text:
National lost the public debate on asset sales a long time ago, but it pushes forward regardless. Surely if the Government could turn back the clock it would not bother going down the path of partial privatisation at all. After all the whole exercise has turned out to be so fraught. This is emphasized today by John Armstrong's column, National has failed to conquer foreign ownership bogey, in which he intelligently outlines all the ways in which National has lost its way on the issue.
But has the opposition actually 'won' the debate? It's true that National has been unable to sell the policy programme to voters who appear to remain unconvinced and unenthusiastic about the asset sales. And this has certainly allowed the Government's opponents a strong weapon to hit National over the head with, which it continues to do with success. Yet the opposition parties are possibly not as successful as they might think. Yes, the public is unenthusiastic about the sale of assets, but there's no evidence that the electorate is as angry about the issue as Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First all make out.
In fact the whole debate about asset sales has been rather weak and shallow, with both sides appearing to have descended into purely tribal partisanship, finally enjoying the fact that the issue provides a strong ideological 'litmus test' in which the 'left' can argue for greater public ownership and the 'right' can argue for less government. Yet it's hard to believe that either side in the debate really feels as strongly about the issue as they make out.
The issue has become a highly technocratic one - will the Government's books be better off if it sells the assets or continues to receive the proceeds of dividends? There's actually been no overwhelmingly convincing answer to that question. Essentially all sides have failed to convince the public. For today's most detailed coverage of the asset sales debate, see Adam Bennett's Asset sales bill down to the wire, which provides an outline of the Government's view and the 'dissenting voices' on all the major elements of the debate.
There have been other challenges raised - most notably the question of rising power prices. But as detailed in yesterday's very good article by Nicholas Jones, price increases are already extraordinary high under the Labour's SOE model - see: Power switches show market works: Ryall.
Although Labour has really owned the debate, National is now attempting to turn the tables by putting the focus back on Labour's own position on asset sales and its performance in this area. See for example, David Farrar's blogpost Asset Sales Labour v National which deals with Labour's past privatization programme. Furthermore, National is asking a fair question of Labour and other opponents: If you oppose the sale, will you commit to buying back what is sold? New Zealand First has announced that it would indeed do exactly that - see: Opposition fails to slow progress of asset sale bill. But until Labour answers that convincingly, it has credibility problems in its attacks on National. See also: Greens undecided on asset buy-back policy.
Given National's weak position on asset sales, could it perform yet another U-turn on this major policy? John Armstrong thinks that it's still possible that the process might be cancelled by the Government before or after the first asset (Might River Power) is put up for sale. But few others see the Government yielding on such a central policy platform.
So why has the Government been less inclined to pragmatically give in to public opinion on this issue? After all it has been uncharacteristic for this National administration to unnecessarily push forward with unpopular policies. Bryan Gould credibly answers this question today in his column, Maori leaders have the right idea. He says that the Government is reliant on the sales proceeds for its electoral strategy: 'It is essential to the whole of the Government's strategy. Without it, there would be a huge hole in the Government's finances, and any chance of eliminating the deficit by 2014-15 would have gone. Whatever other arguments are pressed into service, the truth is that the sales are needed if Key's strategy is to retain any credibility in financial terms'.
Other important or interesting political items today include:
* Guyon Espiner's Interview with John Key in this weeks' Listener is well worth a read.
* ACC continues to be a political hot potato. Patrick Gower reports that 'The ACC-Bronwyn Pullar privacy scandal has now claimed its sixth casualty' - see: Sixth ACC casualty as board member leaves. But the bigger policy debate continues, especially with an excellent backgrounder by Colin James explaining how the ambiguities and different political perspectives on what the scheme should be for has led to recent controversies - see: ACC's unresolved policy paradox. And now the whole question of whether ACC should be a pay-as-you-go-scheme versus a fully funded scheme seems to be back on the agenda, as discussed in Vernon Small's ACC changes could return $1b to workers, the Dominion Post editorial, Don't discard good with bad, and the Press editorial, Reforming ACC.
* Today is World Refugee Day, and so the Race Relations and Human Rights Commissioner Joris de Bres has made an timely critique of the Immigration Amendment Bill before Parliament - see: Refugee detention plan threat to NZ's good name.
* Is New Zealand complicit in slavery? The latest US State Department report says so - see Michael Field's NZ slammed in US 'slavery' report.
* Following on from the 'Wellington Declaration' signed in 2010, today the New Zealand Government is signing the 'Washington Declaration' with the US. This all signals the much closer defence relations with the US as well as the US' much greater interest in the Pacific - see Audrey Young's New Zealand, US to sign new defence pact.
* Diplomatic relations between Britain and New Zealand became slightly frosty this week after British High Commission's First Secretary, Tony Clemson, published a critical opinion piece in the Dominion Post: New Zealand too slow on green growth. The Prime Minister has described this as 'bad manners' and questioned whether diplomats should be engaged in such domestic political activities - see John Hartevelt's British diplomat ticked off for criticising NZ.
* Finally, the online Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Te Ara is today launching its latest section: Government and Nation, which contains a wealth of excellent entries that will be of great use and interest to politicos. I've even contributed one of these: Elections and Campaigns. All the entries are written by experts in their fields, and include a variety of vibrant and fascinating images and media. Highlights of the new Government and Nation section include entries such as Stephen Levine's Political values, Kate McMillan's Media and politics, Jennifer Curtin and Raymond Miller's Political parties.
* Peter Aimer's Labour Party, Colin James' National Party, John E Martin's Parliament, Richard Shaw's Public service, Raymond Miller's Interest groups, Peter Clayworth's Intelligence services and Prisons, Basil Keane's Maori protest movements, Mark Derby's Conscription, conscientious objection and pacifism, Ben Schrader's Public buildings, Housing and government and Public protest, and Jock Phillips' Visitors' opinions about New Zealand.


text:
Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Meet Phil Keoghan: 'Amazing' host, amazing experiencesBy Laura Bly, USA TODAYAn avid traveler with visits to more than 100 countries, The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan has eaten dinner on top of Italy's Stromboli volcano and narrowly escaped an oil tanker while swimming across Turkey's Bosporus strait. As the reality show launches its 13th season Sunday, he shares some other on- and off-air adventures with USA TODAY.Q: One of your favorite traveling companions has been your dad, John.A: We made a pact to travel together at least once a year, and so far we've done some extraordinary trips. We did a cross-country driving trip that was probably the best of my life.
we just talked for 10 days straight. And you'll see my dad make an appearance in this season's New Zealand episode, where I was able to help him celebrate his 66th birthday.http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2008-09-25-keoghan-qna_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
With a doctorate in Plant Science, John has worked internationally in the area of environmental agriculture, while Beth has been a school teacher and private piano teacher for over 40 years. Their work has seen them take up residency in Canada, Australia and the Caribbean.
EB: What was the best challenge? The worst one?BVM: I think we came up with some great ones. No bad ones. I thought it was very funny, the teeter totter in Taiwan (in AR12).EB: The most heartbreaking one to me was (in AR6) when Lena stood in that field in Sweden for hours and hours, unrolling bales of hay, and shes crying and her hands are bleeding. And finally Phil just put a stop to it.BVM: That was one of my proudest moments. Im driving through Sweden and I see these rolls of hay in a field and I say to myself Im going to put 350 of these rolls in a big field and stick a clue in some of them. I tell you, it was fantastic.EB: Ive only ever really liked two teams that won: Chip and Kim and Uchenna and Joyce.BVM: I have stood there so many times and thought, Who will win this race? We have never guessed it right. Hows that for a reality show, we do it and we cannot guess it right. Thats why it is so fascinating.EB: To this day, my favorite moment was when Freddy (in AR6) threw up in his bowl of soup and then had to continue to eat it. We still talk about that.BVM (laughing uproariously): We did this in a very, very fine restaurant, the finest restaurant in Budapest. The people were horrified. I had told them it would be a nice advertisement for their restaurant and people are throwing up into their soup. And I wanted the Hungarian music, I wanted that whole atmosphere, like a Danny Kaye movie, very fast paced, blasting in your ear, and you are trying to eat extremely hot soup. It was fantastic.EB: Youre not a very nice man, are you?BVM: Im a lovable guy. Im a really nice guy.
So anyway, all involved head to Brazil and scurry around (another great thing about this show is how it demonstrates that corporate attorneys have not overrun the cultures of foreign lands - there still exist on the planet ill-advised tourist attractions that look totally fun but even more totally dangerous) until that fatal moment where the host announces: "We interrupt the frenetic, coke-addled pacing to bring the show to an abject crawl in order to present some utterly belabored product placement for an online travel service." And still: Even that awful moment doesn't sink the show. "The Amazing Race" remains, startlingly enough, pretty amazing.
NBC took the lead at 8 p.m. with "Sunday Night Football," 9.2/14. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" rose to 7.4/11 on ABC. The conclusion of "60 Minutes" and the season premiere of "The Amazing Race" scored a 6.2/10 for CBS.
Yup you can see it right on the CBS homepage.
Page created in 0.086 seconds with 33 queries.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Punctum delens is the name given to marks (usually a point, but also small x, underlining, or strikethrough) used to indicate deletion. Dots are also found above or below individual letters in several spelling systems, including Irish (where a raised dot often called a punctum delens was used to indicate lenition until the middle of the last century) and various transliteration systems for Arabic.
When used to indicate deletion, the punctum delens (and equivalent) represents the structural category deletion. Most markup languages (including strict XHTML 1.0/HTML 4.0, and TEI), therefore, do have a relevant element.
When used as part of a spelling system, the dot is either part of the "letter" in question, or a diacritic. In such cases, it is not a structural category and does not have a corresponding element in most structural markup languages. Representation in such cases is by Unicode.
Source documents
Print documents
The Punctum delens (and equivalent) is less common in print than in manuscript sources. The most common usage is probably in legal and electronic documents, including wordprocessor files, where strikethrough is often used to mark deleted text during the drafting stage. (Dots found above or below letters in spelling systems such as pre-mid-twentieth-century Irish and most Arabic transliteration systems are not (structurally speaking) true examples of the punctum; they should not be treated as deletion).
The Punctum delens (and equivalent) is far more common in manuscript sources; indeed, if we extend the category to include scoring or any other mark of deletion, it is probably universal.
Structural encoding
Because Unicode has several dot-like diacritics, it is very easy (and tempting) to reproduce the punctum delens as a type-facsimile rather than in structural markup. This is a mistake, however: the punctum is properly speaking a feature of layout rather than orthography and hence only accidentally similar to the Unicode symbols. The correct way of encoding a "punctum" structurally is to use an element such as html:del or tei:del. Conversely, when the dot above or below a letter is part of the orthography of the language in question, it should be encoded in Unicode rather than structural markup.
In Strict (X)HTML, deleted text in print or manuscript sources is encoded using the following structural element:
<del>: Deletion
Most visual commercial browsers render the this element by default using strikethrough. The appearance of this (and most other) elements can also be controlled by external (e.g. CSS) stylesheets. See below, [[#Stylesheets|Stylesheets].
In TEI XML (P4), text marked by a punctum (or equivalent) is commonly encoded using the following structural element:
[[<del>]]: Deletion
Most commercial browsers do not have a default stylesheet for this (or any other) TEI element. Its display characteristics therefore must be controlled by stylesheets, either directly (i.e. using a formatting stylelanguage such as CSS or XSL-FO), or indirectly, after conversion to XHTML for display.
There is no fixed convention for representing the punctum delens in print transcriptions of medieval manuscripts. Because strikethrough is used widely in print to represent an equivalent structural category, however, this is probably the best bet for presentation. Underlining, which appears as a deletion mark in some manuscripts and has been used in the past in some print transcriptions is not recommended: this is used for insertion by in many legal documents and electronic texts. The construction of type-facsimiles using Unicode is not recommended.
Strikethrough (and underlining) in CSS is controlled by the font-decoration property. All textual elements can be assigned a value for this property. The relevant value for strikethrough is
Other permissable values include
overline underline blink
del { text-decoration: line-through; }
There is no relevant category in XSLT.


text:
A reader writes to comment on "Terrorist theater, WSJ edition," posted earlier this week and taking issue with the photo above. This made me laugh:
I am currently deployed in Kosovo with the South Carolina Army National Guard, and just read your article about the photos of Palestinian children ostensibly "pushing" israeli soldiers shields.
Prior to our deployment to Kosovo, we had to train in Riot Control measures. Repeatedly. We were the guys with the shields and batons, and sometimes we got to be the OPFOR (opposing forces) or rioters.
REAL photos of even training event riots have much more energy in them than either of the two photos you were able to show in your article. The little girl is clearly not encountering a "wall" of Riot Control soldiers. It looks to me like a photo of a "family day" type event where the soldiers are showing family members their riot control gear and a little bit of what they do. Strong evidence in favor of this is the gap between the soldier whose shield she is touching, and the soldier to his right. We use an open formation like that only when we're trying to move fast and do not expect to make contact with any rioters. In the event that we encountered a small child like that young girl, our forces would probably form a wall by tucking our shields in close to each other. Then we would scare her off by making loud noises.
Also the other soldier in the background of the same picture is not in position to provide any kind of support to the front line. It looks like he is holding a camera, which would fit well with my theory that it's a demonstration for families.
The other picture, of the boy messing with the shield [see the linked post above], reinforces this belief on my part. Two of the soldiers in the background are clearly smiling, which, believe me, you don't do when you're actually dealing with lots of angry people. Even with all the other soldiers on either side of you, you feel very alone and vulnerable in riot formation. One soldier is looking behind him at something, again, not something you do when dealing with a riot. You stay focused on the riot, on the crowd, on the possible rocks and molotov cocktails. And finally, the boy in the second picture is clearly playing at trying to wrest the shield away from the soldier. One thing we're warned about is people trying to grab the top of the shield and pull it down and out of our grip – this is clearly what the boy is staged at doing.
In sum, my guess is that these are either 1) staged, as suggested, or 2) pictures taken by an actual military unit somewhere in the Middle East, showing off their riot control techniques and gear to the families of the soldiers at a "family day" event. It's the kind of thing we do in the National Guard here in the USA, but I don't know if the Israelis do it too.
Another reader draws our attention to this highly educational video on how photos like the one that ran in the WSJ are produced for public consumption.


text:
DETROIT – Local vendors from Eastern Market have been helping low income families buy more Michigan produce for years, thanks to Double Up Food Bucks. It's a program for bridge card holders that swaps cash for coins and matches dollar-for-dollar up to twenty bucks, so families can buy healthy and local.
"That means more fresh fruits and vegetables on the dinner table for kids and all of that money goes straight into the pockets of Michigan farmers, can't beat that," said Oran Hesterman, president of Fair Food Network.
Double Up Food Bucks started four years ago and was only available for bridge card holders when they shopped at farmers markets. But Hesterman says the program is such a win-win, Fair Food Network is making it bigger.
"We've expanded this year on a pilot basis," Hesterman said. "We're bringing the program to three grocery stores in Detroit, the first of its kind in the country."
The US Department of Agriculture approved the program for only select stores in downtown Detroit. The three grocery stores participating in Double Up Food Bucks in 2013 from July 1st - October 31st.
The stores include, Metro Foodland, Mike's Fresh on Gratiot, and Honey Bee Market.
How it works:
Step 1: Spend $10 or more on any fresh fruits and vegetables using your Bridge Card.
Step 2: Get a $10 Double Up Food Bucks Reward Card.
Step 3: Use your Double Up Food Bucks Reward Card to purchase MORE Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables
So why the expansion? Hesterman says according to a poll, Fair Food Networks learned that 85 percent of Detroiter's do their shopping at grocery stores over shopping at a freash food market and they want to make sure people know about this program and are taking fulladvantage of it.
"Radishes, beets, fresh greens and blueberries, all Michigan grown and even more affordable to Michigan families," said Hesterman.
To find the hundreds of Michigan Markets already involved in the program along with the new grocery store pilot visit: doubleupfoodbucks.org


text:
|Saratoga, Calif.
|High School:
|Woodside Priory School
2010-2011: ICSA All-American Women's Skipper… Named to All-NEISA First Skippers Team… Runner-up for All-NEISA Women's Sailor of the Year… ICSA Women's Singlehanded National Champion… 1st in A division at ICSA Women's Semifinals… 8th in A division at the ICSA Women's National Championship
2009-2010: Fourth at New England Singlehanded Championships…Second at National Singlehanded Championships…New England Women's Rookie of the Year…Second Team New England Skipper.
Before Yale: Member of the US Sailing Team Alpha Graphics 2010…US Sailing team U23/ EYDT for the laser radial 2007, 2008 and 2009…Won Laser Radial Youth female worlds in 2006…Sailed internationally with the US Sailing team every summer in high school…Sailed in the Olympic trials in 2007…Qualified for the ICSA high school singlehanded nationals all four years…Ran varsity cross country and track all four years...Made it to states in cross country…Was captain her senior year for cross country…Named the female athlete of the year as a senior…Swam on varsity team senior year as well.
Residential College: Ezra Stiles
Hobbies: Running, Swimming, Biking, and reading
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite thing about Yale: "Everything!"
Favorite thing about sailing for Yale: "Honestly everything"


text:
The Alchemist (Feat. Snoop Dogg, Pusha T & Jadakiss) - Lose Your Life
Video For The Alchemist "Lose Your Life" Featuring Snoop Dogg, Pusha T and Jadakiss off of "The Cookbook EP" Available Exclusively On iTunes Novemeber 18th!
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:
Happy Chicken Soup for the Soul Day!
Yep, those books that inspired us, our moms, teachers, young at heart, preteens, runners, dogs, alternate universe selves… ok, that's going a little too far, but I swear there is a Chicken Soup for the Soul for everything. There are over 200 titles, selling over 112 million copies and translated to more than 40 languages. There is even Chicken Soup for the Soul brand pet food, publishing, games, toys, dvds, pasta sauces and baby food! They've come pretty far since their first book in 1993.
Our grandmothers always told us that chicken soup is the best cure. I will admit I used to love those books. So inspirational. And gives you warm fuzzies – just like homemade chicken soup.
Why is chicken soup thought to be a cure when you have a cold or the flu? Does it actually help or is it a myth? This is a topic of much controversy. Here are a few answers:
Shara Aaron, MS, RD, and Christine M. Porretta, "Feel-Good Foods: 10 Cold & Flu Fighters":
"Chicken soup has specifically been shown in studies to thin mucus secretions. Broth and noodles provide carbohydrates for maintaining your energy levels, potentially helping you feel less lethargic. If you add vegetables, you'll boost the level of nutrients in the soup, which will help support immune function."
Tara Parker-Pope on Health, "The Science of Chicken Soup", New York Times blog:
"As it turns out, a handful of scientific studies show that chicken soup really could have medicinal value. The most widely cited of these studies, published in the medical journal Chest in 2000, is by Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He conducted laboratory tests to determine why chicken soup might help colds, beginning with his wife's homemade recipe, handed down by her Lithuanian grandmother. Using blood samples from volunteers, he showed that the soup inhibited the movement of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell that defends against infection. Dr. Rennard theorizes that by inhibiting the migration of these infection-fighting cells in the body, chicken soup essentially helps reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms."
From the same study at HealthBulletin.org "Doctors Test Chicken Soup for a cold – Don't Laugh":
"Store-bought chicken soup (listed in order of presumed effectiveness):
Knorr's Chicken Flavor Chicken Noodle
Campbell's Home Cookin' Chicken Vegetable
Campbell's Healthy Request Chicken Noodle
Lipton's Cup-o-soup, Chicken Noodle
Progresso Chicken Noodle.
Other brands, including some of Campbell's, were less effective.
Here's the recipe. More work of course, but you can cut the excessive use of salt found in store-bought types:
1 5-to 6-lb stewing hen or baking chicken,
1 package of chicken wings,
3 large onions,
l large sweet potato,
3 parsnips,
2 turnips,
11 to 12 large carrots,
5 to 6 celery stems,
1 bunch of parsley,
salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the chicken with cold water, and bring it to boiling. Add chicken wings, onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips and carrots. Boil about 1 1/2 hours, removing fat regularly. Add the parsley and celery. Cook all about 45 minutes longer. Remove the chicken, which is no longer used for the soup. Put the vegetables in a food processor until chopped fine or pass them through a strainer. Add salt and pepper."
It is also believed by some that breathing in the steam from the hot soup can help with congestion and the spices such as garlic and pepper help with the thinning of mucus. Some doctors remain skeptical and further research is unlikely because of the differences in chicken soup recipes.
More of the debate at Google Answers: Does Chicken Soup Work?
Remembrance Day recap
Pledge of Remembrance
They were young, as we are young,
They served, giving freely of themselves.
To them, we pledge, amid the winds of time,
To carry their torch and never forget.
We will remember them.
Yesterday I went to the Ontario Remembrance Day ceremony at Queen's Park. A windy, brisk day, yet hundreds of people stood outside to hear the Last Post; take two minutes of silence; listen to the reading of Flanders Fields; watch the laying of the wreaths in front of the Veterans' Memorial; hear Premier Dalton McGuinty, Brigadier-General F.A. Lewis and Major-General Richard Rohmer speak; and pin a poppy on the People's Wreath. Thousands more honoured our veterans at the Toronto ceremony at Old City Hall.
Although I observe the two minutes of silence every year, this is the first time I've attended a ceremony. I had a few tears in my eyes when the mother of a fallen soldier placed a wreath on the memorial. I will always remember the sacrifices these men and women made for our country.


text:
Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
(written from a Production point of view)
Juliana Ferriter is a comic book artist. She worked on the DC Comics second volume of Star Trek: The Next Generation as a colorist.
Other than the Star Trek line, she did colors on the Starman comic book, also for DC Comics. She also worked for Marvel Comics on both Daredevil and Spider-Man.
Credits Edit
- DC Comics:
- #10 : "The Noise of Justice"
- #16 : "I Have Heard the Mermaids Singing"
- #17 : "The Weapon"
- #18: "Forbidden Fruit"
- #32: "Wet Behind the Ears"
- Star Trek: The Next Generation Annual
- #2: "Thin Ice"
- #3: "The Broken Moon!"
Community content is available under CC-BY-NC unless otherwise noted.


text:
In last month's article in this series, a Parallel Merge algorithm was introduced and performance was optimized to the point of being limited by system memory bandwidth. Of course, the natural next step is to use it as a core building block for Parallel Merge Sort, since Parallel Merge does most of the work. Let's leap right in and explore this Parallel Merge Sort algorithm.
Simplest Parallel Merge Sort
Listing One shows the simplest Parallel Merge Sort, which uses the Parallel Merge. At the core, the algorithm takes the input range
(l to r), computes the mid-point
(m), calls itself recursively twice — once with the lower half range, and the second time with the upper half range — followed by merging the two resulting sorted halves into a single output. This is exactly how the standard Merge Sort works — divide, conquer, and merge. The two recursive calls are executed in parallel, followed by a parallel merge. The parallelism is
Θ(n/lg2n), derived in [1].
template< class _Type > inline void parallel_merge_sort_simplest_r( _Type* src, int l, int r, _Type* dst, bool srcToDst = true ) // srcToDst specifies direction for this level of recursion { if ( r == l ) { // termination/base case of sorting a single element if ( srcToDst ) dst[ l ] = src[ l ]; // copy the single element from src to dst return; } int m = ( r + l ) / 2; //tbb::parallel_invoke( // Intel's Threading Building Blocks (TBB) Concurrency::parallel_invoke( // Microsoft's Parallel Pattern Library (PPL) [&] { parallel_merge_sort_simplest_r( src, l, m, dst, !srcToDst ); }, // reverse direction of srcToDst for the next level of recursion [&] { parallel_merge_sort_simplest_r( src, m + 1, r, dst, !srcToDst ); } // reverse direction of srcToDst for the next level of recursion ); if ( srcToDst ) merge_parallel_L5( src, l, m, m + 1, r, dst, l ); else merge_parallel_L5( dst, l, m, m + 1, r, src, l ); } template< class _Type > inline void parallel_merge_sort_simplest( _Type* src, int l, int r, _Type* dst, bool srcToDst = true ) // srcToDst specifies direction for this level of recursion { if ( r < l ) return; parallel_merge_sort_simplest_r( src, l, r, dst, srcToDst );
Listing One
Table 1 and Graph 1 show performance of the simplest parallel merge sort implementation as compared with STL stable_sort and STL sort.
STL stable_sort is slower than STL sort, as expected — it takes more effort and time to ensure stability. The simplest Parallel Merge Sort implementation outperforms both STL sorts for arrays larger than about 10K elements. Parallel Merge Sort is stable, and is as much as 3.5X faster than STL stable_sort, and is as much as 2.7X faster than STL sort, on a quad-core processor.
The Parallel Merge Sort is not an in-place algorithm. Source array elements are sorted and the result is placed in the destination array. Note that the last argument to the recursive function specifies the direction, with the default being "from the source to the destination," which is set at the top-level of recursion. Then at each level of recursion the direction is reversed. Figure 2 illustrates this directional reversal at each recursion level of the call tree.
At the top level of recursion hierarchy the sorted destination
(dst) array is produced by merging two sorted source
(src) arrays. During this merge operation elements are moved from the source
(src) array to the destination array. At the next level, the sorted source
(src) array is produced by merging two sorted destination
(dst) arrays. This continues until the bottom of the hierarchy is reached with only a single element in the array to be processed.
The termination condition (base case) handles the two possible cases at this point:
- By doing nothing if the destination array is
src. In this case, we are sorting a single element that was provided in the
srcarray and are asked to place the result back in the
srcarray. With a single element, there is nothing to do when sorting it, and it's already in the
srcarray. So, we just leave it there.
- By copying that single element from the
srcarray to the
dstarray. In this case, we are sorting a single element that was provided in the
srcarray and are asked to place the result in the
dstarray. With a single element there is nothing to do when sorting it. To place it in the
dstarray we simply copy it.
The recursive implementation in Listing 1 does not handle the condition of zero elements in the input array, which is signified by
r being smaller than
l. The implementation could test for this case, but it would be wasteful as it can never be generated by the recursive implementation (and can only be generated by the user on the initial function call). So, for the sake of efficiency and simplicity, the check for zero size array is pulled out into a wrapper function shown in Listing Two. Actually, this is also the reason for
l and
r being
int's instead of
unsigned long. For example, for an array of zero elements, argument
l would be set to zero, requiring
r to be set to
-1, which can be done using an
int but not
unsigned long. This issue can probably be avoided by using a pointer to the start of each array and to the one-beyond-the-end of each array or iterators as STL does, instead of indexes. Another option is to use a pointer and an array size as function call arguments.
This implementation is a variation on that presented in the Introduction to Algorithms book [1]. By using direction reversal, memory allocation operations have been eliminated.


text:
September 2001 Editor's Desk
Over the past 25 years, the onsite wastewater industry has developed many new treatment technologies that can achieve high-performance treatment on sites with size, soil, groundwater and landscape limitations that may preclude the installation of conventional systems. According to Stephen P. Dix, technical director for Infiltrator Systems, Inc., 37 percent of new development in the United States is utilizing onsite septic systems. (See story on page 24.) It is estimated that septic tanks currently are used by 25 to 30 percent of residences in the United States.
Onsite wastewater treatment now is being recognized as a permanent long-term solution to the wastewater infrastructure in many areas. Codes, guidelines, standards, regulations and laws are being created and updated weekly to further its use.
A conventional onsite system (septic tank and subsurface wastewater infiltration system) is capable of nearly complete removal of suspended solids, biodegradable organic compounds and fecal coliforms if properly designed, sited, installed, operated and maintained, according to the EPA (USEPA, 1980; USEPA 1997).
Am I advocating replacing the current wastewater infrastructure and having all new developments install onsite equipment? No, definitely not. However, since federal funding for centralized wastewater collection and treatment has diminished, there has been more interest from professionals and the public toward decentralized wastewater technologies that can be compatible and cost-effective.
Onsite product advances include several types of pretreatment devices, improved septic tank designs and septic tank filters. Onsite management also has prospered from this digital age. New monitoring devices can electronically measure the solids grease layer and water levels in the tank with modems and report back to solids management contractors or a management authority.
Septic tank filters trap solids particles and protect downstream components from harming a pump or the distribution system. These filters usually are designed to be replaced with the septic tank cleaning.
Ongoing maintenance is critical to any onsite wastewater system. Establishing maintenance programs that receive public support and are cost effective is a major challenge facing the industry. With the proper management, the decentralized approach can provide significant environmental and economic benefits.
If you are interested in learning more about onsite treatment, the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, Inc. (NOWRA) will be hosting its 10th Annual Conference from October 10—13 in Virginia Beach, Va. (800-966-2942 or www.nowra.org). In addition, the WEF Small Community Committee along with NOWRA is sponsoring a one-day seminar titled "Small and Natural Systems and Water Reuse" on October 14 at the 2001 WEFTEC Conference (703-684-2400 or www.wef.org).


text:
"FEV nears completion. Test on lab animals are at a near 100% success rate. Size and muscle density increase approximately 60%, and the potential intelligence increase by 200%. Effects upon human subjects remain unknown; although they are theoretically promising. The military, wishing to continue further testing, builds a large facility at the Mariposa military installation in central California. At this new facility, testing of the FEV virus continues on volunteer subjects from the military."
— FEV research log, recorded in 1265.
"Research into possible cures for the New Plague created the Forced Evolution Virus, which was further developed in an attempt to create a transmittable genetic-engineering virus -- in effect, infectious evolution."
The Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV/F.E.V.) is a major source of mutation throughout Fialer Earth. Super mutants, the Master, and possibly some ghouls are a result of infection by the FEV. Aside from super mutants, the Master also created a variety of other aberrant creatures using the virus, which includes, but is not limited to: floaters, centaurs, and potentially deathclaws. It was through the FEV that the Master made his super mutant army and how the Enclave meant to purify the world of mutation.
Virology Edit
The FEV's composition is known and detailed solely by ZAX 1.2. The effects are documented and/or described by ZAX, and those who have used it include the Master, the Master's Lieutenant, Charles Curling, and Weston Lesko, as well as those who were mutated by it such as Harold, Talius, Marcus, Fawkes, Strong, Virgil, and Tabitha.
Composition Edit
According to ZAX 1.2, the FEV is a shifting-absorptive megavirus with a protein sheath reinforced by ionized hydrogen that makes it immune to irradiation. It is pre-programmed with specific introns of genetic information for the species of the infected/inoculated specimen. The FEV works by copying the host cell's DNA, like RNA, and placing them into exons that are then re-introduced into the host's cells alongside the pre-programmed introns. What makes the FEV unique is that it utilizes a recursive genetic code that allows it to repeat its genetic copying and insertion infinitely.
Effects Edit
Common amongst sources is that the FEV operates more undesirably on subjects with heightened mutation to their, otherwise, pure genomes as well as sterility in those infected.
According to ZAX 1.2, the sterility is the result of the FEV seeing "half-cells" (haploid gametes) as genetic damage and correcting it. The sterility effect is a common cause of concern for pro-Mutant agendas promoted by the Master, Gammorin's Army, and Attis. A solution for the sterility is potentially pursued by Gammorin's Army along with Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel General Dekker as a bargaining chip against Gammorin's Army.
Radiation is frequently blamed as the cause of this genetic tainting with the sole exception of the Master's Lieutenant who cites immunity from mutated airborne strains of the FEV as the cause instead.
Upon expression, the FEV genes typically increase muscle and brain mass.
Only one species remained fertile with further exposure to FEV. Deathclaws have been known to exhibit increased intelligence while still being able to reproduce, as is the case with the Vault 13 Deathclaws.
Infection/Inoculation Edit
According to ZAX 1.2, the FEV is incapable of being air-transmissible which, if true, contradicts the Master's Lieutenant's immunization theory. In the decades to come, however, Charles Curling managed to create, through alteration, a strain of the FEV that is transmissible via "aerosol solution".
The FEV is typically inoculated into subjects who are brought into direct contact with a FEV sample such as at the Mariposa Military Base or injected into subjects directly.
History of the FEV Edit
Before the Great War on Fialer Earth Edit
In the years immediately preceding the Great War on Fialer Earth between China and the United States, both sides were scrambling to research a new weapon that would give them an edge in the coming conflict. Chinese government-funded programs began to research invisibility, while the United States government tapped the resources of American private industry to develop a secret biological weapon that could defeat the Chinese. One company, a high-technology scientific research firm known as West Tek, was already a major American defense contractor and quickly became involved in tipping the global scale. In the first Fallout, the Vault Dweller explored a location in New California called the Glow, which was in fact an underground West Tek research facility that had been directly targeted by Chinese nuclear warheads during the Great War. While exploring the highly radioactive ruins, the Vault Dweller discovers that West Tek had created a number of useful, yet volatile, biological, chemical, and conventional weapons for the American military. Potent laser and plasma weapons were being experimented within the facility, and power armor, massive self-contained suits of mechanized combat armor that turned a single soldier into a walking tank, were also developed there. Most importantly, research into immunity-boosting drugs designed to combat biological weapons agents was being conducted by West Tek which lead to the creation of the PVP, and later, the FEV.
One fear amongst the American military of this period was that the Chinese would deploy biological weapons against American troops; these would be powerful, genetically engineered super-viruses that would decimate other armies and civilian populations without a single shot being fired. Thus, West Tek had initiated the Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP) to develop a way to stimulate the human immune system in such a way that it could naturally counteract any Chinese biological agents. It was determined that altering the subject's DNA in such a way that its dual helical structure transformed into a quadruple helical structure would render the recipient immune to almost any known or engineered pathogen. During West Tek's testing phase of the PVP in 1263, abnormal side effects were observed developing in the test subjects. The test animals began to grow dramatically larger in size and muscular structure, and their brain activity increased. Seeing the potential military applications of these unexpected results, the U.S. Army sent its own military scientists into the facility to secure the project and renamed the PVP virus as the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). Not content with producing mere immunity to disease, the Army's researchers hoped that the FEV would turn its soldiers into abnormally strong and intelligent supermen capable of defeating many times their own number of Chinese soldiers. When the testing on animals reached its logical conclusion, the American military moved the entire apparatus of FEV research to the Mariposa Military Base in California, where secret human testing on military prison inmates proceeded.
The Great War on Fialer Earth Edit
However, the grim nature of the research being carried out at Mariposa greatly unnerved many members of the U.S. Army garrison guarding the base. The nature of the military's work, which had until then been kept a secret from the Army grunts, caused them to revolt when they discovered the truth. Colonel Robert Spindel, the officer in charge of the garrison, suddenly lost his mind and committed suicide. His second-in-command, Captain Roger Maxson, took command of the troops and began interrogating the Mariposa scientists. Rattled by the vile things the scientists were doing to their test subjects, and incredulous of the claim that the science team was only following orders that had been handed down from the highest levels of the Pentagon, Captain Maxson had the researchers executed. Later, he announced the Mariposa Military Base to be in full secession from the United States, and his own unit left the U.S. Army. Only days after these actions, in October 1265, the Sino-American War reached its climax, as both nuclear bombs and warheads fell from the sky, and the United States ceased to exist as a unified nation. Disgusted with the Mariposa base, and haunted by the fate of the FEV test subjects along with the executed scientists, Maxson decided to lead his troops and their families to the federal government's Lost Hills emergency bunker, where they would later use their high-tech military equipment, and knowledge brought from the Mariposa base, to form the Brotherhood of Steel.
Richard Grey's Expedition Edit
The Mariposa Military Base remained silent for a long time after the bombs fell. However, some time after the Great War, a group of explorers from New California, including the future mutant Harold, discovered the base while looking to end a peculiar proliferation of mutated animals which seemed to be coming from the installation.
Leading the expedition was Dr. Richard Grey, previously known as Richard Moreau until he was exiled from Vault 8, one of the massive underground bunkers created by Vault-Tec Industries as part of Project Safehouse. When Grey's team entered the Mariposa base, most of his men were killed once they encountered the base's still-active automated robotic defense systems. Eventually, only Grey and Harold are known to have survived the expedition. Harold was mysteriously knocked out, and suddenly woke up out in the desert, with the appearance of a ghoul without having any of the traits of one. Grey, however, was heading for bigger trouble. He had made it to the vat room, where massive bubbling cauldrons of the thick green nutrient solution, which contained the FEV, awaited to be used in experimentation. Grey was accidentally knocked into a vat by an automated crane, and managed to crawl out after a month of complete exposure. While the FEV was designed to be injected into humans, Grey soon found out that direct physical contact with the nutrient solution which it grew in worked just as well. He began to rapidly mutate in horrible ways, turning into a tentacled blob of mutated flesh, but he also developed potent psychic powers, which were enhanced by consuming other living minds to expand his own psionic strength. As other wasteland wanderers explored the base over the years, Moreau eventually began experiments on these human subjects, using primitive physical contact with the FEV.
The Coming of the Master Edit
Grey found that many of his test subjects were turning into giant brutes with the intelligence of a child, if they survived the mutational process at all. However, a rare few test subjects became the meta-humans known colloquially as super mutants. Immune to both disease and ionizing radiation and blessed with exceptional strength, intelligence, and endurance, super mutants were superior to pure-strain humans in every way. They also possessed the exceptionally long life common to those individuals infected with FEV, as well as (unbeknown to Grey at the time) total sterility. Grey - who now called himself the Master - had long lamented the needless destruction of human civilization caused by the final nuclear holocaust of the Great War. In his warped state, he decided that he would have to force humanity to evolve beyond its own destructive impulses. If everyone could be as perfect as his super mutants, there would no longer be any reason for human conflict and the misery it wrought. Those who could not evolve along the lines the Master desired would have to die. The Master began seeking out uncontaminated, pure-strain humans in New California, with whom he could create new Mutants and build his Super Mutant army.
However, creating new super mutants proved to be a hit-or-miss process. The great majority of super mutants produced by the Master, and later his lieutenant, in the Mariposa base's FEV vats were big, dumb brutes. Physically, they were vastly superior to pure-strain humans, but they possessed the intelligence of children. The Master was certain this mutational randomness was related to the amount of radiation damage suffered by an individual: humans who had not been exposed to much of the post-nuclear environment's radiation produced more intelligent Mutants after their FEV infection (see his personal diary for his thoughts on this). His lieutenant, however, had a different theory. When the Chinese nuclear bombs hit the original West Tek Research Facility and turned it into the region known only as the Glow, the impact of the nuclear shockwave cracked open a few nutrient solution tanks filled with FEV. The nuclear bombs' radiation then mutated this FEV into an airborne strain of the original virus, but this new airborne strain of the FEV did not have any real mutagenic effects on human beings. All it did was inoculate any person infected with it against the original, mutational strain of the FEV, acting as a form of vaccine and giving exposed creatures some limited resistance to the FEV's mutational effects. As a result, the ideal subject for FEV mutation was someone who had not been exposed to the airborne form of the FEV following the Great War. Both of these conditions - lack of radiation exposure and airborne FEV inoculation - were present in only one known population: Vault-dwellers. Each Vault contained around 1,000 viable subjects who could be infected with the original strain of the FEV and turned into intelligent super mutants. Which factor exactly determines what would emerge from an FEV infection - accumulated radiation levels or inoculation by the airborne FEV strain - is still uncertain, though as a rule of thumb, the less exposed the subject is to radiation, chemicals, and biological agents, the better.
In 1350, a person known as the Vault Dweller managed to destroy the FEV vats, the Mariposa Military Base, and killed the Master in his cathedral beneath the ruins of Los Angeles.
The Enclave and the Modified FEV Strain Edit
In 1424, the Enclave, the surviving remnant of the United States federal government, excavated the ruins of the Mariposa Military Base, largely using slave labor gathered from the town of Redding, and eventually discovered the remains of the Master's FEV vats deep inside the lower levels of the base. Though they had been buried in rock and forgotten for decades, the vats still contained that familiar, green, bubbling gunk, the nutrient solution that contained active particles of the Forced Evolutionary Virus. The Enclave gathered samples to be sent back to the oil rig that served as their headquarters off the Pacific coast of California for further analysis. Before long, though, the slave miners - some being fully exposed to raw FEV in the course of their labors, others likely falling into the FEV vats accidentally - began to mutate into a second generation of super mutants. The mutant slaves soon overthrew their Enclave guards. Seizing their weapons, hardware left behind by the first Mutant army or anything lying around the ruins that could serve as a weapon, the super mutants stormed the upper levels and quickly overran the Enclave troops in the base. Panicked and retreating, the Enclave troopers on the upper levels fled the base and used explosives to seal the entrance, trapping the second-generation Mutants inside the base.
Still, even though things went poorly at Mariposa, the Enclave had the samples of FEV its scientists needed. Back at the oil rig, the Enclave's United States Chemical Corps began work on the serum immediately. They found that it would be possible to create from the FEV an incredibly potent and lethal toxin. Dr. Charles Curling was the Enclave scientist who lead this project under the direction of Dick Richardson, the President of the United States. In order for the research to progress, however, the Enclave needed test subjects. They required two test groups: one of uncontaminated, pure-strain humans, and another composed of the "mutants" that lived all over the mainland of the West Coast, who had suffered from nuclear radiation and airborne FEV exposure for decades. To the Enclave, this exposure made all the peoples of the Wasteland genetically impure, regardless of how similar in appearance they were to pure-strain humans. The mutant sample was easily obtained when the Enclave's troops kidnapped the entire population of the town of Arroyo, who were all the descendants of citizens of Vault 13, to see if they had suffered mutation after they left the Vault.
The pure-strain human group proved difficult to obtain. The Enclave would not allow the Chemical Corps to use the Enclave's own people living on the oil rig. So, they had to look elsewhere. Once again, the mainland provided the needed stock. Thanks to the United States government's pre-War Vault Experiment project, the Enclave's scientists were able to determine that the pure-strain population of Vault 13 was largely intact. Thus, the Enclave's troops traveled in force to Vault 13 and sent a command to the Vault's computers to open the Vault door. After taking care of some mild resistance from the surprised Vault-dwellers, the Enclave's troops rounded up the residents of Vault 13 and shipped them off to the oil rig in Vertibirds to take part in the Chemical Corps' FEV experiments.
Before long, the Chemical Corps developed their viral supertoxin. It was found to be 100% lethal to humans who had suffered even mild radiation or airborne FEV exposure. Just as the Enclave was preparing to launch the poison into the North American jet stream to kill the entire population of the mainland, the Chosen One arrived at the oil rig on the Poseidon Oil tanker that had sat in the ruins of San Francisco for years. He freed the survivors of the Vault 13 population, as well as his own Arroyo tribals and started a self-destruct sequence on the oil rig that destroyed the entirety of the Enclave's headquarters, saving the surviving human population of the various American wastelands from a horrible death at the hands of the modified FEV strain - at least for a time.
The East Coast and FEV Edit
In the Capital Wasteland, centered on the ruins of Washington, D.C. on the East Coast of what was the United States, yellow-skinned super mutants had also appeared along with a modified version of the chimaeric mutants known as centaurs. It was eventually learned that a modified version of the FEV was to blame for the emergence of this version of the super mutants and the centaurs on the East Coast. In the Capital Wasteland, Vault 87 had been equipped with a large supply of the FEV. In 1265, following the fall of the Chinese nuclear bombs on Washington, D.C., the dwellers of Vault 87 had been forcibly infected with a modified version of the FEV as a part of the secret Vault Experiment project controlled by the U.S. government and the Vault-Tec corporation. The modified version of the FEV used in Vault 87 gave the skin of the Super Mutants it created a yellow-green tint and made these mutants stronger and larger as they aged while greatly lowering their intelligence. This version of the virus also seemed to create more "healthy" super mutants than their New California counterparts, who were much more mutilated by the virus-induced mutations as a result of the Master's modifications. However, in the Capital Wasteland highly intelligent Super Mutants developed much less frequently, with only two "civilized" super mutants encountered by the Lone Wanderer: Uncle Leo and Fawkes. Once in Vault 87, the Lone Wanderer can overhear two Super Mutants discussing collecting stronger men to make into stronger Super Mutants by putting them in "the green stuff". This is thought to be the ultimate intended fate of the super mutant captives strewn across the Capital Wasteland, and the reason why they are not simply killed or eaten. Uncle Leo also mentions that Super Mutants periodically abduct humans to create more super mutants using their diminishing supply of FEV located in Vault 87.
It is revealed during the quest Those! that while attempting to reduce the size of the ant populace of Capital Wasteland, Doctor Lesko lazily used the FEV (possibly a mutated version) as a shortcut while trying to modify the genes, and as a result of this shortcut, the ants ended up with the ability to breathe fire instead, which caused the deaths of everyone in Grayditch. The virus was found stored beside one of his terminals in Marigold Station, which was thought to be a controlled environment.
The Enclave's President John Henry Eden attempted to convince the Lone Wanderer to use the same modified form of FEV originally developed thirty years earlier by the Enclave on the West Coast to taint the activation of the Purifier. Like its predecessor this strain of the FEV had been created by the Enclave to kill all forms of life with any degree of radioactive or virally-induced mutation. If the Lone Wanderer carries out Eden's plan, then in the Broken Steel add-on the Wastes are devoid of those that had hoped to find new beginnings with the cleansing of the water of the Potomac River.
The Commonwealth and FEV Edit
At some unknown point in time, the Institute located in the Commonwealth came into possession of a modified strain of FEV. Considering the Institute was once known as the Commonwealth Institute of Technology, a pre-War facility dedicated to scientific advancement, it is likely their possessing of the FEV dates back to before the bombs fell. Further evidence of this can be found in the personal diary entries of Swan, a super mutant behemoth residing in a pond near Boston Common. According to his diary entries, he used to be a convicted criminal from before the war who was offered a second chance if he agreed to be a test subject.
Following the Great War, the Institute vacated underground where they continued to advance in scientific innovation, including the study of the FEV. Led by Brian Virgil, the Institute would periodically kidnap unsuspecting people from the surface and conduct experiments on them within the FEV laboratory of the bioscience department. These particular super mutants displayed typical mutant traits such as abnormal body mass, prolonged life span, and radiation immunity. Like the Vault 87 super mutants, their bodies continued to grow unnaturally large with age. After exposure, the test subjects were locked in separate rooms where social experiments were conducted to test their cognitive functions and processing skills. Among these experiments included solving block puzzles, playing board games, and interacting with house cats, all of which failed due to the violent nature of the super mutants. All subjects who were deemed failures were cast out into the wasteland, which explains the presence of super mutants in the Commonwealth by 1475. Dogs were also subject to experimentation and then cast out, being transformed into mutant hounds.
The Institute eventually ceased experimentation on the FEV due to the project's abandonment by Virgil, who became overcome with guilt from ruining so many innocent lives. After destroying his data and escaping the Institute, he infected himself with a strain of the FEV, turning himself into a super mutant so that he could survive the harshness of the Glowing Sea and hide from the Institute. Being a human of significantly pure DNA, Virgil did not succumb to the stupidity most mutants suffer and instead managed to retain his intellect, memories, and civility, which may explain a relation between this strain of FEV and the strain used by the Master.
Despite the production of the Institute's super mutants ending, the presence of super mutants in the Commonwealth is still a daily threat. But because they possess no access to the FEV, no knowledge of their creation, and no proper form of leadership, they are little more than just stronger versions of raiders. Their only goal in life is to kill and conquer as much as they possibly can.
The First Multiverse War Edit
The Second Multiverse War Edit
The Infection War Edit
The Nationalist Wars Edit
The Corporation Wars Edit
The Third Multiverse War Edit
FEV variations Edit
At least five different variations of the post-Great War FEV are known to exist, plus one rumored.
Mariposa FEV strain Edit
The original strain of the virus that was developed at the Mariposa Military Base and later gave birth to the Master, Unity, and the army of the West Coast super mutants. All these super mutants were created using this strain, including Frank Horrigan, who was further augmented and experimented on by the Enclave's scientists. Other notable creatures created with this virus are centaurs, Floaters, and two ghoul-like mutants: Harold and Talius. The Master desired to use this virus to remake humanity into his own twisted vision of perfection. The Army had planned on releasing something similar to the super mutants in China before The Great War as seen in one Citadel terminal. A number of remnant mutants from the original FEV experiments conducted by the Master have emigrated east and settled in places like the Mojave Wasteland.
Vault 87 FEV strain Edit
This modified strain of FEV was located in Vault 87 in the Capital Wasteland and was also responsible for the creation of a super mutant army, this time without any clear leader. This strain completely wiped out any signs of pre-mutation gender and, compared to its western counterpart, produces quite different creatures who grow bigger as they age. This FEV strain is used by the super mutants to produce more of them in Vault 87. The design of Vault 87 indicates that this version of the FEV was administered in a gaseous state. This FEV strain, like the Mariposa version, gave birth to a group of misshapen mutants known as centaurs.
FEV Curling-13 strain Edit
Main article: FEV Curling-13
The Enclave, while led by President Dick Richardson, developed their own version of the FEV. It was an airborne modification that was intended to be spread by Vertibirds into the North American jet stream so that it could infect the entire American mainland. Created by the Enclave scientists led by Dr. Charles Curling, this strain of the virus was designed to kill all the "mutant" inhabitants of the post-nuclear United States.
Eden's FEV strain Edit
Main article: Modified FEV
When the Enclave relocated to the Capital Wasteland after the destruction of its oil rig headquarters off the coast of California in 2242, the survivors of the Oil Rig's destruction probably brought a sample of Richardson's modified Curling-13 strain of the FEV with them. President Richardson's successor as the leader of the Enclave, President John Henry Eden, a sentient artificial intelligence, personally remastered the virus, and altered it so that it was water-soluble instead of airborne. The President planned to use it to continue Richardson's plan to wipe the United States clean of all mutants, this time using Project Purity, an independent effort intended to cleanse the Potomac River of its radioactive contamination and provide clean water to the people of the Capital Wasteland. If you chose to infect Project Purity with this strain of FEV, Three Dog will report on how the people of the wastes are mysteriously becoming ill, but it only started when the purifier started 'chugging', he will say that 'the water is free, but not necessarily clean'.
The Institute FEV strain Edit
The scientists of the Institute experimented with a strain of FEV for at least 108 years, and were responsible for abducting citizens from the Commonwealth and replacing them with synth duplicates. They would then experiment upon the acquired test subjects with the FEV, and release them onto the surface.


text:
A pressure pump will deliver water to taps, showers, galley and deck wash. There are various marine water pumps available, from many manufacturers, we currently list pumps from SHURflo, Jabsco, Johnson, Rule, Whale, Vetus and Patay.
Operation is simple once connected correctly. Automatic pumps will operate until the system is pressurised. By opening a tap etc., the pressure will reduce and the pump will operate. The inline pumps operate with the use of a micro switch that activates when pressure reduces.
To maintain a smooth flow, an accumulator tank can be installed inline if required. We also recommend that a filter is fitted between the tanks and the fresh water pump.


text:
Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Donald J. Trump's disaster declaration issued for the state of Alabama and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribe.
Assistance for the State, Tribal and affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:
- FEMA is authorized to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas.
- Specifically, FEMA is authorized to provide emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent federal funding.
Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.twitter.com/femaspox, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Brock Long's activities at www.twitter.com/fema_brock.
The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.
# # #


text:
Forgot your password? Enter the email address you signed up with and we will send you a link to create a new password.
Your password reset has been submitted to the address provided.
Not specified
Medicated lip care preparations, medicated topical creams, lotions, gels, balms, and ointments for human use for lip and skin dryness, cold sores, and for lip and skin care
Business in Oak Brook, IL


text:
Sign Up for our
Weekly e-News!
Current Coronavirus
Numbers by County
about six years ago
Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Dunleavy poured in 22 points while shooting 8-for-11 from the field to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 108-95 victory over the Orlando Magic. Joakim Noah tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Jimmer Fredette added 17 points for the Bulls, who have won 10 of 12. Carlos Boozer and Tony Snell had 13 points apiece, with Boozer adding 12 boards and five assists. "We just want to be playing our best basketball, which I think we're playing pretty well. We want to go (into the playoffs) with a good momentum," Boozer said. Jimmy Butler contributed 12 points for Chicago, which is tied with the Toronto Raptors for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race with one game left for each team. Kyle O'Quinn totaled 20 points and seven rebounds and Andrew Nicholson scored 19 points for the Magic, who have lost three straight and six of eight. Arron Afflalo and Victor Oladipo scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, in the loss. The Magic trailed 57-44 to start the third but pulled back to within three following a 10-3 burst midway through the period. Chicago, however, answered by closing out the period with a 14-6 run to carry an 11-point lead into the fourth. The Bulls stretched their lead to 17, 94-77, with 7 1/2 left to play, and Orlando never got within 12 the rest of the way. The Bulls led 26-21 after the first and a 13-4 run early in the second pushed the spread to 41-30. Game Notes Orlando is 1-19 when its opponent shoots 50 percent or better ... The Magic fell to 0-38 when being outrebounded by their opponent this season ... The Bulls have won the series against Orlando for the fourth straight season ... Chicago is 41-4 when leading entering the fourth quarter.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Disclaimer
2020 Taylorville Daily News,
Miller Media Group
Built on Envisionwise Technology. Administrator Login


text:
Portland, Oregon, police were told there was a chicken — and it was attempting to cross the road.
In fact, the citizen who called the police non-emergency line on Monday evening reported that the chicken's efforts to cross a road in a north Portland neighborhood were bringing traffic nearly to a standstill.
He assured the dispatcher he was not joking.
The dispatcher chuckled — and asked a clarifying question.
"It's just the one chicken?"
The caller said yes.
Sgt. Pete Simpson says responding officers were unable to locate the chicken.
And so, he notes, police "were unable to determine the chicken's intent."


text:
Government Officials Investigating Gulf Coast Claims Process
It's an open secret that the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is not doing a good job getting money out to people who need and deserve it, and that's why it can be frustrating when it seems like nobody is doing anything about it. Well it looks like some state governments are finally taking action to clean up the Gulf Coast Claims process. This is all preliminary stuff, so I wouldn't start celebrating yet, but it looks like there are least people with influence out there who care about Gulf Coast Claims. From big issues to small ones, we're starting to see some action.
States Taking Action on Gulf Coast Claims
The Gulf Breeze Claims Office in Florida is closing for no reason (except to get people to give up on getting their Gulf Coast Claims), but it's actually getting some notice from people like Florida State Representative Doug Broxson who said he is "disturbed" by its recent closure.
Louisiana has also filed against BP and Transocean because they are trying to limit their liability for gulf coast claims for the 5 million barrels of oil they dumped into the gulf. BP and Transocean are trying to get out of paying for the damage they caused by saying that their explosion of oil was a "permitted discharge" under a ridiculous interpretation of an old law, and Louisiana is calling them on it.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood thinks that the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is tricking and forcing people into taking low quick pay final payments, and is going to Washington to look at their shady paperwork.
What Does This Mean For People Trying to Get Gulf Coast Claims?
The good news is that there are people in the state governments who see what BP is trying to do with the gulf coast claims process, and they are trying to do something about it. The bad news is that BP is very powerful, and has had virtually no pressure from the federal government to get its act together. The states may have some luck getting BP to actually pay what it deserves, but for right now it looks like the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is still up to its same old tricks: Delaying, demanding more documents, and denying.
If you want some free help getting the most from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, you can fill out the free case review box on the right side of the page and somebody will contact you to help you out. In the meantime, as always, we recommend that you avoid taking any quick pay payments from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility and signing away your rights. Even though the GCCF is stingy with them, try to get interim payments so you don't have to sign away your rights to get compensated.
Right now BP has said that the effects of the oil spill will be gone by the end of 2011. I'm sorry, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, and we all know it's a lie. If you want to be compensated for your losses past 2011, or even completely for 2010-2011, be very careful about taking final payments from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.


text:
Trucking Sites
Truckstop Sites
Trucker Dating
Trucker Chat Sites
Trucking Television Shows
Online Dating Sites
Trucking Blog Sites
Webcam Sites
Personals / Chat Sites
Miscellaneous Trucking Related
This group is SPECIFICALLY for members who identify with the group theme 'OWNER OPERATOR'. If you are a member of Trucker Passions and you are logged in, please upvote & downvote the members listed. Our system is built to keep the Groups area focused solely on the appropriate members & your votes help! Also, please feel free to create and post about the OWNER OPERATOR Group in the Trucker Passions - Trucking Forum. Thanks!


text:
Girls' gymnastics
Athletes of the Year
Kim Stewart
Division 1: Nauset, Senior
Stewart was untouchable this year, winning both the Coaches Invitational Championship (37.65) and state all-around (8.125) titles. She led Nauset to a third-place finish at their first state meet, where she nailed her bar routine for an impressive score of 9.8.
Courtney Carver
Andover, Sophomore
In the all-around, the sophomore placed third at the MIAA state meet and eighth at the Coaches Individual Championships. Her high score this season was a 37.5 and she also holds the school record for the floor exercise with a 9.7.
Annalisa DeBari
Melrose, Junior
The junior scored a 37.6 in the all-around competition at two big meets this season, good enough for second place at the Coaches Individual Championship and third at the North Sectional Meet. She also plays volleyball and runs track for Melrose.
Jillian Fraser
Barnstable, Sophomore
The Cranberry League All-Star took fifth in the all-around at both the state and South Sectional meets. At the New England Championship she won the balance beam (9.575) and took second in the all-around (37.325) to help Barnstable complete its undefeated season.
Heather Gomes
Beverly, Sophomore
A repeat All-Scholastic, the Northeast Conference All-Star finished first at the North Sectional meet with a 38.1, the highest all-around score of her career. She also placed third at the Coaches Individual Championships (37.375) and fourth at the MIAA state meet (37.075).
Samantha Kaplan
Sharon, Senior
Voted Senior Gymnast of the Year by the State Gymnastics Coaches Association, Kaplan led Sharon to Hockomock League title and second place at states. She finished first in the all-around at the South Sectionals (37.9) and second at the state meet (37.725).
Kasey Kilmurray
Nauset, Senior
The senior's stellar floor performance (9.625) and third place all-around score (37.425) at the South Sectional meet helped Nauset qualify for states for the first time in program history. She finished eighth at the state meet with an all-around score of 36.625.
Christa Perry
Wellesley, Senior
The Bay State Conference Senior of the Year led Wellesley to its fourth straight league title. At South Sectionals, the honor roll student placed first in the vault (9.725) and bars (9.6) and second in the all-around with a personal best of 37.875.
Hannah Phelan
Walpole, Freshman
The freshman won the balance beam at the Coaches Individual Championship with a score of 9.6 and placed seventh in the all-around competition (37.05). She is also a talented diver for Walpole, finishing second at this fall's state swim meet.
Mina Shernan
Masconomet, Junior
The NEC/CAL MVP set a personal best score of 37.75 in the all-around. She placed fourth at the North Sectional meet where she finished tied for third on the bars (9.35). Shernan also finished seventh at the Coaches Individual Championship.
Nicole Stevens
North Andover, Sophomore
Stevens led North Andover to its first ever North Sectional title, where she placed second in the all-around (37.975). The team MVP also broke school records in the all-around (38.3), floor (9.8) and beam (9.7) and tied the school record on vault (9.55).
Tali Twomey
Barnstable, Freshman
The Cranberry League All-Star helped lead Barnstable to the MIAA state title with her seventh-place finish in the all-around competition (36.75). At the South Sectionals she placed second in the floor (9.65) and tied for fourth in the vault (9.3).
Kalena Wang
Newton South, Freshman
Wang led Newton South to its first trip to the state meet in program history where she placed 10th in the all-around (36.1). At South Sectionals, the freshman finished tied for third on the beam (9.55) and fifth overall (37.025).
coach of the year
Duncan Chase
Chase led a young squad to a Cranberry League title and first place finishes at the South sectional, state and New England meets. The state championship was his ninth in 14 years as head coach. The Red Raiders finished the season undefeated (15-0).
Bay State
Braintree: Brooke Ellis, Erin Shea. Framingham: Maura Sticco-Ivins. Natick: Glaire Gerdes, Danny McElhinney. Needham: Kristen Folan, Marykate Hegarty, Maggie Nieto, Maria Smirnov. Newton North: Amara Lutwack, Julia Wang. Norwood: Kristen Folan. Walpole: Olivia O'Hara, Hannah Phelan. Wellesley: Molly Harrington, Alli Kelliher, Olivia Novins, Christa Perry.
Cape Ann/Northeastern
Beverly: Heather Gomes, Hannah Rennie. Danvers: Roni Levine, Emily McPherson, Jackie Veatch. Masconomet: Jess DeMarco, Mina Shernan. Winthrop: Christa Vaccaro.
Attleboro: Meredith Moreau. Barnstable: Jillian Fraser, Tali Twomey. Nauset: Kasey Kilmurray, Kim Stewart.
Dual County
Newton South: Camila Hernandez, Sally Jenks, Kalena Wang. Westford: Jackie Beals, Ashley Craig.
Canton: Stephanie Milne. King Philip: Katie Paul. Mansfield: Alexa Anastos, Stephanie Crowley, Danielle Dousa, Maddie Krysko, Kate Moore, Shannon Moore. North Attleborough: Carly Ebzery. Sharon: Jessica Chabot, Alicia Dagle, Samantha Kaplan.
Merrimack Valley
Andover: Courtney Carver, Jessie Livingston. Billerica: Gina Pomponi. Central Catholic: Kayleigh Dugan. Chelmsford: Eleanor Almeida, Nikki Santhanakrishnan. Lowell: Katheryn Manning, Mariam Traore. Methuen: Cam Cyr, Ashley Horan, Cyanna Roig, Zach Smith. North Andover: Julia Montecalvo, Madeline Shea, Nicole Stevens.
Middlesex (Freedom)
Burlington: Alexandra Avendano, Amelia Cecere. Melrose: Annalisa DeBari. Stoneham: Gianna Lanzillo, Sarah Muolo.
Middlesex (Liberty)
Arlington: Chase Currier, Ruthie Ferrante. Winchester: Bella Capachietti, Megan Miranda. Woburn: Kelly Doherty.
Boys' gymnastics
Athletes of the Year
Brian Manning
Division 1: Andover, Senior
The captain led Andover to the state title and took first in every event in which he competed this season, including all six events at the state meet, which he won easily. He set the state vault record (9.8) and will attend Penn State.
Joseph Aronov
Andover, Freshman
The freshman placed second behind teammate Brian Manning in the state all-around competition with a 41.0 and his team won the state title. He took second in the pommel horse (7.0) and high bar (6.3) and third in the still rings (5.55) at the state meet.
Evan Burt
Burlington, Senior
The senior placed third in the all-around at the MIAA state meet with a score of 40.5, helping Burlington to a third-place team finish, one year after winning the team title. He also took second in the floor exercise (8.6) and parallel bars (7.5).
Matthew DePippo
Attleboro, Sophomore
The sophomore led Attleboro to a fourth-place finish at the state meet. He finished sixth in the all-around with a 34.8 and fourth in the high bar with a 7.1. He also plays varsity football and is an honor roll student.
Evan Igoe
Andover, Sophomore
The sophomore placed fifth in the state all-around competition with a 37.5. A honor roll student, he also placed fourth in the parallel bars (7.1) and tied for sixth in the high bar (5.6) to help Andover achieve its first state title since 1970.
Xuyen Tran
Lowell, Senior
The senior led Lowell to a second-place finish at the state meet with his fourth-place finish in the all-around (38.2). He also finished second in the still rings with a 5.6. He plans to attend UMass-Lowell in the fall.
Nicholas Van Alfen
Braintree, Senior, All-Around
The senior captain finished fifth in the vault (8.0) and seventh in the all-around competition at the MIAA state meet with a score of 33.0. He also runs track and cross country and is a member of the National Honor Society.
coach of the year
Steve Sirois
The 32-year veteran coach was just a freshman at Andover High the last time the Golden Warriors won the state title. Sirois coached his small group of dedicated athletes to a decisive win at states, finishing with 164.55 points.
Middlesex (Freedom)
Burlington: Evan Burt.
Andover: Joseph Aronov, Evan Igoe, Brian Manning. Attleboro: Matthew DePippo. Braintree: Nicholas Van Alfen. Lowell: Xuyen Tran.


text:
Order Total
There are currently no items in your order.
ATTN: MEMBERS - To view member pricing, you must log in. If you still experience difficulties, please simply click here to submit form to get help.
We'll notify you via email when you can make your online purchase.
~ ~ ~


text:
At the outset I would like to thank everyone for inquiring about me.. lately I have been busy with my exams and was being lazy too.
To make up for that... here is one curry that one can make when you are lazy and dont want to cook up something big!
This curry was among the favorites for me and my sister. We fondly use to call this, Orange curry. This recipe is originally for fish curry and my mom used to substitute fish with vegetables whenever there was no fish available. You can make this with only mangoes or drumsticks, if both are not at hand. Enjoy this curry with rice!
1 small or medium Raw mango
10 frozen Drumstick
1 Tomato
To Grind
1 heaping cup fresh shredded Coconut (or frozen )
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
4 pearl Onions (tiny ones)
1/2 inch Ginger
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
3-4 Curry leaves
For tempering
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 dried Red chili
2 pearl onions
Few springs of curry leaves
- Heat a deep pan or kadai with raw mangoes, drumsticks and halved tomatoes with salt using enough water so the vegetables are submerged (don't add too much water or else the gravy will be too runny) and let it boil till the vegetables are cooked
- Grind all the ingredients under the to grind section using minimal water to get a smooth paste. (I used almost 1/4 cup water to grind the ingredients, you could add more)
- Add the coconut mixture to this cooked vegetables and stir if needed add more water for the gravy(I used 3/4- 1 cup of water...but it may vary)
- For tempering heat a small pan with oil and mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering split the dried red chili and add to the oil with sliced pearl onion and curry leaves
- When the onion turn brown add this to the gravy taste the curry and adjust the seasoning
Tastes better after couple of hours and even better the next day.


text:
Main :: FBV MkI / MkII Controllers
by bclery on 2011-08-21 13:18:17.7870
I have a Spider IV 75 and the FBV Express MK II. At first things worked fine. These two communicated, my cables are all good no problem. Then I decided to upgrade the firmware and try to use Spider Edit. That was the begining of the end.
Using a new Sony Vaio Win 7 laptop, the firmware update went fine for both the amp and FBV. I could read settings from the AMP and edit in Spider Edit.
But, as soon as I disconnected the FBV from the PC it stopped working. I got funny sounds and the FBV was useless, then amp acted odd too. At this point I factory reset the amp (hold "A" and powerup). The amp is now working fine.
The FBV was still dead, just flashing LEDS. I could not calibrate. It would not talk to the amp or pc. Finally after much random powering up and cable in/out I managed to get into calibrate mode and then it would work again with the amp. Encouraged, I was dumb enough to plug it into the PC again. BAM, back to dead flashing LED mode.
At this point the FBV is not recognized by the PC and not controlling the amp at all. It just flashes its LEDs. If I click the wah/vol button the flashing stops, but still dead.
I am pretty sure the FBV Express MK II is in fine hardware condition. It was working fine and at one point started working fine again. I believe there are some serious bugs in the FBV Express MK II 1.10 software.
At this point I would like to do a factory reset on this FBV Express MM II pedal. Is there a way to reset this thing to a factory state?
Is there a way to revert back to the more operational 1.0 software ?
Is there a way to kick it out of "USB Mode" ? Perhaps it is stuck in that state ?
What it the software on this thing telling me? What does flashing LEDs mean, what 'mode' is that? Why do they stop flashing when I click the wah/voh button?
How do I get this thing to be useful and not just flash LEDs.
I am an electrical engineer and write software for a living, so please don't tell me to "make sure it is plugged in". I have NEVER used a cat-5 cross cable on this. I have powered it up many ways and while holding various buttons. I have tried the calibration (no response). I have tried various cables. I tried three PCs and a MAC. I tried Win 7 and Win XP. I have installed and uninstalled Monkey and the USB drivers multiple times. I have read everything I could find on the line 6 web site. I will be glad to open it and tweak something if that will get it out of this dead state.
This "USB then dead" seems to be a repeating theme on the web site, but I not yet read a serious answer from Line 6.
by Line6Don on 2011-08-23 11:31:14.1820
Hey bclery,
Have you tried to reinstall the flash memory on the FBV Express MKII? If not please try to do so, this will more or less be a factory reset for FBV Express MKII. Once you have been able to successfully reinstall the latest flash memory try to go through the pedal calibration process one more time:
FBV Express MkII Calibration Steps:
Start with your FBV device not connected to any USB port or Line 6 device (and, therefore, powered "off").
Press and hold down the "D" labeled footswitch while you "power on" your FBV (by connecting to your Line 6 amp with which you plan on using your FBV). Upon release of the D footswitch, the FBV Tuner's numerical display will read "1".
Press the on-board pedal forward fully and hold down pedal's Toe Switch until the Tuner display changes to "2". This should occur instantly.
While holding the pedal in the "heel" (minimum) position, press the D footswitch. The Tuner display will change to "3".
Move the pedal to the toe (maximum) position, without clicking the Toe Switch. Allow the pedal to rest in the toe position (maximum) and press the D button. The LEDs above the Tuner's numerical display will light.
Move the pedal and verify that the LEDs above the Tuner's numerical display sequentially turn off as the pedal moves to the minimum position, and sequentially light up when the pedal is moved to the maximum position.
Your FBV MkII should now be calibrated. Press D to return to normal operation.
Please let us know your results.
by bclery on 2011-08-23 18:42:27.6290
I do very much appreciate you trying to help.
I think I was not clear enough about the current state of the device. Right now it will not communicate with the amp at all. It will not go into the calibration mode, it never achieves the "1" state. And, it will not be detected by any PC or MAC as a USB device. It does not show up in the Windows Device Manager at all. Installing (or uninstalling) the Monkey or the GuitarPort drivers makes no difference. Multiple cables have been tried. Windows will never "pop-up" on the tool bar indicating a device was detected.
At this point the FBV Express MK II only does this:
1) when plugged into a USB port it will flash all the LEDs at a rate or 4 flashes per second.
2) When plugged into the amp it will flash all the LEDs at a rate of 4 flashes per second, but a little brighter than when connected to the USB.
3) When the LEDs are flashing no action on button A, B, C, or D will change anything.
4) When the LEDs are flashing if you click the WAH/VOL switch the LEDs will stop flashing. No button combination will get them flashing again.
5) Holding down "D" while plugging in the cable has no effect, the condition described above is the same.
Remember that all this was working perfectly, the PC USB, the Spider Edit, the cables, controlling the amp, BEFORE I did the Monkey firmware upgrade. The Monkey upgrade hosed the firmware and now I can't communicate with it enough to reload the firmware. Also note that the firmware upgrade process worked fine, no indication of error.
This is why I was hoping that this device was designed with a "protected unchangable" firmware and a separate burnable segment. I was hoping you had a special boot sequence (hold some buttons) that would at least boot to the protected firmware so I could try reloading the new firmware again.
It is obvious that the hardware is fine and the device is alive in some way. It did work fine and only the software changed AND it is still flashing some "boot code" at me.
Is this a known issue? It seems others have had problems with this firmware upload.
What is the meaning of the 4 flashes per second? Can you tell me what the firmware is trying to indicate?
Are you working on a new firmware that will solve this issue? (not that I could load it anyway).
by bclery on 2011-08-26 16:15:34.0580
I see yet another post from some guy that upgraded his FBV Express MK II and now it is a brick.
Are your engineers looking into this? I don't think you can keep saying "try another cable".
by bclery on 2011-08-29 15:37:11.5590
Keeping this alive. I still have this issue and I am still ready to try your sugestions.
by Line6david on 2011-08-29 15:40:53.2440
I created a support ticket for you so we can resolve this issue. Please respond to the ticket. Thanks.
Q: What is a support ticket?
A: A support ticket allows you to directly correspond with a Line 6 Support Representative. An email will be sent to you from Line 6 containing a link if a Line 6 support representative determines that a ticket is necessary to troubleshoot your issue. Please follow the link in the email to view your open ticket to work one on one with Line 6 Support.
Please note: Sometimes support tickets will be filtered to spam and junk folders. If you did not receive an email from us indicating that a ticket has been created, please make sure to check those folders in your email host.
Line 6 Customer Support
by bclery on 2011-08-31 06:25:40.2120
I saw the ticket. We communicated on the ticket. And now the ticket has vanished.
What's up?
by bclery on 2011-09-08 12:49:25.3760
This question is showing as "Assumed Answered". This is inaccurate, can you remove that please.
At this point the unit has been shipped back to further investigate the state it is stuck in. I am hoping that the engineering analysis will be able to eventually provide an answer to this question.
by timely on 2011-09-08 23:10:43.5300
I am experiencing nearly identical issues with my FBV MKII Express (on a Spider IV 75). The board flashes all of its LEDs (nothing on the readout display however) just as bclery describes. The only difference between his and mine is that I can still use Spider IV Edit to load, update, and even live-select presets. The board behaves normally when plugged into USB, but as soon as I unplug it from the computer, the LEDs resume flashing and none of the buttons do anything, except the toe switch turns off the LEDs.
I updated the firmware on the Spider IV and the MKII several weeks ago when I bought both and have not had any issues at all while playing. It wasn't until tonight that I really started using the Edit program and all was fine until I disconnected the USB and it started flashing. It was not sending or receiving presets while I unplugged it (I was finished so I unplugged it). That's when it started flashing. I reflashed the MKII twice, at first, I was able to get into calibration mode, but now I cannot.
This is extremely frustrating. I just bought this gear and its already crapping out. Please help.
by timely on 2011-09-08 23:37:57.7530
This is very bizarre. I got it "working" by unplugging the amp and letting it sit for a few seconds (turned the switch on the amp on while unplugged to try and drain any power left in any capacitors). It worked for about 10 seconds, then the volume LED flashed randomly (as though there was a loose connection somewhere) and then all LEDs started flashing again. I tapped one of the preset buttons on the MKII and it started working again, I noticed that the volume pedal is behaving extremely strange (the best I can describe it is like a dirty potentiometer). The tap light on the LCD, when it actually flashes, acts very strange as well. It will get 3 beats right, then holds the light on from the 4th to the 5th beat, then resumes flashing on beat. As I am typing this, all of the LEDs are flashing now when it was JUST working. It has done this a few times with it on. It comes and goes. Also, the LCD display has randomly alternated between showing the selected preset "b" to showing "-" and "8" and God knows what else I missed while typing this. There is something extremely buggy going on in either the firmware or in the preset I made with the Edit software.
FWIW, the LEDs on the MKII do not flash at the same tempo as the tap light on my Spider IV 75. Also, I've had an iPod plugged into the AUX in on the Spider IV with a cable that is sometimes loose. Furthermore, I've been using a headset that uses USB power and has a tyical 3.5mm headphone jack. I've had the USB plugged into an adapter in the wall (NOT a computer). I've tried power cycling with both the headset and iPod unplugged to no avail. I don't know if any of that is useful, but there you go.
I am going to try resetting the Spider IV to see if that helps.
edit: I had the USB power for the *headset* plugged into the wall. I didn't plug the MKII to the USB wall adapter. I just want to make that clear. I'm just describing how I have things setup.
by timely on 2011-09-09 02:51:33.4660
It's dead. Please help me too, Line 6.
by asrocha on 2011-09-11 12:08:33.4310
I am facing exactly the same problem as Tim Ely. I just bought it, used one day and my FBV Express MKII is just dead. It still allows me to use it to link my Spider 75 to my laptop. But as soon as unplug the USB from it, leds start blinking and it becomes useless.
Line6, how can I fix it?
by fflbrgst on 2011-09-12 05:49:15.4200
Hope the official Line 6 people get back to you guys on this problem. Seems like there is a bad software problem with the Spider Edit/Monkey updating for this unit - just look at all the threads on these forums.
I had a monkey of a time getting the firmware update to work (eventually with another computer), and didn't try to run Edit as the computer that worked is a 'borrowed' work laptop.
by bclery on 2011-09-21 12:29:33.9190
This thread is marked as "Assumed Answered", but it has not been. Can you please mark this as answer pending.
I have returned my FBV Express MK II and we are awaiting an answer after they analyze the unit.
by fflbrgst on 2011-09-22 05:36:25.2790
bclery - did your support ticket get re-opened/entered? I'm guessing that once a thread on this forum is marked as 'assumed answered' and closed, it is no longer checked by the line 6 guys, so you (and anyone else who is having the problem) should start new threads here.
Please post any resolution(s) you get so others know what happened.
by bclery on 2011-09-29 12:48:24.9060
I returned the unit to Line 6. The intention was that their engineering guys could review the unit closely and determine what is going on. Hopefully with a goal of understanding the problem and coming up with a solution for us all, or maybe a new code release.
But, it seems all they did is send me a brand new unit. Of course the new units works fine connected to the amp.
I am afraid to connect the new unit to any PC. I fear the same lockup will happen. So I think I'll just stick to the controls on the amp and forget the SpiderEdit program.
I guess I shouldn't bitch, I got a new unit, but still...
by fflbrgst on 2011-09-30 05:18:19.6270
You should plug it into your computer, fo future firmware updates, you'll need to. And if there are issues with your new FBV, better to get it replaced now!
by robsweapon on 2011-09-30 12:10:32.0500
Well at least i'm not nuts had probs with mine since I updated and 15 min ago I now have your prob. nice
by dodell on 2011-11-30 16:07:59.6260
Yea i am experiencing something similar. when i unplug mine form the labtop it functions ok i can switch between the channels and adjust everything. but the amp then sounds static the volume drops out and it sounds like crap. unplug the board and the amp then sounds fine. also if i replug the usb back in wether the edit program is running or not the amp then sounds fine again.
by dodell on 2011-11-30 16:10:46.3730
and just to make sure i went to the local music store and hooked it up to a diffrent amp i got the same affect. he then used a diffrent cord and still same affect. i think the edit program doesnt allow for you to disconnect and it is effecting the unit when disconnecting.
by morkcornelius007 on 2012-01-18 07:19:34.1220
I have the exact same problem, brand new out the box. Bought it on Monday
by fflbrgst on 2012-01-18 10:25:26.7970
Sorry you are having problems morkconelius, since you just got it, I'd bring it back for an exchange.
by mannydingo on 2012-11-01 22:35:47.7290
How about I add to this dead thread about dead FBV Express MKII's ??? Wow, from January to November.
Soooo, I use mine with a POD HD PRO. Under the update there was no power from the Cat5e cable. Plugging into the computer via USB would turn it on but just lights on and only if the Cat cable was disconnected. No lights would turn on in intervals or intermittently like some of you guys. They would light one at a time as if working. A, B, C switches would incorrectly turn on by only staying on if kept pressed. If I let go of the switch, it would turn back off. The D switch, however, would stay on if I removed my foot as it should and then off with another press. If I would plug the Cat5e cable back in, the unit would turn off. Disconnecting the USB cable would not help.
Since my FBV did get recognized by the computer, I went to the Monkey and rolled the firmware back to 1.00. I got most function back. I can now use all four switches in the correct way but I must have BOTH the Cat cable plugged in for data transmission AND the USB for power to the unit. In other words, the power section of the Cat5e section is not working but data gets sent and ONLY on firmware 1.0. Power must be supplied through the USB cable. It runs like that.
The pedal calibration needs the power to be coming in from the Cat5e so I cannot calibrate it and, in fact, does not lower or raise the volume nor produce any wah effect. Therefore, it just functions for the four switches. Hey, at least I can also get into tuner mode. Yeah, it's pretty bad.
Line6, if you can send me the replacement part for me to replace in the unit, I will fix it myself. Seems power behind the RJ45 jack is my problem. I don't have warranty on it. Can someone let me know whatever happened with this or if Line 6 addressed it?
by fflbrgst on 2012-11-02 05:48:44.5770
Line 6 personnel are not typically checking this forum now. You should start a support ticket, or call Line 6 directly.
by mannydingo on 2012-11-04 17:14:12.1970
The information above may not be current, and you should direct questions to the current forum or review the manual.