text:
Friends Preschool Childcare has openings for PSNS employees!
Getting good daycare is sometimes difficult. Getting great daycare when you have to be at work very early at the Shipyard is now a reality thanks to Friends Preschool Daycare!
Friends Preschool Daycare is a PSNS employee partner daycare and is offering employees early opening at 4:15 AM.
They have great rates, lots of benefits, and are linked with the Bremerton School District Early Childhood Education.
They also serve ages 2-6yrs old and they are conveniently located in downtown Bremerton. They enjoy serving PSNS employees exclusively and understand the needs of children and parents with very demanding jobs.
They are licensed and hold degrees in Early Childhood Education and have been in business for an amazing 17+ years!
Connect with them on facebook and check out all of the excellent reviews from the community and clients.
Nothing is better than going to work and knowing that your child is well taken care of. Now if only they would take teenagers!
Lisa Jachimowicz Suquamish/Poulsbo, Washington
Designs of the Times -What Inspires You?
Design is everywhere. It can be in the food we eat, the art we buy or the Jewelry we wear. The Designs of the Times Blog is about the people, places and things that help us a enjoy the abundance of creativity all around us. Join us as we showcase the rich designs of our surroundings that make up this great area we call home- Kitsap County! We hope to bring inspiration, joy, and creativity to all who read our Blog.


text:
Dear Sirs,
The Ocean Geographic Society and members of Solitaire, PPS and Kris Flyer members request for Singapore Airlines and SIA Cargo to cease the transportation of Shark Fins and shark-related products on all flights. As the world's most awarded airline with a commitment towards diligent service to its customers, and a company that supports conservation programmes as an essential part of being a good corporate citizen, we hope that Singapore Airlines will take step to protect and preserve the sentinel animals of our ocean.
Sharks are one of the important sentinel species and they are barometers for a healthy ocean environment. This instance, we call upon Singapore Airlines to cease transportation of shark fins and related products on all flights.
This is imperative for Singapore Airlines' commitment to environmental sustainability. Tonnes of shark fins are currently being transported on Singapore Airlines, directly contributing to the decimation sharks in the wild. The Hong Kong Government data indicates that over 1,162 tonnes of shark fins were imported into Hong Kong in 2012, of which 14.1% was by air cargo. Of that percentage, a substantial amount would have been flown into Hong Kong on Singapore Airlines' flights. According to a July 2013 report by the global wildlife trade monitoring network, Traffic, "Singapore was the fourth biggest exporter of shark fins between 2000 and 2009".
To date, numerous environmentally responsible airlines have publicly declared their support for this initiative by ceasing the freight of shark fins and shark-related products. They are: Garuda Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Korean Airlines, Asiana, Korean Airlines, Lan Chile, Eva Air, AeroMexico, Dragon Air and Fiji Air. Major shipping companies have also stepped up to support the cause; in 2010, Maersk announced a complete ban on the carriage of all shark fins and shark-related products on their container ships.
In July 2013, Evergreen Line of Taiwan did the same. I am sure you are aware that on 14 March 2013, at the meeting of the UN Conference of the Parties to CITES in Bangkok, (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), three sharks and two ray species are granted trade protection into Appendix II – this attests to the fact that many sharks species are now closer to extinction due to the demand of the trade.
We urgently call upon Singapore Airlines' to help by cutting the supply chain of the shark fin trade into Asian cities. We hope Singapore Airlines will cease the transportation of shark fins and shark-related products on all Singapore Airlines' flights as soon as possible. We look forward to an official announcement so that we can share the good news. Of course, we will also publish the news in Asian Geographic and Ocean Geographic. Meanwhile, I would be delighted to meet with you in Singapore at any time to discuss this issue, and how we can collaborate to protect these magnificent sentinel species.
Thank you
Ocean Geographic Society and Asian Geographic
This petition closed almost 6 years ago
This petition will help stop the shipping of shark fins to China, Hong Kong and around SE Asia cities.
Last communication with a Tammy Boey of Singapore Airlines - she
told me that the management...
This petition will help stop the shipping of shark fins to China, Hong Kong and around SE Asia cities.
Last communication with a Tammy Boey of Singapore Airlines - she
told me that the management will review our request. I am tired of waiting - today we send a fresh request to SIA Cargo and Singapore Airlines management and all Singapore cargo office in SE Asia.
SIA Cargo CEO is Mr Lee Lik Hsin; please write to him as well - their emails and sample letter pasted below. you can copy and paste or write your own. So far we have 38209 signatures in this cause - please share and ask your friend to sign.
Meanwhile we need your help in an more urgent matter; the Premiere of Western Australia had authorize baiting and indiscriminately CULL sharks in Western Australia water - this is a crime against nature and humanity. We are calling for his resignation. Please consider to support this cause at
https://www.causes.com/campaigns/72683-call-for-th... Thank you
SIA Emails:
[email protected]; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '[email protected]'; '

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Bring your day to NewHeights with our height adjustable desks Check out the options and features
Leading the Evolution in Height Adjustable Desks Office Furniture Ergonomic Products
Yes, we ARE OPEN and ready to assist you!
Please visit our Press Room for company updates.
RightAngle Ergonomic Products is a leading manufacturer of sit stand desks and ergonomic office furniture and has been manufacturing ergonomic computer accessories for over 25 years. RightAngle's first official product was one of the first, and now very primitive ergonomic keyboard trays available in the 1980's throughout the United States. A more modern, sleek, and sturdy Myriad™ Ergonomic Keyboard Tray has replaced our original steel keyboard tray. The innovative Myriad™ Keyboard Tray is one of our many leading ergonomic accessories sold and is among the most durable ergonomic office products available.


text:
Not long ago, the Civil War museum where I used to work sent one of their battle flags to a conservation lab. The red fabric in the canton was frayed and had needed attention for some time, but the museum had to secure the funds first. A lot of history museums have backlogs of artifacts in need of more than in-house treatment, which they send out in dribs and drabs as donations, grants, and appropriations trickle in. The conservation and repair of one artifact can run well into the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Multiply that by thousands of artifacts, and you understand why financial assistance is important.
That flag is one of those artifacts that always left an impact on visitors. It belonged to a Confederate cavalry unit from Tennessee—and one of the members of that unit may have been the person who left his blood on it. The stains are still quite visible.
I thought about that bloodstained flag when I read this post over at Civil War Memory. A local SCV group has secured private land and raised nearly $100,000 for a brand-new statue of Gen. Joe Johnston at Bentonville.
Readers of CWM may recall that the controversial statue of Jefferson Davis and Jim Limber, which the SCV commissioned and then had to trot around in search of someone willing to accept it, had the same price tag. Remember, these aren't historic works of art that have come onto the market and need a home, but entirely new sculptures produced for specific purposes.
Personally, I'm not at all uneasy about monuments to Confederates. I can understand why public displays of this sort bother some people, but the sight of a Confederate flag doesn't make me any more uneasy than the national flag of Argentina. In fact, when I hear discussions about removing or relocating old Confederate monuments, I lose both interest and patience pretty quickly.
Monuments that are ninety or a hundred years old have historic value in and of themselves. They're artifacts in their own right that have become a characteristic aspect of certain American landscapes, and they're evidence of who we were and what we used to believe about ourselves. One shouldn't go around trying to blot out every piece of culture simply because it's distasteful. Furthermore, in some cases Civil War veterans themselves placed these monuments, so they provide information about how participants in the war interpreted their own experiences. Occasionally, they tell us where units were positioned during engagements, or at least where its members thought they were positioned.
Here, though, we're not talking about statues that have been around for decades and have accrued some intrinsic historical or cultural worth. We're talking about brand-new sculptures which cost a great deal of money, and that money has come from the efforts of heritage groups.
I'm extremely grateful that there are dedicated, generous people out there who are willing to support history with their money and to spend their time persuading other people to do so. I wish, however, that more of this money could be used to meet existing needs, rather than to create new monuments. Honoring brave men is a fine thing to do, but commemorative sculpture doesn't play the prominent role in public memory and civic education that it once did. What matters now is that we have the raw material of history at hand, and we're losing it. The sort of money spent on these statues could go a long way toward helping us preserve it.
If the SCV is looking for ways to perpetuate the legacy of Confederate soldiers, there is no shortage of opportunities. The CWPT is trying to raise $150,000 for the site of a remarkable Confederate breakthrough at Franklin, in the face of overwhelming fire and despite devastating losses. That spot of ground is a far more eloquent testimony to the bravery and prowess of the Confederate soldier than any plaque on a monument could provide.
The same organization is also trying to raise $75,000 for part of the field at Gettysburg associated with Longstreet's assault of July 2. The cost of one of those statues would have secured ground over which southern troops marched during what Longstreet called the "best three hours of fighting" he had ever seen, with funds left over for even more.
Finally, there's a need for $12,000,000 for a critical portion of the Fredericksburg battlefield, site of one of Lee's most decisive victories. These are just a few handy examples; there are plenty of other endangered sites, along with historic Confederate monuments on battlefields and in graveyards that need the sort of serious maintenance that this sort of money could provide.
A hundred thousand dollars would renovate a museum gallery. It would cover the salary of a full-time historic site interpreter for three or four years. (There is currently no interpretation at Brandywine, due to a loss of state funds.) It would send a cabinet full of deteriorating uniforms, weapons, flags, portraits, or documents to the conservator.
Of course, the SCV and other heritage groups do, in fact, support such efforts with their money and time. I'm sincerely thankful for that. But I also think that in a tight economy, with governments and institutions slashing budgets for historical causes left and right, it's important for those who care about history to be especially prudent with their resources.
That applies not just to Confederate heritage groups, but to those who want to preserve the legacies of Union soldiers, Revolutionary soldiers, abolitionists, Native Americans, or any historic group or individual. Is the best way to honor their memory a work of art, or ensuring that what's left of their world is still around for your children and grandchildren to learn from and appreciate?
One more thing about that flag I mentioned at the beginning of this little tirade. It used to hang in a display case near the uniform of a young Confederate soldier from Virginia, who died in battle at age eighteen. The uniform isn't on exhibit anymore. It's in fragile condition, but it might go back on display after some treatment. Just as soon as there's enough money to do it.


text:
Collaborative Fund, CircleUp Partner to Invest $4 Million in B Corps
New York City-based venture firm Collaborative Fund, and CircleUp, the fundraising platform for "anything but tech" startups, have partnered to invest $4 million into certified B Corps, said CircleUp co-founder Ryan Caldbeck.
B Corps, also known as benefit corporations, are certified by the nonprofit B Lab and promise to make a positive social or environmental impact on the world. The for-profit businesses must report standardized impact metrics while delivering returns to their shareholders.


text:
|Thread Tools
|SRB2 Chaos Domain - Version 2.1 -scr_ChaosDomain-Version2.1.wad- (The Time Has Come!) Details »»
SRB2 Chaos Domain - Version 2.1 -scr_ChaosDomain-Version2.1.wad- (The Time Has Come!)
Developer Last Online: Jun 2020
After a long time, I can finally say I am READY to release this. After months, if not years, of hard work (well, maybe not that hard since I am lazy :P) I give to you....
SRB2 Chaos Domain
Version 2.1!
Small little screenshot to show this thing is still alive!
Update log
Spoiler: 12/17/2013
Fix various bugs and over sights from the blue spring in SFZ2 to areas that broke in Multiplayer thanks to the Each Time linedef executor. And then some other odds and ins.
Spoiler: 12/10/2013
After a long wait, Chaos Domain 2.1 is released! It has been a long time since I made a new version, but I hope you guys have fun with this build. I will be the last one I can get out for awhile thanks to stuff going on in life.
Spoiler: 5/31/2012
Bug fix update, fixed a crash on SPZ3's boss and some other fixes.
After Eggmans most recent set back, he was busy trying to come up with a new plan to defeat Sonic and his friends. He was lucky enough to find one of the Chaos Emeralds while searching for a place to start construction on a new base.
Using his last defeat as a key opportunity to lie low to study the emerald in greater detail, while doing so he had happen to find the diary of his Grandfather that made mention of the use of the Chaos Emeralds to manipulate space and time. Wishing to harness this power, he ran test after test trying figure out how to crack into the Chaos Control.
As time passed Eggman grew tired of taking precautions and decided to take a more direct approach, he attempted to split the emerald open. Unfortunately for him, Sonic and his friends found Eggmans base when they were on the look for the Chaos Emeralds. In his hasty attempts at stopping Sonic, he started the process before the preparations were completed. A white flash erupted from the machine, slowly growing bigger and bigger, before engulfing the whole facility.
Sonic and his friends awoke finding themselves lying in a green meadow, with the sun setting over the mountains. Quickly noticing Eggmans robots in the area, the group set of to figure out what happen and where they were at.
Two full 3 act zones with custom bosses, and two 2 act zones!
Secrets hidden in the levels for extra re-play value!
New graphics for items, like rings, monitors, and more!
Custom scenery Items!
Mirror (beta 2.0): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...in-beta2.0.rar
A BIG thanks to all those who helped me out in the making of this mod!
Download Now
Supporters / CoAuthors
Show Your Support
The unreliable judge
Well that was certainly something, I just finished playing through it and the new levels/features were great. Also it was nice to see general improvements all across the mod as well.
I'll wait a day for the new mod smell to wear off before I post anything more detailed than that, but I definitely had fun playing through this so good job CoatRack.
Meanwhile in Aerial Garden Zone
Official Community CoatRack
The Genocide Pack, "MADE IN THE STYLE OF THE 8 AND 16 BIT CLASSICS!"
aka Sutekh94
Awww yeah. Been waiting for this since forever and a day ago. I just got finished playing through this and I'll say, you did an excellent job with this, CoatRack. I eagerly await another release.
Other places I'm usually on:
YouTube | DeviantArt.
The Golden Blur
A tremendous improvement over the last version. This is likely THE best levelpack for SRB2 out there, and kept me entertained the whole way through. Much respect.
If you need a reply, contact me on Youtube/Skype. www.youtube.com/SuperMysticSonic
I would do a full review but I'm too lazy. But anyway man, This was fun to play for 30 minutes. The only problems that stick out to me the most is the egg hopper, a few unfair platforming, and a little sense of direction.
The egg hopper, I feel like it has some issues; The camera effect is real cool, but it's happening for way too long, and it was messing with my attacks, I would either shorten the duration or make it zoom out and in once. Also, im not sure if it's hitbox is messed up, but everytime I'd try to hit, I'd just go right through him. Sometimes I'd attack him, and sometimes I won't.
The platforming can be real cheap due to robot spartas. Just get them away from the cliffs. Particularly if it's over a pit.
I'd get a little lost sometimes. Could be just me. I haven't played in a while. Probably wouldn't count this as a problem. Just me complaining.
Dude. That angel island reference was sick, man. Once it happened I knew exactly what you did to execute it. That's awesome. Also Egg Mansion has gotten violent and evil. :(
Solar Egglipse in progress.
The unreliable judge
I've had a chance to play through this again, explore and look for secrets and play through the rest of the paths I missed on my first playthrough. So here are some more detailed thoughts on the level pack.
Solstice Pass
I'm just going to start by jumping right into the Egg Hopper, first of all I do quite like this boss. The initial first hit the player takes as the player learns how the boss works is inevitable which is a shame. But after that, I actually like how simple this boss is. It's short but it forces you to pay attention the entire time to avoid taking damage and it's simple enough to warrant being the boss of the first zone.
However there are some problems with the collision detection. I'm not sure whether this is because I might have been jumping through the wrong parts of the sprite, or whether the Egg Hopper is juts invincible during certain frames, but I passed through the boss several times when it is standing on the ground. It's not game breaking, but it was an annoying bug.
Stronghold Forest
Starting off as a normal forest zone and transitioning to a fire level near the end of act 1 was great, especially how that was handled. Even though it is basically the same sequence I've seen countless times when playing Sonic 3, it was really impressive to see you pull it off in SRB2.
With regards to the Fire Breath boss coming immediately afterwards, I really enjoyed how the bombs forced me on the move at all times while making me watch my step to avoid running into the fire. But I would have appreciated some warning before the boss used its flamethrower attack at close range, this doesn't need to be much just something small like a fraction of a second delay with a charging noise or a puff of smoke before the flame thrower activates.
The new Stronghold Forest 3 was pretty good as well, definitely an improvement on the old Stronghold Forest 2.
This room can't be completed as Sonic because of the blue spring
The oil in Stronghold Forest 2 bugs me, because it is often used in such large amounts it looks much deeper than it actually is. I was surprised I slipped on it rather than sinking in the first time I touched it. It also feels like a missed opportunity that you didn't use it as a burning hazard in this level. Oil is very flammable after all~
Oh, I loved your choice of music in act 3 as well, Jamestown has great music. I also noticed that Jamestown is missing in the credits sequence. Might be an idea to fix that at some point in future.
Eggmansion Zone
The new ghost behaviour is nice, swooping rather than making a direct beeline for the player makes them much easier to manage. It's also nice to see that they are not spammed as much in act 2 which makes the level far less frustrating as far as enemy placement goes.
The new dark rooms in act 2 were mostly okay, because it was still possible to make out the silhouettes of the platforms the player needs to jump on. But the dark room leading the kitchen was more of a nuiscance than anything else, trying to find the secret exit to move on in extreme darkness with 3-4 ghosts harassing me at any given time was tedious and frustrating for me.
Also there was this HoM in the final section of act 2.
Chemical Facility
This zone is mostly unchanged as far as I can tell other than a few small changes here and there, so there's not much for me to say that I haven't already covered in the OLDC. Good thing I already enjoy this level then~ although I do still think the timed door room in the second half of act 2 is a bit too difficult. Bearing in mind that I'm okay with the rest of the level being quite hard.
Meanwhile in Aerial Garden Zone
Last edited by MellowJacket; 12-13-2013 at 09:12 PM.
The first thing to say is "good job". So i found some bugs, here they are:
This lava don't damage the player:
There is no way to escape when Sonic fall here:
If the player is too close from the sides, he die without reason when he touch the floor or ceiling:
I didnt found any way to complete this section as Sonic (the water don't let me jump high enough):
Anyway this was an awesome experience. My favorite level was Egg Mansion act 2 just for the scary ambience and the final challenge.
Last edited by CyanS; 12-14-2013 at 09:01 PM.
Just to clerify my opinion, this may have been the best level pack I have played yet. One of them, atleast. As for my favorate level, I wold say Eggmansion. Who COULDN'T agree with that choice?
Besides the HOM in Eggmansion. It screws up the entire design for that grey scaled copy-zone. Otherwise, the entire level is just pure Awesome.
My regards ~ CyanAqua. I'd like to see more of this! Bet the comunity wil be happy.
𝒾'𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹, 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒷𝒶𝒹, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒾 𝓈𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝒾𝓃'𝓉 𝓊𝑔𝓁𝓎.
This is the best Level Pack I have ever played, and I love every bit of it. But there is problem in Stronghold Forest Act 1 that bugs me a bit.
When you step on this barrel, You finish the level. Was that intentional?
Custom User Title
I played a bit of this earlier today, and enjoyed it. However, what I'd wanted to download was the older version that was here prior to the 2.1 release. I've had to re-download the level-packs I had after wiping my laptop clean a few weeks ago, and I don't have the older release anymore. I know that this update is probably vastly superior, but I still want to have the old release on hand, for history's sake.
Are there any working download links to the previous publicly released version still around?
Official Community CoatRack
Also, I have updated the first post with a link to the last version. There is also a patch on the way, there is also a chance that there will be one more level added.
The Genocide Pack, "MADE IN THE STYLE OF THE 8 AND 16 BIT CLASSICS!"
Official Community CoatRack
I have done a bug fix release, I should have nailed them all out, if I didn't feel free to scream at me. :P
The Genocide Pack, "MADE IN THE STYLE OF THE 8 AND 16 BIT CLASSICS!"
Oh, THAT guy...
Great Job CoatRack! Your stages are so visually appealing it makes my eyes smile!
I hope you continue adding stages to this and make it long adventure.
Easy MD2 set-up
Stop it
I was also wondering a thing CoatRack, how is the progress of Radiant Cavern Zone?
We haven't got any news of this zone since you showed it for the first time...
Custom User Title
I do have two large complaints and one small complaint, though. The first is a bug I encountered in act 1 of Eggmansion. In the outdoors segment where the rays of light float you upwards, there is a square arrangement of spikes above the third light beam. I was playing as Knuckles, and when he hit the roof, he didn't rebound back down. He was stuck running in air, caged in by the spikes, with no way to get out or be harmed. The only way to escape was to turn on no-clip. The simplest solution would be to take away a portion of the spikes, so that if the player doesn't leave the beam of light fast enough, they don't have to be trapped forever.
The second issue I have with the game, though, is the entire last zone. It simply isn't fun to play, at least for me. It has many of the same problems I have with Eggrock Zone. There are some interesting gimmicks, such as the area with VVVVVVV style gravity switching, and the water that acts like ice, but far too much in the zone is trying to get you killed to for the player to appreciate any of it. It's hard to admire the care put into the level layouts and gimmicks when there are instant death traps around every other corner, and piles of badnicks around the remaining corners.
It's just an observation of mine, but SRB2 as a gaming platform hasn't proven itself capable of making challenging levels that are still fun to play. Part of it is the fault of certain badnicks and the numbers in which they tend to be used, part of it is the levels themselves that don't take the time to ease players into new gimmicks before those gimmicks get the players killed, and another part of it is the fault of the out-dated "one and done" continue system.
Having said this, Chemical Facility isn't quite as unforgiving as Eggrock, and I was able to complete it. Perhaps my opinion will soften as I replay the stage, but memorization off all a stage's traps should not be a prerequisite to enjoyment of the stage.
Lastly, my small complaint is another bug, this time in Eggmansion Act 2. In the darkened library area, there is a trapdoor in the bookshelf that leads to the kitchen. But if you open the trapdoor from the right side, the bookcase kills you immediately as it swings out. There is no visual indication that anything is touching you, but I'm guessing the game thinks that you are inside the door hinge and are being crushed.
Aside from my three complaints, this is a very enjoyable level pack, unquestionably among the best produced thus far. I'll also give you a hand for the amount of bizarre FiM references you managed to stick in. As a fan of that show, I got a kick out of Eggmansion Act 2 in particular.
Edit: It should be noted that my comments regarding difficulty could apply to many official Sonic games as well, both 2D and 3D. And my opinion on the difficulty of Chemical Facility Zone comes from playing through the zone as Sonic, and no other character yet.
Last edited by Legendary Emerald; 12-23-2013 at 11:48 PM.
So. Uh. I'm kind of stuck, sad to say. I don't know what to do in the infinite hall loop in EMZ2. I can't find my way out. I've done everything I can think of
Wandering Protagonist
|Thread Tools


text:
Psychill Ambient Chillout Mix Download - PsyAmb 67
It's been a while since I have mixed up any spacey psychill music so this week lets take a look at some of the better tunes from last year or so. This mix starts of with a pretty chilled out ambient vibe before getting into some ambient trance action later on. It's a good one for serious headphone users !
We begin with a track from Cosmic Replicant from the 2013 release "Nature Of Life" on Altar Records. Cosmic Replicant is the work of Russian psychill artist Pavel Shirshin. The album is pretty good but could with a little more variety I think as I do find the simplified structures used a little repetitive. Still its a nice step up from his previous work so I 'm looking forward to his next work and more progression from this promising producer.
We then have Lemonchill's tune "Mantra" remixed by Erot. This is a great little tune with a progressive melodic feel. This appears on Erot's "Thoughts From The Past" mini EP released last year.
Things get a little darker after that with the introduction of the brooding spacey ambient tune "Metaphysical Laboratory" by Germind. This track sounds like it could work well as the soundtrack to some elaborate space opera. Great atmosphere here. You can grab this one from the Side Liner produced compilation "Discovering Plexus Music" - a collection of music from the Russian psychill netLabel "Plexus Music".
|Inner Expedition by Yarn
Following Yarn is a tune by Liquid Soul. Predominantly a progressive trance act, Liquid Soul also produces the occasional psychedelic downtempo track which appear as the final tracks on his albums. This one comes from his latest album titled "Revolution". I also recommend the last tune on his 2008 album "Love In Stereo" called "The Ritual". Lots of typical Liquid Soul melodic acidy sounds and urgent bass lines here - great stuff.
Next is a tune from Sonic Loom's compilation "Orbita Solaris - Summer Solstice" released in June of 2013. The Sonic Loom group has a rich roster of psytrance and psychedelic chillout artists including Vlastur, AuroaX, Naturelement and Stefen Torto to name a few. With a number of quality psychill releases in 2013 this is a label I'll definitely be keeping an eye on in the future.
|Dense - Christian Schoeps
It's fabulous stuff - really hypnotic and trippy. In this mix you can hear his track "Moonflower" off one of last year's top psychill albums "Exhale" released on Altar Records. Altar get my nod for best psybient/psychill label of the year for 2013 I think - so much good stuff from them last year.
We then have a tune from Astral Waves which also happens to be an Altar records artist. This tune is a remix of the track Between Life and Death by Nurion. It appears on the compilation "Magique" which is essentially a remix compilation in which Astral Waves remixes a number of popular psychill, psytrance and progressive trance artists. While not the best track on the album, it is the best one to suit this mix. So if you like this one, why not check out the other tunes as I think there are one or two other excellent tunes on their.
Psychill legend Astropilot features quite often in my spacey psychill mixes. He seems to have bottomless well of ideas and after all these years is still cranking out awesome ambient tunes week in week out. The next tune, A.P's "Homunculus Nebula", comes from the 2013 compilation "Superluminal" by Uxmal Records which features some of the current leading and up and coming artists producing deep, emotion psychill. Highly recommended listening.
Altar Records recently released a follow up to their acclaimed Floating Spirals compilation. "Floating Spirals 2" continues to showcase some of Altar's incredible depth of talent. I think they have more depth than Manchester City's bench at times ! Produced by E-Mantra, the new compilation includes a number of less familiar up and coming artists but don't let that put you off - it's an awesome compilation and just goes to show that even Altar's fringe players have what it takes too.
The next track in this mix comes from the original Floating Spirals compilation from 2012 and is a an epic tune by Cabeiri ( brothers Dimitris and Nickolas Vavalos ) who happens to be releasing their latest album "Self Insider" on Altar records this March.
The final two tracks of this mix are also Altar affairs with another track from Floating Spirals, E-Mantra's "Kaleidoscope Clouds" and the superb Suduya track "Unity" from DJ Zen's "Spring" compilation. That's it for this week. As always I hope you enjoy listening in and feel free to share this mix with your friends. 2014 is shaping up to be another great year for psychedelic ambient trance and psychill stuff so remember to follow the blog via the social bookmarks ( up top right of page ) where I post interesting new sounds and mix updates.
Cheers ....
Track - Artist
- 01. Sunnarium - Cosmic Replicant
- 02. Mantra (Erot RMX) 2.0 - Lemonchill
- 03. Metaphysical Laboratory - Germind
- 04. U.S.M - Yarn
- 05. Limitless - Liquid Soul
- 06. Smelling Sky - Sygnals
- 07. Moonflower - Dense
- 08. Between Life and Death - Astral Waves
- 09. Homunculus Nebula - Astropilot
- 10. The 5th Element - Cabeiri
- 11. Unity - Suduaya
- 13. Kaleidoscope Clouds - E-Mantra


text:
Contact Us For Pricing
Fast Facts About This Product:
The Peplink Balance is a reliable, cost-effective, and full-featured Internet Link Load Balancing solution that caters to a diverse range of business environments. It provides the flexibility to load balance (aka "link controller") between multiple Internet connections, such as DSL and cable, for increasing Internet bandwidth, reliability, uptime, and reducing the cost of having expensive leased lines or MPLS. The user-friendly Web Admin and Reporting Service help you to manage your network easily and intuitively. User control and bandwidth QoS features make Peplink Balance the best networking router for businesses of all sizes.


text:
"Adaptive Thermal Zone Modeling Including the Storage Mass of the Building Zone." Energy and Buildings Journal by Elsevier 109 (2015)..
The Added Economic and Environmental Value of Solar Thermal Systems in Microgrids with Combined Heat and Power. Berkeley: LBNL, 2009..
"The Added Economic and Environmental Value of Solar Thermal Systems in Microgrids with Combined Heat and Power." 3rd International Conference on Solar Air-Conditioning, September 30 – October 2, 2009. University Palermo, Sicily, Italy, 2009. 11. LBNL-2629E..
"Added Value of Reliability to a Microgrid: Simulations of Three California Buildings." Cigré Integration of Wide-Scale Renewable Resources into the Power Delivery System, July 29-31, 2009. Calgary, Canada, 2009. 9. LBNL-1853E..
"Aktuelle Trends in der dezentralen KWK Technologie Integration – Das kalifornische Fördermodell und dessen Implikation für die Endenergieeffizienzrichtlinie." Internationale Energiewirtschaftstagung an der TU Wien, February 14-16, 2007. Vienna, 2007. LBNL-62314..
"Analysis of electric interconnection with commercial building." Electric Vehicle Integration Into the Smart Grid of the Future - G2V & V2G Forum, April 6, 2011. UCLA, 2011. LBNL-4559E..
"Analysis of electric vehicle interconnection with commercial building microgrids." UCLA Smart Grid Thought Leadership Forum April 6, 2011. Los Angeles, CA: LBNL, 2011. LBNL-4559E..
"An Analysis of the DER Adoption Climate in Japan Using Optimization Results for Prototype Buildings with U.S. Comparisons." Energy and Buildings Journal Vol. 38.Issue 12 (2006) 10. LBNL-60594..
"Analyzing the reliability impact of distributed generation." Power Engineering Society Summer Meeting, 2001. IEEE 2001: 1013-1018..
Ancillary Services Markets in California. Berkeley: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1999. LBNL-43986..
"Application of the Software as a Service Model to the Control of Complex Building Systems." ECEEE Summer Study, June 6-11, 2011. Belambra Presqu'île de Giens, France: LBNL, 2011. LBNL-4860E..
"Applications of Optimal Building Energy System Selection and Operation." Microgen'II: Second International Conference of Microgeneration and Related Technologies, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, 4-6 Apr 2011. Glasgow, Scotland 4-6 Apr 2011: LBNL, 2011. LBNL-4764E..
"Applications of Optimal Building Energy System Selection and Operation." Institution of Mechanical Engineers Journal of Power and Energy Special Issue (2013). LBNL-6302E..
"Assessment of Combined Heat and Power System "Premium Power" Applications in California." International Journal of Distributed Energy Resources 6.2 (2010) 131-147. LBNL-3565E..
Assessment of Distributed Generation Potential in Japanse Buildings. Berkeley: LBNL, 2005. LBNL-57978..
"Assessment of Grid-friendly Collective Optimization Framework for Distributed Energy Resources." IEEE Power and Energy Society ISGT Asia 2015, 4-6 November 2015. Bangkok, Thailand, 2015. LBNL-1001907..
Assessment of the Combined Heat and Power System "Premium Power" Applications in California FINAL REPORT. Berkeley: LBNL, 2010. LBNL-3563E..
Assessment of the Combined Heat and Power System "Premium Power" Applications in California. Berkeley: LBNL, 2010. LBNL-3563E..
"Auswirkungen einer CO2-Steuer auf Dezentrale Energieversorgungsunternehmen mit Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung und deren Interaktion mit dem Verteilnetz, analysiert am Beispiel eines städtischen Mikronetzes." Energiegespräche, September 24, 2002. Technischen Museum, Vienna, 2002..
Behavior of Capstone and Honeywell Microturbine Generators During Load Changes. Rosemead: CERTS, 2001. LBNL-49095..
Behavior of Two Capstone 30kW Microturbines Operating in Parallel with Impedance Between Them. CERTS, 2004. LBNL-55907..
"Behavioral Aspects in Simulating the Future US Building Energy Demand." 2010 Behavior, Energy and Climate Change Conference 2010. LBNL-4079E..
"Building Distributed Energy Performance Optimization for China - a Regional Analysis of Building Energy Costs and CO2 Emissions." 2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, August 12-17, 2012 2012. LBNL-81770..
"Building Scale DC Microgrids." 2012 IEEE Energytech 2012. LBNL-5729E..


text:
9-25-11 PNC Park
Today was my final game of the 2011 season at PNC Park. I attended with Olivia and Amy, and unfortunately, there wasn't any batting practice.
I was worried that I may get shut out because the Pirates players were to meet with fans at the gates, leaving me with just the Reds to get a ball off of.
At 11:30, when the main seating bowl opened, several Pirates were finishing some pre-game tossing before heading out to the gates to meet fans.
I was able to get Tony Watson's attention as I stood about six rows deep and he fired me a strike for ball #1 when he was finished throwing. Here he is a few seconds after tossing me a ball, walking towards some fans to sign autographs.
I've gotten a ball at all 78 games this season – thanks to Tony for extending that streak.
I then headed to the first base side and changed into my Reds gear as the Reds came out to stretch and throw.
When the Reds started throwing, I stood behind Matt Maloney and snagged two balls within a few minutes.
They were overthrows that I corralled here:
However, they were both given back to Maloney, as he needed them to warm up. The first I tossed back, and the second I glove flipped to him. He promised to give the ball back when he was done.
Even though I snagged two balls, it was the same ball on two different occasions, so I'm only going to count it as one ball. I've seen lots of ballhawks count similar snags as two, even here at PNC Park, but that's just padding your stats. You can't snag the same ball twice. Period. Even if you give it back and get it again.
Unfortunately, some teenager moved in and count another overthrow which took the ball that I was awaiting out of play. It meant that my ball #2 was given away to someone else. Oh well. It goes down in my stats as a snag from Jeremy Horst, one of the least accurate long tossers in the league.
Horst, Maloney and Bill Bray were playing catch, so after Horst finished he left, and Maloney moved to the outfield side to throw at a distance of 60 feet to Bill Bray.
When he was done, he tossed me a ball as a thank you for giving back two baseballs to him.
Olivia was getting a little bit fussy, so we decided to leave before the game even started. It's been a long season, so rather than being at the ballpark until 4:30, we found some other stuff to do without 28,000 other people.
On the way out, these Pirates players were at the gate:
That's Pedro Alvarez, Jared Hughes, Mark Strittmatter, Ray Searage, Jason Jaramillo, Ross Ohlendorf, and Jason Grilli from left to right. We didn't stop to talk or take pictures as there was a ridiculous line waiting to meet them.
Here are today's baseballs: (only 2 pictured because one was given away)
This will be my last game of the regular season. As for playoff games, you may remember last year I attended a Division Series game in Cincinnati. You'll have to stay tuned to see if I attend any playoff games this year…
Game: 3 balls (3 thrown)
Season: 422 balls (175 hit, 95 thrown, 88 device, 57 found)
Games: 78 games
Average: 5.41 per game
Career: 1,544 balls
Attendance: 28,758


text:
Silkk The Shocker - Shock The World (T.I.'s Im Back Freestyle)
NO LIMIT SILKK THE SHOCKER "SHOCK THE WORLD" T.I. im back freestyle
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
The Hawaii-China High Tech Connection
High Tech Hawaii February program to broadcast on Feb. 28University of Hawaiʻi
Communications Officer
Hae Okimoto, (808) 956-5023
Hawaiʻi promotes itself as a bridge between the US and Asia. Do we have real advantages and opportunities in China's burgeoning marketplaces? This month's High Tech Hawaiʻi broadcast on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. will focus on the Hawaiʻi-China connection in high tech. Join two of Hawaiʻi's most knowledgeable entrepreneurial thinkers and doers -- Barry Weinman, Chairman, DragonBridge Capital Merchant Bank and Managing Director, Allegis Capital; and Phil Bossert, Executive Director & CEO, High Technology Development Corporation -- in a conversation about some new China-focused initiatives. Weinman and Bossert will share their insights about trials, tribulations and critical success factors in working on China projects from Hawaiʻi. Host David Lassner, UH Chief Information Officer, will also lead his guests in discussing which public policy initiatives have been most helpful, and how Hawaiʻi could be more successful in its high tech connections with China.
Now in its 10th year of production, High Tech Hawaiʻi is a live monthly call-in show produced by the University of Hawaiʻi to shed light on high technology activities within the state. It airs live on the fourth Tuesday of each month during the academic year from 8 to 9 p.m. High Tech Hawaiʻi can be seen on PEG Access cable channel 55 throughout the state. It is cablecast live on all islands except Maui where it is tape-delayed. A live webcast is available anywhere on the Internet at: http://www.hawaii.edu/hth/.
Normally questions may be called in during the live airing of the program, however no calls will be taken during this atypical taped broadcast.
Web sites related to this program:
For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/hth


text:
Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and watch America go broke. LET'S GO!
MAGIC BEYOND WORDS: THE JK ROWLING STORY – 8:00PM (Lifetime) If your appetite for all things Harry Potter hasn't been sated by the final film, well then Lifetime has just the thing for you: A hastily assembled biopic of JK Rowling's life starring Poppy Montgomery. Again, this is only if you're really, REALLY hungry for more Potternalia. Like, dying-in-the-desert starved. The film represents something of a change of pace from your usual Lifetime fare, because Rowling's story is a classic rags-to-riches tale, and because Rowling never had a seemingly perfect boyfriend that turned out to be a deranged serial killer. OR DID SHE? This is Lifetime, so you never know what they'll do to make it fit their ethos. ANTICIPATION: ROWLING!
MANN VS. FORD – 9:00PM (HBO) I know you'll find this hard to believe, but it appears that some American corporations are irresponsible when it comes to disposing of toxic waste. Join HBO Documentaries tonight as they take a look at the class action lawsuit filed against Ford Motors by the Ramapough Mountain Native American tribe, accusing Ford of using their lands to dump their assorted unmentionables. Why do I suspect this won't have a pleasant ending? ANTICIPATION: SAD!
HELL'S KITCHEN – 8:00PM (FOX) Season nine of Gordon Ramsey's shoutfest begins tonight, and at stake is what appears to be a real live job: a head chef position at BLT Steak restaurant in New York. Though I find it hard to believe the folks within the BLT empire would entrust the running of that entire restaurant to one reality show winner. I guarantee you the restaurant has 500 head chefs and 67 executive chefs that oversee those 500 dingbats, plus a Viceroy Chef to rule them all. ANTICIPATION: STEAKY!
LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN – 11:30PM (CBS) Dave welcomes Bono and the Edge, who are there to present a performance from "Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark." Because why fly to New York and pay $500 a ticket to see how awful the show is when you can experience the horror at home for free? I'm told the performance this evening alone will cost investors $569 million. ANTICIPATION: DEBACLE!
HOW I MADE MY MILLIONS – 9:00PM (CNBC) Because when the country can't pay its bills and you can't pay your dental bills, the first thing you want to see is a show about a rich person talking about how rich they are. ANTICIPATION: MASOCHISM!
Monday Watch List: The JK Rowling Instabiopic
Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and watch America go broke. LET'S GO!


text:
|Image from The Graphics Fairy
Here, I present, my twitter-inspired New Year's Resolutions.
1. Just because it made it to a grocery store shelf doesn't mean we should feed it to our children. (Retweeted by @TimeOutMom, Tweeted by @NourishMD)
I hear this tweet in my head now when I go to the grocery store and I'm about to buy some packaged garbage - even when it's garbage trying to masquerade as health food. So 2011, this is the year I start eating better myself, and feeding my kids better. I've wanted to do this for a long time, and this is the year my family really does get serious about eating better. Top of my list, to stop eating processed food made in a factory. I'm going to be that mom who makes homemade granola bars, applesauce, even dried fruit bars.
2. Two years ago on The Happiness Project: Make your bed. Surprisingly powerful.
(Tweeted by @gretchenrubin)
I proclaim 2011 Make Your Bed year in our household. So far in my life, I have never been a bed-maker. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly) my husband and I are in total agreement that making the bed is a total waste of time - it's just going to get messed-up again! We never make our kids make their beds, either. But for this year, I'll give it a try. And I'll ask my kids to give it a try, too. We'll make our beds every day, not just when company's coming over. Let's see if it has a profound impact on our lives.... or not.
3. The average American loses 1 hour per day searching for misplaced objects.
(Tweeted by @JulieMorgenstrn)
Oh my. If this average American spends an hour a day looking for stuff, how much time must I be spending, when I am a total slob? And have three kids- with lots of stuff they are always asking me to find. So this year, I'm cleaning-up the house. I'm throwing the backlog of stuff out. And moving forward, I'm going to be one of those people who adheres strictly to the one-thing-in, one-thing-out rule. For real. Oh yeah, and kids, you're following the rule, too. If you want a new Barbie, stuffed animal, puzzle or other consumery item you already have twenty of, one of 'em is gonna go....
And my final resolution.,..
4. Tweet less. This last resolution wasn't inspired by a specific tweet, but by the beast that is Twitter itself. I just started using Twitter two months ago, and already I have succumbed to its evil powers. Before Twitter, I never worried how much time I spent online. Now, I do. I sneak Tweet-peeks here and there, whereas prior to Twitter-oholism, I kept a strict no phone/computer/TV rule when I was with my kids. But I'm reinstating the rule. Twitter, you'll have to find a way to live without me most of the time. But don't worry, I'll be back as always after the kids are asleep. And New Year's Eve, we'll always have that.
Happy New Year everyone! What are your resolutions?


text:
Kessler News
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation presented with Gallup Great Workplace Award
June 1, 2010
West Orange, NJ - Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation has been named one of this year's recipients of the prestigious Great Workplace Award from The Gallup Organization. The award recognizes those companies with the best performing workforces in the world and Kessler is one of only 25 companies to receive this honor this year.
"We are proud and privileged to be recognized among the world's leading companies," said Kessler President Robert Brehm. "Equally important, we are proud of our employees who everyday demonstrate an uncommon level of excellence, engagement and commitment to patient care."
The award, the first of its kind for Kessler, is based on the most rigorous workplace research ever conducted, according to The Gallup Organization, which noted that the rehabilitation hospital "demonstrates one of the most productive and engaged workforces in the world."
"The winners of this award have established a new global standard for engaging people," said Tom Rath, who leads Gallup's Workplace and Leadership Consulting practice. "When compared to the millions of workgroups we have studied around the world, the awardees have worked tirelessly to create an environment that values people. They go far beyond trivial perks to ensure that each employee has an emotional connection to the company's mission and growth."
"Kessler continues to demonstrate its leadership not only in the field of medical rehabilitation, but in creating a culture of employee engagement that supports outstanding patient care and outcomes and drives staff development, productivity and satisfaction," noted Frank Fritsch, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Select Medical Corporation, the parent company of Kessler Institute.
Gallup's research clearly shows that engagement links to many aspects of well-being, including how people evaluate their overall lives and experience their days, explained James K. Harter, Ph.D., Gallup's chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing. "It is an honor to recognize these organizations that have vigorously worked to achieve very high levels of employee engagement, which even during difficult economic times, are improving lives while they improve their organization's performance."
Kessler joins such well-known national and international organizations as Campbell Soup, Stryker, Standard Chartered Bank and Bharti Airtel Limited in a group that represents all facets of business from healthcare to hospitality, retail to manufacturing, and banks to insurance.


text:
Hi, first of all I would love to wish everybody a very happy, healthy, loving and wonderful 2011!
Up to another year of beautiful photos and layouts here at DD. I love viewing the gallery and reading the stories and comments.
At the first Christmas day Robin and I went for a photo walk to the centre of our town. Linda said in a comment that she would love to see some christmas photos. So I thought, let's take some pictures of the windows in the city. Unfortunately there wasn't much christmas decoration. So instead we took some photos of buildings and statues. It was a wonderful walk, but I was also glad when we got back home, because my toes were almost frozen ;o).
Credits to:
Katie Pertiet: Snow Day Layered Templates
Thanks for looking.


text:
Chiropractic Care For Pets
You know how chiropractic can help you, but what about your pets?View Article
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
|Developing Your Core
Core muscle strength helps reduce the impact of a whiplash injury. Your core muscle layer is the deepest layer of muscles in your body. Core muscles include very small muscles that connect two vertebras, thin sheets of muscle that connect groups of vertebras, the four muscle groups that comprise the abdominal muscles, and various small muscles that stabilize the pelvic floor.
1Kasch H, et al: Clinical assessment of prognostic factors for long-term pain and handicap after whiplash injury: a 1-year prospective study. Eur J Neurol 15(11):1222-1230, 2008
2Chen HB, et al: Biomechanics of whiplash injury. Chin J Traumatol 12(5):305-314, 2009
3Michaleff ZA, et al: A randomised clinical trial of a comprehensive exercise program for chronic whiplash: trial protocol. BMC Musculoskeletal Disord 10:149, 2009 (12/2/09)


text:
Scleral Lens Applications in Unique Populations
In addition to correcting vision, scleral lenses can replace the function of a compromised ocular surface.
Dr. Carrasquillo is director of Clinical Care at the Boston Foundation for Sight, an adjunct clinical professor at the New England College of Optometry, and an advisory board member of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute. She has also authored various publications in her field.
Dr. Barnett is a principal optometrist at the UC Davis Medical Center, where she specializes in ocular surface disease and specialty contact lenses. She is on the Board of the Scleral Lens Educational Society and is an advisory board member of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute. She is an advisor to Alcon and Allergan, has worked as a consultant to Alden Optical, has received honoraria from Acculens and Essilor, and has performed research for Nidek.
Scleral contact lenses represent an area of major growth in the GP lens industry. More and more practitioners are realizing the benefits that these larger-diameter devices have to offer.
By definition, a scleral lens is one whose bearing is supported entirely by the sclera and does not contact the cornea. With a fluid-filled reservoir and choice of GP materials, these lenses allow the cornea to be submerged in an artificial pool of oxygenated tears. These scleral lens design features play an important role in managing refractive errors, including irregular astigmatism, and in managing diseases that affect the ocular surface ecosystem.
Protecting the Ocular Surface
The ocular surface ecosystem includes all of the anterior structures of the eye: the cornea, conjunctiva, and the lacrimal and accessory glands. A stable and healthy ocular surface ecosystem requires good eyelid function, a healthy tear film, and a balance of growth factors and nutrients to enable and promote healing and sustainability (Noble et al, 2004; Quinto et al, 2008). Ocular surface function is altered when this balancing act is compromised.
Severe ocular surface disease can lead to severe vascularization, conjunctivalization of the corneal epithelium, and/or opacification and scarring of the cornea, which can all impact vision. The effects of ocular surface disease could also result in chronic dry eye—with resulting debilitating pain and photophobia—greatly affecting patients' quality of life.
Scleral lenses have demonstrated an ability to play a significant role in managing ocular surface diseases, primarily because they serve as prosthetic devices, replacing the function of a damaged ocular surface; a prosthetic device replaces function, whereas a prosthesis replaces a body part (Cressey et al, 2012; Rosenthal and Croteau, 2005; Schornack, 2011; Schornack and Baratz, 2009). Therefore, when using these devices in the management of complex corneal diseases, clinicians are really offering patients prosthetic replacement of the ocular surface ecosystem (PROSE) treatment.
Because of this prosthetic device function, scleral lenses have great applications in most realms of ocular surface disease. We will focus on the application of these lenses in cases involving pediatric patients, aphakia, glaucoma, and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. We will also review options in handling these devices.
Scleral Lenses for Pediatric Patients
Damage to the ocular surface can be devastating in any age group, but one group that warrants special attention is the pediatric population. In recalcitrant cases, and especially when it has been reported that graft survival in infants (<5 years) is poor at best (Lowe at al, 2011), providing adequate support to the ocular surface in this population is essential not just to prevent the risk of amblyopia, but also to prevent visual loss in more aggressive cases.
Figure 1. BostonSight devices OD (A) and OS (B) on the patient in Case 1 and the respective sequela of chronic exposure/neovascularization in each eye.
Case 1: Chronic Exposure A 10-year-old Caucasian male had a history of congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles, multiple strabismic surgeries for a large angle exotropia, entropion status post-marginal lid rotation, and chronic corneal exposure in the left eye greater than the right. A corneal specialist performed the original examination in 2008; the patient was referred back to the corneal specialist in 2012 for progressive corneal neovascularization and scarring of the left eye. Medically, he had a history of epilepsy, for which he was taking 10mL levetiracetam b.i.d. Otherwise, past medical history was stable. Past ocular medications included artificial tears q.i.d. OD and OS and erythromycin ointment q.h.s. OD and OS.
Visual acuity without correction was 20/60- OD and 20/50- OS. Examination revealed meibomian gland dysfunction as well as lagophthalmos in the left eye, even with forced blink. There was no bells phenomenon noted. The right cornea exhibited mild neovascularization and punctate erosions (Oxford Grade I). The left eye had extensive neovascularization, with a very irregular corneal surface along the exposure zone and some trichiatic lashes on the left lower lid. Associated corneal punctate keratopathy (Oxford Grade III) was noted in the left eye. There was no frank epithelial defect on either eye. The anterior chambers were deep and quiet, with normal iris and lens structures.
The patient was referred for BostonSight PROSE treatment (Boston Foundation for Sight) to support the very fragile ocular surface and to reduce the impetus for further progressive neovascularization from chronic exposure. Figure 1 shows BostonSight devices fitted over the right and left eyes and the respective sequela of chronic exposure/neovascularization in each eye. For this young patient, the diameter of the BostonSight devices was 17.5mm, with a bitoric haptic alignment and a total sagittal depth of 460µm. After the fitting of these devices, best corrected visual acuity improved to 20/25-2 OD and 20/30- OS. The goals for fitting were to support and protect the ocular surface from chronic exposure and from the effects of entropion, but this young patient also reported improved comfort.
Case 2: Familial Dysautonomia A 10-year-old Jewish male (back in 2009) had a history of neurotrophic keratopathy in both eyes and recalcitrant, persistent epithelial defects OD resulting from familial dysautonomia. Past ocular treatments included partial tarsorrhaphies and Refresh Lacri-Lube ointment (Allergan) q.h. OD and OS. Systemic medications included Zantac and Carafate.
The patient was referred for BostonSight PROSE treatment in 2009 to provide adequate ocular surface support and to prevent further epithelial surface breakdowns. Upon consultation, uncorrected visual acuities were 20/40+ OD and 20/40+2 OS. Anterior segment evaluation showed no geographical defect on the right eye, but superficial keratitis and punctate keratopathy in both eyes (Oxford Grade III OD and Oxford Grade II OS). There was corneal haze, opacity, and neovascularization just below the visual axis in the right eye. The left eye showed no evidence of haze, opacity, or neovascularization. Anterior chamber, iris, and lens structures were normal in both eyes.
The patient was fitted with 17.5mm-diameter devices with bitoric haptic alignment and a total sagittal depth of 470µm. He is now 13 years old, and three years after initiating PROSE treatment, his best corrected vision is 20/25 in both eyes, with an intact corneal epithelium ever since. Moreover, the prosthetic device function that these lenses have, and that practitioners can offer to patients who have ocular surface disease, is worth noting. Figure 2 shows the patient's right cornea in 2009 immediately after sequela of persistent epithelial defects, showing opacity, and the same eye with a BostonSight device three years after initiating treatment in which the opacity has significantly faded.
Figure 2. The Case 2 patient's right corneal opacity immediately after sequela of persistent epithelial defects (A) and with a BostonSight device three years after adequate support of the ocular surface in which the opacity has significantly faded (B).
The effect of corneal remodeling without the use of topical steroids or further surgical interventions has also been noted and reported as a result of using these devices in cases that had different disease etiology (Cressey et al, 2012).
It is worth noting that the effects/sequela of neurotrophic keratopathy in familial dysautonomia are similar to those noted in other congenital conditions associated with neurotrophic keratopathy, which we have also treated in our clinic (i.e., Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy [HSAN] and Goldenhar Syndrome [Vaughn et al, 2004)], to name a few).
Scleral Lenses and Autoimmune Conditions
Autoimmune conditions can also have a devastating effect on the ocular surface. It has been well documented that dry eye is an ocular surface inflammatory disease, and a mechanism for inflammatory response has been proposed (Stern et al, 2013). Scleral lenses can serve as prosthetic devices, replacing the ocular system functions in these conditions, thereby providing dry eye symptom relief and stabilizing the ocular surface.
Case 3: Dry Eye Syndrome and Corneal Melt Secondary to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) A 70-year-old Caucasian male (back in August 2010), managed by a corneal specialist, had a history of an acute ulcer, hypopyon, and cultures positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus in the right eye. He was developing corneal thinning along the corneal-scleral limbus, and a concern existed that the corneal thinning was associated with RA (RA melt). This patient had not been diagnosed with RA previously, but described joint pain and appeared to have significant ulnar deviation and significant enlargement at the proximal anterior phalangeal joints. A rheumatologist evaluated the patient to confirm or rule out RA as an underlying etiology, as that would determine the course of systemic medications. In the meantime, the corneal specialist started him on fortified Iquix (Santen) drops q.h., right eye only.
RA was confirmed. In September 2010, the thinning had progressed, and a corneal melt associated with RA was diagnosed. Following treatment with high-dose oral steroids and methotrexate, the corneal thinning stabilized. Ocular medications then included fluoromethalone ointment q.i.d. OD and q.d. OS.
Subsequent examination by the corneal specialist revealed uncorrected visual acuity of 20/200 OD and 20/30 OS, with stable corneal thinning and an intact epithelium. The plan was to discontinue fluoromethalone ointment and start Lotemax (Bausch + Lomb [B+L]) drops b.i.d. OD and q.d. OS. The patient complained of dry eye symptoms, in the right eye greater than the left, and poor vision due to an irregular cornea and opacity in the right eye. He was referred for corneal GP fitting OD to improve vision, but was intolerant due to dry eye symptoms.
The patient was then referred for BostonSight PROSE treatment in 2011. The goal for fitting was to improve vision, reduce dry eye symptoms, and support the ocular surface. Although both eyes showed sequela of dry eyes from RA, the patient was symptomatic only in the right eye. Figure 3A shows corneal opacity and neovascularization, Figure 3B shows pooling over the thinned area and punctate keratopathy, Figure 3C shows an area of ~70% stromal thinning associated with corneal melt, and Figure 3D shows ~40% stromal thinning inferior nasally OD.
Figure 3. Corneal opacity and neovascularization in patient from Case 3 (A), pooling over the thinned area and punctate keratopathy (B), area of ~70% stromal thinning associated with corneal melt (C), and ~40% stromal thinning inferior nasally OD (D).
The patient was fitted with a 19.0mm-diameter device with quad-toric haptic alignment and total sagittal depth of 480µm. Figure 4 shows adequate vaulting over the thinned cornea. Best-corrected vision was 20/30+2 OD. The patient also reported a significant reduction in dry eye symptoms and was able to wear the device for an average of 15 hours each day. After two years of adequate ocular surface support, together with adequate medical management for his RA, there has been no further epithelial breakdown, and the patient's quality of life has significantly improved.
Figure 4. Adequate vaulting of a 19.0mm-diameter lens with a quad-toric haptic alignment over the thinned cornea of the patient in Case 3.
Scleral Lenses for Glaucoma
Scleral lenses are also a fantastic option for patients who have irregular corneas and glaucoma, and even more so if ocular surface disease compromises the ocular surface in such patients.
A history of glaucoma surgery, including trabeculectomy, shunt, stent, or glaucoma implant, may complicate the fitting of scleral lenses due to the resulting irregular conjunctival surface. The conjunctiva may be elevated or uneven in the area in which the glaucoma surgery was performed. Also, excessive pressure or rubbing over tube shunts or valves may compromise intraocular pressure and lead to conjunctival and/or tube erosion, which can increase the risk of further complications (i.e., endophthalmitis). A notch in the scleral lens can be created to avoid both pressure on the conjunctiva and contact with the surgical area.
Case 4: Dry Eye Syndrome and Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Status Post-Baerveldt Implant A 58-year-old Hispanic female was referred for a contact lens examination. She was experiencing irritated eyes with her current hybrid contact lens and had reverted back to a soft lens for the left eye. She complained of poor vision, especially at distance when driving at night. She also reported double vision when reclining, but not in straightahead gaze.
The patient's medical history was significant for diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and sleep apnea. Her ocular history was significant for dry eye in both eyes. The right eye had a stable intraocular lens, the left eye had a cataract. Primary open angle glaucoma was present in both eyes. Of note, she underwent a Baerveldt glaucoma implant six months prior to the examination.
Following the glaucoma implant, she developed a right hypertropia and alternating exotropia. This is not uncommon, as persistent restrictive strabismus may occur with glaucoma drainage implants due to scarring between the rectus and oblique muscles (Schwartz et al, 2006).
Systemic medications included insulin, metformin, glimepiride, lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, levothyroxine, and escitalopram. Ocular medications were Alphagan (Allergan) and Cosopt (Merck) b.i.d. OD. Entering vision was 20/50+2 OD without correction (sc) and 20/50-2 OS (with soft lens).
Anterior segment examination revealed a stable glaucoma drainage device implant located superior temporal in the right eye with a bleb over the plate. The tube was well covered and visible in the anterior chamber. Both eyes exhibited corneal staining (1+ inferior punctate epithelial keratopathy). The posterior chamber intraocular lens was stable in the right eye. Mild nuclear and cortical sclerosis was present in the left eye. Intraocular pressures were OD 25mmHg and OS 21mmHg at 1:57pm. Optic nerve examination revealed vertical elongation of the disc with peripapillary atrophy. Myopic degeneration was present in both eyes.
Recommended treatment included nonpreserved artificial tears, frequent breaks when reading and using a computer, good water intake, and daily omega-3 fatty acid intake. Due to elevated intraocular pressure in the right eye, an appointment was scheduled with the glaucoma surgeon.
Medical management and options were discussed, and the patient was fitted with Maxim Scleral (Acculens) lenses in Boston XO2 material (B+L). Lens parameters were OD 46.00D base curve (BC), 15.0mm overall diameter (OAD), 8.00mm optical zone diameter (OZD), +0.50D power, sag 4.35, 4mm notch (to insert superior temporal) and OS 46.00D BC, 15.4mm OAD, 8.0mm OZD, –13.00D power, sag 4.46 (intermediate/near). The right lens was targeted for distance, the left lens for intermediate/near to eliminate diplopia. A superior temporal notch was made in the right scleral lens (Figure 5).
Visual acuity at distance was 20/30 OD, 20/30+2 OS, 20/25-2 OU, and the patient had good computer and near vision, with J1+ OS and J1+ OD at near. The patient reported incredible comfort with the scleral lenses. Both lenses fit well with good central apical clearance and good peripheral alignment. No blanching was present in either eye. The scleral lens notch was correctly positioned superior temporal in the right eye and did not touch the glaucoma implant. The patient was able to wear the devices for 15 hours each day. Intraocular pressures checked multiple times during a three-month period ranged from 16mmHg to 18mmHg in each eye.
Figure 5. A superior temporal notch in the right scleral lens of the glaucoma patient in Case 4.
With scleral lenses, it is possible to fit inside of conjunctival abnormalities by decreasing the lens diameter or to fit over abnormalities by increasing the lens diameter. Alternatively, as we did in this case, it is possible to go around the abnormality by putting a notch in the lens. In cases of glaucoma surgeries or implants, it may be beneficial to avoid the abnormality altogether and to create a notch in the scleral lens. Scleral lens notches are also advantageous when there are other types of conjunctival abnormality such as an elevated pinguecula or conjunctival cyst.
Putting a notch in a scleral lens may sound complicated, but it is not. The first step is to measure the size (both height and width) of the conjunctival abnormality using a slit beam. Next, measure the height and width of the conjunctival abnormality while the scleral lens is on the eye. Then, mark the scleral lens with a permanent (e.g., Sharpie) or dry erase marker while the lens is on the eye. Next, measure the tracing on the lens after removing it from the eye. Finally, call the laboratory consultant to discuss the plan and send the lens to the laboratory.
When applying the lens, it is important to place it on the eye with the correct orientation. Make sure to inform the staff person who is training the patient on scleral lens application and removal, as well as the patient, about the need for proper lens orientation.
Scleral Lenses for Aphakia
Scleral lenses are an excellent option for patients who have aphakia, especially in the case of a concomitant irregular cornea or intolerance to corneal GP lenses.
Case 5: Aphakia with Corneal GP Intolerance A 70-year-old Caucasian female presented for a contact lens examination complaining that her contact lens tended to slide off of her right eye.
Figure 6. See Green Lens Inserter.
Her medical history was significant for hypothyroidism, osteopenia, and vitamin D deficiency. Her ocular history was significant for aphakia in the right eye. The left eye ocular history included status post-penetrating keratoplasty and glaucoma status post-shunt, cystoid macular edema, anterior chamber intraocular lens, and an epiretinal membrane. Systemic medications included lisinopril and levothyroxine, and ocular medications included prednisolone acetate 1% q.d. OS.
Entering vision was 20/25 OD (GP) and count fingers at four feet OS (sc). Both eyes had irregular astigmatism. Anterior segment examination revealed meibomian gland dysfunction in both eyes as well as a stable glaucoma drainage device implant located superior temporal in the left eye. The cornea of the right eye was clear. The penetrating keratoplasty of the left eye was stable. A peripheral iridotomy was stable in both eyes. The right eye was aphakic. There was an anterior chamber intraocular lens in the left eye.
Figure 7. EZi Scleral Lens Applicator.
Recommended treatment included good eyelid hygiene, including lid scrubs and warm compresses with diluted baby shampoo or commercially available eyelid scrubs. We discussed medical management options and fit the patient with a Jupiter scleral lens (Essilor, Visionary Optics) manufactured in Optimum Extra (Contamac) material. Lens parameters were 42.50D BC, 16.6mm OAD, 8.14mm OZD, +15.50D power, and center thickness of 0.49mm for the right eye. She deferred lens fit for the left eye.
The patient reported good distance vision (20/20) and amazing comfort with the scleral lens. The lens fit well with good central apical clearance and a good peripheral alignment. No blanching was present. Wearing time was 14 hours per day. At the follow-up appointment, the right eye exhibited temporal microcystic edema. The chamber of the scleral lens was increased to 14.4mm, and the microcystic edema resolved.
Scleral Lens Handling Options
Sometimes it is difficult for a monocular patient who has aphakia to see the scleral device for application, or for a patient who has dexterity issues to successfully apply the devices.
There are several tools that are beneficial for such patients. One is the See Green Lens Inserter by Dalsey Adaptives (http://dalseyadaptives.net/store/), which is available with and without a stand (Figure 6). The lighted plunger helps center the device for application. The stand holds the plunger and lens in place prior to application. This is helpful for patients who have unsteady hands or for those who need both hands to hold their eyelids open.
Another tool is the EZi Scleral Lens Applicator by Q-Case Inc. (http://ezibyqcase.com/) (Figure 7). This device is placed on the finger like a ring and has a base for scleral lens application. This design provides stability and allows patients to apply scleral devices with one finger.
A third option is a #8 O ring that is available at any hardware store. The scleral lens device rests on the O ring on a patient's finger, which can allow for stable application.
More and more clinicians are appreciating the benefits of scleral lenses and their unique applications in the management of refractive errors associated with irregular corneas, but also in the management of ocular surface disease. It has been shown that these lenses serve a prosthetic device function, replacing the function of compromised ocular surfaces. PROSE treatment can be achieved with any large-diameter lens that bears its weight entirely on the sclera and does not contact the cornea. CLS
To obtain references for this article, please visit http://www.clspectrum.com/references.asp and click on document #219.


text:
BallersPinas On TWITTER!
Contact BallersPinas Now!
BallersPinas On Facebook!
Basketball Try-Outs!
PBA Release Schedule for 45th Season Philippine Cup 2020, Beyonce sings for Kobe Bryant, Vanessa Bryant shares touching message for Kobe,Laker-Portland pays tribute to Kobe Bryant, Ginebra wins Governors Cup Title once again, SEA Games: Philippines Overall Champions, Hidilyn Diaz bags another gold!, Manny Pacquiao ushers in the cauldron lighting during SEA Games Opening, Ateneo Blue Eagles UAAP Champs Once again!, Thirdy Ravena makes history as only UAAP Player to win Finals MVP 3 straight times, MPBL probe continues, Phoenix Fuel Masters trade Bobby Ray Parks to Talk 'n Text, Lakers dominating the West, GSW is having issues, Zion Williamson has minor knee issues, Tacko Fall is a beast but with no playing time as Celtics have best record so far!, NLEX outlast Talk 'n Text, Japeth Aguilar marries long-time GF Cassandra Naidas!, UAAP New Era Caps on Sale at Zillingo, Baller Spotlight:
Jeron Teng dances Twerk it Like Miley with Teammates: VIDEO here!
FIBA World Cup: Philippines in Group D //GILAS: 6'0 Fil-Italian pointguard Dalph Panopio shines again , UFC:
Search This Blog
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Mark Caguioa Joking Around on Instagram About Dave Marcelo's Favorite Computer Game: Take a Look!
IG Scoop: Ginebra big-man Dave Marcelo posted this game on Instagram. Funny comments soon followed as Mark Caguioa and the rest of the gang made fun of Dave. Read it below.
Posted by
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
Mark Caguioa Joking Around on Instagram About Dave Marcelo's Favorite Computer Game: Take a Look!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
trying to get back on the features i started a while back. the "...of the month" spot for october is a beauty product: MAC's pigments. specifically, i'm featuring MAC pigment in "cocomotion". i love the name. i used "cocomotion" in the "as luck would have it" tutorial, last week. i've been a pretty loyal MAC fan for over a year now and cocomotion was my first pigment. WTF was i waiting on? here are the reasons i love pigments now:
*they cost a little more than eye shadow but they should because they're much bigger
*they last FOREVER. i mean it when i say a little goes a long way as far a color payoff (also makes me feel better about them being $20)
*they're not just for eyes- mix some in with your lotion for and it's a bronzer. you can also mix it in with your favorite lip gloss. there are more uses; you can do a google search for it.
* needless to say, they are SOOOOOOO pretty
do you use pigments? what do you like about them? if you haven't tried them yet, would you?


text:
Arms before Ostriches
67.5 x 36 cm
Make an enquiry
Please note: the dimensions of works stated are the outer size (including frame, where applicable) as supplied by the artist
Please read our terms and conditions of sale.
In the case of The Figurative Art Fair, please see the terms of sale here.
This work was exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in their Annual Exhibition 2015 from 2 to 13 December.
Exhibiting annually at Mall Galleries, the ROI upholds the age-old tradition of painting in oils, whilst giving encouragement to outstanding young oil painters.


text:
Plastic tubing taped to a handheld egg-beater could save lives in developing countries, the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Lab on a Chip reports.
The low-cost centrifuge replacement can separate plasma from blood in minutes, which is used in tests to detect lethal infectious diseases responsible for half of all deaths in developing countries.
George Whitesides and colleagues at Harvard University, US, say the plasma obtained is easily good enough to use in tests to detect diseases such as Hepatitis B and cysticercosis.
"The object was to separate serum [plasma] from blood using readily-obtained materials in a resource-constrained environment," explains Whitesides.
The equipment can be bought from shops for around two dollars. It needs no special training to use, no electricity or maintenance, and can be sterilised with boiling water and reused.
The user can even prepare several samples at once - just by taping more lengths of tubing to the beater.
Contrast this with the bulky, sensitive commercial centrifuges, costing thousands of dollars and requiring extensive operation training, and it's easy to see how this development could save lives.
"This technique is simple and works remarkably well," says Doug Weibel, an expert in microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US. "This technique complements several other 'simple solutions' that the Whitesides group has developed to tackle point-of-care diagnostics in resource-poor settings."


text:
HI all,
I'm a brit living in the US (Texas) and I've been missing some of my traditional sausage so over the last 2 months have been experimenting with making my own.
I've had some success with Cumberland and Lincolnshire, even went as far as making my own rusk which has lead to me having some questions. I do have a few books which have helped a lot but I'm looking for feedback from practical experienced people.
1. What plate size is the best for an initial "mince/grind" before mixing seasoning/filler in? (10mm or stuffing plate even?)
2. After adding the seasoning/filler do you regrind? if so which size plate? (bearing in mind that Cumberland is a coarse grind)...I currently use the 6mm.
3. Should I even do a first/second grind? (example if the initial grind is with a 6mm plate)
4. Am I correct in believing the correct water to filler ratio is thus....Rusk = 1.5:1 / Breadcrumbs = 1:1?
5. Should I mix the water/rusk before adding to the meat? (I've seen different directions on this.
Hoping for some good discussion and ideas...thanks in advance.


text:
|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
The following article is from The Oregonian, 8/10/98, pA8 Experts worry Echinacea boom will wipe species out The plant, whose roots are thought to bolster the immune system, is being illegally removed from land in Montana The Associated Press GLASGOW, Mont. - Federal and state land managers are stunned, and officials of two reservations are worried, by the craze for a wild plant that flourishes in northeastern Montana. The plant is Echinaca, or purple coneflower, which Native Americans call blackroot and have long used for medicinal purposes. Now its one of the hottest items in the health food stores, and swarms of diggers are prowling the countrysides to cash in. They can sell the roots for $7.50 a pound. When its washed and dried, pharmaceutical companies pay $18 to $20 a pound. Commercial retailers sell it in bulk for $135 to $150 a pound. The Great Falls Tribune recently found a buying operation in Wolf Point with a warehouse holding thousands of pounds of roots that were being cleaned and dried for shipment to pharmaceutial companies. Echinacea, traditionally used to fight colds and the flu and long familiar in health food stores, is now thought to bolster the bodys immune system. Echinacea tablets, capsules and skin creams now can be found in virtually any drug store and supermarket. Public land managers say tens of thousands of plants have been illegally ripped out of the ground in Montana. Officials of the Fort Peck and Fort Belknap reservations are worried because Echinacea has been one of the most important medicinal plants of the Plains tribes. Botanists warn that overharvesting the slow-growing plant could wipe it out in just a few years. United Plant Saves, a Vermont-based ecological group, has listed Echinacea on its at-risk list, along with American Ginseng and Goldenseal. Echinacea has largely disappeared from Nebraska and Kansas. Its a problem across the Northern Plains and is becoming an issue on reservations where poverty is the greatest. Curley Youpee, director of cultural resources on the Fort Peck Reservation, says to dig or not to dig is a tough call on a 2.2 million-acre reservation where unemployment tops 50 percent. Which is more wrong, feeding our families or annihilating a medicinal plant that can be used for our people in the future? he said. The practice of yanking a living plant out of the ground for its roots is known as wildcrafting. I believe that the commercial wildcrafting of native species, like Echinacea, poses a serious threat to our native flora, said Wayne Phillips, president of the Montana Native Plant Society. An article in the societys newsletter estimates that as of this spring, 100,000 pounds of Echinacea root have been harvested in eastern Montana. If seven average wet roots equal a pound, then we have lost 700,000 plants, it said. Workers at the unmarked Quonset hut in Wolf Point estimated that they had 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of Echinacea root that day being dried and stuffed into 50-pound boxes for shipment to pharmaceutical companies in Maryland and North Carolina. They said that by mid-June, they had bought as much root as they had the entire previous year. The Fort Belknap Tribal Council has passed a resolution limiting the harvest of Echinacea on their reservation for traditional, personal uses only. But its a big reservation, and George Shields of the tribal tourism office said that enforcing the resolution isnt easy. Once people know where it is, theyll go out and harvest it, he said. The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has considered leasing some of the land it manages to tribes or to commercial Echinacea harvesters at a rate that would make the state some money. Hoyt Richards, who manages about a million acres in seven counties for the department, said he has seen a lot of illegal digging. Demand for this plant indicates a need for cultivation, possibly on a wide-scale basis. The plant grows in my back-yard flower border, and requires about a square foot per plant. It may be an ideal plant for cultivation between wide-row nut trees, but prefers full sun for optimal growth. Seed should be available from several commercial flower growers such as Park's, Burpee, etc. The plant is slow growing, and takes 2-3 years before blooming from seed, in my experience. Commercial demand for such wildcrafted items, and the loss of uncontrolled harvest, is one reason my company began cultivating truffles in 1986. This article was posted as a courtesy by Daniel B. Wheeler www.oregonwhitetruffles.com -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum


text:
Organic Runner Mom's Holiday Gift Guide for Runners and Trail Runners 2013
*Disclaimer: I was provided with items from Skirt Sports, Peppers Eyeware, Swiftwick Socks, and Skida as compensation for review for this gift guide. All of the opinions reflected in this Holiday Gift Guide are my own. It's that time of year again! The holidays are here and it's time to find the perfect gifts for … Read More »


text:
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600
An ATSC PCI card from Hauppauge.
It is supported under Linux since kernel 2.6.26.
There are (at least) three different revisions of this dual tuner card with two layouts.
Model 1178 - features 2 RF inputs (analog, digital) and has product codes (found on the tuner label):
- 74021
Models 1101 and 1183 - feature 3 RF inputs (analog, digital, radio) and have product codes (found on the tuner label):
- 74551 (Model 1101)
- 74541 (Model 1183)
Under Windows, product codes
- 74021 & 74041 support QAM
- 74031 and 74551 do not support QAM
- 74541 claims to support QAM but has not been tested
There are a couple of other models mentioned near the bottom of Hauppauge's product page, but it appears their description may suffer from some copy and paste errors. To say the least, the company provided information is far from clear.
Components Used
This card features:
- Maxlinear MXL5005S tuner and Microtune MT2131 tuner
- Samsung S5H1409/Conexant CX24227 digital demodulator
- Cirrus Logic CS.... (audio ADC)
- Conexant CX23418 A/V Decoder, MPEG-2 Encoder & PCI bridge
Making it work
The firmware can be obtained from [here]. It is required only for the analog (V4L) functionality of the device.
Status Report
As of August, 2008, NTSC support is excellent on pci 2.3 compliant hardware. Given the on-board mpeg encoder, it is very light on resources when recording. There are some issues for _some_ users on older hardware. Closed captioning is not yet supported.
As of August, 2008, HDTV is well supported and quite stable on modern hardware that is pci 2.3 compliant. There are some issues for _some_ users on older hardware. Closed captioning is not yet supported. OTA HDTV is known to work very well.
As of June, 2009, a known issue with the mxl5005s tuner driver still causes (at least) QAM programs to be received with a SNR loss of up to 3 dB, when compared with the Windows driver. For a weaker input signal, this can ultimately lead to errors in the received transport stream.
On Oct 29, 2009, a call for testers went out on the linux-media and ivtv-devel mailing list for a patch that addresses the above mentioned tuning problem: KernelLabs blog entry calling for testers
General Tips
As a general rule, HDTV is very resource intensive. The HVR-1600 is no exception. A video card supporting OpenGL and/or XvMC is strongly recommended. Minimum CPU feature set should probably start at a dual-core or a very late model single-core.
MythTV in the repositories at debian-multimedia.org supports the card with no issues.
External Links
- Hauppauge product page
- gentoo wiki article on the HVR-1600 ... An informative summary to get started, albeit a little old
- Myth TV's information on the HVR-1600


text:
The Hogwarts school song, was, at times, performed by students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry before the beginning of the first term of a new school year. Fred and George Weasley were known to sing it to "a slow funeral march" in 1991.
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
Behind the scenes
- The song's first appearance was in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book but was never in the movie.
- In the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the song did not have a specific tune. Dumbledore said "Everyone pick their favourite tune."
- In film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, after Rubeus Hagrid says Harry Potter is soon to be "the youngest Triwizard champion there's ever been!", he, Ron Weasley, and Hermione sing the Hogwarts theme, just before Harry sees Barty Crouch Sr.'s dead body. The song is also featured in an earlier deleted scene where the students of Hogwarts sing it in order to welcome their guest from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute. As depicted in the deleted scene, Harry, Hermione and, bizarrely, Vincent Crabbe appear to enjoy singing it, while the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students appear uncomfortable.
- Dumbledore conjured an animated ribbon from the tip of his wand to form the lyrics, like a wizarding equivalent of a karaoke machine.[1]
- Dumbledore called for the school song when he was "feeling particularly buoyant." Its absence at the Welcoming Feast in later years was due to the times becoming darker.[2]
- One of the achievements for Wonderbook: Book of Spells is "Teach us something please," obtained after beating the Chapter 1 test.
- The tune that the song is sung to in the fourth film was written by director Mike Newell.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone(First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (Cut from final edit)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Sung in the final edit, and a cut scene)
Notes and references
- ↑ Wand writing on HP-Lexicon.org
- ↑ J.K. Rowling Official Website F.A.Q.