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Science on Screen: Explaining Why Zombies Want to Eat You and Other Mysteries of Life
A film series examines how movies make use of science
More than most art forms, cinema was founded on science. Inventors like Thomas Alva Edison drew on optics, chemistry, metallurgy and neuropsychology in devising and perfecting motion pictures. Edison's early cinematic developments were covered by Scientific American, while Popular Science and similar magazines devoted articles to film technologies like color and 3D processes.
And yet for over a hundred years, feature films have played with science's facts and distorted its principles and theories. Think of the astronomers who, after being shot from a cannon, discover beauty queens on the moon in Georges Melies' A Trip to the Moon. Or The Thieving Hand (1908), in which the eponymous hand attaches and detaches itself from unsuspecting hosts to go on crime sprees. Rockets that roar through the vacuum of outer space, doctors who turn into insects via electrical pulses, donated eyes that see ghosts: the list of cinematic crimes against science seems endless. Whether bringing dinosaurs to life through snippets of DNA in Jurassic Park or turning robots into assassins in The Terminator, filmmakers have leaned on science to add credibility to their work—whether or not their interpretations made any sense.
Starting in 2005, Elizabeth Taylor-Mead, then the associate director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, and entrepreneur Richard Anders began addressing the disconnect between film and science. The Coolidge (a movie theater in Brookline, Massachusetts) initiated a series that brought the "top minds in the world of science, medicine and technology," as Taylor-Mead wrote later, to introduce films that matched their interests. Science on Screen quickly became a favorite part of the Coolidge's schedule and since 2010 has received major funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The 2011 season began this week with a screening of Roger Corman's The Little Shop of Horrors (1960), introduced by Aaron Ellison, a senior research fellow at Harvard University and co-author of "Ecophysiological traits of terrestrial and aquatic carnivorous plants: are the costs and benefits the same?" Who better to introduce a film about a giant, man-eating plant?
In November, the Coolidge is showing Luis Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, preceded by Dr. Robert Stickgold, an associate professor of psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (HMS), and director of the Center for Sleep and Cognition at HMS. No one in cinema handled dreams better than Buñuel, which is why Dr. Stickgold will be talking about the dreaming brain. December's entry, 12 Monkeys, is paired with journalist Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses. In January, MIT physics professor Edward Farhi discusses the physics of time travel for Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Taylor-Mead admits that the series had some growing pains. "Just searching for the closest match in terms of subject matter," she wrote, "can mean you're often stuck with a less than stellar example of film art, and that you're merely attempting to illustrate information already given."
The key was to find pairings that made sense but were still surprising. For example, Guy Crosby, a professor of food science and nutrition at Framingham State College and Harvard University's School of Public Health, as well as the science editor for Cook's Illustrated and the science expert for America's Test Kitchen, spoke about how our sense of taste works for Babette's Feast (1987). In my favorite pairing, Dr. Steven C. Schlozman, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, introduced George Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968). Questions he raised included: What explains zombies' lack of executive function? Why do the walking dead have such lousy balance, and why are they always so hungry?
Starting in January, 2011, the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation began awarding grants to non-profit art house cinemas to create their own Science on Screen programs. Eight theaters were chosen: The Loft Cinema, Tucson, Arizona; California Film Institute, San Rafael, California; Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington, New York; Maiden Alley Cinema, Paducah, Kentucky; Oklahoma City Museum of Art Film Program, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in conjunction with Circle Cinema, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Real Art Ways, Hartford, Connecticut; SIFF Cinema, Seattle, Washington; and Tampa Theatre, Tampa, Florida.
In addition to Science on Screen, the Sloan Foundation has funded a Film Program "to expand public understanding of science and technology." Since 1996, the Sloan Foundation has offered screenwriting and film production awards, as well as sponsoring science seminars and panels at major film festivals. Over 250 projects have received funding, including such filmmakers as Michael Apted, Werner Herzog, and Julian Schnabel. The Sloan Science and Film page on the Museum of the Moving Image website offers more information, and you can also stream some of the winning shorts.


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Apprenticeships / Level 2 (Intermediate) Apprenticeship / Catering & Hospitality
Join us at Harvester, the nation's family favourite for feel-good dining. Famous for our fresh rotisserie chicken and unlimited salad bar since 1983. Fancy a fresh start? We want to hear from you.
As Bar and Waiting Staff at Harvester you are the personality behind the beer pumps, the expert on the drink's menu and know our food menu inside out, frequently recommending your favourites. As the friendly face our guests remember, you'll inject your personality every moment you're with our guests so that they love to come back time and time again.
Responsibilities :
-Greet, serve and look after our guests
-Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and safety
-Work with the team to create a friendly atmosphere our guests will love
-Know the menus inside out, making recommendations to our guests
-Be a champion of brand standards
You don't even need any experience. So long as you can provide a warm, helpful manner to everyone you meet, we can teach you the ins and outs of working as part of our busy teams.
By taking on a full-time role as a bar and waiting apprentice under the supervision of our passionate teams, not only will you achieve a Level 2 Hospitality Team Member Apprenticeship, you will be able to support the running of our businesses, creating some amazing moments!
What your apprenticeship includes
-A mixture of face to face and skype/phone catch ups every 4 - 6 weeks
-A mixture of on and off the job training, including workshops and webinars
-Reviews every 12 weeks with the Apprentice, Line Manager and Lifetime Trainer
-Feedback sessions to discuss progress
-Obtain Functional Skills in English and Maths (if you don't already have GCSE)
-30 hours paid work every week
-Love eating out? You'll love it even more with a massive 33% discount across all our brands. Whether its date night at Miller & Carter or family roast at Toby Carvery, we've got you covered.
-Never a dull moment - fun, laughs and lifelong friends!
-Funded qualification up to degree level
-Charity is important to us. From the company charities to the one which is close to your heart; you can choose how to give something back.
-Enjoy a 33% discount off a cosy stay at our Inn Keepers Lodges.
-On top of all this, we offer a pension; 28 days paid holiday; high-street shopping discounts; and we even give you free shares!
Wage will be:
16-20 years old - £7.49 an hour
21-22 years old - £10.18 an hour
23+ years old - £10.42 an hour
At Mitchells and Butlers you will be working towards a Hospitality Team Member Level 2 Apprenticeship standard over the course of 15 months.
For more information about this vacancy please contact Lifetime Training on 0333 0143 669 (Ref ID: 241920)
Established in 1995, Lifetime Training's founding principle was to support individuals and businesses to perform better through the delivery of outstanding training programmes.
Today this principle remains core to Lifetime Training's business and has enabled them to become one of the UK's market-leading training providers, offering apprenticeship programmes, recruitment services and training courses.
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GetMyFirstJob offers you a whole new way to find Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships, Work Experience and Graduate opportunities to get ahead. It's not just a search tool – we'll connect you with the Best Employers, Colleges & Providers and Universities to get you on the right track faster.


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Autor(es): Friedman, Tim; Robertson, Sally; Templeton, Stephanie; Walker, Maurice
Organisation(s): Australian Council for Educational Research; Afghanistan. Ministry of Education
Date: 2016
Pages: 43 p.
Serie: Monitoring trends in educational growth (MTEG)
In 2012, the Ministry of Education, Afghanistan, engaged the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) as a partner to support the development of a national learning assessment program in Afghanistan. To achieve this goal, the Learning Assessment unit of the Ministry of Education and ACER have collaborated to design and implement the Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth (MTEG) program in Afghanistan. MTEG is designed as a long-term monitoring program with one focus on trends in achievement outcomes in single class levels over time, and another focus on the growth of achievement in cohorts throughout the school cycle, from Class 3 through to Class 9. This report outlines the relationship between school factors and student outcomes from the 2013 Class 6 assessment in mathematical, reading and writing literacy.
Level of education:


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Holy Bible: Darby Translation
by Anonymous (Bible)
This Bible translation was converted automatically from data
files made available by the Unbound Bible project. Book
names, introductions, titles, paragraphs, and the like were
not available, so standard English names have been used.
Therefore this file would benefit from additional work by
someone who has access to a print edition.
Available formats


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Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Had an Intervention Due to Jaden "Wasting Away" From Vegan Diet
Will Smith held a family meeting on the latest episode of Red Table Talk, which premiered on Monday (Sept. 23). For the episode, Will's his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, and Will and Jada's children Willow Smith, Trey Smith and Jaden, all shared their private struggles with food and diet.
During the episode, Jada said she and Will had to help Jaden get on the road to better health because he was suffering side effects of a vegan diet.
"Will and I had a bit of an intervention with Jaden because he's a vegan now, but we realized he wasn't getting enough protein," she explained. "So he was wasting away. He just looked drained, he was just depleted, he wasn't getting the nutrients."
Will added because Jaden wasn't getting the proper nutrients, so he looked unhealthy. "There was even a little grayness to his skin," the Bad Boys 3 star stated. "We got really nervous. But you're definitely looking better now."
Jaden then clarified that he's a vegetarian now but when he was vegan, he wasn't keeping track of what he was eating daily.
"I also just wanna say that I'm a vegetarian, that I've tried to be vegan," he explained. "I'm vegetarian, you know, I've tried to eat vegan meals. I'll go vegan for a week or so but for the past year I've been vegetarian."
"I was just eating like two meals a day...maybe one," he continued. "Maybe just that one big meal and I'm like, 'Oh, you know, I didn't get around to it.'"
Watch Will Smith's "Emergency Family Meeting" on Red Table Talk below.
30 Albums That Will Make You Appreciate Hip-Hop


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Has the concept of even as sitting at home been crossing your thoughts lots? Are you bored with searching for an easy way to earn cash in Malawi without investment? Particularly throughout this time, when the economic system is at its worst, but work at home possibilities are rising.
There are lots of online jobs that you can indulge in case you research properly. There are numerous easy methods to earn money in Malawi that require minimum skills. In case you go on and search on the internet approximately how to earn extra income in Malawi, then you'll be enlightened through the one-of-a-kind ways to achieve it. Each different man or woman is looking for the nice and smooth way to earn money online in Malawi. However, no one desires to learn the technique that requires to get there. This newsletter will walk you through all the exceptional and smooth methods to earn cash in Malawi, with the technique and important hints to maintain in mind.
There are various suspicious and unauthentic methods spread on the net as a way to lead you to nowhere. It is recommended now not to fall for such traps that guarantee you lots of cash in a very much less amount of time. Always move for true and legitimate jobs and systems. Some of the jobs which you find online will be clean on paper, however require quite a few time and staying power to earn a wonderful quantity of go back.
You can even think about starting an internet business as it's miles a smooth way to earn cash in Malawi without funding. You could select from the component that fascinates you the most or whose capabilities you have already got. This may make it smooth in order to pick out from a massive ocean of ideas.
List of jobs that easy ways to earn money
To make choosing the best ways to make money online easier, we'll take a look at several key factors:
YouTube can be a very moneymaking manner of earning profits online. Similar to with different money-making techniques, you'll need to build an audience to make any money. With a big enough target audience, it's possible to make tens of thousands and thousands of dollars (although not in all likelihood.) Even if you don't make millions, it's far feasible to make respectable coins.
As soon as you've got enough views and subscribers, you may participate in YouTube's partner software. Basically, what this indicates is that YouTube will provide you with a part of the money that they make from advertising and marketing in your movies.
You don't need any fancy device to get started out. You'll want a digital camera, which you have already got if you have a cellphone. Likewise, you probably want a microphone. Furthermore, you'll moreover want a few video modifying software program. There are various free options obtainable to get started out. In case you are doing videos shape your computing device, like in case you are coaching pc talents or something similar, then you truly'll want to display seize software program too.
Freelancing is whilst you offer services for someone for a fee. Those projects can be completed hourly or at a set charge. The excellent element is that these days, almost everybody can freelance because it's possible to freelance from anywhere in the global and provide services to everywhere in the worldwide.
There at the moment are marketplaces that provide virtually hundreds of lots of jobs from round the world. There are jobs for essentially any skill stage. Of course, the extra specialized, or in-demand your talent is, the extra money you may make. But, even if you have the handiest access-level skills, there are jobs for you. Freelancing is an extraordinary way to make cash online in Andorra, or everywhere within the international.
A first-rate thing about freelancing is that it doesn't value anything to get started. You don't want a website, and also you usually don't want special equipment. If you do need special equipment, there's an amazing chance that it's belongings you already have, in case you're advertising yourself for that skill.
When it comes to on-line money Making in Andorra, The quality and speedy manner is running a blog. Running a blog is an act of posting content material on the blog. You need a while to create a blog and make a superb amount of cash.
You need a bit of investment (domain value and website hosting fee) to create and keep a blog. There are free web hosting services to be had, however you may no longer rank on Google and earn money with that web website hosting carriers. So that you want a little funding to create an industrial blog or internet site.
You don't need any programming skills to create a blog, you could create and write content material with WordPress. WordPress is a content management machine and used to create a website or weblog with none of coding knowledge.
If you're getting visitors after creating a website, practice to Google AdSense. You can earn cash by means of setting Google AdSense classified ads to your blog. AdSense is the first-class on-online ad community within the global.
Affiliate Marketing
You could earn money online in Andorra with affiliate advertising. Partner advertising is an exclusive concept from the above strategies. You'll get money via selling Advertisers products via website, YouTube and Social Networks, etc.
You need to sign up with affiliate advertising businesses like Amazon and get affiliate hyperlinks to location on your web page or blog.
Types of affiliate programs
PPC(pay per click)
You may earn money if any visitor clicks on your affiliate hyperlink and is going to the advertiser website online. The visitor doesn't want to buy something.
PPL(pay per lead)
You could earn money if any visitor clicks to your affiliate link and check in or submit electronic mail on advertiser website. A visitor doesn't need to buy whatever.
PPS(Pay in keeping with sale)
You may earn cash first-class if any visitor clicks to your affiliate link and buy advertiser services or products.
Your commission isn't the same as one organization to every different. Amazon gives you 4% to 10% based on the product you promote through an associate hyperlink. A few hosting organizations supply 20% to 60% commission, and a few deliver constant fees on the market.
BUY and Sell Domain Names
What is a domain?
Domain name was simply a website address, this is user kind in the browser deal with bar. There are a number of extensions like .com.uk .net .org etc. available. You can easily check in a domain in GoDaddy or some other web hosting networks.
Buy domain name
You may buy domain names at $10 to $20, and you could sell it at the nice price, based on your area call. If the location already registered with some other person, touch the user and see if he wants to promote it or not.
Sell domain on flippa
You may effortlessly promote your domain names at Flippa. Absolutely sign on and placed your location in the public sale and accept bids. Then sell it for better bids.
You could immediately promote it on your area home web page to promote your domain.
Become a Content Writer
You could moreover earn a complete-time income from content writing. There are lots of websites supplying right amount to content material writers.
How to find sites which have paid content writing option?
Simply search on Google "write for us" to find out websites which pay money for content writing. And you can additionally search keyword + "Write for us" to find sites which are related to your keyword.
Qualities of quality content writer
- Creative thinking
- Excellent information inside the content
- Write's the killer title and description
- Having a unique style
- Getting to know habit.
- Good writing speed
Sell your own products
You can earn lots of dollars if you sell your product. First, create a product. Then promote it on Amazon or your very own website or YouTube channel.
Steps to sell own product or service
- First, create and increase the services or products.
- Then, check your product alongside your friends, family members, and nearest customers, and lots of others.
- After checking out, locate buyers through your website or a YouTube channel or Facebook page, and many others.
- Subsequent, sell your products or services on-line.
And additionally create a marketing plan to earn an excellent profit.
Earn money with your car(Offline)
Rent your car
If you don't have driving talents or don't have time to drive, simply rent your vehicle to make money offline. You could additionally position a driver and have interaction with any company.
You could pay your EMI, service cost, and fuel bills with the aid of renting your car.
Wrap advertisements on car
A few organizations pay you cash by means of manner of sticking their commercials on your car. Contact the closest corporation or your loved company to get commercials.
Become a driver
When you have proper driving abilities, you could earn cash through using your vehicle or someone vehicle. When you have your very own vehicle, you may earn an amazing earning with Uber or lift, and so forth.
You may moreover earn money via driving business vehicles like vehicles and buses and lots of others.
Rent your Home(Offline)
You can moreover make few respectable cash with your home. Simply rent a few rooms in your private home to get some cash.
Don't buy a home for making money on renting. Hire most effective if you already have a home.
Teach Online
There are many websites looking for people who can teach online, so if you're true at something mainly, perhaps you can make little money through teaching online.
Coaching online might be some other suitable way to make a few more money apart from your day job. There are numerous online offerings that are looking for talented teachers, so that you always have a platform in case you don't want to task for your personal. Keep an eye fixed-out for these possibilities whilst searching out approaches to make money online in Andorra.
Download money-earning apps
Did you recognize there are a variety of easy methods to make money on-line immediately out of your cellphone? Cash making apps help you do definitely that.
The common smartphone person spends 4 hours and 30 minutes on their device every single day.
On the identical time, as you could spend this time browsing social media and news websites, you can as a substitute take a number of some time returned and earn some coins.


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Purchasing a vacation rental house at Deep Creek Lake has several benefits. Unlike other areas of the country, our four-season resort allows rental income to be generated year-round. The biggest benefit of owning a vacation rental house is the financial flexibility it can provide to offset expenses with rental income. It also provides you and your family personal use and enjoyment of owning a vacation getaway. Another great benefit is the ability to use a 1031 tax-deferred exchange to defer capital gains taxes when you sell or buy another rental home. Below is a basic guide on how to own a vacation rental house at Deep Creek Lake.
Vacation Rental & Property Management Services
Generally, the property management fees at Deep Creek are 17.5-20% of gross rents. The management fee covers everything related to the renting and management of the property, including, but not limited to; all marketing and a listing on vacation rental sites including VRBO, answering all rental inquiries, booking reservations, collecting the deposit, processing the payments, providing check-in/check-out instructions, and 24/7/365 renter assistance should any problems arise. Linens, cleaning, and hot tub service fees for each reservation are generally added to the management fee.
Rental Histories and Projections
Rental houses currently for sale will have a rental history that can be shared with you. If the house is not currently a vacation rental, a rental projection can be obtained that will give a pretty accurate estimate of the yearly gross rents broken down by each season.
Summer is still the busiest rental season at Deep Creek. Most vacation rental houses will rent for an entire week from mid-June to mid-August. During spring, fall, and depending on the location in the winter, most rent on weekends and holidays. Houses located closer to Wisp will generally do better over a full year because they more easily rent during the ski season. A general rule of thumb is about half of the yearly gross rental income will be generated during the summer and the other half will occur the rest of the year.
Newer houses with newer furniture and décor usually generate better rents and overall more income. The houses with an indoor pool generate the most rent, regardless of their location, as the pools are very appealing to families renting.
TVRU License
If the property is located in the Deep Creek Lake Watershed Zoning District, a TVRU license will be required in order to rent the house. TVRU stands for Transient Vacation Rental Unit. Garrett County issues these licenses and they are good for 2 years. To obtain a TVRU license, the property must have 1 parking spot per bedroom, the required window egress, a bear-proof trash container, an emergency exit escape plan, and a posting that quiet hours are between 10 pm and 8 am.
If the property already has a TVRU license, it can simply be transferred to the new owner after closing. If the property is being converted to a TVRU and has 5 bedrooms or less, a simple change of application is required to transfer the license.
If the property has 6-8 bedrooms, a special exception variance hearing is required.
Maximum Occupancy
The formula for maximum allowable occupancy in a vacation rental house at Deep Creek is 2 people per bedroom plus an additional 4. For example, the maximum occupancy for a 5-bedroom house would be 14 = (5 bedrooms x 2 people) plus 4 additional people.
You might come across some rental houses that advertise their occupancy higher than the formula above. Those certain houses were rental houses prior to the enactment of the 2006 TVRU ordinance and are grandfathered from this occupancy formula.


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New Worlds New Models
The more I dive into the topic of gaming and education, specifically ideas focusing on education in virtual environments, I'm increasingly finding that there's a disconnect between traditional instructional design models and game design models. Yet, I find a contradiction here: there's an increasing number of folks out there claiming that games have tremendous educational potential. Is it possible to have a game that is highly effective for instruction and yet no systematic instructional design model was applied to its creation?
Consider this quote taken from Mark Prensky's Don't Bother Me Mom — I'm Learning:
"Whenever you add an instructional designer, they suck the fun out" -a game designer
Why is that? Are instructional designers overly concerned with stringent application of very linear models? Are we too obsessed with framing learning in terms of behavioral objectives?
I came across an archived webinar given by Dr. Lisa Dawley from Boise State University. Dr. Dawley works with EdTech Island in Second Life. She's doing research related to virtual worlds and education. In her webinar she states:
"When we take an educational instructional design model and try to apply it to gaming engines or gaming environments, we often come out with very boring products that kids don't want to play or adults don't want to use. Why is that? What causes that?"
And those are my questions too! From my years in the classroom as a secondary science teacher and my subsequent interactions with students outside of school playing World of Warcraft or games over XBox Live, it is very clear to me the difference in students' engagement in those two arenas. Students do learn not only broad concepts while playing these games but also a great deal of factual information as well. Why is it that I can have a student who can explain to me each step in a complex quest to raise my faction with Shatari Skyguard (a fictional organization in World of Warcraft), and yet can't recall the steps of mitotic cell division? Engagement!
Dr. Dawley goes on to ask a very good question:
"Can you create the level of engagement you get in World of Warcraft or Everquest?"
Bingo! I think that's perhaps the question. If we can begin to design games that generate that level of interactivity and engagement, then I think we can do some amazing things with games. Though traditional models of instructional design have their place, let's modify them or even create new ID models for the development of games and simulations!
There's an interesting blurb about this debate on Jerz's Literacy Weblog.


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A couple of weeks back, Facebook rolled out their new Places feature; we promptly disabled it, mostly due to a feature that allowed others to post your location, but it got us wondering: Service aside, do you share your location online?
It seems like everyone's doing location these days in one form or another, but popular services like Foursquare or Facebook Places aren't just about using your location to find a good place to eat nearby. They're about sharing your location. The New York Times reports that despite all the attention these location sharing services are receiving, most people still don't use them:
Just 4 percent of Americans have tried location-based services, and 1 percent use them weekly, according to Forrester Research. Eighty percent of those who have tried them are men, and 70 percent are between 19 and 35.
Ever since mobile phones and location technology got started, there have been conversations about the potential for doing something really incredible with this for marketers," said Melissa Parrish, an interactive marketing analyst at Forrester. "But clearly the question is whether it has reached the mainstream, and it looks like the answer is no.
We want to know:
Let's hear more about why or why you don't use any of these services in the comments.
Technology Aside, Most People Still Decline to Be Located [NYT]


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CompTIA Network+ Video Mentor: Configuring an L2TP-Based VPN
- Step 1: Install a Certificate Authority on the Server
- Step 2: Configure the Certificate Authority (CA) on the Server
- Step 3: Configure MS-CHAP on the Client
- Step 4: Configure L2TP and IPSec on the Client
- Step 5: Install a Certificate on the Client
- Step 6: Make the New VPN Connection
In this screencast and ensuing article, I'll show how to configure a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) connection on the server side (Windows Server 2003) and client side (Windows XP Pro). The video and step-by-step article are broken into six steps:
- Step 1: Install a Certificate Authority on the server.
- Step 2: Configure the Certificate Authority (CA) on the server.
- Step 3: Configure MS-CHAP on the client.
- Step 4: Configure L2TP and IPsec on the client.
- Step 5: Install a certificate on the client.
- Step 6: Making the new VPN connection.
This screencast assumes that you have IIS running on the server, you know how to set up a basic VPN, and you have a VPN server running. For more information on how to set up a basic VPN, see my website. (Free registration required.).
Step 1: Install a Certificate Authority on the Server
Even if your client is already set up to make L2TP connections (see Step 4 for more), and you have a basic VPN server working, you would get a 781 error when attempting to connect. This is because your client requires an encryption certificate. The client must get that certificate from the server (or some other authority). Let's install and configure the Certificate Authority on the Windows Server 2003 computer now so that it can dispense certificates to clients.
- Go to the Windows Server 2003 computer.
- Click the Start button and select Control Panel.
- Launch Add/Remove Programs.
- Select Add/Remove Windows Components.
- Click the Certificate Services check box to select it. A pop-up window opens; click Yes.
- Click Next.
- When asked you what type of Certificate Authority you will be installing, choose the default option, Enterprise root CA, as shown in Figure 1. Then click Next.
- In the Common Name for this CA field, type test. Leave the rest of the information as-is, and click Next.
- Leave the Certificate Database Settings window as-is and click Next.
- A pop-up window might ask you about IIS, which needs to be stopped during the installation of the CA. Click OK. The installation of the CA will begin.
- If you are asked for the CD, you can get the necessary information from X:\i386 (where X is the letter of your disc drive). This could be from the Windows Server 2003 disc, the Service Pack disc, or the Server 2003 disc with slipstreamed service packit depends on your setup.
- Click Finish. The Certificate Authority is now installed. You should see it within your Administrative Tools. A restart is not normally necessary, but might be a good idea, especially if you have a lot of other services running on the server.
Figure 1 The Certificate Authority screen.


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Falling for Colour Area Rug
Falling for Colour Area Rug
Make a statement in any room with my colourful and stylish area rugs. This area rug features hemmed edges and a coated backing, ready for any occasion.
They come in multiple sizes and are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. They're soft, durable, low profile, lay flat and stay put with stylish vibrant artwork that will effortlessly match your aesthetics. These items are custom made in the US and are 100% Polyester Chenille so they are tough, durable and clean easily with soap and water.
2 x 3' - 24 x 36 inches
3 x 5' - 36 x 60 inches
4 x 6' - 48 x 72 inches
2.5 x 8' - 30 x 96 inches
5 x 7' - 60 x 84 inches
5' round - 60 inches round
8 x 10' - 96 x 120 inches
9 x 12' - 108 x 144 inches
Machine wash on gentle cycle, tumble dry on low settings or hang dry.
Do not bleach or dry clean.
Clean spills immediately by blotting with a clean sponge or cloth.
Thanks for looking.
© Copyright Brazen Design Studio
All Rights Reserved.
Free Shipping is available worldwide with the exception of large artwork.
For questions regarding shipping fine art to your location, please contact me, I'm happy to help
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. -
All artwork can be returned within 14 days of receipt if it is not to your liking. Safe packaging and return postage are the responsibility of the buyer.
Please be advised that each computer monitor is different and colours may vary. A photo can never do a piece of artwork justice, but I try my best to have it represented online as accurately as possible.
Brazen Edwards
Brazen Edwards is a Canadian artist and designer based out of Vancouver. Primarily working with watercolours and fluid acrylics she tries to enhance the world around her by capturing a colourful portrayal of the vibrant landscapes we inhabit. To create a playful atmosphere where the viewer is left connected with the intricacies of nature is the foundation of her artwork.
Curate Your Collection
Simply mix and match to create your own unique gallery wall.


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Brave the rain and wind wearing the men's Nicker M jacket with a hood. This highly comfortable, waterproof, and windproof model is ideal for all-day wear. You can use it for trekking in challenging mountain conditions, but also for other outdoor activities.
A functional hardshell jacket with a membrane, suitable for challenging conditions as well as for traditional hiking.
Husky Tech 15,000, 4D Mechanical Stretch, DWR
Outer material: 100% polyester
Membrane: 100% polyurethane
Inner material: 100% polyester
Waterproof rating: 15,000 mm H2O
Breathability: 10,000 g/m2/24 h
Weight: 575 g (size L)
Clothing material: synthetic fibres
Synthetic fibres
Synthetic, or man-made, fibres are textiles made by a chemical manufacturing procedure from natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and inorganic substances. Their use, either on their own or in combination with natural materials, improves the properties of the given product, such as its strength, higher elasticity, resistance to wear and tear, quick drying, better shape retention, and crease-resistance.
All measurements are taken directly on the body.
Always take measurements with the garment laid flat.


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Jumper Joliet
When it comes to having a party for children, you have a lot of different options available but an inflatable jumper should always be at the top of the list. It is an inflatable structure and most of us may be familiar with it as a moonwalk or bouncy house from when we were children. When it comes to making children smile, however, you are not going to find a better option. In fact, there are even times when adults may get in on the action! Add one of these to your next party and let the smiles begin. Learn more here: Jumpers N Rentals
Bounce House Joliet
If you want to make a party a memorable experience, a bounce house should be included. This is especially true if children are involved in the plans. Although there may be many inflatable structures to choose from, a bounce house is the premium choice. You may even find that you have a difficulty keeping the adults out of the bounce house once it is set up! Don't worry, both children and adults can have a lot of fun when you have a bounce house in your yard.
Moonwalk Joliet
Take a moment to think back to some of the more enjoyable times that you had when you were a child and more than likely, a moonwalk is going to be involved. These were often included in large community gatherings but now, you can have them in your own backyard. When you have an inflatable structure in your yard, you will find that it offers you the best options for a fun party. Before you know it, everybody is going to be having a great time and it will produce one of the most memorable occasions for both children and parents alike.
Bouncer Joliet
Children love going to parties and that fact is indisputable but when you have a bouncer in your yard, it is a party worthy of having over and over again. A bouncer is an inflatable structure and once you rent one, it can be set up as the centerpiece of the ultimate party. You will be reliving your childhood when you climb inside of the bouncer and start jumping around like a madman! Of course, make sure you leave plenty of time for the children so that they can enjoy it as well.
Jump House Joliet
A child's party may offer many different things to those who are in attendance but if you want to guarantee a lot of fun, be sure to have a jump house on your property. Jump houses can be shaped in different ways and some people choose a castle, but others just like a regular rectangular building. It's nice to look at the outside but when children go on the inside, that is when the magic happens. Bouncing inside of one of these structures is going to bring back all of your memories of childhood and will let your children create some memories of their own.
Party Rentals Joliet
All of us want our parties to shine but if you want to guarantee something fantastic, be sure to include some party rentals because they are guaranteed fun. Party rentals are large inflatable structures, such as the moonwalk that we may have enjoyed when we were children. When they are set up in our yard, they will take the party to new heights. You will also appreciate the fact that they can be put up and torn down without a whole lot of time involved. Simply contact our party rental service and we will take care of the fun for you.
Inflatable Water Slides Joliet
Most people will think about a bounce house when they think about an inflatable structure but when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, an inflatable water slide is the ultimate temporary structure. You can have them set up on your property in no time at all but you may have a difficulty getting people to stop having fun! Of course, fun is what these water slides are all about. If you want something unique at your next party, be sure that an inflatable water slide is included.
Bounce House Rentals Near Me Joliet
f you really want your next party to be memorable and fun beyond compare, having a bounce house on your property is a choice you should not overlook. The real secret to enjoying this convenience is to search for bounce house rentals near me. When you find such a service, you can have the bounce house on your property quickly. For some people, it is because they waited until the last minute to rent the bounce house and for others, it's because they are trying to save money. In either case, selecting one from your local area is the best way to go.
Inflatable Rentals Joliet
When you have children at a party, you want to make things as fun as possible for everyone involved. In today's world, that means you need to step up to the plate and keep the children active. Inflatable rentals offer that option and they do so in the best way imaginable. In fact, you have so many different inflatable structures that can be rented, including water slides, obstacle courses and bounce houses that you may have a difficulty choosing only one. Just give us a call, we can help you to have the best inflatables in your yard in no time.
Moon Bounce Joliet
Most of us used to love enjoying a moon bounce at the local carnival or another community event. Today, you don't need to wait for such an event because you can have them in your own backyard, simply by renting them. When you have a child's party planned or if you just want to give something special to the neighborhood children, rent a moon bounce. Before you know it, there will be smiles everywhere you look.
Bounce House Near Me Joliet
Children love to have fun at a party but adults want to have fun as well. When you're ready to take your party to the next level, finding a bounce house near your location is the best way to go. It offers you more than convenience because using a local company near you allows you to rent a bounce house, even if you don't plan in advance.
Bouncy Castle Rental Joliet
A bounce house is, without a doubt, the best choice for a child's party. You will find that there are many options available to bring the fun to the party but a bouncy Castle may be the best choice for you. They are awesome when the children are on the inside bouncing around but they also look awesome on the outside as well. Your children will love having this activity at the party but it really shines when it comes to showing off pictures later on.
Kids Bounce House Joliet
When it comes to having fun in an outdoor party, a kids bounce house is always going to be a season. It provides massive amounts of enjoyment for a children's party but it also provides the convenience of keeping them contained in a relatively small area. In that way, you can keep your eye on what is going on while they play to their heart's content. You can rent a kids bounce house and have it in your backyard easily and quickly so the party can get started. Since we take care of the work, you get to take care of the fun.
Inflatable Bounce House Joliet
Do you love having a good children's party? If you want to take things to the next level, an inflatable bounce house is the best way to go. Most of us remember bounce houses from when we were children but today, we can have an inflatable bounce house on our own property and watch our children build memories. It doesn't matter if you call it a moonwalk or a bouncy house, this inflatable structure is going to be the perfect addition to any party. Rent one today and have it set up in no time at all.
Jump House Rentals Joliet
There is nothing quite like watching children running around and having a fantastic time at a party. If you want to have more than just a children's party and want something that parents talk about for years to come, then jump House rentals is the option to choose. In fact, you might just find that the parents are having more fun watching their children than the children are having jumping on the inside. Jump houses are always going to make the party better and children are going to go crazy when they see one at the party. You can choose our jump House rentals because the entire process is easy so you can get started with the fun.
Inflatable Bouncers Joliet
When you're having a child's party, you have a lot of things that need to be considered. One option is choosing something that will make the party special and that is possible with inflatable bouncers. When you use inflatable bouncers, they can be easily rented and set up so we take care of the work and your children take care of the fun. Inflatable bouncers come in many different styles and sizes. Simply choose the one that is right for the guests at your party and get started.
Toddler Bounce House Joliet
One of the more difficult things about having a children's party is keeping track of the kids. When children are young and have a lot of energy, it can prove to be even more of a problem. If you want to contain the children and let them have the best time of their life, contain them in a toddler bounce house. Don't overlook this as an option for your next child's party because it is good for the parents and fantastic for the children. In fact, you can rent the toddler bounce house from us and let us come in to prepare everything so the party can get started.
Inflatable Jumpers Joliet
What do you envision when you think about inflatable jumpers? Perhaps you think about a moonwalk from the time when you were young. If that is the case, you probably enjoyed being inside of it at a community event but now, your children can enjoy it in their own backyard. It doesn't matter if you have children of your own or not, having inflatable jumpers on your property is going to make you the place to be in the neighborhood. When you rent them, we will come over, set them up and let you take care of the fun.


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Composite and wood decks are beautiful, durable, and long-lasting, but they require regular maintenance and special care to keep them looking great. Decks are exposed to all the harsh elements and can become stained from leaves, food, grease, rust, dirt and grime. At A+ Power Washing and Roof Cleaning our exclusive A+ Smart Wash™ system will leave your deck looking fantastic!
schedule your free estimate
Regular deck maintenance will help extend the life of your deck and will keep it from becoming an eyesore that can make your entire home look unkempt. But we know that cleaning and maintaining your deck yourself can be time consuming and labor intensive, and often the results just aren't worth the effort.
At A+ Power Washing and Roof Cleaning, we have developed our A+ Smart Wash™ system to provide our customers with fast and effective results at an affordable price. Our equipment is fully adjustable and our technicians have extensive training to know how much pressure to use to safely clean your deck. Our customers are amazed at the results and only wish they would have called us sooner!
"Thanks, the deck looks like new! Great job!!!"
– Art A., Neptune, NJ
"Thank you so much – I feel like I have a brand new house and deck. I would appreciate it if you would put me on your repeat list. Thank you and I will recommend you to a few friends."
– Judy, Toms River, NJ
"I was very pleased with the results, as were my parents. Thanks again, and you will definitely hear from us again."
– Lois, Bradley Beach, NJ
When planning to give your home a makeover, it is easy just to focus on the inside of the property. New paint on the walls and a change of décor can give your rooms a new lease of life, but what about the outside?
Dirty and grimy exteriors can leave a property looking tired and old, and leaving it that way comes with plenty of hidden dangers. Mold and mildew can cause rot, and eventually, let moisture through to your freshly painted interior walls. Built-up dirt can cause exterior surfaces to become stained or even crack.
A+ Power Washing has been in business since 1990 and we have an outstanding record on Google reviews. This is down to our carefully developed cleaning methods that are specific to each type of exterior finish.
We have dealt with many customers whose property has been devastated by the harsh cleaning methods used by other contractors. We know how to undo a bad cleaning job, but to save yourself the stress, choosing A+ Power Washing will ensure the job is done right the first time.
Decking is a heavily used surface and, therefore, is susceptible to more damage than other surfaces. It can succumb to grease and food stains, rot, and also mold and mildew.
Our deck pressure washing services are perfect for our Allentown, NJ customers. We have developed a trademarked A+ Smart Wash technology that uses a soft wash deck cleaning method, in tandem with a special blend of eco-friendly detergents.
Many deck cleaning businesses tend to use high power washing deck techniques that are inappropriate for the surfaces for homes in Allentown, NJ. Our A+ Smart Wash™deck cleaning service is safe and gentle on the surface. Our deck cleaning technicians are fully trained to deploy the technique effectively.
Our customers are the lifeblood of our business. It is our priority to listen to their needs, and make sure they are left with a beautiful looking home. Our customer service is centered around providing quality, acting with integrity, and being 100% dependable. We would not have it any other way.
The services we offer our clients reflect the quality of our service. A+ Power Washing is pleased to offer the following in addition to our deck cleaning services:
Our friendly, professional team is on hand to answer any of your questions and provide a quote. Call A+ Power Washing on 732-775-1242 for a free estimate. Give your exterior the makeover it deserves. Call A+ Power Washing today.
Fast, free quote
100% money back guarantee
3 -Year Warranty on Pressure Free Roof Cleaning™
Over $500k in state of the art equipment
A+ Smart Wash™ technology
Pressure Free Roof Cleaning™ Technology


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Innovative Mounts Lifetime Warranty.
CNC Machined billet aluminum.
Fits B & D-Series Engines & 2-Bolt post mount w/ manual trans
Does not work with the Acura Integra
INNOVATIVE MOUNTS - B/D Series Billet Auto to Manual Conversion Mounts (92-95 CI
This kit is designed to allow you to drop a B/D-Series engine into your 92-95 Civic. Use this mount kit if you have an automatic EG Civic and want to install a B/D-Series engine and manual transmission. Use a 2-bolt post mount. These mounts provide the optimal amount of ground clearance to ensure your oil pan does not get damaged. It also places the engine at a straight shot to your hubs ensuring that your axles are not misaligned. Each mount is manufactured from 6061-T6 billet aluminum and kept within specifications utilizing CNC milling machines capable of maintaining tolerances as tight as .0001".
In addition, each product is hand assembled and inspected before being packaged and shipped. Like all Hybrid Racing products, Innovative Mounts are used on our personal cars and are abused regularly. We are positive you will be excited not only about your mounts but about the service you receive from us. With a devout devotion to customer service and support, we have built a customer base that expands the globe.
What is different about these mounts compared to other kits?
The real differences come in the form of comfort when driving and ease of install. Each mount features no-tear tapered polyurethane bushings. This taper eliminates interference between the mount and chassis minimizing vibration throughout the car.
Factory mounts are usually made of thin gauge metal stamped and partially inserted with a rubber material. The rubber usually has two or more sections that meet in the center to hold the center pin. These sections do not hold the motor firmly and are prone to break under severe driving conditions and/or when used in performance applications. The Innovative mounts us a unique polyurethane bushing unlike other kits on the market. The bushings are solid, will never wear or break, and come with a lifetime warranty!
So how do you choose what stiffness you need for your application? The options available are as follows:
- 75A Street Black – Street bushings are recommended to 80% of our customers. This is the most popular street bushing that combines high durability with a high level of comfort.
- 85A Track Grey - Track bushings should be used in cars that see the track more than the street, or cars that have a significant increase in horsepower.
- 95A Extreme Dark Red - Extreme bushings should be used in racing cars only. These are near solid and offer minimal engine movement.


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Distributed Stochastic Programming with Applications to Large-Scale Hydropower Operations
Time: Fri 2021-12-03 15.00
Location: F3, Lindstedtsvägen 26, Stockholm
Video link: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/67938440307
Language: English
Subject area: Electrical Engineering
Doctoral student: Martin Biel , Reglerteknik
Opponent: Professor David Woodruff, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Supervisor: Professor Mikael Johansson, Reglerteknik; Professor Lennart Söder, Elkraftteknik
Stochastic programming is a subfield of mathematical programming concerned with optimization problems subjected to uncertainty. Many engineering problems with random elements can be accurately modeled as a stochastic program. In particular, decision problems associated with hydropower operations motivate the application of stochastic programming. When complex decision-support problems are considered, the corresponding stochastic programming models often grow too large to store and solve on a single computer. This warrants a need for parallel approaches to enable efficient treatment of large-scale stochastic programs in a distributed environment. In this thesis, we develop mathematical and computational tools to efficiently store and solve distributed stochastic programs.
First, we present a software framework for stochastic programming implemented in the Julia programming language. A key feature of the framework is the support for distributing stochastic programs in memory. Moreover, the framework includes a large set of structure-exploiting algorithms for solving stochastic programming problems. These algorithms are based on the classical L-shaped, progressive-hedging, and quasi-gradient algorithms and can be run in parallel on distributed stochastic programs. The distributed performance of our software framework is improved by exploring algorithmic innovations and software patterns. We present the architecture of the framework and highlight key implementation details. Finally, we provide illustrative examples of stochastic programming functionality and benchmarks on large-scale problems.
Then, we pursue further algorithmic improvements to the distributed L-shaped algorithm. Specifically, we consider the use of dynamic cut aggregation. We develop theoretical results on convergence and complexity and then showcase performance improvements in numerical experiments. We suggest several aggregation schemes that are based on parameterized selection rules. In brief, cut aggregation can bring major performance improvements to L-shaped algorithms in distributed settings.
Next, we consider a fast smoothing scheme for large-scale stochastic programming. We derive a smooth approximation of the subproblems in the quasi-gradient algorithm. This allows us to utilize modern acceleration methods for gradient descent. We derive problem-dependent approximation bounds and convergence properties and note a trade-off between accuracy and speed. We then pose a hybrid procedure that is both fast and accurate and show that it is competitive with the L-shaped method on large-scale benchmarks.
Finally, we consider applications to hydropower operations. We consider three case studies in the Swedish river Skellefteälven. The day-ahead planning problem involves specifying optimal order volumes in a deregulated electricity market, without knowledge of the next-day market price, and then optimizing the hydropower production. We provide a detailed introduction to the day-ahead model and explain how it can be implemented in our framework. Using a sample-based algorithm that internally relies on our structure-exploiting solvers, we obtain tight confidence intervals around the optimal solution of the day-ahead problem. We then consider a maintenance scheduling problem as a variation of the day-ahead problem. Last, we consider a capacity expansion problem with a long planning horizon.


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By now, hopefully, most of you will have seen Steve Hoeffer's Tacit haptic wrist rangefinder project in MAKE Vol 29. MAKE regular David Prutchi recently saw it, and just sent me a link to this functionally similar device built by his daughter Hannah back in October.
While Steve's rangefinder goes "all out" with an embedded microcontroller, "stereo" ultrasonic distance sensors, and matching paired haptic servos, Hannah's design keeps it super simple: An off-the shelf IR distance sensor, an easy analog circuit, and a pager motor. Unlike ultrasonics, IR sensors can be confused by sunlight or other strong IR sources in the environment, but if you just want to experiment with "bat glove" technology, or if you want to make a large number of sensors, Hannah's SharkVision design may be for you. The Prutchis are talking about building an entire suit covered with them! [Thanks, David!]
Join Make: Community Today


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It's disappointing that Snow Leopard doesn't promise many major new Finder features, but with the right tweaks and plug-ins, you can make browsing files on your Mac significantly better.
Image by nono34.
Short of purchasing a license for the excellent Path Finder, you can customize Leopard's built-in file manager with just a little effort. Here are a few of my favorite Finder tweaks. (Note: All of these apply to 10.5 Leopard for sure; I did not test them on Tiger or Panther.)
Reveal and Navigate File Paths
The main thing Finder doesn't do well out of the box is show you where the folder you're browsing is located in your file system, and give you easy access to its parent and grandparent folders. Some usability experts might argue that the common user doesn't need or want to know what the full file path is; but most power users do. Here are a few ways to see where you are and navigate easily.
Show the path bar. From Finder's View menu, check off "Show Path Bar" to turn on a clickable "breadcrumb" file path bar at the bottom of your Finder window, as shown. There you can click on any of the parent folders up the path of your current folder to navigate to it.
Add the path button to Finder's toolbar. Similarly, the Path button isn't on Finder's toolbar by default, but you can add it. To do so, Cmd+click Finder's toolbar (or chrome, the silver top to each window, and choose "Customize Toolbar." From there, drag the button named Path onto Finder (and make any other customizations you like; there are quite a few of them). Then, you can click on the Path button to get a drop-down "steps" view of the current folder's full path, as shown.
These two methods give you interactive buttons for navigating paths, but if you just want to see where you are in the filesystem, you can also show a folder's full path in Finder's title bar by running this Terminal command:
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES
killall Finder
Enhance Quick Look
You already know and love Quick Look, the spacebar-tapping way to instantly preview a file's contents. Two plug-ins make Quick Look even better.
Quick Look inside folders By default, if you select a folder and tap on the Spacebar, Quick Look shows you a blue folder icon with some details about how many items are inside. But this Quick Look plug-in actually browses the contents of those folders in the preview window. Here's how to see folder contents with Quick Look.
Preview .zip file contents with Quick Look. Similarly, another plug-in does the same for .zip archives. With the Zip Quick Look plug-in enabled, a tap of the Spacebar shows what's inside that archive. (original post).
Assign Custom Drive Icons
Easily tell the difference between your backup FireWire drive, thumb drive, and camera's memory card with custom drive icons for each. Grab an icon—like from this neat collection, or a product shot from Amazon.com—and simply drag it onto the drive's info pane (Cmd+I) to affix it there. Then, when you browse your Mac you'll see more than the generic orange and white external drive icon.
Easily Show/Hide "dot" Files
Unix-heads who need access to OS X's hidden files and folders—the ones that start with a dot—can show them using a Terminal command or even better, this handy Automator action. I keep that Automator action docked on Finder's toolbar for easy one-click access from any folder. (When you click it, the new setting will be global, not for just the folder you're browsing. Like the Terminal command, it will restart Finder entirely.) My other tip for dealing with dot files: drag and drop a text editor (like Smultron) to Finder's toolbar, so you can drag any dot file to it to open it on the spot. (Note: my home folder, pictured here, is blue because I've assigned a background image to it.)
Add Separators to Finder's Sidebar
This trick is a little hacky, but it gets the job done on busy Finder sidebars. Using these faux "applications", you can drag and drop separating lines anywhere within Finder's sidebar. Note that if you've got "Show all filename extensions" checked in Finder's preferences pane like I do, the ".app" extensions show up on these separators so they don't work as well. (original post)
Show Item Info
One last Finder setting that's highly informative is the "Show item info" option (from Finder's Action menu, choose View Options, and it's a checkbox there). This will display the file size, for images, the dimensions, and for folders, the number of items inside below each in thumbnail view. If you keep your hard drive on your desktop, it will tell you how much space you have and how much is free, as pictured.
This rundown just scratches the surface of what all you can do with Finder. A few other tricks pulled from our archives include:
What are your essential Finder tweaks? Tell us about 'em in the comments.
Gina Trapani, Lifehacker's founding editor, still wants tabs in Finder. Her weekly feature, Smarterware, appears every Wednesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Smarterware tag feed to get new installments in your newsreader.


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For your convenience NokiaFREE is divided into 7 main sections: General discussiones, Nokia Asha, Nokia Lumia, Nokia BB5, Nokia DCT2,DCT3,DCT4, Lounge and Archive. Just scroll down to see them!
Only registered members may post questions, contact other members or search our database of over 300,000 posts. Why don't you join us today!
Is it possible to unlock...
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Young children across Palestine will now have the opportunity to develop first-class English language skills, with the arrival of the global pre-school English language training program, Pingu's English.
The UK-based Linguaphone Group have granted their exclusive Pingu's English Master Franchise for Palestine to Early Learning Centre Ltd, based in Ramallah. Pingu's English is a popular three-level English language program for 3-8 year olds from the UK-based Linguaphone Group. Based on the global children's character, Pingu, the three-level course teaches children to read, write, listen and speak confidently in the English language. The unique syllabus of Pingu's English has been developed by leading experts in the fields of child education and already delivers first-class English language training to young children in twenty countries worldwide.
In other developments, the Montessori School in Ramallah, led by Mrs Hania Dajani, has today been announced as the first school in Palestine who will start teaching Pingu's English to their students this month. This follows a Unit Franchise agreement for Ramallah and Al Bireh, signed between Montessori School and Early Learning Centre Ltd. In the coming year, Pingu's English Palestine plans to appoint more Unit Franchisees throughout the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
Mrs. Wesam Dalbah / Salhi, Pingu's English Master Franchisee for Palestine said:
"Pingu's English is a fun, friendly and effective way to learn English and we are delighted to welcome the esteemed Montessori School to Pingu's English Palestine. As well as developing children's English language skills, the course will also develop valuable lessons in socialisation, numeracy, computer skills and behaviour management for all Palestinian children. We believe that Pingu's English will also qualify our students to take an international exam in English language in the future, which will greatly increase their job prospects.
"With Pingu's English, we plan to lead the early learning sector in Palestine especially in the area of English language learning. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Education and all academic institutions interested in making a difference to the future of our children, to bring Pingu's English to the Palestinian market.
"We will be announcing further Pingu's English franchise agreements with schools and entrepreneurs in other cities in the months ahead. We also welcome expressions of interest from investors keen to invest in education and development, who realise the importance of English language as a universal language for the academic and practical future of our children."
For more information on Pingu's English in Palestine, visit www.pingusenglish.ps
For all enquiries, please contact:
Mrs. Wesam Dalbah / SalhiEmail: email@example.com
Website: www.pingusenglish.ps Mobile: +00 970 599 198 533
Address: Pingu's English Palestine, B.O.Box (2219), Ramallah, Palestine
Notes to editors
- Early Learning Center Co. Ltd (ELC) is located in the center of Ramallah, one of the most wonderful cities of Palestine and a pivotal academic and economic hub. As the Master Franchisee of Pingu's English for Palestine ELC are looking forward to leading the early learning sector in Palestine especially in the area of English language learning with Pingu's English.
- The Linguaphone Group is a world-leading provider of language training solutions, operating under the internationally recognised Linguaphone, Direct English and Pingu's English brand names. With over 109 years of experience, the Group has an extensive network of licensed partners across Asia, Europe, the Middle-East and Africa. The Group has also helped millions of people learn a new language through their wide-ranging portfolio of self-study products sold in over 60 countries. For more information, visitwww.linguaphonegroup.com
- Master franchise business opportunities are available for Pingu's English worldwide. Please call +44 (0)20 8687 6104, email email@example.com or visit www.pingusenglish.com for more information.
- Pingu's English offers an array of creative learning activities and exercises using high quality, multimedia materials and teaching resources. Each student will take advantage of DVDs, study books, song and story books with CDs plus interactive online learning materials developed by leading English language and child education specialists. Students will also use an activity pack which includes supplementary materials such as character figurines, coloring materials and friezes. There are also extensive teaching resources to assist teachers with each child's learning and development.
- About HIT Entertainment. HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading children's entertainment producers and rights owners. HIT Entertainment is a division of Fisher-Price. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Thomas & Friends,Barney, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Angelina Ballerina, Mike the Knight, Pingu and Rainbow Magic. Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing, digital media, and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.


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- (NYSE: TYG) Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp.
- (NYSE: NTG) Tortoise Midstream Energy Fund, Inc.
- (NYSE: TTP) Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc.
- (NYSE: NDP) Tortoise Energy Independence Fund, Inc.
- (NYSE: TPZ) Tortoise Power & Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc.
- (NYSE: TEAF) Ecofin Sustainable and Social Impact Term Fund
LEAWOOD, Kan. – July 29, 2010 - Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC, the investment adviser for Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (NYSE: TYG), Tortoise Energy Capital Corp. (NYSE: TYY), Tortoise North American Energy Corp. (NYSE: TYN) and Tortoise Power and Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: TPZ) today announced the filing of reports on Form N-CSR containing the 2010 second quarter reports to stockholders for each of these companies. Mailing of the 2010 second quarter reports to stockholders is expected to commence on or prior to July 30, 2010.
The second quarter reports are available online at www.tortoiseadvisors.com. A hard copy of these reports are available free of charge upon request by calling (866) 362-9331 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
About Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC
Tortoise is an investment manager specializing in listed energy infrastructure, such as pipeline and power companies. As of June 30, 2010, Tortoise had approximately $3.6 billion of assets under management in five NYSE-listed investment companies and private accounts. For more information, visit our Web site at www.tortoiseadvisors.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.
Contact information: Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. Pam Kearney, Investor Relations, (866) 362-9331, email@example.com


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All orders processed and shipped once a week on Wednesday. Next restock: 7/21/24. Thank you so much for looking! <3
Regular price $218.75 Sale
Detail condition:
The book is in original cloth with embossed decorations to front cover and spine. It is in very good condition with minor wear to the top edge of the spine. Front and back boards are slight warbled as pictured. There are two small dent marks on the front cover.
All pages are clean with no writing or drawing but do show some spotting and yellowing due to time.
If you have questions regarding the exact condition of the pages and binding, publication date, more detail pictures or anything at all about these books, please send me a message. I will be happy to answer.
* All book orders will be sent by USPS Media Mail and might take longer than regular USPS Priority. Please let me know if you would like to receive the book faster for alternative mailing option.


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The official pedal of 2x DH World Champion Loic Bruni.
- Designed with 2x World Champion Loic Bruni
- Asymmetrical double-anodized red & blue colorway
- Concave platform for secure foothold
- 8 adjustable pins per side for grip
- Traction pad technology customizable interface
- Ribbed body for better traction when unclipped
- Chamfered edges to reduce rock-strikes
- 57mm q-factor for stability at speed
- 4-sided entry / superior mud shedding
- Customizable float & release angle
- Premium bearings & double seal system
Clipless pedals, shoes, and cleats come in many varieties, some specific to one brand or another. If you have a favorite, you may already know what you're looking for, and what is compatible.
Want some help choosing the right pedals and/or shoes? Interested in trying something new? Contact us to ensure your shoes are compatible with your pedals, and all of it's compatible with you.
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN | Store SKU |
Crank Brothers / Loic Bruni Edition | 641300162489 | 16248 | CRA24681160I |


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EZCast Debuts Compact Mate Wireless Display Transmitter and Receiver Kit for Mobile Devices at Computex 2023
New Taipei City, Taiwan – May 19, 2023 – EZCast, a brand of Actions Microelectronics Co., Ltd, has announced it will display a range of innovative new and updated wireless display products at Computex 2023. The exhibition will include the new Compact Mate series and new EZCast ProAV WT02 and WR02, in addition to the EZCast Pocket, EZCast Pro QuattroPod T02+, EZCast ProAV with EZL, and the new, more affordable EZCast Beam J4 portable projector. Action Microelectronics, a leading wireless display solution provider, which provides ODM/OEM services, will also showcase its range of wireless display ICs and product modules at the show.
Join EZCast at Computex 2023:
- Date: May 30th to June 2nd
- Location: Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1
- Booth: N0624
- Register a visit: https://reurl.cc/KMZ1Ag
EZCast Exclusively Debuts New Compact Mate Series
Smartphones and laptops are often used to watch streaming services, work on documents, emails and much more, but sometimes the small screen isn't the best experience to watch or share them. The Compact Mate series enables users to wirelessly cast their small screen mobile display to a large screen TV or projector.
As the name suggests, Compact Mate is incredibly portable: easily carried in a pocket or bag. No app installation or Wi-Fi network is required, simply plug-in the dongles into the mobile device and TV. As USB-C ports are now regularly available in smartphones and laptops, the Compact Mate can be used with either device.
EZCast is exclusively debuting its Compact Mate2, Compact Mate3, and Compact Mate4 at Computex 2023.
- Compact Mate2: HDMI/USB-C transmitter + HDMI receiver
- Compact Mate3: USB-C transmitter + HDMI receiver
- Compact Mate4: USB-C transmitter + HDMI receiver. The mobile device can be charged through the Mate4 transmitter while connecting the USB power adapter to Mate4 transmitter.
Learn more about EZCast Compact Mate series: https://reurl.cc/qkyW5R
EZCast ProAV WT02 & WR02: Professional Wi-Fi Display Extender, Splitter, Switch
Wirelessly send multiple displays and system inputs up to 180m, and control it all securely and remotely from an easy-to-use CMS. Ideal for tradeshows, exhibitions, advertising, or other events, the EZCast ProAV WT02 and WR02 are Wi-Fi Display Extender, Splitter and Switch. With the flexibility to scale up to 255 channels, it can all be managed via the EZCast ProAV CMS, with iKVM to remotely control the display sources. By using 5GHz Wi-Fi it can integrate with existing infrastructure without additional setup time. Operators can easily switch sources and displays, giving class-leading flexibility to meet each operational scenario. Ensure secure wireless transmission using AES encryption and WPS2 authentication.
Learn more about EZCast ProAV WT02 & WR02: https://reurl.cc/0ELMX6
EZCast Beam J4 Projector: Compact, Portable DLP Projector
Based on the popular Beam J4a, new at Computex 2023, EZCast is introducing the Beam J4 projector. By streamlining the design and making it more affordable, simply connect this portable projector directly to a smartphone or computer to create a large display for everyone to see. With USB, HDMI and 3.5mm stereo audio ports it's great for presenting to a group, educational purposes, camping or traveling, watching streaming services, listening to music, or playing games. Palm-sized and just 384g it conveniently fits in any bag or travel pack.
DLP technology provides bright, clear & big images with vibrant colors and a strong 300 ANSI brightness. With a 1.3:1 throw ratio, it's capable of projecting up to 100-inch displays at short distances, giving big screens to small rooms. This ultra-portable device features a large internal battery that provides up to 5 hours of playtime per charge.
Learn more about EZCast Beam J4: https://reurl.cc/Q40Kbo
EZCast Will Also Exhibit the Following:
- EZCast Pocket: Portable Wireless Display Transmitter and Receiver Kit (USB/HDMI)
- Learn more: https://reurl.cc/2WXR8m
- EZCast QuattroPod T02+
- Learn more: https://reurl.cc/Nq3KGm
- EZCast ProAV With ZERO LATENCY (EZL)
- Learn more: https://reurl.cc/8qQxjo
To book a visit with EZCast at Computex 2023, please register at https://reurl.cc/KMZ1Ag
About EZCast
Actions Microelectronics Co., Ltd, is a leading wireless display solution provider that offers complete OEM/ODM services from IC, to product module, through to finished product. EZCast, an Action Microelectronics premier consumer brand, creates innovative wireless digital accessories, Wi-Fi dongles, Wi-Fi projectors, and Wi-Fi presentation system. Its products are thoroughly tested and packed to excellent quality standards, providing customers with more convenient wireless display solutions. EZCast is a leading provider of universal screen mirroring technologies. It specializes in wireless display devices such as EZCast Ultra and the EZCast TwinX, as well as projector products such as the EZCast Beam J4a, and multi-modal capture box EZCast CatchU for game streamers. It strives to bring home entertainment experiences to the next level.
Learn more about at www.ezcast.com. Reach EZCast on Facebook: @iezcast or on YouTube: @EZCast.
Media Contact
Company Name: GlobalPR Taiwan PR Agency
Contact Person: Samantha Wang
Email: Send Email
Phone: +886-2-2882-5577
Country: Taiwan
Website: https://www.globalpr.agency/


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However, many users face problems while connecting digital camcorders and cameras to their PCs. This article aims to guide you through the process of connecting a digital camcorder to your Windows PC.
A FireWire Port (also known as IEEE 1394) allows users to connect digital video camcorders and other peripheral devices to their PCs, and transfer videos or other data at high speeds. Most digital camcorders also have a USB 2.0 connection and this USB connection can be used to capture the video as well as the photo snaps taken by the camcorder. Be sure your PC has a USB 2.0. While a USB 2.0 device can transfer data using a USB 1.1 connection, the transfer rate will be dramatically lower, and video capture may not be successful.
The FireWire port on the PC usually has 6 pins. Two pins are for providing power to FireWire devices like printers, scanners or external memory. A digital camcorder's FireWire port (usually called DV out or i.Link) usually has 4 pins as the camera does not need to power other devices. This means that in most cases you would need a FireWire connecting cable with 4 pins (for DV out of camcorder) on one end and 6 pins at the other end (for your PC).
This can mean one of the two things: Either the DV port on the camcorder (or computer) is not working or the FireWire cable is faulty. Try a different FireWire cable. If the camera is still not detected by the PC, try connecting it to a different PC. If the Camcorder is still not detected, then your camera's DV port is most likely at fault.
Now you are ready to learn about Video Editing. You can find additional information and articles on Video Editing on our Resources page.


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China has drawn up new guidelines to reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock, the agriculture ministry said, part of a response to the coronavirus outbreak that the Humane Society called a potential "game-changer" in animal welfare.
Though dog meat remains a delicacy in many regions, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a notice published on Wednesday that dogs would no longer be considered as livestock. It uses that designation for animals that can be bred to provide food, milk, fur, fibre and medicine or to serve the needs of sports or the military.
"As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilization and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been 'specialized' to become companion animals and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China," it said.
The coronavirus is widely believed to have originated in horseshoe bats and could have been passed onto humans by intermediary species on sale in the markets of the city of Wuhan, where the pathogen was first identified.
China subsequently banned the breeding, trading and consumption of wildlife and revoked all existing licenses. It has also promised to revise legislation to make the ban permanent.
The draft guidelines published Wednesday, which have been opened to the public for consultation, listed 18 traditional livestock species — including cattle, pigs, poultry and camels.
It also added 13 "special" species that would also be exempt from wild animal trading restrictions, including reindeer, alpaca, pheasants, ostriches and foxes.
Dog consumption has become increasingly unpopular in China, and the southern city of Shenzhen became the first to ban it last month.
However, the Humane Society International, an animal welfare group, estimated that around 10 million dogs a year are still killed in China for meat, including stolen pets. The city of Yulin in the region of Guangxi holds an annual dog meat festival in June.
"This draft proposal could signal a game-changer moment for animal protection in China," said Wendy Higgins, a Humane Society International spokeswoman.


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Treasury refuses to brand China a "currency manipulator."
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The Great China Exchange Rate Obsession
I am puzzled that so many smart people--in and out of government--seem convinced that revaluing the yuan against the dollar will narrow the U.S. current account deficit.
It won't. The current account deficit is the difference between savings and investment. The U.S. saves substantially less than it invests, and as a result it has a current account deficit equal to the difference (good discussions can be found here and here). A currency realignment will narrow the current account imbalance only if it raises U.S. savings or reduces investment in the U.S.. There is very little reason to believe that revaluing the yuan will have either effect.
Because I am disinclined to believe that smart people fail to understand this, I am compelled to look elsewhere to explain the obsession with China's exchange rate. The most obvious alternative candidate is old fashioned trade politics.
Schumer-Grahamism (wherein we impose a 30 percent tariff on Chinese goods) and yuan revaluation are substitute policies not because both will correct the current account imbalance (for neither can). They are substitutes because both benefit American traded goods producers. A 30 percent tariff and a 30 percent yuan revaluation each raises the dollar price of Chinese goods sold in the American market. This makes it easier for American producers to sell their higher-priced products to Americans. Recognizing these potential gains, American traded goods producers pressure Congress. Congress pressures the Bush administration to get serious about the "China problem". Given that Graham is from South Carolina (think textiles and Roger Milliken) while Schumer is from New York (think financial services) joint action makes perfect political sense. Revalue the yuan to benefit American manufacturers; liberalize China's financial market to the benefit of American financial service firms.
While yuan revaluation (or Schumer-Grahamism) benefits some producers, it makes the rest of us poorer. American paychecks will buy less--fewer holiday gifts (China produces many of the electronics and toys we will purchase this holiday season), fewer clothes and shoes for the kids (China produces much of the low-cost apparel and footwear we buy), and so on. And as much Chinese production dominates the low-price end of the spectrum (off-brand electronics and apparel sold in the major discount retailers at very low prices) both measures hit the poor the hardest. Yuan revaluation thus transfers income from the poor to large American companies.
I am puzzled that no one else has noticed the perversity (hypocrisy?) of this aspect of the "new populism". With one hand the new populists offer a 20 percent bump in the federal minimum wage to the benefit of a very small segment of the American workforce. With the other they strive to impose a 30 percent income reduction on all of us.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Holiday Reading
If you read either Jeffrey Sachs' Ending Poverty or William Easterly's White Man's Burden for your book review, then you will probably want to read the other book over your break. If you read another book, then I encourage you to read both.
I find the back and forth between Sachs and Easterly particularly entertaining, if not always edifying.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Nobel Peace Prize for Microfinancier
Muhammad Yunus, who pioneered micro-credit in Bangladesh with the Grameen Bank, delivered his Nobel Peace Prize address in Oslo this weekend. The Nobel Prize Committee selected Yunus because "Lasting peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means."
Sunday, December 10, 2006
USTR Evaluates China's Compliance with WTO obligations
Labels: U.S.-ChinaUSTR Susan Schwab, summarizing the larger USTR report due on Monday in today's Financial Times, asserts that the record of China's compliance with its WTO obligations is "profoundly mixed."
While acknowledging that China has met many of its obligations, Schwab points to "regulatory obstacles," industrial policies that subsidize exports, and inconsistent enforcement of intellectual property rights as problem areas.
Scwhab concludes, the U.S. wants "a strong trade relationship with this vast and fast-growing economy. The potential benefits for Americans – in exports, jobs and greater economic competitiveness – are enormous. But that depends on China's continued reform, and on a commitment to expand free and fair trade based on decisions by the actors in the market – not by bureaucrats."
The Full Report is now available at the USTR.
Pressure mounts to pressure China
As American officials prepare for the forthcoming trip to China to discuss the US-China economic relationship, Treasury Secretary Paulson faces pressure from the new Congress to get serious about the "China Problem." As the New York Times reports, "Leaders of Congress say that the pressure on Mr. Paulson to achieve something is acute, and that it is coming from both Democrats and Republicans. Representative Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who is to serve as Speaker of the House next year, has already signaled a tougher line on China, raising the stakes for the Treasury chief. "Many of us in the Congress will be watching closely for tangible results from Secretary Paulson's trip," Ms. Pelosi said through a spokesman, asserting that the administration's policies on China have generally been ineffective across the board."
It seems appropriate, therefore, to look at the debate about the cause of the global imbalance.
The World Bank Poverty and Growth Blog's concise overview of the most popular explanations.
The 2006 Economic Report of the President on the U.S. capital account surplus (Chapter 6).
A 2006 Treasury Department paper.
Finally, you can read Ben Bernanke's take on the global savings glut.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Which way is trade policy heading in the new Congress? What is the likelihood that Congress will renew TPA next year? Here are some initial indicators.


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Yunnan Sourcing Brand Ripe Pu-erh Tea Sampler for 2021 - Part 5
2021 was another spectacular year for YS teas, especially ripe! Join us as we highlight some of the these great teas - Part 5. Experience the diverse characteristics of the villages and mountains we sourced our 2021 Ripe Pu-erh tea from! Taste a curated selection of samples from 2021 Yunnan Sourcing Brand Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cakes and develop an appreciation for the distinct aroma, flavor and mouthfeel of the teas we personally chose for our cakes.
Pu-erh tea is made from Yunnan large-leaf varietal of Camellia sinensis. It is typically processed into compressed cakes, bricks and tuos. Pu-erh is particularly special because it can be aged for decades or longer, always changing and (in most cases) developing more depth and texture. Ripe Pu-erh (熟茶) is fermented during a 40-50 day period under-going a mellowing process that changes the tea into something dark red-brown in color.
Yunnan Sourcing Brand was first produced in 2009! We select the finest Ripe and Raw Pu-erh teas from Yunnan province and offer them to our customers at a very reasonable price. Our Raw Pu-erh tea productions are produced mostly from single village or mountain sources in small batches. All our raw cakes are processed at every stage in the traditional method to ensure the best possible long term aging outcome! Our ripe pu-erhs are selected based on their taste profile, fermentation degree, leaf quality and future aging potential!
Here are the 4 teas you will receive in this sampler:


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Source: People's Daily OnlineEditor: Yao Jianing
2016-03-01 09:180
China's own domestically built military cargo jet, Y-20, will likely be put into service in the army this year, a military expert said in an interview with People's Daily Online.
According to Xu Yongling, a military expert, the test flight period for large aircraft is generally between three and five years. Since there have been no bottlenecks during development or manufacturing, the Y-20 will be put into use this year.
The first flight of the Y-20 took place in 2013, making China the fourth country in the world, following the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, to develop a 200-ton military cargo jet.
"This is not only progress for China's national defense industry, but also a milestone of industrial and military modernization," Xu said.
The official code name of the aircraft is Kunpeng, after the mythical bird of ancient China that can fly for thousands of kilometers. However, within the Chinese aviation industry, the aircraft is more commonly known by its nickname, Chubby Girl, named by military fans for its relatively wide fuselage.
Military expert Chen Hong said in an interview with People's Daily Online that the carrying capacity of the Y-20, around 60 tons, is higher than that of Russia's Ilyushin Il-76, a multi-purpose four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter. The Y-20's engine, aerodynamic arrangement and combat performance are all better than those of the Russian aircraft.
The cargo jet can be used to refit significant special operations platforms, as it has a long flying period and flying distance. The Y-20 is also a good choice for maritime detection and early warning, according to Chen.
As for future military developments, airborne transportation depends not only on the Y-20, but also on other military cargo jets, which China may develop in the next five to ten years, according to Xu.
Monday, January 04, 2016
Boring logistics picture of the day: Y-20 Strategic Airlifter "expect to deliver to the PLA soon"
Picture of the fifth Y-20 Strategic Airlifter prototype 785. It rolled out of Xi'an Aircraft Company last September.
Must...have...more Y-20 Strategic Airlifters
PLA 'needs to boost its readiness'
Source: China DailyEditor: Ouyang
2016-01-04 10:030
Large transporter planes, satellites are called for to play a bigger role
The People's Liberation Army will need to make significant changes following a historic reshuffle of its branches, according to experts.
They were speaking after President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday the establishment of the PLA Army Headquarters, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force.
The experts said the PLA will need to set up inter-services platforms and more universal hardware to improve its combat readiness.
Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said, "President Xi has repeatedly stressed the importance of information and joint operation capabilities, which I believe are pillars to winning modern warfare.
"So, the PLA should give priority to developing an inter-services command and logistics system."
He said the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force, which was established on Thursday to replace the Second Artillery Corps and manage strategic missiles, currently have their own platforms to handle information, maneuver units and arrange logistics.
Wang said these separate platforms should be integrated to allow a smoother command chain. He also suggested that a universal early-warning and control system and long-range transporter aircraft are needed for all services, rather than just the air force.
Wang said large planes like the Y-20, which made its maiden flight in January 2013, and which developers expect to deliver to the PLA soon, will make troop deployment easier, enabling the military to act more promptly and to better respond to emergencies.
He said the army, the PLA's largest branch, should develop a next-generation main battle tank, which he proposed should be highly automated and have better information capability than the current Type-99A tank.
Cao Weidong, a researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said that for the army, air force, navy and missile forces to act in concert with each other, more military satellites will be needed as they will play an increasingly important role in obtaining information and transmitting directives among different fighting units.
"The air force and navy will need more equipment that can perform or support long-range operations. For instance, the navy will need amphibious assault ships, large supply vessels and advanced guided missile destroyers, while the air force will pursue long-range refueling aircraft," he said.
Wu Peixin, a military observer in Beijing, said the PLA should develop new individual smart weapons and portable logistics devices, which will strengthen each soldier's combat capability.


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Deduplication Performance: More Than Processing Power
Storage performance problems can't be solved by just throwing more processing power at them.
Deduplication, the process of identifying redundant data segments between separate files, is moving its way through the storage infrastructure. The next deduplication targets are primary storage systems and all-flash arrays. As we saw in a recent poll Storage Switzerland conducted, the number one concern is performance impact. You want deduplication, but you don't want it to impact your applications' performance.
Overcoming performance problems is more than just throwing more processing power at the problem. You need intelligent design of the deduplication logic itself. Certainly more processing power helps. As most storage systems upgrade to the latest Intel processors, they will have a new lease on life when it comes to providing all the storage services that you expect from your storage system, like snapshots, replication, and cloning.
Deduplication is a little different though, because there is a database-like lookup that must occur with most deduplication technologies. Anytime there is a lookup, the processor's speed becomes less important because it has to wait on the device that holds the table that performs the lookup. The device's speed becomes more important than processing power.
[ Learn about The Storage Problem Technology Can't Solve. ]
What causes the deduplication lookup? Most deduplication technologies create a table to store information about unique and similar data. As data is sent to a device with deduplication enabled, that data is segmented and then given a hash code. Think of it as a unique serial number. The data is then stored and the serial number or hash code is stored in the table mentioned above. As more data is sent to the device, it is also segmented and given a code. If that code matches a previous code then it is identical data. The table is updated, but the redundant data is not stored. This is where your capacity savings comes from. It is also where your potential performance bottleneck comes from.
As more and more data is stored on the system, that table grows in size. The more unique the data is, the more that table will grow, and, of course, the more total data there is, the more that table will grow. This is important when we talk about deduplication in primary storage. Primary storage does not have near the level of redundancy that backup data does. As a result, the number of entries in the hash table can be dramatically larger than it would be in a backup environment.
Why is this important? It impacts the type of storage device where you can store the lookup table. Most vendors, aware that the speed of the device where the deduplication table is stored is an issue, try to store the entire table in RAM. There is no waiting, but there is a cost and capacity issue
What happens when the number of entries, or the total dataset under management, becomes so large that the deduplication lookup table gets too big to store in RAM? You have to page to a hard disk or SSD, so, essentially, RAM becomes a cache. The problem is that normal cache logic won't work in this situation. This is not a first-in, first-out scenario. You need to verify uniqueness across the entire dataset, not just the most recently stored data.
As we will cover in our upcoming webinar "What is Breaking Deduplication?" if RAM is not used properly, then that means a repeated trip to the hard disk or SSD AND it means that the powerful processor in the storage system has to wait. Its extra processing power--and the money you spent on it--goes to waste.
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George Crump is lead analyst of Storage Switzerland, an IT analyst firm focused on the storage and virtualization segments. Storage Switzerland's disclosure statement.
Big data places heavy demands on storage infrastructure. In the new, all-digital Big Storage issue of InformationWeek Government, find out how federal agencies must adapt their architectures and policies to optimize it all. Also, we explain why tape storage continues to survive and thrive.
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