxed out their credit at maintenance bases. The owners and executives should be behind bars.
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You Need This Much for a Happy Retirement
NEW YORK (MainStreet ) -- The happiest retirees in America earned at least $100,032 in household income during their working years, according to a new report. That's compared to $73,167 for unhappy retirees.
"Unless you can reach this level of earnings, you will not get to some of the key financial points that retirees need to get to in order to have a secure retirement," said Wes Moss, author of the upcoming book, You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think (McGraw Hill Press, 2014).
The 2013 Moss National Money and Happiness Study found that unhappy retirees had homes valued at $273,000.
"Median home value for the happy group was $300,000. After $350,000, there is a marked plateau effect on home value and level of happiness," Moss told MainStreet.
On average, 36% of happy retirees will have their mortgage paid-off within 8 years compared to only 24% of unhappy retirees.
"In retirement, your income is static. Your income is fixed with payments from social security, pension and savings. When your mortgage is paid off, more of that fixed income goes to your core passions, whether its travel, golf or grandkids, for example," said Moss, who appeared in the second season of Donald Trump's reality show "The Apprentice."
To achieve retirement happiness, young workers are encouraged to save with purpose.
"Power savers put away 20% of their income into savings and pay about 30% in taxes, which leaves only half of an income to live on," Moss said. "You need all that savings over a 30 year period for a happy retirement."
According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, only 13% of workers are very confident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement with 38% somewhat confident and 28% not at all confident.
"In order to get on better financial footing, young workers need to get rid of credit cards," said Bruce Helmer, co-founder of Minneapolis-based Wealth Enhancement Group and author of Real Wealth (Beavers Pond Press, 2013). "Americans have been better at paying off their credit cards but they still have what I describe as inefficient debt. Paying down this debt will receive a better return than any investment."


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