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This unique polymer holster design allows you to forget old-fashioned thumb breaks that slow your draw and complicate reholstering. The patented Serpa Technology lock engages the trigger guard as you holster the pistol and won't let go until you release it. The release is made using your normal drawing motion, with the trigger finger beside the holster body. The Serpa holster includes both belt and paddle attachments for flexible carry outside the waistband.
- Full firing grip for draw and immediate retention upon re-holster
- No thumb break or awkward middle finger release to slow down your draw
- Speed cut allows faster draw and easy re-holster
Please note this holster will not fit the Sig P220R or any other railed pistols.


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Ironbuds from Acoustic Forge - under $50 ecobuds
" I am tired of: throwing away earphones, wasting money, and destroying the environment. Ironbuds promised to be an answer to all three - imho they've cracked it. What is surprising is how good they sound. Been waiting a year for Acoustic Forge to release these. I posted in the forums about 8 months ago about them - but Thomas (the CEO) announced they were having some difficulties..." --intelegant
XTZ EarPhone-12
The new XTZ EarPhone-12 with a dedicated iOS app for DSP sound correction will blow your mind! The EarPhone-12 is our first earphone ever! Obviously, as you could expect from XTZ, we went for something completely new. The idea behind this project was not only to create a good earphone, maybe with an excellent price/quality ratio, but to build something revolutionary, something that expresses...

subset: commoncrawl


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Voted Best Supporting Side of 2008! Have a crowd to feed? Arm yourself with five easy ingredients, including veggies. A few minutes of prep, and you'll have a delicious veggie casserole in the oven.
We asked and you voted! The polls were open in the Betty Crocker community to vote for your favorite recipes in multiple categories.
To make ahead, prepare recipe through step 2, then cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time to heat thoroughly.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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I guess the question is, if the SD card uses pins 10, 11, 12, and 13; and the serial uses 0 and 1, and I'm already using 2-4 for the sensor, and 5,6,7, 8, 9 for the LCD, then the DB7 pin which was on 12 then I placed on 1, then 0 and I had the same results, then I'm stuck without any pins - unless I can use an analog pin, which I haven't tried yet.
Karma, I love your backpacks - will pick a couple up.
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Guilty pleasure | 5 years ago | May 25, 2001 | Mark Bazer interviewed porn king Ron Jeremy about his upcoming show at the Middle East.
"Alas, Jeremy's most popular feature won't be on display this Friday, when 'Ron Jeremy's Sideshow' arrives at the Middle East. But he will be performing his Borscht-Belt-meets-Boogie-Nights stand-up comedy routine, and he'll be supported by girls, girls, and more girls: oil-wrestling girls, girls participating in a banana-eating contest (for the boys, there's a cherry-pie-eating contest, with the pies conveniently placed between the legs of, yes, girls), and punk-rock-playing girls dressed up in Catholic-school uniforms. Needless to say, there will be audience participation.
" 'We go to the extent that the law will allow, … That way people are getting the skimpiest show possible. In other words, if a club will allow topless, we'll go topless. We had a few clubs in the Midwest where you can go nude. We went nude. Not me. Lord knows I'd wipe out the front row.'
"Blame it on the Blue Laws, but no one will be taking off any bras or panties at the Middle East. Still, Jeremy seems, if not orgasmic, then excited about coming to town."
The one that got away | 10 years ago | May 24, 1996 | Matt Ashare mourned the loss of local rock promoter to a New York club.
"Rock-club booking is a relentless, unforgiving, nerve-racking enterprise that rarely offers much in the way of glory. But McDonald, who handled the booking at the Tam for three years before taking the job at T.T.'s, has distinguished herself as one of the Boston scene's finest. Some of her coups: gigs by Joan Jett with Evil Stig, Social Distortion, the Muffs, John Cale, Thurston Moore, Boss Hog, Lydia Lunch and Exene Cervenka, Bikini Kill, and Son Volt — all performers that probably could have filled larger rooms. And she's had a knack for zeroing in on promising local talents like Jen Trynin, whom McDonald was aggressively booking long before there was even a local buzz around her name. Trynin returned the favor by celebrating the release of her debut Cockamamie (Warner Bros.) at T.T.'s and by playing a sold-out, two-night stand there after her first national tour.
"There's no word yet from T.T.'s regarding how they'll handle the departure.... One thing's certain: whoever replaces McDonald at T.T.'s will be taking on the responsibility for a room that's come a long way since September of 1994."
Love me new | 15 years ago | May 31, 1991 | M. Howell broke down Paul McCartney's latest acoustic record."Paul McCartney's new Unplugged: The Official Bootleg (Capitol) is a fan's dream. And yet, even with millions of albums sold, record-breaking attendance for live shows, and true super-star status, McCartney remains underrated.
"Part of this predicament is unfair and beyond his control, a product of our impulse to 'choose sides.' To many, he has always come in second to John Lennon — improbably for the five years that Lennon retired from making music, and irretrievably now that Mark Chapman cast the final vote, making Lennon #1 with a bullet....
"On Unplugged, he damn near fulfills the dream of every one of his longtime fans (especially the female ones): Paul McCartney singing in your living room....
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Christopher McCrudden
Photo: Denise Applewhite
Web Stories
McCrudden to become senior adviser on financial planning
Posted November 12, 2007; 02:00 p.m.
New role increases capacity to address strategic issues
Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Christopher McCrudden, a member of the Princeton University administration since 1973 and a national leader on issues related to university finance, will take on a new role as senior adviser to Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman on a range of strategic matters related to Princeton's financial planning. His appointment will be effective upon the designation of a successor for his current position.
"Chris McCrudden has been a highly valued adviser on financial matters for three Princeton presidents and has served Princeton very effectively in a number of senior roles over the past 35 years," Tilghman said. "As we now begin a five-year fundraising campaign and an ambitious 10-year capital plan, we need to find a successor to Chris as vice president for finance and treasurer who can serve throughout this entire period and beyond. I am delighted that Chris will help see us through this transition and then will remain in the cabinet in a new role that will significantly increase our capacity to address strategic financial issues at the most senior level."
In his new role, McCrudden also will continue to oversee the Office of Real Estate Finance and the office that manages the University's land holdings at Princeton Forrestal Center. His title will be vice president and senior adviser to the president.
McCrudden joined the University in 1973 as assistant controller for budget and long-range planning. In 1977 he was promoted to associate controller; in 1983 to director of the budget; and in 1988 to associate treasurer and director of finance. In 1998 his title was changed to associate provost for finance and associate treasurer, and in 2001 he was appointed treasurer, a position that was then designated the University's senior financial officer. In 2005 he received the added title of vice president for finance.
As a national leader in the field of federal research costing issues, he served for seven years on the governing board of the Council on Governmental Relations , an organization in Washington, D.C., that deals with policies and technical issues involved in the administration of federally sponsored programs at universities. He served as chair of the council's costing policies committee, its nominating committee and its board, and he frequently represented the council in meetings with high-level federal agencies and presidential advisers.
Long active in leadership positions at Trinity Church in Princeton and the Habitat for Humanity Princeton Project, he currently serves as vice president of the Investment Trust of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey and a vestry member of Trinity Church Wall Street.


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What You'll Get
The deal
Buffet lunch or dinner for 1 child between 1m – 1.3m tall
- All week dining for $7.90 instead of $11
Buffet lunch for 1 adult
- Mon – Fri dining for $13.90 instead of $19
- Sat – Sun dining for $18.90 instead of $25
Buffet dinner for 1 adult
- Mon – Thu dining for $18.90 instead of $25
- Fri – Sun dining for $21.90 instead of $28
Charcoal Thai
Charcoal Thai brings the spicy and tangy flavours of the Land of a Thousand Smiles to the heartlands with its wide spread of Thai cuisine including favourites like mookata barbecue with fresh ingredients grilled over a traditional charcoal fire as is the restaurant's namesake, steamboat, fragrant fried rice with a choice of chicken, prawn, or pork, and Thai-style noodles. The restaurant also delights diners with humble yet flavourful street snacks and nibbles such as papaya salad and lemongrass coriander wings. One can visit Charcoal Thai at any of its three outlets in Clementi Avenue 3, VivoCity, and NEX to satisfy cravings.
The Fine Print
See the rules that apply to all deals.
About Charcoal Thai
Charcoal Thai
321 Clementi Ave 3, #02-08 321 Clementi Singapore 129905Get Directions
Charcoal Thai
23 Serangoon Central, Nex #B1-30/31 Singapore 556083Get Directions


text: Are they going to do any more of the miniatures? A friend of mines brother loves them (he's got the first seven already). I had a little bit of fun with MOTU when I was a child. It's great to see them in the aisles again. It takes me back to my childhood to see the figures hanging up there.


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Add Italian taste to your family's dinner. Enjoy pasta shells stuffed with crabmeat and shrimps that are ready in about an hour.
Chopped fresh broccoli flowerets can be used instead of the asparagus.
Use plenty of water and make sure you heat the water to a vigorous boil before adding the pasta shells.
To make up to 24 hours ahead of time, fill cooked shells and arrange in dish with sauce as directed, then cover and refrigerate. Bake as directed.
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Toggle: English / Spanish
Breast reduction is usually performed for enlarged breasts (macromastia), but may also be indicated by:
Mammograms (breast X-rays) and a routine breast exam are required before surgery.
Breast-revision surgery is performed while you are deep asleep and pain-free (using general anesthesia), in either an outpatient facility or in the hospital.
Incisions are made along the natural creases in the breast and around the dark pink skin surrounding the nipple (areola). A keyhole-shaped incision above the areola is also made to define the new location of the nipple. Skin is then removed from the lower section of the breast. The areola, nipple, and underlying breast tissue are moved up to a higher position. The nipple is moved and incisions are closed with stitches (sutures).
For a reduction in breast-size, some of the breast tissue is removed and the nipples are relocated higher on the breasts for cosmetic reasons. After surgery, a bulky gauze dressing is wrapped around the breasts and chest. Sometimes a surgical bra is used. Pain is controlled by medication, and usually subsides in a day or two. Most patients stay in the hospital for two days.
The dressing is replaced by a soft bra within the first week, and it must be worn for several weeks. Generally, the swelling and discoloration around the incisions subside within a few days. There may be temporary loss of sensation in the breast skin and nipples after surgery. This condition improves with time. Within two weeks of surgery, stitches (sutures) are removed.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch)
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2013 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


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9.10: Temperature and Heat in the Atmosphere
A candle flame or a bathtub full of hot water: which has higher heat and which has the higher temperature?
The flame has higher temperature, but less heat because the hot region is very small. The bathtub has lower temperature, but more heat because it has many more vibrating atoms. Which has greater total energy? The bathtub.
Temperature is a measure of how fast the atoms in a material are vibrating. High temperature particles vibrate faster than low temperature particles. Rapidly vibrating atoms smash together, which generates heat. As a material cools down, the atoms vibrate more slowly and collide less frequently. As a result, they emit less heat. What is the difference between heat and temperature?
- Temperature measures how fast a material's atoms are vibrating.
- Heat measures the material's total energy.
Heat energy is transferred between physical entities. Heat is taken in or released when an object changes state, or changes from a gas to a liquid, or a liquid to a solid. This heat is called latent heat. When a substance changes state, latent heat is released or absorbed. A substance that is changing its state of matter does not change temperature. All of the energy that is released or absorbed goes toward changing the material's state.
For example, imagine a pot of boiling water on a stove burner: that water is at 100oC (212oF). If you increase the temperature of the burner, more heat enters the water. The water remains at its boiling temperature, but the additional energy goes into changing the water from liquid to gas. With more heat the water evaporates more rapidly. When water changes from a liquid to a gas it takes in heat. Since evaporation takes in heat, this is called evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling is an inexpensive way to cool homes in hot, dry areas.
Substances also differ in their specific heat, the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of the material by 1.0oC (1.8oF). Water has a very high specific heat, which means it takes a lot of energy to change the temperature of water. Let's compare a puddle and asphalt, for example. If you are walking barefoot on a sunny day, which would you rather walk across, the shallow puddle or an asphalt parking lot? Because of its high specific heat, the water stays cooler than the asphalt, even though it receives the same amount of solar radiation.
- Temperature the speed of vibration of the molecules that make up a substance. Heat is the energy transferred between physical entities.
- Latent heat is released or absorbed when a substance changes states.
- Specific heat is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of the material by 1.0oC (1.8oF).
Use this resource to answer the questions that follow.
1. What is temperature?
2. What determines heat?
3. How is temperature measured?
4. What is heat?
5. What is kinetic energy?
6. What does temperature measure?
1. How does evaporative cooling work? Why do you think it is only effective in hot, dry areas?
2. What happens to the temperature of a substance as it changes state from liquid to solid? What happens to its latent heat?
3. As a substance changes state from liquid to solid, what happens to the molecules that make it up?
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By Chris Kieffer/NEMS Daily Journal
SMITHVILLE – Smithville's school sat in tatters.
The EF-5 tornado that devastated this Monroe County on April 27, 2011, also hammered the campus that houses kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
Roofs were damaged on every building, and downed power lines wove multiple webs around the facilities. Trees were cracked, limbs were everywhere, fence posts were leveled, and goal posts and even tornado siren poles were bent. The twister leveled the school's gymnasium, ripping open its roof and leaving its contents exposed to the elements.
Two years later, that campus is nearly ready for students again.
"I hope it is a lesson about resiliency," said Monroe County Superintendent Scott Cantrell.
Since the storm, the school's roughly 550 students have used several locations. Yet when they return in August, it will be to a familiar one. Every building on Smithville's campus has been improved – some with fresh paint, floors and roofs, while others are brand new.
"We've always heard good things come to those who wait," Cantrell said. "I think we've put together a nice set up for the school campus, and we're just looking forward to having everyone back there and to having our normal again."
All told, the construction and renovations cost close to $13 million, Cantrell said. That was funded from multiple sources, from grants to money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance companies to funding from the Legislature and donations from companies and individuals from across the nation.
"We wouldn't have had the opportunity to do this on our own," said Smithville Principal Chad O'Brian.
The most prominent structure on the campus is a concrete dome that will not only serve as the school's gymnasium, but also will be a storm shelter for students and community members.
Expected to be completed by the end of October, the dome has 16 inches of concrete at its base and four at its top. Its rounded shape means it doesn't have corners for gusts of wind to grab. It will have 800 seats, with room for more people on its floor, should another tornado threaten.
"You can't build it where God can't blow it away, but you can make plans to do the best you can with it," O'Brian said.
Also among the new buildings is the elementary school facility, which had been totally destroyed. In a tribute to its history, wood from the former building was salvaged to form a floor at the school's entrance. Also, the "Smithville Schools" arch along Highway 23 remains in place.
Other new structures include a band hall/ choir room, field house/ elementary gymnasium and concession stand. Much work was done to restore the football and baseball fields, and the agriculture and technology buildings were renovated, as were the junior high and high school facilities. A playground sits where the former gym once was, and a football practice field will soon be added nearby.
Some teachers have already moved stuff into their classrooms, but much work remains before school starts on Aug. 7. Teachers will report on Aug. 1.
"We have some cleaning up and unpacking to do this summer, but we're glad to do it," O'Brian said.


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Classic chocolate cupcakes never fail to please for birthday parties, bake sales, after-school snacking and anytime dessert. Make it your way with the variation below.
Did you know that baking cocoa can be stored for up to 2 years if kept in a cool, dark place?
Recipe Variation
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes: Place mini paper baking cup in each of 24 mini muffin cups. Make batter as directed in recipe. Fill each cup with about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon batter or until about two-thirds full. (Cover and refrigerate remaining batter until ready to bake; cool pan 15 minutes before reusing.) Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter to make an additional 48 mini cupcakes. Frost with desired frosting. About 72 mini cupcakes.
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Laptop Messengers
Laptop Messenger BagsFor college students, laptop Messenger bags are a sensible and attractive way to tote your laptop from one end of the campus to the other. They have the same functionality of a briefcase but with a more casual style of a backpack that fits comfortably across your body. With a shock resistant compartment to hold your 13", 15", or 17" laptop,Bag King carries leather, canvas and nylon laptop messengers for both men and women in top brands that are sure to make a statement.
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Enroll: Personal | Business
View Demo: Personal | Business
Please contact a Commerce Bank of Arizona representative at 520-325-5200 for enrollment.
Friday, May 06, 2011
The DFA creates a new, independent consumer protection agency housed at the Federal Reserve. It was created to ensure American consumers are provided with plain, accurate information they need to shop for mortgages, credit cards and other financial products and to protect them from abusive, deceptive and illegal practices.
The legislation also supposedly ends the "too big to fail" bailouts of financial companies that threatened the national economy. DFA includes a council to identify and deal with systemic risks posed by these large complex companies before they actually experience problems.
It also provides shareholders with more of a say on executive pay and corporate affairs.
With respect to bank deposit accounts, the DFA extended the expiration of the Temporary Liquidity Guaranty Program from Dec. 31, 2010, through Dec. 31, 2012. This program provides Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insurance coverage regardless of the balance of the account and ownership capacity of the funds on all noninterest bearing transaction accounts.
Interest on lawyer trust accounts (IOLTA) are also covered.
Money market deposit accounts (MMDAs) and negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts are not eligible for the FDIC coverage regardless of the interest rate, even if no interest is paid.
However, the coverage in the amount of $250,000 is permanent and covers the same MMDAs, NOW accounts and time deposits also known as savings accounts or certificates of deposit.
In July 2010, the federal government passed regulations requiring banks to get customer permission to use their overdraft protection products in connection with debit and ATM card use. If you opt out of overdraft protection and try to use a debit card for a purchase but have insufficient funds available, your transaction will be turned down at that time.
This may be cause for some embarrassment but you will not be charged for an overdraft.
This regulation also applies to business accounts but not to checks or to automatic bill payments. It is mandatory that banks adhere to these regulations.
Another significant and very controversial provision in the DFA, known as the Durbin Amendment, charged the Federal Reserve with limiting the fees that banks can charge retailers and service providers for processing debit card transactions.
The Federal Reserve regulators have considered capping the fees at 12 cents per transaction, which is about one quarter of the current average.
Before the amendment was passed, there wasn't very much testimony or debate. At this writing, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has introduced legislation that would delay implementation of the amendment by one year to 18 months while additional studies are completed and more debate by Congress occurs.
Lastly, the Dodd-Frank Act repeals Regulation Q, which prohibits banks from paying interest on business checking accounts. This is to occur on July 21, 2011.
The impact of this repeal is unknown at this time from both the banking and business sides of the checking account. It could possibly change the way banks charge for checking account services and loans. In response to these changes, corporate treasurers may find it necessary to modify cash aggregation practices as well.
There has been a tremendous increase in banking regulations in the last few years. Industry experts predict there are more changes to come.
It is essential that business owners and corporate treasurers are educated on these changes and the effects they will have on applicable programs and transaction fees.
Contact Fred Dawson Jr., executive vice president and chief credit officer for Commerce Bank of Arizona, at email@example.com or (520) 325-5200. Commerce Bank is an Arizona owned community bank specializing in serving small- to mid-size businesses in Arizona.
Copyright 2011 CBOA Financial, Inc. Commerce Bank of Arizona Website Terms of Use and Conditions Privacy


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Indulgent breakfast pastry meets warm and cozy apple crisp in these decadent, doable tarts, perfect for holiday brunch.
Make and bake ahead! Just reheat in the oven at 350°F on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet 5 to 8 minutes.
For best baking results, bake each pan of tarts separately on oven rack positioned in center of oven.
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Latest Updates
April 25, 2012
Egypt should overturn a ruling against leading actor Adel Imam, sentenced to three months prison for "insulting Islam".
April 24, 2012
Despite a decade of supposed reform, Indonesian police officers continue to be implicated in shootings and beatings of peaceful individuals.
April 24, 2012
Ghana's prisons are rundown, overcrowded and in need of urgent reform, a new Amnesty International report reveals.
Press Release
April 24, 2012
Amnesty International Demands Bangladesh Authorities Account for Deaths of Protesters Amid Spate of "Disappearances"
Amnesty International today urges Bangladesh authorities to initiate a thorough investigation into the deaths of two men, killed on April 23 while protesting the disappearance of a key opposition f...


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QuoteI believe the Microchip C compilers are also based upon GCC,This is interesting. Do you have any links ? Thanks.
I believe the Microchip C compilers are also based upon GCC,
And you get this friendly community as a resource to help you out.
I shouldn't think GCC itself would have many optimizations
It looks like you did no research before adding your question to this topic.There are some current Topics on this subject including one in this Microcontrollers section....R
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Charlie Rose's interview with Al-Assad just killed the Obama adminstions plan. No TelePrompTer, stuttering or the constant use of I. In fact he was able to ask 30-40 plus questions not just 5 or 6 in the hour interview.
The comparison of the rebels (sect) to the LA riots (sect), 9/11 sect (Al Qaeda) to his out of country rebel (Al Qaeda) sect was really brilliant. The only thing he could have thrown in is our revolunitary war of the north vs. south and the number killed with no WMD's.
Why is it a person, or people of this level of intelligence, don't insist on a live to tape interview? This prevents all the cut and paste editing which happens.
BTW I don't agree with the Syrian government.


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Pretty and packed with flavor and crunch, this salad is sure to become a favorite.
Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Commercial curry powder is a blend of many spices, herbs and seeds. Its distinctive yellow hue comes from ground turmeric. You may find several types of curry powder in your grocery store, but the most common blends are labeled either curry powder (mild) or Madras curry powder (a bit hotter).
The shrimp mixture can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time, but add the cashews and potatoes just before serving. Also, the endive leaves can be separated, washed, wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a plastic bag up to 24 hours before serving.
Chow mein noodles can be used instead of shoestring potatoes.
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Wherever people cluster there are bound to be skirmishes.
At the dinner table, school, the workplace, your barber shop, …any place people come together. It's human nature: different brain-matter, different opinions and then the verbal wrangling ensues.
Sometimes the tension runs like an undercurrent, out of public view. The conflicts that spring up can be as measured as a bow-shot at sea or as lengthy as the Thirty Years' War (1618), as acrimonious as the ugliest divorce or low-key as a game of croquet.
And baseball's no exception.
While MLB's fiscal state is robust ($5B '12) and is set to raise the curtain on 2013 Sunday night (3-31 / ESPN) as the Rangers mosey on down to Houston to take on intra-state rival and new Junior Circuit member, the Astros, things are not all hot dogs & cerveza in America's national pastime.
There are sore-spots that fester, some with a history, some just starting to take shape. Not likely any of these hot button topics triggers a clubhouse fisticuff but try broaching any of 'em with players & coaches and you're likely to get an ear full.
WBC (World Baseball Classic)
Classic case of wishful thinking, as in, 'We (MLB) wish the international format, so successful in the World Cup, can work for baseball too.' Wish upon all the stars your "heart(s) desire" fellas, but even Jiminy Cricket won't underwrite that dream.
Baseball's global popularity explains why the WBC has met with worldwide applause since its debut in 2005. But state-side, the tournament barely makes a ripple in the sea of US sport news as fans are indifferent and players not exactly lining-up to participate.
Maybe if MLB went all in, making the WBC a real world series where each nation's league champion team ('12 Giants (MLB), Leones (LIDOM), Giants (NPB), etc.) was a participant, rather than a compilation of native players (WC), it might be better received by the American public. One thing is certain, its intrusion upon our beloved spring training traditions in Florida and Arizona, as minimal as it is, does not help the sell.
Sabermetrics (or Billy Beane baseball)
The dogfight between saber-heads & traditionalists flies under the radar but constitutes baseball's war of philosophy.
Stats have always been a big deal in rounders, nothing new or contentious there. Just check the backs of older Topps cards: NFL versions are numeral-poor while MLBs are jam-packed with figures. Numbers were big in 1880 and they're still big today.
But saber-heads kneel at the alter of the Holy Digit, spouting the 'numbers never lie' mantra while intolerant of other sporting faiths. They view baseball through the eyes of an accountant, dissing the subtle strategy, the history and humanity of the game, always favoring quantity over quality, numbers over nuance. If that reads too harsh, go a few rounds with one of 'em and see if it isn't a pretty accurate assessment of the type.
Who's winning the war? The battle of ideologies flares up whenever Cooperstown is the subject. By that measure (vote results), I'd say we're in trench warfare.
PEDs (performance enhancing drugs)
Confused on MLB's drug testing policy? If you answered yes, you're not alone, if no, clue me in because I'm kinda' lost. Thought I had it down last year when they were supposedly drawing blood from every player in spring. Then this winter they announced a new testing twist, a plan to start taking "random" samples during (?) the 2013 season.
Bottom-line: While baseball's testing policy seems half-measured and a bit of a shell-game (See; MLBPA), they remain the one major US sport who is taking action and making progress. They're catching some of the slugs, likely deterring others and may someday arrive at a clear, consistent and complete PED prevention policy.
The antagonists: users, pushers, enablers and faux-sport fans vs. everybody else.
Who's winning this war? Given the persistence of drug peddlers, a cheater's mentality that's in vogue and a public that grows more & more dispassionate about anything that's not TV, gizmos, food or drink, I'd say the crusaders have a long fight ahead. But they've drawn a line in the sand and they're not giving up this time.
Some crusades will end. Saladin and Richard the Lionheart were warriors but also brave visionaries. They knew when to make peace (1192), even if others failed to heed their wisdom (4th Crusade). But if you really love baseball and care about the health, the well-being of children who will someday fill its ranks, this is one crusade we can't quit on.
The DH Rule
After a period of dormancy, the designated hitter debate is heating up again. That can only mean one thing: someone's got dollar signs ($$) in their eyes and has deployed an advance force (media) to help prepare the way.
I dislike the DH but have come to accept, even appreciate, its status as a distinguishing trait (vs DH-free National) and fixture of the American League.
Some believe an NL-DH is "inevitable" (3-5 / Jaffe / "True Grit" / SI). I'd say it's as "inevitable" as abandonment of day-game World Series ('87), football gear in the batter's box, dangerous maple bats and the AL-DH ('73). In a sport that used to respect its traditions and League distinctions, we fans asked for none of these changes (inter-league) supposedly needed for good of the game. Hogwash.
What fans and the game need, want, and what they get are all very different animals.
Tradition giving way to common-sense change (bat-helmets) and even some profiteering, if it also profits fans (NCAA field: 32 to 68), is a standard all of us can accept.
Just as I won't oppose progressiveness solely on basis of tradition, I just as surely won't ditch a tradition merely for sake of change and making change ($) for the greedy few.
In a sport where the home run derby is its biggest event and bunny-hop celebrations make most viewers cringe, the on-going debate over the designated hitter rule actually pumps life into the game, giving it a visceral edge, in opposite of what agents-of-change would have you believe when mocking what they'd call a behind-the-times National, a League who's been easily dispatching their DH devoted AL rival in recent Series play.
If proponents get their way and force the rule on the Senior Circuit they can kiss goodbye the 'national pastime' moniker for that arrogant act will signify the last nail in the coffin that buries what semblance of League distinction remained, along with a good part of history with it.
Steven Keys
Can o' Corn
Photo Credit: Saladin & Richard the Lionheart / Jerusalem / Djampa / 9-12-09 / wc.cc
About the Author
Written by Steven Keys
A native of the old Northwest Territory (IL), my wife and I have lived in four Midwestern states and Arizona. Today we live in Duluth, Georgia. I have a history / legal background.


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Top TV Deals
Coupons & Discounts
News & Articles
Check out the most recent Frontpage Slickdeals
SD Tips: Find the Best TV Deals
Buying a TV is a big decision. Not only will you likely be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars, but there are lots of decisions to make in terms of brand, size and picture quality. To make that research a little easier, we've got all the best deals on TVs right here in one spot so you can concentrate on choosing the best TV for your needs.
In terms of size, think about your budget, the space where the TV is going to sit and how far your couch is from the screen. And then go for the biggest option available. Bigger is simply better when it comes to TVs.
You'll also need to decide between the standard 1080p resolution and the newer 4K TVs. You'll probably find the absolute best picture quality with a high-end 4K TV, but a 1080p set still offers excellent picture quality, often at a more affordable price (which is tempting considering there isn't a lot of 4K content out there right now). Bottom line: do you want the latest technology or the best value?
Shopping Black Friday sales is likely to get you the best deal on a TV, but a lot of retailers offer solid deals in December and January as well. When it comes to finding the best deal, Amazon is one of the top choices, especially if you already know what you want. But if you're looking to browse a bit, Best Buy and Costco are great options for larger TVs, while Target and Walmart are great for basic, smaller sets.


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I seriously doubt it is DeadEye, he has an IP ban, remember .
I seriously doubt it is DeadEye, he has an IP ban, remember .
"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!" - Obi-Wan Kenobi
"There's a gentleness about a total Star Wars geek that is sublime."- Rick McCallum
My DVD Collection
Well, considering that he just posted this exact same figure review on Lord of the Rings Guide, word for word, I am pretty sure it is. That, and other things he has already said.
"Roger Nasty Butler!"
You're on Lord of the Rings guide? What a coink-i-dink, so am I.
even if it is DeadEye, doesn't he deserve another chance? these forums are cool
As far as the Lord of the Rings figures, they look darn cool and the sculpts look good.. I don't think they're as good as the SAGA Star Wars figures though.
I bet the Saruman figure is very cool
They're more like Statues aren't they? or does the cool packaging give that illusion?
Last edited by Darth Trymybestus; 12-29-2002 at 08:35 PM.
It's the cool packaging. All of the TTT figures have 16-18 points of articulation!
wow and no gimmicks???Originally posted by Leatherneck
It's the cool packaging. All of the TTT figures have 16-18 points of articulation!
Man, I wish all the star wars figures were in cool boxes... not just every 300th figure
Well, there are gimicks, but in most cases they don't harm the figure.
Unlike some saga figures...
When I find Sauron and Eomer, I can officially die a happy man.
I haven't found Sauron, but I have found several Eomer.
"Roger Nasty Butler!"
Sauron is hard to find, but well worth the hunt.
really?!?? I got mine nearly a month ago at a TRU in dayton. They had plenty of him! HH!
"Woke up at 9.55am. Soon as I woke up, I looked at Suzanne and she looked at me. I said, 'Did I tell you about the immune system?' Suzanne starting laughing, I said, 'it's amazing.' She said, 'Not now.'"


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Results 1 to 4 of 4
Thread: 5 Gal. overheating... help!
5 Gal. overheating... help!
I recently purchased a used 5 gallon tank, an Ocean Treasures cylinder tank to be exact.
I set it up in my living room, but am having issues with it running fairly warm. Without a light or the lid on top of it, its at about 82-83 degrees. With both on, it runs closer to 86 degrees. I keep my A/C fairly low, 74-76 degrees, so I was looking for other options to help in cooling.
Here are my thoughts\ideas:
1. Changing the light to an LED.
2. Installing a fan
3. Setting up an extremely small custom wet/dry filter.
4. Installing a chiller of some sort.
Now, The LEDs are a cinch.. but aren't likely going to have that much of an effect on the temperature.
So, here are the main issues with the others...
The fan would be going in the dome shaped cover, which only has a tiny breather hole in the top of it. I'd prefer to not have to drill it, but I'm afraid that the covers (both the flat acrylic and the dome shaped decoration) will not allow for proper airflow.
A likely source of the excess heat, is the pump. It is a submersible Marineland duetto and I was thinking of removing it and trying another brand, or to make some sort of wet/dry filter either in the top compartment or the base (which each have about 3-4 inches of vertical clearance and a diameter of a little less than 14.5 inches). But, I don't even know where to begin.
And lastly, the chiller is just too expensive for an aquarium this small... and requires a bulkhead mount, which wont work for a cylinder, unless its either mounted in the top or bottom acrylic pieces, which brings me right back to the air circulation problem, since both are covered.
Has anybody had success in modifying theirs or a similar aquarium? Or have any other cooling ideas/solutions? Any helpful input would be appreciated. Thanks.
What do you currently have in this tank?
I dont think you need to go that extreme.
There is a reason your tank is running that hot.
You didnt mention having a heater for the tank....do you?
Lights will cause the water to be warmer, but only at the top and it'll have a gradient down to cooler temps at the bottom.
What does the bottom of the tanks temp read?
Does the tank get any direct sunlight? near a window?
I would suspect the pump, as well. If this is a closed tank, the heat can not escape. I would only turn the lights on when you actually are wanting to view the fish. A few hours in the evening or so. Open up the lid so the heat can escape.


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Prayer service scheduled for triple homicide victims
Family releases statement through pastor
DARLINGTON, Wis. - The church attended by three slain family members in Lafayette County is planning a prayer vigil in the wake of their deaths.
Wiota Lutheran Church Pastor Luke Smetters says a service will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. Smetters said Tuesday that it's important for the community of faith to come together in "times like this."
Smetters says Gary, Chloe and Dean Thoreson were active members of the church. Their bodies were found Sunday in a home on Philippine Road in rural South Wayne. A Waukesha man has been detained and remains jailed in Lafayette County in connection with the homicides.
Smetters says the family of the victims is "shocked, devastated and raw as they are filled with utter sadness."
In a statement, Smetter said: "It is hard for the family to find words to express everything that is going through their minds ... they are shocked, devastated and raw as they are filled with utter sadness."
The family also thanked the community for their support during this time of tragedy.
"These victims are such stellar, highly respected people, great business people, been very successful in the community in their farming, and they're just very nice," Sheriff Scott Pedley said of the Thoresons.
Dale Schleim, a neighbor to the couple, described them as excellent businesspeople known for selling hogs.
"There is nobody in the world who is better than these people," Schleim said. "This kind of got to me. They're a close-knit family, like ours is."
Gene Christensen, another neighbor to the victims, expressed his shock at losing his friends.
"You just can't fathom what has happened, and we can't find words to explain how sad we are for their loss," he said. "What can you say to the family? It's just a sad situation."
Christensen added the incident has instilled fear.Community members fondly remember South Wayne homicide victims
"It's just scary, that something like that can happen in your area. I shouldn't even say it, but we don't lock our door, and now you're ready to lock your door," he said.
Neighbor Lisa Aeberhard echoed Christensen's thoughts.
"You live out here, and most people wouldn't think you'd have to lock your doors way out here, so it's pretty scary," she said.
Smetters said Gary Thoreson served on the school board and was an avid woodworker, and Dean Thoreson served his community on the Lafayette County Board.
"This community knows how to band together," Smetters said. "They've done that in the past. They're a community of faith. The community at large in Wiota and in all of Lafayette County will band together once again."
Waukesha police detained Jaren Kuester, 31, of Waukesha, in Waukesha in connection with the investigation. He was taken to Lafayette County.
Pedley said the victims and the person of interest didn't know each other. He declined to speculate on theories of motive for the crime.
"These communities are filled with very good and decent people, and when these tragedies strike, it becomes our job to move beyond the emotion and do it by the numbers and hold those people accountable for those criminal behaviors that we found in this particular case," Pedley said.
Local And Regional News
- MPD: Around 12,000 attend 2017 Mifflin Street Block Party; no serious incidents
- Officials identify woman killed in Middleton homicide; suspect in custody
- Robber points gun at motel clerk, flees empty-handed
- Wisconsin woman's play to take stage in San Diego
- Aging farmers in Wisconsin fear nursing care may cost farm
- Green Bay official explores ban on openly carrying guns


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Fiji, a country of 333 tropical islands situated in the South Pacific Ocean, proved an easy choice for Diabetes Tasmania's latest charity challenge. Diabetes Tasmania Ambassador, Caroline Thomas, and CEO, Caroline Wells, along with eight fellow adventurers and two guides recently spent 10 days paddling around the Yasawa Islands, an archipelago of some 20 volcanic islands located north west of Lautoka, Fiji's second largest city. "The kayaking was fantastic", said Caroline Thomas. "We saw the gorgeous Fiji of clear blue water and coconut tree-lined sandy beaches. Though a lot of the trip was picture perfect, we did get some challenges with the trade winds on a couple of days and the waves were so high you couldn't see the kayak in front of you! I was very scared and pleased when we made it back to shore."
The trip was designed not only to appreciate the beautiful surroundings, but to raise awareness and funds for people living with diabetes both at home in Tasmania (Australia), and abroad, through the IDF Life for a Child Programme. During their time in Fiji, the group visited Lautoka Hospital, one of the three pilot sites supported by Life for a Child, meeting local staff and several children who receive care for type 1 diabetes. It was a highlight for all, says Caroline: "We raised over AUD12,000, an amazing effort for a group of 10 people. Some of the money will go to help kids who live with diabetes in places like Fiji where otherwise they may not survive."
Life for a Child would like to acknowledge and thank Caroline Thomas, Caroline Wells and the team from Diabetes Tasmania for their ongoing support of the Programme.


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Rondo suspended two games for fight
By Ben Golliver
The NBA has suspended Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo for two games for his role in a shoving match with Nets power forward Kris Humphries that carried into the TD Garden stands on Wednesday night. The NBA has also fined Nets forward Gerald Wallace $35,000 and Celtics center Kevin Garnett $25,000 for "escalating the altercation." Humphries was not fined or suspended.
Rondo will serve his suspension during a Friday game in Boston against the Blazers and a Saturday game against the Bucks in Milwaukee. He will be eligible to return next Wednesday against the Timberwolves in Boston.
Rondo shoved Humphries in the chest with both arms after he fouled Garnett in the neck area on a driving shot attempt. Celtics guard Jason Terry then joined the fray, as did Wallace. From there, the pile spilled into the seats, where shoving between multiple members of both teams continued.
Rondo, Humphries and Wallace were all ejected as a result of the skirmish. Garnett was assessed a technical foul.
Rondo's ejection ended his streak of 10 or more assists at 37 games, tied with John Stockton for the second longest in NBA history and nine behind Magic Johnson's record of 46 set in 1983-84. The Boston All-Star's streak covered the last 24 games of the 2011-12 season and Boston's first 13 games of this season. Rondo did not speak with reporters after the game. He is averaging 12.9 points, 12.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals during the Celtics' 8-7 start. He is on the books for $11 million this season.


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In the aftermath of a tragedy or crisis, it is expectable for people to struggle with a wide range of feelings. The following articles may help you understand your reactions to the traumatic event, manage your distress, and reach out for support. The list also includes resources for parents, faculty, and staff who wish to provide comfort and support to university students.
If you need additional help or you continue to find yourself troubled, please call the University Counseling Center anytime at (585) 275-3113 and talk to a professional for extra support.


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The Great Lakes Nature
The foundation for the present Great Lakes basin was set about 3 billion years ago, during the Precambrian Era. This era occupies about five-sixths of all geological time and was a period of great volcanic activity and tremendous stresses, which formed great mountain systems. Early sedimentary and volcanic rocks were folded and heated into complex structures. These were later eroded and, today, appear as the gently rolling hills and small mountain remnants of the Canadian Shield, which forms the northern and northwestern portions of the Great Lakes basin. Granitic rocks of the shield extend southward beneath the Paleozoic, sedimentary rocks where they form the 'basement' structure of the southern and eastern portions of the basin.
With the coming of the Paleozoic Era, most of central North America was flooded again and again by marine seas, which were inhabited by a multitude of life forms, including corals, crinoids, brachiopods and mollusks. The seas deposited lime silts, clays, sand and salts, which eventually consolidated into limestone, shales, sandstone, halite and gypsum.
During the Pleistocene Epoch, the continental glaciers repeatedly advanced over the Great Lakes region from the north. The first glacier began to advance more than a million years ago. As they inched forward, the glaciers, up to 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) thick, scoured the surface of the earth, leveled hills, and altered forever the previous ecosystem. Valleys created by the river systems of the previous era were deepened and enlarged to form the basins for the Great Lakes. Thousands of years later, the climate began to warm, melting and slowly shrinking the glacier. This was followed by an interglacial period during which vegetation and wildlife returned. The whole cycle was repeated several times.
Sand, silt, clay and boulders deposited by the glaciers occur in various mixtures and forms. These deposits are collectively referred to as 'glacial drift' and include features such as moraines, which are linear mounds of poorly sorted material or 'till', flat till plains, till drumlins, and eskers formed of well-sorted sands and gravels deposited from meltwater. Areas having substantial deposits of well-sorted sands and gravels (eskers, kames and outwash) are usually significant groundwater storage and transmission areas called 'aquifers'. These also serve as excellent sources of sand and gravel for commercial extraction.
As the glacier retreated, large volumes of meltwater occurred along the front of the ice. Because the land was greatly depressed at this time from the weight of the glacier, large glacial lakes formed. These lakes were much larger than the present Great Lakes. Their legacy can still be seen in the form of beach ridges, eroded bluffs and flat plains located hundreds of metres above present lake levels. Glacial lake plains known as 'lacustrine plains' occur around Saginaw Bay and west and north of Lake Erie.
As the glacier receded, the land began to rise. This uplift (at times relatively rapid) and the shifting ice fronts caused dramatic changes in the depth, size and drainage patterns of the glacial lakes. Drainage from the lakes occurred variously through the Illinois River Valley (towards the Mississippi River), the Hudson River Valley, the Kawartha Lakes (Trent River) and the Ottawa River Valley before entering their present outlet through the St. Lawrence River Valley. Although the uplift has slowed considerably, it is still occurring in the northern portion of the basin. This, along with changing long-term weather patterns, suggests that the lakes are not static and will continue to evolve.
The weather in the Great Lakes basin is affected by three factors: air masses from other regions, the location of the basin within a large continental landmass, and the moderating influence of the lakes themselves. The prevailing movement of air is from the west. The characteristically changeable weather of the region is the result of alternating flows of warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from the Arctic.
In summer, the northern region around Lake Superior generally receives cool, dry air masses from the Canadian northwest. In the south, tropical air masses originating in the Gulf of Mexico are most influential. As the Gulf air crosses the lakes, the bottom layers remain cool while the top layers are warmed. Occasionally, the upper layer traps the cooler air below, which in turn traps moisture and airborne pollutants, and prevents them from rising and dispersing. This is called a temperature inversion and can result in dank, humid days in areas in the midst of the basin, such as Michigan and Southern Ontario, and can also cause smog in low-lying industrial areas.
Increased summer sunshine warms the surface layer of water in the lakes, making it lighter than the colder water below. In the fall and winter months, release of the heat stored in the lakes moderates the climate near the shores of the lakes. Parts of Southern Ontario, Michigan and western New York enjoy milder winters than similar mid-continental areas at lower latitudes.
In the autumn, the rapid movement and occasional clash of warm and cold air masses through the region produce strong winds. Air temperatures begin to drop gradually and less sunlight, combined with increased cloudiness, signal more storms and precipitation. Late autumn storms are often the most perilous for navigation and shipping on the lakes.
In winter, the Great Lakes region is affected by two major air masses. Arctic air from the northwest is very cold and dry when it enters the basin, but is warmed and picks up moisture traveling over the comparatively warmer lakes. When it reaches the land, the moisture condenses as snow, creating heavy snowfalls on the lee side of the lakes in areas frequently referred to as snowbelts. For part of the winter, the region is affected by Pacific air masses that have lost much of their moisture crossing the western mountains. Less frequently, air masses enter the basin from the southwest, bringing in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. This air is slightly warmer and more humid. During the winter, the temperature of the lakes continues to drop. Ice frequently covers Lake Erie but seldom fully covers the other lakes.
Spring in the Great Lakes region, like autumn, is characterized by variable weather. Alternating air masses move through rapidly, resulting in frequent cloud cover and thunderstorms. By early spring, the warmer air and increased sunshine begin to melt the snow and lake ice, starting again the thermal layering of the lakes. The lakes are slower to warm than the land and tend to keep adjacent land areas cool, thus prolonging cool conditions sometimes well into April. Most years, this delays the leafing and blossoming of plants, protecting tender plants, such as fruit trees, from late frosts. This extended state of dormancy allows plants from somewhat warmer climates to survive in the western shadow of the lakes. It is also the reason for the presence of vineyards in those areas.
Climate Change And The Great Lakes
At various times throughout its history, the Great Lakes basin has been covered by thick glaciers and tropical forests, but these changes occurred before humans occupied the basin. Present-day concern about the atmosphere is premised on the belief that society at large, through its means of production and modes of daily activity, especially by ever increasing carbon dioxide emissions, may be modifying the climate at a rate unprecedented in history.
The very prevalent 'greenhouse effect' is actually a natural phenomenon. It is a process by which water vapor and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere absorb heat given off by the earth and radiate it back to the surface. Consequently the earth remains warm and habitable (16°C average world temperature rather than -18°C without the greenhouse effect). However, humans have increased the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution from 280 parts per million to the present 350 ppm, and some predict that the concentration will reach twice its pre-industrial levels by the middle of the next century.
Climatologists, using the General Circulation Model (GCM), have been able to determine the manner in which the increase of carbon dioxide emissions will affect the climate in the Great Lakes basin. Several of these models exist and show that at twice the carbon dioxide level, the climate of the basin will be warmer by 2-4°C and slightly damper than at present. For example, Toronto's climate would resemble the present climate of southern Ohio. Warmer climates mean increased evaporation from the lake surfaces and evapotranspiration from the land surface of the basin. This in turn will augment the percentage of precipitation that is returned to the atmosphere. Studies have shown that the resulting net basin supply, the amount of water contributed by each lake basin to the overall hydrologic system, will be decreased by 23 to 50 percent. The resulting decreases in average lake levels will be from half a metre to two metres, depending on the GCM used.
Large declines in lake levels would create large-scale economic concern for the commercial users of the water system. Shipping companies and hydroelectric power companies would suffer economic repercussions, and harbors and marinas would be adversely affected. While the precision of such projections remains uncertain, the possibility of their accuracy embraces important long-term implications for the Great Lakes.
The potential effects of climate change on human health in the Great Lakes region are also of concern, and researchers can only speculate as to what might occur. For example, weather disturbances, drought, and changes in temperature and growing season could affect crops and food production in the basin. Changes in air pollution patterns as a result of climate change could affect respiratory health, causing asthma, and new disease vectors and agents could migrate into the region.
The Hydrologic Cycle
Water is a renewable resource. It is continually replenished in ecosystems through the hydrologic cycle. Water evaporates in contact with dry air, forming water vapor. The vapor can remain as a gas, contributing to the humidity of the atmosphere; or it can condense and form water droplets, which, if they remain in the air, form fog and clouds. In the Great Lakes basin, much of the moisture in the region evaporates from the surface of the lakes. Other sources of moisture include the surface of small lakes and tributaries, moisture on the land mass and water released by plants. Global movements of air also carry moisture into the basin, especially from the tropics.
Moisture-bearing air masses move through the basin and deposit their moisture as rain, snow, hail or sleet. Some of this precipitation returns to the atmosphere and some falls on the surfaces of the Great Lakes to become part of the vast quantity of stored fresh water once again. Precipitation that falls on the land returns to the lakes as surface runoff or infiltrates the soil and becomes groundwater.
Whether it becomes surface runoff or groundwater depends upon a number of factors. Sandy soils, gravels and some rock types contribute to groundwater flows, whereas clays and impermeable rocks contribute to surface runoff. Water falling on sloped areas tends to run off rapidly, while water falling on flat areas tends to be absorbed or stored on the surface. Vegetation also tends to decrease surface runoff; root systems hold moisture-laden soil readily, and water remains on plants.
Surface Runoff
Surface runoff is a major factor in the character of the Great Lakes basin. Rain falling on exposed soil tilled for agriculture or cleared for construction accelerates erosion and the transport of soil particles and pollutants into tributaries. Suspended soil particles in water are deposited as sediment in the lakes and often collect near the mouths of tributaries and connecting channels. Much of the sediment deposited in nearshore areas is resuspended and carried farther into the lake during storms. The finest particles (clays and silts) may remain in suspension long enough to reach the mid-lake areas.
Before settlement of the basin, streams typically ran clear year-round because natural vegetation prevented soil loss. Clearing of the original forest for agriculture and logging has resulted in both more erosion and runoff into the streams and lakes. This accelerated runoff aggravates flooding problems.
Wetlands are areas where the water table occurs above or near the land surface for at least part of the year. When open water is present, it must be less than two metres deep (seven feet), and stagnant or slow moving. The presence of excessive amounts of water in wetland regions has given rise to hydric soils, as well as encouraged the predominance of water tolerant (hydrophytic) plants and similar biological activity.
Four basic types of wetland are encountered in the Great Lakes basin: swamps, marshes, bogs and fens. Swamps are areas where trees and shrubs live on wet, organically rich mineral soils that are flooded for part or all of the year. Marshes develop in shallow standing water such as ponds and protected bays. Aquatic plants (such as species of rushes) form thick stands, which are rooted in sediments or become floating mats where the water is deeper. Swamps and marshes occur most frequently in the southern and eastern portions of the basin.
Bogs form in shallow stagnant water. The most characteristic plant species are the sphagnum mosses, which tolerate conditions that are too acidic for most other organisms. Dead sphagnum decomposes very slowly, accumulating in mats that may eventually become many metres thick and form a dome well above the original surface of the water. It is this material that is excavated and sold as peat moss. Peat also accumulates in fens. Fens develop in shallow, slowly moving water. They are less acidic than bogs and are usually fed by groundwater. Fens are dominated by sedges and grasses, but may include shrubs and stunted trees. Fens and bogs are commonly referred to as 'peatlands' and occur most frequently in the cooler northern and northwestern portions of the Great Lakes basin.
Wetlands serve important roles ecologically, economically and socially to the overall health and maintenance of the Great Lakes ecosystem. They provide habitats for many kinds of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else. For ducks, geese and other migratory birds, wetlands are the most important part of the migratory cycle, providing food, resting places and seasonal habitats. Economically, wetlands play an essential role in sustaining a productive fishery. At least 32 of the 36 species of Great Lakes fish studied depend on coastal wetlands for their successful reproduction. In addition to providing a desirable habitat for aquatic life, wetlands prevent damage from erosion and flooding, as well as controlling point and nonpoint source pollution.
Coastal wetlands along the Great Lakes include some sites that are recognized internationally for their outstanding biological significance. Examples included the Long Point complex and Point Pelee on the north shore of Lake Erie and the National Wildlife Area on Lake St. Clair. Long Point also was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Wetlands of the lower Great Lakes region have also been identified as a priority of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, an international agreement between governments and non-government organizations (NGOs) to conserve highly significant wetlands.
Although wetlands are a fundamentally important element of the Great Lakes ecosystem and are of obvious merit, their numbers continue to decline at an alarming rate. Over two-thirds of the Great Lakes wetlands have already been lost and many of those remaining are threatened by development, drainage or pollution.
Groundwater is important to the Great Lakes ecosystem because it provides a reservoir for storing water and slowly replenishing the lakes in the form of base flow in the tributaries. It is also a source of drinking water for many communities in the Great Lakes basin. Shallow groundwater also provides moisture to plants.
As water passes through subsurface areas, some substances are filtered out, but some materials in the soils become dissolved or suspended in the water. Salts and minerals in the soil and bedrock are the source of what is referred to as 'hard' water, a common feature of well water in the lower Great Lakes basin.
Groundwater can also pick up materials of human origin that have been buried in dumps and landfill sites. Groundwater contamination problems can occur in both urban-industrial and agricultural areas. Protection and inspection of groundwater is essential to protect the quality of the entire water supply consumed by basin populations, because the underground movement of water is believed to be a major pathway for the transport of pollution to the Great Lakes. Groundwater may discharge directly to the lakes or indirectly as base flow to the tributaries.
Lake Levels
The Great Lakes are part of the global hydrologic system. Prevailing westerly winds continuously carry moisture into the basin in air masses from other parts of the continent. At the same time, the basin loses moisture in departing air masses by evaporation and transpiration, and through the outflow of the St. Lawrence River. Over time, the quantity lost equals what is gained, but lake levels can vary substantially over short-term, seasonal and long-term periods.
Day-to-day changes are caused by winds that push water on shore. This is called 'wind set-up' and is usually associated with a major lake storm, which may last for hours or days. Another extreme form of oscillation, known as a 'seiche', occurs with rapid changes in winds and barometric pressure.
Annual or seasonal variations in water levels are based mainly on changes in precipitation and runoff to the Great Lakes. Generally, the lowest levels occur in winter when much of the precipitation is locked up in ice and snow on land, and dry winter air masses pass over the lakes enhancing evaporation. Levels are highest in summer after the spring thaw when runoff increases.
The irregular long-term cycles correspond to long-term trends in precipitation and temperature, the causes of which have yet to be adequately explained. Highest levels occur during periods of abundant precipitation and lower temperatures that decrease evaporation. During periods of high lake levels, storms cause considerable flooding and shoreline erosion, which often result in property damage. Much of the damage is attributable to intensive shore development, which alters protective dunes and wetlands, removes stabilizing vegetation, and generally reduces the ability of the shoreline to withstand the damaging effects of wind and waves.
The International Joint Commission, the binational agency established under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 between Canada and the U.S., has the responsibility for regulation of flows on the St. Marys and the St. Lawrence Rivers. These channels have been altered by enlargement and placement of control works associated with deep-draft shipping. Agreements between the U.S. and Canada govern the flow through the control works on these connecting channels.
The water from Lake Michigan flows to Lake Huron through the Straits of Mackinac. These straits are deep and wide, resulting in Lakes Michigan and Huron standing at the same elevation. There are no artificial controls on the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers that could change the flow from the Michigan-Huron Lakes system into Lake Erie. The outflow of Lake Erie via the Niagara River is also uncontrolled, except for some diversion of water through the Welland Canal. A large percentage of the Niagara River flow is diverted through hydroelectric power plants at Niagara Falls, but this diversion has no effect on lake levels.
Studies of possible further regulation of flows and lake levels have concluded that natural fluctuation is huge compared with the influence of existing control works. Further regulation by engineering systems could not be justified in light of the cost and other impacts. Just one inch (two and a half centimetres) of water on the surface of Lakes Michigan and Huron amounts to more than 36 billion cubic metres of water (about 1,260 billion cubic feet).
Lake Processes: Stratification And Turnover
The Great Lakes are not simply large containers of uniformly mixed water. They are, in fact, highly dynamic systems with complex processes and a variety of subsystems that change seasonally and on longer cycles.
The stratification or layering of water in the lakes is due to density changes caused by changes in temperature. The density of water increases as temperature decreases until it reaches its maximum density at about 4° Celsius (39° Fahrenheit). This causes thermal stratification, or the tendency of deep lakes to form distinct layers in the summer months. Deep water is insulated from the sun and stays cool and more dense, forming a lower layer called the 'hypolimnion'. Surface and nearshore waters are warmed by the sun, making them less dense so that they form a surface layer called the 'epilimnion'. As the summer progresses, temperature differences increase between the layers. A thin middle layer, or 'thermocline', develops in which a rapid transition in temperature occurs.
The warm epilimnion supports most of the life in the lake. Algal production is greatest near the surface where the sun readily penetrates. The surface layer is also rich in oxygen, which is mixed into the water from the atmosphere. A second zone of high productivity exists just above the hypolimnion, due to upward diffusion of nutrients. The hypolimnion is less productive because it receives less sunlight. In some areas, such as the central basin of Lake Erie, it may lack oxygen because of decomposition of organic matter.
In late fall, surface waters cool, become denser and descend, displacing deep waters and causing a mixing or turnover of the entire lake. In winter, the temperature of the lower parts of the lake approaches 4° Celsius (39° Fahrenheit), while surface waters are cooled to the freezing point and ice can form. As temperatures and densities of deep and shallow waters change with the warming of spring, another turnover may occur. However, in most cases the lakes remain mixed throughout the winter.
The layering and turnover of water annually are important for water quality. Turnover is the main way in which oxygen-poor water in the deeper areas of the lakes can be mixed with surface water containing more dissolved oxygen. This prevents anoxia, or complete oxygen depletion, of the lower levels of most of the lakes. However, the process of stratification during the summer also tends to restrict dilution of pollutants from effluents and land runoff.
During the spring warming period, the rapidly warming nearshore waters are inhibited from moving to the open lake by a thermal bar, a sharp temperature gradient that prevents mixing until the sun warms the open lake surface waters or until the waters are mixed by storms. Because the thermal bar holds pollutants nearshore, they are not dispersed to the open waters and can become more concentrated within the nearshore areas.
Living Resources
As an ecosystem, the Great Lakes basin is a unit of nature in which living organisms and nonliving things interact adaptively. An ecosystem is fueled by the sun, which provides energy in the form of light and heat. This energy warms the earth, the water and the air, causing winds, currents, evaporation and precipitation. The light energy of the sun is essential for the photosynthesis of green plants in water and on land. Plants grow when essential nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen are present with oxygen, inorganic carbon and adequate water.
Plant material is consumed in the water by zooplankton, which graze the waters for algae, and on land by plant-eating animals (herbivores). Next in the chain of energy transfer through the ecosystem are organisms that feed on other animals (carnivores) and those that feed on both animals and plants (omnivores). Together these levels of consumption constitute the food chain, or web, a system of energy transfers through which an ecological community consisting of a complex of species is sustained. The population of each species is determined by a system of checks and balances based on factors such as the availability of food and the presence of predators, including disease organisms.
Every ecosystem also includes numerous processes to break down accumulated biomass (plants, animals and their wastes) into the constituent materials and nutrients from which they originated. Decomposition involves micro-organisms that are essential to the ecosystem because they recycle matter that can be used again.
Stable ecosystems are sustained by the interactions that cycle nutrients and energy in a balance between available resources and the life that depends on those resources. In ecosystems, including the Great Lakes basin, everything depends on everything else and nothing is ever really wasted.
The ecosystem of the Great Lakes and the life supported within it have continuously altered with time. Through periods of climate change and glaciation, species moved in and out of the region; some perished and others pioneered under changed circumstances. None of the changes, however, has been as rapid as that which occurred with the arrival of European settlers.
When the first Europeans arrived in the basin nearly 400 years ago, it was a lush, thickly vegetated area. Vast timber stands, consisting of oaks, maples and other hardwoods dominated the southern areas. Only a very few small vestiges of the original forest remain today. Between the wooded areas were rich grasslands with growth as high as 2 or 3 metres (7 to 10 feet). In the north, coniferous forests occupied the shallow, sandy soils, interspersed by bogs and other wetlands.
The forest and grasslands supported a wide variety of life, such as moose in the wetlands and coniferous woods, and deer in the grasslands and brush forests of the south. The many waterways and wetlands were home to beaver and muskrat which, with the fox, wolf and other fur-bearing species, inhabited the mature forest lands. These were trapped and traded as commodities by the native people and the Europeans. Abundant bird populations thrived on the various terrains, some migrating to the south in winter, others making permanent homes in the basin.
It is estimated that there were as many as 180 species of fish indigenous to the Great Lakes. Those inhabiting the nearshore areas included smallmouth and largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike and channel catfish. In the open water were lake herring, blue pike, lake whitefish, walleye, sauger, freshwater drum, lake trout and white bass. Because of the differences in the characteristics of the lakes, the species composition varied for each of the Great Lakes. Warm, shallow Lake Erie was the most productive, while deep Superior was the least productive.
Changes in the species composition of the Great Lakes basin in the last 200 years have been the result of human activities. Many native fish species have been lost by overfishing, habitat destruction or the arrival of exotic or non-indigenous species, such as the lamprey and the alewife. Pollution, especially in the form of nutrient loading and toxic contaminants, has placed additional stresses on fish populations. Other human-made stresses have altered reproductive conditions and habitats, causing some varieties to migrate or perish. Still other effects on lake life result from damming, canal building, altering or polluting tributaries to the lakes in which spawning takes place and where distinct ecosystems once thrived and contributed to the larger basin ecosystem.
Introduction: The Great Lakes
Natural Processes in the Great Lakes
People & The Great Lakes
The Great Lakes Today - Concerns
Joint Management of the Great Lakes
New Directions for the Great Lakes Community
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
Pirate Fest
Treasure Hunt
Coloring Contest
KIDS Site
Great Lakes
Real Pirates
The Golden Age
Famous Pirates
Ancient Piracy
Pirate Hunters
Pirate Ships
Pirate Weapons
Pirate Flags
Pirate Code
Pirate Places
all in one


text:
Do you think Hasbro should make this Playskool set and if they did would you but it?
Do you think Hasbro should make this Playskool set and if they did would you but it?
I feel a great disturbance in the Force.
I can't think of too many Playskool sets from the OT that I wouldn't buy! I think these are some of the most fun Star Wars toys Hasbro has put out in the past 5 years and we DEFINITELY need more.
Another set I'd like to see, just off the top of my head, is a TIE Fighter set with another Stormtrooper, TIE Pilot, and maybe an Imperial Probe droid or something.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.
This would be a cool set. I'm with JT on this one, there aren't many sets from the OT I wouldn't buy.
May the force be with you.
me and my nephew would love to see more play school sets. especially an at-at, we would also love to see a tie fighter set with a tie fighter pilot, a death star gunner and may be a fleet trooper. we have all the sets and we play with them but there are not enough bad guys and no bad guys ships. or may be a skiff set with lando and boba fett and a han in carbonite.
the best stuff about the play scool line is that it keeps him from touching my figures.
AS cutsie as these toys are, I just can't get into them so I voted no because I don't buy any of the playschool sets. If I had kids, it would be another story and I would buy them specifically for my "would-be" children.
GIGANTA: A robot that automatically produces fun!
I'm not a fan of the playschool line. It's just too cartoony. They don't seem to have much display or collectable value either. There's plenty of other stuff I think we could be petishining Hasbro for. Granted, if I had kids, I agree, I would deffinatly buy these for them, but I don't, so I won't.
I don't see what the big deal is with these sets. Maybe its a "I have kids" thing (no offense). These sets are cool for really young children but for me as a collector, I'd rather Hasbro spend time sculpting all of those OT figures we still need. With the price, I am still not sure if I would buy them for my children. They should be happy with plain toys. But anyways...just my opinion.
One way to out think people is to make them think you think they'll think what you are not really trying to get them to think what you think.
i have no children to play with my playskool sets. i've boughten all of them i could find (still missing the endor set). i'd buy any playskool sets if still done in the same cartoonish/young style as the ones we have.
my main complaint with them echoes everyone else, we need more bad guys and have no imperial ships. they made a wampa, so i really want a jabba set with jabba, rancor, guard and leia (although she's probably too undressed for a kids set).
bring back the playskool sets. give us more, more i say.
For those voting "no" or those not seeing what the big deal with these is, how many of you have actually played with these sets in person? When these first came out, I didn't think much of them either but after Thrawn gushed about how great the sets he bought were, I gave 'em a chance and immediately dug 'em.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.
I would so be all over that set! I have kids but that set would me MINE, ALL MINE!
And, where'd the art work come from, SirSteve? Seems mighty "official-like" to me.....


text:
Contact Pacific Southwest Waste Program
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
California Waste Programs
|State & Local Partnerships Quick Finder
|Waste Partners Home
|Pacific Islands
Hazardous Waste
|California Department of Toxic Substances Control
|(916) 324-1826
|Region 1, Sacramento
|(916) 255-3618
|Region 2, Berkeley
|(510) 540-3739
|Region 3, Burbank
|(818) 551-2830
|Region 4, Cypress
|(714) 484-5400
|Non-RCRA Notification / ID Number Information Line
|(916) 255-3618
|Biennial Report
|(916) 322-2880 or
(916) 322-5585
|California State Water Resources Control Board
|Underground Storage Tank Section
|(916) 227-4400
|Alameda County Waste Management Authority &
Source Reduction and Recycling Board
|(510) 614-1699
Municipal Solid Waste
California received approval from EPA for its solid waste program in September of 1993. The California Integrated Waste Management Board administers the states program.
California State Agencies
CalRecycle is the home of California's recycling and waste reduction efforts. Officially known as the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, CalRecycle is a new department within the California Natural Resources Agency and administers programs formerly managed by the State's Integrated Waste Management Board and Division of Recycling.
The State Water Resources Control Board's "Land Disposal Program" implements waste discharge requirements in order to protect California's water quality. This includes the regulation of waste discharge for treatment, storage, and disposal in waste management units such as waste piles, surface impoundments, and landfills.
Another resource in California is the Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling which administers the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, established in 1986. The primary goal of the Act is to achieve and maintain high recycling rates for each beverage container type included in the program. The Division provides a number of services to achieve these goals, including enforcement, auditing, grant funding, technical assistance and education.
California Solid Waste Grants
California has grant programs that assist local agencies in developing and maintaining their waste reduction initiatives. In 1997, California distributed approximately $20.4 million in grants for such purposes.
California State Contacts
California Integrated Waste Management Board
Manager - Recycling Business Assistance Branch
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
(916) 341-6532
Fax: (916) 319-7234
Landfill - Permitting and Enforcement Contacts
Scott Walker (firstname.lastname@example.com)
California Integrated Waste Management Board
Manager - Remediation, Closure and Technical Services
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
(916) 341-6319
Fax: (916) 319-7469
Joe Mello (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Land Disposal Program Manager
Water Resources Control Board
Division of Clean Water Programs
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax:(916) 341-5709


text:
Used Nokia Cellphones Deals from $0.00 to $0.00
Waiting for your contract to be up to buy another cell phone is often more expensive than buying a used phone in the middle of your contract. At Cellular Country, you can get a nice phone in excellent or better condition that you can pick. Because we have such a large amount of inventory, we often have a larger selection than any cell phone store. We have items in stock ranging in price from $9.99 to $64.99. All of our smartphones are in stock at our facility and will arrive at your home as soon as tomorrow. For replacement phones, Cellular Country is your only source. All you have to do is browse our enormous selection of accessories and refurbished phones and pick the phone that is right for you. We even offer discounted accessories, including bluetooth headsets, cases, screen protectors, and anything else you might want for your next cell phone. Cellular Country is the only place on the web where you should get your next replacement cell phone or between contract upgrade. Just browse our enormous selection and pick your next phone. Your next phone will be in your hands before you know it!
Related Categories


text:
Well, I was going through some old star wars stuff I collected and came across all of my dixie cups I saved from the 3 movies. I was just wondering if anyone else used or collected/saved these hillarious little cups?
I also have a bunch of little ~inch x ~inch paper cards from the Empire series of dixie cups. Does anyone have these or know how many there were in the set as I have a bunch of doubles and wouldn't mind trading for ones I don't have?


text:
I learned bookkeeping on Khan Academy with the two types of accounting: accrual basis and cash accounting. Assets, liabilities and equity words entered my head, currently busy with some Khan brain teasers.
And I managed to solve all currently published exercises on Khan Academy (129/129) :-) Kudos to my TI-89 which helped me out so many times! However, the unknown and legendary Black Hole badges aren't yet in my journeyer backpack... And to earn them, it is currently impossible because... the answer is ... hidden in Kahn's source code. Check badges/point_badges.py and exercise_completion_count_badges.py to unveil the secret...
Fabian Bellard's scientific web calculator is very powerful! I discovered it today while reading an advogato entry on him!
My academic career was a failure, but fortunately my khanacademic career is skyroketing :-). These days, I watched videos on Thermodynamics (in Chemistry section). I had a deep look at the Carnot Cycle, at adjabatic and isothermic processes and at the entropy definition, and the Maxwell's demon was lurking all the time.
I watched videos in history from French revolution, through Napoleon's rise and until his fall, and I felt sympathetic with people in the Haitian revolution and was scared by the dishonest debt they had to pay until 1947! In my previous history courses I had a more theoretical approach to the French revolution: we discussed in deep all Illuministic theories, but I completeley missed the stuff going on in Europe in 1789-1815. In the end, the Swiss constitution was enforced by Napoleon... I wonder how I could visit London and Paris without knowing what I do now... I practiced with exercises on the Academy site, too. To date, I watched 124 videos and solved 104 exercices. My goal is to earn at least one of the two unknown Black Hole badges!
As my one and one half year old daughter is learning by imitation, I decided to do the same! I equipped myself with an Aiptek 10000U (for about 130 Swiss francs) and bought Screenvideorecorder for another 40 bucks. I then created a tutorial video on how to compute the gamma factor of special relativity. English, audio and overall handling are experimental! (what else would you expect from dangermouse? ;-)
I also created 7 videos on how deltasql works and put an old introduction to the GPU project on Youtube.
I am very happy on how Joomla manages the site of our local boy scout group. People keep sending me articles and in a matter of minutes I get them online.
Excel SUMIFS function
It adds the cells in a range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) that meet multiple criteria. For example, if you want to sum the numbers in the range A1:A20 only if the corresponding numbers in B1:B20 are greater than zero (0) and the corresponding numbers in C1:C20 are less than 10, you can use the following formula:
I recently saw SUMIFS used as an extended VLOOKUP with more than one cell which needed to match.
There is an interplanetary internet, and there may exist an internet between civilizations running at tachyonic speed. This time I ventured into
Another Internet
It starts with configuring the DNS servers with ones published at the OpenNIC project. You need to configure both primary and secondary DNS. Configuring only the primary DNS does not work, as the algorithm always chooses the DNS entry with lower network latency. After configuration, you still are able to surf on the usual Internet, but you also opened a little door to domains like .geek, .bbs and .telnet.
On the wiki of OpenNiC there are very few links, and in the beginning I was disappointed of such few links. Then I learnt of the specular search engine http://grep.geek. By searching for keywords like Blog or Chat you get to view some of the most accurate blogs and interesting chatrooms, especially for people who like to code.
Pioneer Anomaly solved with heat model
Pioneer space probes are the farthest human made objects from the Earth. In a previous post I explained how to connect to the JPL server via telnet and get their current distance from Earth.
Pioneer space probes feel an additional force towards the sun in the order of magnitude of about a_pioneer ~= H*c, which is also the one predicted by Modified Newton Dynamics theories to empirically explain the flat shape of radial velocity curves observed in galaxies. Currently, the the best theories to explain the galactic radial velocity anomaly are ones that look at the Universe at as inhomogeneous sponge. I hope the dark matters theories will be then finally wiped out, as to me they look as a revival of the theories on ether used before Einstein to explain the Michelson-Morley experiment. Also to have so much dark and heavy things passing through my body without interfering with it does not make me feel confortable at all. Springtime is time to give a compete cleanup to the Universe, it's needed once in a while :-)
The GPU project was looking for a solution of the Pioneer Anomaly. It ported source code from the Orsa Project made by Pasquale Tricarico from C to Delphi and experimented a bit with special physics without further success. It was not possible to replicate the linear shift of the signal received from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory dued to the pioneer anomalous acceleration towards the sun.
There is now an article here, that explains how the anomaly can be explained with 1970s computer graphics (basically a more advanced heat model as the one presented in the original Anderson et al. paper about the anomaly). The paper with the heat model explanation is on Arxiv and awaits confirmation from other scientific teams.
How seismic waves tell us about the inner Earth core
The GPU project was also experimenting with seismic sensors. Nanobit built one (picture) and I also built one with a 3D accelerometer on top of a coil. This series of 6 videos on seismic waves by Khan Academy explain very well the types of seismic waves, why Secondary waves travel only into solids (and in pudding :-), the curved path of refracted waves due to the density differences, the S-Wave shadow zone beginning from 105 degrees, and the P-Wave shadow zones. The seismic waves indirectly tell us how the inner Earth core is made, even if none of us digged that deep. Humankind only scratched the surface of Earth!
Learning the periodic table of the elements
The Fukushima accident made me courious of chemistry, and I sorted out an old periodic table of the chemical elements I was using in school. It has a list of the radioctive elements and their half decay time. I then realized that I did not understand anymore why the table was organized in this way. To be honest, I never understood it! I then took time to watch the introductory course on Chemistry by Khan Academy. The first ten videos explained me much more in detail how the periodic table works. In particular, I can do electronic configurations which was never taught in my chemistry course, and I understand a bit why metals are placed in the 'd' configuration. Metals and salts I already knew from before. And the f configuration at the bottom is for the heavier elements, which in principle should be moved between earth alcali and transitive metals, for the electronic configuration process.
IRC chat primer
I use on Gentoo weechat-curses as IRC chat terminal (emerge -av weechat-curses to install it).
Some topics in maths I did not knew or refreshed with Khan Academy are: Laplace Transforms, Convolution Theorem, Dirac Delta function, Taylor Theorem, Implicit differentation, insights in Chain rule, Conic Sections (foci of Ellipse, Hyperbola, and Parabola with Directrix), partial fraction expansion, l'Hôpital rule, surface integrals... I also learned a bit finance on forward contracts, futures and the margin mechanism I can use on the job. Sal, you are great!
Useful git hints
These git hints are taken from the Linux Magazine, article "Git in der Praxis".
git config --global user.name Danger Mouse git config --global user.email email@example.com
git config --global color.diff auto git config --global color.status auto git config --global color.branch auto
cd myproject git init git add . git commit
git commit -a -m "these are the changes" git push
git branch Refactor #switch to branch git checkout Refactor #back to master git checkout master
git checkout -b Refactor
git checkout master git merge Refactor
git tag -a "Tag_1.3.6" -m "new tag at version 1.3.6"
# on branch Refactor git commit git checkout master git pull git checkout Refactor git rebase master # repair conflicts git commit git format-patch master --stdout > mybugfix-patch.diff
I am also trying to understand a bit of this book:
The book is centered around Möbius transformations and Schottky circles. Möbius transformations
f(z) := (az+b)/(cz+d)are visualized as compositons of affine projections (az+b) and of projections on the Riemann's sphere 1/(cz+d) of the complex plane. They are at the ground of Beltrami disk (on page 379) and represent a non-euclidean geometry for which the parallel postulate is not valid. Schottky circles are generated by two Möbius maps which project one circle a into a circle A and another circle b into a circle B. With a breadth-first or depth first algorithm all set of reduced words (e.g AbBb reduces to Ab) are generated, and interesting pictures come out. Like the glowing gasket by Apollonius, invented in 220 BC, which is also the best way to pack as many tangent circles as possible (apollonian packing). The most famous fractal (Mandelbrot's apple) shortly appears at page 291.
Debian Squeeze
When installing Debian Squeeze, the partition with Windows XP was not recognized. Normally I adjust /boot/grub/menu.lst but this time the file was missing.
os-prober grub-updatedid it....
As "scientist of information", you might find these tricks with M$ tools useful:
Creating SQL statements out of an Excel table with
An insert:
=CONCATENATE("INSERT INTO tbdata(id, name, address) VALUES(";A1;"'";A2;"'";"'";A3;"'";");");
Or an update:
=CONCATENATE("UPDATE tbdata SET name='";A1;"');");
Lookup table in Excel
=VLOOKUP(C3;$L2:$O$25;3;FALSE);This formula looks up for the value in C3 in the table $L$2:$O$25 and returns values in the 3 column where C3 was found. It's a vertical lookup.
Importing Excel tables into access With File->Import->LInk External Table it is possible to import Excel tables into Access and then with SQL queries to extract data from them. However, I learnt that there is a limitation in the complexity of queries you can launch. I always switch from 'Design view' into 'SQL view' when creating queries.
For the interoperability of the Deltasql project, I setup a MS SQL server 2008 instance...
Installing SQL server
Downloading and installing it is easy, but at the end you need to assign a port to it, else the thing won't work. Might sound simple, but I assumed this step was automated by the install procedure. At best, you install it without touching defaults and as last step tweak it to open say port 2345 on TCP/IP protocol. Only after this step, you'll be able to connect with SQL Server Management studio client.
I still think that Oracle and Postgres are the high end of the database offer. However, I see once again how Microsoft is eating more and more of the lower segment. I know many little companies (10-30 employees) which now use some accounting solution based on SQL server. Still, sometimes at work I am puzzled and wonder if the transaction integrity of SQL server is always guaranteed, when under heavy load...
Tips to install Gentoo
I used an old CD to reinstall the latest Gentoo on andromeda, but failed due to some kernel issue with udev after several tries. I then decide to install Debian Squeeze, as I did not want to recompile everything on this old toaster (1GHz, 512 RAM) :-) As side effect I learned that it is always best to use the latest image of Gentoo install CD to get it running 8-)
An update on Fukushima Nuclear accident by Barry Brook is here.
In my humble opinion, the events shaking the world now, the nuclear accident in Japan and the arabic spring are epochal events, comparable to the fall of the wall in 1989 and 11 September attacks in 2001! They will shape the next decade...
New HTML Parser: The long-awaited libxml2 based HTML parser code is live. It needs further work but already handles most markup better than the original parser.
Keep up with the latest Advogato features by reading the Advogato status blog.
If you're a C programmer with some spare time, take a look at the mod_virgule project page and help us with one of the tasks on the ToDo list!