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British lord sets new world electric vehicle speed record
Former UK science minister crushes 39-year speed barrier
Video Former UK science minister Lord Paul Drayson has piloted his Drayson Racing Lola B12 69/EV Le Mans Prototype to a new world's electric-vehicle speed record of 204.185mph (328.6kph).
"It is not the outright speed of 204.185mph that is most impressive about this record, but the engineering challenge of accelerating a 1000kg electric vehicle on a short runway over a measured mile," said Lord Drayson in a statement.
"This is a true celebration of Britain's leading position within the burgeoning electric vehicle industry," Drayson said, "and I'm delighted to be at the forefront of this electric revolution."
The previous electric-vehicle speed record of 174.918mph had stood for 39 years after being set on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1974 by Roger Hedlund in the chain-driven Battery Box, powered by a 25-horsepower General Electric forklift motor.
Drayson and his Lola B12 69/EV set the new record not on the wide-open spaces of the Salt Flats, but instead on a 3,000-meter runway at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire, England, this Tuesday.
The Battery Box set its 1974 record while powered by 28 12-volt lead-acid Diehard batteries
To achieve official Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) certification for his record run in the under-1,000 kilogram class, Drayson and his Lola B12 69/EV had to complete two runs in opposite directions within one hour – which he did handily, with the first run hitting 203.75mph, and the second, 204.62mph.
To put Drayson's achievement in some perspective, the current land speed record for a wheel-driven vehicle is 439.562mph, was set in 2012 by George Poteet in the Speed Demon, powered by a four-cylinder Mopar A4 Midget racing engine, and the land speed record for any vehicle is 763.035mph, set in 1997 by Andy Green in the ThrustSSC, powered by dual afterburning Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines.
Still, 204.185mph isn't exactly chopped liver. For example, Nissan's recently announced 700-kilogram ZEOD RC, which it plans to enter in next year's Le Mans endurance race, has a design goal of only 300kph (186.4mph). Perhaps its driver will be viewing the taillights of Drayson's Lola B12 69/EV. ®
Google chairman Eric Schmidt was on hand to view the record attempt. "What I like about this," Schmidt said, "is that this is a statement of British innovation in an area that I care passionately about" – presumably referring to electric vehicles, and not North Yorkshire.
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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Seriously, as long as you keep buying from them, do you think they give a shit about your "gamers bill of rights"? Here is how EA looks at rights: "We've got a right to your money, you've got a right to give us your money and STFU." And as long as you keep playing that game, they're going to keep screwing you.
Why should they care if the game actually works? They got your money and they know that no matter how much you bitch, you'll be standing right there in line for the next one--begging to be butt-raped by EA *yet again*.
Oh, and my favorite quote from the article:
This was loosely based on the Gamers' Bill of Rights website, which hasn't been updated in three years
Yeah, fight the power. Such a powerful and organized movement must be giving EA nightmares, while they sleep on a big pile of your money.
Harsch but true. I guess there are a few questions to be answered:
If the answer to these questions are all "no", then it does not matter much what EA does, except the usual moral issues about parting a fool from his money.
*shrug* if other big game manufacturers see EA's model working, then guess what.
In regards to #3: EA damages the industry by buying up smaller studios and diverting their profits into non-innovative game designs and rehashed sequels. They consume talented developers who could be working on titles that are more friendly to enlightened gamers—and, as Synerg1y said, they make other publishers want to copy them, further reducing the amount of money and talent invested into friendly games.
In regards to #2: Spore is a prominent example of a game that had many people excited when it was first announced. It was (almost?) entirely because of EA's DRM and business practices that it fell flat.
In regards to #1: EA may choose to buy out those companies or inspire them to lose interest in serving enlightened gamers. (See above.)
I'm pretty sure it was "meh" because of EA again... I remember reading an interview saying that a good chunk of what the game ought to have been was pulled and the game dumbed down significantly to "broaden the audience".
Is it likely that EA will release a game that "pro gamers" want to play? A game that is not a glorified FarmVille.
SimCity existed way before FarmVille. If anything, FarmVille is a dumbed down SimCity rather than SimCity being a glorified FarmVille.
Some of us who have been playing computer games for 30 years remember SimCity and SimCity 2000 quite fondly. I'm not sure what you define as a "pro gamer", but as a long time gamer, I'd love to give SimCity 5 a go to see if I like it, but EA and their draconian attitude towards their customers means I won't.
I think that's a shame.
and "multiplayer servers shall remain active for at least 3 years".
I have a problem with this guideline. I really do. There should, in all cases of multiplayer networked capability, be a direct connection ability and/or a server program that you can download and install. This was pretty standard not too long ago, where you could set up a private server if you wanted to. It should be standard again. If you buy something, the product should not have a lifespan the ends with no usability. It should end with no further support, where the user can install and tweak and run in 20+ years.
This is true, but there's no way to tell a company that they haven't got your money for a specific reason. A game flops when people don't buy DRM stuff(or more accurately the informed audience doesn't and the game does slightly worse than average), and EA just says "oh, no one wants complex city-builders anymore, let's just put that money back into the sports and shovelware departments."
There needs to be some way of specifically telling companies: We don't want to be abused.
There needs to be some way of specifically telling companies: We don't want to be abused.
The current favored method appears to be reviews on Amazon.
It doesn't matter. Companies won't hear that. If their numbers don't suck, abusing the customers is vindicated. If the numbers do suck, they'll trot out their usual bogeymen and blame piracy, with healthy manure-carts full of (synthesized) market evidence.
I wouldn't predicate any action of mine on the expectation of some desirable outcome from another, especially any other which has proven to be so amoral and abusive. Instead, for your own sanity and self-satisfaction, just break it off and let them sink or swim in their own sewage. Find a game publisher that isn't abusing you--maybe a good indy, for instance--and make them a success.
Companies won't hear that. If their numbers don't suck, abusing the customers is vindicated.
Amazon pulled SimCity from its store due to poor customer reception. That means zero sales from one of the largest online stores worldwide. Call me crazy, but I think their numbers might go down because of that.
In this case, probably the best way is to back Civitas [kickstarter.com] on Kickstarter: It appears to be SimCity the way EA should have done it. If they succeed widely while SimCity flops, then it's fairly clear that it was EA's approach to that was the killer, not the type of game.
If anything, we just need a more organized boycott method.
Sure, most of the fine folk here on
SimCity is a perfect storm of problems too, which can be used as an example. It's a
The Free Software Foundation [fsf.org] campaign about this all the time, and have for some time now. They do have the organisational structure to do this.
But nobody listens, because they also care about linux and free software in general, and that's eww hairy nerds, don't take my capitalism! Maybe if angry gamers would join up, they would get the manpower to actually get heard.
No, nobody listens to them because everybody only hears the vocal whackjobs who insist that if you pay even one red cent for software and if you can't do any and everything with it than it is a crime against humanity. God forbid you can't see every line of code. I like the FSF and the EFF. I am a fan and a supporter of the GNU project and FOSS in general. However it sometimes feels like it has been taken over by the crazies. No different from every other social movement.
If anything, we just need a more organized boycott method.
Strategic consumption is the grassroots political movement of the future.
Nothing else makes any sense. Nothing else will have any impact.
But it has to happen before we go much farther down the road of corporate consumption. What are we, down to 3 national airlines now? Every time a company gains what they call "pricing power" it means they can exercise their will on consumers more freely.
It's going to require a big company or two getting a consumer-initiated "death penalty" before they get the message. A national company is going to have to go tits up after a concerted and publicized boycott, and then you'll see things change.
Any suggestions on who should be first?
Any suggestions on who should be first?
I still think Sony. Rootkit and Linux on the PS3...
Oh, and my favorite quote from the article:
This was loosely based on the Gamers' Bill of Rights website, which hasn't been updated in three years>
Well, yeah, how long since the other Bill of Rights got updated?
Updating just for the sake of change is folly.
Some of the sites I go to haven't had their content updated in ten years or more. RFCs, for example.
That said, I disagree that there should be a Gamer's Bill of Rights. That's the same as giving carte blanche to anything else.
A few organized boycotts would be far better.
Skyrim uses Steam, pretty sure you can play it offline, but what if you couldn't? Would you still buy it? I would. They get away with this type of DRM because they understand gamers better than some understand themselves. A must have title is just that must have, bugs and drm are secondary. That and piracy... piracy has hit the gaming industry hard, and now we're left with less video games and less producers again leading back to bolder DRM attempts and even computer infringement.
That has left the door wide open for EA, who has pretty consistent revenue from it's sports titles to step in and definite how big corporate America should run the gaming industry. Now we're pretty much fucked.
Ahhh... the piracy argument. Which has hit the game industry hard since the early 80ies. I have magazines here from 1981 where the publishers whine about piracy and how it will make sure that there will be no computer games in the future.
And it's the same, every year. The business just grows and grows, people spend more and more money on computer games. But no, the piracy will kill the industry, look at the evil pirates, forcing us to make half-finished games with mandatory DLC.
So very true. I thank the heavens every day for the crack scene - I have original games from the mid-1980s which would be unplayable if it weren't for THG, RAZOR 1911, and others like them. I probably spend at least $100 on games per month, but I won't put my money into any title until a crack is available. EA, Blizzard, and other companies have lost thousands - perhaps even tens of thousands - of dollars of my money because of their godawful DRM, and the problem is only getting worse. Starcraft II, Diablo 3, and now SimCity, for instance - all are games I would have loved to play, but only when they're unencumbered.
And don't get me started on steam or battle.net, either. I don't rent games!
A boycott is still the way to go. Here's what happens with a "Gamers' Bill of Rights": hours, days, weeks, months, etc, spent working on the language, gauging support among various publishers, educating the public, etc. The result is that EA says they aren't going to support it, using the same type of reverse logic that companies originally used to call DRM a feature ("it helps you manage your rights!"). In the end, EA still does whatever they want to do, and people are still left with the option to eith
You have the right not to buy horrible shitty games. Is that so hard?
We had the forced online and similarly unplayable launch of Diablo III.
We? We had no such thing. We had the option to not purchase the game. Many of us took that option.
You can only complain if such requirements aren't publicized. In most cases, these requirements were made clear not only prior to sale, but prior to the game's release. If you didn't want it, why did you buy it?
All my imaginary mod points to you sir.
So far I have just avoided buying these games. EA, Ubisoft and Blizzard have made it very clear they do not want my money. No problem I can spend it elsewhere.
I disagree. Having a requirement to connect to their servers does not and should not imply that those servers will be unavailable for extended lengths of time. You might argue caveat emptor, but the fact of the matter is that there is no legal recourse in many places when a game is unplayable. If I take the shrink wrap off a game and through no fault of my own the game is unplayable, I should be entitled to a refund. It doesn't matter if the cause of that is undocumented requirements, an unstable game, or lack of server capacity.
I'm no expert on this area of law, but my very strong suspicion is that you are actually entitled to a refund regardless of what EA tells you if you buy the game and it just doesn't work through no fault of your own. If there's anyone out there who has a more informed opinion than mine, I'd be very happy to hear it.
It's the kind of thing that is legally almost certainly true, but to actually verify it you would literally have to take them to court over it. At best you could document your attempts to return it and the reasons why and then dispute the charges on your credit card. Consumer protection laws in the US have very few, very dull teeth.
It will eventually.
If you buy a game that has to connect to the company's servers they will at some point stop supporting that. You should know that up front. So long as you never want to play Medal of Duty 8: Call of Honor in a couple years feel free to buy, otherwise stay away.
What sucks is when they screw you over with updates after you give them your money. I can think of a few recent titles, such as MechWarrior Online and Guild Wars 2. I'll never get my money back, but they'll never get another dollar from me either. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...
I gambled on buying it because Blizzard has a history of being good to gamers so I figured it would be ok. (Ya, wow has issues, but their other stuff used to be good)
They have now lost that good faith with me.
Not many companies left I am still willing to gamble on like that. Valve is one of them, and I expect them to retain that as long as they remain privately owned.
It is called the Right to Refuse to Buy, coupled with the Right to Obtain Decent Reviews Before Purchase.
What about the right to no bait-and-switch in the form of "updates" after purchase?
Not all consumer are perfectly informed and rational agents. Actually, a very slim minority is.
In practice, decent reviews are seldom, as most magazines are bed and toothbrush with the game editors.
In practice, people do things that harm themselves in the long run to get instant gratification. That includes doing drugs at the extreme, but spending money on a videogame that looks cool to discover later that it is crippled by DRMs is pretty common.
That being said, I stopped buying DRM games a long time ago, a
Stop spending your money on this garbage.
There are plenty of great indie/homebrew games out there. I know it's a long shot that these titles will ever be "mainstream," but the biggest problem is that although I hear gamers whine and bitch about DRM and the like, none of them have the self-control to stop buying these titles. Stop. It. I know it's hard, for example, for a Final Fantasy fan to NOT buy the latest FF title, but realize that as long as you do so, you will keep this going forever.
People say they won't buy the game because of the DRM, but enough still do that it doesn't matter to the publisher - they've protected sales and stopped piracy and it made them money. Sometimes you need to find a different answer - as a developer in the 1990s, we weren't allowed to put our studio name anywhere on the box because it "diluted the brand" of the publisher. Enough developers got ticked enough at this that the founded GoD Games (Gathering of Developers) and that was enough to force change in the
I quit giving EA money a long time ago. But lately, just about every developer I gave money to changed their game and made it unacceptable after the fact. So I guess the lesson is, never give game developers money?
There are plenty of great indie/homebrew games out there.
How many of these great original indie games are for platforms with multiple gamepads or for handheld platforms with physical buttons?
If you feel they're giving you the short stick, don't buy their product. There are plenty of games and devs out there who do not enforce this kind of stupid crap, and the quality of indy games coming out these days is huge. The case for buying AAA titles, which are the only ones that try to pull this kind of crap, is quite weak.
The reason they try this shit is that people will still buy the product if they do. If they do it, and nobody buys it, then the issue will solve itself.
The reason they try this shit is that people will still buy the product if they do. If they do it, and nobody buys it, then the issue will solve itself.
Not only that, but no one was ever injured because they didn't buy the game. They only suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous DRM because they forked over money to pay for it. So not only is this an issue which will solve itself if people stop spending money, but it's not hurting the people who aren't spending the money, either. If one feels some other purchase was devalued because they didn't buy some game or another because of the DRM, then it's probably time to reevaluate that other purchase, too.
Just don't buy it.
"Bill of Rights" issues are for people who don't have a choice, like "Patients Bill of Rights" You do not have a choice about getting sick, you do have a choice about gaming.
"Just don't buy it. "Bill of Rights" issues are for people who don't have a choice, like "Patients Bill of Rights" You do not have a choice about getting sick, you do have a choice about gaming."
I agree that there is some choice here, so "Bill of Rights" might not be terribly appropriate, but as the other poster pointed out, much of it is now a matter of law, and so everyone and their brother have adopted it, and there *IS* in fact some question of actual rights involved.
I would go even further than the other response, though, and say that it is a problem with all software, not just games. I think it is pointless to address this question just for games, and leave the wider software world out of
Their list of rights is about 50/50 reasonable and ridiculous. Half of it is undefinable (what makes a "finished game" with DLC vs a "unfinished game" for instance) but the other half is what any consumer anywhere should expect. Really though a gamers bill of rights should only have 2 items:
The game should work.
If the game doesn't work, the customer is entitled to a full refund.
That seems like the rules all goods are already sold under.
Single player games bore me. So I play exlusively multiplayer games. The problem is multiplayer games are constantly being changed, and not always for the better. You can't just "not buy" the update. I buy games I want to play, but they don't stay the game I want to play, and I can't get my money back. Sure, I can refuse to buy another game from the developer, but that doesn't really fix anything. They already have my money.
The problem is multiplayer games are constantly being changed, and not always for the better. You can't just "not buy" the update.
Sure you can. (Or should I say "Shoryuken"?) If you don't like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a multiplayer fighting game, you can always buy Super Smash Bros. Melee and use it in a Wii that has GameCube controller ports, or you can buy Super Smash Bros. (N64) on Virtual Console. Unlike online multiplayer games, local multiplayer games don't get balance-breaking updates that players are required to accept.
1. Stop trolling. You and everyone else knows I was talking about online multiplayer games.
2. Your example is not game updates. Your example is about game series.
Multiplayer games that rely on servers organized by the players can actually stay unchanged. All it takes is a few players deciding they liked the old version better and refuse to use the latest update patch.
There are plenty of games and devs out there who do not enforce this kind of stupid crap, and the quality of indy games coming out these days is huge.
The problem with indie is that certain genres are underrepresented due to limitations in the input and output devices traditionally associated with PCs Are there many indie fighting games? Or indie cooperative platformers? Or indie party games in the vein of Mario Party and WarioWare? These genres have traditionally been exclusive to consoles because despite all PCs being capable of using gamepads and HDTVs, the use case of PC + TV monitor + 2 to 4 gamepads happens to be far less common than console + TV mo
...the right to not purchase a product.
All else is just a bunch of whining; if you want change, STOP BUYING THE GAMES that have this sort of offensive DRM.
If you're not willing to go without Call of Honor: Modern Ops 6 in spite of its ultra-heinous requires-a-credit-card-on-file DRM, then you have no power to assert any other demands on the companies requiring such things to play the games they're selling.
To enforce it you need people to stop buying crap like that. But given that SimCity has been selling hugely apparently, despite the horrible reviews and the protestations.
See, I don't like any of that stuff either... so I didn't -BUY- it.
You want to protest this stuff, then do it. Don't buy it, don't steal it, it's entertainment, you seriously don't need it to survive or even to enjoy the day. There are other things to do. Support the companies that show respect to you and tell the other companies to sc
The idea of a Bill of Rights for gamers seems to me ridiculous (and also very US-centric). How about a Bill of Rights to clean laundry? I mean, there would be new Bills of Rights being written every five minutes if this was a reasonable solution. What you may need is stronger consumer protection laws. I think I read the other day that people in England are entitled to a refund on game purchases, which turned out to be useful in the wake of the recent Sim City fiasco.
But....but....it is a Bill of Rights! How could you possibly say what you are saying, this is a Bill of Rights! We have the right to have companies provide us with video games on our terms that we agree to! That is a God given right and we all need to stand up for our rights as individuals.
The above was sarcasm. I point this out for the sarcasm impaired.
What we really need to do, which is part of what you said, is stop cheapening the right we actually have by using Bill of Rights as a buzz word and make everyone think they are entitiled to this because it is a right! If we need new consumer protection laws, fight for them. If we have unenforced consumer protection laws, the fight for them to be enforced.
Giving EA & UbiSoft your money is like a walking into an alley with a thug holding up a sign that reads
Services for Sale:
Rape: $60
Non Penetration sexual assault: $40
Egregious but quick fondling: Previously $30 but a Manager special for $15
Ea refused to refund purchases when the game clearly didn't work as advertised. Implied warranty should come into play unless ea can prove that most attempts to play the game worked
Otherwise don't buy the game on release day
You people fall for the supermarket checkout aisle high margin item impulse buy scam
If you buy the game on release day then you're tagged as someone willing to pay any amount to play the game. Just like sports fans paying for the sports packages and music fans paying today's ridiculous t
Without responding to the point of your post: "Pavlovian" is the adjective form you're looking for.
The only ones who really wins in a class action lawsuit are the lawyers. The customers would end up with some lame EA credit or a few bucks back at best.
Much better at least to *try* to work with EA/Maxis on resolving the issues first - so far they are offering a free game to everyone registering by 3/18 (which is at least as much as a class action would get, without lining the pockets of the only people I can think of who are sleazier than EA execs - class action attorneys). And hey, they may still actua
Just enshrine the four software freedoms in law. The rest will work itself out.
Better yet, don't enshrine them into law. That way the lawyers and the lobbyists won't have a chance to fuck them up.
Keep in mind that various forms of copy protection have been around almost since the dawn of the personal computer. I can't even begin to count all the Apple II and 1980s PC software that was copy protected - and caused so much pain for legitimate users who could not back up what they bought.
At least it seemed like by the early 90s most vendors gave up on crazy stuff like checking for intentionally bad/misnumbed/nonstandard sized sectors because they couldn't guarantee that such non standard tricks would wo
When I was a kid, we would club together to buy a gmae on cassette tape for our ZX Spectrums, then have a dubbing party, running the cassettes through high speed dubbing decks. Then they started doing document checks, looking for words from the manual, so we photocopied the manuals.
Then PC games came along with intentionally bad sectors, and along came the hacks disabling the sector checks.
Then the internet happened, VHS gave way to DVDs with DRM in the form of CSS and region locking, which was then hacked,
If you are this upset about DRM and bought Sim City you are to gaming what an anti-racism activist who couldn't wait to vacation in apartheid South Africa is to the cause of fighting racism. Sorry, but that's just how it is. The level of DRM was well-known in advance. You chose to buy it anyway. You want the government to force them to make the game you want work they way you want.
Talk about first world problems. I don't think you could come up with a way to make 95% of the human race "see things your way"
The SimCity launch debacle
The launch aside, it's yet another terrible incarnation of a great series. I've been peeking at a few videos on youtube because I was hoping for something with a little depth to it, but it's even below my worst expectations (and given Simcity Societies, the expectations were already pretty low).
Simcity 4 with NAM installed still beats this game gameplay-wise hands down from what I can see. It's one of the few games that get reinstalled every X years on my computer. It's ridiculously in-depth if you want it
There seems to be multiple problems here:
1. Game can't handle intake of people at launch.
Ok, the issue here is that the game company has to shell out a lot of resources to support all the people who want to play it at launch. These resources will need to be reallocated later since chances are that the usage will never peak that high again, or even that close.
A single player "demo/tutorial" of the game at launch that players must progress though in order to access the online version. Since players play at different rates, this should reduce the load peak that games experience.
2. Gamers want a guarantee that they will be able to play the game indefinably, even if servers go offline.
The game company puts in a reasonable minimum support timeline when you buy the game that they will support it for. E.g. If they guarantee to support the game for a year, you buy it 1 year after it is released and they cancel it 6 months later, then you get your money back, but everyone who bought it at launch doesn't.
3. Gamers don't want bandwidth to interfere with their gaming experience, and don't want maintenance down time.
None really. This is simply one of those items a game is judged by. If latency on their end is bad, then gamers may have a case that they are receiving poor service, and perhaps a standard contract of compensation could be drawn up addressing this issue.
4. Gamers want to modify the game they are playing, or simply create their own cheats.
None. It is too a lesser extent a good thing as it makes cheating in an online game harder.
5. Gamers want to pirate the game.
Shoo... go away pirates.
4. Gamers want to modify the game they are playing, or simply create their own cheats.
None. It is too a lesser extent a good thing as it makes cheating in an online game harder.
Perhaps a group of friends all want to play the same mod in a private realm. Where's the "cheating" in that?
I don't see why there should be a compromise. Games publishers have relentlessly taken and taken and taken from us. Every time they come up with a new idea, we suffer. Fuck compromise.
With all the virtual server farms you can hire now there is no excuse for a poor service at launch. They want a big bang launch with lots of hype and sales? Then fucking build the backend to deal with it. Don't want to build the backend? Then stop putting artificial single points of failure in your code.
A consumer protection law for software is what you want. Too bad we all agree to waive any expectations of warranty once we've agreed to the license agreement which few people actually read.
The right to get a refund on digital media, particularly media that is DRM enabled should be introduced however. If the company is using DRM to protect their intellectual property by enforcing per seat licensing then consumers should have the same right to return this software within some time frame established by law - ie. 15 days. The company selling the software can remotely disable the DRM function in the case of games that require an account, the only concern I see companies having is with people cracking the DRM after they've already downloaded it, then requesting a refund.
However, calling it a "Bill of Rights" makes you look like some entitled idiot who believes this is on the same level of some US Constitutional amendment.
I bought the latest Simcity and I like the game. It has its flaws, but this is the PC gaming industry - I expect nothing short of bullshit from new releases. I could spend a lifetime just compiling a list of bugs in newly released software
Just wait for the next round of consoles. You won't be able to buy disks for them, all the games will be download only, require online access all the time and no, you can't sell them. And all your movies and music will be streamed, and no, you can't keep them or transfer to other devices to watch/listen to them. But you will be allowed to buy install credits, 500cr at time for $100, but the games will be 510cr, so you have to buy two credit packs, and just like a strip joint, wont let you cash out the funny
Oh, malarkey - you're letting your biases and paranoia override your ability to reason.
You won't be able to buy disks for them
Sony has invested entirely too much in BluRay technology to not include an optical drive on the PS4. Not to mention, "It plays BluRays!" was a major selling point for a lot of people who bought PS3 systems, myself included.
all the games will be download only, require online access all the time
Making the consoles "online DLC only" would severely limit their ability to sell consoles - I know this might be hard to fathom, but the entire world population does not necessarily have access to alway
Why don't we start with honest reviews that focus on the DRM that the game will use as a playability issue just as they would framerates or any other issue? If all of the major review sites started reviewing games with a DRM section saying:
( ) Serial Number
( ) Registration
( ) Activation
( ) Online connection to play
( ) Replaces DVD driver
( ) Wont work if you have installed ______
( ) Works only on one computer
( ) etc
Let people know what their actually buying and let the market make informed choices. When game reviews start reflecting and scoring the playability of DRM and sales start trending accordingly than publishers will start to review their practices.
Unfortunately most review sites would be blacklisted if they tried by themselves, so you would have to do it en mass like the cable companies did with 6 strikes. Band together and they wouldn't be able to blacklist the few sites that started reflecting the playability of DRM.
This problem could be fixed by the review sites, if they gave a damn.
I don't see any point in trying to enforce something like this. What I would like to see would be a "Bullshit Inside" badge attached to a game that meant it had any of those things. Then I could choose to spend money or not. We had to put stickers on music that had a naughty word in them, and we have ratings on games for every other type of potentially offensive content. Doesn't seem like a stretch to blatantly mark something as DRM enforced, or additional money required.
The entire Internet is failing its users; from hamfisted government website blocking, through disparate exploitative walled garden systems with arbitrary censorship, right up to defective-by-design always online games.
Its easy to say "don't by service/product X" but the problem is that service after service throws up the same problems, and many such services offer unique functionality that through either innovations that others haven't caught up on, or patents that prevent others from duplicating the functionality. Companies force you to either accept unreasonable terms or not partake in some of the services on offer. Other industries don't seem to get this kind of caveat emptor free pass (remember the lead in Chinese toys? Dodgy Romanian horse meat in burgers in the UK?) Ill not get started on the outrageous flouting of tax law by Internet businesses.
We need to move on from two polarised sides, greedy authoritarian government/corporate lockdown of computing one on and strident unyielding crypto-anarchism on the other. We need to work out what are the rights and responsibilities of business and users on the Internet, enshrine them in international treaties, and perhaps strengthen them with cryptographic methods.
The market will, in fact, be the judge on these kinds of things. If people stop buying these products, and their complaint is that the lifespan issue is the reason they said "fuck off" then the game companies will change their policy, and provide games without these hooks.
If you are a gamer and MUST HAVE THE LATEST SIM CITY EVER, and U HAVE TO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!!!!!. Well, then, this is the game for you, this is the Sim City game that is available. Enjoy.
I have seen my favorite franchise get awesome, then suck again with F2P game that recently came out. (Mechwarrior). The standard model games I enjoyed (mechwarrior living legends, even the mektek mech4 free release) are all gone now.
So, I don't give MWO my money, and if enough people dislike it, then the game goes away and maybe they make another game in the old style.
If they don't then they don't.
We already have the actual bill of rights. Living in a free-ish society means that we are free to support whichever products we wish by voting with our dollars as consumers.
What would a gamers bill of rights even do? Would it imprison or fine people or companies who violated the rights of gamers? I doubt it.
I. Gamers shall receive a full and complete game for their purchase, with no major omissions in its features or scope.
Don't buy games that are not complete. Wait for a game to become complete before buying it. It'll probably be even cheaper once it has become complete.
II. Gamers shall retain the ability to use any software they purchase in perpetuity unless the license specifically and explicitly determines a finite length of time for use.
Don't buy games that require activation servers that undermine their perpetuity. Treat every game that has such a mechanism as an implicit limit on the time the game will function, and make your purchasing decisions accordingly.
III. Any efforts to prevent unauthorized distribution of software shall be noninvasive, nonpersistent, and limited to that specific software.
Don't buy games that have invasive copy protection. Don't buy games from companies likely to release game patches which add invasive copy protection. Treat every game that requires new patches (e.g. games like those described in rule 1 and 2) as likely to acquire invasive copy protection in new patches, and make your purchasing choices accordingly.
IV. No company may search the contents of a user's local storage without specific, limited, explicit, and game-justified purpose.
Don't buy games that
V. No company shall limit the number of instances a customer may install and use software on any compatible hardware they own.
VI. Online and multiplayer features shall be optional except in genre-specific situtations where the game's fundamental structure requires multiplayer functionality due to the necessary presence of an active opponent of similar abilities and limitations to the player.
What? Buying the game is already optional!
VII. All software not requiring a subscription fee shall remain available to gamers who purchase it in perpetuity. If software has an online component and requires a server connection, a company shall provide server software to gamers at no additional cost if it ceases to support those servers.
This is the same as 2.
VIII. All gamers have the right to a full refund if the software they purchased is unsatisfactory due to hardware requirements, connectivity requirements, feature set, or general quality.
How will this right be granted? There is already a judicial system complete with class action lawsuits to adjudicate such matters.
IX. No paid downloadable content shall be required to experience a game's story to completion of the narrative presented by the game itself.
Don't buy g....
X. No paid downloadable content shall affect multiplayer balance unless equivalent options are available to gamers who purchased only the game.
Are unbalanced games fun? No. Don't buy games that are not fun. I am surprised I even have to tell people this.
This whole thing sounds like a guys bill of rights.
1. All girls must be hot.
2. All girls must be cool to be around and not bitchy at all.
3. All girls must agree to be my girlfriend.
4. All girls can not break up with me until I am tired of them.
The consumer/producer relationship is a mutual one like romantic relationships. You can demand all this stuff if you want, but unless you change a bunch of laws nobody is obligated to follow them. Any company that decides to v
Our business in life is not to succeed but to continue to fail in high spirits. -- Robert Louis Stevenson

subset: commoncrawl


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Difference between revisions of "Easter Island"
Revision as of 13:53, 21 November 2012
Easter Island [2] (Spanish: Isla de Pascua, Polynesian: Rapa Nui) is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. Early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of The World). Officially a territory of Chile, it lies far off in the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway to Tahiti. Known as one of the world's sacred sites, it is most famous for its enigmatic giant stone busts, built centuries ago, which reflect the history of the dramatic rise and fall of the most isolated Polynesian culture.
The English name of the island commemorates its European discovery by a Dutch exploration vessel on Easter Sunday in 1722.
Ever since Thor Heyerdahl and a small party of adventurers sailed their raft from South America to the Tuamotu islands, far to the north of Easter Island, a controversy has raged over the origin of the islanders. Today DNA testing has proved conclusively that the Polynesians arrived from the west rather than the east, and that the people of Easter Island are descendants of intrepid voyagers who set out from another island thousands of years ago. Legend says that the people left for Easter Island because their own island was slowly being swallowed by the sea.
In brief, the prehistory of Easter Island is one of supreme accomplishment, flourishing and civilization, followed by environmental devastation and decline. Although it is not agreed when people first arrived on Easter Island (with estimates ranging from several hundred to more than one thousand years ago), consensus seems to be that the first peoples arrived from Polynesia. Rather than being inhabited by mistake or chance, evidence has suggested that Easter Island was colonized deliberately by large boats with many settlers -- a remarkable feat given the distance of Easter Island from any other land in the Pacific Ocean.
The first islanders found a land of undoubted paradise -- archaeological evidence shows that the island was covered in trees of various sorts, including the largest palm tree species in the world, whose bark and wood furnished the natives with cloth, rope, and canoes. Birds were abundant as well, and provided food for them. A mild climate favored an easy life, and abundant waters yielded fish and oysters.
The islanders prospered due to these advantages, and a reflection of this is the religion which sprouted in their leisure, which had at its centrepiece the giant moai, or heads, that are the island's most distinctive feature today. These moai, which the island is littered with, are supposed to have been depictions of ancestors, whose presence likely was considered a blessing or watchful safekeeping eye over each small village. The ruins of Rano Raraku crater, the stone quarry where scores if not hundreds of moai sit today, is a testament to how central these figures were to the islanders, and how their life revolved around these creations. It has been suggested that their isolation from all other peoples fuelled this outlet of trade and creativity -- lacking any other significant way to direct their skills and resources. The bird-man culture (seen in petroglyphs), is an obvious testament to the islanders' fascination with the ability to leave their island for distant lands.
However, as the population grew, so did pressures on the island's environment. Deforestation of the island's trees gradually increased, and as this main resource was depleted, the islanders would find it hard to continue making rope, canoes, and all the necessities to hunt and fish, and ultimately, support the culture that produced the giant stone figureheads. Apparently, disagreements began to break out (with some violence) as confidence in the old religion was lost, and is reflected partly in the ruins of moai which were deliberately toppled by human hands. By the end of the glory of the Easter Island culture, the population had crashed in numbers, and the residents -- with little food or other ways to obtain sustenance -- resorted sometimes to cannibalism and a bare subsistence. Subsequent raids by powers such as Peru and Bolivia devastated the population even more, until only a few hundred native Rapa Nui were left by the last century.
Today, Rapa Nui National Park is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its residents rely much on the tourism and economic links to Chile and daily flights to Santiago. As with many native peoples, the Rapa Nui seek a link to their past and how to integrate their culture with the political, economic, and social realities of today.
Get in
Due to its extreme geographic isolation, many people assume that only the highly intrepid traveller can get to Easter Island. In fact, the island is accessible by regular commercial air service to Hanga Roa, Chile (IPC), and tourism is the main industry of the island.
Still, it is rather "out of the way" for most people, with a minimum of more than 5.5 hours in the air from the nearest continent, and very limited routes to get there. The only regular flights are via LAN Airlines [3], daily to Santiago de Chile, twice weekly to Lima, and once per week to Tahiti.[4] With no competition for fares on an objectively lengthy and obscure flight, fares range between US$300-US$1200 round trip from Santiago.
About the only scenario in which Easter Island is "conveniently located" is on a round-the-world voyage, in which it provides an interesting stop on the way between Polynesia and South America, and will help bolster others' perception that you went "everywhere".
If you want to take the intrepid route, the "tall ship" Soren Larsen sails to Easter Island from New Zealand once a year. The voyage takes 35 days, crossing the point on earth furthest from land.
LAN flights to and from Lima, Peru operate on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Depart Lima 01:20m, Arrive Easter Island 06:55, Sunday/Wednesday
Depart Easter Island 18:20, Arrive Lima 23:10, Sunday/Wednesday
LAN flights to and from Santiago de Chile, Chile operate on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.
Get around
Easter Island is extremely small, so it is possible to get around fairly easily. There are rental cars, generally jeeps, available from a few rental agencies in Hanga Roa, as well as a few dirt bikes. With a car, it's possible to see most of the sights on the island in a few hours. Most hosts will also rent out their jeep to you (at a very competitive rate) if you simply ask. Be aware, you will not get insurance with your car hire. Bicycles can be hired on a daily basis. For those on a tight schedule, a rental car is really quite advantageous, and sometimes not much more expensive than other options and offering more independence for more curious or adventurous visitors than an organized tour. Bicycling may be tried, but note that aside from the main paved roads in Hanga Roa or the single smooth paved road to Anakena, roads to many main sites are of dirt and sometimes quite uneven and potholed, so the benefit of a car cannot be overstated for some parts of the island. Note that for motor scooters and motorbikes, a valid driver's license specifically for these vehicles is required. Otherwise, driver's licenses for cars will allow the use of cars or 4x4 quad bikes. Some example prices are as follows (all in CLP).
Bicycle (24 hours): 10000, (8 hrs) 8000
Motor Scooter (8 hrs): 23000
Small Jeep/car (8hrs): 20000
Larger cars (8 hrs): 25000-40000
At the time of June 2010, fuel/gasoline cost approximately 500 CLP per litre.
One reliable, friendly, and relatively cheap rental location is "Paomotors", found next to Supermarket Eixi. It seems the closer you get to Farmacia Cruz Verde, the higher the prices for various rentals.
See and Do
The biggest tourist attractions on Easter Island are, of course, the Moai. Please note that the Moai are archaeological features and should be treated with care as they are far more fragile than they seem. Often Moai will be placed upon ceremonial platforms and burials called Ahu. Do not walk on the Ahu as it is an extremely disrespectful gesture. Even if you see others walking on the Ahu do not do so yourself.
All of the sites, which can be visited for free, are mostly found along the coastline of the island. First time visitors may be struck by how many archaeological sites there are around the island, where you can be virtually alone as the only people visiting. Each village typically had an ahu if not several moai, and thus on a drive around the south coast of the island, every mile contains several sites where you might see ruins.
Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku. The slightly inland quarry at "Rano Raraku" is where the moai carvings were born, out of the hillside of the volcanic rock where hundreds of labourers must have carved full-time. This 300 foot volcano remnant provided the stones for the great figures and is where a visitor can see various stages of the carving, as well as scattered partially-finished figures. A climb to the left side of the crater, over the top, and into the bowl, is well worth it. Hiking to the opposite lip of the crater, where the most moai are found, is one of the most dramatic sites on the island.
Similarly, Rano Kau is the remains of a volcanic cinder cone, which like Rano Raraku, is filled with fresh rainwater and has a mottled unearthly appearance that is breathtaking. The entry fee is 60 US dollars total for the two sites. Make sure you keep your ticket.
Easter Island features two white sand beaches. Anakena, on the north side of the island, is an excellent shorebreak bodysurfing location with a bit of north swell. Even the 1" waves barrel (it's also possible to surf in the harbor at Hanga Roa and many of the locals do so). The second beach is a hidden gem called Ovahe. Found along the southern shore of the island near Ahu Vaihu (along the road from Hanga Roa to Ahu Akahanga), this beautiful and desolate beach is much larger than that at Anakena and is surrounded by breathtaking cliffs. Note of caution: the path leading down to the beach is somewhat treacherous and unstable and best reached by foot - driving off-road (contrary to the misguided and somewhat callous actions of some tourists) on most of the island is illegal anyway.
Scuba diving and snorkelling is popular near the islets Motu Nui and Motu Iti (well known for "The bird man culture") which are located about 1 km south of the island. There are three shops where it is possible to rent the equipment and from there get on a guided tour to the islets: Atariki Rapa Nui, Orca and Mike Rapu Diving.
An often overlooked but particularly fascinating and "other-wordly" aspect of Easter Island is its extensive cave systems. While there are a couple of "official" caves that are quite interesting in their own right, there is also real adventure to be had in exploring all of the numerous unofficial caves on the island, most of which are found near Ana Kakenga. While the openings to most of these caves are small (some barely large enough to crawl through) and hidden (amid a rather surreal lava strewn field that has been likened to the surface of Mars), many of them open up into large and inhibitingly deep and extensive cave systems. Note of caution: these caves can be dangerous in that quite a few run extremely deep. A person left without a torch/flashlight will be immersed in utter blackness with little hope of finding their way out soon...if ever. The caves are also extremely damp and slippery (the ceilings in some have collapsed over time from water erosion).
There are a few tour companies that do guided tours to Easter Island including Adventure Life [5], Globus Journeys [6], and Abercrombie & Kent [7]. This is a wonderful way to explore the best of the island and its culture without having to worry about breaking any local rules. A well-respected tour guide can show you aspects of the location and culture that you might otherwise never see or understand.
Most, if not all of the commerce on this island occurs in the port town of Hanga Roa. There are a number of small shops geared toward tourists, as well as an open market. If you join an organized tour, expect to see the same souvenir-sellers at each site selling the same items - generally a plethora of moai-inspired trinkets. The official currency is the Chilean Peso, but, unlike on the mainland, transactions can be performed in US Dollars.
When buying souvenirs it is best to use cash. Often the vendors will have a very high minimum charge or will tack on a service fee for using a credit card (about 10-20%). This is only if the vendor accepts credit cards at all; many small vendors will only accept cash.
At least four ATMs are available on the island: one from Banco Estado on Tu'u maheke, Hanga Roa, which only accepts Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard branded cards but NOT Visa. The other one inside the bank Santander, a bit further, on Policarpo Toro, which accepts Visa, Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard. There's also an ATM in the departure hall of the airport, and also at least one at the gas station near the airport.
The local bank can do cash advances against a Visa card, but the bank opening times are limited and the lines can be long.
There are around 25 restaurants catering to tourists on the island. A few can be found close to the dock in Hanga Roa, with a few others scattered in the surrounding areas. Menus tend to be limited, as most of the food on the island needs to be imported. The range of fish, though, is considerable - as is true for most of Chile. There are also a few "supermarkets" where visitors can pick up snacks, limited sundries, booze, etc.
Like the souvenir vendors on the island many restaurants do not accept credit cards or will have a high minimum charge. Also tipping is appreciated but should be done in moderation, usually spare change or less than 10% works.
As a result of the increased amount of tourists, some of the restaurants may be a kind of "tourist trap," so don't hesitate to ask your guide or your host for advice where to go.
Those on a backpacker's budget or seeking simple food can try the following options:
Pisco, a hard alcohol made from fermented grapes, is the unofficial drink of the island. Try a pisco sour, which is pisco mixed with lemon juice. Another common cocktail is the piscola - pisco and coke. Drinking pisco straight is possible, as it has less of a kick than Vodka, although Chileans would not advise it.
There are three properties of international standard on the island:
Most of the rest of the accommodations on Easter Island are "guest houses". Representatives of the guest houses will generally come to the airport to greet travellers who may wish to stay with them. Rates are usually quite reasonable. The proprietors of these guest houses will be happy to help you find places to eat, drink, hire cabs, and generally get around.
A number of guest houses describe themselves as hotels, and certainly would pass for them elsewhere in the world as well. These hotels frequently have restaurants offering at least breakfast, and often dinner as well.
Another alternative if you are travelling with the family or in a group is to stay in cabanas.
Get out
LAN airlines can take you eastward to Santiago de Chile, Lima, Peru or westward to Tahiti. If you are departing for a foreign country from the airport, there will be a small exit fee, which must be paid in cash.
If you've managed to sail to Easter Island on your own, a logical next stop would be the Pitcairn Islands of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame, one of the island's "nearest" neighbours and a much better contender for "most isolated", with no air access and no tourism at all.


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In 1995 when metal was at its lowest point, TWISTED TOWER DIRE formed out of a stubborn hatred for the 90's anti-metal culture. Influences were drawn from Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Candlemass, and others. After releasing two legendary demo cassettes, several split EPs and contributing to various sampler CD's to critical acclaim, the band began working with long time fan and Solstice guitarist Rich Walker. He had recently formed a new label called The Miskatonic Foundation and offered to support the recording and distribution of the first TWISTED TOWER DIRE album.
The band unleashed their self produced, full-length debut in 1999. Despite a modest budget, "The Curse of Twisted Tower" won over many dedicated fans that appreciated TWISTED TOWER DIRE's traditional yet unique sound. From 1999 to 2000, the band embarked on a relentless, self-financed world tour in support of "Curse" including several American festival appearances. A European stretch of the tour followed with fellow metal heathens Slough Feg and Solstice including several club dates and a slot in the Wacken Open Air Festival (Germany).
In 2001 TWISTED TOWER DIRE released the critically acclaimed "Isle of Hydra" on The Miskatonic Foundation and Hellion Records. The album featured a more mature approach to songwriting and improved production, but retained a certain underground feel. In support they played several shows in North America's Mid Atlantic Region and beyond, including more festival dates. In July 2002 TWISTED TOWER DIRE returned to Deutschland to continue their assault on small clubs and festivals abroad with a headlining appearance at The Headbanger's Open Air Festival.
In September of that year TWISTED TOWER DIRE signed to Germany's Remedy Records. Their third release "Crest of the Martyrs" was unleashed upon the masses on May 26th, 2003. "Crest" had the distinguished honor of being named on Terrorizer Magazine's top 20 power metal albums of all time. This release was accompanied by a European tour including festival gigs at the Metal Bash Open Air Festival and their second appearance at the Wacken Open Air Festival.
Between 2004 and 2006, the members of TWISTED TOWER DIRE experienced a number of good and bad life changing events. During this uncertain time the band faithfully trudged along playing shows and working on the aptly named fourth album "Netherworlds". In September 2006, singer of nine years Tony Taylor left the band after a long battle with depression. Once it was decided that Tony's departure was permanent, TWISTED TOWER DIRE welcomed Viper vocalist Johnny Aune as their new singer, reinvigorating the band and posturing them for a new era of triumph.
TWISTED TOWER DIRE has gone through countless trials and changes through its 11 year history but the seminal vision has remained the same from early basement practices to today. The "Tower Brethren" continue to fight for the legacy of Classic Heavy Metal with their forthcoming fourth album "Netherworlds" on Feb 23rd 2007. The band appreciates the support of its dedicated fans and hopes to soon see you in the audience banging your head!
Line Up:
Tony Taylor (vocals)
Scott Waldrop (guitar)
Dave Boyd (guitar)
Marc Stauffer (drums)
Jim Hunter (bass)
Internet: www.twisted-tower-dire.com
E-Mail: email@example.com
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Last week's 1-1 draw in Montenegro means Tuesday's host still lead England by two points in World Cup Qualifier Group H. A strong opening 20 minutes was overshadowed by what was to follow, a lack-lustre and uninspiring 60 minutes.
To individually pick out Ashley Cole as an example of this is harsh, but he was no doubt off par. He was too eager to get forward, and in return, he was often left chasing back and out of position. On the contrary, just days prior to that, Leighton Baines contributed to an 8-0 demolition of San Marino with three assists. A comparison drawn from these two games is quite obviously slightly tarnished by the difference in opponents, however, is it enough to suggest that the left-back position is in a period of transition?
There is no question that both players are two of the finest left-backs in the world. Both are leading figures at their club and have been instrumental in guiding their teams to where they currently are.
Ashley Cole was pivotal in Chelsea's 2011/12 Champions League win, making a goal-line clearance in the 1-0 semi-final win over Barcelona, denying them an away goal.
On 1st December 2012, Cole confirmed himself as a Premier League great by making his 350th appearance for Chelsea. Similarly, on 26 February this year, Cole made his 100th appearance for England against Brazil at Wembley. Surely these landmark achievements suggest that Cole must make way for something new?
Leighton Baines moved from Wigan Athletic to Everton in 2007 for an initial fee of £5m. Since the move he has proved himself to be one of the best all-round defenders in the world.
A repertoire of free-kicks, an unblemished penalty record and the ability to hit a long shot have had football fans up and down the country acknowledging him. In 2010-11 Premier League season Baines played every single minute of Everton's campaign. On the international scene Baines has often been a replacement for Cole, but his superior form for Everton would suggest that, ahead of the more qualifiers and beyond, he deserves the starting berth.
Therefore, in the corner you have one of the most established English legends, and in the other you have one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, who is improving game upon game. His reliable defensive work combined with brilliant attacking bursts must be enough to give him a shout over Cole. It seems for these reasons that Baines' opportunity to make an impact on the international scene is closer than ever.
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeFootball Writing Academy and does not represent the views of GiveMeFootball.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article. GiveMeFootball.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms


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i'm pregnant with my first child and i'm a bit nervous about the delivery. I'm having trouble deciding if i should go to the hospital or a birth center. I've read lots of thing from different sites that other women have posted and the birthing center sounds so much more enjoyable and relaxing than the hospital, but i can't find any information on if they give you pain medication at a birthing center. I want to try to have it naturally but if i can't then i want to have the option of having pain medication. i haven't taken any classes and i'm not going to have time to finish them; i'm moving in may, then again in june, then having the baby in july. and i'm not sure if i could handle doing it naturally without them. i can't figure out if i should go to the birthing center and risk not being able to deal with the pain, or go to the hospital.
Henci Goer
First the bad news: a few freestanding birth centers may give pain medication but most don't because of the potential adverse effects on mom and baby. The good news is that it is rare for a woman to transfer to the hospital in labor solely because she wants pain meds--although that will certainly be an option should that be the case for you. Why? Not because women who choose birth centers are somehow different from the common run but because: (1) routine and frequently used hospital procedures (labor induction, oxytocin to strengthen contractions, IV drips) and restrictions (confinement to bed, forbidding food and drink) increase pain, and (2) birth centers offer comfort measures in labor that women themselves rate as highly effective that hospitals rarely do (deep tub immersion, showers, birth balls, rocking chairs) and, as you yourself said, a relaxed, homey environment where staff are supportive and encouraging. Anxiety and stress also increase pain. I also recommend that whether you can get childbirth classes or not, hire a doula. A doula is a woman with training and experience in doing labor support. Several organizations certifiy doulas. Here is an article of mine that will answer some questions you might have and another that will help you choose one.
-- Henci
Forum Disclaimer
Please note that this Forum is intended to help women make informed decisions about their care. The content is not a substitute for medical advice.


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Upcoming news events
Clausen benefit rescheduled
The Mike Clausen benefit, originally scheduled for Feb. 10, will be held Sunday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hollywood on Main in Montevideo.
Refreshments will be served for a free-will donation and there will be live and silent auctions. To donate an auction prize, call Jeanette at (320) 855-2414.
Donations can be sent to Mike Clausen Benefit, Co-op Credit Union, 711 Sixth St. Box 1002, Dawson, MN 56232.
St. Patrick's Day Parade planned
Montevideo's St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held Saturday, March 16, at 5:30 p.m.
To enter an entry in the parade, call Breanna Olson or Connie Harding at Minnwest Bank at (320) 269-6565.


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Tue 4th Dec at 7:30pm
One Man, Two Guvnors
@ Theatre Royal, Norwich
Featuring: Rufus Hound
This event has been and gone!
Catch the next one:
Check out the info below for future tour dates, and track them to receive alerts when they tour near you
See all dates for One Man, Two Guvnors
One Man, Two Guvnors: Rufus Hound
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancee's dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who's been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers.
Holed up at The Cricketers' Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart.
Visit www.onemantwoguvnors.com/on-tour for further information.
Image © Hugo Glendinning
Rufus Hound
Star of stage, screen and stand-up, Rufus Hound has worked with comedians including Jenny Éclair and Sandy Toksvig, has presented for Top Of The Pops and Glastonbury Festival, and supported Rory Bremner on his highly successful National Tour.
Rufus Hound tour dates


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Deer accidents
Kannika Verma, 36, of Dunlap was traveling at 5:03 p.m. Nov. 14 on Route 29, one-fourth mile east of Lincoln Street in DePue, when her vehicle hit a deer.
James W. Bryant, 63, of DePue was traveling at 11:45 p.m. Nov. 17 on Route 6, one-fourth mile east of 2900 East Street in Hall Township, when his vehicle hit a deer.
Kaytlyn T. Nunez, 22, of Princeton was traveling at 6:15 a.m. Nov. 20 on Route 26, one-half mile north of 2700 North Avenue in Ohio Township, when her vehicle hit a deer.
James D. Heaton, 48, of Walnut was traveling at 4:05 p.m. Nov. 15 on Backbone Road, 100 feet wet of 1575 East Street in Bureau Township, when his vehicle hit a deer.
Dylan T. Olson, 19, of Walnut was involved in an accident at 4:26 a.m. Nov. 17 on Route 26, one-fourth mile south of 2300 North Avenue in Ohio Township.
Domestic battery
Christopher R. Miller, 28, of DePue was charged with domestic battery at 8:15 p.m. Nov. 15 in DePue.


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- May 6:
- Boulder amends fighting words ordinance
- May 2:
- Boulder defendant proposes new 'fighting words' ordinance
- May 1:
- Boulder to fix fighting words ordinance by adding 'intent'
- Apr 30:
- Boulder to amend 'fighting words' law after 2nd judge finds ordinance unconstitutional
- Apr 10:
- Arguments heard in Boulder's appeal of 'fighting words' ruling
- Jun 27:
- Police: Boulder 'fighting words' law 'not very effective' after judge rules it unconstitutional
Boulder is appealing last month's municipal court ruling that the city's "fighting words" ordinance violated the First Amendment, arguing the judge abused his discretion in declaring the 32-year-old law unconstitutional.
The Boulder City Attorney's Office, in an appeal filed last week, contends Judge Thomas Reed -- a retired county court judge who was sitting in for Municipal Judge Linda Cooke -- "erroneously construed the law and abused its discretion when it found that 5-3-6, use of fighting words, Boulder revised code, 1981, was facially unconstitutional."
City spokesman Patrick von Keyserling said he could not comment further on the appeal since the case is still open.
On June 20, Reed threw out a fighting words ticket against Camille Lafont after her attorney filed a motion challenging the constitutionality of Boulder's "use of fighting words" ordinance.
The ordinance reads: "No person shall insult, taunt or challenge another in a manner likely to provoke a disorderly response."
Kevin Cheney, Lafont's attorney and a student lawyer with the University of Colorado Criminal Defense Clinic, filed a motion aruging the ordinance is unconstitutional because it did not require that a person intend to cause the disorderly response.
Reed granted the motion and dismissed the case against Lafont.
Should the ruling be upheld by an appellate court, it could force Boulder officials to re-examine the law. While the city can continue to prosecute cases until an appellate court upholds the ruling, Boulder police Chief Mark Beckner said in June he already was telling his officers that, unless an appeal was successful, the ordinance was "probably not very effective."
"The appeal by the city was not unexpected, and we remain confident the district court will reach the same conclusion as the municipal court and find the ordinance unconstitutional," Cheney said Friday.
In his original motion, Cheney cited examples in which the ordinance could be used to stifle protected forms of free speech, but the city contends in its appeal that the examples cited did not meet the burden of proof to declare the ordinance unconstitutional.
"Simply proposing a handful of speculative situations in which a code provision might burden protected speech does not meet the burden," the city's attorneys wrote in their appeal. "The Boulder Municipal Court did not apply the appropriate burden of proof and accepted a handful of speculative 'impermissible applications' as proof that (the ordinance) was facially unconstitutional."
In a written statement, Lafont said she has consulted with other legal experts and still believes Reed's ruling will stand.
"The facts in this case show this is a selective prosecution driven by political agenda within the city attorney's office and there is no truth to the charge whatsoever; however, judicial review is a vital component of the justice system because it promotes public confidence in the validity of important rulings like this," Lafont wrote. "I encourage Boulder citizens to apply political pressure to City Council to take a vibrant rather than passive approach to the ordinance and re-enact a constitutional one."
Contact Camera Staff Writer Mitchell Byars at 303-473-1329 or email@example.com.


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La Viola announced this week that they were in talks with the Ligue 1 leaders to bring the former Juventus player back to Serie A during the winter transfer window.
Talks with the 28-year-old have come to fruition, and Fiorentina could elect to sign the player permanently once his loan period expires.
"Fiorentina announce that they have acquired the rights to the player Mohamed Sissoko from Paris Saint-Germain," a statement on the club's official website read.
"The player comes on loan with the right to purchase."
The 28-year-old began his career with Auxerre, and enjoyed spells with Valencia, Liverpool and Juve before moving to the Parc des Princes.


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Journal Error27's Journal: Vista is crap
Most people say Vista is crap but I always figured that's because they were jealous of Bill Gate's billions. It turns out they were right!
Vista is horrible. The UAC dialogues do pop up all the time. You click on about any button and the screen flickers and goes dark except for the UAC dialogue.
The dialogues are stupid too. So far I've only seen the one where if you click on a button and it asks you "Did you just click on a button? Press cancel if this program started automatically." It's every third button that generates this dialogue. This is on a brand new Vaio without anything extra installed.
Vista automatically updates which is good, but then it also automatically reboots your computer when it finishes!
Also when you uninstall the AOL tool bar that makes Vista reboot. It doesn't ask you. It just reboots. You think probably I'm lying, but I'm not.
You know how all windows computers seem to have an expired copy of Norton on them? I always thought that was because idiots downloaded the trial version. I was wrong, they install nine almost expired applications including Norton at the factory.
What a load of absolute crap...


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from today's Q & A:
who is high on diving penalties:?:
why those fly-guys to Pittsburgh's East
Q: I think Ken Hitchcock's Flyers now lead the league in diving penalties. Oh, the bitter irony.
MOLINARI: Bitter? No, that's not quite the way to describe it. How about, "Wildly amusing?" you see, followed up with his initial e-mail by assembling data confirming that, indeed, Philadelphia ranks among the league leaders in diving penalties: As of a few days ago, the Flyers were tied for fourth-most in the NHL, with four.
The irony, of course, is that Philadelphia players, broadcasters and reporters, with at least the tacit endorsement of Hitchcock, have spent considerable time and energy this season smearing Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby as a diver. It was an asinine accusation when it was made initially, and looks all the more absurd now that the Flyers have a 4-2 lead over the Penguins in diving infractions, including a 2-0 edge during head-to-head games. (Konstantin Koltsov, by the way, picked up the Penguins' second diving minor of the season during their 6-3 loss in Washington Wednesday.)


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Anthony Crickmay
Anthony Crickmay has, since 1959, been photographing a mixture of portraits, fashion, theatre and dance, but admits that his greatest love of all is for dance.
He has worked for all the major newspaper chains and magazine groups, and has had an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Theatre Museum. He has also published several books. Apart from photographing stars of the theatre, opera and dance around the world, in more recent years, he has photographed many members of the British Royal Family.
He has just finished a year long reportage on the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his wife and family.
Grand council: Grand Council Member


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And then there was Bill Clinton:
Mr. Clinton began by saying, "I'm honored to be here with my president and my former presidents." Then he paused briefly and gestured toward Mrs. Clinton, his unspoken words seeming to suggest that he wanted to say future president, too. When the crowd began cheering, Mr. Clinton laughed and said, "No, no, no."It's most effective by far to just tastefully gesture at politics. No one can prove that he meant to do that, but, of course, he meant to do that. Smoothly played!


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Annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show set for this week in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � More than 5,000 farmers, woodland owners, livestock breeders, equipment suppliers and others interested in farming will be in Augusta this week for the 72nd annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show.
The three-day show, held Tuesday through Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center, is one of the state's largest agricultural events and is hosted by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Gov. Paul LePage is scheduled to open the event, which is free.
This year's show will feature dozens of lectures, demonstrations and meetings involving 40 major agricultural organizations and agencies. It also includes more than 150 exhibits featuring the latest in agricultural and forestry products, equipment and services.


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Ligue 1 review: Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain beat Marseille 2-1
Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain kept up the pressure on Monaco with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Marseille at Stade Velodrome.
Last Updated: 06/10/13 11:07pm
Despite falling behind to an Andre Ayew penalty and having Thiago Motta sent off, a Maxwell header and a second-half Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty proved to be enough to seal a vital three points which moved the capital club back level on points with Claudio Ranieri's men at the top of Ligue 1.
Defeat for Marseille, only their second of the season after a home defeat to Monaco, leaves them four points behind the joint leaders which, even so early in the season, looks like a difficult mountain to climb.
Montpellier put an end to a run of five consecutive draws in stunning fashion with a 5-1 win over 10-man Lyon at the Stade de la Mosson.
Braces from Victor Hugo Montano and Remy Cabella and an Anthony Mounier strike secured an emphatic win for the hosts, only their second league victory of the season.
Alexandre Lacazette's early second-half strike, which made it 2-1, was scant consolation for Lyon, who suffered their heaviest ever defeat in Montpellier.
The visitors had to play out the final minutes with 10 men after Maxime Gonalons was shown his second yellow card.
Bordeaux came from behind to end a run of five Ligue 1 games without a win with a confident 4-1 victory over managerless Sochaux at the Stade Chaban-
Goals from Henri Saivet, Jussie and a Cheikh Diabate brace, all after Roy Contout had fired Sochaux into an early lead, were enough to secure an important three points for Francis Gillot as his team look to put an end to a disappointing start to their season at the expense of his former team.
Defeat for Sochaux leaves them second-bottom in the table and brought a swift halt to their mini-revival having beaten fellow strugglers Valenciennes last time out.


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2012 News
Neely Selected for St. Jude National Graduate Student Symposium
January 12, 2012 -- Crystal J. Neely, an Immunology and Microbiology graduate student working under the direction of Drs. Bruce Cairns and Rob Maile in the Burn Center Research Lab, has been chosen to attend the St. Jude National Graduate Student 2012 Symposium in Memphis, TN.
Lee and Ollila Co-author Study Featured in January ACS Journal
January 18, 2012 - A study on decision making about surgery for early-stage breast cancer treatment decision making co-authored by UNC Surgeons Clara Lee and David Ollila is featured in the January edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Farrell Presented with ASE Outstanding Teaching Award
March 23, 2012 -- Timothy M. Farrell, MD, was recognized by the Association of Surgical Education (ASE) as the 2012 recipient of the Philip J. Wolfson Outstanding Teacher Award.
UNC Urology 2012 Match Results
January 30, 2012 -- The University of North Carolina School of Medicine Division of Urology is pleased to announce their newest residency members, James "Abram" McBride, Maxim "Max" McKibben, and Josip Vukina, matched through the 2012 AUA Urology Match. They will join us as PGY1 urology residents starting June 24, 2012.
Raynor and Woods Utilize Novel Approach to Kidney Surgery
February 6, 2012 -- UNC urologic surgeons Mathew Raynor, MD, and Michael Woods, MD, recently completed the first surgeries in the Triangle area to utilize a new near-infrared fluorescence imaging system that allows surgeons to capture real-time images of kidney tissue and surrounding blood vessels.
Cairns and Kozlowski Promoted
February 20, 2012 -- Promotions for Bruce Cairns, MD, and Tomasz Kozlowski, MD, are effective February 24th.
Kiser and Colleagues Establish New UNC/Rex Heart Valve Center
February 29, 2012 -- Dr. Andy Kiser, chief of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, along with several others, is working to develop a new UNC/Rex Heart Valve Center that will offer a minimally-invasive aortic valve procedure colleagues
Wallen Named AUA Teacher of the Year
March 5, 2012 -- The Residents Committee of the American Urological Association has named Eric Wallen, MD, the 2012 recipient of the Teacher of the Year award.
Meyer Inducted Into Order of the Golden Fleece
March 19, 2012 -- Anthony A. Meyer, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Surgery, was inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece at the Order's Public Tapping Ceremony this past Friday.
2012 Resident Match Results
March 16, 2012 --
New Lungs, New Life
March 23, 2012 -- Luella Love, 48, of Concord, N.C., was born with cystic fibrosis, which causes breathing and digestive problems.
Surgical Oncology Hosts Bolivian Physician
April 10, 2012 -- Dr. Jaime Montaño, a surgeon from Cochabamba, Bolivia, traveled to Chapel Hill for a one-month fellowship with the Division of Surgical Oncology to study its multidisciplinary breast program.
Gerber Co-Authors Liver Transplant Study
April 30, 2012 - Dr. David Gerber, UNC Transplant Surgery, was the co-author of a study that shows that liver transplants performed at night or on weekends do not adversely affect patient or graft survival.
Demore published in latest ASCO Post
May 1, 2012 - Dr. Nancy Demore, associate professor of surgical oncology, will be published in the May 1st edition of ASCO Post.
Dehmer Article Cited by Medscape Surgery
May 17, 2012 -- Medscape Surgery's news bulletin included an article penned by Dr. Jeffrey Dehmer on its list of popular journal readings by general surgeons.
Academy of Educators Announces Surgery Inductees
May 16, 2012 -- Drs. D. Wayne Overby and Pamela Rowland were inducted into the Academy of Educators at the annual Awards Banquet held May 16th.
Four Surgeons Among First "Meaningful Users"
May 24, 2012 -- UNC's Practice Quality and Innovation unit submitted its first list of those providers meeting compliance with Medicare and Medicaid Meaningful Use criteria.
Montgomery Appointed New SICU Director
May 24, 2012 -- Effective June 1, 2012, Dr. Sean Montgomery will assume the reins of directorship of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU).
Camp Celebrate Celebrates 30 Years
May 25, 2012 -- Camp Celebrate, the flagship aftercare program of the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals and the oldest pediatric burn survivor camp in the country, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary at Camp Kanata in Wake Forest.
Egan Receives Grant for Transplant Research
June 6, 2012 -- Thomas M. Egan, M.D., of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, has received a $100,000 grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for his project "Is there NO solution to IRI? Nitric oxide to improve and expand lung transplant."
New Pool of Lung Donors
Jun e 6, 2012 -- Tom Egan, a professor of surgery at UNC, has spent years researching a solution to the shortage of lungs for transplant. He is now studying lungs from a previously-untapped pool of donors - people who have died suddenly, away from the hospital.
Gerber and Cairns Named ASA Fellows
June 15, 2012 -- David Gerber, MD, chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplant, and Bruce Cairns, Director of the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, were elected as Fellows of the American Surgical Association.
Boschini Awarded Fogarty Fellowship
June 15, 2012 -- General Surgery resident Laura Boschini, MD, has been awarded a fellowship from the Fogarty Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars.
Farber Pioneers Use of Device in Treatment of Complex AAA
June 20, 2012 -- UNC's Aortic Disease Management Team, under the directorship of Dr. Mark Farber, became the first in the nation to successfully use the Zenith® Fenestrated AAA Endovascular Graft to treat a patient with a complex abdominal aortic aneurysm.
TAVR Heart Valve Procedure Offers New Options
June 21, 2012 -- Heart specialists at Rex Healthcare, part of UNC Health Care, are offering a new procedure to repair heart valves.
Meyers elected to Medical Staff Executive Committee
June 21, 2012 -- Michael Meyers, MD, Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, was reelected to an at-large position on the Medical Staff Executive Committee.
Gerber to Chair Institutional Conflcit of Interest Committee
June 27, 2012 - Dr. David Gerber, MD, FACS, Chief of Abdominal Transplant Division, has been appointed as chair of the Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee at UNC Chapel Hill.
Stansfield Joins Cardiothoracic Surgery
July 1, 2012 -- William E. Stansfield, M.D., joined the UNC faculty on July 1 as assistant professor of surgery in the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr. Stansfield, who specializes in heart surgery for adults, practices as a cardiothoracic surgeon at UNC Hospitals.
Buckio Appointed Associate Chair for Administration
July 16, 2012 -- The Department of Surgery welcomes Joellen Buckio, MHA, in her role as the Associate Chair for Administration, effective July 16, 2012.
Smith Joins UNC Urology
July 31, 2012 -- The Division of Urologic Surgery welcomes Angela Smith, MD to its ranks of faculty.
5th Annual Cardiothoracic Boot Camp
July 29, 2012 --
Meyers Appointed Residency Program Director
August 20, 2012 -- Dr. Michael O. Meyers has been named the new Director of the General Surgery Residency Program, a position held for the last seven years by Dr. Mark Koruda.
Call for Awards Nominations
Aug. 23, 2012 --
Amos Awarded Claude Organ Traveling Fellowship
August 28, 2012 -- The American College of Surgeons has presented Keith Amos, MD, with its 2012 Claude Organ, Jr., MD, FACS, Traveling Fellowship.
Marston Utilizes Unique Cell-Based Therapy
August 09, 2012 -- William Marston, MD, has published a study on unique cell-based therapy.
Sheldon Honored by Association of Women Surgeons
Aug. 20, 2012 -- George F. Sheldon, MD, has received the Association of Women Surgeons' Past Presidents' Honorary Member Award.
2012 Healthy Hearts Reunion
September 17, 2012 -- UNC pediatric heart surgery patients and their families gathered on Saturday, September 15, for the annual Healthy Hearts Reunion.
Jones Selected for ACCLAIM Program
September 20, 2012 -- Dr. Samuel Jones has been selected for the inaugural Academic Career Leadership Academy in Medicine (ACCLAIM).
Burn Disaster Program Receives Fire Prevention Grant
July 30, 2012 -- Randy D. Kearns DHA, Bruce A. Cairns MD, and James R. Gusler, of the UNC School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, received a $599,920 grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide burn prevention and burn care educational programs in North and South Carolina.
Thomas Presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
September 21, 2012 -- Dr. Colin G. Thomas, Jr. was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the North Carolina Memorial Hospital.
Dehmer Receives Robert C. Cefalo House Officer Award
October 2, 2012 -- Dr. Jeff Dehmer received the Robert C. Cefalo House Award at the Annual Meeting of the Medical Staff on Monday, October 1, 2012.
Weiner Featured in "Stars and Stripes"
September 27, 2012 -- Dr. Timothy Weiner featured in Department of Defense newspaper "Stars and Stripes."
FDA Approves Endovascular Aortic Repair Devices Following UNC Trials
September 30, 2012 -- Dr. Mark Farber served as the principle investigator for two endovascular aortic repair devices recently approved by the FDA.
Sheldon Presented American College of Surgeons 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award
October 1, 2012 -- Dr. George F. Sheldon receives the American College of Surgeons (ACS) 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award.
van Aalst Awarded Two Grants
October 02, 2012 -- Dr John van Aalst, Associate Professor and Director of Pediatric and Craniofacial Plastic Surgery, has been awarded two grants.
Kim Named 2013 James IV Traveler
October 04, 2012 -- Dr. Hong Jin Kim, Associate Professor in the UNC Division of Surgical Oncology, was named a 2013 Traveler by the James IV Association of Surgeons.
Cairns Named Medical Director of Respiratory Care Department
October 11, 2012 -- Bruce Cairns, MD, has been named the Medical Director for the Respiratory Care Department.
Interviewing his heart surgeon, Bill Friday used his own experience to educate others
October 16, 2012 -- Longtime University of North Carolina President Bill Friday, who died Oct. 12, was a friend of health care at UNC. In 2009, he used his own medical experiences at UNC to educate others.
Samuel Awarded K01 Grant
October 24, 2012 -- The Fogarty International Center has granted Jonathan Samuel, MD, an NIH Research Scientist Development Award for treatment of sigmoid volvulus in Malawi.
van Aalst Featured in Carolina Development Annual Report
November 1, 2012 -- Dr. John van Aalst is featured in the 2012 Carolina Development Annual Report for his work with the Palestine Cleft Society.
ACS NSQIP recognizes UNC Hospitals
November 2, 2012 – This recognition program commends a select group of hospitals for achieving exemplary outcome performances related to patient management in five clinical areas.
Rich Promoted to Full Professor
November 6, 2012 -- Dr. Preston Rich, Chief of the Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery, was promoted to Full Professor effective August 1, 2012.
Founder and first Chief of UNC Plastic Surgery Dr. Erle Peacock Jr. 1926-2012
November 6, 2012 -- Founder and first Chief of UNC Plastic Surgery Dr.Erle Peacock Jr. 1926-2012
Williams into Semi-Finals of Promise Idol
November 6, 2012 -- Shamelah Williams, a Medical Support Assistant in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, has been selected as a semi-finalist in the UNC Hospitals and School of Medicine's Promise Idol.
Burn Center approved for re-verification
November 8, 2012 -- On Oct. 23 - 24, the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center underwent a site review for re-verification as a Center of Excellence.
Nelson Castillo, MD Joins the Division
December 3, 2012 -- Please join the Division of Plastic Surgery in extending a very warm welcome to Nelson Castillo, MD, who joins our faculty as Assistant Professor.
DeMore receives Murray F. Brennan Award for Sarcoma Research
December 4, 2012 -- Nancy DeMore, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been selected to receive the Murray F Brennan Award for sarcoma research from the Kristen Ann Karr Fund.
Service awards presented to Surgery employees
December 3, 2012 -- Several staff members were recognized for their dedication to the Department at today's cupcake reception.
Surgery appoints vice-chairs
December 6, 2012 -- Department of Surgery Chair Anthony A. Meyer, MD, PhD, has announced the appointment of four Department vice-chairs.
The Best Doctors in America 2013
December 7, 2012 -- Congratulations to the following Department of Surgery physicians who are identified as being among the best in the nation, as compiled by the Boston-based Best Doctors, Inc.
Schultz awarded SUNA President's Trophy
December 14, 2012 -- Heather Schultz, a Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Urology, was awarded the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA) President's Trophy in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the specialty of urologic nursing.
US News & World Report names Top Doctors
December 18, 2012 -- U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., released its 2012 list of the nation's top physicians.


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Just did a world update in Sabayon Four to kernel 2.26.29. Installed the Nvidia 2.26.29 driver before rebooting and eseleted it. On reboot got the following error:
"Api mismatch: The Nvidia kernel module has version 180.11 but the Nvidia driver component has version 180.41. Please make sure the that the kernel
module and all Nvidia drivers components have the same version."
How do I do this? Modprobe , I think, but how?
Thanks in advance, Murray.


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The AHS History Committee is proud to present the 2014 History Calendar, sponsored by Bell Helicopter Textron.
The AHS History Calendar has been mailed out to all AHS members with the November/December issue of Vertiflite. Quick Response (QR) codes on the back cover and with each month will provide more information about each of the featured photos or graphics. We hope you enjoy the calendar!
AHS members can also download the whole calendar by logging in.
Bell Boeing V-22A Osprey
Anniversary of the first flight, March 19, 1989
The Bell V-22 Osprey is the first tilt rotor to enter production and be used operationally. The aircraft can trace its lineage to other two Bell Helicopter products, the XV-3 and XV-15. Today the V-22 is being used by the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps. The aircraft flew for the first time on March 19th, 1989; and since then, it has evolved into a reliable and essential component of the War on Terror. Other tilt-rotor aircraft have been designed and flown, but the V-22 is the only type to have entered production to date. The V-22 had a long and challenging development history; but over time this capable machine has lived up to its original expectations. The aircraft is being considered for additional missions as their users learn the aircraft true potential.
The aircraft maximum Short Take-Off gross weight is 60,500 pounds and it can fly at more than 250 knots, carrying up to 24 troops or an internal payload of 20,000 pounds. The aircraft can be refueled in the air, and more than 200 units have been delivered to USAF and USMC operators. In the summer of 2013, two V-22s were assigned to Marine Squadron One, responsible for Presidential travel logistical support.
Check out the photo for January!
2014 History Calendar Index
2015 History Calendar | 2013 History Calendar | 2012 History Calendar


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2013 OUTDOOR TRACK - Recorded the second-best distance in Maryland outdoor history in the shot put at NCAA East Regionals (52-03.74)…Finished 5th in the shot put at ACC Championships and 23rd at NCAA Championships…Earned 2nd in the discus at Maryland Invitational (142-05)…Recorded a season-best and first-place all-time mark of 185-06 in the hammer throw at ECAC Championships...Placed 6th in the same event at ACC Championships.2013 INDOOR TRACK - Placed 4th in the shot put at ACC Championships and recorded a season best throw (51-03.50)...Placed 2nd in the 20 pound weight throw at ACC Championships (63-04.75)...Qualified for ECACs in the shot put and the weight throw...Ranks 2nd all time in Terps history in both the shot put and the weight throw.
2012 OUTDOOR TRACK - Season best mark in the shot put came at the Kehoe Twilight (50-3.50)...Finished 1st in the event...Mark ranks 3rd all time in Terps history...Season best mark in the discus came at the Maryland Invitational (141-00)...Finished 1st in the event...Mark ranks 9th all time in Terps history...Season best mark in the hammer throw came at the ECAC Championships (184-3)...Tied for second best throw in Terps history.
2012 INDOOR TRACK - Season best mark in shot put came in 48-3.25 at the ACC Championships...Finished 5th at event...Mark is 4th all time in Terps history...Season best mark in 20 pound weight throw came at the Terrapin Invitational (61-11.75)...Finished 2nd at event...Mark is 3rd all time at Maryland.
2011 OUTDOOR TRACK - Season-best mark in the shot put came with 2nd-place finish in the Eastern Section at the Penn Relays with 48-3.50... Placed 8th at ACC Outdoor at 48-3.25 and 6th at the ECAC Outdoor at 48-2.50... Won Kehoe Twilight shot event at 48-0.50... Was 37th at the NCAA East Prelims at 46-8.75... Had Terps' best hammer mark with 184-4 to win the Kehoe Twilight meet... Placed 5th at the ACC Outdoor in the hammer at 180-6... Was 5th in the College Section of the Penn Relays at 172-10... Won the Maryland Invitational at 172 4 and was 11th at the ECAC Outdoor at 171-5... Placed 41st in the hammer at the NCAA East Prelims at 168-0.
2011 INDOOR TRACK - Maryland's best six marks of the season in the shot put were hers... Season-best came in her first meet of indoor season at the Nittany Lion Challenge where she was 2nd at 46-0.75... Placed 11th at the ACC Indoor at 45-9... Won the Terrapin Indoor with a put of 45-3... Also had a 46-0.50 at the N.Y. Armory... Had Terps' second-best mark in the weight throw of 58-2.25 at her second Armory appearance, placing 2nd... Was 2nd at the Nittany Lion Challenge weight throw at 57-9 and won the Terrapin Indoor at 55-9... Placed 12th at the ACC Indoor at 54-5.25.
2010 OUTDOOR TRACK - Had Terps' best eight marks of the season in the shot put... Scored at the ACC Outdoor Championships with her season-best of 47-0.25, earning her 5th... Mark was also a qualifier for the ECAC Outdoor, where she was 8th at 45-10.50... Won the Kehoe Twilight meet at 45-5.25... Placed 11th at the Penn Relays with 44-6 toss... Also competed in the hammer, with her best mark of 158-8 also coming at the ACC Championships, where she was 9th... Third at Kehoe Twilight meet at 156-9 and 3rd at the Mason Spring Invitational at 153-0.
2010 INDOOR TRACK - Had Terps' best marks of the season in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw... Best shot put mark of the season came with 46-3.25 to place 6th at the ACC Indoor Championships and post 8th-best mark at Maryland... Won the Terrapin Indoor Invitational (42-5.50)... Also had a top-five finish in the shot at the Alex Wilson Invitational (44-6.25)... Season-best in the weight throw also came at the ACC Indoor meet as she finished 7th at 54-11.50 (also 8th all-time at Maryland)... Won the N.Y. Armory Meet (53-8).BEFORE MARYLAND - Best shot-put student-athlete in high school conference...second-best discus thrower in conference... became all-metro in the shot put with a mark of 44-8 in 2009.
PERSONAL - Daughter of Bryant and Marci Young... has one sibling Morgan, 7... is undecided on major but wants to become an engineer... played on the volleyball and basketball teams in high school... also recruited by Bucknell and Brown.