text:
2004 Ford F-150
When you are the absolute market leader, as Ford is with the F-150 pickup truck, you don't take change lightly. The F-150 is the most important, most profitable vehicle Ford makes. With nearly 900,000 annual sales, the F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle (car or truck) in America for 21 consecutive years.
Now, they've thrown away the old formula and created a brand new F-150 from the ground up.
Ford admits the new F-150 is bigger, heavier, and more expensive to build than the wildly successful previous version. It is also the best-handling, quietest, most car-like full-size pickup truck in the history of the world. All of the new F-150 models feature all-new interiors that show attention to detail. The seats vary, but all are comfortable and supportive. Ford says the F-150 will be sold at competitive prices, model for model, against the traditional American as well as the new Japanese competition.
Model Lineup
To better meet the needs of different types of buyers, Ford created five distinct iterations of the F-150: XL, STX, XLT, FX4, and Lariat. Each boasts its own interior style and features engines, suspensions and cab configurations designed to meet specific needs. A myriad of configurations and options within these five model lines ensure buyers can select the right pickup for them.
XL is the budget-priced truck. It features an all-new work-truck interior and comes with all the basics such as 40/20/40 bench seats in vinyl or cloth, an all-plastic dashboard, a black grille and 17-inch steel wheels. XL is available in regular cab or SuperCab styles. XL is powered by Ford's 231-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 and comes with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. An F-150 XL Regular Cab 2WD automatic retails for $21,215, while a long-wheelbase (145-inch) 4×4 is priced at $24,855.
STX is sportier than the XL, with a body-colored grille surround for the black bar grille, and 17-inch cast aluminum wheels. STX comes in Styleside (flat) and Flareside (fendered) body styles, in regular cab or SuperCab, with either a 6.5-foot or a 5.5-foot cargo box. An audiophile sound system with subwoofer and six-disc CD changer is optional. An STX starts at $22,215. (Manufacturer's suggested retail prices do not include the destination charge of $795.)
XLT is Ford's volume model and comes with its own egg crate grille style. XLT comes in regular cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew four-door variants, with a choice of 5.5-, 6.5- and 8-foot bed lengths, and Styleside and Flareside body styles. A premium cloth interior is standard on the bench seats or optional captain's chairs. The XLT instrument panel gets more flash than either the XL or STX dash. SuperCrew and SuperCab versions offer power rear windows. The XLT comes with the new overhead rail console system and fog lamps when ordered as a 4X4. XLT SuperCab 4×4 4.6-liter V8 automatic retails for $30,085 MSRP.
FX4 is a specialty 4X4 off-road model. FX4 comes only in a stepside version with special chrome interior trim and markings, and a floor console with floor shifter. FX4 is available in regular cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew body styles with either 5.5-foot Styleside or 6.5-foot Flareside or Styleside bed designs (no 8-foot bed). The standard engine is the 300-horsepower 5.4-liter 3-valve-per-cylinder V8, which Ford says has the best fuel consumption of any V8 engine it has ever built. The FX4 has its own instrument package as do the rest of the models, with carbon mesh accents on the metallic dashboard. Captain's chairs in cloth or leather and the Audiophile system are optional, and 18-inch cast aluminum wheels are optional. An F-150 FX4 SuperCab 4×4 5.4-liter V8 automatic retails for $32,185.
Lariat is the luxury model and, for the time being, sits at the top of the line. Lariat has its own grille design and comes standard with 18-inch wheels. It amplifies the all-new interior with black-on-cream instrumentation, lots of wood trim and brushed metal, a multi-function steering wheel, and a shiny floor shifter mounted in a floor console. A power 40/20/40 split bench seat with seat memory is standard, along with power adjustable floor pedals, an in-dash message center, and climate control. Heated power leather captain's chairs are optional. Lariat 2WD models are available in all three body styles, but 4X4 versions are only available with Styleside fenders. An F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4×4 5.4-liter V8 automatic retails for $35,570.
The new F-150 takes off from these five model lines into 26 variations by the time you count two- and four-wheel-drive, short bed, medium bed, and long bed, manual and automatic and the five trim levels. The nearest competitor has only 12 variations, a fact that Ford hopes will bring more people into its dealerships. In addition to the 26 variants of the F-150 within the five model ranges, there are dozens of options,
All Ford F-150s now have the front window style popularized on the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups: a sharp cut in the forward part of the door sheet metal that drops away to allow much clearer viewing of the large rearview mirrors on both sides.
The whole nose is shaped more squarely, the grilles are larger and bolder, the bodyside and cargo box sheet metal is more sculpted, and every bed, no matter which length or style, is two inches taller than previous beds to give more margin when hauling larger cargoes. All models, including the regular cab, have four full-opening doors on the body with storage room and/or seats behind the front seat. The SuperCab doors are larger than the vestigial doors on the standard cab, and of course, the giant SuperCrew has four full-size doors.
The most notable design feature of the new F-150, however, is one you can't see: the fully boxed, partially hydroformed frame, stronger, stiffer and heavier than any previous Ford pickup frame. It's the seven-crossmember skeleton onto which everything else bolts, and accounts for quite a bit of the nearly 675 pounds more weight of the new F-150 compared to the old truck. The frame is nine times more resistant to twisting and 50 percent more resistant to bending than the old C-shaped frame.
The front suspension is a completely new double-wishbone style for both 2WD and 4WD versions. The rear suspension now has outboard, rather than inboard, shock absorbers to control the rear end of the truck better in quick maneuvers, along with wider, heavier three-inch leaf springs.
The steering has been changed to a heavy-duty power-assisted rack-and-pinion system. Underneath, are four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake force distribution (EBD), which come standard.
Interior Features
In Lariat trim, the Ford F-150 rivals luxury cars in terms of design, materials and completeness, with beautiful, rich wood trim, both shiny and matte metallic finishes on major panels, and a lovely three-pod instrument panel behind the multi-function steering wheel.
Although we were able to sample some of the other models, our test truck was a 2004 F-150 Lariat SuperCab 4X2 Styleside with a 6.5-foot bed and the 5.4-liter 3-valve V-8 engine, a black truck with beige lower trim and a beige leather interior.
Our truck had every known amenity: keyless entry, a rear power point, autolamp, delayed accessory power, outside temperature and compass readouts, message center and trip computer, adjustable pedals, the deluxe heated and self-dimming mirror package, power locks, power windows, visor vanity mirrors, HomeLink, and a set of overhead storage bins. (There are five different snap-in sets of these bins, which ride on overhead rails, and the aftermarket is already making additional versions with overhead entertainment systems and other specialty items built in.)
We would say without a moment of hesitation that this was the classiest, quietest, most completely equipped pickup truck interior we have ever spent time in. The Ford Truck folks committed only one unpardonable by us: the clear plastic over the instrument pod is way, way too reflective and makes most of the instruments difficult to see in bright sunlight. Everything else inside functions very well and looks beautiful.
Driving Impressions
The new Ford F-150 is built around an improved 4.6-liter V8 for the less-expensive models and, for the larger, heavier models, a brand-new 5.4-liter V8 engine with two intake valves and one exhaust valve per cylinder and a new intake port and combustion chamber design. Ford says that, between these two things, the 5.4-liter engine, which makes a nice, round 300 horsepower and 335 foot-pounds of torque, is also the fuel-stingiest engine the company has ever tested. It's similar in design to the previous 4.6-and 5.4-liter V8s in Ford trucks.
Our Lariat test vehicle performed much, much better in terms of acceleration than the old XLT 4X4 we drove previously, mainly because it weighs a whole lot less and the engine doesn't have to work so hard to get the truck off the mark at stoplights. The regular cab and SuperCab versions with the 5.4 engine move out quickly and quietly, and the new 4R75E high-capacity four-speed transmission performed well.
The power rack-and-pinion steering in our test truck was exemplary; it simply steered the truck in a new direction with each movement of the wheel, without hesitation or delay, but it was not in any way darty or overly quick or nervous. The truck tracks like a laser beam, turns in quickly, and recovers very quickly even with no load in the bed.
The brakes, too, start decelerating the truck just a little way into the pedal travel, and the more you push the pedal, the more acute the braking becomes; the absence of dead space in the pedal travel is a welcome relief from typical truck practice.
With its brand new front and rear suspension designs, the F-150 Lariat SuperCab rides more like a Lincoln LS sports sedan than a truck, with a minimum of body roll in the corners, and a nice, plush ride over cobbled pavement, rutted dirt roads, and freeway slabs.
For a while there, Dodge had the hot hand in terms of truck style and function. Then the title went to Chevrolet and GMC for chassis refinement. Then the new Ram one-upped them again.
Now, the Ford F-150 is the unquestioned truck leader, with a combination of style, interior decor, powertrain, and car-like ride and handling that the other trucks, including the new Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra, can't match.
These trucks reportedly cost $1,000 to $2,000 apiece more to build, but Ford plans to eat that in its aggressive pricing strategy to keep prices as close to the outgoing truck as possible. With 26 variations to choose from, there has to be a new Ford truck for everyone in this exciting new mix.
|Model Line Overview
|Model lineup:
|F-150 XL ($21,215); STX ($22,215); XLT ($30,085); FX4 ($32,185); Lariat ($35,570)
|231-hp 4.6-liter sohc 16-valve V8; 300-hp 5.4-liter sohv 24-valve V8
|5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic
|Safety equipment (standard):
|ABS, EBD, smart front airbags
|Safety equipment (optional):
|Basic warranty:
|3 years/36,000 miles
|Assembled in:
|Louisville, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missouri; Norfolk, Virginia; Dearborn, Michigan; Wayne, Michigan
|Specifications As Tested
|Model tested (MSPR):
|Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 5.4 auto Styleside ($35,570)
|Standard equipment:
|air conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, power windows, power locks, console, cruise control, message center, trip computer, floor shift, fog lamps
|Options as tested (MSPR):
|leather-trimmed captain's chairs with console and floor shifter ($595); 3.73 axle ratio ($50); trailer tow package ($350); reverse sensing system ($245)
|Destination charge:
|Gas guzzler tax:
|Price as tested (MSPR):
|rear-wheel drive
|5.4-liter sohc 24-valve V8
|Horsepower (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|300 @ 5000
|Torque (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|335 @ 3750
|4-speed automatic
|EPA fuel economy, city/hwy:
|144.4 in.
|229.8/78.9/73.1 in.
|Track, f/r:
|67/67 in.
|Turning circle:
|46.4 ft.
|Seating Capacity:
|Head/hip/leg room, f:
|40.9/66.3/41.3 in.
|Head/hip/leg room, m:
|Head/hip/leg room, r:
|39.6/66.5/32.7 in.
|Cargo volume:
|1800 cu. ft.
|Towing capacity:
|9500 Lbs.
|Suspension, f:
|Suspension, r:
|solid axle and leaf springs
|Ground clearance:
|Curb weigth:
|4890 lbs.
|Brakes, f/r:
|disc/disc with ABS
|Fuel capacity:
|26 gal.
|Unless otherwise indicated, specifications refer to test vehicle. All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSPR) effective as of February 6, 2006.Prices do not include manufacturer's destination and delivery charges. N/A: Information not available or not applicable. Manufacturer Info Sources: - www.ford.com
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1. Data Controller
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The list of outside data supervisors or the indication of the independent data controllers will be available at Tecnica's legal headquarters.
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The Users always have the right to exercise the rights stated by Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Privacy Code. More specifically, you are entitled to obtain information from the Data Controller concerning the process of your Personal Data, in particular: 1) obtaining, without delay, confirmation as to whether or not your personal data exists; 2) obtain: a) the origin of the personal data, the purposes and methods by which it will be processed; the logic applied in case of data processing carried out with the use of electronic instruments; identification details of the data controller or data processor, persons or categories of persons to whom personal data may be communicated or who may become acquainted with said data in their capacity as data processors or authorised personnel; b) the update, amendment or integration of the data; c) the cancellation, anonymization or blocking of data that has been processed unlawfully; 3) Object, in whole or in part, to the processing of personal data concerning you, for purposes of commercial information or sending advertising or direct sales material or for carrying out market research or commercial communication.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
"The literature on the relationship between the size of government and economic growth is full of seemingly contradictory findings. This conflict is largely explained by variations in definitions and the countries studied. An alternative approach – of limiting the focus to studies of the relationship in rich countries, measuring government size as total taxes or total expenditure relative to GDP and relying on panel data estimations with variation over time – reveals a more consistent picture: The most recent studies find a significant negative correlation: An increase in government size by 10 percentage points is associated with a 0.5 to 1 percent lower annual growth rate. We discuss efforts to make sense of this correlation, and note several pitfalls involved in giving it a causal interpretation. Against this background, we discuss two explanations of why several countries with high taxes seem able to enjoy above average growth: One hypothesis is that countries with higher social trust levels are able to develop larger government sectors without harming the economy. Another explanation is that countries with large governments compensate for high taxes and spending by implementing market-friendly policies in other areas. Both explanations are supported by ongoing research."
Interessant forskning: Berg & Henrekson om offentlige udgifter/økonomisk vækst
De to fremragende svenske økonomer Andreas Bergh og Magnus Henrekson har fornylig fået udgivet deres interessante paper "Government Size and Growth: A Survey and Interpretation of the Evidence" i Journal of Economic Surveys. Her er en tidligere udgave og dette sammendrag:
Abonner på: Indlæg (Atom)


text:
"Well, beat the drum and hold the phone
The sun came out today
We're born again
There's new grass on the field" – John Fogerty, Centerfield
Few four-word phrases can captivate the attention of sports fans, stirring them from their collective hibernation quite like: "opening day is here."
Whether team MVPs or detached dandelion-pickers growing up, the ping of an aluminum bat striking a ball can create a Pavlovian response to yesteryear. Numerous June and July nights of our youth can be traced back to municipal parks all across the fruited plains, the echoes serving as the soundtrack of our summers.
While many would contend that football is now America's sport, baseball remains America's pastime.
The Super Bowl hangovers have subsided. And though few thermometers north of the Mason-Dixon Line reflect it, we're tilting towards summer.
Even the memories of a first trip to a big-league park stay with us forever. Growing up 15 minutes from Busch Stadium II in St. Louis, I recall bits and pieces of my first Cardinals game.
It was August 1992 and the Dodgers were in town. I recognized Ozzie Smith, Ray Lankford, and Tom Pagnozzi. But it wasn't until almost two decades later that I discovered a rich coincidence.
The starting third baseman for the Cardinals that game? Tracy Woodson. The baseball gods work in mysterious ways.
For the professionals, opening day symbolizes the shotgun start to the marathon of 162. For colleges across the country, it represents the waving of the green flag on the winding road to Omaha.
Today marks the last day all 298 NCAA Division I teams sit even. The Valparaiso Crusaders, the Arizona Wildcats, the Youngstown State Penguins will all lace their cleats tomorrow unbeaten, untied. Hope springs eternal.
2012 provides an extra layer of confidence for the local nine in 2013. Valpo found itself 5-14 at one point, but the band of gypsies rebounded with a 27-5 tear that included a road series sweep of heavily-armed Milwaukee, a series win over stalwart Wright State in Dayton, and a non-conference victory over the Fighting Irish in Notre Dame.
In a way it was fitting that the scrappy club of 2012 was assigned to the regional held in Gary, Indiana. The majority of deep-pocketed teams from BCS conferences played on the coasts or in sunny Texas. Instead of mountain ranges or ocean breezes, Valpo basked in the backdrop of smokestacks and substandard air quality.
But the Brown and Gold didn't hold a pity party. After all, beggars can't be choosers.
In their first trip to the Big Dance since 1968, last year's squad experienced some of the jitters typically accustomed of sweaty-palmed freshmen. Five errors in the infield led to a career-high six unearned runs tagged to starter Tyler Deetjen against Purdue in the 7-2 loss.
The following day a weary Kentucky Wildcats team - coming off an epic 21-inning loss the night prior - emerged for a five-run 6th inning that broke a 1-1 tie. The offense stranded four runners over the final four frames in the defeat that ended the Crusaders' historic season.
In the Gary Regional - the birthplace of Michael Jackson - the cinderella Kent State Golden Flashes made off like smooth criminals. Two one-run wins over Kentucky and another one-run victory over the Boilermakers thrust the MAC champs into the Super Regional held in Eugene, Oregon.
The Golden Flashes proceeded to pick off the Oregon Ducks in a best-of-three series (both wins by one run) to advance to the College World Series.
Their evolution could very well serve as a motivating blueprint for the Crusaders.
In 2010, Kent State was outscored 34-10 in their two NCAA Regional losses against UCLA and UC-Irvine. They returned to the Tournament the following year and won two games before losing in a winner-take-all game against the Texas Longhorns. Factor in last season and it is evident what postseason experience can do for a program too brazen to believe it doesn't belong.
A progression in expectations is a sentiment shared by Woodson. "We may have been happy to just be there. Our mindset now is to get back and win some games," the head coach in his 7th season said.
For all those associated with college baseball, the wait is over. Wipe the sleep from your eyes. Your Christmas Eve is here.
And as the Crusaders open the 2013 season tomorrow in the Music City, so begins the next song on the soundtrack of our summers.
Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC)
1009 Union Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Staff Directory


text:
In colorimetry and color theory, lightness, also known as value or tone, is a representation of variation in the perception of a color or color space's brightness. It is one of the color appearance parameters of any color appearance model. Lightness is a relative term. Lightness means brightness of an area judged relative to the brightness of a similarly illuminated area that appears to be white or highly transmitting. Lightness should not be confused with brightness.[1]
Various color models have an explicit term for this property. The Munsell color model uses the term value, while the HSL color model and Lab color space use the term lightness. The HSV model uses the term value a little differently: a color with a low value is nearly black, but one with a high value is the pure, fully saturated color.
In subtractive color (i.e. paints) value changes can be achieved by adding black or white to the color. However, this also reduces saturation. Chiaroscuro and Tenebrism both take advantage of dramatic contrasts of value to heighten drama in art. Artists may also employ shading, subtle manipulation of value.
Relationship between lightness, value, and luminance
The Munsell value has long been used as a perceptually uniform lightness scale. A question of interest is the relationship between the Munsell value scale and the relative luminance. Aware of the Weber–Fechner law, Munsell remarked "Should we use a logarithmic curve or curve of squares?"[2] Neither option turned out to be quite correct; scientists eventually converged on a roughly cube-root curve, consistent with the Stevens power law for brightness perception, reflecting the fact that lightness is proportional to the number of nerve impulses per nerve fiber per unit time.[3] The remainder of this section is a chronology of lightness approximations, leading to CIELAB.
Note: Munsell's V runs from 0 to 10, while Y typically runs from 0 to 100 (often interpreted as a percentage). Typically, the relative luminance is normalized so that the "reference white" (say, magnesium oxide) has a tristimulus value of Y=100. Since the reflectance of magnesium oxide (MgO) relative to the perfect reflecting diffuser is 97.5%, V=10 corresponds to Y=100/97.5%≈102.6 if MgO is used as the reference.[4]
- 1920
- Priest et al. provide a basic estimate of the Munsell value (with Y running from 0 to 1 in this case):[5]
- 1933
- Munsell, Sloan, and Godlove launch a study on the Munsell neutral value scale, considering several proposals relating the relative luminance to the Munsell value, and suggest:[6][7]
- 1943
- Newhall, Nickerson, and Judd prepare a report for the Optical Society of America. They suggest a quintic parabola (relating the reflectance in terms of the value):[8]
- 1943
- Using Table II of the O.S.A. report, Moon and Spencer express the value in terms of the luminance:[9]
- 1944
- Saunderson and Milner introduce a subtractive constant in the previous expression, for a better fit to the Munsell value.[10] Later, Jameson and Hurvich claim that this corrects for simultaneous contrast effects.[11][12]
- 1955
- Ladd and Pinney of Eastman Kodak are interested in the Munsell value as a perceptually uniform lightness scale for use in television. After considering one logarithmic and five power-law functions (per Stevens' power law), they relate value to reflectance by raising the reflectance to the power of 0.352:[13]
- Realizing this is quite close to the cube root, they simplify it to:
- 1958
- Glasser et al. define the lightness as ten times the Munsell value (so that the lightness ranges from 0 to 100):[14]
- 1964
- Wyszecki simplifies this to:[15]
- This formula approximates the Munsell value function for (it is not applicable for Y<1%) and is used for the CIE 1964 color space.
- 1976
- CIELAB uses the following formula:
- where is the Y tristimulus value of a "specified white object" and is subject to the restriction . Pauli removes this restriction by computing a linear extrapolation which maps Y/Yn=0 to L*=0 and is tangent to the formula above at the point at which the linear extension takes effect. First, the transition point is determined to be , then the slope of is computed. This gives the two-part function:[16]
- The lightness is then .
At first glance, you might approximate the lightness function by a cube root, an approximation that is found in much of the technical literature. However, the linear segment near black is significant, and so the 116 and 16 coefficients. The best-fit pure power function has an exponent of about 0.42, far from 1/3.[17]
An approximately 18% grey card, having an exact reflectance of , has a lightness value of 50. It is called "mid grey" because its lightness is midway between black and white.
Other psychological effects
This subjective perception of luminance in a non-linear fashion is one thing that makes gamma compression of images worthwhile. Beside this phenomenon there are other effects involving perception of lightness. Chromacity can affect perceived lightness as described by the Helmholtz–Kohlrausch effect. Though the CIE L*a*b* space and relatives do not account for this effect on lightness, it may be implied in the Munsell color model. Light levels may also affect perceived chromacity, as with the Purkinje effect.
See also
- ↑ [1] Brightness vs. Lightness
- ↑ Kuehni, Rolf G. (February 2002). "The early development of the Munsell system". Color Research & Application. 27 (1): 20–27. doi:10.1002/col.10002.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Hunt, Robert W. G. (May 18, 1957). "Light Energy and Brightness Sensation". Nature. 179 (4568): 1026. doi:10.1038/1791026a0.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Valberg, Arne (2006). Light Vision Color. John Wiley and Sons. p. 200. ISBN 0470849029.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Priest, Irwin G.; Gibson, K.S.; McNicholas, H.J. (September 1920). "An examination of the Munsell color system. I: Spectral and total reflection and the Munsell scale of Value". Technical paper 167 (3). United States Bureau of Standards: 27. Cite journal requires
|journal=(help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Munsell, A.E.O.; Sloan, L.L.; Godlove, I.H. (November 1933). "Neutral value scales. I. Munsell neutral value scale". JOSA. 23 (11): 394–411. doi:10.1364/JOSA.23.000394.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles> Note: This paper contains a historical survey stretching to 1760.
- ↑ Munsell, A.E.O.; Sloan, L.L.; Godlove, I.H. (December 1933). "Neutral value scales. II. A comparison of results and equations describing value scales". JOSA. 23 (12): 419–425. doi:10.1364/JOSA.23.000419.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Newhall, Sidney M.; Nickerson, Dorothy; Judd, Deane B (May 1943). "Final report of the O.S.A. subcommittee on the spacing of the Munsell colors". Journal of the Optical Society of America. 33 (7): 385–418. doi:10.1364/JOSA.33.000385.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Moon, Parry; Spencer, Domina Eberle (May 1943). "Metric based on the composite color stimulus". JOSA. 33 (5): 270–277. doi:10.1364/JOSA.33.000270.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Saunderson, Jason L.; Milner, B.I. (March 1944). "Further study of ω space". JOSA. 34 (3): 167–173. doi:10.1364/JOSA.34.000167.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Hurvich, Leo M.; Jameson, Dorothea (November 1957). "An Opponent-Process Theory of Color Vision". Psychological Review. 64 (6): 384–404. doi:10.1037/h0041403. PMID 13505974.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Jameson, Dorothea (May 1964). "Theory of brightness and color contrast in human vision". Vision Research. 4 (1–2): 135–154. doi:10.1016/0042-6989(64)90037-9. PMID 5888593. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Ladd, J.H.; Pinney, J.E. (September 1955). "Empirical relationships with the Munsell Value scale". Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers. 43 (9): 1137. doi:10.1109/JRPROC.1955.277892.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Glasser, L.G.; A.H. McKinney; C.D. Reilly; P.D. Schnelle (October 1958). "Cube-root color coordinate system". JOSA. 48 (10): 736–740. doi:10.1364/JOSA.48.000736.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Wyszecki, Günther (November 1963). "Proposal for a New Color-Difference Formula". JOSA. 53 (11): 1318–1319. doi:10.1364/JOSA.53.001318.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles> Note: The asterisks are not used in the paper.
- ↑ Pauli, Hartmut K.A. (1976). "Proposed extension of the CIE recommendation on "Uniform color spaces, color spaces, and color-difference equations, and metric color terms"". JOSA. 66 (8): 866–867. doi:10.1364/JOSA.66.000866.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Poynton, Charles; Funt, Brian (Feb 2014). "Perceptual uniformity in digital image representation and display". Color Research and Application. 39 (1): 6–15. doi:10.1002/col.21768.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>


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Valentine Day Cool Wallpapers
Happy Valentine Day Cool Wallpapers FREE Download. Valentines Day Desktop Backgrounds. We offer several high quality digital images that you can download below.
HOW TO DOWNLOAD IMAGE IN FULL RESOLUTION: Click on each image to view larger in light box, then right click on Picture and select "save image as …" to download Wallpapers into your desktop computer and laptop. If you are browsing website by handheld or touchscreen device, please tap on image for a while (3 seconds) and then select "save image as …" to download image to your mobile device.


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The third annual Etsy Craft Party is on Friday, August 24th 2012!
Craft Party is a time to get to know your neighbors and exercise your creative spirit. Craft Parties take place simultaneously around the world when communities come together to participate in art, craft, design and DIY in every form. Anyone can organize a Craft Party and anyone can participate—the power is literally in your hands!
This year's theme:
Wish You Were Here
Participants are encouraged to work together on projects that reflect their hometowns, including local and regional crafts, music, style, and food. Pay tribute to a notable landmark or place, set up an activity that tells local lore through handmade means, or come up with a creative project that has local flavor—it's up to each local Craft Party to decide how to showcase the theme at their party!
How to get started:
Download the free Craft Party Kit. It's filled with tips, tutorials, printables, checklists, photo props, and more. Plan your own event. Every party that has 25+ RSVPs by August 12 will receive a free box of craft supplies from Michaels! Head to the Etsy Craft Party 2012 page for more info. Join an event in your area. Find a Craft Party near you on Meetup Everywhere.
The first Etsy event I ever attended was the Etsy Craft Party, so I can definitely vouch for the fun. I can't wait to get together with my fellow Brooklyn crafters at this year's event! Will you be partying too?


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- This event has passed.
ReggieNet: Forums
Event Description
Maximize your ability to communicate with students through Forums. Learn how to have ReggieNet automatically create discussion groups. You'll also see the different ways to grade discussions, including by topic or message. Prerequisite: Introduction to ReggieNet
If you will need special accommodations, please contact the event organizer.


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The over 50-year old armed conflict between Government and FARC rebels, single-crop farming for export and biofuel production as well as mining projects all combine to jeopardize the livelihoods of rural communities in Colombia and give rise to forcible evictions. The civilian population gets caught up in the conflict owing to the militarization of daily life and the demands being made by armed groups. The consequences are serious human rights violations, violence, poverty, hunger, displacement, as well as the destruction of social networks and traditional values. Through its projects, HEKS/EPER strives to help create a more just and peaceful society and to improve the livelihoods of internally displaced families and rural communities.
In 2017, some 2800 people living in conflict situations were reached through peace initiatives or protective measures.


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I had another milestone last week - hitting 900 days. Who has a milestone this week and how is your running/streaking going?
As far as my running goes it has been pretty good lately. I started my marathon training last week and the whole week went pretty well. You can read about my training in my new blog at http://hansontraining.blogspot.com/
I am using the Hanson Brothers marathon training program. It maxes out your long run at 16 miles (instead of the normal 20-22) and I thought I would document it as I did it. Did a speed session this morning and it went pretty well. Toe feels good and hamstring feels good (knock on wood).
So let us all know how you are doing.
Turning back the clock one mile at a time
In it for the long run..
24 days of streaking. Jeff, can you reset me starting 5/30? Thanks.
Hamstring still not ready for prime time, but with good PT and a lot of exercises I am able to run. Had a 40 mile week last week for the first time since March. 8 miles is about the limit right now, though.
"It's not who wins the workout..."


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- This power is NOT a bot. It is the ability to add a bot to a chat.
- The BOT power should only access one chat at a time.
- xat can withdraw the BOT power and refund the purchase price without warning.
- It is permitted to add two bots per chat. However, you must assign two BOT powers to be allowed to do so, otherwise it will be considered abuse and your chat may be removed from xat lists/charts.
- If your bot breaks xat's terms of service, your chat could be deleted and you will lose the BOT power.
- If you use a third party bot, you must provide the third party the identification number and password to your bot. You do not have to provide the third party the e-mail address that's associated with your bot.
- Bots are unable to trade, so the xats, days and powers that are contained in the bot are safe.
- Bots are unable to transfer xats or days.
- The BOT power is the only acceptable way to connect a bot to a chat.
- If your bot service is abusive, the bot service server(s) could be blocked from accessing xat.
- Bots must adhere to xat's terms of service.
- Bots must use a registered identification number.
Bot Dienstverleners
WARNING: Unfortunately, some bot service providers MAY be phishing websites, so we've created a list of what we believe to be reliable bot service providers. There are no guarantees as to whether the ones listed below are in fact reliable. While these bot service providers are known to provide working bots, it does NOT mean that xat endorses them on any level, nor are they managed by xat. xat encourages users to do their own research before choosing one. If you're not feeling completely confident, then you do not have to use their services. We expect that the chats listed below provide assistance with not only the BOT power, but the bot itself and to respond to users inquiries in a courteous and professional manner. We also expect the staff there to make their best efforts to protect the privacy and security of their users. Failure to comply with the rules may result in your bot service provider being removed from the list.
CAUTION: Never share your e-mail address, password or any other personally identifiable information with any bot service provider. We highly recommend you create a new xat account for your bot instead.
|Bot Dienstverlener:
|ARCbots (Advanced Really Cool Bots)
|120 uren
*Service is free for:
|FEXBots (Futuristische Entiteiten van xat)
|96 uren
*Service is free for:
|48 uren
*Service is free for:
*Service is free for:
Hoe kan ik mijn BOT Power inschakelen?
When it comes to assigning the BOT power to your chat, there are two parts you need to follow.
The first part is to type the smiley code (BOT) into the text box of your chat and press the "Enter" key. Once you do that, click on the smiley and click on the "Assign" button.
The second part is to click on the "Edit Your Chat" button, which will redirect you to your chat settings. Scroll down until you see the BOT power, located under the "Group Powers" category. Click on the check box that's located on the left side of the BOT power and click on the "Update these options" button.
Scroll down again until you see the BOT power, located under the "Group Powers" category and click on the "Edit" button. A screenshot has been provided above to give you a visualization.
Where it shows "Bot ID", type in the identification number of the xat account you created that will be used as your bot into the text box provided and click on the "Ok" button. A screenshot has been provided on the right side to give you a visualization.
Click on the "Update these options" button again and your bot is successfully connected to your chat.
Bonus smilies
You'll have to own this power to use its featured smiley (bot).
Smilies (bot2), (bot3), (bot4) and (bot5) can only be used on chats that have this power assigned.


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Home of Rhett & Link fans - the Mythical Beasts!
Willson Franklin has not received any gifts yet
Welcome to the Kommunity! here's a little tour guide that may help you along the path to mythical beastliness ~ Rhett & Link 101
Welcome to the kommunity! This is the home of Rhett and Link fans- the mythical beasts. There are various guides scattered around if you want help getting started or another beast will be willing to help you out. The key to the site is to have fun!
© 2020 Created by Link. Powered by


text: All items (1) # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other . ... Why is my crazy af sister singing Game On but changing the words to be about my "MSP death"...? Retrieved from "https://meep-comp.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Ftvfvtftvtfvfvtvtf" Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Gaston Hillar is a frequent contributor to Dr. Dobb's and author of Professional Parallel Programming With C#: Master Parallel Extensions With .Net 4.
Silverlight for Windows Phone, the application development platform for Windows Phone 7 Series, supports core Silverlight features while providing access to the phone's unique capabilities through managed .NET code.
Developers with some experience in XAML and managed .NET code will be able to use the new developer tools to create Windows Phone 7 Series applications. In this article, I show how to build a UI from scratch using the new development tools, SDKs, and the mobile device emulator, assuming that you are familiar with Silverlight and Visual Studio 2010 basics. First, you must download and run the Silverlight for Windows Phone Developer Tools installer by clicking the Download button in the Silverlight for Windows Phone page. You will always find the latest version available in the link included in this page.
Once you finish the installation process, you will notice a new folder in Start -> Programs, Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express. If you had any version of Visual Studio 2010 installed, you don't need to start Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone, included in the Visual Studio 2010 Express folder. You can develop Silverlight for Windows Phone applications in your Visual Studio 2010 version that was installed before running the installer for the new tools.
Start Visual Studio 2010, select File -> New -> Project and the new "Silverlight for Windows Phone" item will appear within the Installed Templates list for Visual C#. Figure 1 shows the three types of projects that you can create targeting Silverlight for Windows Phone:
- Windows Phone Application. An application without navigation support.
- Windows Phone List Application. An application with navigation support.
- Windows Phone Class Library. A class library that you can use in other applications.
If you select "XNA Game Studio 4.0" within the Installed Templates list for Visual C#, you will notice that there are new project types related to Windows Phone. In fact, Silverlight for Windows Phone can use the XNA Framework features for audio capture and playback, access the media library, and Xbox LIVE.
Introducing Silverlight for Windows Phone
When you create a new Windows Phone application, the new solution includes the Silverlight MainPage.xaml page. However, the design view for this page shows a preview of the controls that compose the user interface within a Windows Phone 7 screen, as in Figure 2. You can drag-and-drop controls to the design surface and check the layout preview for a Windows Phone 7 screen. As happens when working with Silverlight in Visual Studio 2010, if you make changes to the XAML code, these changes will be reflected on the design surface that emulates a Windows Phone 7 screen.
According to the information provided in the design resources, all Windows Phone 7 devices will have WVGA screens at 800x480 pixel resolution, no matter the screen size. This single resolution makes it simpler to design the UI. The great drawback is that you cannot emulate multitouch gestures with a mouse or a touchpad in your developer workstation. However, if you don't have a multitouch monitor, you still have a chance to test some multitouch gestures without having to deploy the project to the phone. There is an interesting project on CodePlex, Multi-Touch Vista that allows you to work with multiple mice to emulate two fingers on the screen and their multitouch gestures. In fact, the latest version of Multi-How to build a UI from scratch.
Multi-Touch Vista provides a Windows 7 compatible driver that enables multiple mice and is compatible with the Windows Phone 7 emulator. For example, you can use a laptop's touchpad as one of the pointers and a USB mouse connected to the same laptop as the second pointer. (If you're interested in working with Multi-Touch Vista, you can read an excellent step-by-step tutorial written by Michael Sync. This tutorial explains how to install and configure the driver to work with the Windows Phone 7 emulator.)
The structure of a Windows Phone application project is similar to a classic Silverlight application project. However, Windows Phone adds some proprietary references and files. Figure 3 shows the project structure for a sample WPBusinessApp project. This is the default structure that Visual Studio 2010 creates for a Windows Phone application.
You will notice the WMAppManifest.xml file within the Properties folder. This XML file defines the resources and capabilities of the application from the point of view of the operating system. The following code snippet shows the default contents for this file, considering that the project's name is WPBusinessApp:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <Deployment xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windowsphone/2009/deployment" AppPlatformVersion="7.0"> <App xmlns="" ProductID="{41bdea14-687b-4815-93b3-a51759f18a09}" Title="WPBusinessApp" RuntimeType="Silverlight" Version="126.96.36.199" Genre="apps.normal" Author="WPBusinessApp author" Description="Sample description" Publisher="WPBusinessApp"> <IconPath IsRelative="true" IsResource="false">ApplicationIcon.png</IconPath> <Capabilities> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_NETWORKING" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_LOCATION" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_SENSORS" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_MICROPHONE" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_MEDIALIB" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_GAMERSERVICES" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_PHONEDIALER" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_PUSH_NOTIFICATION" /> <Capability Name="ID_CAP_WEBBROWSERCOMPONENT" /> </Capabilities> <Tasks> <DefaultTask Name ="_default" NavigationPage="MainPage.xaml"/> </Tasks> <Tokens> <PrimaryToken TokenID="WPBusinessAppToken" TaskName="_default"> <TemplateType5> <BackgroundImageURI IsRelative="true" IsResource="false">Background.png</BackgroundImageURI> <Count>0</Count> <Title>WPBusinessApp</Title> </TemplateType5> </PrimaryToken> </Tokens> </App> </Deployment>
The WMAppManifest.xml file includes the list of capabilities that the application needs from the phone in <Capabilities>. By default, the manifest requests all the capabilities. However, you should remove the unnecessary ones in order to create a more secure application. If you try to use a feature that corresponds to a capability that the application doesn't request in the manifest, you will get an UnauthorizedAccessException exception. If the application is installed, it will have the capabilities that it requests.
The names for the capabilities are very easy to understand. For example, ID_CAP_LOCATION means that you need to access location services included in the System.Device.Location namespace. However, some capabilities are related to many namespaces and classes. Jaime Rodriguez wrote a very interesting post about the Windows phone capabilities security model that includes detailed information about the namespaces related to each capability at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jaimer/archive/2010/04/30/windowsphone-capabilities-security-model.aspx.
The WMAppManifest.xml file also defines the icon, the background image, and the title for the application. Luckily, you can specify icons as PNG bitmap files. The default icon is ApplicationIcon.png and the default background is Backgroud.png. You can edit XML code or you can change the values for these properties in the Application page in the project's properties, as in Figure 4.
By default, the project includes two Windows Phone related references -- Microsoft.Phone and Microsoft.Phone.Interop. Microsoft.Phone provides access to Microsoft.Phone.Controls and Microsoft.Phone.Shell. If you have to work with sensors, you must add Microsoft.Devices.Sensors as a new reference.


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Liberty News
Wycliffe president shares about advancements in Bible translation
Global Focus Week at Liberty University continued on Wednesday with an announcement about the university's online evangelism efforts, special music, and guest speaker Bob Creson, president of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
For the second year, Liberty is supporting an Internet evangelism campaign with Global Media Outreach. Through a keyword search, people from all over the world are directed to a website with a Gospel presentation, prayer, and a way to get connected with an online missionary. The effort was targeted for Internet users who live within the 10/40 window. Vice President of Communications Johnnie Moore announced that more than 6.8 million people clicked the link within the last three days, with over 500,000 professions of faith. While the majority of the page's visitors accessed it in Arabic, the website was available in a wide selection of languages.
Making the Gospel available in different languages has been the life calling of Creson, who took the stage after a special performance by The Children of the World choir from WorldHelp.
Creson addressed the issue of Biblical poverty in the world and challenged students to make a difference through their future vocations.
"For 200 million people not one word of Scripture exists," Creson said, a dilemma he has dedicated his life to solving.
Wycliffe is working to begin a production of the Bible in every language by the year 2025. The organization has started using "cluster projects," or groups of communities that unite to translate the Bible into their language. Creson said through these groups, and the advancements in technology, Wycliffe is seeing an acceleration of Bible translation that hasn't been seen before.
- For more information on opportunities to partner with Wycliffe, visit www.Wycliffe.org/Liberty.
- Liberty University's Global Focus Week is hosted by the Center for Global Engagement. Students are being encouraged to major in Global Studies to enter full-time mission work or minor in the program to become Champions for Christ in their chosen vocation.


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The former banking and nonprofit executive doesn't have much experience in the federal government.
The man temporarily replacing embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has decades of experience in the non-profit and private sectors, but has only served at the sprawling federal department for just over three months.
VA Deputy Secretary Sloan D. Gibson will take over as acting head of the department, President Obama said on Friday when he announced Shinseki's resignation during a briefing with White House reporters. Gibson, who was confirmed by the Senate as deputy secretary on Feb. 11, was president and chief executive officer of the United Services Organizations prior to his political appointment. Before his five-year stint at the helm of the USO, the West Point graduate and Army veteran spent more than two decades in the banking industry mostly in cities in the Southeastern United States. Gibson retired in 2004 from AmSouth Bancorporation, where he served as vice chairman and chief financial officer.
Obama praised Gibson's leadership capabilities and background during his remarks Friday. In response to a reporter's question about Gibson's short tenure at the federal government's second-largest Cabinet agency and whether he had the experience to tackle the department's long-standing problems, Obama said, "Sloan, I think, would be the first to acknowledge that he's going to have a learning curve that he's got to deal with." The president also reiterated that Gibson is a temporary replacement who will handle immediate issues, namely ensuring every veteran who is waiting for an appointment gets in to see a doctor as soon as possible, and correcting scheduling delays and other snafus.
"Those are things that don't require rocket science. It requires execution; it requires discipline; it requires focus. Those are things that Sloan has," Obama said.
Rob Nabors, White House deputy chief of staff, will stay at VA temporarily "to help Sloan and the department through this transition, and to complete his own review of the VHA [Veterans Health Administration]," Obama said.
Gibson is scheduled to attend a reception on June 5 to honor top senior executives who are the 2013 Presidential Distinguished and Meritorious Rank Award finalists. The 2013 awards were canceled because of sequestration, but the White House reinstated the annual awards program for 2014. The Senior Executives Association recently announced the two-hour, scaled-back reception for the 2013 honorees, who will not receive any bonuses.
Of the 100 award finalists from 2013 listed on the Office of Personnel Management's website, two are from VA: John D. Daigh and Richard J. Griffin, who work in the department's Office of the Inspector General.


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Google's Cultural Institute has had a shot in the arm, and is now host to a massive set of 42 online collections, which cover all manner of 20th and 21st century history.
Rich with video, images and text, the collections span everything from Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, through D-Day and Auschwitz, to civil rights' in South Africa. In fact there's a heavy emphasis on South Africa and its politics, a result of close collaboration with Africa Media Online.
The site guides you through all the content using a timeline, and stitches together media to form a narrative for each collection. It's all beautifully designed—and with any luck, extra content will keep coming. [Google via Verge]


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Hi to all,
I want to make the board of Minty MP3. I'm doing the followings steps:
1. Open the Minty_MP3_v2 (with USB) schematic
2. Open the Minty_MP3_v2 board
3. Select all the components
4. Ripup all the wires
5. Execute the autoRuter
The final board that appears is 68% connected.
I try to replace the components in other form (I want a bigger board) and I have the same problem (allways, my board are in 78-85% connected). Is there any way to do the ruter of the board like the original, with 100% connected well??
Best regards and really thanks to all,


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Q&A with Source Marketing's social media guru
The Norwalk office of Source Marketing feels like something out of Silicon Valley. There's an on-site pub called "McSourceley's," which has a dart board, TV, free coffee and food, as well as a refrigerator conspicuously stocked with beer.
Kristien Del Ferraro, the 35-year-old senior director for digital and social media strategy, met with Hearst Connecticut last month in the company's "Creative Garage," a colorful, refurbished, industrial-looking space, whose white-board lined walls featured the following declaration: "Innovation is useless. Creativity is worthless. Passion is pointless. Without the guts to take a chance."
Q: Sorry, did I accidentally get off in Brooklyn? Surely no one actually works here.
A: This is a creative environment. All of us, whether we're designers, copywriters, account people, strategists, whatever -- we all have to be creative, because at the end of the day we're about ideas and solutions. Creativity has always been a core part of this agency's life.
Our clients, too, who often live in a very corporate culture, when they come to our agency, get the sense of, "Wow, this place, they're really happy here, they're creative. They like doing what they're doing, and therefore they're going to bring all that passion and enthusiasm to us."
Which we do. We want to be on the forefront of that, especially in Connecticut. You might be able to go to New York City, to DUMBO in Brooklyn, and find that fairly regularly, but we wanted to bring that sense here. Because, first of all, we have just as good work coming out of here as the work coming out of those agencies in the city that get all the recognition for having cool environments and projects. An ability to have that in Connecticut, to have our own sort of hip agency culture here, is very important to attracting talent.
Q: And how do you fit into that?
A: I basically lead strategy in the social and digital media space across all of Source Marketing's clients. I'm at the table from the brainstorming process and beyond, to bring the latest and greatest in digital and social-media thinking to our clients and the work that we're doing.
It's also my job to make sure that everyone at the agency gets it, understands it, knows what's going on, the latest and greatest, what's happening out there in digital and social media. We do that across multiple disciplines as part of our fully integrated marketing agency.
Q: What's the creative process like?
A: There's lots of throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks. Our brainstorming sessions are very collaborative, very fun. Sometimes we can come up with crazy, sometimes scary ideas (laughs heartily), and it's all valid, because you never know what can be spun off of it. We have several brainstorming sessions to solve any one client's problem.
We also engage in "right-now" marketing, which means we're constantly faced with the challenge of being creative and tying these strategies together quickly, to get it executed quickly.
Q: Can you think of an example of social or digital media leading the charge?
A: Well, we created a YouTube campaign for BIC to push their hybrid men's razors (a package that includes a disposable razor handle as well as four blades). It was an abstract concept they wanted to bring to life in a fun and creative way. We filmed a funny local comedic guy and we literally built a "hybrid collider," which is like a particle-accelerator looking thing, that went in his garage. The video plays of him telling you what the hybrid collider is, then it stops. Then there's an overlay and you can type in what two objects you want to collide. Based on those two words, there is an outcome. So we filmed over 50 different outcomes based on what words you put into the hybrid machine. For instance, if you type in peanut butter and jelly, you'll get a video showcasing what happens when you mix peanut butter and jelly. But, of course, we got crazy with it. If you typed in cat, there was scenario where kitty litter flies all over the place.
Q: How does that make someone want to go out and buy BIC?
A: Again, it was a fun way to bring the concept of a hybrid to life. It was pulling out the idea of a hybrid -- two things mixed together, and of course there was branding surrounding it. So people walk away saying: "That was pretty funny. And BIC is awesome."


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Before the internet, before people even really cottoned onto the idea of games magazines, publishers had to sell things the old-fashioned way: with TV ads and catalogues.
Most catalogues were simple affairs, all bright lights, screenshots and slogans, but sometimes publishers went a little left field. Like Activision did in 1984 when it basically commissioned an illustrated children's story.
With its fancy prose and Yellow Submarine-esque imagery, it's certainly a novel approach to selling video games. And hey, judging by the catalogue's strength - featuring all-time classics like Pitfall and Ghostbusters - maybe they just figured the games would sell themselves, so the creative types could go nuts.
Catalog - Activision [AtariAge, via Retroist]


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Get started with our new, interactive Business Resource tool. Search the categories below to find hundreds of business-critical resources from governmental entities and nonprofits. Just click on the category name, and then click "show resources" to view the listings.
Looking for more resources? Connect with Columbus Region businesses in our Member Directory to find potential vendors and partners in dozens of industries.


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America's best-selling SUV.
Sport Utility Vehicles
Editor: Mitch McCullough
$26,930 Base Price MSRP
$39,260 As Tested MSRP
Model Lineup: Explorer XLS 2WD ($26,285); XLS 4WD ($28,510); XLS AWD ($28,510); XLT 2WD ($29,025); XLT 4WD ($31,250); XLT AWD ($31,250); Eddie Bauer 2WD ($33,100); Eddie Bauer 4WD ($35,325); Eddie Bauer AWD ($35,325); Limited 2WD ($33,975); Limited 4WD ($36,200); Limited AWD ($36,200)
Standard Engine: 4.6-liter sohc 16-valve V8
Engine Options: 4.0-liter SOHC 12-valve V6; 4.6-liter SOHC 16-valve V8
Standard Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Transmission Options: 5-speed automatic
Basic Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Assembled In: Louisville, Kentucky; St. Louis, Missouri
Model Tested MSRP: Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer AWD ($35,325)
Standard Equipment: air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, keyless remote, digital clock, cruise control, electric rear window defroster, roof rails, power steering, tilt steering column, tachometer, Class II trailer towing receiver hitch, intermittent front and rear wipers; XLT adds special exterior trim, automatic headlamps, high-series center floor console, cargo shade, front and rear dome and map lights, second-row reading light, approach lights on outside mirrors, fog lamps, front and rear power points, cloth front bucket seats with 6-way power driver seat and manual driver/passenger lumbar support; Eddie Bauer adds leather seating surfaces, special exterior trim, automatic air conditioning with dual controls, Homelink garage door opener , message center, heated mirrors, 290-watt 6-disc stereo, dual six-way leather-trimmed luxury seats, color keyed leather wrapped steering wheel with audio/climate controls, cast aluminum wheels, P245/65R17 tires, tire-pressure monitoring system
Options As Tested: 4.6-liter V8 engine ($800); Safety Canopy air curtain system ($560); auxiliary air conditioning ($610); Reverse Sensing System ($255); third-row seat package ($670); Class III/IV trailer package ($395)
Standard Safety Equipment: ABS; driver and passenger dual-stage air bags with tailored deployment characteristics; safety belt pretensioners and energy-management retractors; child safety seat attachments
Optional Safety Equipment: AdvanceTrac stability control; Safety Canopy with side curtain air bags and rollover sensors; tire-pressure monitoring systemDestination Charge: $645
The Explorer is roomy and comfortable. It's capable of seating seven people when equipped with the optional third-row seat that folds flat into the cargo floor when not being used. For more luxurious comfort, second-row sport bucket seating is now available on Eddie Bauer and Limited models.
Buyers can choose between V6 and V8 engines, but the V6 provides plenty of power unless you're pulling trailers or live in the Rocky Mountain states where the air is thin. Part of the reason for this is that the Explorer benefits from a superb five-speed automatic transmission.
Safety features abound: Anti-lock brakes come standard, and side-curtain air bags, designed to provide rollover protection, are optional and highly recommended. Ford's AdvanceTrac electronic stability system is available for all XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited models, providing improved traction and safety. Full-time all-wheel drive is available, providing better handling stability on slippery surfaces, and a tire-pressure monitoring system is available.
Ford redesigned and completely re-engineered the four-door Explorer two years ago (for model year 2002), and it's a much better vehicle. The current model rides on a wider track and a longer wheelbase, giving it a more solid, more stable stance. Its newly developed independent rear suspension gives it a smoother ride and better handling than SUVs with traditional live rear axles.
New Car Test Drive chose the Explorer as the best all-around sport-utility vehicle for 2003. It earned this title for its ability to carry four to seven people in comfort, pull a trailer, and venture off-road. The Explorer is rated to pull a trailer of up to 7,140 pounds when properly equipped, and though it does not excel at off-road travel, it can go most of the places most of us need to go.
The four-door Ford Explorer is available in a full range of trim levels: XLS, XLT, NBX, Eddie Bauer, and Limited. (We specify four-door" because the two-door Explorer Sport and Explorer Sport Trac versions are built on the previous-generation platform and are not covered here. All references to the Explorer in this review refer to the four-door models.)
An overhead-cam V6 engine is standard on all models. An overhead-cam V8 ($800) is an option for all models except the XLS. All models come standard with the five-speed automatic. Most offer a choice of two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive.
XLS ($26,285), XLS 4WD ($28,510), and XLS AWD ($28,510) come with cloth upholstery, AM/FM/CD/cassette, and a center console with a storage bin and cup holders. (And yes, 4WD and AWD are the same retail price.) An optional XLS Sport package ($1,175) adds the high series center console, black step bars, Medium Dark Platinum wheel lip moldings, 16-inch painted cast aluminum wheels (to replace the standard steel wheels) and front and rear floormats.
XLT ($29,025) gets nicer sport cloth upholstery, a six-way power driver's seat, the Medium Dark Platinum exterior trim, and more luxury features, such as a temperature gauge and compass, rear map/dome lights with second row reading lamp, outside approach lighting, fog lamps, extra power outlets, and an illuminated keypad for keyless entry. An upgraded center console offers a tissue box, power points, pencil holder, and coin holder in addition to cup holders and a storage bin. XLT comes with aluminum alloy wheels, a new chrome grille and black-grain outside door handles. Four-wheel-drive Control Trac and All Wheel Drive models retail for $31,250. Leather trimmed upholstery with a six-way power driver's seat is available for $655. XLT buyers can choose a $1,175 Sport package consisting of 17-inch machined aluminum wheels, P245/65R17 All-Terrain OWL tires, Platinum gloss step bars, cladding, wheel lip moldings and two-tone front and rear fascias.
NBX ($1,175) is actually a package designed for outdoor enthusiasts. NBX includes a Yakima LoadWarrior roof rack, which features a cargo basket made of heavy-duty steel, two-tone bumpers, body cladding, wheel-lip moldings, step bars, front tow hooks, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with P245/65R17 all-terrain tires. The NBX interior is trimmed with unique seat fabric, special rubber floormats, and a soft liner for the cargo area with a storage bag.
Eddie Bauer ($33,100) and Limited ($33,975) come with leather trimmed seating surfaces, automatic dual-zone climate control, 290-watt six-CD stereo with seven speakers, and wider tires. Six-way adjustable heated power seats with dual lumbar supports are used in front, and the driver's seat has a three-position memory feature. Four-wheel drive adds $1965. The top two Explorer models differ in their distinctive trim: Eddie Bauer comes with Arizona beige bumpers, moldings, lower bodyside cladding, 17-inch satin-nickel wheels and grille, and P245/65R17 all-terrain tires. Limited uses monochromatic bumpers, moldings and cladding with a chrome grille and unique 17-inch chrome wheels. The Limited model is available in new Ceramic White Tri-Coat.
Options include third-row seating ($670), auxiliary air conditioning ($610), power-adjustable pedals ($120), Reverse Sensing System ($255), and a power moonroof ($800). A Trailer Towing Prep Package ($395) replaces the standard Class II hitch with a Class III hitch and adds a 3.73 limited-slip rear axle.
Instead of conventional front side-impact airbags, Explorer offers an optional ($560) Safety Canopy Air Curtain System. Located in the roof, it is designed to help protect first- and second-row outboard occupants during side-impact or rollover accidents. The safety canopy is designed to improve side-impact protection by staying inflated for a longer period. Ford has done a great deal of research on this technology and we strongly reco"
Walk Around
The current Ford Explorer is the same length overall as the pre-2002 models, but it rides on a longer wheelbase (by 2 inches) and a wider track. Pushing the wheels out toward the corners makes the Explorer more stable and more comfortable. Lowered frame rails keep its front and rear bumpers at about the same height as those of a Ford Taurus, improving safety for the non-SUV drivers around you.
Explorer's styling is fresh and contemporary. Though ubiquitous, it is a handsome, good-looking vehicle. Front and rear fascia are smoothly integrated, while jeweled headlamps and tail lamps give it a sophisticated look. Yet, it clearly evokes the previous-generation Explorer. No one will have trouble identifying it, and few will notice it at all. Don't expect people to turn and stare when you drive by. Turning heads is not always the objective, however, and the more time we have spent with the Explorer the more its looks have grown on us.
Hitting the Unlock button on the key fob illuminates the approach lights mounted on the bottoms of the outside mirrors, enhancing security and making it easier to find your way at night. Uplevel models come standard with an illuminated keypad on the door for keyless entry. The keypad doesn't improve the appearance of the Explorer, but it continues to be a popular feature among loyal owners.
The Explorer is a comfortable vehicle, even on long trips. The Eddie Bauer seats were comfortable throughout nine-hour driving stints on a 2,700-mile cross-country trip, and its many convenience features make it pleasant while driving and when stopping.
The Eddie Bauer model comes with the traditional beige steering wheel and pinhole leather seating material. Handsome pecan wood accents lend a luxurious appearance. Light-colored trim on the inside A-pillars and grab handles add to the light, airy atmosphere. It's a successful execution, though the mouse-fur roof liner is nothing to write home about. The leather-trimmed upholstery is attractive. However, we wish Ford would have stitched leather all the way around to the inside edge of the seat bottom instead of using carpet there to save money.
The front seats are comfortable. They are wider and offer more fore-and-aft travel than before. We found the cloth seats in the XLT comfortable, firm, and supportive, with lots of adjustments. The same held true for the leather seats in the Eddie Bauer model.
Seat heaters are part of the Eddie Bauer way of living. They keep you warm while the truck is still heating up. The buttons that control them are mounted in an awkward location, on the sides of seats. Reaching down to the side of the driver's seat, the left hand is confronted with an array of seat adjusters; finding and pressing the seat-heater button is a challenge. When you succeed, however, a small indicator lights up on the climate-control display. Likewise, it isn't always easy to find the seat-height adjuster. Rake is easy to adjust, and there's a knob on the up-level seats for cranking in some lumbar support.
Adjustable pedals, a tilt steering wheel, and long seat travel help the Explorer fit a wide variety of body types. Big coat hooks accommodate thick hangers and big loads of dry cleaning, something few manufacturers get right. Nicely designed cubbies with rubber mats provide space for wallet, sunglasses, a pen, cans, and bottles. A relatively large center console keep odds and ends in check. Interior door handles seem a bit awkward at first, but that went away with familiarization. Map pockets on the insides of the doors are handy and swell at the end to hold water bottles, but wouldn't accommodate a one-liter water bottle. The front power outlet was positioned well for a cell phone, but like most, was a bit of a reach for a radar detector. The trip computer came in handy, calculating the distance to an empty fuel tank.
The six-disc in-dash CD player sounds good and is easy to operate, with large, clearly marked controls; it worked very well for books on CD, which take up multiple discs, and I found I could easily rewind to replay passages missed while concentrating on driving.
The second row of seats, the row we recommend for those who don't get to drive or sit up front, is quite comfortable. Sliding your feet under the front seats increases legroom. Many people prefer second-row bucket seats, which are more comfortable but only accommodate two passengers.
Third-row seating is available. In fact, the decision to add third-row seating drove the design and engineering of the current Explorer. As a result, Ford has done an excellent job of making the third row as roomy as possible, while making it flip quickly out of the way when it isn't needed. The third row offers as much headroom as the second row, but legroom, shoulder room and hip room are significantly compromised. After flipping the second-row seat neatly out of the way, you can climb back there, fold the second-row seat back into position and slide your feet underneath, which provides somewhat tolerable legroom. It isn't comfortable for an adult, however. There's little shoulder room, and the seat itself is a bit hard on the outboard edge; it pushes you away from the outboard side toward the center. It'll work okay for small children, but if you need
Driving Impressions
The Ford Explorer is smooth and stable on the highway and handles well on winding roads. The available V8 engine offers excellent acceleration out of corners. Ride quality and handling are quite good, greatly improved over pre-2002 models.
The Explorer rides on a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs all around. It's a sophisticated setup and it works very well. (Crude by comparison, the previous Explorer used torsion bars in front and a live rear axle on leaf springs.) The independent rear suspension offers better lateral stiffness yet more fore/aft compliance than a live rear axle. That means both ride and handling are better.
The Explorer delivers a smooth ride on rough roads. Bumpy corners don't upset it, and it feels stable in fast, sweeping turns. The Explorer is very stable at high speeds and feels comfortably secure in bad weather. We felt safe and confident while pulling a trailer all day through a tropical storm in Tennessee. Just knowing the Explorer had Auto 4WD and ABS was comforting when it was raining buckets. It's still a truck, though. Tire whir is heard; road vibration is felt. But the ride is more comfortable, less jouncy than, say, the Nissan Pathfinder.
Off road, the Explorer has never measured up to the Toyota 4Runner or Land Rover Discovery, and the new generation doesn't change that. The Explorer is not designed to tackle the Rubicon Trail or any other seriously rugged terrain. The current model is better than the old one, however, and it is perfectly capable on primitive roads. In other words, it makes a fine vehicle for trout fishermen, kayakers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Ground clearance is increased by an inch over the previous generation, and shorter front and rear overhangs offer better approach and departure angles, all of which means you don't scrape the ground as much as before. If primitive roads and deep snow are the extent of your off-road driving, then the Explorer will serve admirably.
The optional Control Trac four-wheel-drive system (4WD) works great. We were surprised by the amount of grip the Explorer had on a muddy, snow-covered two-track in the Arizona high country near Sedona. Ford has refined this system to make it more transparent to the driver, while improving its abilities in limited-traction situations. The normal driving mode is Auto 4WD; there is no two-wheel-drive mode. In Auto 4WD, Control Trac directs power according to input from sensors that compare grip between the front and rear wheels. If the rear wheels lose traction, for example, the optimal amount of power is transferred to the front tires where there's more grip. Using a dedicated controller, the system checks for slipping tires 50 times a second and can anticipate situations, such as hard acceleration, that are likely to cause the wheels to spin. It feels secure on wet pavement, gravel, mud, and snow. When the going gets rougher, press the 4WD HI button, which effectively locks the front and rear driveshafts together. This can be useful for severe off-road or winter conditions, though Auto 4WD does such a great job of transferring torque that 4WD HI is almost irrelevant in practical terms. Driving on a muddy, primitive trail, I couldn't tell the difference between Auto 4WD and 4WD HI. It may be possible to detect subtle slip in Auto 4WD on slippery, snow-covered surfaces, but the bottom line is that you can leave it in Auto 4WD for all but the worst conditions. 4WD Low works well for creeping over truly rugged terrain. We found it does a good job of engine braking down steep grades, and we suspect it would be helpful on slippery boat ramps.
The optional AdvanceTrac all-wheel-drive system (AWD) takes four-wheel drive to another level with a sophisticated traction-control system that adds stability by regulating side-to-side torque distribution. It does this better than traditional mechanical systems. AdvanceTrac applies braking selectively when it det
The Ford Explorer helped usher in the era of the sport-utility as a family vehicle, and was the first SUV to break into the list of the 10 best-selling vehicles in America (in 1991). Ford Explorer rides smoothly, handles well, and the interior packaging is well thought out and executed. It's a great vehicle for long trips. Comfortable and convenient, it quickly becomes an old friend.
Top Cars


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Celebs Eating: See What Lorde, Jason Derulo + More Ate This Week [PHOTOS]
We've collected some of the biggest celebs' eats from this week, but you might want to grab a snack before you look, because these yummy-looking photos will have your stomach growling!
It's the week of the Cannes Film Festival and the weekend of the Big Wedding (between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, of course), so there are French goodies galore. Also making the rounds are the home cooked meals and snacks. Celebs cook at home too — who knew!
Check out all of the delicious treats below.


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Stories at SCHURTER
"We assure highest standards for product and service quality to our customers in more than 50 countries, based on our strong commitment to business excellence. This is based on the know-how of our qualified employees. They are empowered to generate highest customer value by innovative and professional work."
Enabling staff to give their best
For SCHURTER, success is based on more than just technological achievements. After all, it is the people here who provide the highest degree of product benefit and safety to our customers and, in turn, their customers. Therefore, establishing an optimal work environment, ensuring a positive work climate, and continuously supporting our staff are among the highest priority objectives in SCHURTER's corporate culture.
Ralph Müller
Ralph Müller
I like a fast pace, whether in my profession or during my free time, for example, while skiing or running. My position as the CEO of the SCHURTER Group demands quick decision-making, excellent networking and a lot of communication with a wide variety of people from different cultures. Often a balancing act...
Did we rise your interest? Do you want to benefit from the advantages of SCHURTER as an employer? Do not hesitate and check our current job offers.


text: DescriptionExperience true wireless listening with these Airybuds i12 Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds. These earphones include all the features you come to expect in a pair of true wireless earbuds, like auto-pairing, wireless charging, touch controls, voice prompts and smart tech compatibility. Airybuds let you enjoy great sound without the tangle of traditional headphone cords, thanks to its lightweight and comfortable design, and its Bluetooth feature which can be connected to two devices at the same time within 32-feet range. It comes with a portable charging case so that you can also charge your earphones on the go. Listen to music, talk on the phone, and enjoy great movie sound with these sleek and stylish headphones.


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It's Eliot Spitzer's arena now.
After four months as co-host of "Parker Spitzer," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kathleen Parker has exited the CNN show.
The cable news network said Friday it had reformatted "Parker Spitzer" to be an "ensemble" program on the issues of the day now called "In the Arena."
U.S. & World
The new show will still be helmed by Eliot Spitzer, the former New York governor felled in a prostitution scandal. "In the Arena" will also feature Fox News host E.D. Hill and National Review Online columnist Will Cain, The Washington Post reported.
It was long been rumored Parker might take the fall for "Parker Spitzer's" poor ratings since its Oct. 4 debut, but the journalist said in her statement she wanted out to concentrate on opinion writing.
"While I am extremely proud of the show we created, and the subject matter and level of discourse 'Parker Spitzer' promoted every night, it was a difficult decision to scale back my column a few months ago and, with the show going in a new direction, it is a good time to move on," she said.
The New York Daily News reported Spitzer said it "was a joy working with [Parker] as a teammate, and I continue to be a huge fan of the wisdom that jumps from her written work and the wit, charm and insight she brings to all that she does."
"In the Arena" debuts next week.
Selected Reading: Daily News, Washington Post, E!


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Google is in talks to buy ad optimization platform Admeld for $400 million, according to reports.
The search giant has been in negotiations with the company and hasn't closed on the deal, according to the New York Times. Google has been busy broadening and expanding their display ad base, having acquired AdMob, DoubleClick, Teracent and Invite Media in the last few years. But Admeld is a slightly different kind of buy because it caters to publications looking to navigate and choose between display ad networks.
Display ads could be a $200 billion a year industry, so Google knows that in order to keep revenue rolling it has to be open to all display ad options. That includes making ad buys for clients easy to navigate and understand.


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Friday, February 29, 2008
Day Before March
I also wanted to share a challenge made by Heather at {unwrapped} to come up with a 4x6 card that describes yourself so that she can create a blog file of the people who visit her blog. This is my contribution. (click on it to view it bigger)
Have a great weekend everyone!
13 comments:
- Kristi said...
How cute, I love all the little slide in's! Genna came home excited that tomorrow was going to be a lamb day!
- February 29, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Boy are you good! That is as cute as can be!
- February 29, 2008 at 7:52 PM
- Ashlee said...
My kids have been playing outside all week long because it's been about 45 degrees each day! Hallelujah! So excited for Spring!
- February 29, 2008 at 7:55 PM
- Bonnie B. said...
I love your card! I have been trying to come up with something, but none of my ideas are that cute! And, March makes us giddy, too!
- February 29, 2008 at 8:36 PM
- Camie said...
March is definitely going to be an exciting month...:)
- February 29, 2008 at 9:29 PM
- Cherie said...
Amber that is one cute card! I bet she will love it!! And yes we are very excited for spring to show it's face. I spotted two white flowers on the tree in front of my house yesterday. Here's hoping the snow will stop, and the flowers will start to bloom in your area soon. :)
Have a great day!
- February 29, 2008 at 9:35 PM
- Albanie said...
I heard you guys are to be getting better weather! Hope it stays!
- March 1, 2008 at 7:28 AM
- Kathleen said...
march at last! march at last! and what a 1st day of march it was!
- March 1, 2008 at 9:03 PM
- Lacey said...
You are so creative. I'm jealous. Hurray for March and hopefully an end to this freezing cold!
- March 2, 2008 at 7:57 AM
- Ice Cream said...
Wow, I had no idea so much could be done on a 3x5. Very cool.
I am SO excited for spring I can hardly stand it.
- March 2, 2008 at 10:40 AM
- just jamie said...
Ooh cool card. You're a scrapping queen.
- March 2, 2008 at 11:03 AM
- Melissa said...
Amber that is soooo cute! Oh and tell Megan HI!!!!! Did you hear that Natalie is getting married?
- March 2, 2008 at 11:58 AM
- Bonnie B. said...
Amber-I'm trying to find the website that does cute ideas for doing little girl's hair. She posts her ideas on fridays. I can't for the life of me remember where I found that link. Was it on your blog? If so, will you please jog my memory? thanks!
- March 2, 2008 at 1:07 PM


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Saturday May 19th 2018
– Doors open at 12:00pm
The Scottish Gantry Gin Tasting will welcome you to enjoy some of the best gins in the world- the way you like them! Live music will accompany a lyrical history of Scotland's booming gin industry with a focus on what you're drinking! This is not another tasting, this is entertainment.
What you get!
6 fantastic gins
Full range of Fever Tree Tonics
Lyrical & entertaining history
Optional top-ups & guest drinks at the end
Note: Gins will be different from previous events
© 2020 LIVE IT Group Ltd, Registered in England, number 08432364 at 3 Enterprise Centre, TN11 8BG
LIVE IT is a technology partner providing ticket fulfilment services and is not an agent for this event or affiliated with its organizers in any way.