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|System: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
|Dev: 2K Czech
|Pub: 2K Sports
|Release: March 15, 2011
|Players: 1-4
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
by Sean Engemann
2K Sports serves up the next iteration of their tennis simulation games, Top Spin 4. Fans who dove into countless matches from the third game of the series may be disappointed with the omission of fresh content. But what the game lacks in groundbreaking new features, it makes up for with numerous nice touches, each immersing you more into the game and heightening the sense of euphoria with each point won and the frustration of each ball missed.
The list of professionals you can play as or against is impressive, with Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, just to name a few. 2K has even added legendary players to the roster, such as Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, and of course, Andre Agassi. Sadly, if you want to see Agassi's vintage mullet sweeping across the screen, you would have needed to preorder through GameStop. Nonetheless, it's a nice touch to have past and present greats square off against each other, just one of the many small adornments Top Spin 4 offers.
Your ultimate goal is to become a tennis legend, working your way from minor tournaments to becoming the champion of Grand Slam events and the #1 ranked player. Of course, as in real life, you'll need practice... and a lot of it. Fortunately, the game sports a great tutorial called the Top Spin Academy, where you'll learn serves and volleys, baseline attack and defense, shot placement, and a combination of everything. It is a lengthy tutorial, which you can quit at anytime, but once you hit the court in a ranked matchup, you'll be glad for the time spent in training. If you need to brush up on your technique, you can always do individual lessons or spend some free time on the practice court honing your skills. When you're ready, you can dive into an exhibition game, where you can play any player, at any venue, with any settings. The interface allows for a quick setup so you can promptly get to playing.
But the meat of the game is in the career mode, where you create your character from scratch using a non-standard and slightly confusing customization tool, but still one that ultimately lets you create a unique avatar. From there you start with a newcomer status, ranked last on the list. Each month of the season, you can partake in one preparation event and one tournament. The preparation events include sparring partners, charity events, sponsor matches, exhibition games, and others. You are limited by your status to which events you can choose, but as objectives are met, these are unlocked for future participation. Thankfully, despite 2K's commitment to true simulation tennis, you have the option to curtail the match length for the events, opting out of the prolonged and straining official format in favor of shortened tie-breakers, where it's basically the first player to ten points. The game's default setting is actually a nice mix, with certain events as tie-breakers, some as abridged matches, and others full length showdowns. You'll also start tournaments in the quarter-finals, alleviating the burden of preliminary matches.
As you progress with your created character, you'll earn experience points. This is an excellent addition (especially for an RPG buff like myself) that allows even further customization of your character and play style. As you hit a level up marker, you can choose between three styles: serve & volley, offensive baseline, and defensive baseline. Each style will adjust individual attributes such as power, speed, forehand and backhand swings, and others. Although the court is open for you to control your character as you see fit, after several matches you'll find yourself invariable sticking to one style. The only problem I had with the leveling is that it was so gradual I didn't notice a profound change in how my character reacted on the court. On easier difficulties this problem is more apparent, as you can handily best any opponent no matter what your level is.
A nice feature when gaining repute is the arrival of coaches. Each coach is particular to a play style and grants a boon to your attributes and experience by keeping to that style. Complete coach objectives throughout matches to augment your skill, and hire on new coaches as they appear. You'll also receive sponsorship deals as your fan base builds, receiving e-mails and unlocking new gear. The assortment of clothing is authentic to all the major brands like FILA and Nike, but all are superficial. It would've been nice to have something extra to work towards, like unlockable rackets that upgrade your attributes.
The graphics are the real highlight of the game, especially with your HD boosted to the max. Not only are the different court types (clay, grass, hard, carpet, etc.) perfectly proportioned, but the backdrops of the plethora of venues brings you right to that location. From the sun setting over the ocean in Hamilton on the Bermuda Islands, or the great shadowing from the latticework at the Dubai Sports complex, to the blue hues of Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, the detailing is exquisite. Even small elements like chairs, cameras, and sponsor banners add to the realism of the location. Equally impressive are the player animations, whether reaching for the ball or slowing down after missing a cross court shot, they all seem as close to what players would do in reality as possible. Finally, the crowd has its own life, a first in the series. Although several cookie cutter images and reactions easily stand out, there's a better vibrancy and believability to the spectators. Top Spin 4 also supports 3D stereoscopic imaging, for those who have the luxury of a 3D television.


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Filed under: Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, History, Humor, Liberalism, Politics, Progressivism, Socialism | Tags: A Critique of Liberalism, Fred Siegel, Revolt Against The Masses
The "narrative" of the Left, to use a newly favorite leftist word, contains a view of America as "an exceptionally guilty nation, the product of a poisonous mixture of territorial rapacity emboldened by racism, violence, and chauvinistic religious conviction, an exploiter of natural resources and despoiler of natural beauty and order such as the planet has never seen." ( Thank you, Howard Zinn) So says Wilfrid M. McClay in a review of Fred Siegel's new book: The Revolt Against the Masses. There is as well a second view "in which all of history is seen as a struggle toward the greater and greater liberation of the individual, and the greater and greater integration of all governance in larger and larger units, administered; by cadres of experts actuated by the public interest and by a highly developed sense of justice."
It's an important book, "a critique of liberalism by someone who came out of the left." Siegel believes that liberalism has come to be the mortal enemy of the ordinary working people who are the backbone of America.
Siegel traces modern liberalism back, not to Woodrow Wilson's progressivism, but to the aftermath of World War I, and the intelligentsia's view of the dreary middle class nature of American society.
Between January of 1920 and July of 1922 when the Twenties began to roar, the country endured an economic collapse nearly as steep as that between 1929 and 1933. But the plummet was followed by a rapid recovery under Harding, who was devoted to less government through lower taxes and less regulation. This might have seemed a vindication of the American way, particularly as compared with Europe's ongoing woes. But the short, sharp downturn, resolved without government intervention, drew only passing intellectual attention. Literary elites soon returned to their central themes. …
[The radicals of 1922] many of them Harvard men, were driven by resentment. The so-called lost generation…was "extremely class-conscious." They had "'a vague belief in aristocracy and in the possibilities of producing real aristocrats through education." They went to Europe "to free themselves from organized stupidity, to win their deserved place in the hierarchy of intellect." They felt that their status in America's business culture was grossly inadequate, given their obviously exceptional intelligence and extraordinary talent. Their simmering anger at what they saw as the mediocrity of democratic life led them to pioneer the now commonplace stance of blaming society for their personal failings. Animated by patrician spirit, they found the leveling egalitarianism of the United States an insult to their sense of self-importance.
Well, the radicals of 1922, the radicals of the sixties, not all that much difference. The Democrats of 2014 have a remarkably squalid bench. Hillary is supposed to be the first woman president, but her accomplishment list is scanty, her tenure as Secretary of State is measured in frequent-flyer miles, and a "reset" button. Her tenure as a senator in a safe Democrat seat has nothing to add to the resume. Her claim to qualifications is as Bill's wife. If you remember, she started out the Clinton reign by wanting to be the co-president. The people were not impressed. Bill was a natural political animal. Hillary simply does not have his political instincts.
The alternate to Hillary is being drummed up as Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) the faux-Indian law professor from Harvard, who is unable to understand the simple direct meaning of the Hobby Lobby case. She issued her "11 commandments" for Progressives this week, which only show that her understanding of cause and effect, and how regulation works is remarkably thin.
Tom Sowell recently pointed out that: "The fundamental problem of the political Left seems to be that the real world does not fit their preconceptions. Therefore they see the real world as what is wrong, and what needs to be changed, since apparently their preconceptions cannot be wrong."
As I said, the new word is "disproportionate" Sowell adds: "A never-ending source of grievances for the Left is the fact that some groups are 'over-represented' in desirable occupations, institutions, and income brackets, while other groups are 'under-represented.' From all the indignation and outrage about this expressed on the left, you might think that it was impossible that different groups are simply better at different things."
Yet runners from Kenya continue to win a disproportionate share of marathons in the United States, and children whose parents or grandparents came from India have won most of the American spelling bees in the past 15 years. And has anyone failed to notice that the leading professional basketball players have for years been black, in a country where most of the population is white?
Most of the leading photographic lenses in the world have — for generations — been designed by people who were either Japanese or German. Most of the leading diamond-cutters in the world have been either India's Jains or Jews from Israel or elsewhere. …
If the preconceptions of the Left were correct, central planning by educated elites who had vast amounts of statistical data at their fingertips and expertise readily available, and were backed by the power of government, should have been more successful than market economies where millions of individuals pursued their own individual interests willy-nilly.
And to return to where I began, with Wilfrid McClay: "The arrogance that looks upon the actual lives of ordinary people with pity and disdain is, at least potentially, the same arrogance that knows what would be better for those pathetic folks, and presumes itself fit to impose upon them a new way of life that is more fitting and fulfilling than their present condition, had they the wit to realize it."
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nejčastěji odpovídající uživatel
Windows Boot Manager, 0xc00000e9 HELP NEEDED
Hello all,
Just returned from my holidays and now my 2 month old MS Windows Vista Home Premium pc won't start up anymore.
I get a message from Windows Boot Manager, that Windows encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc000000e9
info: An unexpected I/O error has occured.
Already, I read all the threads discussing this issue, but still I did not fing THE solution here....
Because of the new PC all my data have been stored on this, removed it from my old one and format that oldie. However, I did not create a backup again...Stupid of course, I want to do that after the hollidays.
When surfing on the internet (now with my old pc) all kinds of possible solutions I found....
- use your recover CD - does not work, because of possible loss of data
- use boot CD like UltimateBCD or Hirens, - they do not fix the problem
- use HDD Regenerator or DiskPatch- they do not find the HD....
I tried to attach the HD into the old PC, but unfortunately this one is IDE and the new one SATA....
So, I still do not know what happened here and can not recover my data.
Oh and I read some stories about a new virus that is destroying the MBR - perhaps my pc has been infected. Normally my pc is on....but MS Firewall is turned on....it is strange, this
Did anyone already find THE solution here.
My Specs
- Siemens Scaleo L
- HD Seagate 500 GB, SATA
- 4 GB memory
- MS Windows Vista Home Premium , SP1 installed
Thanks anyway, Renzo
Hi Renzo, let's first check if the computer can be started by using Last Known Good Configuration. To start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, follow these steps:
1. Start your computer.
2. Press the F8 key.
3. When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, use the ARROW keys to select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked), and then press ENTER.
4. If you are running other operating systems on your computer, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows XP, and then press ENTER.
We can also check if we can start the system in Safe Mode:
1. Start computer.
2. Press F8.
3. Select Safe mode.
4. Press Enter.
Meanwhile, please also check other USB devices on the computer, you can disconnect them and try to start the computer again.
Všechny reakce
Hi Renzo, let's first check if the computer can be started by using Last Known Good Configuration. To start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, follow these steps:
1. Start your computer.
2. Press the F8 key.
3. When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, use the ARROW keys to select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked), and then press ENTER.
4. If you are running other operating systems on your computer, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows XP, and then press ENTER.
We can also check if we can start the system in Safe Mode:
1. Start computer.
2. Press F8.
3. Select Safe mode.
4. Press Enter.
Meanwhile, please also check other USB devices on the computer, you can disconnect them and try to start the computer again.
Hi Sean, thanks for answering....
Already tried that, the thing is completely dead....it shows the BIOS, but no HD. Yes, sometimes it shows a HD but not all the time. I checked all the cables. Nothing
Also, I built the HD into another PC but nothing... So, all my data is lost. Luckely I have a backup of march 2008m but that is far away
And the worst thing, I do not know what has gone wrong....
Of course, I learned a lot of this.. and already bought an external disk to backup. But it is too late for 4 months....
If you have other suggestions?
Thanks anyway, Renzo
Hey there,I tried using BIOS to run a quick hard drive test for good measure to see if software was my problem. I found that my Hard Drive was pooched and is no longer useful other than a momento to my fun times with the laptop. Basically run the test and see if there is a pass or fail.CamF
I had this issue over the new year week end and here is what I did which helped me recover which may or maynot help understand the real cause.
1. In the BIOS, I disabled USB setup
2. removed USB cable connection from motherboard.
3. Inserted Windows CD for fixing issues.
4. Disconnected network connection
After a reboot, I am able to login.
Thanks and good luck.
Cameron19 is the answer that worked for me, or at least showed me my hard drive is now just a nice paper weight. Press F10 at startup and select Primary Hard disk self test. My computer is only a few months old and the hard drive failed. I think it is the following problem,
Gradual disk failure (or partial failure) may present in the following ways:
- Spontaneously vanishing data
- Patchy but significant slowing down of the PC
- Windows errors and crashes
- Auto-ScanDisk surface scan on startup
- S.M.A.R.T error during BIOS phase of startup
- Explicit disk error messages during startup or in Windows
- Errors found when running a S.M.A.R.T. utility
- Errors found when running ScanDisk or similar diagnostics
Did anyone else notice the following problems in the lead up to the crash/ failure to start?
- Hard drive activity LED stays continuously lit
- Either no hard drive noise, or cyclical repeated sounds
- Mouse pointer "sticks" and keystrokes may be delayed
- Slowdown is variable, i.e. only when "sick" disk is accessed
I had this same issue (File: \Boot\BCD - Status: 0xc000000e9 - info: An unexpected I/O error has occured) in three of my laptops (different manufacturers but all with one thing in common: bad bateries) after they ran out of power while running Windows 7.
I re-installed the OS when it happened on the first two laptops to get around the problem. When it happened on the last laptop I used the following procedure and recovered from the problem:
- Boot to the recovery disk and open a command prompt. Let the recovery disk attempt to perform a startup repair, it it succeeds you are in luck and do not need to proceed any farther. In my case, the startup repair failed with an error indicating that it could not save the startup options, an indication that there was some kind of disk error.
- Use the command prompt to find the boot partition (hint: it contains a folder named "boot" at the root and the folder conatins a file named BCD).
- Run chkdsk on the boot partition with the /f/r options (example: chkdsk /f/r c:). In my case running chkdsk was very slow and it ran overnight.
- Re-boot the machine once chkdsk is done using the recovery disk and use it to perform a startup repair. In my case, this succeeded and was able to re-boot and have windows working again.
I guess that an alternative would be to obtain the disk utilities from your hard drive manufacturer and use them to repair the disk corruption issues and then try the recovery disk to perform a startup repair.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
BTW: I ordered new batteries for the laptops.
Hi. I have the exact same problem. I don't care about the files or programs on my computer. Also, I see a lot of steps here on how to fix it, putting in disks and all. But my computer is really small, so I don't have the possibility of putting in CDs. Can I actually use my computer again? Do I have to take it to an expert? Please help!
- Upravený Jackzy čtvrtek 24. listopadu 2011 12:24
I think that the error you are getting is due to a hardware problem pertaining to your computer's BIOS. Basically it is telling you that the computer is not able to reliably communicate with the hard drive. As you have no external device plugged in to your computer, there might be some drivers conflicting. You might need to remove sound card etc from BIOS. If windows does not complete startup repair then it gives option to perform system restore.
et aussi aler dans le bios dans la partie advance puis laer sur IDE et regarder tous les liste de peripherique conecter sur votre ordinateur
puis regarder : sata hard disque =dique dur
sata : tsst corps ect....=le lecteur cd rom
et IDE salve si c ecrit not detected alors vous dever changer de barette de memoire
et si c pas ecris ca alors vous changer de disque dur merci pour tous
Hi Sean Zhu,
I belive you can help me ...
I bought tOSHIBA l750-1nj two weeks ago... and yesterday i use google chorme and computer stopped working properly.. i cant move mouse commadn CTRL- DELETE+ END doesnt work, so i decide to shut it down by holding power button. When it shut down, i start it again and it said :
Windows Error Recovery
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
IF windows files have been damaged or configured incorrectly, Start up Repair can help diagnose and fix the problem. If power was interrupted during startup, choose Start Windows Normally.
and i have two options - Launch Startup Repair(recommended)
- Start Windows Normaly.
line :"windows is loading files:" come to 75% and then i get Windows boot manager..
if i choose any of this two.. i allways get this message :
Windows Boot Manager
Windows has encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.
This error can be caused by unplugging a removable stroage device such as an external USB drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a hard drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is properly connected and then restart your computer.
If you continue to receive this error message, contac the hardware manufacturer.
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred.
And i have two options ENTER=Continue - ESC=Exit.... but any you choose you ll be here again...
So if you know how to solved this problem without restarting OS please help me, because on this laptop i have all my PHP, JavaScript project :((((
All BEst
Ivan Dasic
hey guys and peace - / i found another solution for dads0xc00000e9
apparently if you have a board with 2 controllers: that is ide and sata and you boot your windows live disc, the windows installation disc is trying to boot or said better TRYING to load its functions and stuff to the first ide hard disc in its sequence of hierarchical search. But you only have the case with the above named stop error that you get when you had turned off your ide hard disc in your bios under "boot disks" or sequence (mine is a phoenix-award bios). That i found. Without changing ram or so. Worked then to boot the installation dvd without error.


text:
Medium & Heavy Truck
Commercial Truck Tire Tubes
Inner tubes can be used in both tube type and tubeless truck tires. Tube type tires are designated by the letters "TT" after your tire size. At one time, all heavy truck tires required tubes. Today most newer truck tires are tubeless. Older trucks, dump trucks, and fire trucks usually require the use of a tube. Tubeless truck tires can also use a tube as a first attempt repair for rim leaks and air pressure loss.
Tire tubes can fit many different tire sizes, so if you don't see your tire size listed, just give us a call. We will find the right fitment for you.
HELPFUL REMINDER ABOUT TIRE TUBES: Tire tube manufacturers are moving toward only producing RADIAL TIRE TUBES due to the fact that they can be used in both radial and bias tires. Still, some tire tubes are made in both radial and bias construction. Just remember RADIAL TIRE TUBES can be installed in both RADIAL TIRES AND BIAS TIRES, but BIAS TIRE TUBES can only be installed in BIAS TIRES. So, if your tire is of bias construction but a bias tube is not available, don't hesitate substituting a radial tube. NOTE: A Radial tube is designated with an "R" in the size (ex. 18.4R30).
1100/1200R24 Dobermann Radial Truck Tire Tubes TR444
Part Number: 31015$50.08 Out Of Stock
1100R22 Dobermann Radial Truck Tire Tubes TR444
Part Number: 31014$48.91 Out Of Stock
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Part Number: 31004$31.11 Out Of Stock
1300/1400R24, 1400R25 Dobermann Radial Truck Tire Tubes TR445
Part Number: 31016$65.75 Out Of Stock
825R20 Dobermann Radial Truck Tire Tubes TR442
Part Number: 31002$28.10 Out Of Stock
1000R20 Dobermann Radial Truck Tire Tubes TR444
Part Number: 31006$33.52 Out Of Stock


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text:
Rosetta Earth swing-by two: Questions and Answers
Here we have prepared some expected questions and answers relating to Rosetta's second Earth swing-by.
The second Rosetta Earth Swing-by
Why does Rosetta need planetary swing-bys to reach its target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko?
This is the only way to reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko given the launch vehicle capabilities and the propulsion systems we have. This trajectory is not significantly different from what was initially planned to reach comet 46P/Wirtanen, the previous mission target.
To reach a rendezvous trajectory with the comet's nucleus, the spacecraft must gain a lot of velocity. Swing-by manoeuvres are the only way to gain the required amount of energy. The swing-bys are necessary to accelerate the spacecraft so as to eventually match the velocity of the target comet. They are a way to save fuel while boosting speed using the gravity of a planet.
What are the key dates of the mission? How many swing-bys are foreseen during the journey? Which ones?
The key dates of the mission including planetary swing-bys are:
Launch: 2 March 2004
First Earth swing-by: 4 March 2005
Mars swing-by: 25 February 2007
Second Earth fly-by: 13 November 2007
Third Earth swing-by: 13 November 2009
Deep-space hibernation: May 2011 - January 2014
During its journey, Rosetta will cross the asteroid belt twice, and fly-by two asteroids: Asteroid Steins on 5 September 2008, and Asteroid Lutetia on 10 July 2010.
Comet approach: January-May 2014
Comet mapping / characterisation: August 2014
Release lander to land on the comet: November 2014
Escort the comet along its orbit around the Sun: November 2014 - December 2015
The mission ends in December 2015. Before that, Rosetta will again pass close to Earth's orbit. This pass will occur more than 4000 days after the start of its adventure. It will then follow the comet until it reaches its perihelion, or point of closest approach to our star, in summer 2015, and accompany it for a few more months on the its path away from the Sun.
What is different this time around as compared to the previous Earth swing-by and Mars swing-by respectively?
Every swing-by manoeuvre has different approach and departure trajectories, depending on the needs of the mission. The first Earth swing-by imparted a significant change in the direction of the trajectory of Rosetta.
The Mars swing-by was designed such that the spacecraft could be routed in direction of the Earth for the second swing-by. During the Mars swing-by the spacecraft reduced its speed with respect to the Sun. During this second Earth swing-by the spacecraft will undergo significant acceleration with a relatively minor change in direction.
Every swing-by is also characterised by different geometrical conditions with respect to the planet and the Sun. The Mars swing-by was characterised by a Sun eclipse which forced the ground team to prepare the spacecraft for a unique event in the mission.
The second Earth swing-by is characterised by unfavourable relative geometry between the Sun, Earth and the spacecraft; raising the need to keep the spacecraft cool and making communicating with Earth a little tricky.
Is there any risk of crashing into Earth, or to bumping into one of the satellites currently in orbit around Earth?
Current trajectory calculations show that Rosetta is right on track, so there's no such risk. Bumping into a satellite, or an interception in space is very difficult to achieve even intentionally.
Satellites are objects a few square metres in size moving at high velocities in orbits that are millions or even thousands of millions of cubic kilometres large. Despite this, to be sure, the Flight Dynamics team checks if Rosetta is on a collision course with any spacecraft in Earth orbit (which are all catalogued).
The risk of bumping into another spacecraft is therefore negligible.
What are the objectives of the swing-by?
During the swing-by, the highest priority will be given to spacecraft operations, as the manoeuvre is critical for the success of the overall mission.
Although the Earth-Moon system is not one of Rosetta's scientific priorities, a few instruments both on the orbiter and the Philae lander will be activated for calibration, scientific measurements and imaging. Observations will take place for about two weeks around closest approach, from 7 Nov, h 01:00 CET, until 20 Nov, 15:00 CET.
At what time do you expect closest approach? At what distance and speed will Rosetta fly by Earth? What are the Earth coordinates of the swing-by?
The second Earth swing-by will take place on 13 November 2007. Closest approach is foreseen at 21:57 CET, at distance of 5301km from Earth's surface, at 45000 km/h relative to Earth and 126 360 km/h relative to the Sun.
At closest approach, the Moon will be about 377 000km away from the spacecraft. Rosetta will be flying over Earth's surface at 63° 46' south, 74° 35' west (16:17 local time) over the Pacific Ocean, south-west of Chile.
Can the spacecraft be observed from Earth with the naked eye or amateur telescopes?
Closest approach will take place over the middle of the Pacific ocean (south-west of Chile) during the day, so it is very unlikely that it will be spotted with the naked eye.
Have the final swing-by commands been sent to the spacecraft? If not, when will they be sent?
The final fly-by commands were uplinked on 1 November 2007. These included all the commands required for the spacecraft to safely go through the manoeuvre and the specific commands for science observations of the Earth-Moon system.
A software 'patch' necessary to command the OSIRIS instrument has been uplinked on 16 October 2006.
What if the spacecraft goes into safe mode before swing-by?
Depending on the technical reasons (and the way we understand it), it would take typically 12 to 20 hours to return Rosetta to nominal operation once in safe mode.
If the spacecraft goes into safe mode after the instruments observations have begun, then the science observations will be lost as there would be no time left to re-plan the activity. Nevertheless, the spacecraft would proceed safely on its trajectory towards Earth. There's no risk of losing the spacecraft or the mission.
What if the spacecraft goes in safe mode during swing-by?
Since the swing-by is purely ballistic, the spacecraft can go through it while in safe mode. Only its capability to conduct science observations in the hours or days after the swing-by would be at risk.
Will there also be an eclipse period this time as during the Mars swing-by? How is the spacecraft equipped for such event? Would this cause any risk?
No, there is no such eclipse during this Earth swing-by. No further eclipses are foreseen throughout the rest of the mission.
How will we know Rosetta is in its right orbit after the swing-by?
The characteristics of the spacecraft's orbit are determined through radiometric data, namely ranging and doppler shift measurements. This will be determined after the swing-by to make sure the characteristics are nominal. This is routine business as the orbit of the spacecraft is regularly determined.
What is the accuracy of our knowledge of Rosetta's position?
The predicted swing-by trajectory is determined with an accuracy of about 3km. As the spacecraft closes in on Earth, the accuracy will improve to reach less than 1km.
What are the margins for Rosetta's trajectory in terms of distance to Earth and relative velocity?
The target altitude for the swing-by is 5301 km. A Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre (TCM) will be performed in the last week only if it saves a significant amount of fuel for the rest of the mission. In any case, there is no risk in flying at a low altitude.
Will Rosetta interact with the upper atmosphere of Earth?
No, at those altitudes the atmospheric density is practically zero, so the interaction between Rosetta and Earth's atmosphere can be completely neglected.
After this swing-by, Rosetta will swing by Earth again in 2009. Is there a risk that the second swing-by could send Rosetta on a collision course for the third one?
No - there are several Trajectory Correction Manoeuvres planned before the third Earth swing-by to put the spacecraft on the right trajectory.
Which ground stations will follow the swing-by? Are there backup stations available?
The prime site will be ESA's New Norcia ground station in Australia. Additional support will be given by NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), providing continuous coverage to monitor the trajectory.
The second Rosetta Earth Swing-by – scientific output
Will any scientific measurements be undertaken during the swing-by? If so, which?
Around closest approach, some of the Rosetta instruments both on the orbiter and the lander will be activated for calibration and scientific measurements including imaging. The Earth and the Moon will be targeted during separate consecutive pointings for data on the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere of Earth, and for data on the Moon.
Which instruments will be used?
The orbiter's UV spectrometer (ALICE), plasma instrument package (RPC), the microwave experiment (MIRO), and the visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIRTIS) will be switched on for calibration in order to prepare for the asteroid and comet observations.
ALICE will obtain spectra of the illuminated Earth and Moon; ROMAP (the lander's magnetometer) and RPC will perform measurements of Earth's magnetosphere.
MIRO will test the asteroid mode sequence which is specially designed to make sure that the microwave radiation emitted by four volatile molecular species to be studied at Steins and Lutetia will be within its bandwidth (taking into account the doppler shift since the spacecraft is first approaching and then flying away from the target).
The Radio Science experiment will investigate possible anomalous acceleration during the swing-by. The radiation monitor experiment (SREM) will take measurements of Earth's radiation belt.
VIRTIS will study fluorescent emission of carbon dioxide and molecular oxygen by scanning Earth's atmosphere while pointing at Earth's limb on the sunset side. VIRTIS will also obtain spectra of the Moon.
Last but not least, the orbiter's camera (OSIRIS) will point to the Earth's night side and image urban regions in Asia, Africa and Europe, look for shooting stars, image the Earth-Moon system from a distance and perform lunar disk spectro-photometry.
How are the observations planned? Are there any constraints to be taken into account?
On the incoming and outgoing trajectory of the swing-by, Rosetta will be under unfavourable solar illumination conditions, leading to thermal constrains for pointing and imaging. Only limited slots will be available for the instruments to be safely used.
Each observation by the instruments that require pointing will start at the end of a slew manoeuvre that will orient the spacecraft correctly. A few instruments (ROMAP, RPC, SREM and Radio Science) do not require the operation of pointing and therefore slews.
Around closest approach, imaging by Rosetta's navigation camera is also foreseen, provided there is no interference with OSIRIS and VIRTIS observations.
Will live telemetry be available from Rosetta during the swing-by?
No. Unfortunately, the closest approach will occur in areas where the usable ground stations are not visible. Telemetry will be available for one hour before closest approach and will be resumed circa 30 minutes after closest approach.
How do the pictures get back to Earth and how long does it take?
The downlink of the first scientific data taken around the swing-by will start early in the morning of 14 November. However, it will take an hour during a downlink slot on 22 November to download all the scientific data packages.
To whom will the first pictures be forwarded and how will they be exploited?
All data from the instruments will be sent to the respective instrument teams, which will evaluate and process them first. The first images should be available to the public on the morning of 14 November.


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AC Milan vs Inter Milan Live Stream : Game, FREE Live Streaming: When, Where, How to Watch League Live on TV and Online Coverage Without Cable, And there should be plenty of action to watch.
Watch Live Online Free
The Biggest Networks for Soccer Football League Stream live games on ESPN, ABC, ACCN, BTN, FOX, FS1, CBS, and SEC ESPN Network. Watch Unlimited Live channels with your favorite live sports, breaking news, events, and current shows.
Best Live Sports Streaming
If you have cut the cord you'll likely want to check out the best live TV streaming services available to you. After all, it may be the only way to continue watching all of your favorite shows live.
These days, there are numerous live TV streaming services vying for your attention. They provide all of the usual entertainment, sports, movie, music, and kids channels that you're used to watching every day.
But which is the best live TV streaming service?
There are six top-tier providers worth considering: Hulu, YouTube TV, FuboTV, DirecTV, PlayStation Vue, and Sling TV. There are also two cheaper live TV streaming apps with potential: WatchTV and Philo.
In this article, we take a look at each of these live TV streaming services in turn. We reveal their strengths and weaknesses, and list their pMan Uniteds and features. All in order to help you decide which live TV streaming service you should use.
Which Is the Best Cleveland Browns vs New York JetsLive TV Streaming Service?
The two most significant deciding factors when choosing which TV streaming provider to use are 1) AC Milan vs Internazionale Live Soccer) channel selection.
In terms of value for money, YouTube TV offers the most premium channels for the AC Milan vs Internazionale Live. However, if you want a full lineup that's akin to your cable package, then PlayStation Vue's Ultra plan is the way to go. If sports are your thing, then FuboTV is the best option.
At the budget end, Sling Blue and Orange are infinitely better than Philo and WatchTV thanks to the inclusion of some sports content and local channels.


text: In May 1925 at the conclusion of a Boy Scout training program at Camp Brinton, near Agency, Missouri, Bartle awarded single eagle claws to boys and leaders he felt were worthy. Don C. Baldwin, whose Manhawka tribal name had been Hunting Moon, assisted in the presentations. This simple beginning developed into the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.


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Item #3122
60-68 days. This wonderful French heirloom from the 1800s has been pleasing gardeners with its rich, buttery flavor for more than a century. Compact, 12" tall heads with tender green heart surrounded by bronze-red leaves. The name translates to "Red Winter". Cold tolerant and resists tip burn. Ideal for fall planting.
This packet sows up to 204 ft.
Seedling Image
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 2 to 4 weeks before average last frost and when soil temperature is at least 40°F, ideally 60°-70°F. Successive Sowings: Every 3 weeks until 2 weeks before the first fall frost. Using row covers can extend your season, allowing lettuce to survive to 20°F. Mild Climates: Sow in fall for cool season harvest
When to start inside: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost, and in summer when soil temperatures are too warm (above 80°F) to germinate lettuce seed.
Special germination instructions: Light aids germination, sow shallowly.
Harvesting: Harvest mature plants by cutting off at ground level. If regrowth is desired, cut the leaves higher, at 2". For a continual supply, outer, individual leaves can be harvested at any time, but leave at least half of the plant for regrowth.
Artist: Susie Hyer
Item #3122
1.00 grams
Most vegetables and herbs do best in areas with full sun (6 or more hours/day). These include tomatoes, peppers, melons, and squash. However, you can…More…
What is Soil?
Soil is a diverse mix of substances, teeming with life and composed of minerals, decayed plant and animal matter, water, and air. It…More…
What and Where to Sow:
First, consider where you have space from harvested crops or will have space in the next few weeks. Is there room to sow a…More…


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Secret Service agent who hid affair kills himself
- Rafael Prieto had an affair for years with a woman from Mexico
- Prieto was serving on the protective detail for Obama
- He worked for the Secret Service for 22 years
WASHINGTON (AP) — For nearly six years, a senior Secret Service agent kept his extramarital affair with a Mexican woman a secret from the agency responsible for protecting the president.
But in the wake of an embarrassing prostitution scandal involving 13 agents and officers, Rafael Prieto's secret was revealed by a fellow employee amid concerns the Secret Service wasn't enforcing its rules consistently. With an internal investigation ongoing, Prieto apparently committed suicide last week, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Prieto, a married father assigned to the security detail for President Obama, admitted the years-long relationship with a woman from Mexico to U.S. investigators when confronted. Before his death, he was the subject of an investigation focused on whether he violated agency rules that require disclosing relationships with foreigners, those familiar with the matter said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss Prieto's death or the investigation.
Secret Service rules require that employees with a security clearance notify the agency about any relationship with a foreign citizen to ensure that the person is not a risk to national security. There is no evidence that Prieto's relationship posed any security threat. Failing to disclose such a relationship would be not be a crime, but a violation of the agency's administrative rules.
Prieto was serving on the protective detail for Obama, though he was not on duty at the time of his death. As recently as 2009, he was identified as the resident agent in charge at the Secret Service's office in White Plains, N.Y. He had worked for the Secret Service for 22 years. He was 47, according to public records.
Prieto's apparent cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. He was found in his car with the engine running. His death was being investigated by Metropolitan Police in Washington and the medical examiner's office.
"Rafael Prieto had a distinguished 20-year career with the Secret Service that was marked by accomplishment, dedication and friendships," agency spokesman Edwin Donovan said in a statement. "The Secret Service is mourning the loss of a valued colleague."
The Secret Service protects the lives of the president, vice president and their families, and also investigates counterfeiting, bank fraud, computer hacking and other financial crimes.
The behavior of Secret Service agents and officers has come under scrutiny since 13 employees were implicated in a prostitution scandal in Cartagena, Colombia, in April.
Those employees were in the Caribbean resort city in advance of Obama's arrival for a South American summit. After a night of heavy partying in some of Cartagena's bars and clubs, the employees brought women, including prostitutes, back to the where they were staying. The incident became public after one agent refused to pay a prostitute and argued with her in a hotel hallway. Prieto was never in Colombia during the scandal.
Eight of those Secret Service employees have been forced out of the agency, three were cleared of serious misconduct and at least two are fighting to get their jobs back.
The scandal prompted Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan to issue a new code of conduct that barred employees from drinking within 10 hours of the start of a shift or bringing foreigners to their hotel rooms.


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(NCPA Study) The Key to Successful Medicare Reform? – Entrepreneurs
10 Policy Changes That Lower Costs and Increase Access to Higher Quality Care
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 01, 2013
Reforming the Medicare payment structure to reward market-driven entrepreneurial innovations would cut healthcare costs by nearly $2.5 trillion by mid-century, according to a new study from the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA).
"To truly reform Medicare, entrepreneurs must be free to innovate," said NCPA Senior Fellow and co-author of the study, Devon Herrick. He singled out four basic categories for reform that would provide immediate results:
•Freeing the Patient: it is time to treat patients as partners in their own health care. The first step is to make individuals responsible for managing at least some of their own money. They would benefit from prudent decisions and costs would be reduced.
•Free the Doctor: Medicare's bureaucratic rules prohibits payment for many services that providers would like to offer and patients would like to receive. Instead, any Medicare provider should be reimbursed for any service that: (1 does not increase cost, and (2) improves the quality of care.
•Free the Market: Medical fees should be determined the way prices are determined everywhere else in the economy -- in the marketplace.
•Free the Insurer: Insurers need to be given incentives to create specialized plans -- especially for chronic illnesses -- that compete with each other. An example can be seen in Medicare Advantage plans, which allow seniors to choose to receive their benefits from a private insurer.
"Most current and proposed health care reforms, including the Affordable Care Act, are changes developed by third-parties, such as insurance companies and bureaucratic administrators," said Herrick. "In every other industry, innovations come from entrepreneurs who provide new services and come up with new products and solutions that revolutionize each market. It's time we changed the incentives and applied the same approach to health care."
How to do that? The NCPA study explores several specific examples of successful entrepreneurial health care solutions and proposes 10 important policy changes:
•Retail Outlets: Medicare should immediately allow enrollees to obtain care at almost all walk-in clinics and free-standing emergency care clinics — paying posted market prices, not Medicare's prices.
•Telephone and E-Mail Services: Medicare should allow beneficiaries to use telephone and e-mail physician services — paying market prices, not Medicare's prices.
•Concierge Doctors: If patients and doctors are willing, Medicare should be willing to throw away its 7,500 item price list, pay some portion of the concierge fee (usually about $1,500 per patient per year) and let the medical marketplace handle the rest.
•Billing by Time, Rather Than Task: Doctors should be allowed to change the mix of services they offer. If the change in practice is substantial enough, we should allow patient copayments and let them be determined in the marketplace.
•Paramedical Personnel: Nurses and physician assistants should be allowed to perform tasks that do not require a physician's level of expertise in order to expand the availability of low-cost medical care.
•Bundling: Providers should be encouraged to offer package prices for bundled services and Medicare should be willing to pay the package price wherever it is expected to be less than what taxpayers would otherwise have paid.
•International Medical Tourism: Medicare should take advantage of the international medical tourism market — a real market where providers routinely compete for patients based on price and quality.
•Domestic Medical Tourism: Medicare should allow seniors to share in the savings created by traveling to a higher-quality, lower-cost facility domestically.
•Selective Relaxation of Price Controls: Medicare should let a few doctors in a given area — but not most — charge anything they like for covered services. Medicare would continue to pay its list price, but the patient would have to pay any extra charge out of pocket.
•Health Care Stamps: Health Care Stamps for low-income seniors eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (so-called dual-eligibles) would function similar to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called food stamps, ensuring that the poor can complete for resources with all other buyers of care.
The NCPA proposes replacing Medicare's current structure with a new simplified structure meant to mimic the health insurance benefits the rest of Americans enjoy. A "Standard Comprehensive Plan" (SCP) would be the new "core" Medicare plan. It collapses all of the current archaic divisions of Part A, Part B and Part D into a single comprehensive program with an across-the-board $5,000 deductible. Beneficiaries would pay a premium equal to 15 percent of program costs. Current enrollees could stay where they are or could switch into the new plan, but all new enrollees would be in the SCP.
Future retirees would save for future health costs using individually-owned Health Insurance Retirement Accounts (HIRAs). Through these accounts current workers would partially prepay future Medicare costs and thereby reduce the projected tax burden on future workers.
"Without reform, Medicare will consume nearly nine percent of our economy by the middle of this century but the proposed NCPA reforms would save an estimated 2.5 trillion in the same period," said Herrick.
Full text: How Entrepreneurs Could Solve Medicare's Problems: http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/st344.pdf
These reforms are outlined in NCPA President John Goodman's latest book, Priceless: Curing the Healthcare Crisis.
The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization, established in 1983. We bring together the best and brightest minds to tackle the country's most difficult public policy problems — in health care, taxes, retirement, small business, and the environment. Visit our website today for more information.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/2/prweb10385003.htm


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Guest Comments
Day Planner
Book Reviews
Order Books
76 Baldwin Hill Road, Fayette, Maine 04349
Enjoy a side of Maine few know.
Off the well-beaten tourist track, a surprise awaits you nestled in the foothills of the picturesque Longfellow Mountains. In the lake district of western Maine, discover a jewel-like encapsulation of what rural living was like in days gone by, in a place the eighth generation of your hosts' family still calls home.
Looking for a different kind of vacation rental experience? Home-Nest Farm is far more than the usual cottage rental. For a true break from busy modern life, try living in one of our historic farm rental units.
If you're hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and want to experience life in the country, then we're the place for you. Happy travels!
For our farm animals' peace, no pets.
We're honored to have been chosen to be included in National Geographic Traveler's select Stay List of 150 preferred lodgings in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Their April 2008 issue cites us as ...
"a place with location-inspired architecture, ambience, eco-stewardship, and an ethic of giving back to the community focusing on lodgings offering a unique sense of place."
Website Designed
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Timeline 2007
Spring 2006
Phase I: Organization
In the spring of 2006, the HLC Steering Committee was convened. The committee began their work with a review and discussion of the criteria for accreditation and the goals and objectives of the self study. A timeline was developed for self-study activities. The Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and the three self-study chairs attended the HLC Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Summer 2006
Phase II: Data Collection
In the summer of 2006, the Steering Committee organized into groups addressing themes drawn from the HLC criterion and began to collect data from various units throughout the University. A Blackboard site was created to facilitate discussion among Committee members and as a centralized location for the review of incoming data and materials.
Fall 2006
Phase III: Connecting with the Campus Community
In the fall of 2006, steering committee members developed working papers on their thematic assignments. These working papers involved descriptions of the campus and its activities, an analysis of performance indicators, and a presentation of hallmarks and challenges in the thematic areas. In October and November, a panel of steering committee members presented their findings to the campus community in four open forums. The campus community was invited to have lunch, listen to the findings of the panel members and provide feedback to the self study process. Each forum revolved around on one element of the UIS mission so that discussions could be focused. These discussions were recorded and transcribed; 147 members of the campus community attended these open forums.
Spring 2007
Phase IV: Document and Website Development
In early spring of 2007, the self-study chairs and the reaccreditation coordinator began to prepare a draft of the self-study report and develop the reaccreditation website.
Spring 2007
Phase V: Review and Conversation
In the mid-spring of 2007, the draft of the self-study report was first reviewed by the steering committee and was released to the campus community. The reaccreditation website was released to the public at this time also. Two open forums were scheduled to collect feedback from the campus community.
Spring-Summer 2007
Phase VI: Incorporation of Campus Feedback
In the late spring and early summer of 2007, feedback from the campus community was incorporated into the self-study report. A final draft and supporting documents were submitted to the HLC and Site Visit Team in late summer. The development of the website and electronic resource room continued through this time period.
Fall 2007
Phase VII: Preparation for Site Visit
The site visit took place on October 22, 23, and 24, 2007. In preparation for the site visit, UIS sought Third Party Comments from the surrounding community.


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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.
My ranking:1. Adam Lambert2. Allison Iraheta3. Matt Giraud4. Danny Gokey5. Anoop Desai6. Scott MacIntyre7. Lil Rounds8. Kris Allen
i saw chris richardson my american idol and avi, on american idol in the audance tonight he was right be hind paula
i can spot him a mile away lol. one day me and a friend went to the mall and we parked and were walking up to a store and i stoped in the middle of the road and started going that is chris rich's car , that is chris and my friend was yanking on me going u r going to get hit and i was like that is chris and she was like i don't care who it is he all most hit u as she was draging me into the mall.. it was so funny.. i said chris could run me ver any time she was u r nutz..lol i was glade scott went last night , lil needs one more week she has to make a come bk she can sing i am not sure y she is pulling bk so much?? oh i just relized i called it scott going home ,
i realy love this season, it is allmost as good as season 6 the cough sanjay cough season
texas u r right i don't no what season u r friend was in but 19 e get's first pick on the top 12 now..it is in there contracts, i am sure it was not in there when chris did not win, or if it was they passed. i no ace had to wait 5 yrs to put out a cd and that was this yr, was he in dautrys season?? they kept chris up in the air for a while i no timberlin was going to sign him, and i no he is signed now but i am pretty sure it is not with 19e. he was in the aud wed ng and i no he is out there recording and i loved the fohawk sanjay made my mom happy so i love him for that she was tone deff, but she loved him more than chris even though she never told me..lol the last motherday present i gave her was a cd mix of chris and sanjaya i put a pic of chris on one side and the most beautiful pic of a dogwood tree i took on the other. she loved it..
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I can't tell you much about it.. but we just did a massive project with a need for a pretty special 3 second shot, so they rented a whole truckload of Scarlets from us ... more Scarlets than most people have seen in their lifetime.
None of them had more than a minute of record time. We can't sell them as new.. and the rental was good.. so we are giving you guys a one time break on these as " Battle Tested " Scarlets.
$7100 instead of the regular $11,900. Scarlet Brain, Side SSD and Canon Mount. And because I know someone will ask, you can't swap the mount to a Nikon or PL for this deal.
They come with the standard Battle Tested 90 day warranty.. but we will open up RED ARMOR just on these since we were with them 100% of the time that they were out of the box and are as close to brand new as you can get.
Tell all your friends :)


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Dj Kay Slay (Feat. Ray J, Jim Jones, Yo Gotti & Busta Rhymes) - Blockstars
Off Dj Kay Slay's album "More Than Just A DJ" . In Stores January 2010!
Directed by Parris
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Is Kanye West sick of "Theraflu"? The Grammy award-winning artist announced that he is changing the title of his latest track from "Theraflu" to " Way Too Cold," afrer drug manufacturer Novartis complained, E! Online reported.
Earlier this month Norvartis said the firm "in no way endorses or approves of the references or use of the image and likeness of Theraflu in this manner."
West announced the title change via Twitter early Sunday morning. "I changed the name of the song THERAFLU to WAY TOO COLD and you can buy it now at KANYEWEST.COM," the rapper tweeted, providing a link to his official website where fans could listen and purchase the song. Fans expressed shock at the unexpected news.
"Way Too Cold" is the same version of the "Theraflu" track, which has drawn attention for West's rapping about his love for rumored beau Kim Kardashian.
Although West may have appeased "Theraflu" manufacturers with the title change, he has yet to make amends with PETA. On the chorus West raps, "Tell PETA my mink is dragging on the floor."
PETA fired back with a statement blasting West. "What's draggin' on the floor is Kanye's reputation as a man with no empathy for animals or human beings," the statement read.
U.S. & World
Selected Reading: E!, Kanye West, Twitter


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Digital Folio's platform is like a Level 2 trading system for real-time retail that empowers retailers and shoppers alike.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) November 16, 2012
Digital Folio announced today that it has launched its revolutionary Retail Intelligence Data API, which delivers unprecedented real-time visibility to dynamic pricing data as well as stock levels, channel availability, and reference data.
For the first time, businesses—including retailers, researchers, and analysts—can access real-time and historical competitor/retail online pricing, availability, and statistical analytics directly within Microsoft Excel, via browser, via download, or within their own business intelligence platforms—all via a self-service model without costly set-up fees or delays. The API also provides an unlimited number of queries with no limit on the number of products that can be accessed.
Digital Folio's Retail Intelligence API (RetailAPI.com) delivers unprecedented data fidelity and access to retail big data as dynamic pricing happens.
"With online retailers now deploying the ability to dynamically change pricing up to once every six seconds, it's nearly impossible to keep up," said Patrick Carter, President of Digital Folio, Inc. "Digital Folio does keep up because it's powered by the crowd, providing the platform capability to update up to 10,000 products per second. That's the equivalent of an entire major retailer in less than a minute."
Carter added, "From a technical perspective, we offer both OData and REST API interfaces, providing access to hourly interval summaries as well as discrete event data. We are particularly excited about also making our data API available via Microsoft's Windows Azure Marketplace."
Max Uritsky, Group Program Manager, Windows Azure Marketplace, said, "We are excited to work with Digital Folio and their data launch on Windows Azure Marketplace, a premiere online market for buying and selling finished premium data. Windows Azure Marketplace lets users directly access this data via large-scale Hadoop implementations, as well as via Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office."
"Digital Folio has already been recognized by the press for the level of dynamic pricing accuracy we deliver within our consumer applications," Carter said. "Now our API provides dynamic pricing intelligence beyond what's easily exposed within our shopping applications.
"Until now there has been no 'Nielsen' for real-time retail pricing. Digital Folio's platform is like a Level 2 trading system for real-time retail that empowers retailers and shoppers alike."
Digital Folio's Retail Intelligence API represents the newest addition to the Digital Folio comparison shopping platform, which includes the powerful Digital Folio sidebar, DigitalFolio comparison shopping site, and Windows 8 app. Thousands of shoppers use Digital Folio apps to compare product prices instantly across major retailers, save their finds in intelligent shopping lists, share their finds with friends and family, and get instant product pricing and availability updates…all in one place.
Established in 2011, Digital Folio is the first multi-channel shopping network, powered by the crowd, to provide unbiased real-time pricing and availability across top retailers. For consumers, we make it easy to get a complete, real-time shopping picture every time they browse, collect, and share shopping finds. For businesses, we provide the first platform to deliver real-time retail intelligence data powered by the crowd and universal comparison shopping, wish list, and dynamic promotion capabilities. For more information on Digital Folio Platform Solutions, visit http://www.digitalfolio.com/PlatformSolutions.


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Henderson Auto Glass – What Should I know?
Simply put, this is glass that you would find in an automobile. Not too many know that in Henderson there are two major forms of auto glass. Each one is used on certain windows in the automobile. Both types of auto glass are more impact resistant and stronger than regular glass.
What Are the Different Kinds Of Windshield Replacement Henderson Services that are Available?
Laminated safety glass-this glass is generally used on a car's windshield. It is comprised of a couple of pieces of glass that has a slim layer of vinyl. The glass is then heated and pressed together in an autoclave, which is a type of oven. When this glass receives a tough impact it will shatter also but usually the shattered pieces will stick to the vinyl and not fall on the ground.
If the windshield just has a tiny vein or nick, the auto glass professional may be able to repair the tiny vein or nick to keep it from spreading further. The repair will generally take fewer than thirty minutes in Henderson. The vein or nick is cleaned thoroughly and dried. Resin is injected and a material like Mylar is used to hold it in place. The professional cures the resin by using an ultraviolet light.
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Versus Original Equipment Equivalent (OEE) - Auto Glass
With 5.1% of windshields being damaged and requiring replacement each year in the United States, it is important to know what to look for in an auto glass service technician. The first thing that must be stated about choosing a qualified technician may be somewhat cliché. However, it is important to remember that you do get what you pay for, and windshield replacement is highly germane to this point.
Ask Questions
When selecting an auto glass service provider, start by simply asking questions. Find out if the technician is NGA (National Glass Association) certified to be professionally competent in his line of work. Ask if the technician uses the auto manufacturer' recommended products. Also find out if the technician has agreed to meet the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS). Above all, be sure the technician intends to provide you with sufficient information regarding all things pertinent. The technician should provide you with some dos and don'ts, such as how much time should be allowed for the bond to cure before the vehicle is safe to drive.
Although it may sound a bit excessive, make sure the windshield is perfectly centered on the vehicle. A misplaced windshield will not provide a structurally sound passenger compartment in the event of a collision or rollover. Also inspect the weather stripping to ensure it fits tightly against the vehicle's body with no bumps, waves, or gaps. If the replacement windshield on your vehicle is not completely bonded to the vehicle, the windshield may become detached in the event of an accident, leading to even greater chance of serious injury or death.
Mobile Windshield Replacement - Do you need it?
But I Thought You Said This Windshield Was Original Equipment?
Here is a common story for a consumer. A person has a brand new or leased vehicle and a piece of glass becomes damaged. They call an auto glass company and the consumer is told OEE is an original equipment equivalent replacement piece for their vehicle. But when the auto glass technician shows up to complete the replacement, the piece of glass does not actually have the vehicle makers OEM manufacturer logo.
OEE - Parts produced for installation in the "aftermarket" by third party companies.
What Is OEM Auto Glass? (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
When a new vehicle is designed the vehicle maker can use an existing windshield part from an older model vehicle, or they can create a whole new windshield and part number. If the decision is made to create a whole new windshield the vehicle maker contracts a glass manufacturer to create the part. The glass manufacturer and vehicle maker create a unique mold and a unique molding/firing process to produce the OEM windshield (Original Equipment Manufacturer). The parts are installed when the vehicle is assembled at the vehicle makers factory.
6. Rear View Mirror Brackets And Sensors - Aftermarket windshields (OEE) use a different process to adhere the mirror brackets to the glass. I find that their quality of adhesion and location is not as accurate as OEM parts. In fact, aftermarket distributors repeatedly drip glue on the glass below the bracket which may stain the black ceramic band on the interior side of the glass. When it comes to sensor components such as a rain sensors, the problem it not as rampant. But on a BMW windshield, a mirror bracket not correctly aligned may hinder the re-installation of the mirror's plastic cover assembly which hides the sensor and bracket.
So Which Windshield Should I Choose, OEM or OEE?
The biggest impact on your decision will be budget. OEM parts are almost always higher priced. Most consumers simply choose OEE because they have no choice, everyone needs to save a few bucks. Don't be scared of choosing aftermarket glass though because safety is mostly impacted by the technician installing the windshield correctly, not the glass itself. But if you really love your vehicle and expect the best quality, you should choose OEM. And if you are leasing your vehicle, your dealer may have restrictions on what type of glass is acceptable upon returning the vehicle. You may get a fee added if you have an aftermarket glass installed. Call your dealer for more information.


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*note, some parts of this FAQ and guidelines have been borrowed from other internet forums such as www.hardforums.com.
Q: What can I sell on these forums?
A: These forums were made from the decline in record units sold and the increasing sales in vinyl records. Therefore music CDs and Vinyl records are what this forum is created for. Since this is a Wu-Tang site, you can sell anything else Wu-Tang such as Wu-Wear and posters. On the other hand the subforum "Where can I find..." you can ask about anything.
Q: How does Wutang-corp protect forum members from scams and illegitimate traders?
A: Simply put, WTC does NOT offer any sort of protection, warranty, guarantee of any sort on the FS/T section of the forum. By participating in trading & selling, you accept all implied or explicit risks, and agree to not hold Wutang-corp or it's staff responsible for anything that may happen. With this said, WTC does "filter" each and every post that finds it's way into the FS/T section. Obviously, this is to filter out competition, but obvious scams are also stopped at this step.
Aside: Protecting yourself and your investment(s) starts with common sense, please adhere to the guidelines and tips presented shortly, and the risk of trading online will drop considerably.
Q: Can I auction my item, or link to an auction?
A: Auction posts are only allowed in the subforum. If you want to post a link for your auction for traffic, you can post it in the online auction subforum. We reserve the space for people wishing to sell for the wutang-corp community the primary forum.
Q: How can I protect myself from illegitimate traders and scammers?
Here are some tips to ensure your trades always (hopefully) go smoothly!
IMPORTANT! Exchange Personal Information IMPORTANT!
By trading online, you are assuming personal risk and loss of money and/or goods. To protect yourself, it is ALWAYS a good idea to exchange personal information. Personal information entails: REAL name, a home address, a HOME or WORK (land line) telephone number. Cell phone numbers are fine, but they are easily terminated. If you want further security, verify the telephone number by calling it, and cross reference the number and name on an online service such as http://www.switchboard.com Many people would deem this excessive, but if you are making a trade for multiple hundred dollar items, the long distance phone call and 5 minutes of your time is worth it. If you are buying 1 CD it may not be relatively a big deal.
Always use (when shipping) Delivery Confirmation of some sort. If you are the buyer, request (and be prepared to pay extra (typically under $1)) for Delivery Confirmation and/or Tracking information. This service protects both parties. If an item arrives, the buyer cannot claim it hasn't arrived, etc.
Keep proof of shipping until the deal is considered complete! Failure to do so can result in sticky situations. I consider a deal to be complete when both parties have received their "prizes" (be it cash, or merchandise) and both parties have agreed that everything is in order. Receiving monetary compensation would require checks clearing, e-checks clearing, cashing of said funds, etc. Receiving a record would entail a full inspection of merchandise, and agreement of it's condition.
If you have suspicions of a seller, contact a moderator or administrator.
In case there is a delay, or a lack of communication, do NOT jump to any conclusions (don't post a negative reference if your item is only a week late). E-mail the seller, or call the seller. You SHOULD have their personal information to get some clarification. It is important to communicate and be honest throughout a trade, but please realize people do have lives outside of Wu-Tang and this message board. Try to get in touch before going crazy.
If you feel that youve been scammed, you can file complaints about internet fraud directly with the FBI at their Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFFC) http://www.ic3.gov/. You can also go to www.usps.com and file a complaint for postal fraud, and most state Attorney Generals have an online internet fraud complaint form
Use Credit Card Paypal when possible: Many times, if you are scammed, you can recuperate much, if not all of your funds through either Paypal, or your Credit Card company. IF this is to happen, please search Paypal's site for proper procedure.
If Paypal, or CC Paypal is not an option, checks are another good way to trade. They can be traced if contact to the police needs to be made. Checks are NOT good for "instant" types of payment. Please make sure they clear first.
CHECK REFERENCES: I cannot stress this enough. We provide a sub-section of the FS/T subforum. Search this by clicking "Search" at the top bar of this page. Go to advanced search, and in the right pane, select the "References" section in the Search in Forum(s) pane. This will allow you to check any/all successful trades the user has completed in the past. Be careful when dealing with traders with a recent registration date, or low references. To be extra careful, also check the traders that have left references for the trader in question.
Do NOT ship first, or pay first unless the trader has plenty (I would start at 50+ posts since I deal a lot online. Often times, established traders with good feedback/standing can (and will!) ask new users to either ship first, or pay first. Reputation is everything in online trading, do not be surprised if someone with 50+ successful trades asks you to ship or pay first. This is common in online trading, and is a great way to build feedbacks. It is an "honor" system of sorts. You are not obligated to participate this way, but be warned, it is a common way for some to trade.
Keep a record of all correspondences between you and parties you are trading with. If you contact each other by PM or e-mail, save the messages until the trade is considered complete. This is common sense, and can be used to "prove" a case when necessary.
Q: Can I post a thread for EACH item I want to sell?
A: Sure, but please only keep ONE active thread open. Do NOT have multiple threads open simultaneously, you can just as easily sell 10 items in one thread instead of selling one item separately in 10 different threads. This helps us keep the FS/T section less cluttered, and prevents peoples threads from getting "bumped" too far down.


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I kick-started the new week with a bit of DIY for our study. I needed a shelving unit next to my desk where I could keep all the things I use almost daily plus display those things that inspire me in my work. I had bookmarked this DIY ages ago and when I came across it again this morning, I decided to try making my own version of it.
I wanted to keep the natural colour of wood because we have a lot of wooden items around our home anyway. I also happen to love the patterns in the wood so I didn't want to cover them by paint. I made the shelves a bit wider (9cm) and attached two 180cm long pieces of timber (each 23.5cm wide) together. Pine is soft enough to attach the screws by hand, so I needn't use any electrical tools; just a saw, a measuring tape, some sanding paper and a leveller. I'm sure no carpenter would approve of my work, but I am myself quite happy with the result :-)
Easy peasy and now I have new-found motivation for the coming week!


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She wrote that the topic seemed to produce disconnected dots and many more questions. She invited me to help connect the dots and presumably answer the questions.
I wrote back that we have a lot more dot/questions to identify before we can connect and answer.
Then, in a flurry, I shared my own.
What does it mean to be informed? What does it mean to be aware? How do those two differ? Does a gush of disconnected information drown awareness?
How does technology shape us? Undo us? Better us? (What about "information technology"?)
My friend is a journalist, so I asked about the future of journalism. Does it have one? What IS journalism? What is it becoming?
So many of our problems fall to the schools to solve, but are the schools (rigid, outmoded, underfunded) up to the enormous task? What does it mean to be educated? What does it mean to be "prepared for life"? Who decides?
What is intelligence? Is there intelligent life on Earth? If so, where is it? Who are the teachers? The seers?
Are our leaders intelligent? If not, why not? Could it have to do with the way we choose them? Could it have to do with the complexity of our problems?
How can we best use our brief time here on this green, fragile "pebble in space"?
Service? Living lives of compassion? Spiritual seeking? Simple survival? Raising and nurturing children, our own and/or those of others? Escapism? Endless video games? Celebrity worship? "Fighting" evil? "Fighting" war? God worship? No-God worship? Worship? Praying? Should our lives be manifestations of our prayers, whether silent or spoken?
What about Accumulation of wealth? Accumulation of wealth and then giving it away?
How can we become "agents of change in our circle of influence"?
"Change" to what? What is our "circle of influence"? "HOW can we"?
Hundreds of dots.
My invitation to you, and to her, is to add to the list.
We'll connect them later.
Labels: awareness, dots, escapism, intelligence, journalism


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Girls Throwing Out Garbage Is Oddly Amusing
Taking out the trash is a task that is apparently frowned upon by kids and the women here who have no clue how to do it.
In what quickly snowballs into a comedy of errors, this video catches one girl failing to toss a garbage bag into a dumpster. Two more women come to her aid (while another walks by and showboats by throwing out her own bag without a problem), with the same result.
They look like they've worked up a sweat, so let's hope they hopped in the car and headed out for some cosmos after this debacle.


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If they use telnet and you are on te same lan.. you can easily grab the password..
I won't tell you how.. but you can easily find out by searching the forums..
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI.
When in Russia, pet a PETSCII.
Get your ass over to SLAYRadio the best station for C64 Remixes !
I know not all router use ssh.If i ren right.
if private and/or public are still configured as snmp-server community strings (or you know what the non-default configured string might be), then one can grab the configuration via snmp. I believe you only need to have 'read' access to pull the config, but I may be mistaken on that point.
this is where the kind of tool that Phish pointed out is useful.
Ego is the great Logic killer
I think i try to wrtie my own script then.
Wait, password's for vty sessions are sent as plaintext? I had no idea. So is it a mistake to rely on enable secret or should ssh be configured to secure the telnet login?
There's more unix-nature in one line of shell script than 10,000 lines of C
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Carrine Blank, Ph.D., Washington University assistant professor of geomicrobiology in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences, studying Cyanobacteria ?bacteria that use light, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and biomass ?has concluded that these species got their start on Earth in freshwater systems on continents and gradually evolved to exist in brackish water environments, then higher salt ones, marine and hyper saline (salt crust) environments.
Cyanobacteria are organisms that gave rise to chloroplasts, the oxygen factory in plant cells. A half billion years ago Cyanobacteria predated more complex organisms like multi-cellular plants and functioned in a world where the oxygen level of the biosphere was much less than it is today. Over their very long life span, Cyanobacteria have evolved a system to survive a gradually increasing oxidizing environment, making them of interest to a broad range of researchers.
Blank is able to draw her hypothesis from family trees she is drawing of Cyanobacteria. Her observations are likely to incite debate among biologists and geologists studying one of Earth's most controversial eras ?approximately 2.1 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria first arose on the Earth. This was a time when the Earth's atmosphere had an incredible, mysterious and inexplicable rise in oxygen, from extremely low levels to 10 percent of what it is today. There were three ?some say four ?global glaciations, and the fossil record reflects a major shift in the number of organisms metabolizing sulfur and a major shift in carbon cycling.
"The question is: Why?" said Blank. "My contribution is the attempt to find evolutionary explanations for these major changes. There were lots of evo lutionary movements in Cyanobacteria at this time, and the bacteria were making an impact on the Earth's development. Geologists in the past have been relying on geological events for transitions that triggered change, but I'm arguing that a lot of these things could be evolutionary."
Blank presented her research at the 2004 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, held, Nov. 7-10 in Denver. Blank's finding that Cyanobacteria emerged first in fresh water lakes or streams is counterintuitive.
"Most people have the assumption that Cyanobacteria came out of a marine environment ?after all, they are still important to marine environments today, so they must always have been," Blank said. "When Cyanobacteria started to appear, there was no ozone shield, so UV light would have killed most things. They either had to have come up with ways to deal with the UV light ?and there is evidence that they made UV-absorbing pigments ?or find ways of growing under sediments to avoid the light."
To study the evolution of Cyanobacteria, Blank drew up a backbone tree using multiple genes from whole genome sequences. Additional species were added to the tree using ribosomal RNA genes. Morphological characters, for instance, the presence or absence of a sheath, unicellular or filamentous growth, the presence or absence of heterocysts ?a thick-walled cell occurring at intervals?were coded and mapped on the tree. The distribution of traits was compared with those found in the fossil record.
Cyanobacteria emerging some two billion years ago were becoming complex microbes that had larger cell diameters than earlier groups ?at least 2.5 microns. Blank's tree shows that several morphological traits arose independently in multiple lines, among them a sheath structure, filamentous growth, the ability to fix nitrogen, thermophily (love of heat), motility and the use of sulfide as an electron donor.
"We will need lots of analyses of the micro-foss il record by serious paleobiologists to see how sound this hypothesis is," Blank said. "This time frame is one of the biggest puzzles for biologists and geologists alike. A huge amount of things are happening then in the geological record."


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Academic Rigor
Dorm Life
Food and Dining
Bang for the buck
Clubs and Activities
Campus Safety
At Tusculum College the schedule here is different. For 18 days, We have one class at a time. My first class was psychology 101 this year. Each class is 3 hours long. You could have a morning or afternoon class depending on your schedule. I learned so much in my class. Yes it was stressful and it was hard; But college is never easy. With only one class to concentrate on you don't have to worry about other classes. You only concentrate on one. I believe you learn a lot more that having 4 or more classes at the same...
To find more tips for prospective students, what to do for fun and whether this school is great for a particular type of student read the 15 reviews for Tusculum University
Curious about something that isn't answered here? Feel free to ask Tusculum University a question
A good school in terms of academics. A caring school. Tusculum College is a school that develops potential.Read More
Tusculum College does their classes on the block schedule which makes it easier to concentrate on one class and subject at a time! You take one class at a time for 18 days, then have a 4 day block break which you can go home during which makes it impossible to become home-sick! It is a small college but it is in a beautiful Eastern part of the United States and I love all of the friends and people I have met while attending Tusculum!Read More
The vibe on campus is like no other. The staff and the students on campus makes you feel like you're at home. Aside from campus life the sports and the academics I definitely well defined an amazing.Read More
Tusculum provides a great education for the working student. My class size has been small, and that has allowed the teachers to give one-on-one attention. Overall a great education that will work with your schedule!Read More
I am an adult student, returning to school after 20 years or so. Tusculum offers a diverse student body and after being a student for one year, I have experienced instructors who understand that as working adults, we have different responsibilities than the average college junior. The instructors and staff want you to succeed.Read More
deserted quiet uncomfortableRead More
Tusculum College is a well respected college, great teachers, great advisors, great environment. This college has a blocked schedule and with four hour classes. The college the 23rd oldest college in the United States.Read More
i love that the block schedule allows me to focus on one class at a time. the campus is small, but has a big history and is absolutely gorgeous. also, by having class with less than thirty students at a time, the professors are able to get to know their students and provide assistance to each one.Read More
this school has very unique classes. i love the scenery around the school. the school offers many free activities for students.Read More
The school constantly tries to suck money out of you. Admission is very high for how little money goes back to the students. The block system IS very nice for some peopleRead More