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Now available in public preview, you can use Temporal Tables, a new programmability feature on Azure SQL Database that allows you to track and analyze the full history of changes in your data, without the need for custom coding. Temporal Tables keep data closely related to time context so that stored facts can be interpreted as valid only within the specific period.
Usage scenarios
Real data sources are never static: Critical information changes over time, while different application scenarios require us to analyze trends, with the ability to focus analysis to a specific point in time.
Users who track data changes aim to answer fundamental questions: How did facts look in a specific point in time in the past (yesterday, a month ago, a year ago, etc.)?, what changes have been made?, and when and what were the dominant trends in a specific period of time? Without proper support in the database, however, questions like these have never been easy to answer.
Temporal Tables are designed to be the productivity tool for developing applications that work with historical data – we strongly recommend using them in the scenarios described below, due to the huge productivity benefits. Note that Temporal Tables are available in all service tiers of Azure SQL Database.
Data audit
Enable temporal system-versioning on tables that store critical information, for which you need to keep track of what has changed, when and by whom, and to perform change forensics at any point in time. Temporal Tables allow you to plan for data audit scenarios in the early stages of the development cycle, or to add data auditing to existing applications when you need it.
If you develop new application, create key tables as temporal system-versioned; if you need to perform data audit in existing database, use ALTER TABLE to extend non-temporal tables to temporal. The following example illustrates how you can start tracking changes of employee related information in HR database, with a simple CREATE TABLE statement:
CREATE TABLE Employee ( [EmployeeID] int NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED , [Name] nvarchar(100) NOT NULL , [Position] varchar(100) NOT NULL , [Department] varchar(100) NOT NULL , [AnnualSalary] decimal (10,2) NOT NULL , [ValidFrom] datetime2 (0) GENERATED ALWAYS AS ROW START , [ValidTo] datetime2 (0) GENERATED ALWAYS AS ROW END , PERIOD FOR SYSTEM_TIME (ValidFrom, ValidTo) ) WITH (SYSTEM_VERSIONING = ON (HISTORY_TABLE = dbo.EmployeeHistory));
Once table is created, data audit is just one query away from you. The following simple query with the new FOR SYSTEM_TIME clause demonstrates how you can easily search for changes made to a particular employee over the period of interest:
SELECT * FROM Employee FOR SYSTEM_TIME BETWEEN '2014-01-01' AND '2015-01-01' WHERE EmployeeID = 1000 ORDER BY ValidFrom;
Point in time analysis (time travel)
Unlike data audit, where focus is on changes that occurred to individual records, in time travel scenarios you typically want to see how entire data set looked in the past or changed over time. Time travel may include multiple temporal tables, each changing at independent pace, for which you want to analyze:
- Trends for the important indicators throughout the history
- Exact snapshot of data "as of" any point in time in the past (yesterday, a month ago, etc.)
- Differences in between two point in time of interest (a month ago vs. three months ago, for instance)
Use new CREATE or ALTER TABLE syntax to configure important tables to be temporal, as described in data audit scenario.
Fixing incorrect data at the row-level
You can rely on historical data in Temporal Tables to quickly repair individual table rows to the "last good known state", in case of accidental errors made by humans or applications. This is especially useful when you are able to locate affected rows or when you know the time of the undesired data change. Temporal Tables allow you to perform repairs efficiently, without dealing with backups. This approach has several advantages:
- You are able to control the scope of the repair very precisely. Rows that are not affected will stay at the latest state, which is often a critical requirement.
- The operation is very efficient and the database stays online for all workloads using the data.
- The repair operation itself is versioned. You have an audit trail for repair operation itself, so you can analyze what happened later if necessary.
For more details, check out the corresponding MSDN article.
Why you should consider Temporal Tables?
If you have a requirement for tracking data changes, using Temporal Tables gives you multiple benefits over a custom solution. Temporal Tables simplify every phase in the development lifecycle, from object creation through schema evolution and data modification, from data analysis to security:
- Table creation and schema evolution are supported via the well-known CREATE/ALTER table syntax and the rich table editor in SQL Server Development Tools . Schema operations on Temporal Tables automatically apply smart default options, optimized for typical usage scenarios.
- Change tracking occurs completely transparently to your workloads. While users and applications modify the data in the regular way, history is automatically built behind the scenes.
- Data analysis: Azure SQL Database allows you to perform point-in-time querying very easily, using the FOR SYSTEM_TIME clause. The power of temporal querying becomes apparent in scenarios of querying complex database models using views and including multiple tables with foreign key relationships "as of" a point in time in the past.
- Immutability of historical data: Temporal Tables ensure that historical data cannot be altered, even by users with edit permissions.
Next steps
To learn how to integrate Temporal Tables in your application, read the following article with the step-by-step instructions. Visit Channel 9 to hear a real customer story and watch a live presentation with the demo.
For detailed information, check out MSDN documentation. Finally, try out Temporal Tables today – we are eager to hear your feedback!


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Cygolite Metro Pro 1100 Headlight
Engineered with incredible night-piercing power, the Metro Pro™ 1100 unleashes an extraordinary 1100 lumens right through the darkness with exceptional brightness and clarity. Its cycling tuned optics enables an extra-wide, long-range output to maximize your line of sight. Not only limited to night, the Metro Pro's DayLightning® mode makes you stand out in broad daylight to give you the advantage anytime and anywhere you ride. Patent pending.
- Powerful 1100 lumen output with 9 light modes
- Built-in 24/7 Safety Technology® gives you a powerful selection of night and day modes (Boost - High - Medium - Low - SteadyPulse® - Triple Flash - Zoom - DayLightning® - Walking mode)
- SteadyPulse® mode alerts nighttime motorists with pulses while constantly lighting your path
- DayLightning® mode emits lightning-like flashes to highlight your presence in the brightest of daytime hours
- Enhanced Cycling Optics™ (ECO) expands your visibility with an extra-wide and long-range beam
- Micro USB rechargeable, internal battery lasts up to 100 hours
- Low battery indicator alerts you when a charge is needed
- Rugged, water-resistant design
- Side illumination ports highlight your presence to nearby motorists
- Light activation lockout prevents accidental light activation
- Locktite™ quick-release handlebar mount keeps the light securely fastened to the handlebar
- Boost: 1:00 hrs
- High: 1:30 hrs
- Medium: 3:00 hrs
- Low: 10 hrs
- SteadyPulse®: 4:00 hrs
- DayLightning®: 14 hrs
- Triple Flash: 22 hrs
- Zoom: 4:00 hrs
- Walking: 100 hrs
- CHARGE TIME: 2:30 hrs (depending on charger used)
- MOUNTING: Handlebar
- BATTERY: Built-in Li-ion
Patent pending.
*Features and specs are subject to change without notice.
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN |
Black | 745025060041 | MTR-1100-USB |

subset: commoncrawl


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Pink Topaz Resin Collection Key Ring
Inspired by our favorite stackable bangles, the Resin Big O® Key Ring is our #1 must-have for your hands-free wardrobe. Lightweight and ultra comfortable, this swirly statement-maker walks the line between fashion and function. Concerned about breakage? Fear not, #Ogirl! We personally drop tested this style and can confirm that it passed our durability and strength test with flying colors.
The Original Big O Key Ring is a one-size-fits-all bracelet key ring that can be worn on your forearm or above your elbow for hands-free ease. The patented, signature locking clasp clicks open and closed so you can contain your house keys, car keys, card case and more in one central, secure location.


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PROEXTENDER SYSTEMS – The ProExtender™ System (penis extender) is also a penis enlargement combination like the SizeGenetics.
The ProExtender™ Penis Extender System consists of products from Albion Medical and Dana Medic reputed for high quality medical enlargement device and supplements from a trusted Male Enhancement Supplement provider.
The Penis Extender comes in two versions – Deluxe and Original. Proextender™ is also sold as a stand alone device without penis enlargement pills and Exercise CD.
The ProExtender Device Package Include
ProExtender™ Penis Enlargement Device (Stretcher) – The ProExtender™ Penis Extender Device was designed and developed by leading Medical Professionals in the field of Penis Enlargement. It's basically high quality Jes-Extender redistributed by Leading Edge Herbals.™ It promotes the multiplication of tissue cells and gradual expansion of the penile tissue. In other words, the penis gradually and naturally adds tissue for a larger, longer, bigger penis.
VigRX™ Penis Enhancement Pills
ProExtender™ Penis Extender System comes with a 30-day supply of VigRX™ Penis Enlargement Pills, known to be one of the most effective natural supplements on the market today for increasing male sexual vigor, stamina, pleasure and performance.
Semenax Volume Increaser Pills – Increases the volume of ejaculation by as much as 500%, Also known to increase orgasmic pleasure.
The For Men Only™ Penis Enlargement Exercise CD – Developed in partnership with AJA Publishing, this CD E-Book contains instructions for beginner and advanced exercises, pictures of how to perform the exercises, as well as instructions on many other ways to improve your penis size and overall sexual health.
This penis extender system also comes with a 6 month 100% Money Back Guarantee. It works on the principle that by using all 4 methods of enlargement you get simultaneous benefits of every one! By combining ALL these approaches in a thoughtfully developed, controlled and conscientiously applied system, you achieve better, faster and more lasting results than with any one method alone.
The Packages:
Original ProExtender™ – $299.95
Original ProExtender System™ + 3 Bonus Gifts – $329.95
Deluxe ProExtender™ (+ Metal Case) – $399.95
Deluxe ProExtender System™ + 4 Bonus Gifts = 429.95
The Benefits experienced with this system were similar to those obtained by Size Genetics™ Penis Extender.


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More information:
Official Website
Kari Tikka
Luther - Opera in Two Acts
Esa Ruuttunen, Martin Luther
Lassi Virtanen, Devil
Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Käthe
Viva Vox Chorus
New Young Chamber Orchestra
Kari Tikka, conductor
Jussi Tapola, stage director
ODV 4001 (DVD Video)
Released 07/2004
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Italian manufacturer of cast steel valves and strainer for chemical and petrochemical industries.
A wide and varied range of applications from chemical & petrolachemical plants, conventional & nuclear power generation stations, oil refiners, gas pipelines and offshore exploration and production platforms.
The extraordinary flexibility to our manufacturing facility enables us to continue to deliver our range of specialist products to exacting specifications within relatively short lead times.
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Fax: +39 02 18.104.22.168


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Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo is a technically demanding poker game where the best traditional 'high' poker hand and the best Ace to Five lowball hand split the pot at showdown. In Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo poker, players are individually dealt seven cards throughout the course of the hand, but only the best five-card hand possible for each player is used to determine the winner. Visit our Poker Hand Rankings page to see the ranking of hands for Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo.
In Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, the low hand is played with an 'eight or better' qualifier, which means that a low hand must be, at worst, an eight-low to be eligible to win the low portion of the pot. (Low hands in Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo are determined in the same way as in Omaha Hi/Lo). If there is no qualifying low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Stud Hi/Lo uses the 'Ace to Five' or 'California' system for ranking low hands. Straights and flushes do not count against a hand, and Aces are always low, so the best possible hand is a "wheel": 5, 4, 3, 2, A. To help understand the ranks of low hands, the following sample qualifying low hands are ranked from least powerful (#1, will rarely win the low half of the pot) to most powerful (#10, the nuts):
Note that a low hand is always ranked from its highest card downwards. So for example, hand #9 is known as a 'Six-low' because its highest card is a Six. Hand #5 is a 'Seven-low', and Hand #1 is an 'Eight-low'. In poker slang, you distinguish between close low hands by going further down the ranks, so hand #9 would be called a 'Six-Four low', which beats hand #8 a "Six-Five low".
Also remember that straights and flushes do not count against your low hand, so making a qualifying low that is also a straight or a flush is a very powerful hand, that could win both the high and low halves of the pot. That's called a 'scoop'.
Before a game of Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo begins, all players ante a nominal amount (the exact amount depends on the game, and is displayed in the table's title bar).
Each player is initially dealt three cards, two hidden hole cards and one face up. The player with the lowest exposed card is the 'bring-in', and is forced to start the action. They must make either another nominal bet (again, the exact size of the bring-in depends on the game) or, if they choose, a full bet of the lower betting increment. Action continues clockwise around the table until betting is complete for the round.
Each poker player now receives another exposed card, called 'Fourth Street'. The first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the highest poker value. By rule, this player may either check or bet. Unlike in Seven Card Stud, there is no double-sized bet allowed if a player makes a pair on Fourth Street – all bets are in the lower increment (eg, $1 in a $1/$2 game).
For example, a player showing a King high would act first, if no other player is showing an Ace high or better. This player may either check or bet the lower betting amount (eg, $1 in a $1/$2 game).
There is a round of betting.
Each player now receives another exposed card, called 'Fifth Street'. Again by rule, the first player to act is the individual whose exposed poker hand has the highest poker value. There is a round of betting.
Starting on Fifth Street and for the rest of the hand, all bets and raises are in big bet increments (eg. $2 in a $1/$2 game).
Each poker player now receives another exposed card, called 'Sixth Street'. Again, the first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the highest poker value. There is a round of betting.
Each player now receives a seventh and final card, which is dealt face-down and known only to the player to whom the card is dealt. The first player to act is the individual whose exposed cards have the highest poker value. There is a final betting round, and if more than one player remains, we reach the Showdown.
If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards first. If there was no bet on the final round, the player in the earliest seat shows his or her cards first (Seat 1, then Seat 2, and so on). Further hands involved in the Showdown are exposed clockwise around the table.
The player with the best five-card hand for the high ('Hi') wins half the pot, and the player with the best hand for low ('Lo') wins the other half of the pot. In the event that no hand qualifies for low, the best hand for high wins the entire pot.
Remember that in Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, there is an 'eight or better' requirement to win the low, so a player must have an unpaired five-card hand that consists of all cards less than or equal to an 8. If no player can meet this requirement, no low qualifies.
In the event of two or more players have the same high or low hands, the pot halves will be split accordingly.
After the pot is awarded, a new game of Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo poker is ready to be played.
In Stud, as with other forms of poker, the available actions are 'fold', 'check', 'bet', 'call' or 'raise'. Exactly which options are available depends on the action taken by the previous players. If nobody has yet made a bet, then a player may either check (decline to bet, but keep their cards) or bet. If a player has bet, then subsequent players can fold, call or raise. To call is to match the amount the previous player has bet. To raise is to not only match the previous bet, but to also increase it. Bets and raises in Limit games are in pre-determined amounts.
Seven Card Stud, played for high only, is also available at PokerStars.
PokerStars also offers Razz. In this variant of Stud, the entire pot is awarded to the best low hand, with no qualifier.
If you are familiar with Stud poker, then you should be able to pick up Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo fairly quickly. If you are unfamiliar with stud poker or Seven Card Stud, we recommend you try that poker game out first to get a feel for how the game is played. You are always welcome to play on our free poker tables at PokerStars, so that you can sharpen your skills before playing real money poker.
Finally, if you like to play other Hi/Lo variants, we recommend you check out Omaha Hi/Lo, which is a very popular poker game as well. Both games are a nice change of pace from the amazingly popular Texas Hold'em game, and they also are both available in our poker tournaments selection.
As well as Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, we also offer many other poker variants. See our Poker Games page to learn more.
Good luck playing Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo!


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Today is the eleventh birthday of this website.
Some of you have been reading since the beginning, since I was single and living alone in Los Angeles working as a web designer, back when I thought that children might not ever be a part of my life. Remember when you could drop someone off at the airport and walk them to their gate? Or meet them eagerly as they walked off of the plane? So does my website.
Some of you started reading after I got married, some when I got pregnant for the first time. Some of you found this website after I gave birth to my little frog baby. And then there was the postpartum depression, the hospital, the years of my child teaching me what it means to be human. That child is now old enough to be baptized in the Mormon Church. But even if you've only been reading for a month you can probably guess that baptism, particularly into the Mormon Church, is on a list of things she gets to choose to do when she's old enough to make decisions that big. You know, like skydiving. Or a forehead tattoo. Or, oh God, thinking it's a good idea to move to Nevada.
From living in my mother's basement to the first house, the second house, to the current residence. So much change. More change than you'd find in between your couch cushions and in the junk drawer combined. More change than the shape of Joan Rivers' face.
More than anything else this website has chronicled all that change. The unbridled spirit of 25-year-old Heather Hamilton still powers the heart of 36-year-old Heather Armstrong, but damn am I ever glad to be eleven years older, wiser, and well, different. Yes, different. I feel so much more settled into my skin and confident in the way I move my body through my life. I've got way more wrinkles, a ton of gray hair, and it takes a lot longer to recover from a late night out, but who cares about any of that when I now possess an increased ability to identify and shrug off the things that don't matter.
A lot of that is age, but most of it is the responsibility of having children and supporting two employees. They are why I am so different.
Two kids and four adults now count on these pages to feed them. I won't lie, that's a lot of pressure. Sometimes that pressure doesn't faze me, and then sometimes the stress of it puts me to bed very early without dinner because it's killed my appetite. But I always come back to one thing, the one fundamental thing that keeps me from walking away: I love doing this.
I love telling stories.
This is the story of how I've changed, how I continue to change. Sure, some of you don't like where I was, or where I am, or where you assume I'll be a year from now. And that's fine. But I can promise you this: every word has come from the deepest part of me, and it always will.
I think of you as the group I'd invite over for dinner on a Friday night, and what I write here are the stories I'd tell you when you asked about my week. It's always been that way. And no matter where you jumped in and started following along, no matter if you left and came back because something made you furious, I'm going to ask you to stay and have another drink. There's so much more to share with each other.
Thank you for coming over.


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mickey devil unisex t-shirt
Cool t-shirt just like the one you couldn't get at Disneyland. Get yer' devil on in this crazy Apesnort original t-shirt!
Sizes available are small through 2XL.
More Apesnort t-shirts here:
Unisex Fine Jersey Tee
• 4.5 oz. 30 singles fine knit jersey
• 10% polyester/90% ring-spun, USA cotton
• Reactive-dyed for longer lasting color
• Prewashed to minimize shrinkage
•Tubular construction
• Ribbed crew neck
• Taped neck and shoulders to provide durability
• Double-needle sleeves and bottom hem
• Tear Anywhere label
Body length is measured from highest point on the shoulder to hem.
Chest is measured 1" down from the arm pit across to the other arm pit.
Measurements are provided by manufacturer.
S = 28" body length x 18" chest
M = 29" body length x 20" chest
L = 30" body length x 22" chest
XL = 31" body length x 24" chest
XXL = 32' body length x 26" chest
3XL = 33" body length x 28" chest
4XL = 34" body length x 30" chest
Most of our shirts are 100% cotton, with the exception of a few heathered colors. Cotton can shrink up to 15% depending on how you launder it, so please account for this when ordering.
Simply choose the options that you would like from the drop down menu when ordering. If you are on a mobile device and do not see a size selection, or any other option that may apply, please leave a note on the order during the checkout process. If we have any question, or are missing any information, we will need to contact you prior to the order shipping.
We ship USPS First Class on all packages unless otherwise indicated. Transit times within the US are not guaranteed, but are typically 1-5 mail days, depending on where you live in proximity to us here in beautiful Pine Junction, Colorado.
To US addresses are generally 1-5 business days
To Canada are between 5-14 days depending on customs
To Worldwide are between 7-21 days depending on customs
**We are not responsible for duties imposed by customs. They may or may not charge you tax, it is strictly up to their discretion**
**These are estimates only and can vary greatly due to customs holding items at the border***
We gladly accept returns or exchanges within 14 days of the date of delivery. The USPS tracking number you are provided after we ship tells us when the package arrived to you. The return postage to send the item back to us for exchange or return is your responsibility. We will cover the postage to ship any replacements to you. Any refunds will be minus shipping charges.


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Anagarika Dharmapala, authenticity, B.R. Ambedkar, David McMahan, Engaged Buddhism, identity, Jim Wilton, modernism, modernity, race, Richard K. Payne, Sulak Sivaraksa, Tibet
Late last year I was delighted to see a post from Richard Payne retracting his earlier post on "White Buddhism", motivated at least in part by my critique. It is all too rare to see a human being change his or her mind, especially on politically charged issues where passions run high and it is all too easy to develop attachment to views. I commend and thank Payne for his thoughtful retraction. On my end, he has provoked me to make a retraction of my own. Continue reading


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What Do You Do With An Idea Book
What do you do with an idea? Especially an idea that's different, or daring, or a little wild?
This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world.
It's a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed too big, too odd, too difficult.
It's a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it space to grow, and to see what happens next.
What Do You Do With an Idea? has won several awards, including the Independent Publisher's Book Gold Award and the Moonbeam Children's Book Award.
- Hardcover with jacket
- 10.75″H x 9″W
- 36 pages


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An overview video of the Ubunye project which was played at the Return assembly for our community.
Filmed by Devin Kumar.
An overview video of the Ubunye project which was played at the Return assembly for our community.
Filmed by Devin Kumar.
A few reflections from the students after returning from their Learning Journey to South Africa.
If I had to reach inside my mind and fish out one of the millions of thoughts swimming back and forth across the oceans that separate me from what my life was just three weeks ago, I would probably end up holding an idea that I've always had in some way, but only recently came to see clearly: Time moves way too quickly. And I don't mean it in a getting old, "Where did my youth go?" kind of way. I don't want the ability to make time slow down, I want the ability to make it stop. I want to go back to the choir at Leap School, and stop at the exact moment I truly realized what I was hearing. I want to go back to Philani, running as fast as I could with laughing little kids on my shoulders. I want to stop at our final bow at Tembisa, the crowd cheering, surrounding us with a wall of sound. Almost a week after returning, I can remember vividly what I felt in each of those moments, but the feeling itself is gone.
While it's too bad that I can't stop at every mind-altering second in my life and take some time to enjoy and reflect on it, I discovered a different way to live in the moment on this trip. I've always been someone who thinks about the future constantly. I practically have my whole life planned out, and any time something happens that doesn't fit in with that plan, it throws everything out of system. I never live up to the expectations I set for myself, and it makes me constantly unsatisfied. South Africa taught me how to stop planning. I found myself in a place I had never been, surrounded by things I had never seen, and instead of trying to figure out how it was all going to affect me, I let go. For the entire first week in Cape Town, I didn't look at the schedule once. I never knew what was coming the next day, which made it impossible to expect anything. I found myself feeling freer than I had ever felt, no longer weighed down by my worries of who I'm going to be and whether I'll succeed or fail. And maybe the other emotions are gone, but that feeling is still with me.
Sitting in my room, my mind is still in South Africa, but I'm very aware that my body isn't. I'm not moving my gaze up the long neck of a giraffe in awe, I'm not watching excited kids pick out their new outfits at Botshabelo, and I'm not being immediately filled with joy at the contagious laughter of Archbishop Tutu, but I know that I once was, and really, that's enough. Emotions don't last forever. They're always changing, but what will never change is the fact that I have experienced something that I will hold close to my heart forever, as time pushes me along way too fast. I did have one expectation going into this trip: that it would be life changing. I can say with absolute certainty that I was not let down.
The first meaningful moment that comes to mind when I think about the trip is my experience at Botshabelo. Marion Cloete was a truly inspiring person who has given me great confidence in who I am. She gave a speech about who she was and what she has done and what is still left to do to make the world an acceptable place. One thing she mentioned that stuck out to me was be and extraordinary ordinary person. She explained that anyone can change or help the world with love and compassion. This statement gave me comfort in the fact that no person is better or more important than another it just depends on the decisions and choices you make in your life. And to me the decisions that Marion has made and continued to make are truly inspiring and she is a hero to me. The most meaningful part of getting to meet Marion was coming to the realization that everything she did everyday was with someone else in mind. She was using her life to help others and not expecting a single thing in return. She was so humble when she spoke and wasn't afraid to tell a group of 30 kids about all the times she was thrown in jail or arrested for being a term she called a "boat rocker." She wasn't scared to tell us who she was and how she feels. Throughout the trip there were many people who weren't afraid to love themselves and that is something I am going to try my hardest to bring back with me.
Another moment that stuck out to me was when we were walking through the Langa township near the LEAP school and we walked into one of the rooms where three families were living. This room was about the size of my shower. In the room there were two twin beds with about 1 and a half feet in between. We learned that the older woman sitting on the bed had lived there for 40 years. My heart sank to find this out. I had read and heard about the townships, but until I was standing in one, it never truly sank in. The problem of poverty in South Africa is heartbreaking. To hear that 30 people were living in such a small space with so little made me feel so useless and unsure of a way to help. This moment stuck with me the whole trip: of looking into this woman's eyes. A statement that Shannon made about the trip was that our class as well as many people living in California had won the lottery of life and I didn't quite get that until I saw people that barely had the basic needs to survive. I took a step back and really thought about not only material things but the importance of my close friends and family and teachers that love me and give me opportunities. From the experience of seeing the townships, I want to continue to be appreciative and take opportunities when they come my way.
Filmed by Devin Kumar.
A few notes of thanks from each of us, for the people who helped make this project possible. And of course thank you to anyone not mentioned, as there are so many people who helped make the Ubunye Project incredible. We are currently on our way home to California after a wonderful learning journey. Each student will write a reflection on the trip, which we will post on the blog this summer.
A special thanks also to:
Nordic Naturals
Dr. Gallager
The Willis Parents
Grandma Kerr
Michelle Van Ooy
Jelli Beanz
Komala Correos
I am grateful for the Cloete family for creating Botshabelo and helping so many people. I am also grateful for the chaperones; SN, Shannon, Michelle, Shmuel, and Devin for making all this possible and making it a truly amazing trip.
-Cyrus Kamkar
I'm grateful for the opportunity to meet so many inspiring people like Peter Harris, the Cloete family, and Thulani Mbaso. I'm also thankful for the chance to have seen some of South Africa with my classmates.
-Emily Villareal
I'm grateful to Desmond Tutu, Thulani Mbaso and Pregs Govender for agreeing to speak with us despite their respective health difficulties, as well as for sharing their wisdom and experience with us.
-Lucas Caudill
It's funny how your willingness to do certain things changes depending on the circumstances. Normally, if I had to wake up at 5:30 am to darkness surrounding me I would be groggy and grumpy. But when I had the opportunity to go on a safari and see the beautiful animals of South Africa, you can be sure I sprang out of my bed and got on my warmest clothes. It wasn't just me who was ready to see the wonderful sights on the early morning excursion. I woke up to the sound of the outdoor showering running and Carl's pristine voice singing an early morning tune. While Cyrus and I quietly got dressed in the front room, we both looked around at the lovely room we were staying in at the Black Rhino Lodge and he turned to me and said, "This is all sick dude," with a big grin on his face. After we were all ready to leave, we headed out to the lounge where we met the rest of the group at 6:00 am. We were served coffee and tea before we headed out.
After the ten of us piled into the jeep, the people in the back immediately distributed the fleece lined ponchos, knowing the bitter wind would nip at our faces once we started our long, yet enjoyable, trek. The first animal we saw was the impala. Our guide, Daryl referred to them as the, "McDonalds of the bush." Even though they're so abundant in South Africa, every time I see one it still amazes my foreign eyes. They have a glistening coat and long ribbed antlers that twist upward like they're grasping for the sky.
On this early morning safari ride we saw three of the "Big Five." The "Big Five" include: elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and water buffalo. The first of the "Big Five" that we saw was a rhino, specifically a white rhino. We spotted this docile, peaceful creature grazing with its calf. She paid us no mind as we stopped 30 feet to the right of her and talked in hushed voices, marveling at the stout yet powerful beauty of her and her baby. The second animal of the "Big Five" that we saw was the elephant. I never thought I would see so much beauty in something that was so big, grey, and wrinkly. But to me no animal can compare to the massive magnificence of the elephant. I've seen elephants in zoos before but something about being so close to one and looking in its eyes made me see the quiet intellect yet brute strength that the elephant holds within it. We saw it pick up small bushels of shrubbery and strip them clean of the bark, their favorite snack. The third animal we saw was the lion. The lions we saw though were on top of a bunch of rocks and camouflaged by their surroundings. Our patient tour guide, Daryl, had to tell us step by step how to see them at least ten times because he could see our untrained eyes straining to identify where he was pointing. It was now that I regretted not bringing binoculars with me. Eventually, we were all able to spot not one but two females and one male that was lying in the sun on top of the rocks.
We also saw plenty of vibrant birds along the way and all had an amazing time. Overall, the elephant was my favorite animal and I'm exceedingly grateful I could see one so close and personal. We arrived and had breakfast waiting for us, quite the way to start a day.
We climbed aboard vehicles that closely resembled those from the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland. So, I was excited. Only a little way into our journey we heard there was a sighting of a pangolin. Pangolins are basically scaly armadillos and they're very rare because of the poaching that occurs in South Africa. When we arrived, there wasn't a whole lot to see because it was flat to the ground and blending in, but moving closer you could see the scales and plates that formed the animal. It was a lucky first outing.
As the sun sank forming a rich orange background we also saw rhinos, wildebeasts, and impalas. Our guide was informative and elaborated on the necessary difference between black and white rhinos, one difference being that black rhinos are more likely to charge at you. Driving right alongside these huge rhinos our guide told us the disturbing fact that an average of four rhinos are killed every day for their horns. It's sad that I'm seeing some of the few rhinos left. That's why preservations like these are so important. South Africa has so much natural beauty, and I've only seen a small amount of it. Much of this trip has taught me how different it is to experience things for yourself than to be told about them or shown pictures. It was amazing to see these animals with my own eyes and not in The Lion King. I know that even the pictures I take home will never compare to viewing these beautiful animals in real life.
I like nature, probably more than the average person. When I get bored, instead of laying around or watching mindless TV, I'll watch nature documentaries, with genuine interest. Seeing the animals in their natural habitat, hunting or exploring the ecosystem, can absolutely entrance me. Before I heard about the South Africa trip, I thought I would be stuck with the wildlife of costal California. Now, I can tell you from my own experience that seeing a lion, a cheetah, or even having a standoff with an elephant, will change your perspective on wildlife around the world. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning, getting in a 10-person jeep, and driving through blistering cold air at a speed known as "Ferrari safari" to see giraffes, is 100% worth it. These are animals that barely anyone can say they've seen in person. On television, you don't get the real scale of these animals, the raw power an elephant uses to push over a good-sized tree. Then using its massive trunk, eat branches with the sharpest spikes like it's mashed potatoes.
Some days, it would be bland, in comparison to the other safaris. You would see a wildebeest far off in a field, or one zebra on the side of a hill. Then, there would be the days where you would see a male rhino try and take on a female rhino and its kid, drive farther in the reserve, see three lions lounging around not ten meters from the jeep and on the way back see 15 mongooses bound across the road in a small herd. No matter what we saw on the safari, it would still be fun because I would get to hang out with my classmates and our Afrikaans jeep driver named Marcus. He could teach us something new about almost every animal and plant we came across. Whether it was showing us which plant could clear up congestion or debunking National Geographic, his knowledge of the world was always useful. I never thought I would be able to see these animals past my TV screen, but now I have memories that I won't forget for my entire life. This was the perfect way to end the trip.
On the day before safari we visited the home of Chene Swart, a friend of Ward's, who is a facilitator that specializes in "narrative therapy." Narrative therapy is the process of re-evaluating one's story, the life experiences that we generate, and deciding if it is still useful. If not, you can always change your story through reflection. Before lunch, Chene asked us five questions pertaining to our trip. Each question built off our previous answers. We were asked to choose someone to be our partner that we had not had extensive conversations with during the trip. I was partners with Phoebe, and we sat outside in the courtyard and went through the questions.
One of the biggest things that struck me about our conversation was the similarities in the things we had noticed. Another interesting aspect of conversing with someone I shared an experience with was seeing the differences between what they learned and what I learned. Through my conversation with Phoebe, I found validation for my own experiences. The whole conversation process kick-started my reflection process far earlier than when I usually begin to reflect on an experience and I can feel an increase in my awareness. Since the trip is chaotic, and one thing leads directly into the next, it can be difficult at times to distinguish individual experiences from the tangled mental mass of memories. Taking the time to reflect and talk about our trip really helped to separate the experiences, and capture what was truly significant. I will definitely apply aspects of this process to the reflection processes later in my life.
A video of our day at the Botshabelo Children's Village.
Filmed by Devin Kumar.
Tembisa was one of the most beautifully hectic experiences of my life. We had to create a 15-20-minute show with singing and dancing, in the short span of three days. All while meeting new people, learning new songs, and trying to fit into a culture that we still weren't quite used to, even after two weeks of being in South Africa. Throughout the experience, I was never sure that we were going to pull it together. A lot happened in those three days, but I'm going to try to put it all into words as well as I can.
On the first day, Monday, we arrived at the community center to practice our songs. The room we practiced in was a lot smaller than I expected, and a lot fewer people than I expected were singing with us. We went through our usual routine of introducing ourselves, not being able to pronounce anybody's name, and failing to do their complex and interesting handshakes. It was a little bit awkward at first, but everyone was extremely friendly and comfortable, so we softened up a bit eventually. That was also part of the routine. We met Thulani, the music director, and I was relieved to see that he had a clear vision for the music, since none of us had any idea what we were going to do for the performance.
Thulani had us sing what we knew for him, and he seemed impressed, but our confidence was weakened a bit when he had his choir sing. They couldn't have had more than 20 people, but they sounded just as big, if not bigger than the other much larger choirs we had heard during the trip. Part of it might have been the small room we were in, but it was clear that there was some serious talent there to help us.
We practiced for almost three hours. It was super fun at first, and it all sounded amazing since their choir was so powerful and we could basically just follow along. Nothing was too difficult, and none of the questions Thulani asked me about the music were too hard to answer. However, towards the end, we hit a huge roadblock. The way we sang the final song, Shosholoza, and the way the Tembisa choir sang it was completely different. Thulani clearly had an idea of how to join our versions together, but he was having a lot of trouble communicating it to us. It was the first time on this trip that I felt like there was a language barrier. We didn't really figure it out, and even though the rest of the music sounded great, we left Tembisa feeling discouraged and hopeless. I then heard that Thulani was leaving Johannesburg to go do some performance elsewhere, and we weren't going to have a music director. I had no idea how we would put it all together without him there, and I dreaded coming back for the next day's rehearsal.
When we returned on Tuesday, our worries only grew when we found out that we had to perform that day, as well as the day after. I had no idea that we were supposed to perform any other day than Wednesday. We didn't feel prepared at all, even after we practiced a bit beforehand. It turned out that we only had to sing the two easiest songs out of the four we were preparing, but the fact that it was all so new still made it a pretty daunting task.
We walked on stage. Somehow, they managed to fit a stage and at least 100 people in the room we had been practicing in, and the lights drowned out the crowd enough to let us pretend they weren't there. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be. Maybe the fact that we didn't really know what we were doing lowered our expectations a little, but I just wasn't thinking it would go badly at all, and it didn't. The show went smoothly and we all felt great right after, but there was more for us to watch when we were done.
At that point, we had been in a very different country for a long time, but the culture shock didn't truly hit me until the show that followed ours. The Tembisan kids stayed on stage, and performed an elaborate and intricate string of musical numbers, dance pieces, and scenes that completely blew me away. I've been to a few loud concerts in my day, but the sound from those didn't even compare to the power of the Tembisa choir. Two of the kids were hitting a couple of drums so hard that I could practically feel myself being blown back by each slap. And it was perfect. Not a single mistake was made. I had to keep remembering to pick my jaw up from off the floor.
Two parts of the show stand out in my memory as being particularly different from anything I've ever seen. One was a traditional indigenous dance routine done by three guys and three girls wearing clothing made of hides. The drummers were playing faster than I thought was possible, and the dancers exerted so much energy. Everyone was in tune rhythmically. I don't know how they were all able to find the same tempo so quickly without looking like they had to think about it. Everyone was in the moment and having so much fun, it was impossible not to smile and do some dorky dance moves in my seat. The other part that stood out to me was on the other end of the emotional spectrum. Two of the kids, a boy and a girl, did an extremely dramatic scene about the death of the baby of the girl's character. The acting was amazing, and had all of us completely entranced, but the rest of the crowd kept laughing. This was not the type of scene that any of us would've ever laughed at, but apparently, everyone else saw it as some type of dark comedy. Surrounded by laughter on an island of confusion, I felt more out of place than ever before. It was clear that I was watching something different from the rest of the crowd, and that feeling is still very hard to describe.
After the show was over, we ate dinner with the Tembisan kids. I talked to one of the drummers, and he taught me a few grooves that he played. Even after I stumbled through them, he insisted that he was impressed with me. I talked with a few more people, and saw more of the same thing. Everyone I met was so talented, but so humble. I realized that most of the people we've met don't like to show off or brag about their talent, because to them, it's not talent. Music is part of who they are.
The last day was the longest, but the most fun by far. The ice between everyone felt officially broken, and we spent most of the day talking and joking with each other. We ran through the show, making fixes where we could, but Shosholoza still didn't feel ready. We collaborated as much as we could, but by the end there was a general unspoken consensus that we were just going to wing it.
The performance of the final show might be the most fun I've ever had doing a performance of any kind. The crowd was so full of life, clapping and cheering at every opportunity. I couldn't help but chuckle a little at how exciting it all was. When we sang a South African-ified version of "Stand By Me", I sang a duet with one of the Tembisan girls named Ellen. The crowd cheered so loudly during it that I could barely hear myself. By the time it was over, I didn't want to get off the stage, but I had to. We exchanged phone numbers with our new friends, and we got on the bus and left. Even though we had spent the whole day together, it all felt so abrupt. The show ended, and we may never see those crazy talented kids ever again.
This trip has been packed with eye-opening experiences, but our three days at Tembisa might just be my favorite. Looking back, it didn't feel like only three days. So many things happened with us and those kids, and I feel like I've known them for months. They welcomed us into their musical world, and I'll never forget what that world truly is. Music is the heartbeat of South Africa, and I hope I never stop hearing it.
Arriving at Tembisa, I was nervous for what was to come. We were going to meet a lot of new people our age and perform with them with only three days to rehearse. We were immediately thrown into rehearsal with the choir director, Thulani. When everyone started arriving, we were told to mix in so that we could meet new people. I stood in between two girls, named Ellen and Maya, who I quickly became friends with. We practiced all the songs, sometimes singing our version and sometimes singing their version. By the end of the first day we had a rough idea of what we would be doing.
On the last day of rehearsal, which was also show day, everyone was nervous that the show wouldn't go well because it still needed a lot of work. We practiced for a few hours and then got to go walk around the surrounding township with our new friends. It was the most fun I had during this whole experience. It was nice to just hang out. It made me wish we had more free time to get to know the Tembisa students better.
When we got back, we did one fuller run through, still making stops to fix things here and there. I was very nervous when the show started but somehow, we did the whole thing with barely any mistakes. It went very well considering the amount of time we had. When it was time to leave, I was sad. I had become close with so many of our new friends and I didn't want to leave knowing it would probably be the last time, at least for a long time, that I would see them. We gave our final goodbyes and hugs, and waved from the bus until we couldn't see them anymore. I am going to miss hanging out with all of them. They were so friendly and welcoming that it was easy to become close with them quickly. I could only imagine what would have happened if we had more time together. I look forward to keeping in touch and hopefully seeing some of them again one day.
As our bus made its way through the streets of Tembisa for the second time in as many days, I was completely unsure what to expect. I seem to recall at some point hearing the term "dress rehearsal," but I was completely unsure what exactly this entailed. All I knew is that, at some point, we would be singing. It was late afternoon, just before dusk, when we arrived at the intercultural exchange. As we entered the relatively small room where the performance was going to take place, I noticed that one end of the room had been transformed into a stage. Levels had been made from stairs and crates painted black, and stage lights hung from missing ceiling tiles. On the stage, our South African counterparts were mid-rehearsal. Their choir was singing softly and, though I could not understand the words, I could feel the power behind them. This singing accompanied a narration, which alternated between various actors and actresses. They were telling the story of Nelson Mandela's release from Robben island, and the end of apartheid. I was instantly amazed at how passionately the performers on stage embodied their parts, and it wasn't just the speakers, everybody participated fully. When the speaker described Mandela stepping before the South African crowd, all others whispered and gasped, staring and pointing past the audience, as if Mandela himself was standing in the room. When the speaker described the reaction of the press to Mandela's release, everyone on stage dropped to their knees and held imaginary microphones to their mouths, chanting a question for Mandela in unison. This served to immerse the audience in the action, and, although it was just a rehearsal, I found myself totally drawn into their performance. Once they were finished, we were invited on stage with them, and we began to rehearse the songs we were performing together: Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika and We Shall Overcome. No sooner had we finished than I noticed the room start to fill. We made our way into the audience, and all lights but those illuminating the stage were turned off. Thus, the performance had begun. The show ran nearly an hour past its predicted ending time, but I found that I enjoyed the performances so much that I cared little. There were several pieces that were separate from the songs our group was involved in, including the performance we had walked in on, skits, songs, speeches and dances. There were two such performances that stood out to me as particularly well done, though all were fantastic. The first was a kind of skit portraying an argument between a male character and a female character. They were fighting about the fate of the female character's baby, and a story began to unfold about a desperate mother without the means to take care of a child she didn't ask for. I was absolutely blown away by the passion displayed by both performers. I specifically remember looking up at the actress and realizing that she was crying. This was something I had previously thought impossible in live theatre, and yet there she was, tears visibly streaming down her face. I was stunned. It no longer felt as though I was watching a performance, it was as though they had become the characters. The second performance was a Setswana Traditional Dance, which was unique in that it involved costumes. Admittedly, I was initially surprised when the dance began. One moment we were listening to a speech by one of the officials, then suddenly a woman walked on stage carrying what looked like a whip and wearing a skirt mad of animal skins. She began to chant, and she was quickly joined by two other women and four men who were similarly dressed. The group began to sing and dance simultaneously, stomping their feet in time with the drummers who were standing just upstage from the dancers. I was amazed by the precision of their movements. They danced perfectly in rhythm, synchronizing their movements with one another and gliding across the stage with grace that seemed to defy the physical limitations of the human body. It was thrilling to watch. I left Tembisa in awe of the production I had witnessed. I was amazed by the talent and dedication of all the students. In reflection, I feel grateful that I had the opportunity to watch and participate in the show, as well as the opportunity to meet people with such dedication to the thing that makes them happy.


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Anybody who feared that Van Halen's 2007-08 reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth was just a one-time-only cash-in can rest easy. "Dave, Wolfie, Alex and I - we're a band," says guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
"We had a lot of fun on the tour - Dave was a blast," he says. "And next time we go out, we're going to have some new stuff, too. I'm looking forward to getting on it."
First things first - a wedding
First up on the guitarist's Things To Do list, however, is a June wedding with fiancé (and Van Halen publicist) Janie Liszweski, to be followed by a high school graduation ceremony for his son (and bass player) Wolfgang.
"I hope that after Janie and I get married, and Wolfie graduates, that we sit down and discuss recording new music."
Musical surprises ahead
"I've got tons of music written, such a variety of stuff," says Eddie, who is of the belief that some of it may surprise and even shock longtime Van Halen fans.
"The essence of me is obviously there, and those drums, they're always recognizable. But people expect a certain thing from Van Halen, and this isn't exactly bang-your-head-against-the-wall stuff."
He adds, "Actually, next week or the week after, Wolfie, Alex, and I are gonna start jamming. Maybe we'll give Dave a call and see what he's up to."
Hopefully, Dave is resting his pipes and getting set to make a return-to-form Van Halen album, the likes of which we've been waiting for since, oh, 1984.
Via Spinner.com.


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Natural limit of such an old model. Use core3.
In my eyes, one should be grateful v2 had so many revisionsand upgrades - 9 silver cores and 8 public gold cores for now, with 2.12 expected and gold3 in beta.That would be about 20 upgrades with gold3 alpha and final.
Note that >VControl TURTLE Change the Turtle mode. 0=Off, 1=Onshould make Vamp to "slow down" to A1200 stock speed. Until told to off. Vcontrol EXTERNAL LINK MiniBench EXTERNAL LINK Most of Amiga tricks and patches for some games and apps, enabling them to work on 040Int/040FPU (if existing on Aminet) often helps to make it work on Vampire. As with 030+ WHDLoad slaves are recommended for A500/A600 titles, and there are few options there that can increase compatibility. No Amiga model has 100% Amiga compatibility. But more bugs are discovered, its more likely next core update will be more compatible. Adding new feats (sometimes even removing some to liberate limited space) creates some incompatibilities. So far it does not affect OS, just some apps and games.
With 2.11 I can use Igame to choose Games with 3.0 it doesn´t start. Any Idea?
Core3 alpha has not been updated in over a year since its initial release. It has none of the updates/fixes/improvements the V4 SA core has.. its not really intended for primary use at this time.
My wild guess is maybe sometime mid 2020 ? Depends on how much time they need to get V4 matured and how much work they have to put into core development for the V2 1200 board once they start shipping those.
It is and it isnt - copy and paste is a vast over simplfication, backport would be a better term but you make it sound like a long and difficult task! its doable and relatively easily at that seeing as the people that would do the backporting are the same people that created both Vampires and both code bases. I mean its getting frustrating waiting now to be honest and I dont know if you saw the the V1200 thread but people are actually getting sick and time isnt on there side! I always knew once the vampire 4 came out the Vampire 2 people would be discarded and its unfair because not every body wants, needs or in my case can afford a V4 so why is it such an ask to get Gold Core 3 on the V2? and no I dont mean the drastically out of date alpha that didnt support RTG (one of the most useful features I might add) If it is that the team no longer want to continue development of the V2 why not open source the Code and let some of the community have a go at it?


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Service Level Management
- Overview of Service Level Management
- Introduction to Technical Metrics
- Measurement Granularity
- Measurement Validation and Statistical Analysis
- Business Process Metrics
- Service Level Agreements
- Summary
Service Level Management (SLM) is a key for delivering the services that are necessary to remain competitive in the Internet environment. Service quality must remain stable and acceptable even when there are substantial changes in service volumes, customer activities, and the supporting infrastructures.
Superior service quality also becomes a competitive differentiator because it reduces customer churn and brings in new customers who are willing to pay the premiums for guaranteed service quality. Customer churn is an insidious problem for almost every service provider.
The competitive market increases customer acquisition costs because continuous marketing and promotions are necessary just to replace the eroding customer base. Higher customer acquisition costs must be dealt with by either raising prices (a difficult move in a highly competitive market) or by taking longer to amortize the acquisition costs before profitability for each customer is achieved. Improving customer retention therefore dramatically increases profits.
This chapter covers the basics of SLM and lays part of the groundwork for the rest of the book:
An overview of SLM
An introduction to technical metrics
Detailed discussions of measurement granularity and measurement validation
Business process metrics
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Note that the chapter ends with a summary discussion in the context of building an SLA. Use of metrics in combination with the SLA's service level objectives to control performance is discussed in Chapter 6, "Real-Time Operations," and Chapter 7, "Policy-Based Management."
Overview of Service Level Management
Often, one group's service provider is another group's customer. It is critical to understand that service delivery is often, in fact, a chain of such relationships. As Figure 2-1 shows, some entities, such as an IT group, can play different roles in the service delivery process. As shown in the figure, a hosting company can be a customer of multiple service providers while in turn acting as a service provider. An IT group may be a customer of several service providers offering basic Internet connectivity, application hosting, content delivery, or other services. Customers may use multiple providers of the same service to increase their availability and to protect against dependence on a single provider. Customers will also use specialized service providers to fulfill particular needs.
Figure 2-1 Roles of Customers and Service Providers
The Internal Role of the IT Group
An IT group serves the entire organization by aggregating demands of individual business units and using them as leverage to reduce overall costs from service providers.
Today, such IT groups are making the necessary adjustments as managed services become a mandatory requirement. IT managers are constantly reassessing the business and strategic trade-offs of developing internal competence and expertise as opposed to outsourcing more of the traditional IT work to external providers. The goal is to save money, protect strategic assets, and maintain the necessary flexibility to meet new challenges.
The External Role of the IT Group
IT groups are increasingly being required to provide specific levels of service, and they are also more frequently involved in helping business units negotiate agreements with external service providers. Business units often choose to deal directly with service providers when they have specialized needs or when they determine that the IT group cannot offer services with competitive costs and benefits.
IT groups must therefore manage their own service levels as well as those of service providers, and they must track compliance with negotiated SLAs.
The Components of Service Level Management
The process of monitoring service quality, detecting potential or actual problems, taking actions necessary to maintain or restore the necessary service quality, and reporting on achieved service levels is the core of SLM. Effective SLM solutions must deliver acceptable service quality at an acceptable price.
Acceptable quality from a customer perspective means an ability to use the managed services effectively. For example, acceptable quality may mean that an external customer or business partner can transact the necessary business that will generate revenues, strengthen business partnerships, increase the Internet brand, or improve internal productivity. Specific ongoing measurements are carried out to determine acceptable service quality levels, and noncompliance is noted and reported.
Acceptable costs must also be considered, because over-provisioning and throwing money at service quality problems is not an acceptable strategy for either service providers or their customers (and in spite of the cost, it often doesn't solve the problem). Service management policies are applied to critical resources so that they are allocated to the appropriate services; inappropriate activities are curtailed. Service providers that manage resources effectively deliver superior service quality at competitive prices. Their customers, in turn, must also increase their online business effectiveness and strengthen their bottom-line results.
The Participants in a Service Level Agreement
The SLA is the basic tool used to define acceptable quality and any relationships between quality and price. Because the SLA has value for both providers and customers, it's a wonder why it has taken so long for it to become important. In practice, many organizations and providers find the process of negotiating an acceptable SLA to be a difficult task. As with many technical offerings, customers often experience difficulty in expressing what they need in technical terms that are both measurable and manageable; therefore, they have difficulty specifying their needs precisely and verifying that they are getting what they pay for. Service providers, on the other hand, appreciate clearly-specified requirements and want to take advantage of the opportunity to offer profitable premium services, but they also want to minimize the risks of public failure and avoid increasingly stringent financial penalties for noncompliance with the terms of the SLA.
Metrics Within a Service Level Agreement
Measurement is a key part of an SLA, and most SLAs have two different classes of metrics, as shown in Figure 2-2, which may be divided into technical metrics and business process metrics. Technical metrics include both high-level technical metrics, such as the success rate of an entire transaction as seen by an end user, and low-level technical metrics, such as the error rate of an underlying communications network. Business process metrics include measures of provider business practices, such as the speed with which they respond to problem reports.
Figure 2-2 Contents of a Service Level Agreement
Service providers may package the metrics into specific profiles that suit common customer requirements while simplifying the process of selecting and specifying the parameters. Service profiles help the service provider by simplifying their planning and resource allocation operations.


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If the Kardashians are your role models, then you have problems
I do not watch the Kardashian telly programme, I saw it once and Kanye West was ordering the Kim one to lose weight and only to wear clothes approved by him. I thought it was a parody of an abusive relationship but apparently it is all for reals…
I try to avoid these Karkrashians as much as I can, but my twitter, Facebook and newsfeed is filled with their boring stories of how much they weigh, how big their arses and lips are, who they are dating and what tat they are promoting.
And they are Karkrashians… that car crash TV that you know you should look away from but your eyes are drawn towards the drama and chaos that surrounds them. I bet they are actually nice women, but we don't 'know' any of them, all we see is the brand that they push into the limelight.
A story popped up today about the Khloe one who has posted a photograph of her weight on Instagram and how she is promoting dangerous ideals to the kids who look up to her as a role model. There are two things about this story, one… no shit!!! Is anyone surprised that these women whose 'talent' is their looks are promoting unhealthy body issues? Secondly, if you or your child have a Kardashian as your role model then your problems run deeper than her weight.
The family's fame comes from the fact that one of them made a sex tape. Let that sink in. Your child's role model is a woman whose notoriety comes from her having sex on camera. Or even worse, her sisters who are using their sibling's sex tape to promote themselves. Their commodity is their looks and their family wealth and they have used these things to promote themselves into 'business'. Fair enough, but that doesn't make them good role models.
If you must watch the show then I suppose that is up to you, though I can name a million ways that are a better use of your time. But having them as role models for yourself or your kids? Fuck that!
Want to idolise some amazing women?
What about Emma Watson? UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and kick ass feminist, she is an actress who earned more before her 18th birthday than the rest of us will in a hundred lifetimes yet she strives to make a difference and use her stature for good.
Jennie Price is the CEO of Sport England and brought us the This Girl Can campaign inspiring women to get exercising and take control of their health.
Camila Batmanghelidjh has an awesome name… But she also founded Kids Company providing practical, emotional and educational support to the most vulnerable and deprived children in the UK. (Note to add: I would rather dress like Camila than any of the Kardashian women… totally going to start wearing turbans!)
Baroness Doreen Lawrence took the most painful experience anyone can imagine, losing a child and used it to make a positive difference in the UK. She founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and received an OBE for "services to community relations".
I know people say that these shows are light entertainment and that people like me shouldn't get so wound up about them, but when they are filled with really damaging messages and their stars are becoming role models then it does concern me. We are a famous for nothing generation with so many 'stars' who have never done anything worth applauding. I am not a huge fan of some pop stars but at least I respect that they work really hard and have a talent. Footballers may be overpaid (in my opinion) but their role model status is based on skill, training and years of dedication.
I know this is a bit ranty but seriously people, there are so many people doing beautiful, amazing and wonderful things to make the world happier, kinder and more filled with awesome. This kind of mind numbing telly filler is wasting your amazing life. Go read a book, watch a ton of TED talks, go to local events, spend a night playing cards with your favourite person, take a walk, hang out with your besties, play board games with the kids…
We are here once and for a very brief time. Live hard, love a lot and laugh every day, fill your life with wonder and brilliant things.


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Anemoss Marine Mens Polo Shirt is made of %100 cotton fabric to resist shrinking, color fades, and deformation, which makes it an excellent everyday choice. You will feel fresh and breathable on warmer days and and soft-touch modal materials are gloriously gentle on your skin.
This short sleeved collor shirt is regular fit to be flexible and designed for easy movement. It has the classic look with two buttons, polo collar and featuring the embroidered Anemoss logo on the front which gives a stronger fashion statement for a modern look compared to some of the more classic patterns.
Our mens polo shirts bring a sporty look to smart-casual and weekend styles. Golf shirts are great for warm summer days or you can pair it with a long-sleeved T-shirt or pullover for cooler weather. You'll wear this lightweight short sleeve shirt all season long with shorts, denim, dress pants, or even a printed swimsuit for that upcoming pool party.
Anemoss Collection addresses men of all ages and all styles in polo shirts models because Anemoss emphasizes the quality of its fabrics by giving life to original, alive and creative designs for men, who would like to make a difference with their summer style.


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This is just a picture. Click HERE for the program(me)! |
But listening now to Engel repeatedly saying that American English influence on British is constantly increasing, I wish I'd pointed out this:
The 20th Century is often called "The American Century". The 21st Century is looking a lot less American. To be sure, it's not looking like the British century either. That came the century before.
American culture (and words) could easily spread in the 20th century because it was hard to produce and distribute recorded entertainment, but the US had the capacity and the economy and the marketing savvy to do so [And I mustn't forget the Marshall Plan, which my colleague just mentioned to me.] America was inventing and manufacturing all sorts of things and putting names on them and selling them everywhere. Two world wars and the cold war had Americans stationed all over the world using their slang in the presence of young recruits from other countries. The 21st century is looking rather different.
The 20th century brought us talking pictures and television. Radio, the most affordable form of broadcast, remained a more local proposition--though the recorded music could be imported. (Though the word radio, well that's an Americanism.) The 21st century is the time of the internet and of personali{s/z}ed entertainment. The popular songs are less universally popular, because people have more access to more different kinds of music on download. Instead of two or three or four choices on television, there are hundreds. And if you don't like what you're seeing you can go on YouTube or SoundCloud (or other things I'm too old and [orig. AmE] uncool to know about) and find all sorts of people doing all sorts of things. People go on the internet and meet each other and talk to each other, meaning that there's more opportunity than ever for there to be exchange of words between people, rather than just reception of words from the media. The slangs that young people use are sometimes local to their school or area and sometimes particular to an international online gaming community or music fandom. The notion of community, for many people, has internationali{s/z}ed. Language is moving in different ways now than it ever had the chance to move in the 20th century.
In the meantime, all indications are that the US is becoming politically more isolationist and more of an international pariah. Are its words going to flow so freely abroad? Will there be a taste for them?
The American century has happened. I don't know whose century this will be (please, please not Putin's), if indeed it will be any nation's century. (Better a nation's century than a virus's century, though.) American words will continue to spread to other parts of the world, but I can't see the evidence of Engel's strong claim that the imbalance between US and UK word-travel is increasing faster than ever.
At the start of the 21st century, British words seem to be entering America in greater numbers than they were a few decades ago. Much of this has to do with journalism and how international that's become. The online versions of the Daily Mail and the Guardian are extremely popular in the US. There are more US fans of Doctor Who now than in its Tom Baker days. Harry Potter is the single most important thing that's happened to children's publishing in the English-speaking world in my lifetime, and though the editions sold in the US are translated into American to some extent, it's actually only a small extent. Americans are reading and hearing more British English than they have in a long time.
The scale(s) is/are still tipped in American vocabulary's favo(u)r. But as far as I can see, there's not a lot of reason to believe that the degree of the imbalance is rapidly increasing. Yes, the number of American words in British English constantly increases, but there's more westward traffic now, more UK coining of managementspeak, and new local youth cultures making their own words in Britain. The tide hasn't turned, but there is (mixed metaphor alert) (orig. AmE) pushback.
And if English continues to be popular as a global lingua franca (due to its momentum, rather than the foreign and cultural policies of the UK and US), then more words may be coming from other places altogether.


text: It is December. That means it is Christmas time. Christmas time means Santa Claus is coming. Sara and Billy love Christmas. They love Santa Claus. They love the gifts from Santa. Last year they got nice gifts. Sara got a teddy bear and a rubber duck. Billy got a green boat and a rubber duck. The rubber ducks float. When Sara takes a bath, her pink duck floats in the water. When Billy takes a bath, his blue duck floats in the water. One time Billy put a goldfish into the tub. It swam for a while. Then it died. He buried it in the back yard. He was sad. This year Sara and Billy want bicycles. Sara wants a red bike. Billy wants a blue bike. Mama said she would talk to daddy. Sara asked mama, "Why don't you talk to Santa?" Mama said, "That's a good idea. When daddy comes home, he and I will talk to Santa."


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Update: Prototype 2 Limited Edition AND Collectors Edition
Again a "Not So Special Edition". Why? Well, just some digital content. Chances are bad for a Collectors Edition, but there is still time to change that, right Activision?
Update And they did! :-)
Content of the Collectors Edition:
– All PROTOTYPE 2 RADNET Edition Content
– Free PROTOTYPE 2 DLC Pack #1 – Colossal Mayhem (Available in May)
– PROTOTYPE 2 Soundtrack CD
– Exclusive Illustrated PROTOTYPE 2 Art Book
– Voucher Code to Download Dark Horse Comic's third and final PROTOTYPE 2 comic – The Labyrinth
– 20% Discount Voucher at PROTOTYPE Merchandise Store
Watch the Trailer
Release: 24th April 2012
Platform: PS3 / XBOX 360
Price: $ 79.99 /
Pre-Order: EBGames CA
Credit: Thanks to User web_slinger_62


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Add a bit of colorful romantic vibes to your personal style with this stunning sterling silver diamond bracelet from White Night. Featuring alternate black and white diamond studded hearts separated by highly polished gleaming "X" patterns for a charming look. This 7.5" long link bracelet secures with a fancy lobster clasp allowing for easy on and off wear.
Dancing in the nighttime, you will be transported to a new universe through the White Night collection. This line encompasses pieces that stand out, from the striking blue and champagne diamonds to the deep colors of the Night Sky.
Vendor Warranty Terms: EXCLUDE
All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. View Gemstone Enhancements and Special Care Requirements for important information.
Barrel Clasp: Used on most rope chains to make the chain more secure. The barrel clasp looks like part of the chain and twists to get a pendant on and off.
Lobster Claw Clasp: As a traditional clasp style found in bracelets and necklaces, the lobster claw is generally reserved for heavier styles that may need added strength. The closure's shape is more oblong, similar to a teardrop shape, and is controlled by a tip that opens and closes the spring in the clasp.
Magnetic Clasp:A magnetic clasp relies on a strong internal magnet that works to pull both ends of the clasp together. In most cases, a magnetic clasp is used for light to medium weight jewelry pieces that do not put excessive stress on the magnet.
Slide Insert Clasp: This type of clasp is exactly as it sounds. With a box-like shape that is hollow on the inside, the wearer will slide the nearly-flat tab into the box until it clicks, indicating a secure closure. On some jewelry, a slide insert clasp will be accompanied by a side safety catch, which adds strength and security to the clasp.
Spring Ring Clasp: One of the most common closure types, the spring ring clasp is typically used for light to medium weight bracelets or necklaces. It is round in its design and features a small tip which controls the opening and closing of the spring. The circle then closes around another smaller loop or link at the other end of the strand.
Toggle Clasp: A toggle clasp is a narrow piece of metal, usually designed in the shape of a bar, which is then pushed through a circular ring to act as a fastener. Unlike the lobster claw or spring ring clasps, a toggle clasp is not controlled by a spring. The pretty design is less secure than other closure types, but is usually meant to be a big part of the design and is meant to "show". The clasp is an attractive way to secure a chunkier link bracelet or necklace.
Bracelet Sizing
To measure for a bracelet, wrap a soft, flexible tape measure around your wrist bone. Then, add 3/4" to 1" to that measurement to determine your bracelet size. Generally, 7" is considered a standard women's size and 8" is considered a standard men's size.
Another way to get an ideal fit is to measure the length of a bracelet you own. For bracelets that are to be slipped over the hand, measure the widest part of your hand to ensure the bracelet will fit over it.
Keep in mind that different bracelet styles tend to fit differently depending upon the clasp and materials used. Bracelets with adjustable clasps are usually one size fits all. Those with large beads or stones have less room for your wrist. Also, bracelets with links can usually be shortened by removing one or more links.
Sterling silver, also called fine silver, is a beautifully lustrous cool-toned precious metal favored in fine jewelry among other products. The most reflective of all metals (excluding mercury), sterling silver looks stunning by itself and brings out the best hues in an array of colorful gemstones.
Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, Ag, the chemical symbol for silver, comes from a word that means "white and shining." The surface of silver can boast that shiny, polished appearance, or can be brushed, satin, matte, sandblasted, antiqued or oxidized (chemically blackened).
In order to be called sterling silver, a metal must be made up of a minimum of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy (meaning other metals), including but not limited to copper and nickel. The alloy is added to pure silver to make the metal more durable, tougher and harder. Sterling silver is designated a fineness of "925." Pieces with sterling silver may be marked "sterling."
Finishes on Sterling Silver
Finishing, or plating, is a common treatment with sterling silver. Popular types of plating are rhodium plating, gold plating and anti-tarnish plating. Plating is used to extend the life and sheen of the jewelry. After sizing or buffing a piece of jewelry with a machine, it must be re-plated to restore the finish.
Caring for Sterling Silver
Sterling silver becomes tarnished as the result of a natural chemical process that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to chemicals in the air, rubber, wool and latex. Humidity also plays a role in accelerating tarnishing. It's easy to keep your sterling silver sparkling, though, by taking a few steps to prevent tarnish and other wear and tear.
The value of a diamond is determined by the Four Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight.
Diamond Cut
The cut of a diamond (the depth, width and uniformity of the facets) determines the stone's brilliance and sparkle. Even if a diamond has perfect color and clarity, a poor cut can make it look dull. A diamond's proportions determine how well the light will reflect and refract within the stone, with symmetry of the cut being extremely important.
Diamond Color
Acting as a prism, a diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colors, reflecting light as colorful flashes called fire. Color within a diamond diminishes the brilliance of the stone by diminishing the spectrum of colors that are emitted. A colorless diamond disperses light throughout the entire stone. Therefore, the less color that is in a diamond, the more colorful its fire, the better its color grade, and the greater its value (and priced accordingly).
Diamond color is graded using an alphabetical range from D-Z (D being totally colorless). Diamonds graded better than J are colorless or near-colorless, with color that is typically undetectable to the unaided eye. Color K-Z is especially noticeable when set in platinum or white gold.
Diamond Clarity
Most diamonds naturally have small internal flaws called inclusions, which interfere with the passage of light through the stone. The size, number, position and color of these imperfections determine a stone's clarity grade.
Our diamonds have been evaluated and graded by GIA graduate gemologists using the standards established by GIA (The Gemological Institute of America). Through these guidelines, we no longer provide clarity grades for SINGLE cut diamonds.
Diamond Carat
Carat is the standard unit of measurement used to determine a diamond's weight. Although two diamonds may have the same carat weight, their color and clarity may be different, thus determining each individual stone's value. Additionally, since larger diamonds are more rare than smaller diamonds, diamond value tends to rise exponentially with carat weight.
More About Diamonds
The most precious of all gems, diamonds have an incredible rarity factor. It takes a minimum of one million diamonds to be mined in order to find a 1.00ct gem-quality diamond, so each 1.00ct quality diamond is literally one in a million. Making them even more incredible, the mining of diamonds requires moving and sifting 250 tons of the Earth's crust to find just one diamond. Mining companies literally move mountains to find diamonds.
Diamonds have the longest endurance of any substance known on Earth. Carbon dating has established that diamonds, on the average, are 3.4 billion years of age. They consist of pure carbon and there is no chemical difference between them and carbon powder (the lead pencil center). Obviously, however, the physical difference between carbon powder and a diamond is fascinating. Diamonds are created from a basketball-sized piece of pure carbon that becomes white-hot. It is squeezed to the size of a small pearl, turning from black to clear in the process and becoming the hardest material known to humans, ranking a 10.0 on the Mohs Scale . Because they are so hard, diamonds can only be ground and polished by using diamond dust that has been ground from other diamonds.
Diamonds are found in a rainbow of colors. The value of a fancy-colored stone depends largely on the rarity of its color, the saturation of the color, and the purity of the color. Probably the most famous colored diamond is the Hope, which features a deep-blue color and weighs an amazing 45.52ct. It can be seen at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
With diamonds found all over the world, America has a couple small producing diamonds mines, but it only produces industrial grades with non-gem grade material. These black and brown industrial-grade diamonds are widely used as cutting and grinding tools in various industries, such as oil drilling and stone carving.
Diamonds have come to symbolize the ultimate gift of love and romance and, in the United States, are traditionally used in engagement and wedding rings. The tradition of the diamond solitaire engagement ring may have started in 1477, when the Archduke of Austria gave a large solitaire diamond to Mary of Burgundy for her hand in marriage. Amidst this tradition of romance, the diamond is also the birthstone for April and given as 10th, 30th, 60th and 75th anniversary gifts.
Diamonds have been the pride of empires throughout time. Ancient Hindu followers believed diamonds were created by thunderbolts striking the ground. Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were teardrops of the gods and splinters of stars that had fallen to Earth. The stones were believed to possess magical qualities and have powers far beyond the understanding of common man. Even the name stems from "adamas," the Greek word for "unconquerable" and "indestructible."
The diamond is considered the most magical of all gems. When worn, it is believed to promote spirituality, even ecstasy, and is often utilized in meditation. The diamond promotes self-confidence in relations with the opposite sex and is often worn to conquer infertility. The diamond is the stone of love and is worn to ensure fidelity. Owing to its sparkling and flashing nature, it has long been regarded as a stone of protection and peace. It can be worn today for courage and strength, and represents fearlessness and invincibility.
Since only diamonds can scratch other diamonds, it is important to wrap and store your diamond jewelry pieces separately so they do not touch one another. To clean jewelry at home, soak diamonds in warm, sudsy water made with any mild liquid detergent. Brush with a soft toothbrush and rinse and pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. Other effective cleaning methods include soaking diamonds in household ammonia, brand-name liquid jewelry cleaners, or even a glass of vodka.


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The WordPress Backup Creator takes the pain and anxiety out of three important tasks – backup, clone and transfer your WordPress blog.
If you have ever tried to backup your WordPress blog or transfer it to another web host, you will appreciate the angst involved and the complexity of the task, particularly if you want your widgets and plugins copied or transferred at the same time.
I've tried several WordPress backup programs but they were either too complex or unreliable. In one case, I was issued with an update (to fix a bug) almost weekly … and this did not inspire confidence.
Recently I purchased the WordPress Backup Creator and found not only was it reliable but very simple to use, with very clear written and video instructions. The beauty of it was that it took so few steps and these were very easy to execute (I don't know about you, but I lose patience if the steps are too unclear or too complex).
I had wanted to transfer my personal productivity membership site because the original hosting was way too expensive. This productivity membership site is based on WordPress. It is fairly complex because not only does it incorporate membership details, payment options, sales page and optin page but also 50 plus lessons (blog posts) and audios.
I am delighted to report that, using the WordPress Backup Creator, I was able to transfer my whole Productivity membership site without loss of data, plugins, posts or widgets. I was truly astounded at how easy and efficient it was (and I am one very relieved person). The Backup Creator enabled me to save more than $20 per month hosting fees.
As a result of this success, I have been able to reduce the price for anyone who wants to access my personal productivity membership site. The price has been reduced from $19.95 per month to $9.95, one-off payment.
Just purchasing and using the WordPress Backup program has improved my productivity no end.
Just think of all the work that you have put into your WordPress blogs and imagine what would happen if you lost your blog (and the associated comments). This WordPress plugin is so ridiculously cheap when you think of all that pain and anxiety you can save by just using the plugin to protect your WordPress sites.
If you are into cloning WordPress sites, then this is the tool to make that task so easy and profitable.
I certainly have no hesitation in recommending the WordPress Backup Creator:


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boat b006
1. Any order over the specified amount can enjoy free delivery service.
- Excluding outlying islands
2. Delivery time:
- Once the order is confirmed, the company will arrange delivery as soon as possible, about one to three working days (except for orders and special areas)
- If gale signal No. 8 or above is attached to the county, and the black rainstorm warning takes effect, the delivery service will be suspended or delayed until the next working day.
- Model: b006


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Subscribe to India Today for NEW VIDEOS EVERY DAY and make sure to enable Push Notifications so you'll never miss a new video.
All you need to do is PRESS THE BELL ICON next to the Subscribe button!
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WIGAN manager Roberto Martinez says there is still work to be done before Daniel de Ridder completes a loan move to Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
The 25-year-old midfielder indicated he is on his way to Israel as the chance of Europa League football was too good to turn down.
He has struggled to gain a place in Martinez's side following his move from Birmingham in 2008.
Martinez said: "He is very close to agreeing a loan deal. He has been frustrated after working hard in training and needs a bit of competitive football.
"Sometimes a player needs a fresh challenge. The deal has to be right, however, for the club and for Danny as well. Sometimes that takes a little bit more time. We will see how things develop."
De Ridder told Sportweek: "Hapoel Tel Aviv are in second place behind Maccabi Haifa and still involved in the Europa League.
"They finished first from a group with big teams likes Hamburg, Celtic and Rapid Vienna. Now they play Rubin Kazan and have a chance to make further progress."


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Luxury Air Mattress Sheets Queen Size Air Bed Sheets Queen
Luxury Air Mattress Sheets Queen 300 Thread Count
Our Air Mattress Sheets Queen Size are specially designed to stay on that most difficult bed. The fitted bottom sheet has a stretchy perimeter on the bottom edge plus we incorporate a stretch band at each corner for even more secure holding ability. A matching top sheet and pillowcase is included. Air Bed Queen Size Dimensions are generally 80 inches Long x 60 inches Wide x 9 inches high. 13 wonderful colors to choose from. 100% cotton for softness and care free enjoyment. Generous 300 Threads per square inch count. For the price these are the best sheets on the market!
Optional Quilted Mattress Pad We also give you the option of adding quilted mattress pad. The quilted mattress pad is constructed of cotton for added comfort. The fill is 100% polyester for some cushioning. There is stretchy material along the entire perimeter of this mattress pad including the pockets for a sure fit. This pad lays directly on top of the mattress for protection. The quilted mattress pad is not waterproof.
SHIPPING: 95% of our orders ship within 8 business days. Please allow standard ground transit time depending on your location. All our sheets are custom sewn for you when you order. The sewing begins ASAP in order to get the product to you as quickly as possible. Great things take time!


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The Raman Airborne Spectroscopic Lidar (RASL) consists of a 15W ultraviolet laser, a 24-inch (61-centimeter) diameter Dahl-Kirkham telescope, a custom receiver package, and a structure to mount these components inside an aircraft. Both the DC-8 at NASA Dryden and the P-3 at NASA/Wallops are aircrafts that could carry RASL. The system is unique because it requires the largest window ever put into either of these aircraft. A fused-silica window, diameter of 27 inches (68.6 centimeters) and 2.375 inches (6 centimeters) thick is needed to withstand the pressure and temperature differentials at a 50,000-foot (15.2-kilometer) altitude.
In June through August of 2007, RASL flew numerous times on board a King Air B-200 aircraft out of Bridgewater, VA, in support of the 2007 Water Vapor Validation Experiments (WAVES) campaign. The WAVES campaign was a series of field experiments to validate satellite measurements. RASL data, along with data from ground-based and balloon-borne instruments, were used to assess the CALIPSO and TES instruments and for studies of mesoscale water vapor variability. During the test flights, RASL produced the first-ever simultaneous measurements of tropospheric water vapor mixing ratio and aerosol extinction from an airborne platform.


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Should I use the Calculated or Calculated simple question type?
The Calculated simple question is a version of the Calculated question without the option to use shared datasets.*
You may find it easier to set up.**
Following are some hints for setting up both types of question:
*A dataset is a set of groups of numbers e.g a set of (width,breadth) pairs. Each question, or set of questions, in a quiz attempt (depending on whether the data is synchronized between the questions), is assigned a random set from the dataset. In other words, a shared dataset has two distinct uses: It saves creating a new dataset for each question and, when necessary, it ensures that different questions within one quiz attempt use the the same numbers
** Somewhat annoyingly, it does not have an option to delete datasets


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CM - Duffle Bag
Experience a new level of convenience and style with Airportag Duffle Bag, your all-purpose companion for a wide range of activities.
Whether you're planning a spontaneous getaway, enjoying an extended weekend trip, or hitting the gym to stay active, this bag is tailored to suit your needs. Its generous storage space ensures you can effortlessly organize and transport all your essentials, keeping everything within easy reach, while its compact design and sling strap make it perfect as a carry-on bag for flights, ensuring your travel experience is smooth and stress-free.
Pack Your Wanderlust
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Assistant Treasurer
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of Head-Royce School, comprised of current parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents and community members who bring strategic expertise from a variety of professions. Board members typically serve 2-3 three-year terms in the following main capacities.
Fiduciaries: Trustees serve as stewards of the School's resources, including people, facilities, and financial assets.
Strategists: The Board sets the long-range, strategic direction of the School, side-by-side with the Head of School, in addition to supporting and evaluating the Head of School.
Ambassadors: Trustees embody and convey the School's mission and core values.
Trustees serve on various working committees that focus on strategic initiatives for the long-term health of the School, including finance, investment, audit, diversity, facilities, community relations, student life, master plan, development, and governance.
Current Board Members:
Nomination Process
We welcome self and peer nominations for the Head-Royce School Board of Trustees.
The Board is made up of 25 volunteer members. Each year, our Committee on Trustees runs an annual process to recruit a handful of new Trustees to fill anticipated vacancies, ensuring that the Board includes a balance of perspectives and professional expertise to support the School.
Nominate a Trustee here.
Questions? Please email the Board Chair.