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Revision as of 19:04, 27 September 2018
- 1 Welcome to the Tesla Openpilot Wiki!
- 2 Community ToDo List
- 3 Here's what you'll need to get OpenPilot working on your pre-AP Tesla
- 4 Instructions to set it all up
- 5 How to change to the development branch of the Tesla OP port
- 6 How to transfer files to your EON
- 7 Editing your Bash Profile
- 8 Script to auto delete files to keep EON from filling up
- 9 Aligning your EON
- 10 Placeholder for pedal instructions
- 11 Glossary/Acronyms
Welcome to the Tesla Openpilot Wiki!
We're just getting started filling this out, so feel free to jump in and help document things that need to be here.
This port is currently focused on bringing Openpilot to Teslas from 2014 and earlier, before Autopilot was offered.
Status of Latitudinal control (steering)
OpenPilot latitudinal control is working.
Electronic steering is present in pre-autopilot Teslas, but disabled. The Electric Power Assisted Steering units (EPAS) are capable of turning the steering wheel electronically if fed the right commands. With that in mind, we run a cable from the car's EPAS unit in the frunk to a comma.ai Panda. It allows us to:
- Intercept messages the car periodically sends that disable the EPAS' steering feature.
- Transmit steering commands from a comma.ai EON to the EPAS unit.
This setup allows the car to steer autonomously.
Status of Longitudinal control (accelerator and brakes)
Longitudinal control is an ongoing effort. These cars lack electronic pedal control and radar.
As of October 2018 we have working software-only Adaptive Cruise Control. Community members are working on more reliable hardware solutions.
|Distance detection technique
|Software - Use the EON's computer vision
|No additional cost
|Experimental and less precise than radar
|Hardware - Install a radar unit
|High accuracy
|Expensive ($x00)
|Speed control technique
|Software - Adjust the cruise control speed
|No additional cost
|Weak braking, jerky acceleration
|Hardware - Install electrically controllable pedals
|Full braking and smooth acceleration
|Expensive ($x00)
|Hardware - Install a comma.ai Pedal proxy
|smooth acceleration, cheap ($x0)
|Experimental, not appropriate for brakes.
Adaptive Cruise Control
ACC allows the car to match speed with cars in front of you. The EON judges distances using the camera and dynamically adjusts cruise control speed. There are plenty of downsides to this strategy. The distance estimates are inaccurate. It only operates above 18 mph. The speed changes are not very smooth. And it can't handle sudden slowdowns so YOU MUST BE READY TO MANUALLY BRAKE AT ANY MOMENT. But it works without any new radar/pedal hardware.
To repeat, YOU MUST BE READY TO MANUALLY BRAKE AT ANY MOMENT!
Follow these steps to use ACC:
- Press the cruise stalk IN so that the orange "cruise control ready" LED on the stalk is lit.
- Enable the ACC option on screen if necessary.
- Accelerate above 18 MPH.
- Enable OpenPilot using a DOUBLE stalk pull (pull the cruise control stalk BACKWARDS TWICE in quick succession.) You will see the blue 'Cruise' icon appear on your dash. ACC is now active.
- The initial max speed may be conservative. Press UP on the stalk to increase it.
- Cruise is disabled if you brake or the car slows below 18 MPH.
- If ACC "AUTO" mode is enabled, manually accelerate above 18 MPH to resume.
Controls while ACC is enabled:
|Cruise stalk IN
|Master toggle for cruise control. Must be engaged for cruise or ACC to work.
|Cruise stalk DOUBLE PULL
|Enable OP ACC and steering, and increase the max allowed ACC speed if necessary.
|On screen ACC button
|Toggle between "FOLLOW" and "AUTO" mode. FOLLOW mode attempts to match speed with cars in front of you and disengages if you steer or brake. AUTO mode does the same, but automatically re-engages when you accelerate again.
|Cruise stalk UP
|Increase cruise speed, increasing max allowed ACC speed if necessary.
|Cruise stalk DOWN
|Decrease cruise speed and max allowed ACC speed.
|Cruise stalk PUSH
|Disable OpenPilot (both steering and ACC). Max allowed ACC speed is reset to 0.
|Brake pedal
|Pause both ACC and traditional cruise.
|(When in AUTO mode) Accel over 18 MPH to unpause ACC.
Community ToDo List
- Need a writeup of creating the wiring harness for EPAS bypass
- Need a writeup of installing the wiring harness
- Need to compare comma code with ours, regarding continue.sh / launch_openpilo.sh / launch_chffr.sh so that on reboot it fetches our repo (auto update). Not all users want to ssh in to update
- Open source giraffe hardware
- Code change to OP port to auto flash panda
- Add longitudinal control (this is a much larger issue than 1 bullet point)
- Further testing of EPAS enable spamming
- Have more Teslas using OP than any other car!!! :)
|Confirmed Users with Working OP
|David Abrahams (Git:AllWashedOut)
|Shane Thomas
|Enough Users for Bounty to be claimed!
Here's what you'll need to get OpenPilot working on your pre-AP Tesla
- Panda (white $99, grey $199)
- Grey Panda includes high accuracy GPS which OpenPilot may use for more accurate steering in the future. White panda won't work starting with OP 0.6, so Grey Panda is strongly recommended.
- 10 foot mini USB cable ($7 for this example cable)
- Custom Giraffe and Wiring harness for the Model S.
- There are 2 variations based on your car manufacture date (before or after May 31, 2013). If you are unsure, check if the OBD connector in your driver footwell is the newer style with metal contacts for pins 1 and 9
- Contact @appleguru in the #tesla channel on the comma slack to arrange purchase.
- Approximately $50 in parts for the giraffe, $10 for a case, and $25 in parts for the harness. Will cost more after assembly and shipping
Total price of parts is approximately $1,000.
Instructions to set it all up
This first video walks you through the physical installation of parts from start to finish.
- Make sure your Eon is up to date This will bring you to the latest version of OpenPilot and update your EON to the latest version of NEOS. If you have problems they aren't Tesla related, check the other wiki / slack places.
- Install the wiring harness to the EPAS unit and the OBDII port in the driver footwell
- Run the wire from the EPAS, through the frunk, to the Panda in the footwell.
- Install Panda on Giraffe OBDII port (driver footwell)
- Run the 10 foot USB cable from the EON along your headliner, down the driver side A-Pillar, and down to the Panda
- Connect EON to Panda via USB cable
- Follow the instructions on this page to SSH into your EON This is also a good guide to connecting via SSH
- Install custom tesla branch of OpenPilot on your EON by doing the following:
cd /data mv openpilot openpilot.stock git clone https://github.com/jeankalud/openpilot.git cd openpilot git checkout tesla reboot
- Update your Panda while SSH'ed in and Panda connected to ODB port and EON connected to Panda via USB (perhaps) - automated soon - Do we need to do this without data on bus?
cd /data/openpilot/panda/board make
- This is what it should look like for a successful flash. If you get something very different that has an error, check the connectivity between the EON and the Panda. Unplug it all and re-seat all the connections on Panda and giraffe.
root@localhost:/data/openpilot/panda/board$ cd /data/openpilot/panda/board;make PYTHONPATH=../ python -c "from python import Panda; Panda().flash('obj/panda.bin')" opening device 41001d000651363038363036 0xddcc connected opening device 41001d000651363038363036 0xddee connected flash: version is v1.1.2-unknown-DEBUG flash: unlocking flash: erasing flash: flashing flash: resetting opening device 41001d000651363038363036 0xddcc connected root@localhost:/data/openpilot/panda/board$
- If you're having trouble with the Panda not flashing correctly, here's a few things to try:
Power cycle the Panda by unplugging it from the giraffe and reseating it again. Run these commands on the EON to try and flash the Panda: cd /data/openpilot/panda/board killall boardd make clean make
- Once Panda is successfully flashed, you need to reboot EON again (WHILE the EON is connected to panda via USB).
- Once everything is set up and working, you'll need to drive for 20-30 minutes above 45mph to complete calibration.
- Once you're done with calibration, OP can be activated by one pull of the cruise stalk toward you. This is independent of whether the Tesla cruise control is turned on or not.
First Troubleshooting steps:
- If you're getting power steering errors after flashing panda, make sure you reboot EON while it's connected to Panda via USB
- Try a different USB cable (a shorter one, or one with EMI filter)
- Make sure you're using the correct tesla repo
- run make in /data/openpilot/panda/board
- make sure CAN-H and CAN-L are not reversed.
- make sure there is a 120 ohms resistor across CAN-H and CAN-L going to the EPAS (power steering)
- if using a custom harness ensure these:
- car CAN on panda port 1 (first port)
- EPAS CAN on last on port 3 (last one)
- If everything looks correct (right code, right wiring, right everything), you can always try: Shutdown car ("Power Off" in car settings), wait a few sec and try again.
- If you've broken your source control (wrong git command, etc) you can always backup/check out from scratch:
cd /data mv openpilot openpilot.bak git clone https://github.com/jeankalud/openpilot cd openpilot git checkout tesla cd panda/board make clean sleep 5 # (Skip this if running commands individually.) make recover make reboot
- If you are getting a message about having to recalibrate or re-position the EON, do this:
rm /data/params/d/CalibrationParams reboot
How to change to the development branch of the Tesla OP port
Here's the commands to run on your EON to switch to the tesla_devel branch of the code
cd /data/openpilot git fetch git checkout tesla_devel cd /data/openpilot/panda/board make reboot
How to transfer files to your EON
Sometimes while testing or debugging issues you may want to manually transfer files to your EON. One easy way to do this is to use the popular FTP client Filezilla.
- Enable SSH. Click on "Settings" in OpenPilot and make sure the "Enable SSH" option is turned on.
- Next find the ip address of your EON. Under Settings > Wifi settings > Advanced (click on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner) scroll all the way to the bottom to find IP. (Make sure your EON is on the same wifi as your computer)
- Create a file called openpilot.ppk and save the text at the bottom of this section in it.
- In Filezilla, go to your Site Manager and create a new entry for your EON and enter the IP address you found in the Host field. The port is 8022. The protocol should be SFTP. Logon Type will be "Key File". User is "root". Key file is the file you just created. Then hit connect.
If you're having issues connecting, check to make sure you can ping your device on the IP you found. If ping doesn't work, then SSH won't either. You can try turning wifi off and then on again if you can't connect.
All the settings listed above can be used to connect via PuTTY as well for command line access. You specify the keyfile in the settings under Connection -> SSH -> Auth -> Private key for authentication
PuTTY-User-Key-File-2: ssh-rsa Encryption: none Comment: imported-openssh-key Public-Lines: 6 AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQC+iXXq30Tq+J5NKat3KWHCzcmwZ55nGh6W ggAqECa5CasBlM9VeROpVu3beA+5h0MibRgbD4DMtVXBt6gEvZ8nd04E7eLA9LTZ yFDZ7SkSOVj4oXOQsT0GnJmKrASW5KslTWqVzTfo2XCtZ+004ikLxmyFeBO8NOcE rW1pa8gFdQDToH9FrA7kgysic/XVESTOoe7XlzRoe/eZacEQ+jtnmFd21A4aEADk k00Ahjr0uKaJiLUAPatxs2icIXWpgYtfqqtaKF23wSt61OTu6cAwXbOWr3m+IUSR UO0IRzEIQS3z1jfd1svgzSgSSwZ1Lhj4AoKxIEAIc8qJrO4uymCJ Private-Lines: 14 AAABAQCEhXr8RxnaC92ecZMOqDuUkCjthsRHlYUczYJrvxwPqsfDq8qg+jtQlmON N+5H7eolsZcIizncJ2tj9ubnlTNy8anUB9ikuA5pQsfpKuhcAoL9Ot30DzIQvS6V opr2kEjxAu1VD40JaOLT2OrE02AVDodANYoUZv8e47irkAlosQqvAvw1ZwdV+Jho /lt5yXOU8FSbYCW24ga6uj1q4bwf96ppMR0S+3VNkgW9ojURdSy2N9HScf3A+91A yjR65a7I5N1CXNvTKePzJWnSr1JEajcJWMUrgLSVdJ2d/ohZC7N2nUkx3SaQpUHq +OUedaxQ5VbA89mQaW/4UTUaBg7hAAAAgQDoDUSLEurtBg6HdxteHKHdbiSlW8D8 U98ofU4zLc404P9j05r4z/C2FbXBKhEvaf664hbk4CFMi8gSK+PpsBmxNPe3Cu86 u9i72vH1qWfinwGHK92N5biRLtPwU/miXoug63axM/dPUs64k865C86OUo8ogyHd zdEU1ZOcbMw9rQAAAIEA0jNiPLxP3A2nrX0keKDI+VHuvOY88gdh0W5BuLMLovOI Dk9aQFIbBbMuW1OTjHKv9NK+Lrw+YbCFqOGf1dU/UN5gSyE8lX/QFsUGUqUZx574 nJZnOIcy3ONOnQLcvHAQToLFAGUd7PWgP3CtHkt9hEv2koUwL4voikTP1u9Gkc0A AACAPLxtzP7rcHi76uESO5e1O2/otgWo3ytjpszYv8boH3i42OpNrX0Bkbr+qaU4 3obY4trr4A1pIIyVID32aYq9yEbFTFIhYJaFhhxEzstEL3OQMLakyRS0w9Vs2trg YpUlSBLIOmPNxonJIfnozphLGOnKNe0RWgGR8BnwhRYzu+k= Private-MAC: 2af7f5a599fa35e22392b7770a2eb7a0be8718b7
Editing your Bash Profile
In order to edit the .bash_profile on the EON, first you have to move your the home directory by typing
Then, you have to mount the file system in Read/Write mode by typing
mount -o rw,remount /system
At this point you can edit your .bash_profile file by typing
vi .bash_profile
First, locate the PYTHONPATH line and delete it. Then, at the end of your file, paste the following code
# add these symlinks if you want export PYTHONPATH="/data/openpilot" export GIT_SSH_COMMAND="ssh -i /data/gitkey" cd /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla
alias cdo='cd /data/openpilot' alias cdt='cd /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla' alias cdp='cd /data/openpilot/panda/board' alias sop='grep -rni --include=\*.{py,h,c} /data/openpilot/ -e ' alias mrw='mount -o rw,remount /system' alias dbp='python /data/openpilot/panda/tests/debug_console.py | grep -v "can_push failed"' alias vic='vi /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/carcontroller.py' alias vii='vi /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/interface.py' alias vit='vi /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/teslacan.py' alias vis='vi /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/carstate.py' alias viu='vi /data/openpilot/selfdrive/ui/ui.c' alias lop='cd /data/openpilot;./launch_openpilot.sh' alias gp='git commit; git push' alias sp='/data/data/com.termux/files/continue.sh'
Save the profile and you're done! If you contribute code, you might also at this point want to configure your git to save your username and password. To do that you just to a push when you still have the file system in RW mode ( or you can use the *mrw* command later to make it RW)
$ git config credential.helper store $ git push https://github.com/repo.git Username: <type your username> Password: <type your password>
$ git push https://github.com/repo.git [your credentials are used automatically]
Keep in mind the credentials are stored in
in plain text. They are in the format
where *firstname.lastname@example.com* is your username and *pass* is your password. So you can also just edit that file and modify as needed. Just replace *@* with *%40* in your email address. Now, about those shortcuts above:
mrw - make read / write - makes the file system writeable sop - search OpenPilot - searches the whole OP structure for the keyword that follows - example: sop user_brake sp - starts OpenPilot after you killed it with tmux -a dbp - debug panda - launches the debugger for panda gp - git commit and push - if you saved your credentials this makes commit and push so easy; just add your comment and you're done cdt - change directory to /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla folder; this is also the folder when you will now start every time you ssh into your EON cdo - change directory to /data/openpilot cdp - change directory to /data/openpilot/panda/board vic - starts vi for /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/carcontroller.py from any folder vii - starts vi for /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/interface.py from any folder vis - starts vi for /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/carstate.py from any folder vit - starts vi for /data/openpilot/selfdrive/car/tesla/teslacan.py from any folder```
Script to auto delete files to keep EON from filling up
This script comes courtesy of @Sid
Save the following script and run it on your EON. It will install into a cron job a script that checks every hour to see if you're almost full and delete the oldest files if necessary.
Aligning your EON
What you need
- Measuring tape
- Masking tape
- A friend to help
- Find a place at the bottom of the windshiled along the driver side pilar that has a similar position on the passenger side (I used the place where the corner of the front hood meets the fender).
- With the tape starting from that point, mark 3 places along the side of the windshiled. Use the endge of the masking tape to mark them. I personally used 3" from the bottom, the top of the windshield and then about 1/3 from the bottom, 2/3 from the top. It does not matter what the measuring tape says, as long as it says the SAME distance on both sides.
- Repeat the process on the other side of the windshiled, ensuring you mark the same spots.
- measure the distance between one edge of the windshield and the other end, keeping the tape at each pair of marked points from before. use masking tape to mark the middle of the windshield. again, use the EDGE of the tape, not the center.
- Now use a long piece of masking tape to mark the center of the windshield from top to bottom. This (if you did everything correctly) will cover all 3 of your markers from before and provide a straight line. One edge of the masking tape is now the perfect middle of the windshild. Your mount will have to be aligned with that for a perfect position.
- Take a small piece of tape and mark the middle of the GoPro mount. use a slighly longer piece that the go-pro (maybe 1/4-1/2" more on each side) and ensure it is straight and down the middle of the GoPro. If, when looking from inside of the car, your take is to the RIGHT of the center, then put the tape on the LEFT side of the GoPro. Reverse if the other way.
- Using your EON without the mounting braket, determine the location along the center of the windshield where you want it placed.make sure the grove on the support is alongside the center of the windshield. use a small piece of maksing tape to mark the upper part of the position where you want your EON to be.
- Remove the RED protective tape from the back of the 3M adhesive and be ready to place the GoPro on the windshiled. Align the masking tape we placed on the GoPro mount on the inside with the masking tape we have on the outside of the windshield. They shoud not overlap at all AND you should not see light either. when you are confident on the position press hard on the mount.
- Remove all masking tape. You are done. You now have a perfectly centerd, perfectly vertical EON.
Placeholder for pedal instructions
Best way to flash it is to connect pedal straight to EON, go to panda/board/pedal and just type
make recover
Most of the action is happening in the #tesla channel on the comma slack: https://comma.slack.com
Current Tesla branch URL: https://github.com/jeankalud/openpilot/
Some background info on the tesla port: http://openpilot.robertcotran.com/
Last known safe Tesla software update version: 2018.26
- ABS/iBooster/ESP2
- AntiLock Braking System, iBooster - a component that allows brakes to applied via electronic control, Electronic Stability Program. These are parts of the automatic braking system that are found on AP1 and later cars. Using EON to control brakes is not feasibly possible on pre-AP Teslas. There has been some talk of upgrading AP0 Teslas to have this hardware, but this is a major undertaking and requires root access.
- Tesla AutoPilot. AP0 or pre-AP means no AutoPilot. AP1 is the version 1 using Mobileye technology. AP2 ditched the Mobileye components and is all Tesla parts and software. AP2.5 is upgraded AP2 hardware.
- cabana
- Comma's system for playing back and showing the recorded data from uploaded drives.
- CAN,CAN-bus
- Controller Area Network This is a network system inside cars that allow messages to be sent to different auto components. With the Giraffe/Panda/EON setup described above, the Panda's CAN bus 0 is for chassis messages and CAN bus 2 is for the isolated EPAS. The Panda proxies messages between the two (except for the EPAS kill message which is blocked.)
- Chassis Can
- Steering and braking controls are found on this CAN-bus, so this is the main one that OP uses.
- Driver assistance system - the AP1 camera/computer module located behind the windshield on AP1 hardware cars
- DataBase Container These are files that contain the definitions of the messages cars send on the CAN-bus.
- Diag, Diag port
- Diagnostic port that can be found under the MCU (screen) in a Tesla. Chassis-CAN is able to be accessed from this port.
- Double Pole Double Throw. It's a type of switch that some use in their wiring harness.
- Main hardware component that Comma sells. It's the brains that runs OpenPilot.
- Electronic Power (Assisted) Steering. This component allows OP to move the steering wheel.
- flash
- Process of installing software on embedded hardware.
- Giraffe
- Piece of hardware that allows the Panda to interface with the OBD port in the car.
- Instrument Cluster. The screen behind the steering wheel that has the speedometer on a Tesla.
- Lane Keeping Assist System. System built into cars to automatically steer to keep the car in the current lane.
- Media Control Unit - The big screen in a Tesla.
- Mid Range Radar. Modern cars use radar units to see objects around the car. Pre-AP Teslas don't have any radar units.
- Model S, Model X, Model 3. The current Tesla lineup.
- The predecessor to the EON. A customized OnePlus3 phone with a custom hardware board attached that also can run OpenPilot.
- The operating system softare that runs on the EON.
- OBD, OBDii, OBDII, OBD2
- OnBoard Diagnostics This is a port in the driver footwell that would normally provide emissions diagnostics on most cars, but is useless for that on Teslas. For Teslas built after May 31, 2013, Chassis CAN-bus is able to be accessed from this port.
- OpenPilot
- Panda
- Piece of Comma hardware that plugs into the OBD port to access the Chassis CAN-bus to send steering and braking messages from OpenPilot running on the EON.
- Printed Circuit Board
- Powertrain Control Module. This component basically tells the car how much power to put out to make the car go.
- PR, pull request, merge
- Pull requests or merge refers to a request to integrate code written by others to be "pulled" into the OpenPilot software maintained by Comma.
- Repo, git repo
- Repository where software is stored. The code for the Tesla version of OpenPilot currently sits in a different repo than the main OpenPilot code.
- root, root access
- Process of gaining access into the Tesla sofware system at a root level that allows access internal diagnostic not normally available and also allows for changes to be made to the Tesla software.
- Steering Column Control Module - This component is part of the steering column and controls all the messages sent from the buttons on the steering wheel as well as the cruise control stalk.
- State Of Charge. The percent of power left in your car's battery pack.
- Secure SHell - a method of connecting to your EON in order to be able to make changes to it and issue commands for it to run.


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adjective; satisfied, contented, happy, pleased.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Game #73: Rox at Jays pregame
Colorado (38-35) at Toronto (35-37)
at 1:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre
Today's lineups:
Willy Taverez, CF
Kaz Matsui, 2B
Matt Holliday, LF
Todd Helton, DH
Garrett Atkins, 3B
Brad Hawpe, RF
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Jeff Baker, 1B
Yorvit Torrealba, C
PITCHING: RHP Aaron Cook
Vernon Wells, CF
Alex Rios, RF
Matt Stairs, 1B
Troy Glaus, 3B
Frank Thomas, DH
Aaron Hill, 2B
Adam Lind, LF
Jason Phillips, C
John McDonald, SS
PITCHING: RHP Ty Taubenheim
5 Comments
Nice team effort, 8/9 starters had a hit… wild guess who was hitless
Well, I was concerned about this series, th Rockies are one tough team who just swept the Yanks. Nice to see Thomas starting to get hot. He can carry a team and it does get contagious.
And what more can you say about Matt Stairs-what a signing that has turned out to be.
Now if Wells gets hot, we could be on a roll.
Wells had a sac fly scored a run had a walk played great defence.I think he did his job today. But i hope he starts to hit.Matt Stairs Made in CANADA.Thomas mabeyyyyy.
Much as I have always liked Matt Stairs, I had to wonder when the Jays signed him, if he could really help us. How wrong I was!
If you'd like to track our new Blue Jays drafted this year, you can go to the following site for the gulf coast team-until the Blue Jays convince MLB to fix their minor league web site and list the team there instead of Pulaski:
This at least gives you box scores so you can get a feeling of how our draftees are doing. Of particular interest on this team is Ahrens (number 1 draft choice) and Fuenmayor-a top hitting 3rd baseman prospsect signed out of Venezuela last year.
Fuenmayor is currently hitting .429 and Ahrens .333.
The other rookie development team is in Auburn, where the Auburn Doubledays have won the league championship-I believe 6 years in a row. You can review our draftees playing on this team at:
Sooner or later the Pulaski team will be taken off of this site and the gulf coast team installed.
Of particular interest on this teak is our 2nd draft choice, catcher Arencibia who is off to a slower start batting .200.


text:
More than just the "other" Chaplin
Welcome to sydchaplin.com. I'm very happy to be launching this page, because it is long overdue and Syd himself would have wondered what took folks so long to realize he needed his own webpage!! And, if there was a way to make money off of the page, he would have figured that one out, too.
As Syd's biographer, I am especially pleased to be put Syd Chaplin on the web. In addition to the usual facets of such pages, I intend to keep everyone posted on my book's progress (see Syd's blog) and any Syd-related activities. Your job, as viewers and visitors to my page, is to keep me posted if you yourself find anything of interest that perhaps I might want to post here. We'll look at it as a sort of collaborative project that way.
My impressions of Syd so far, as I read through his correspondence are that he was an exacting person, often difficult to deal with, critical of others and their shortcomings, but also incredibly loyal—especially to family. Syd was both highly critical of his more famous brother Charlie and also deeply fearful of being abandoned by him. He was bitingly funny, well-read, and more than a little cosmopolitan. And so, like his brother, Syd was a bit hard to pinpoint—difficult to package. I hope you'll revisit from time to time and see what else we can find out.
Also check out "American Slapstick," a"American Slapstick" collection which includes Syd's 1917 film "Submarine Pirate."
Or, check out free Syd on youtube.com:
YouTube - Syd Chaplin - Gussle the Golfer (1914)
YouTube - Syd Chaplin - Gussle's Day of Rest (1915)
YouTube - Charlie and Sydney Chaplin This is a brief clip from the Mutual outtakes, showing Syd instructing John Rand in regards to a particular comic spin.


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Just call it the Google influence. Or the Apple affect if you prefer.
The nation's largest wireless providers are being forced to adapt to devices that can seemingly do everything but need all the data in the world to do it.
After both AT&T and Verizon dealt with data hogs but cutting off unlimited data plans, Verizon announced that it is dropping almost all of its phone plans and replacing them with a new plan that allows users to share data with up to 10 devices.
AT&T is reportedly examining a similar set up.
Verizon's "Share Everything" plan would start at $90 per month for unlimited phone calls and texting and up to 1 gigabyte of data that could be shared amongst devices.
Both AT&T and Verizon currently charge an extra fee for users to tether multiple devices to one connection.
Verizon's new policy will start June 28.
Verizon to Tether Data Plans Together
Just call it the Google influence. Or the Apple affect if you prefer.


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VIDEO DOWNLOAD - 5 Dollar Wrestling LIVE III
In front of the largest crowd ever to see 5 Dollar Wrestling, Colt Cabana and
Marty DeRosa host 5 Dollar LIVE 3. (I know 300 people doesn't sound like much
but, it's a big deal for us) This standing room only crowd experienced quite a
treat when the 5 Dollar Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, Freight Train made his
presence known in the Miami, FL. Also, 5 Dollar Wrestling always pulls out all
the stops when comes to guest commentators with the likes New Jack, Jim
Smallman and El Generico. (Unfortunately we didn't have the money to pay for a
translator for El Generico but hey its only 5 Dollar LIVE.) Watch and enjoy the
cheapest ticket in town Mania weekend.
- SD Jones vs. Jack Hammer
- Chris Anderson vs. Rowdy James
- Goldust vs., Derek Domino (Special Guest Commentator, New Jack)
- Major Glory vs. Jason Rage
- Lex Luger vs. Tracy Smothers (Special Guest Commentator, Jim Smallman)
- Pretty Boy Custard vs. Randy Flair
- Jim Neidhart & Mark The Cannon vs. Matt Storm & Primo Canero III
(Special Guest Commentator, El Generico)
- Dick Foley w/ Little Dick vs. The Overtaker
Bonus Match
- Matt Classic vs. "Man Scout" Jake Manning w/ 5 Dollar Wrestling Champion,
Freight Train - PWS Legends Show - Miami, FL - 3/31/12
Apporx. Running Time: 90 mins
Average Customer Review: Not yet rated
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others.


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Each Oakland Heights classroom is equipped with a SMART Board (interactive white board) and a document camera. Students also have the opportunity to use both Chrome Books and iPads in third and fourth grades. Kindergarten through second grades have to opportunity to use iPads in the classroom. Our science specialist and media specialist incorporate the use of iPads in their programs.
The computer lab houses a classroom set of desktop computers. Students in kindergarten and first grade attend the lab weekly for 30 minutes to learn beginning computer operating skills. Second, third, and fourth grades go to computer lab twice weekly to learn keyboarding skills through the Typing Club Program and to develop proficiency using multiple Google applications (docs, slides, sheets).


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TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey health club tax that went into effect on Oct. 1 is facing opposition from a nonprofit group and revisions by state legislators.
The law requires for-profit health clubs and tax-exempt organizations to collect and remit a 7 percent sales tax on initiation and membership fees. The sales tax, which is part of a multi-faceted approach to solving New Jersey's budget problems, does not apply to guest fees or to clubs with the majority of their members under the age of 18. In New Jersey, the YMCAs have 475,000 members, and 253,000 are under the age of 18. As of press time, William Lovett, CEO of the Metuchen-Edison-Woodbridge YMCA, was still waiting to get definitive regulations from the New Jersey Treasury Department as to how the 18-and-under count would be conducted and applied to a YMCA.
"YMCAs should be excluded because health and wellness is a critical part of our exempt service to so many New Jersey communities," Lovett says. "YMCAs serve thousands of non-member children through a wide variety of programs and services."
In early November, the New Jersey YMCA Alliance, which represents 44 YMCA branches, filed a lawsuit seeking an immediate injunction prohibiting the New Jersey State Division of Taxation from assessing the sales tax on YMCA membership fees. The organization had not yet received a ruling on the lawsuit, but Lovett says the situation will be "corrected" either through judicial intervention or legislative action.
State legislators have proposed legislation excluding tax-exempt organizations from being subject to the tax, but some for-profit club owners say the legislation and lawsuit aren't needed because non-profits should be subject to the same provisions as for-profit clubs.
"Proposing new legislation excluding tax-exempt organizations such as JCCs and YMCAs from being subject to the tax creates an unfair advantage as we compete for the same dollar," says Bob Bonham, owner of Strong and Shapely Gym in East Rutherford, NJ. "It's bad enough that they don't pay other taxes also."


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Song: Every Night At Seven
Artist: Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner as perf. Jessie Mueller
- PDF sheet music file
- MP3 audio file
- MusicXML file
If you see a legal disclaimer on the first page of the sheet music, that means this song has been transcribed for someone other than the person or company that owns the copyright. In that case, you can use the sheet music for your own private enjoyment but you cannot use it for public performance or any other way that would be a violation of copyright law.


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About the Migration Information Source
About the Migration Information Source
The Migration Information Source provides fresh thought, authoritative data, and global analysis of international migration and refugee trends. A unique online resource, the Source offers useful tools, vital data, and essential facts on the movement of people worldwide.
Working with a team of international correspondents, the Source chronicles global migration movements, provides perspectives on current migration debates, and offers the tools and data from numerous global organizations and governments needed to understand migration. The Source does this in a way that is accessible to researchers, policymakers, journalists, and general publics interested in migration.
The migration scholars who contribute to the Source include some of the most respected and prominent voices in the migration and refugee fields. The Source also relies on the goodwill of several global organizations and governments who make their data and research publicly available.
The Migration Information Source is a project of the Migration Policy Institute.
To sign up for the free Source e-Newsletter, click here.
If you would like to advertise in the Source e-Newsletter, please click here for more information or contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Thank you for your interest in submitting material to the Migration Information Source. We will consider publishing unsolicited manuscripts, and welcome proposals for articles. Before proceeding further, however, please read our complete Submissions Guidelines.
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I am the 70s child of a health nut. I wasn't vaccinated. I was brought up on an incredibly healthy diet: no sugar til I was one, breastfed for over a year, organic homegrown vegetables, raw milk, no MSG, no additives, no aspartame. My mother used homeopathy, aromatherapy, osteopathy, we took daily supplements of vitamin C, echinacea, cod liver oil. I had an outdoor lifestyle; I grew up next to a farm, walked everywhere, did sports and danced twice a week, drank plenty of water. I wasn't even allowed pop; even my fresh juice was watered down to protect my teeth, and I would've killed for white, shop-bought bread in my lunch box once in a while and biscuits instead of fruit like all the other kids. We only ate (organic local) meat maybe once or twice a week and my mother and father cooked everything from scratch – I have yet to taste a Findus crispy pancake and oven chips were reserved for those nights when mum and dad had friends over and we got a "treat."
As healthy as my lifestyle seemed, I contracted measles, mumps, rubella, a type of viral meningitis, scarlatina, whooping cough, yearly tonsillitis, and chickenpox, some of which are vaccine preventable. In my twenties I got precancerous HPV and spent 6 months of my life wondering how I was going to tell my two children under the age of 7 that mummy might have cancer before it was safely removed.
So having the "natural immunity sterilised out of us" just doesn't cut it for me. How could I, with my idyllic childhood and my amazing health food, get so freaking ill all the time? My mother was the biggest health freak around–she would put most of my current "crunchy" friends to shame. She didn't drink, she didn't smoke, she didn't do drugs and we certainly weren't allowed to watch whatever we wanted on telly or wear plastic shoes or any of that stuff. She LIVED alternative health. And you know what? I'm glad she gave us the great diet that we had, I'm glad that she cared about us in that way.
But it just didn't stop me getting childhood illnesses.
My two vaccinated children, on the other hand, have rarely been ill, have had antibiotics maybe twice in their lives, if that (not like me who got so many illnesses which needed treatment with antibiotics that I developed a resistance to them, which led me to be hospitalized with penicillin-resistant quinsy at 21–you know that old fashioned disease that killed Queen Elizabeth I and which was almost wiped out through use of antibiotics).
From this website
Herd immunity, guys, it's a good thing. Though of course, I am preaching to the choir. But I don't mind that.


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As far as Konerko is concerned, money is not the sole factor in this next phase of his career.
"It's about the game," Konerko said. "It's not so much about the contract or the years or the money. It could be that I get more here and don't come back. You know, I got a family to think about. I got, you know, how do I fit in on a team?
"There's a lot of things that go into it. It's not about I've made a lot of money in this game, and it's not all about that. At the same time, when it gets to those situations, it's always been that the player has to take the discount, never the team going above to get him back. You see it from all angles.
"Just to say I'll take a discount, I would never say anything like that. And I'm telling you it could be a better deal than anyone else's and I decide to go somewhere else because of what I'm feeling for myself and everybody involved in that moment. That's the honest truth."
Merkin also says that:
That last free-agent agreement for Konerko worked out to $60 million over five years. He certainly held up his end of the bargain and then some during that time, serving as the pragmatic conscience of manager Ozzie Guillen both on the field and in the clubhouse.
Here's Fangraphs' value section of Konerko's entry. His performance over the last 5 years is valued at $57.7 million.
UPDATE: Brett Ballantini says Konerko's comments were "not entirely encouraging for White Sox fans."
UPDATE #2: Video here (11:03) (direct link).


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100 Rads Bar, where any STALKER can join in on the conversation and post his or her stories about the venture into the zone! STALKER content only!
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Sandoval ends impressive errorless streak
WASHINGTON -- Giants manager Bruce Bochy suggested that tightness in Pablo Sandoval's right forearm could have accounted for his overthrowing first base Saturday, which ended the third baseman's 73-game errorless streak.
Bochy nevertheless praised Sandoval, who has established himself as a legitimate Gold Glove candidate.
"That was a really impressive run," Bochy said of Sandoval's streak.
Sandoval would have had to remain error-free until late September to make a truly serious bid for the all-time record. John Wehner and Jeff Cirillo share the big league mark of 99 consecutive errorless games at third base. Sandoval didn't even break the Giants' record. That belongs to Jim Davenport, who played 97 consecutive errorless games at third base from July 26, 1966, to April 28, 1968.


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Private Service North Guanacaste to Puntarenas - Transfer
Ab USD 190,00 $
- Dauer: 5 Stunden (ca.)
- Produkt-Code: PTJM8K
Private Service from North Guanacaste to Puntarenas.Door to Door, Hotel to Hotel Transportation
Also the driver will take you to the supermarket, restaurant, stop for pictures, or anything else you may need.
Rates Includes All Taxes and Mandatory Fees. From 1 up to 6 passengers.
Departure: Any time of your election.
We pick up directly from North Guanacaste region includes: Playas del Coco, Ocotal Beach, Playa Hermosa, Papagayo.
Drop off directly to Puntarenas.
This Transfer includes, ground transportation in a late model air-conditioned vans.


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SEEDS program aims to help educate Hays juveniles in detention
Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
July 12, 2012
The Hays County Juvenile Detention Center in San Marcos will implement the Sowing Education and Empowerment in Daily Speech (SEEDS) education program for a second year, beginning July 9 and continuing for the remainder of the summer.
The SEEDS program is part of the broad outreach from the Center for P-16 Initiatives at Texas State University-San Marcos, which aims to engage communities throughout Central Texas in order to close the academic achievement gaps. The Center's mission is to see all of Central Texas' students be prepared for some type of post-secondary education, and the SEEDS program serves that mission by reaching some of the region's students who are most in need.
The SEEDS program is a linguistics-based curriculum focused on enriching the communication skills of young Central Texans, and in this case, those housed at the detention center.
"The kids detained at HCJDC are not bad people," said Isaac Torres, of the Center for P-16 Initiatives. "Most of them have been dealt awful hands in life and have made some mistakes. We want to give them some basic tools to forge a new path toward a future filled with hope and potential."
Brett Littlejohn, administrator of the juvenile detention center, welcomed SEEDS back for the second year to help supplement summer programming.
"You never know what's going to spark in somebody," Littlejohn said. "We're trying to find something they can latch onto."
The program began at the HCJDC in June of 2011, and to date has served more than 50 students. SEEDS aims to train the young detainees on the basic systems of human language, and how to purposefully and clearly speak and write.
"These young people have a difficult time expressing their thoughts and feelings in speech and in writing, and often rely on impulsive actions to do so," said Torres. "With a sound understanding of the functional power of language, they can realize a purpose and potential in their lives that might otherwise be missing."
For any information contact Isaac Torres at email@example.com.


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China's Answer to Craigslist: 58.com
This is not your roommate's Craigslist.
On Thursday, Chinese e-commerce site, 58.com Inc., will list on the New York Stock Exchange to raise up to $150 million in American depositary receipts. The site, commonly known as the Craigslist of China, has grown popular in the mainland since its creation in 2005 as a one-stop site for listings of rentals, job offers, second-hand goods, and classifieds. The company has an average of 129.7 million monthly unique visitors to its website and posted a net profit of $300,000 on revenue of $58.8 million in the first half of 2013, according to its prospectus filed with Securities and Exchange Commission.
Though it has drawn comparisons to Craigslist, 58.com's similarity to the U.S. site ends at the listings. Unlike in the U.S. and other Western countries where Craigslist operates, many small and medium enterprises in China's smaller cities don't yet widely use the Internet for business. As a result, 58.com runs offices in 26 different Chinese cities, making use of a local presence to train vendors in local environs on how to use its site. The company then sells the vendors memberships or other marketing packages, which give listings a special priority at the top of different sections of the site.
For growth, the company is counting on increasing numbers of China's myriad small business owners to use the Internet more, and in turn 58.com, to sell goods, hire staff and maybe even look for a date.
Though it has had success, the company faces potential competition from larger players that specialize in parts of its business. Potential competitors include Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which runs a marketplace that sells a vast array of goods including second-hand ones, or 51job Inc., which runs job ads for companies across China.
Though by no means one of China's largest Internet firms, the company's IPO has raised attention among investors and Chinese tech players alike, as a strong performance could open the way for a number of other Chinese Internet firms to list soon.
-- Paul Mozur. Follow him on Twitter @paulmozur
Like China Real Time on Facebook and follow us Twitter for the latest updates.


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America's Palio
In Siena, Italy, there is a horse race each August called the Palio, run for the past four centuries on the Feast of the Assumption. The horses are brought into the churches before the race, where they are blessed, and then they are led on an elaborate procession. In the Palio, a horse can win without a rider. In fact, to the Sienese, the most beautiful Palio is one in which a riderless horse crosses the finish line first.
In Lexington, Kentucky, Keeneland racetrack has become the modern torchbearer of this tradition of equine appreciation. If all the racetracks in the world disappeared, if the running of horses ceased, all would not be lost if Keeneland was preserved. Like any journey to a shrine, a visit there is preceded by anticipation, a quickening of the pulse and a lightening of the spirit. Although major league sports, a changed tax code and new avenues for legal gambling have taken their toll on the horse industry in recent years, there is little danger that the racing industry will die, and one abiding reason is that Keeneland exists.
To begin with, racing is a special sport. Where else can you see people so involved in a sport in which they've never participated? Most adults have played softball, shot a few hoops or tossed a football around. But only a fortunate few have ever been astride a beast more valuable than the most expensive cars.
Racing's uniqueness, what makes it special, is even more pronounced when it occurs at the center of its being, the way a pilgrim's prayers are intensified when he reaches his personal Jerusalem. In the United States, Lexington is that shrine for the equine soul. The famous horse-breeding farms are here. The country's top studs are here, among them Alysheba, Nureyev, Seattle Slew and Mr. Prospector, generating the next crop of top sires and stakes winners.
But there's more than just horses at Keeneland. It is one of racing's most beautiful settings. Driving through the iron gates, you enter a garden landscape. The stone buildings are covered with ivy. The lawns are as green as green can be. The lanes are shaded by massive oaks and maples. Lexingtonians, who are justifiably proprietary in their attitude toward the park, can be seen taking their early morning run, walking their dogs through Keeneland or having picnics in the shade of its trees--the park is always open.
Keeneland, from the outset, has been dedicated to showcasing the horse and the beauty and pageantry of racing. It was founded in the 1930s by a group of central Kentucky horse breeders to be "a track that would cultivate an endearing appreciation and respect for the noble sport of horse racing." It was never intended to be a money-making proposition. As a nondividend-paying corporation, all profits are put back into Keeneland for improvements, purses and its considerable charitable and research donations for a broad range of causes.
One very clear sign of its orientation is that Keeneland has one of the shorter racing seasons in the country. The split seasons--in April and October--are designed to enhance the color of the occasion by keying into the spring and fall foliage. In the spring, the park is in bloom with flowering crabapple trees, pear trees and dogwoods. In the fall, the oaks and maples put on a show of color.
Anyone who has seen the spectacle of the Kentucky Derby, 70 miles to the west in Louisville, and believes it to be a representative slice of horse racing, cannot imagine what lays in store at Keeneland. It is not a mass outing; the feeling is intimate. For example, this year's Bluegrass Stakes, an important precursor to the Derby and the most important race of the spring meet at Keeneland, was attended by 25,000 racing fans; this year's Derby, in contrast, hosted about 144,000. Keeneland is also the only track in the United States that has been visited by the Queen of England, who has a race named in her honor.
The feeling of intimacy is accented because all of the action takes place right in front of the spectators. The horses are saddled under the trees behind the stands, affording the spectators a close-up of their favorite horse or a glimpse of who's looking like a winner that day. The animals are close enough to touch, and as the steeds walk onto the track, the crowd must part for them to pass. Most tracks have a double rail around them, putting the action farther from the crowd, but Keeneland's single rail allows one to be right at the finish line.
The aura of tradition goes even further at Keeneland. Track officials are justifiably proud that they have no announcer. There are now video screens, which allow viewers to see the back stretch, but in keeping with its traditions, Keeneland doesn't sully its atmosphere with the drone that accompanies races at other tracks.
Apart from the Bluegrass Stakes race, the next important concourse of the season is the Ashland Stakes, the second biggest race of the spring meet. During a visit to the track on Saturday, April 22, the weather was looking changeable enough to warrant a seat in the grandstand if a spring storm should happen by. Normally, for the day of a big race, it is essential to book a table in advance at either of the dining rooms. Thanks to good fortune, there was a cancellation at the Equestrian Room, a casual, á la carte dining room where you can place bets without leaving your table; there are roving mutuel clerks who will take your wagers. From the tables, it is a quick step outside to take a place at the finish line. (The second restaurant, the Phoenix Room, requires a jacket and tie for men.)
Keeneland is no exception to the basic rule of the track: The only thing that approaches the joy of watching a horse round the turn is betting on which horse will finish in the money. Of course, handicapping efforts usually leave little to show. But here, even more so than other tracks, betting is a kind of "involvement fee," a spot of money that most gladly pay to be part of the action. Study the Daily Racing Form and the race program. Eavesdrop around the track: "I like number six since she's started using blinkers"; "There's no way he can win on a muddy track"; "Oh, no, he's started using the whip, he's in trouble." It's tempting to think that these people know what they're talking about, but winning consistently at the track is extremely difficult. There are too many variables, too many players, too much chance. But who cares? Betting adds to the day's pleasure.
Before each race, examine the horses. Judging by looks is hard, but there's always that certain something in the horse's eye, conformation or gait. Or maybe you will get a feeling that will impart that quintessential bit of knowledge which will magically create a master handicapper. You often hear someone saying, "Oh, you could just tell by the way he was walking, by the expression in his face, that today was his day, that there wasn't a horse that could beat him." Of course this is generally told with the benefit of hindsight; it's easy to be smug with winnings in your pocket.
The novice handicapper quickly discovers that judging a horse's potential isn't something that's learned in a day, or even from occasional trips. Favorites have won a large percentage of the races this year at Keeneland, but it's hard to make money betting on favorites. On the other hand, a favorite hasn't won the Derby since 1979; nothing is as fun (or as profitable) as picking a long shot, although the chances are, well, long.
"Better lucky than smart," goes the saying, and that April Saturday was a day for luck. In the seventh race, a long shot, Wolf Prince (ridden by jockey Julie Krone), which I had tossed into a three-way perfecta box for no reason other than that the horse looked good, won what was a close race, and the losses for the weekend were covered. (A perfecta is a bet where the bettor picks the winning and placing horses, in order. In a perfecta box, the bettor covers all the combinations of 1st and 2nd place finishes for three horses. For example, a $1 perfecta box costs $6, covering all possibilities for the three horses; a four-horse box costs $12, etc.)
Perfect weather capped off that Saturday's main event, the Ashland Stakes, a race for three-year-old fillies. There were 91 nominations for this year's race, and six horses ran, including Minister Wife, who had already won over $300,000 in her lifetime. The favorite this year, Urbane, easily won the race. While the race added no money to this writer's pocket, the track was put behind me with money in my pocket, food in my belly and sun in my face. All in all, a perfect day at the track.
The thrills of Saturday led to a decision to arrive at the track early on Sunday to wander around a little, talk to people and look at the horses. I visited some of the horses that I had bet on the day before, thanking some of them, extending my heartfelt regrets to the others. One of the horses was with its trainer. He was explaining her history to a family.
In the press room, one wall contains photographs of Eclipse award winners: Keeneland regulars, reporters and photographers who have won the horse racing industry's awards for everything from Horse of the Year to turf writing. Most of the people pictured were actually in the room working and, of course, betting--even the press room is equipped with a betting window.
Another part of Keeneland's open policy is the track kitchen. Bettors can eat with track employees, including some of the best trainers and jockeys in the world.
On Sunday, the weather--and Saturday's excellent betting performance--took turns for the worse. But if one is dressed for the occasion, a blustery day is a good experience. The crowd thins out, and a place on the rail is anyone's for the taking. But after eight races in foul weather and few winnings (in fact, all of Saturday's winnings were returned to the track that Sunday), it was time for something else.
That, too, is easy during a visit to Keeneland. Western Kentucky has numerous charms. The Kentucky Horse Park, a short drive north of downtown Lexington, is worth a trip. The park is a 1,000-plus-acre farm that recognizes the importance of horses in Kentucky's culture. In the Bluegrass region, the top breeders are kept at comfortable stud; even the nonbreeding legends are reserved their place of honor. The park includes a Hall of Champions, where six famous horses are kept in pampered comfort for admiration by the public, including John Henry--the obnoxious little gelding with a big heart, twice Horse of the Year and the all-time earnings winner during his career--Foregon, Bold Forbes, Imperator, Sergeant Pepper's Feature and Rambling Willy.
Glorious former champions that have died are buried here with honors. Man O' War, who lost only one race in his entire career, is buried under a great monument. Opposite is a bronze of Secretariat, the famous Triple Crown winner.
There is also a stable with a selection of horses of different breeds, a museum chronicling the history of the horse from prehistoric to modern times, working harness maker and blacksmith shops and other exhibits displaying nearly everything else that contributes to the horse trade.
Driving from Lexington, the Horse Park is a left turn on Iron Works Pike. To the right it is an equine wonderland. There are rows of stone fences, some dating from the eighteenth century. The University of Kentucky Press has published a text about these beautiful constructs of gravity and stone called Rock Fences of the Bluegrass, by Carolyn Murray-Wooley and Carl Raitz. The side roads that cross Iron Works Pike lead to some of the farms that raise horses which run at Keeneland. Many of the mares in the pastures had just foaled, and the young were cavorting alongside their mothers.
About 40 miles south of Lexington is Berea, home of Berea College. Berea College charges no tuition to its 1,500 students; the students work in exchange for their schooling. The college was a pioneer in educating students from rural Appalachia, and now the school and the town are important reservoirs of Appalachian history and culture. The Boone Tavern, run by the college, is a nice stopover for the night.
Southwest of Lexington is the Shaker village of Pleasant Hill, in Harrisburg. This was one of the main Shaker communities when that sect was flourishing. It now serves as a living museum, with a peaceful inn with hearty traditional fare. It is worth a detour to see the restored buildings amid the bucolic setting and learn a little of a people so devoted to their ideals that they essentially put themselves out of existence by their celibacy.
Finally, all roads lead back to Keeneland. There, the roar of the crowd as the horses rush to the finish line is undisturbed by the whine of a loudspeaker. The rails are packed with avid racing fans watching the thundering pack pound past. In that instant where winners and losers are determined, where so much of racing has been lost or sullied at other tracks, the tradition and grandeur that is such an essential part of thoroughbred horse racing seems securely intact.
Richard Lerner is a writer and practicing veterinarian living in Rebun Gap, Georgia.


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We had a great time at the second Kick in the Butt BBQ
contest in Florence, CO. Cindy Cox and her team did another outstanding
job this year organizing the event, squeezing 38 teams into the
beautiful Pioneer Park. The contest ran very smoothly and I can't think
of a single thing I would suggest as an improvement. The fall weather
was beautiful and it's always nice to be in a grassy, tree shaded park
instead of an asphalt parking lot. The entertainment was great with a
nice lineup of bands playing on Friday and all day Saturday.
飞艇app预测计划Unique trophies are given for 1st and 2nd place
in each category, as well as Grand Champion and Reserve Champion. The
trophies are handmade miniature oil derricks celebrating Florence's
distinction as the site of the first oil well ever drilled west of the
Mississippi River. This year we were fortunate to bring one home, the
1st place trophy for Ribs. We also finished 4th in brisket and 8th
Congratulations to Ryan from Backdraft BBQ for
his first ever grand championship. He was competing alone with only his
dog Kuma to provide support. Congratulations also to Parrothead Smokers
for Reserve. Full results are available on the .
Click here for more pictures
飞艇app预测计划It was a picture perfect day on Sept. 11 in
Grand Junction, CO as 49 teams gathered at the 2010 Pork & Hops
Challenge. Skys were clear and the temperature was in the upper 70s.
Competition was fierce as some of the top competition BBQ teams in the
country were there
to compete for a piece of the $20,000+ in prize money. The venue is one
of the best of any contest in the country, located in a beautiful,
grassy, tree shaded park.
We were more than a
little nervous competing in this field of seasoned BBQ cooks since this
was only our second time to cook on our brand new
We just picked it up in Houston two weeks before and
cooked on it once at a contest in Parker,CO. We shouldn't have been
nervous, though, because the insulated BBQ Vault smoker chugged right
along through the chilly night. The BBQ Vault came through for us and we
placed 9th in chicken, 6th in ribs, 5th in pork, 5th in brisket and 3rd
overall. Congratulations to 4 Legs Up for winning Grand Champion for
the 2nd year in a row, and McFrankenboo BBQ, who came all the way from
Phoenix, for their Reserve Champion finish.
We competed in our first Lone Star Barbecue
Society sanctioned cookoff in Red River, NM on Aug 21. Red River is
located in northern New Mexico just north of Taos. It is 8,800 feet
elevation so that had to be takend into account for the cooking times.
The event was located in a
beautiful, grassy park in the center of town. There was also a CASI
sanctioned chili cookoff, a New Mexico Green Chili state championship
cookoff, and a music festival organized by Larry Joe Louis. We were
entertained all day Saturday, starting at 9 AM, by an excellent array of
musicians, many from the local area. The weather was perfect, sunny and
mid-70's during the day but the 42 degrees at night was a little
飞艇app预测计划We placed 3rd in chicken, 7th in
ribs and 5th in brisket. We didn't place in the top 10 in either of the
chili categories. We never entered a chili cookoff before so we really
had no idea what the judges are looking for in a chili.
飞艇app预测计划The event was a lot of fun, in a
beautiful setting. We'll definitely plan a trip back next year. If you
want to get out of the August heat and enjoy some beautiful mountain
weather and scenery, you can't do better than Red River.
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Napa: Snapshots from Bottle Rock Music Festival
Here's the thing with music festivals—they're not always the best way to see music. Don't get me wrong; I'm not one to waste time on a music fest with a subpar lineup, or discredit the importance of having really killer bands as headliners. But festivals are big. They're crowded. They are, if you'll pardon my frankness, generally something of a sh*tshow.
But recently, festivals have developed all manner of edible attractions to entice new audiences. Bottle Rock, in its inaugural year, made clear that food, wine and beer were a major part of the draw, in addition to their musical lineup, which featured heavy-hitters like The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Ben Harper and Michael Franti. For a first-year festival, we were impressed on more levels than one.
Food offerings included dishes from major Napa and Sonoma luminaries: Cindy Pawlcyn, of Mustard's, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, and CP's Wood Grill and Wine Bar curated many of the selections, and featured a number of booths of her own scattered amongst the stages. A Whole Foods garden featured offerings from top restaurants including Morimoto, La Toque, The Girl and the Fig, and La Condesa. Food trucks held court near the festival entrance, offering pork belly tacos and milkshakes from Gott's Roadside.
There were some misses, like tacos from La Condesa and Morimoto's sticky, lackluster-looking ribs, and a Korean-style hot dog that would be promptly shamed by anything form 4505 meats. Lines were long, and food was expensive (pizza for $15, grilled cheese for $10), even for a festival, where inflation is the norm.
But minor criticisms aside, there was some truly excellent food to be had. The weather was gorgeous, the service was almost unfailingly friendly, and at the end of the sun-soaked day, we had plenty of fun eating and drinking our way through Bottle Rock's offerings.
Check out our snapshots from Bottle Rock in the slideshow above, and tell us about your Bottle Rock experience in the comments!
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Tel (616) 288-3244
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Why Use A KW RiverTown Agents?
Win-Win or No Deal. These are the words we live by. From the moment REALTORS® become part of the Keller Williams Realty RiverTown community, they know that we want all our clients to be happy with the real estate professionals they work with, and the homes we help them with.
We could go on about how our REALTORS® are not sales people, but a team of dedicated professionals out for the bettering of the areas we serve. Working as a team to find the best results for our clients – but that wouldn't be giving them enough credit either.
How about reliability? We hold our associates to delivering the highest standard of customer service. Keller Williams Realty RiverTown agents are more reliable than others because our agents know that their success is determined by the legacy we leave with each client we serve.
Oh – and our associates know and have the technology to get your home marketed to it's maximum potential. In fact, on average, each one of our associates use six websites that will help market your home, and that doesn't include our ability to get your home on other outlets like Zillow, REALTOR.com or Trulia.
Picking a Keller Williams Realty RiverTown associate will help you with your real estate transaction. We promise.


text:
Jan Dennis, Business & Law Editor
217-333-0568; email@example.com
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Gambling addictions and drunken driving are among life-changing problems that will worsen if Illinois allows casinos to take bets 24 hours a day, a University of Illinois professor who has studied gambling for more than two decades says.
Nationally known gambling critic John W. Kindt argues the Illinois Gaming Board should be considering reduced hours for riverboat gambling, not a casino-backed proposal that would keep their gaming tables and bars open round-the-clock.
"Most bars aren't open 24-7, and casinos with bars should not be open 24-7," said Kindt, a professor of business and of legal policy. "The studies show you'll have more drunk driving, more paychecks lost in casinos, more hungry children and more taxes for everyone."
Casinos have revived a push to stay open non-stop, saying revenues have plunged since a new statewide smoking ban took effect in January. A slumping economy and bad winter weather also could be partly to blame, industry officials say.
Kindt disputes claims that casino jobs could evaporate if losses mount, saying studies show that 90 percent of casino revenues come from slot machines.
"Since slot machines only require someone to plug them in, dust them off and collect the losses, the lost jobs claims are not valid arguments by casinos wanting 24-7," he said.
The state gaming board, which voted down a similar plan in 1999, has set an April 8 public hearing in Chicago on the latest proposal. A decision is expected soon after, perhaps during the panel's April 22 meeting.
Illinois casinos are now open 19 to 22 hours a day, while neighboring states allow longer hours. Indiana's casinos are open non-stop, while Iowa's and Missouri's are open 24 hours on weekends.
"Just because your neighbor is burning down his garage doesn't mean you should do it," Kindt said
It is unknown how many would expand to 24 hours if the gaming board allows it, but virtually all have expressed interest in round-the-clock operations on weekends and holidays, according to the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, which represents the state's nine casinos.
Kindt argues Illinois casinos should be required to cut back to 18 hours a day rather than expanding. He says the move would be in line with findings of the U.S. National Gambling Impact Study Commission, which concluded casinos should assume more social responsibility.
Endless casino hours would compound societal ills such as alcoholism and drunken driving by creating de facto "super bars" that never close, Kindt said.
Studies also show that two-thirds of casino revenues come from addicted and problem gamblers, whose losses would mount if they were allowed to bet 24 hours a day, Kindt said.
"Psychological studies almost uniformly conclude that addicted and problem gamblers must be forced to stop gambling and go home via casino closures, like bars must find cabs for the intoxicated to prevent drunk driving," Kindt said.
Editor's note: To contact John W. Kindt, call 217-333-6018; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com


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CONROE, TX — The Change Your Body, Change Your Life Award began as a simple idea. Bryan Murphy, owner of Gold's Gyms in the Houston area, wanted to create a meaningful award to honor something other than the club with the most big-screen TVs. Instead, he created an award that celebrates the life-changing experiences of members. This was the first year for the award, which went to Leelo Moore and his personal trainer, Jarrett Smilie, at Gold's Gym Conroe, TX.
At age 11, Moore suffered a severe close-head injury that put him in a coma for six months. Once out of the coma, Moore underwent surgeries to correct his walk and spent 20 years being shuffled between six rehab facilities and in-and-out patient programs. Health professionals told him he had progressed as far as he could despite a continued imbalance in his walk.
Then Moore's parents sent him to the Gold's Gym in Conroe, TX, to work with Smilie, a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified trainer. During the first eight months, Moore gained 35 pounds of muscle and lost nearly 10 pounds of body fat. He also managed to balance out the measurements of his legs, arms, chest and neck, and he regained much of the function in his arms. Smilie began training Moore's hand and finger functions, which were lacking. After seven months of training, Moore could successfully pick up a soft drink can and set it back down without any problems.
Smilie says in order to work with clients like Moore, he researches the person's condition or inhibition and tries to adapt the training to each person for the best possible outcome.
Murphy says the member response to Leelo's award has been "remarkable."
"It's generated a lot of questions from people who wouldn't see themselves as a health club-type person," he says. "He's become a household name for us."
Many members are impressed with Smilie and his loyalty to Moore and the program, Murphy says. The award is more about which Gold's Gym member had the most significant change in his or her life than which one lost the most weight and looked better, Murphy says.


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TYLER (AP) – Samuel L. Jackson would have been cursing up a storm.
An East Texas man has pleaded guilty to smuggling snakes on several planes from South America to the United States.
During a court hearing Wednesday in Tyler, William Lamar pleaded guilty to importing wildlife taken in violation of foreign law.
Prosecutors say the 63-year-old eco-tourism guide bought the seven live snakes in August 2012 in a market in Lima, Peru, and smuggled them in his jacket on flights from Lima to Miami and then to Dallas.
Game wardens seized the snakes from Lamar's home in Tyler.
Peruvian law prohibits the exportation of wild live animals coming from the forest or jungle unless the exporter has the proper paperwork.
Lamar faces up to five years in prison.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Are you in the United States?
Visit our U.S.A. & International site for relevant pricing, distribution and product availability information.Go to StarTech.com
3 ft HDMI to VGA Active Converter Cable - HDMI to VGA Adapter - 1920x1200 or 1080p
Eliminate excess cable clutter and adapters, by connecting your HDMI source directly to a VGA monitor/projector using this short 3ft adapter cable
Product ID: HD2VGAMM3
- Reduce clutter with a short 3ft adapter cable
- Avoid the hassle of additional adapters or cables with a built-in cable connecting an HDMI video source directly to a VGA monitor or projector
- Save upgrade costs by connecting your HDMI computer directly to a VGA monitor or projector
- Supports video resolutions up to 1920x1200 / 1080p
- Adapter and cable in one, with 1x male HDMI connector and 1x male VGA connector
- Plug-and-play installation
The HD2VGAMM3 3ft HDMI® to VGA converter cable lets you connect your HDMI equipped Chromebook™, laptop or desktop to a VGA monitor or projector, with no additional adapters or cables required.
The converter cable saves you the hassle of combining an HDMI to VGA adapter with a bulky VGA cable by providing an end-to-end solution for connecting your digital HDMI computer to your VGA monitor or projector.
Unlike most HDMI to VGA adapters which require a power outlet to convert the video signal, the HD2VGAMM3 doesn't need external power in most installations. To work with Mac computers where extra power is needed, the HD2VGAMM3 features an optional integrated USB power source (USB cable not included), which makes connecting a display to your desktop or workstation that much easier, if additional power is required.
In the past, converting digital HDMI to analog VGA was a difficult and expensive task. Now, you can avoid upgrade costs by connecting your HDMI video source to your existing VGA monitor or projector using the HD2VGAMM3. Plus, because the adapter cable supports video resolutions up to 1920x1200 or 1080p, you can rest assured you can use your existing VGA display while maintaining high-definition video quality.
The HD2VGAMM3 converter cable delivers a precise 3ft connection that eliminates the clutter of excess cable length and ensures a tidy, professional installation. For longer installations, we also offer a 6 ft HDMI to VGA cable(HD2VGAMM6) and a 10 ft HDMI to VGA cable(HD2VGAMM10), enabling you to choose the right cable length for your installation needs.
Please note: Digitally encrypted content from the HDMI video source will not be displayed.
The HD2VGAMM3 is backed by a 3-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.
- Connect an HDMI computer to the VGA monitor at your classroom desk or workstation
- Use in your boardroom or office workstations for installations requiring 3 feet of cable
- Install in your home workstation to make your HDMI computer compatible with your VGA monitor
The StarTech.com Advantage
- Reduce clutter in your classroom or workstation with a precise-fitting 3-foot cable connecting your HDMI computer to your VGA display
- Hassle-free installation with cable-style adapter enabling you to connect your HDMI source directly to a VGA display with no additional video cable required
- Repurpose an existing or spare VGA display to work with your HDMI computer
Product Numbers
UPC Code
Technical Specifications
|Warranty Information
|3 Years
|Active or Passive Adapter
|Adapter Style
|Cable Adapters
|AV Input
|AV Output
|Chipset ID
|Chrontel - 7101A
|Maximum Analog Resolutions
|1920 x 1200
|Maximum Cable Length
|35.4 in [900 mm]
|Maximum Digital Resolutions
|PC resolutions up to 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
|1,381,510 hours
|Connector A
|1 - HDMI (19 pin) Male Input
|Connector B
|1 - VGA (15 pin, High Density D-Sub) Male Output
|Connector Type(s)
|1 - USB Micro-B (5 pin) Female
|Power Source
|Operating Temperature
|0°C to 60°C (32°F to 140°F)
|Storage Temperature
|-10°C to 70°C (14°F to 158°F)
|Physical Characteristics
|Cable Length
|35.4 in [900 mm]
|Product Height
|0.4 in [1 cm]
|Product Length
|35.4 in [90 cm]
|Product Width
|1.3 in [33 mm]
|Weight of Product
|2.4 oz [68.7 g]
|Packaging Information
|Package Height
|0.4 in [10 mm]
|Package Length
|8.6 in [21.8 cm]
|Package Width
|7.7 in [19.6 cm]
|Shipping (Package) Weight
|3.1 oz [88 g]
|What's in the Box
|Included in Package
|1 - 3ft (0.9m) HDMI® to VGA Adapter Cable
Related Products
6 ft HDMI to VGA Active Converter Cable - HDMI to VGA Adapter - 1920x1200 or 1080p
Eliminate adapters, by connecting your HDMI source directly to a VGA monitor/projector using this 6ft adapter cable
1ft Micro USB Cable - A to Micro B
Charge or sync micro USB mobile devices from a standard USB port on your desktop or mobile computer
3ft Micro USB Cable - A to Micro B
Charge or sync micro USB mobile devices from a standard USB port on your desktop or mobile computer
6ft Micro USB Cable - A to Micro B
Charge or sync micro USB mobile devices from a standard USB port on your desktop or mobile computer
Product Support
Data Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
This is an active video signal converter.
A passive video signal converter changes the type of connection that is being used but does not change the signal that passes through the converter. Because the video signal is not modified, passive converters tend to be smaller, simpler, and less expensive than active video signal converters. Examples of passive converters include DVI-I to VGA, HDMI to DVI, and DisplayPort to Mini-DisplayPort converters.
An active video signal converter modifies both the type of connection that is being used and the signal that passes through the converter. Because this type of conversion can be complex, active converters tend to be larger than passive video signal converters and sometimes require additional power. Examples of active converters include DVI-D to VGA, HDMI to DisplayPort, and VGA to HDMI converters.
For more information about passive and active DisplayPort video signal converters, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/DisplayPort_Converter_DP_Multi_Mode.
For more information about which type of video signal converter you should use when you convert video signals with an MST hub, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/mst_hubs_passive_vs_active_adapters.
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When you troubleshoot issues with a video adapter, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
Video cables
Video adapter
Video source (such as a DVD player or computer)
Video destination (such as a monitor or projector)
To test your setup components, try the following:
Use the cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.
Use a different cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.
When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:
Test each cable individually.
Use short cables when you are testing.
When you test the video source and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:
Remove the video adapter from your setup and test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together without the video adapter.
Test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together at the resolution that you want to use.
Note: In order for your setup to work properly, the video source, adapter, and destination all need to support the resolution that you are using.
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Compliance and Safety
Compliance Letters
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.


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Eco Design Consultants
Services: Code for Sustainable Homes Assessors | SAP Assessors | Architects | Independent Energy Specialist | Daylight Calculation Services
WaySearch The Mansion, Bletchley Park
MK3 6EB Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire UK
Contact Person: Alan Budden
Phone: 01908 363490
Eco Design Consultants are architects and environmental consultants who specialise in designing low carbon buildings that create exceptional, fun places to live, work and play in without detriment to others or the planet. We have vast experience in providing Code for Sustainable Homes Assessments, BREEAM Assessments, EcoHome Assessments, SAP, Energy Performance Certificates, daylighting reports and energy strategies for new and existing buildings and we are also certified Passive House Designers.
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WTH? Senate Republicans are passing around a bill that will cede power to Obama.
The Politico reported:
Days before the March 1 deadline, Senate Republicans are circulating a draft bill that would cancel $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts and instead turn over authority to President Barack Obama to achieve the same level of savings under a plan to be filed by March 8.
The five- page document, which has the tacit support of Senate GOP leaders, represents a remarkable shift for the party. Having railed against Senate Democrats for not passing a budget, Republicans are now proposing that Congress surrender an important piece of its Constitutional "power of the purse" for the last seven months of this fiscal year.
Advertisement - story continues below
As proposed, lawmakers would retain the power to overturn the president's spending plan by March 22, but only under a resolution of disapproval that would demand two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate to prevail over an Obama veto.
The proposal would require — like the sequester — that no more than $42.6 billion of the cuts come at the expense of defense programs. But the elaborate, almost Rube Goldberg construct is already provoking sharp criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike and reflects a political scramble to escape the fallout from the sequester.


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In Part 1 we took a look at hero classes and made some speculation as to the next expansion. In Part 2 we took a look at how the Death Knight hero class was introduced into the game. In part 3 here I'd like to talk a little bit about the hardest part of the hero class, balance.
When designing classes for any game, balance is always an issue. Even years after classes have been established sometimes things need to be tweaked. The goal is to make sure no one class is so powerful that it becomes the only one anyone plays. Essentially trying to keep the class from becoming a "Mary Sue" of the game. We've seen this over the years with balancing and re-balancing of all the classes, as well as in burning crusade giving the faction specific classes to both factions (Shaman and Paladins playing for both teams). When you add a hero class to a game it's really hard not to make it into the favored child. At the same time a hero class should add a new mechanic or do something in such a way that people stop and go "oh, that's just cool" . With Death Knights this was the addition of Runes and Runic Power.
When Wrath of the Lich King beta went out, I could not get my grubby hands on a key fast enough, I was dying to try out the new Death Knight class. I rolled my toon and found myself climbing the levels. Each build of the beta Death Knights got what some of us refer to as "Flavor of the Month" builds. In these builds one tree was emphasized over the others to test that tree out. The idea is if you make the first two sub-par, everyone will play the third. This is an old technique in beta testing to gather data. For example, in one of the Wrath builds Scourge Strike was hitting for close to 6k damage at level 65. This happened several times and each time players dutifully left their feedback and devs took it all in.
When wrath went live, Death Knights were good. Scary good. They had superior mitigation, better cooldowns and better DPS it was hard not to love them. As a healer I loved healing them, it took a lot less effort then the other three tanking classes. But therein lay the problem. When listening to all the feedback and launching it's first hero class, Blizzard arguably made them too good. Look at all the patch notes from Wrath's launch to now. Death Knights have been revised several times in an effort to bring them closer to the other classes, including recently where the cooldown on Icebound Fortitude is being increased to match other tanks.
It's hard to find that sweet-spot. You want the class to feel epic and new and shinny, but you don't want people to stop using the ones you've already made. It's a very fine line to walk and it's very difficult to do it right. With Death Knights even after they've been normalized I still love playing them. I love the way the Runes and Runic power system works. It's incredibly intricate and allows for a free flowing rotation that let's you be reactive rather then just spam a key sequence or a one button macro. It's fun so I'll always like to play it.
If Blizzard introduces another hero class, they are going to have to be careful to make sure it's properly balanced. Let's say they introduce a new healing class, it would have to be balanced so that it did not over power the other four healing classes. At the same time the mechanics of it would have to be something innovative or new to keep it fresh and exciting. Same goes for another ranged physics DPS class. If one was added it would have to be balanced as to not overshadow hunters, and at the same time provide a new way to deal that damage that is fun. (for the record I really like the idea of another ranged physical DPS class!)
It's a tough to add new classes without overlapping or overshadowing the ones you've created before, but I have faith Blizzard will be able to do it again and will do it better then they did Death Knights. Death Knights just had the bad luck of being first out the gate =D
So what do you think? Do you think they can balance another class in? What would you like to see as a new mechanic?
That's it for today, Until next time,
Image courtesy of Marvel.com


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On our return flight from Italy last weekend, the Italian, again, booked me in for wheelchair assistance.
It was once we had passed controls and had been taken through all the secret passage ways of the airport to reach the gate that the Italian asked me "Amore, hav'a you got ur'a stockings on?".
The assistant shot us a glance. I had forgotten to put on my DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) tights under my leggings which was one of my GPs conditions of flying so late into the pregnancy. I nodded a no.
Once the wheelchair was settled in pride of place at the front of the queue, the Italian parked Bambina in her pram next to me. He then started shuffling in the bag and pulled out one rolled up pair of DVTs.
"No!" I whispered to him "I can't put them on now, I can't reach my knees let alone my feet! AND I haven't shaved my legs for about two weeks!".
As fast as I could blink the Italian had whipped my shoe off and had the right leg of my legging rolled up. Now, anyone who's ever worn DVTs will know that they are massively restricting and not that easy to get on.
As the Italian struggled to get the first stocking over my toes, I noticed that the two ladies sitting in priority boarding opposite us were breaking out into fits of giggles. Obviously this made me laugh and the Italian struggled even more.
Once the tight stocking was forced over the toes, the Italian went into combat with the swollen ankle! Once passed that, he took in a deep gasp of air and forced the rest of the stocking up my leg before pulling down my legging and replacing the shoe. He let out a gasp.
At this point the two ladies were in hysterics and I could hardly see for the tears streaming down my face. Bambina was joining in with the comedy by providing her I don't know what you're laughing at but ill provide a fake one just to join in! type of laugh.
As the Italian lifted the left leg of my leggings, with the second DVT stocking in his hand, he turned to the two ladies and said "I can'a see'a the headlines'a now: DVTs save heavily pregnant woman from clots while husband dies of a heart attack from putting them on!!".
As I squirmed my second swollen ankle into the stocking, the Italian gave a final heave-ho and it was done! Battle won. Game over.
Have you had any embarrassing flight tales? Do share.
Related Articles:
- Bambina Mia (teaandbiscotti.com)


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Portions of You (Swedish Edition) (Unabridged)
- $4.99
- $4.99
Publisher Description
¿If the world around him is bad, then he is unwilling to grant life. If the world around him he conceives to be good, he is willing to grant life to it. A world with life granted to it runs well. A world with no life granted to it goes into chaos and disappears. Now, this is the riddle of the centuries." (L. Ron Hubbard)
It has no mass or location. It is not energy. Yet it is alive. And it gives life.
Such are the characteristics of "a life-giving unit" - the source not only of all thought, but of all that is decent, ethical, and noble. Indeed, this is you.
The discovery that each individual is, in fact, a source of life radically alters the relationship between Man and the material universe. Based not on faith or belief but on axioms as precise and workable as any in science, it has been conclusively determined that the life-giving unit preceded matter, energy, space and time. From that perspective, here are the infinite ways in which an individual endows his own environment with life. From physical well-being to the state of civilization, these principles are in continuous operation - every hour, every day. Understood and applied by a single individual, they lead to a far better life. Applied by everyone, they would lead to a far better world.
Please note: This audiobook is in Swedish.


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VANCOUVER - Vancouver General is the first hospital in the world to adopt a new light-activated disinfection method that is expected to reduce infections in surgical incisions by 39 per cent and save almost $2 million a year.
There are no needles or antibiotics with a host of side effects involved; just a quick pulse of light up a patient's nose before surgery. It is quick and painless, said Dr. Elizabeth Bryce, director for infection control at the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
"We apply a methylene blue dye on a little swab into the front of their noses ... and shine red light — that might feel a little bit warm, but that's about all — into their noses for two pulses of two minutes each. And then they're good to go," Bryce explained.
The technique, developed by a Vancouver company, is effective because most of the bacteria that cause surgical site infections come from on or within the patient's body, Bryce explained.
"During the course of an operation, organisms migrate and they also float through the air and they land in our wounds," she said. "So if you could decrease the amount of bacteria on somebody's body, then you can reduce the risk of having an infection after the surgery."
The dye contains a substance designed to latch onto the targeted bacteria and then absorb much of the energy from the laser-generated light. It is that energy that kills the bacteria.
The technique, known as photo-disinfection, reduced the number of surgical site infections to 50 from 85, when combined with the use of antibacterial body wipes, during a pilot project at the hospital over the past year. The trial of 5,000 patients, funded by the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, reduced average readmissions for surgical site infections to 1.25 cases a month from four and shortened hospital stays for surgical patients. This allowed doctors to perform 138 additional surgeries.
The warm, moist, dark and humid environment inside the nose is a particularly inviting place for bacteria, Bryce said. It's also home to a strain known as staphylococcus aureus, carried by about a quarter of the population, that can cause "quite devastating" infections if it gets into surgical wounds, she added.
"If we are a staph aureus carrier, we do have a higher risk of getting a surgical site infection. So there's the bacteria on our body and the bacteria in our nose, of which a real culprit can be staph aureus."
It will cost about $500,000 a year to run the program at VGH, which is expected to do 7,000 surgeries next year, Bryce said. That cost will be more than offset by the savings from fewer infections, which amounted to $1.9 million during the pilot project, she added.
The photo-disinfection technology was developed by Ondine Biomedical, which specializes in developing alternatives to antibiotics. A similar procedure is already being used by some dentists.
Because the technology is easy to use and to incorporate into the pre-operative areas of hospitals, Bryce said it is something she can see being rolled out across the health region and even used to treat other kinds of infections, such as urinary tract or ventilator-associated pneumonia.
"In this day and age of increasing resistance to antibiotics, it offers (the possibility) that we might have an alternative treatment."


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Steve Wozniak Speaks Out Against NSA Spying: This Is Not My America
from the the-woz-speaks deptThe latest to speak out against NSA surveillance is "every geek's uncle," Steve Wozniak, who explained that "this is not my America." The video is worth watching:
When I was brought up, my dad taught me, other countries, when they got prisoners in a war, they tortured them. But we Americans didn't torture them.... And I was so proud of my country. And now I find out it's just the opposite. I just wish, all these things that I talk about with the Constitution -- which made us so good as people -- they're nothing. They were all dissolved with the Patriot Act. There are these laws that just sort of say we can secretly call anything terrorism and do anything we want.... And I read the Constitution, and I'm not even sure how all this stuff happened. It's so clear what the Constitution says. It's extremely clear in the Bill of Rights. One thing after another after another that got overturned. That's what a king does. A king just goes out and rounds anyone up, has them killed, put in secret prisons.It's a bit hyperbolic, but more and more people are beginning to recognize how problematic the governments' actions have been of late.
When I was brought up, we were told that Communist Russia was the ones that were going to kill us and bomb our country and all this. And Communist Russia was so bad because they followed their people, they snooped on them, they arrested them, they put them in secret prisons, they disappeared them. These kinds of things were part of Russia. We're getting more and more like that....
Filed Under: constitution, nsa, nsa surveillance, spying, steve wozniak


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Stephen Carlson wrote:Maybe, maybe not, but it's irrelevant to the speech-act of v.5. All the use of grammatical gender concord means is that personality is not part of the assertion in v.5. It says nothing about whether it is personal in v.5. It does not deny it; it does not assert it. Don't read more into it than is there.John milton wrote:Respectfully, I don't see how Barry's notion of "studied ambiguity" answers the question of why apostle John failed to jettison grammatical gender in verse 5 for natural gender . Was τὸ φῶς not personal at this time?
I agree


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Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie - Independent Spirit Awards 2014
Angelina Jolie gives us a glimpse of her beautiful smile while sitting with her fiance Brad Pitt inside at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards held at the beach on Saturday (March 1) in Santa Monica, Calif.
The couple is in attendance to support the 50-year-old actor's movie 12 Years a Slave, for which he is nominated for Best Feature as a producer on the film!
The film is up for seven awards in total, including Best Director for Steve McQueen and three awards for the actors.
Brad and Angelina skipped the red carpet and sneaked in through the back entrance. See all the photos below!
FYI: Angelina is wearing a Saint Laurent dress, bracelet, and shoes.
15+ pictures inside of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards…