text:
Invalid login/password combination. You may wish to try over or reset your password
We could not find any active order with id or e-mail mentioned. Try again
Terms and Conditions
By placing an order at Software Deal you (Customer) understand and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions listed below.
Any attempt to alter, supplement, modify or amend these terms and conditions by the Customer will be considered a material alteration of this agreement and, therefore, are null and void.
Software Deal reserves the right to make changes to this site and these terms and conditions at any time, without prior notice.
Software Deal accepts Visa and Master Card credit cards.
We do not accept any other payment methods.
If You get a message that your transaction is declined please do not try to process it again but contact our Support team.
Prices & Availability
All prices on our website are quoted in US dollars (USD).
Because of the fast-moving nature of the industry, prices and availability are subject to change without notice.
Software Deal is unable to issue price adjustments due to manufacturer price changes after date of original sale.
We do our best to provide the most accurate, up-to-date information, but errors do occur and we reserve the right to make changes without notice.
We cannot sell many software products to resellers, all website orders with an individual product quantity over 5 are subject to review and cancellation.
You will receive an email with all nesessary information such as login and password to login in customer area (there you will be able to get download links, installation and activation instructions).
The access to the customer's area will be given within 1 hour after the order has been placed.
Refund Policy
ATTENTION: Almost always our Support team can solve ANY problem you got with the purchased software, therefore first of all please try to ask them to help you.
Refund can be issued in the case of unsolvable problems with a software.
Chargeback Policy
Chargeback is a bad thing for both sides (for You and for our store) in 100% occasions, because if you like to get your money back - just place a refund request through our Help Desk system.
It is very important to provide a working e-mail address for all the communications with the Support team and our Store.
If a chargeback was performed by you, our Store needs to perform the following:
-If fraud is suspected, we report the case to the FBI Internet Fraud Complaint Center and BBB;
-Initialize legal proceedings against you to recover the order amount.
By placing an order with us, You indicate that you have read and understood our terms.
You also indicate that you understand and accept any limitations of the particular product type(s) you are purchasing.
Please note that we sell only downloadable copies of the software, it means that we do not ship boxed versions of the software and paper documentation.
Also please note that you will not be able to get a support from the manufacturer and register your product online, because you're buying OEM software.
You will be able to download software from a special download area which will be created after a successful order.
Software products come as ZIP archives (you will have to extract it first using any archiver, i.e. 7-zip) or as ISO image files (in this case you will have to burn downloaded ISO image file to DVD disk or mount it to a virtual drive. You will get step-by-step instructions in your customer area).
You reserve the right to exchange the provided software (no more than 2 times) if you have already asked for help and the problem with the purchase has not been resolved by the Support team.
Technical Support
Software Deal does offer technical support to the customers.
We will gladly help you with the following processes: downloading, installation, activation.
Please browse through the FAQ section for an answer before writing to our Support team.
If you cannot find an answer in the FAQ, please leave a ticket (which contains only Your problem) with the type of question (preferable method), you can do this from your customer area.
System Requirements
Minimum system requirements are provided for all the software items we sell.
By placing an order for software, you agree that the computer system on which you intend to install the software meets or exceeds all the minimum system requirements.
Software Deal takes every precaution to protect our users' information. When users submit sensitive information via the website, their information is protected both online and off-line
When our registration/order form asks users to enter sensitive information (such as credit card number), that information is encrypted and protected.


text:
Our customer training team will create personalised training sessions tailored to your exact requirements.
We work closely with your relationship managers so we have a strong understanding of your service and can make your training sessions strictly relevant.
We know Gorkana inside-out and we'll help you maximise your investment
Every one of our team have a fantastic customer service background, so not only are they experts in the Gorkana products, they will conduct interactive and engaging sessions for your team.
Book a sessionContact us today for a bespoke session
We will tailor-make your session so that we cover everything that is relevant to your business objectives. We can dive as deep as you need and will always be available if you need support.
Contact usOnline YouTube tutorials
We've created a series of YouTube tutorials to give you a quick overview of some of the special features of our media database.
Please let us know what you think, and if there are any you'd like us to make.
Watch a videoRegister for one of our webinars
Our team offers full support whenever you need it. Whether you're a super-user or are just getting to grips with the service, we can help you get the best out of the services we offer.
We run regular online group webinars which serve as refresher courses for all of our products, browse our catalogue of sessions and book one today.
Register nowGorkana terms and conditions
Read the terms and conditions you agree to when you use MyGorkana, and learn specific Gorkana definitions and further detail about our media database, monitoring, analysis and social media services.
Gorkana T&Cs

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Problem of Punjab's Language and Script
By Shaheed Bhagat Singh
[The Punjab Hindi Sahitya Sammelan had organised an essay competition on the above subject in 1923. It was for that competition that Bhagat Singh wrote this article. The General Secretary of Sahitya Sammelan, Shri Bhim Sen Vidyalankar (now expired) liked the article much and preserved it. Bhagat Singh got a prize of Rs. 50 for this article. Subsequently, it was published in Hindi Sandesh on February 28, 1933]
"An acquaintance of the literature of society or a country is of prime importance for the understanding of that society or country, because the consciousness of the soul of a society or country, because the consciousness of the soul of a society gets reflected in its literature also." History is witness to the authenticity of the above statement. Countries have followed the direction determined by the flow of their literature. Every nation needs literature of high quality for its own upliftment. As literature of a country attains new heights, the country also develops. Patriots – be they merely social reformers or political leaders-pay highest attention to the literature of their country. If they do not create new literature to meet the requirements of the contemporary issues and situations, all of their efforts will fail and their work will prove unstable.
Perhaps Garibaldi could not have succeeded in mobilising the army with such ease if Mazzini had not invested his thirty years in his mission of cultural and literary renaissance. The revival of Irish language was attempted with the same enthusiasm along with the renaissance in Ireland. The rulers so much wanted to suppress their language for the ultimate suppression of the Irish people that even kids were punished for the crime of keeping a few verses in Gaelic. The French revolution would have been impossible without the literature of Rousseau and Voltaire. Had Tolstoy, Karl Marx and Maxim Gorky not invested years of their lives in the creation of a new literature, Russian revolution would not have taken place, leave alone the propagation and practice of communism.
The same applies to the social and religious reformers. Kabir's ideas have a stable impact because of his literature. Till date, the sweetness and sensitivity of his poems prove captivating to the people.
Exactly the same can be said about Guru Nanak Devji, When the Sikh Gurus started establishing their new order along with the preaching of their beliefs, they felt the need of a new literature and this inspired Guru Angad Devji to evolve the Gurumukhi script. Centuries of continuous warfare and Muslim invasions had dried up the literature of Punjab. The Hindi language was at the verge of extinction. He adopted the Kashmiri script in his search for an Indian language. Later the Adi Granth was compiled by Guru Arjun Devji and Bhai Gurudasji. They took a far-reaching and useful step in this act of creating their own script and literature to perpetuate their beliefs.
Afterwards, as situations changed, the flow of literature also changed. The ceaseless sacrifices and sufferings of the Gurus changed the situation. Whereas we find devotion and self-oblivion in the preaching of the first Guru, and experience a sense of self-effacement in the following couplet:
Nanak nanhe ho rahe, jaisi nanhi doob.
Aur ghas jari jaat hai, doob khoob ki khoob
(Nanak asks all to be as humble and insignificant as the doob grass. While all other grasses are burnt down, dood continues to flourish.)
We find a sense of fellow-feeling and helpfulness for the oppressed in the preaching of Guru Shri Teg Bahadurji:
Baanhi jinhan di pakadiye, sir dijiye baanhi na chhodye,
Guru Teg Bahadur bolya, dharati pai dharam na chodye.
(Whomsoever you provide protection, you should be prepared to sacrifice yourself but not that protection. Guru Teg Bahadur asks you not to forsake your religion on this earth.)
After his sacrifice, suddenly, we sense a warrior spirit in the preaching of Guru Gobind Singhji. When he realised that a mere spiritual devotion could not do anything, he started Chandi worship and turned Sikh community into a community of worshippers and warriors by synthesising spiritualism and fighting. We find in his poems (literature) a new spirit. He writes:
Je tohi prem khelan da chav, sir dhar tali gali mori aav,
Je it maarag pair dharijai, sir dijai kaan no dijai.
(If you are interested in playing the game of love, put your head on your palm and then only enter my lane. In case you put your feet on this path don't fall back, even if you have to loose your life.)
And then:
Soora so pahchaniye, je lade deen ke het,
Purja-purja kat mare, kabhu na chhade khet.
Only he is brave who fights for the cause of the poor. He may be cut into pieces and may be killed, but he should not leave the field.)
And then suddenly, the sword-worship starts.
Carrying the same spirit Baba Banda and other fought Muslim ruler ceaselessly. We find later that when Sikhs are reduced to mere groups of anarchists, declared outlaws, and were continuously compelled to be confined to the forests, no new literature could be created. They had a warrior spirit, a sense of courage and sacrifice and a spirit to continue their war against Muslim rulers, but they could not chalk out their future beyond this . this explains why these warrior groups fought among themselves. It is here that their lack of contemporary spirit worries us. If a warrior and shrewd ruler like Ranjit singh had not emerged afterwards, Sikhs would have gone down bereft of any high ideal or spirit to have mobilised them.
Along with all this, one more point deserves attention. All the Sanskrit literature, put together, failed to revive the Hindu society; new literature had to be written in a contemporary modern language. Till date, we feel only the effect which was created by that literature of contemporary spirit. Even for a person of proper education and comprehension, the hymns of unintelligible Sanskrit and ayats of classical Arabic cannot be as enthusing as is possible by the simple statements in a simple language.
A short history of Punjabi language and literature is sketched out above. Now we turn to our times. Swami Vivekananda in Bengal and Swami Ramtirtha in Punjab were born approximately at the same time. Both were 'great' in the same sense. Both got fame for establishing Indian metaphysics abroad. Swami Vivekanand's mission became a permanent institution in Bengal while Punjab misses a memorial to Swami Ramtirtha. In spite of having significant differences in their thinking, we find strong similarities at the roots. Whereas Swami Vivekananda was preaching Karma Yoga, Swami Ramtirtha was singing in blissfulness:
Ham rukhe tukade khayenge, Bharat par ware jayenge,
Hum sukhe chane chabayenge, Bharat ki baat banyenge,
Ham nange umar bitayenge, Bharat par jaan mitayenge.
( We shall subsist on crumbs but sacrifice ourselves for bharat, We shall go naked the whole life, but offer our lives for Bharat.)
Several times, he wept while seeing the setting sun in America, and said:" Now you are rising in my beloved country. Drop my tears like dew-drops over beautiful water-fed fields of India." Such a great devotee of the country and God was born in our province and , if we do not have even a single memorial to him, what else could explain that, except our literary backwardness?
This we feel at every step. Many great men born in Punjab, who are comparable to Shri Devendra Thakur and Keshav Chandra Sen of Bengal, but we did not respect them and easily forgot them after their deaths-for example, guru Gyan Singhji, etc. We find only one reason on bottom, and that is the total lack of literacy interest and awakening, The truth is that no country or community can progress without its literature. But language is the primary need of literature and this is absent in Punjab. In spite of releasing this handicap for long, the question of language has still remained unresolved. The main reason behind this is the unfortunate communalisation of language in our province, in other provinces, we find that Muslims have fully adopted their provincial languages. In the literary world of Bengal. Poet Nazrul-Islam is a shining star. Latif Hussain 'Natwar' is prominent among the Hindi poets . the same is true of Gujrat also.
But Punjab is unfortunate. Here ,even Hindus and Sikhs are not united, leave the Muslims alone.
Punjab should have been the language of Punjab, like other provinces, but since this has not happened, as this question is a spontaneous question, Muslims have adopted Urdu. Muslims totally lack Indianness, therefore they want to prorogate Arabic script and Persian language. While failing to understand the importance of Indianness in the whole of India, they fail to understand the importance of one language, which could only be Hindi. That is why they keep repeating the demand for Urdu like a parrot and take an isolated position.
Then comes the turn of the Sikhs. Their whole literature is in the Gurumukhi script. Hindi is very there as a component, but Punjabi constitutes the main component. Therefore, the Sikhs adopted Punjabi written in Gurmukhi as their language. They could not leave that at any cost. They embraced that by making it a communal language.
The Arya Samaj emerged on the other side. Swami Dayanand propagated the feeling for the spread of Hindi throughout Bharatvarsha. Hindi became a religious component of the Arya Samaj movement. These religion attachment benefited the language in one way. That is , while Sikh staunchness secured Punjabi, the insistence of Arya Samajists helped Hindi secure a place of its own.
In the early days of Arya Samaj movement, the Sikhs and Arya Samajists used to have religious gathering at the same place. At that time they had no feelings of being different, but afterwards, a few sentences of Satyartha Prakash caused malice and mutual hatred. The Sikhs, swept in the same stream, started hating even Hindi as well. Other did not take even notice of it.
Afterwards, it is said, an Samaji leader, Mahatma Hansrajji held consultations with many leaders and proposed that if they accept the Hindi script, he would get the Punjabi language in Hindi script, he would get the Punjabi language in Hindi script reognised in the University. But they could not understand the importance of this proposal because of their narrow-mindedness and absence of literary awareness. At this moment, three views prevail in Punjab. Firstly, there is strong attachment for urdu among the Muslims; secondly, for Hindi among Arya Samajis and certain other Hindus; and thirdly, for Punjabi.
It will not be important here to deal with all the languages one by one. First of all, we shall consider the Muslims view. They are staunch supporters of Urdu. At the present time, this language is dominant in Punjab. This is also the language of the court. Then some Muslims say that Urdu scripts saves space. This may be quite right, but the most important question before us at this juncture is to make India a unified nation, but this cannot be done all at once. For this we have to move step by step. If we cannot adopt one language for the whole of India at the moment, we should at least adopt one script. The urdu script cannot be called a perfect one and the most important point is that it is based on the Persian language. The flights of imagination of urdu poets- even if they are hindi (Indian)- reach the saaqis (bar-maids) of Persia and date palms of the Arbs countries. Kazi Nazrul-Islam's poems refer to Dhurjate.vishwamitra and Durvasa quite frequently, but our Punjabi Hindi-Urdu poets could not even think of them. Is it not a matter which makes one sad? Their ignorance of Indianness and Indian literature is the main reason of this. When they cannot imbibe Indianness, how can their literature make us Indian? Students confined to the study of urdu cannot attain the knowledge of the classical literature of India. It is not that these texts cannot be translated into a literary language like urdu, but it will be usefull only to a persian in hia pursuit concerning Indian literature.
It will Suffice to say in support of the above statement that when simple words like Arya and Swarajya are written as 'Ariya' and ;swarajia', what will happen to the deep metaphysical topics? Only a few days back, a government translator, using the urdu script, mistook sage Nachiketa as 'neechi Kutia' which can be translated as a `bitch of low origin', while translating an Urdu book Qaumen kis Tarah Zinda Rah Sakti Hain(How nationalities can survive) by Lala Hardayalji, M.A . it was neither Lalaji's fault nor the translator. iT was only a shortcoming of the Urdu script and the dissimilarity between Urdu and Hindi languages and literature.
Indian languages and script prevail in the rest of India. In such a situation, should we get absolutely isolated from India point is that, among Muslim writers, the staunch supporters of Urdu write highly Persianised Urdu. The Muslim newspapers like Zamindar and Siyasat have strong Arabic influence which is quite incomprehensible to common people. How can this be propagated in such a situation? We wish our Muslim brothers, while sticking to their religion, think of Indianising themselves like Kamal the Turk. India's salvation is possible only that way. Instead of making language a communal question, we should adopt a wide perspective.
We will now return to the problem of Hindi and Punjabi. Many idealists entertain a vision of the world turned into one single nation, one global nation. This ideal is beautiful and one should keep it before oneself. But this cannot be achieved today; all of our steps, all of our efforts should be directed towards enhancement of happiness by uniting all nationalities, countries and nations into one strong bond. Before that, we have to realise that ideal in our own country. We have to adopt one language, one script, one literature, one ideal and one nation, but the adoption of a single language precedes all the other unites, so they we can communicate with and comprehend each other. A Punjabi and a Madrasi must not sit together mute at a gathering, but try to communicate their ideas and emotions, and this should be done in our own language, Hindi, rather than in an alien language like English. Even this ideal will take years to be realised. First of all, we should create literary awareness in this endeavor, not among a few but in the masses. The people's own language is essential for creating literary awareness among the people. On the basis of this logic, we say that you can succeed in Punjab only in Punjabi language.
Till now, Punjabi has not been able to become a literary language of the central Punjab, which is written in the Gurmukhi script, is now Known as Punjabi. It is neither widely prevalent nor has any literature or scientific significance. It was left unattended earlier, but even now the deficiency of its script disturbs those who now attending to it. All the words, cannot ending without the sound ' a') and its inability to write compound letter; even the word 'Poorna'(complete) cannot be written. This script is thus even more incomplete than Urdu, but when we already have a scientific and perfect Hindi script, what is there to feel hesitant about adopting it? The Gurmukhi script is only distorted form of the Hindi script. Right from the start All the rules are same, then. How much will we be benefited by our immediate switch over to this. The Punjabi language will start developing immediately by adopting this perfect script. And there is ni problem in its problem in its propagation. Hindu women of Punjab already know this script. The DAV school and Sanatan Dharma schools teach only in Hindi, what could be the problem in such a situation? We shall plead with the supporters of Hindi that, ultimately and certainly, only Hindi will be the language of the whole Bharat, but it will be more convenient to propagate it from now on. Punjabi will become like Hindi by adopting the script and then all the differences will disappear; and it is desirable, too that common people could be educated which is possible only through our own language in our own script. See this Punjabi poem:
O rahiya rahe jandya, sun ja gall meri
Sir to pag tere balait di, ihnun fuk muatara la.
(o passer by, listen to me.Burn that foreign turban Which thou art wearing on thy head, And take to 'Muatara'.)
Even beautiful Hindi poems cannot cast an impression comparable to this, as they have not yet made a place right in the hearts of the people. They still seem somewhat alien. It is so because Hindi is based on Sanskrit. And the Punjab has gone farther away from that. Persian has maintained its dominance in Punjab to a large extent. For example, a collection of things become 'cheezan' here instead of 'cheezain'. This principle prevails throughout. What is being emphasised here is that Hindi is still far from Punjabi heart in spite of being close to Punjabi; of course, Punjabi will come closer to Hindi when it will adopt the Hindi script attempt creating its literature.
By now almost every major issue has been discussed here. Only one thing now remains to be said. Many people argue that the Punjabi language lacks sweetness, beauty and emotions. This is absolutely baseless. Only recently the sweetness, beauty and emotions. This is absolutely baseless. Only recently the sweetness of this song hypnotised Kavindra Ravindra:
Lachhiye, jitthe tu pani doliya,
Utthe ug paye sandal de boote.
( o Lachhi, where you split water at that place sandlewood trees have sprouted.)
many more examples could be cited. Is the following couplet even the least inferior to the poems of any other language?
Pipal de pattya ve kehi khadkhad layee ae,
Patte jhade purane hun rut navayan di aayee ae.
(Pipal leaves, why are you making noise?
The old leaves have fallen and the season for new leaves has come.)
And when Punjab is sitting alone or in the group, will any other language move them to the extent these lines of Gauhar can:
Lam lakkhan to karoran de shah vekhe
Na musafiran koi udhar dende,
Dine raatin de kuch dere,
Na unhan gulan di vasana te
Bhauren bahande gulan di vasana te
Na sappan de muhan te koi pyar denda,
Gauhar same salook han jyuadya de
Moyan giyan un tar koi visar denda.
(i have seen armies of lakhs of millionaires. No one gives loan to the passers-by who never stay, never reside at one place. No one trust them. Black – beetles sit on flowers because of their smell. No one gives love at the hoods of the snakes. O Gauhar, good behavior and welcome is for those who are alive, but everyone says good-bye at the time of death.)
Jeev jyudiyan nu kyon marna ae
Jekar nahintu moyan nn jiaun joga,
Ghar aaye sawali nu kyon ghurna ae
Jekar nahin tu hatthin khair joga;
Mile dilan tu bichhadyan nu milaun joga,
Gauhar barhiya rakh band khaane
Jekar nahin tu nekiyan kumaun joga.
(why kill living beings when you are not able bring the dead back to life? Why do you stare at the beggar who has come to your door when you are not able to give him something? Why break the union of hearts if you are not able to reunite hearts that are separated? O Gauhar, if you cannot do go to others, then keep your good food and room closed.)
And now -a-days brilliant poets like Dard, Mastana, Dewana are enriching the Punjabi's poetry.
It is a pity that such a sweet, such a captivating language has not been adopted even by the Punjabis themselves. They still refuse; and this is the crux of the problem. Everyone backs his arguments on the basis of religious convictions. The only problem concerning the language and script of Punjab is to remove this obstruction, but the hope lies in the increasing literary awareness among the sikhs. Hindu also have it. Why not at all well-meaning people decide by mutual deliberations? This is the only way to arrive at a solution. The question can attended to by renouncing religious considerations. It should be attempled accordingly and the recognition of Punjabi language of a journal like Prem of Amritsar. This way the problem is resolved. After the elimination of this irritant, Punjab will have such beautiful and 'quality' literature that it will also be counted among the good language of India.


text:
Best Of ExhibiTricks: Exhibit Inspiration
While I'm away on vacation, I thought I'd offer a "Best Of ExhibiTricks" series that clusters together a batch of thematically related postings that you may have missed.
Let's finish up the week with the theme of "Exhibit Inspiration." One of my favorite questions from people I meet who find out that I design exhibits is, "where do you get your ideas?"
What follows are some postings that really resonated with me. Each of them offers some amazing technical skills in the service of beautiful and fanciful ideas.
As a bonus each of these postings also includes an embedded video to illustrate the inspiring work. Enjoy!
First up, is the Festo AirJelly, a wonderful floating mechanical beast.
Next, a mechanical beast of a more terrestrial sort built by the French artistic group Les Machines.
Arthur Ganson is one of my favorite artists. An inveterate tinkerer, wildly creative, and a terrific guy I want to work with again!
Here's a posting that gives both a high-tech and low-tech twist to the classic Etch-A-Sketch.
Last, but certainly not least, a beautiful video (with wonderful music!) of a French artisan creating a triode lamp from scratch.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's "Best Of" series. I thought it was a good idea, but did you? Are there any other topics you'd like me to dig into? Let me know in the "Comments Section" below.
Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to subscribe right now via email (or your favorite news reader) with the tools on the right side of the blog.


text:
THE STAR OF ANTINOUS is well known as is the LOTUS OF ANTINOUS.
And many people are aware that there is also an ANTINOUS ASTEROID and even a few people have heard of the ANTINOUS CRATER.
But very few people have heard of the ANTINOUS SPIDER, a gigantic, bright blue tarantula ... as large as your face ... which devours birds in South America.
Now scientists have discovered the secrets of why blue tarantulas are blue ... and that discovery may help humans make better wide-angle digital displays.
A team of scientists reported this week in Science Advances that blue coloration appears in 40 species of tarantulas in the Antinous tarantula, among the most ancient of spiders.
Spider specialists don't expect that the coloring wows females, because the eyes of tarantulas probably can't tell blue from other colors.
It's possible that tarantulas use this color to signal to prey or predators instead, but that's still a mystery.
Perhaps Antinous tarantulas are blue in order to make them irresistible … to the birds they devour!
The Pamphobeteus antinous is native to the rain forests of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia and is known for its ferocity and for its consumption of small birds and other hapless creatures asleep and defenseless when it prowls at night.
It runs and pounces very fast and surprises its prey unawares. It has no fear of humans and charges at people, hurling venomous hairs from its bristly legs and body.
It was named after Antinous because of its beautiful iridescent coloring and its breathtaking size. Its leg span is as big around as a man's hand with outstretched fingers. For arachnid collectors, the Antinous truly is the most spectacular spider, living up to its name.
For us Antinoians, the Spider of Antinous is more than just a zoological specimen, just as the Red Lotus of Antinous and the Star of Antinous are more than just botanical or astronomical items. All three figure prominently in the belief system of this new/old religion.
The three ... the Flower, the Spider and the Star ... represent the three stages of initiation into the worship of Antinous which Antonyus has spelled out in the ECCLESIA ANTINOI Charter.
The Flowers of Antinous are the many people who join the group with an avid interest in Antinous and who draw artistic and intellectual inspiration from him, but who don't necessarily believe in his divinity.
That doesn't make them any less beautiful or precious, for without them, there is no religion of Antinous.
But there are deeper and far darker secrets for those who become ensnared in the web of the Spider of Antinous. They are those of you who have stated your heart-felt belief in Antinous the God and who have applied for citizenship in the Sacred City of Antinoopolis.
You have put yourself in his web. You believe in him and are awe-struck by him. And as you lie there in his web, perhaps unsure or even a bit fearful about what comes next, you look up and see your final destination shining darkly in the black nighttime sky.
You see the Star of Antinous which is your own ultimate self. Becoming one with Antinous ... HOMOTHEOSIS ... becoming aware of your true sacred nature.
ANTONIUS SUBIA expresses it very beautifully:
There are many Flowers of Antinous, and of these, many, when they become aware of Antinous Consciousness, if I may use such a term to describe his touch, or the burning of his flame, are immediately ensnared in the confusion of the web of the Spider of Antinous. But few are they who have found the power of the Liberator, who restores the fragrance of the Flower and opens its petals to the unseen light of the Star. I would say that those who have found their way back...return with new eyes...able to see the light that vanished from the sky...which is why I call the Holy Star of Antinous the Black Star.
So when we ponder this awesome blue spider ... "awesome" in the original sense of the word "scary" ... we think of the spiritual road upon which all of us have embarked.
From the spiritual blossoming of the Flower of Antinous to the ravenous spiritual hunger of the Spider of Antinous to the heavenly spiritual shining of the Star of Antinous.
On January 29th the Religion of Antinous celebrates the discovery in 131 AD of THE STAR OF ANTINOUS by Emperor Hadrian and his house stargazers.
That discovery marks the visible ascendance of the Beloved Boy into the celestial firmament ... for all of us on Earth to see ... whether we live in a big city or in a village in the Brazilian rain forest.


text:
Wealthy U.S. shoppers earning at least $150,000 a year rank Nordstrom highest among luxury retailers in the 2012 Luxury Consumer Experience Index (LCEI) survey by the independent Luxury Institute. LCEI scores are based on customers' evaluations of a brand's store personnel, shopping environment and degree of satisfaction with the total experience, and this information is of particular importance in light of the growth of the prestige beauty category recently.
Nordstrom earns the top overall score of 8.41 out of 10, followed by Neiman Marcus' Bergdorf Goodman subsidiary (8.37) and Barneys New York (8.23). It is also the most widely visited luxury retailer, with 36% of wealthy consumers reporting shopping at Nordstrom in the past 12 months. Only 7% of shoppers have visited Barneys, and 6% have shopped at Bergdorf Goodman, but exclusivity helps with pricing: 76% of Bergdorf's shoppers and 74% of Barneys' say that goods in those stores are worth a significant price premium; 65% say the same about Nordstrom's merchandise.
"Retailers, especially in luxury, are selling experiences to customers more than they are selling any particular good," says Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza. "In the case of a retailer like Nordstrom, we see that a program of continuous improvement in the customer experience can lead to higher degrees of loyalty and improved financial performance."
In addition to its top overall LCEI score, Seattle-based Nordstrom ranks first on two critical measures of customer loyalty: 96% of high-income shoppers plan to shop at Nordstrom again, and 94% recommend Nordstrom to family and close friends.
Survey participants reported average income of $292,000 and average net worth of $3 million.


text:
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have decided to take a break, it has been claimed.
The pair, who have had a tempestuous relationship over the past few years, have reportedly decided to postpone their wedding while they see if they are better off apart.
I really think this is a good move. Miley doesn't seem like someone who's ready for marriage at all with all her wild ways of behaving and naked pictures, performances and video. The fact that she unfollowed Liam on twitter says it all besides, all that break-up and make-up was just beginning to be so boring.
Wish them both the best in their next endeavours.


text:
Athens, Ga. – Predicting the risk of extinction is a complicated task, especially for species that migrate between breeding and wintering sites. Researchers at the University of Georgia and Tulane University have developed a mathematical model that may make such predictions more accurate. Their work appears in the early online edition of the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.
"The concern is that for a lot of species, we don't know very much about their wintering grounds," said Richard Hall, assistant research scientist in the UGA Odum School of Ecology. "Here in the U.S. we do a pretty good job of conserving breeding habitat for species of concern, but often we have no idea what kinds of threats are facing their non-breeding areas."
Hall and Tulane University's Caz Taylor developed a new model that builds upon a theory of population dynamics known as metapopulation theory.
"A metapopulation is made up of many sub-populations that live in patchily-distributed sites across a landscape," Hall said.
In its simplest form, metapopulation theory describes the fraction of suitable habitat patches occupied by a species. Individuals from a sub-population emigrate from their original site to colonize previously unoccupied patches of suitable habitat where they either thrive or die out. When the rate of successful colonization exceeds the rate of extinction, the proportion of occupied patches rises and the metapopulation is likely to persist.
The problem with simple metapopulation theory is that it assumes colonization occurs continually and is possible from any adjacent patch. It is therefore not applicable to migratory species that seasonally vacate their breeding sites to move to wintering sites, and vice versa. So while the theory has worked for certain conservation efforts—such as informing decisions about the extent of suitable habitat needed to support endangered species such as the northern spotted owl in the Northwest and Bachman's sparrow in the Southeast—it does not fit in all cases.
To adapt the theory for migratory species, Hall and Taylor added more complexity to the model. They divided habitat patches into two categories: those used during breeding season and those used for wintering. In their model, colonization only occurs between breeding and wintering (non-breeding) patches, not between patches of the same type.
"With the migratory model, having an unoccupied breeding patch surrounded by lots of suitable breeding habitat does not necessarily mean that the colonization rate is likely to be high," said Hall. "With migratory animals, the colonists of breeding patches come from non-breeding patches far away."
Piping plovers provide a good example. There are only a limited number of suitable habitat patches—open, sandy beaches that aren't excessively disturbed by human activity—so the number and size of the breeding patches in the north and the wintering patches in the south—and the distances between them—are well known. Through bird banding and tracking technologies, researchers are beginning to develop an understanding of the migration patterns between breeding and wintering patches. Taylor and Hall's model could be applied to describe these birds' population dynamics.
Hall said that the model highlights the importance of taking into account the colonization and extinction rates at both breeding and non-breeding sites, which is more easily said than done.
"What our model shows is that even if the populations in the breeding areas look healthy, without knowing the state of the non-breeding areas, we could be vastly underestimating the likelihood of extinction," he said.


text:
Explosive Fun and Old Chums: Clear Lake's 4th of July Extravaganza
Explosive Fun & Old Chums: Clear Lake's 4th of July Extravaganza
Todd Swank's Diary Entry for July 7, 2024
My step-mom, Joyce Swank, passed away yeste...
October 28, 2012
October 21, 2012
October 20, 2012
If Obama Wins, Move To Texas
The Country of Texas ~ since Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from the Union . (Reference the Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848.) We Texans love y'all, but we'll probably have to take action if Barack Obama wins the election. We'll miss you too. Here is what can happen: 1: Barack Hussein Obama is President of the United States , and Texas secedes from the Union in summer of 2013. 2: George W. Bush becomes President of the Republic of Texas . You might not think that he talks too pretty, but we hadn't had another terrorist attack, and the economy was fine until the effects of the Democrats lowering the qualifications for home loans came to roost. So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic? 1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. We will control the space industry. 2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States. 3. Defense Industry--we have over 65% of it. The term "Don't mess with Texas" will take on a whole new meaning. 4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. What will the other states do? Gee, we don't know. Why not ask Obama? 5. Natural Gas - again we have all we need, and it's too bad about those Northern States. John Kerry and Al Gore will have to figure out a way to keep them warm.... 6. Computer Industry - we lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications equipment -small companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Micro-conductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Nortel, Alcatel, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. 7. Medical Care - We have the research centers for cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world, as well as other large health centers. The Houston Medical Center alone employees over 65,000 people. 8. We have enough colleges to keep us getting smarter: University of Texas , Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Rice, SMU, University of Dallas , University of Houston , Baylor, UNT ( University of North Texas ), Texas Women's University, etc. Ivy grows better in the South anyway. 9. We have an intelligent and energetic work force, and it isn't restricted by a bunch of unions here in Texas , it's a Right to Work State and, therefore, it's every man and women for themselves. We just go out and get the job done. And if we don't like the way one company operates, we get a job somewhere else. 10. We have essential control of the paper, plastics, and insurance industries, etc. 11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and several military bases. We don't have an Army, but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an Army in 24 hours if we need one. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call the Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over the Texas Rangers. 12. We are totally self-sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs, and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables, and let's not forget seafood from the Gulf. Also, everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food. 13. Three of the ten largest cities in the United States , and twenty- three of the 100 largest cities in the United States , are located in Texas. And Texas also has more land than California , New York , New Jersey , Connecticut , Delaware , Hawaii, Massachusetts , Maryland , Rhode Island and Vermont combined. 14. Trade: Three of the ten largest ports in the United States are located in Texas. 15. More miles of railroad track that any other state in the Union. 16. We also manufacture cars down here, but we don't need to. You see, nothing rusts in Texas , so our vehicles stay beautiful and run well for decades. 17. Year around golf. This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have. Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama: Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only President Obama will be able to drive around in his big 5 mpg SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes. You won't have any TV as the Space Center in Houston will cut off satellite communications. You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes, but since Mr. Obama has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas as long as you survive the 2000 years it will take to get enough heat from Global Warming. Signed, The People of Texas P.S. This is not a threatening letter - just a note to give you something to think about! SLEEP WELL TONIGHT - THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU!! |
October 14, 2012
Minnesota Viking Pumpkins
How's it going, Todd?
We saw your coverage of the Vikings at http://www.swankboys.com/2011/11/minnesota-vikings-stadium-push-to.html. Excited by the great start the Vikes are having this year, we decided to get creative and carve some pumpkins of top Vikings players. I thought they'd be right up your and your reader's alley.
Check them out here: http://www.iexposure.com/2012/10/11/minnesota-vikings-pumpkin-stencils . We also posted the custom stencils we used to make them.
If you like them, we'd be thrilled if you shared them with your readers. Feel free to repost the images.
Skol Vikings!
Jeff Hahn
CEO, Internet Exposure
October 7, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)


text:
Overview and Objective
In this unit, students will explore some 3D projection techniques. They will learn about the classification of 3D projections while exploring the secrets of some famous optical illusions.
Activity #1 - Drawing a Cube and Introduction to 3D Projection
Start with displaying one or more examples from the Optical Illusions Polypad. Ask students what they notice and wonder about the shapes.
After the discussions, clarify with the students that those images are examples of optical illusions. Optical illusions are images that deceive the eye by appearing to be other than it is.
Drawing three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional surfaces - which is called 3D Projection - means visually creating and adding another dimension to the existing two dimensions of the surface. So, whenever we draw a 3D object on a 2D surface, we create an optical illusion!
One of the easiest 3D objects to project on a 2D surface is a cube. We have all been drawings cubes since our childhood. One might say that everyone has a way of drawing o cube.
Open a blank Polypad and invite students to draw a unit cube. Compare the different cube models and strategies they use.
Here are some possible drawings;
They might have used the grid backgrounds or the polygon tools to create their models. You may also discuss the dimensions of the cubes students draw. Are all the dimensions of the cubes 1 unit? You may insert a cube from the 3D Solids toolbar and slowly rotate it to create various views. In fact, even a square can represent a cube as a plan view.
We can draw the side views of a 3D object - the left, top, and front views, for example. This is called an orthographic projection. You can think of it as taking multiple photos of an object from different angles.
Check the related activities here.
Orthographic projection allows more detailed, accurate drawings and measurements since doing so project the 2D faces of an object onto the 2D surface. Designers and engineers usually add another 3D projection of the object to the drawing, since this multi-view projection might fail to reflect the complete model to the viewer.
For example, here is the orthographic projection of the famous round square triangle object. Ask students if they can visualize this object only by looking at the side views?
You can end the first activity by discussing the advantages and limitations of the orthographic projection with students by showing the actual object here.
Activity #2 - Parallel Projections
From interior designers and artists to architects and computer graphics designers, many professions use 3D projections for different needs. There are various other projection methods that are usually categorized as parallel and perspective projections.
You may display the classification of some of the projections using this Polypad.
In parallel projection, lines that are parallel in the original 3D object remain parallel in the 2D projected image. This method is based on the actual measurements of the object. This means that the image formed on the projection plane has the same scaled dimensions as that of the original object. One of the most well-known parallel projection techniques is isometric projection. In fact, the isometric view was the standard view until the mid-20th century.
In the grid options on Polypad, select the rotated isometric grid to draw and show the measurements of the isometric projections.
Draw the isometric projection of a cube and ask about the properties of this projection. Clarify with the students that
- The square faces of the cube are transferred on the grid as rhombuses. It is usually said that the square faces of the cube are distorted as rhombuses.
- The perpendicular edges became the isometric lines.
- Like in the 3D object, the opposite edges of the cube are parallel in the 2D projected image.
Draw the , , and axes on the projection, and ask about the angles between any two axes. Since all three angles are the same, this projection is called isometric projection. But what about the other types?
If only two of the axes of the drawing are equally inclined to the projection plane, then you draw a dimetric projection. You may determine the angles of the axes according to the purpose of your drawing.
After showing the technique, you may ask students to work in pairs, and let each group try another angle to compare how the projections will change according to the angles of the axes. For instance, if you increase the angle between the edges of the cubes and the baseline, you can see more of the top base.
Ask students to think about what type of drawings may require more the top face to be shown. Kitchens are a good example of something that are usually drawn in diametric projections.
If students are familiar with the trigonometric ratios, they may also calculate the side lengths of the drawing to find out which angle creates a drawing closest to the actual cube's dimensions.
You may ask students to predict the angles in the trimetric projection. Clarify with them that this time the angles between the axes and the projection plane are all different.
Display the Penrose Triangle (Impossible triangle) using this Polypad. Ask students the measure of each interior angle of the triangle. You may talk about why it is called the impossible triangle and how isometric drawing helps us to create this illusion.
The limitations of the parallel projections allow artists, scientists, and designers to create optical illusions like Penrose Triangle and Escher's stairs.
In isometric, dimetric, and trimetric projections, side lengths are preserved but angles are not! This allows the objects at the back of the drawing to be scaled the same as the objects in the front. Most of the illustrators use this fact to create optical illusions.
You may also display Waterfall and Ascending and Descending to show how M. C. Escher used parallel projection to create one of his most famous artworks.
Activity #3 - Oblique Projections
Consider asking students to research Cavalier, Cabinet, and General projections and complete their drawings as an extension. These three projections are specifically called oblique projections.
These parallel projections are based on displaying one face of the object as a one-to-one or scaled copy and distorting the other faces with different angles. Designers can pick different angle measures to emphasize a particular face.
In Cavalier projection, the angle between the side face and projection plane is and the depth of the object is shown in full scale like the other two dimensions. Even if we use exactly the same side lengths, distortion seems greater than the other projections.
In Cabinet projection, the angle between the side face and projection plane is and the depth of the object is projected at scale.
Although the third dimension scaled in half in the cabinet projection. It provides a more realistic depth for the viewer. Have students work with a partner to try different angles and scales for the general projection. After comparing different angles and scales, you can end the lesson with a class discussion on the pros and cons of the oblique projections.
Activity #4 - Perspective Drawing
Use this Polypad to show another illusion to students. Ask which one of these objects is bigger? After some discussion, drag one of the objects onto the others to reveal the illusion.
In the previous activities, students explored that objects drawn with parallel projection do not appear larger or smaller as they extend closer to or away from the viewer.
To create the depth effect on the canvas, artists usually use perspective drawings as a projection technique. This time, lines that are parallel in nature appear to intersect in the projected image. When you look at the railways, they appear to converge towards a single point, called the vanishing point.
Consider introducing Filippo Brunelleschi's experiment regarding linear perspective in the 15th century. Once the basic shape of the object is defined (for a cube, it is a square), lines that connect back to the vanishing point are added from each corner of the object. These diagonal lines are called orthogonal. The back "face" of the cube is added by drawing another square that touches all four orthogonals as they intersect back in space.
- Start with drawing the horizon (This line theoretically represents the line that divides the sky from the ground.) and creating a vanishing point, A, on the line.
- Draw any size of a square as a starting point (face) for creating the perspective drawing of your cube.
- Connect all four vertices with the vanishing point, A, by drawing lines. These lines are called orthogonal lines and will help form the other edges of the cube.
- Insert a point on one of the orthogonal lines to start drawing the parallel edges of the cube.
This process can be replicated to create additional cubes or other structures without changing the vanishing point.
You may also use this Polypad to demonstrate the effects of changing the location of the vanishing point on the projection.
You may re-display the illusion at the beginning of the lesson. It is based on the "Ponzo illusion" that plays with the mind's tendency to judge an object's size by the background. You may now ask students how the background is created to play with our depth perception. Once they remove the background, it becomes obvious that all the objects are the same size.
Activity #5 - Perspective Drawing - II
Display the photo of the historic Steglitz Town Hall in Berlin, Germany, and invite students to draw the orthogonal lines on that photo and locate the vanishing points using the ruler. They might quickly realize that there is more than one vanishing point in this photograph. Basically, when you stand at a corner of two streets like in this photograph, you see the structures are getting smaller when they get closer to the horizon at two different points.
Open a blank Polypad to start drawing a two-point perspective.
- Start by defining the horizon line.
- Place two vanishing points on the horizon line.
- This time, instead of drawing a square as the face of the cube, we need to draw only an edge.
- Connect two endpoints of the edge with each vanishing point.
- Insert a point anywhere on one of the orthogonal lines to start drawing the parallel edges of the cube.
Again, students can continue to create more forms and structıres by repeating the process without changing the vanishing points.
You may use the demonstration Polypad again to show the effects of changing the vanishing points on the drawing:
While perspective drawings gives a realistic view and feeling for the 3D form of an object, they do not preserve the shape or the scale of the object since the size of the object diminishes with distance.
Discuss with the students that while parallel projection techniques use more accurate measurements, the perspective projection shows distant objects as smaller to provide additional realism. You may end the unit by revisiting students' initial cube drawings and asking them to try to identify the different techniques they may used.
Transferring 3D information onto a 2D plane eventually causes some data loss in any kind of projection. Professionals decide which method to use according to their needs. Some artists and mathematicians use them to create illusions.
To further explore 3D projections, discuss that Earth is sphere-like 3D shape and all the world maps we see are just the 2D projections of that 3D sphere. As we see, in all kinds of projections, there is always distortion in the drawing. You may recommend students explore Mathigon's Sphere Maps to learn more about these distortions.
Polypads for This Lesson
To assign these to your classes in Mathigon, save a copy to your Mathigon account. Click here to learn how to share Polypads with students and how to view their work.


text:
In August we moved from our townhome (which was a new build 9 years ago) into a split level detached home built in the mid 70's. We went from having very little yard and neighbours attached on either side to having a large, spacious yard and neighbours a good distance away. The kids just love our new neighbourhood and we felt at home the day we moved in. We've slowly been working on cosmetic changes at the new house - I've painted almost every room since August. Just this past weekend I painted the kids' rooms and all that is left now to paint is the master bedroom and the basement. I've been posting house pics on instagram since we moved in and this house is going to be a work in progress for quite a while as there is alot to do (lots of outdoor work to come once the snow is all melted). Here are some photos from my instagram:
Simon's room (painted the same as his room in our last house) |
Isabella's room |
the living room |
the living room - stairs going down to front hall and stairs going up to bedrooms |
the other side of the living room with our sectional couch |
the giant bay window in the living room and all my new plants - the cat loves the view from her perch |
new media console and my grandmother's vintage sewing machine in the back corner |
the dining room which is located between the kitchen and living room |
painted the kitchen blue - and need to paint all the oak cabinets one day (and need new countertops) |
this is a small 'den' off the front hall - this half of the room is used as an office (painted same blue as kitchen) |
the other half of the office is used for extra front hall storage |


text: Our next two-day product school is Thursday January 25, 2018 through Friday January 26, 2018 . The training will be at our headquarters in Rocklin, CA (near Sacramento). This technical training provides an overview of Galil products, a description of system elements, tuning, motion programming, software, troubleshooting, and hands-on labs. On the afternoon of the second day there is an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with the application engineers to ask additional questions or discuss individual applications. If you are a new user to Galil or want to learn more, signup now! For more information and to register go to http://www.galil.com/learn/classes or contact Mark Middleton at email@example.com. Please register by January 10, 2018 .


text:
Free Shipping on This Item
Shop More Pekingese Home Decor
- Description
- Pekingese Wood Clock Red Reviews
- Other Popular Categories
- Return Policy & Shipping Times
Our handcrafted dog breed wall plaques are offered in over 100 variations between color, coat, and breed. Pictures of these clocks just aren't enough. Once you see these in person you will be amazed at the level of quality. They are constructed with solid oak and a 2 dimensional hand painted resin mold of your favorite dog breed from an original hand carving. This may be the nicest dog wall clock you will find on the market! The numerals and hands are hand painted in gold. The system the clock uses is made by Quartz and is one of most reliable clock systems in today's watches and clocks. It requires one AA battery and is not included. These are perfect for hanging in your kitchen, living room, bedroom, or anywhere else in your home. Our wall clocks also make a great gift for any dog lover.
- Please allow 7-10 days from date of purchase before shipment for production of product
- If ordering for a holiday gift be sure to order at least 3-4 weeks before Christmas
- Dimensions: 12 3/4″ in diameter X 3/4″
- Available in Light or Dark Stain
- Hand Painted
- Solid Oak
There are no reviews yet.
Be the first to review "Pekingese Wood Clock Red" Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Popular Categories
Dog Sunflower Figurines
228 products
Outdoor Wooden Welcome Dog Signs
274 products
A House is Not a Home Without a Dog Signs
93 products
Stocking Holders & Hangers
206 products
Collectible Dog Figurines for Crafts & More
218 products
Dog Socks Dog Themed Socks & Slippers
119 products
Dog List Pads Note Pads & Sticky Pads
131 products
Pewter Dog Breed Keychains
102 products
What Products Are not Returnable?
- Electronic items that have been turned on.
- Custom painted figurines, and standard pre-painted figurines for color variations as they are all hand painted.
You can read our full ordering, shipping, and return policy here: Ordering & Returns


text: Home PR News 2012 WISE Prize for Education awarded to Madhav Chavan 2012 WISE Prize for Education awarded to Madhav Chavan12 years ago·2 min readShareTweetPinShare Madhav Chavan, an innovator of low-cost mass literacy and numeracy, has been awarded the world's major prize for education "Just like you need air, just like you need water, just like you need food, you need education." Dr. Madhav Chavan DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — This year's WISE Prize for Education has been awarded to Dr. Madhav Chavan, a former chemistry lecturer who devised a simple formula to bring education and literacy to millions at minimum cost. The Laureate of the 2012 WISE Prize for Education was announced at the opening plenary session of the fourth World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar, before more than 1,200 innovators from over 100 countries, including figures from the worlds of social enterprise, business, government, media and education. After completing a Ph.D. in the USA, Chavan returned to India in 1986 to teach Chemistry at the University of Mumbai. He was struck by the plight of the city's poor, and he applied his scientific training to create a solution of beautiful simplicity. Chavan saw that education was the main barrier to India's development and that action was required that would bring rapid results. Leveraging the power of collaboration from the outset, he joined forces with UNICEF and the city government to ensure "every child in school and learning well". Using his passion for social justice as a catalyst, he launched a mission to create large-scale impact at low cost. The reaction produced by combining the primary elements of government infrastructure, corporate resources and citizen volunteerism had striking results in bringing literacy to Mumbai's slum children. Furthermore, the formula easily passed the scientific tests of scalability and replicability and spread rapidly across the country. Today the mission has expanded to 17 of India's 28 states and Pratham, the NGO of which Chavan is co-founder and CEO, is the largest non-governmental provider of basic literacy and numeracy for underprivileged children in India. Its programs now address pre-school education, learning support to both in-school and out-of-school children, computer literacy, vocational training and special programs for vulnerable and working children.See alsoPR NewsMasterCard offers attractive discount at Puerto Rican international food festival, Saborea Independent studies have shown that children who have attended Pratham's programs are much more likely to learn effectively in primary school than other children in their age group, and that they perform more highly than their classmates. Chavan's scientific method includes monitoring and evaluation. Thanks to a nationwide voluntary effort, Pratham's Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) measures quantitative and qualitative parameters including enrolment, facilities and learning outcomes. The model has now been replicated in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. The WISE Prize for Education was established in 2010 as the world's premier recognition of an outstanding, world-class contribution to education by an individual or team. The Laureate receives an award of $500,000 (US) and a specially minted gold medal.


text:
No Croutons Required - The Mushroom Roundup
Our first entry comes from Jackie Vetter, who missed last month's deadline by a day. She shares her Mushroom-Barley-Stewp, so named because it's thicker than a soup but not quite a stew. This nourishing bowl of goodness is a meal in itself, as it also contains carrots, peppers and northern beans. Serve it along with a corn muffin and a side salad and you have one satisfying and warming dinner. (Georgetown, Indiana, US)
Deb of Key West Wine and Gardening cooks up an easy but jaw-droppingly delicious appetizer. These succulent Grilled Mushroom Caps With a Pesto & Pepper Filling are made with cremini mushrooms, and include some of Deb's homegrown cayenne peppers. Foraging for mushrooms on a forest floor would be great fun with an experienced guide, but thankfully, edible mushrooms are readily available from the local market. (Key West, Florida, US)
Kitchenetta from Got No Milk offers up a tempting Asparagus-shitake Quiche that is sure to appeal to lactose intolerant diners who miss classic dishes containing milk and cheese, and easily adapted to suit the preferences of dairy addicts. Topped with sauteed asparagus and supported with a whole wheat crust with dill and sliced almonds, this quiche would be perfect for a spring brunch. (Pennsylvania, USA)
Suganya tempts the palette and tames the beast with this Baked Portobello stuffed with cheese and tomato sauce, served over lemon and olive oil dressed greens. Inspired by a restaurant meal, Suganya transforms this meaty mushroom into a beautiful entree salad that would be fantastic for lunch or dinner. (Southwest, USA)
Sia of Monsoon Spice makes a fiery Mushroom Chettinad that her aunt often made for her. These chewy mushrooms are cooked along with dry chillies, peppercorns, tamarind paste and coriander leaves. A spice lovers delight, this dish can be served over rice, flat bread or between bread slices and crisp lettuce greens. (United Kingdom)
No mushroom roundup would be complete without a cream of mushroom soup and Petra of Food Freak comes up with a Double Cream of Mushroom Soup that sounds mighty fine. The double in this case refers to both the cream and the mushrooms, and includes some cream cheese and chopped herbs. I'll take two bowls please! (Hamburg, Germany)
Medhaa of Cook with Love also makes a healthy creamy mushroom soup. Her easy to prepare Cream of Mushroom Soup with Spinach and cloves would make a delightful light meal served along with some toasted bread. (Palmerston, Ontario, Canada)
Chow Vegan serves up an elegant King Oyster Mushroom Salad that would indeed be fit for royalty. The gently sauted shrooms are served over a bed of oil and vinegar dressed endive and lightly cooked green beans. (San Francisco, USA)
Lysy of Munchkin Mail shares a unique but easy Grilled Mushroom Salad served with Strawberries, Watercress and a Poppy Seed dressing. This refreshing salad would be a good choice for a summer menu. No Croutons Required! (Warwickshire, United Kingdom)
Some of very favorite flavors are featured in this mouth-watering Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Salad that Pixie tossed together. Baby salad greens are topped with caramelized red onion, sauted portobellos, feta cheese and some dressing. Another fine choice for a summer menu. (Kent, United Kingdom)
This Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup is my contribution to this month's No Croutons Required. Spring has finally arrived and originally I was going to make a salad to celebrate, but I couldn't resist this light and elegant brothy soup made with homemade coconut milk. As it turns out, this is an ideal spring soup. (London, Ontario, Canada)
Tracy of Tracyfood doesn't include a picture of her Mushroom Miso Soup that actually helped her land a job, but I am sure this soup that includes two types of miso and soy sauce makes for one beautiful bowl of soup. Appropriate for vegans and vegetarians alike, Tracy tells us this soup is very flavorful and easy to prepare. (Eugene, Oregon, USA)
Dhivya of Culinary Bazaar makes a 5 Mushroom, Rocket and Pasta Salad that is substantial enough to serve as a light lunch or dinner. In addition to lots of yummy mushrooms and pasta, this luscious salad includes some kidney beans, roasted red pepper and tomato. (California, USA)
Holler, my co-host of this vegetarian event, makes a salad with one of my favorite grains. Check out this spicy Mushroom and Quinoa Salad garnished with feta cheese and fresh basil. This is Holler's first time cooking with quinoa but it's a first class recipe. She had some leftover the next day and included some sun-dried tomatoes. (Scotland, United Kingdom)
Lucy's nourishing recipes are always an inspiration and her mushroom contribution is no exception. This gingery Warm Oyster Mushroom and Leek Salad would be perfect any day of the week, all year round. Though Lucy thinks it might be more appropriate to call this dish a stir-fry rather than a salad, there would surely be no arguments if this was set before you at the dinner table. Most intriguing is the contribution of the leeks to the dish, which are described as "a tangle of egg and gluten-free noodles." (Melbourne, Australia)
Divya of Dil Se contributes a classic Cream of Mushroom Soup. This is a very versatile recipe that can be adapted to suit the preferences of the cook. Divya recommends adding shredded cheese if you want a richer soup and heavy cream is you like a thick soup. Any combination of mushrooms can be used in this earthy bowl of warmth. (Los Angeles, California, USA)
Our next entry is from Miri of Peppermill. This Mushroom, Red Pepper and Broccoli Roasted Salad is one of her favorite summer foods. The veggies are roasted in olive oil and then tossed with more olive oil, crushed red pepper, vinegar, lime juice and mixed herbs. Any combination of vegetables can be used for this salad, but I dare say, mushrooms are a must! (Delhi, North India)
Helen, the winner of last month's No Croutons Required, takes miso soup one step further with this "cleansing and invigorating" bowl of Mushroom, Nori and Wakame Noodle Soup. Exotic mushrooms are here combined with buckwheat soba noodles and sea weed in a elegant bowl of soup perfectly suited to the warmer weather. (London, England, United Kingdom)
Gretchen serves up a Peruvian Mushroom Ceviche. White mushrooms are marinated in lime juice, garlic, herbs and ginger and served over lettuce alongside cooked sweet potato. A fresh sounding meal indeed. (Lima, Peru)
Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe was crowned the very first winner of No Croutons Required. She's back this month with moody Mushroom Sherry Stew. Johanna does not share my enthusiasm for mushrooms, but this combination of mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, peas and herbs certainly sounds sublime. (Melbourne, Australia)
Kevin has for a good while been a source of culinary inspiration, especially when mushrooms are on the menu. Kevin bought more mushrooms than he needed to prepare this irresistible Teriyaki Mushroom Salad, but extra mushrooms are further cause for inspiration, and Kevin made a Cream of Mushroom Soup with roasted mushrooms, herbs and cream with the remains. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Kittie claims she is disorganized this month, but still manages to make the submission deadline with an enticing Spicy Mushroom Bulgar Salad. This refreshing combination of mixed mushrooms, bulgar wheat, sun-dried tomatoes and rocket leaves dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil would be a fine salad to pack for a picnic. (Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom)
Our final entry is from Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska. Her Morel Stuffed Mushrooms feature a very flavorful filling of sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, potato, cheese and morel powder. These delectable little bites would be a perfect appetizer or you could pair them with two kinds of beets as Laurie does for a particularly satisfying vegetarian meal. (Alaska, USA)
Holler will be hosting the May edition of No Croutons Required. The theme, along with the winner of April's challenge, will be announced at the end of the month.
26 comments:
- Anonymous said...
So sorry I missed this month, but there is certainly a lot of mushroom inspiration here! Soups, salad, "stewp," appetizers--it all looks great. Wonderful roundup!
I'm off to check out your entries and hope to join in next time. :) - April 21, 2008 at 12:16 PM
- Pixie said...
Everything truly looks wonderful and I honestly can't decide on my favourite! I'll try to come to a decision and let you know via email.
- April 21, 2008 at 12:22 PM
- Unknown said...
That was a lovely roundup..I liked personally the Mushroom caps with pepper and pesto filling by Deb..Would love to try all these entries being a fan of mushrooms
- April 21, 2008 at 12:54 PM
- Suganya said...
Thanks for the lovely roundup, Lisa. Deb's pesto stuffed mushroom sounds divine. She gets my vote.
- April 21, 2008 at 2:17 PM
- MapMaster said...
This is like a first-class mushroom cookbook in one blog post. I'd eat any and all of the above, but I guess I have a hankering for spice and my vote goes to the Mushroom Chettinad.
- April 21, 2008 at 3:27 PM
- Anonymous said...
Just a mouthwatering collection of mushroom recipes! Thanks for my inclusion. I LOVE my asparagus-mushroom quiche, it always gets my vote!
- April 21, 2008 at 3:45 PM
- Lisa Turner said...
You can't vote for your own dish :) Can you pick a second favorite? - April 21, 2008 at 3:50 PM
- Neen said...
Phenomenal! I'm bookmarking this page and will surely come back to it all month. I love mushrooms, in all their creative reinterpretations!
- April 21, 2008 at 4:06 PM
- Chef Erik said...
all these recipes look amazing. I absolutly live for mushrooms. I wish I knew about this, I have a great cajun mushroom soup recipe. Nice set up too, love all the pics. I'm a huge fan of recipes with pics. Congrats on the cool post :)
- April 21, 2008 at 4:07 PM
- Anonymous said...
Well, since I can't vote for my own, (I already know I absolutely love it!), Kevin will get my vote with his Teriyaki Mushroom Salad. OMG. Since I follow Eat To Live and I need to eat 1 pound of raw vegetables and 1 pound of cooked veggies a day, this would be a great recipe to do some of that with!
Can't wait to try it! - April 21, 2008 at 6:09 PM
- DK said...
that was a wonderful round up Lisa. Its hard for me to select one! but then i have to say that i was intrigued by the idea of grilled mushroom caps with pesto filling. so my votes for that
- April 21, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- test it comm said...
Great roundup! Look at all of those tasty looking mushroom dishes. That Baked Portobello looks so good!
- April 21, 2008 at 8:59 PM
- Laurie Constantino said...
Thanks for putting this together Lisa - all the dishes sound so wonderful. Count me as a vote for Suganya's Baked Portobello - it looks amazingly good (as do the others - but Suganya's is the one that trigerred my gotta have it impulse).
- April 21, 2008 at 9:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
Wow, another great roundup! As always, they all look so good. Since I had to vote for one, I'll go with the warm oyster mushroom and leek salad. Yes, I have a thing for oyster mushrooms. :-)
- April 22, 2008 at 12:11 AM
- LisaRene said...
I think what surprises me most about this roundup is there was only one raw mushroom salad made by Gretchen. As someone "learning to like mushrooms" I do find cooked more palatable but anticipated a lot of raw mushrooms salads in the roundup. Interesting?!
- April 22, 2008 at 12:14 AM
- karuna said...
thanks. ure blog looks really nice. pics are cool
- April 22, 2008 at 1:00 AM
- winedeb said...
Great job Lisa on the round-up! All of these lovely mushroom dishes look terrific! I must say the stuffed portobella gets my vote. Nice presentation!
Thanks again Lisa for another great event! - April 22, 2008 at 2:32 PM
- Lucy said...
Echoing all the good thoughts.
Excellent round up. Loads of mushroom-y goodness. - April 22, 2008 at 9:38 PM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
I did make a mushroom dish today for Earth Day. I had better mark the deadline on my calendar for next month so as not to miss out:D You girls are doing a great job. So may enthusiastic participants:D
- April 22, 2008 at 11:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
Add my vote to the baked portabello mushroom - looks outstanding!
- April 23, 2008 at 7:46 AM
- Gretchen Noelle said...
This a wonderful mushroom round-up! So many great things to choose from!!
- April 23, 2008 at 11:08 PM
- Lysy said...
What a great roundup, Lisa! There are enough good ideas to keep us all in shroom heaven for weeks. I vote for the teriyaki mushroom salad, but there are lots I want to try!
- April 24, 2008 at 8:53 AM
- Johanna GGG said...
thanks for another great round up - really enjoy looking at some inspiring recipes that make mushrooms look so perky and tasty - and others that I just know I would love to taste!
- April 24, 2008 at 9:46 AM
- Anonymous said...
I'm sorry I missed this as I love mushies and it's too hard for me to choose a favourite.
- April 29, 2008 at 11:45 AM
- Anonymous said...
These all look amazing and I want to try every single one! I was surprised no one did anything with enoki mushrooms - they are the most amazing delicate but chew mushroom suitable for soups and salads. Maybe I'll submit something with them another time! Thanks all for such inspirational recipes!
- April 30, 2008 at 9:48 PM
- Sia said...
thanks for another lovely round-up. deb's Grilled Mushroom Caps With a Pesto & Pepper Filling gets my vote :)
- May 1, 2008 at 1:10 AM


text:
This Missouri wind turbine installer, a dealer for WindEnergy7 has recently installed the most advanced hybrid home energy system in the US. The system has a maximum power output of 4kW. This system features integrated wind and solar hybrid generation and emergency battery backup for the home. Pictures below show one of our most recent installations of our Home Wind Farm™ systems. The Home Wind Farm™ system is an exclusive innovation of WindEnergy7 LLC, an Ohio based manufacturer of home wind turbines and solar electric products.
Our Jumbo Solar Panels upgrades shown below put out 197 watts per panel and add the reliability of solar charging to the systems. These panels are 197 watts each and are WindEnergy 7 high output polycrystalline modules. In cases of low wind your solar power will continue to deliver energy.
Our 2 moving part Home Wind Turbine systems feature the elegant design that will last. Where our competitors have many, many parts prone to failure, our systems feature ElectroBrake™ speed limitation method and tried and true HardTail™ directional control technology. Fewer moving parts means less part or system failures. That's one fundamental difference where our turbines are better.
Featured in the pictures above, the TowerMill™ is a larger tower mounted or pole mounted system that is a wind/solar hybrid energy system that puts out 4.0kW per unit. Customers can start with one or several. The Home Wind Farm concept allows a customer to step into this technology with a smaller investment and prove out their investment as they go. The modular turbine array concept allows for easy bolt on expansion to a system. A customer can add more power at any time whether they are using the TowerMill™, or the roof mounted RoofMill™.
WindEnergy7 pioneered the concept of multiple wind turbine arrays as an innovation of their systems. Home Wind Farm™ was nitially used with another WindEnergy7 innovation, the RoofMill™, an invention of mounting smaller home wind turbines on a roof. The RoofMill™ won a green design contest on Earth Day 2010, an esteemed green design award.
Contact us today to find out how we can provide a world-class system for your specific needs. We specialize in complete system design and installation, and don't sell you a loose bunch of stuff to figure out on your own. WindEnergy7 LLC is your single source for harvesting energy from wind and solar.
To see more videos of our home wind turbines, go to – WindEnergy7.Com – and you can find info about becoming an owner, installer, or dealer of our rooftop wind turbine systems. There are still areas open for new dealers to become the local source for wind/solar systems. So, if you are interested in becoming a home wind turbine dealer fill out the Contact Form at – WindEnergy7.com – and we can see if your area may still be open for you to become the home wind turbine dealer for your surrounding county territory. You can buy a system online and we ship by UPS. You may become a dealer and or installer if you like, just fill out the Contact Form and let us know what we can do to help you.


text:
Washington (CNN) -- Ted Cruz, the Republican senator-elect from Texas who's replacing retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, knows he doesn't quite fit certain molds found in Washington.
"I'm something that's not supposed to exist: An Hispanic Republican," he said.
But it's precisely that background and his grass-roots appeal that make him attractive to a Republican base that's hastily seeking to adapt to the nation's changing demographics.
According to election exit polls, 10 percent of the 2012 electorate was Hispanic, marking the first time the voting bloc reached a double-digit figure. In 2008, they represented 9 percent of the vote. President Barack Obama overwhelming won Hispanic voters, 71 percent to 27 percent over GOP candidate Mitt Romney.
Speaking to a crowd of conservatives at the American Principles Project gala in Washington, Cruz offered his own post-mortem analysis of the GOP's big election loss. He said Republicans "didn't win the argument" on the contraceptive debate and the so-called war on women.
"But far more important," he said, pausing, "was 47 percent."
Perhaps the shortest catchphrase of the election, "47 percent" has made both parties cringe. Romney took a shellacking from Democrats, as well as some Republicans, after he was secretly recorded saying that nearly half of the country is "dependent" on government and consider themselves victims. Those people, he said, are the ones who would automatically vote for Obama.
Cruz, whose father came from Cuba, said such remarks were "antithetical" to the country's founding principles.
"We embraced in that comment the Democrat notion that there is a fixed and static pie: the rich are the rich, the poor are the poor, and all that matters is redistributing from one to the other," Cruz said.
In the days since the election, more Republicans have been frank in their criticism, arguing that Romney portrayed the GOP as a party too willing to write off half of the country.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a former surrogate for Romney, sharply criticized Romney's comments after the election, especially after the former GOP nominee expanded his remarks on a private call with donors, arguing that Obama had offered policy "gifts" to certain minority groups.
"I absolutely reject that notion," Jindal said at the Republican Governors Association conference in Las Vegas. "I think that's absolutely wrong."
He went on to say that Republicans need to chase after 100 percent of the votes, not just 53 percent -- a thinly veiled swipe at the "47 percent."
"I don't think that represents where we are as a party and where we're going as a party," he continued. "That has got to be one of the most fundamental takeaways from this election."
In that light, Republican lawmakers and pundits have stressed the need for an urgent makeover of the party that's more inclusive and welcoming to minority groups, particularly Hispanics.
And Republicans aren't wasting time. This week, two retiring senators -- Jon Kyl of Arizona and Hutchison of Texas -- teamed up to introduce a Republican version of the DREAM Act, legislation that would offer a path to legal status for children brought to the U.S. illegally if they meet certain requirements. With Congress in a lame-duck session, the bill is unlikely to be taken up.
But Cruz said the party must be careful in its approach. Rather than rush to address immigration, the senator-elect suggested a different path that focuses on jobs and small businesses, two topics that rank consistently high in polls measuring the top concerns among Hispanics.
Cruz argued that the GOP did an "incredibly poor job articulating the message of opportunity" to minority groups and that the focus needs to return to convincing Hispanics that the Republican Party can lay the framework for those wanting to achieve the "American Dream."
A rising star in the party, Cruz was elected with strong grass-roots support and falls farther to the right of his predecessor. But his heritage, combined with his influence as a soon-to-be senator in a state with many electoral votes, already has some in the political class talking about a potential presidential bid.
Speaking Thursday night, Cruz made no mention of his future aspirations but suggested it won't be too long until his kind of conservative takes the White House.
"It took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan," he said. "And I am convinced the most long lasting legacy of Barack Obama is going to be a new generation of leaders within the Republican Party standing up and defending liberty."
™ & © 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text:
Holiday 2012 AMD Trinity Buyer's Guide
by Zach Throckmorton on November 29, 2012 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Guides
- Systems
- Trinity
- Holiday 2012
APU generation two
AMD's first generation Llano APUs (Accelerated Processor Units) combined traditional x86 CPU cores with discrete-level graphics cores on the same die. AMD aimed these APUs at the mainstream market—while they could not compete with Intel's higher-end Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs, the Llano APUs offered a compelling alternative to Intel's lower-end Core i3, Pentium, and Celeron CPUs. AMD's second generation Trinity APUs continue in this market space by competing with Intel's dual-core CPUs. If you are thinking about building a mainstream desktop PC, Trinity APUs are worth your consideration.
AMD's second generation APUs are relative newcomers to the DIY desktop PC market, though they've been around in laptops for a while. We first reviewed mobile variants of these chips back in May and summed Trinity up thusly, "If you liked Llano, you'll love Trinity." Compared to Llano APUs, Trinity lives up to its name with advances in three important aspects of processors: its CPU and GPU performance is higher, its power consumption is lower, and its cost is lower.
We reviewed desktop Trinity APUs in two parts; the first review focused on the FM2 platform's chipsets and the APU's graphics performance, with the second review looking at its CPU performance. Anand's reviews are packed with details; to sum, the top Trinity SKU, the A10-5800K, trades blows with Intel's Ivy Bridge-based Core i3-3220 in terms of traditional CPU-based tasks. The A10-5800K APU truly shines in terms of its graphics capabilities—there has never been a more powerful on-die GPU.
That said, the A10-5800K is only one of six Trinity APU models currently available to DIY builders. Like its direct competitor from Intel, the A10-5800K is typically priced around $120. The least expensive Trinity APU, the A4-5300, will set you back half that at around $60. The other four SKUs fall between the A10-5800K and A4-5300 in terms of both price and performance. Of note, because Trinity APUs are based in part on the Piledriver architecture, they feature AMD Turbo Boost 3.0, which increases the speed of cores that are in use when other cores are not in use (such as when single-threaded applications are running).
Trinity APUs cannot use Llano's Socket FM1-based motherboards. Instead, AMD moved Trinity to Socket FM2. Importantly, AMD has assured builders that FM2 will support at least one more generation of APUs—FM2 will not be a "one and done" platform like FM1 was. Socket FM2 motherboards come in three basic flavors: those based on the A55, A75, and A85 chipsets. The A55 and A75 boards feature one x16 PCI-express lane while A85 boards feature CrossFire support, A75 and A85 boards support the SATA III interface while A55 boards support SATA II, and A75 and A85 boards support USB 3.0 while A55 does not.
In this guide, we'll detail builds highlighting Trinity's flexibility. Read on for our Trinity take on gaming, HTPC, and on the next page, general usage computers.
71 Comments
View All Comments
Jovec - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
I understand prices change regularly, but you should check the linked prices. The general use budget build is currently $70 than the chart price. (-$3 for CPU, +$5 for mobo, +$35 for HDD, +$30 for the SSD, +$3 for the DVD). The HTPC build is $68 higher and the DVD burner chosen is listed as discontinued. The gaming build is $59 higher than the chart. -
randinspace - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
As the author said, it's important to watch out for price changes during the holidays as 16GB of Ram was available at 8GB prices (outside of 4GB quad kits anyway...), and I personally got a 2TB HDD for less than what 1TB internal drives and 500+ GB external ones are going for "on sale" this week....
That said, these guidelines might have done people more more good had they come out before some of the year's best sales rather than in the middle of some of its worst ones (I'm looking at you, Newegg "Cyber Week"), but such is life. -
Parhel - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice what Newegg's been doing. Most of their "deals" were old tech they're trying to clear out of inventory, even on Black Friday. -
MrRez - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
I just built a system around the A10 5800k circa $600 all up, and I am really enjoying it! I paired it up with a 6670 1gig DDR5 cost me 80bucks and has given me a huge boost in some games.
The main reason I went with the Trinity was that I had a small budget and needed something that I could do my work on, encode some video and play the odd game. I did alot of research and couldn't get an Intel system for the same money that would even come close to what the trinity could do.
Anyway I would recommend this type of system to anyone on a budget. -
StevoLincolnite - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
Conversely, I came from an "old" Phenom 2 x6 1090T @ 4ghz to a Core i7 3930K @ 4.8ghz and in games I noticed zero difference when gaming at 5760x1080 as I'm always going to be GPU limited.
However, encoding saw *massive* increases, but that's not a task I do very often and I usually do it during the night whilst I am asleep anyway.
Hardware today is still going to be more than ample for games of tomorrow, heck I know a few gamers still kicking around old Core 2 Quads that are heavily overclocked and game happily without a single issue, which says something about the state of games today not pushing the limits anymore. -
dishayu - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
Heavily overclocked Core 2 Quad user here and i approve of this message. -
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
I know "LOTS" of gamers still on Quad 6600s.. C2D 8400s.. and Amd PIIs all happily playing along with decent video cards..
The thing "today" is we really haven't hit the new big cpu yet. That was the Core2 and before the the Athlon64. Are cpu's better? Absolutely but they've been going in a sideways arc... with power+features rather then noticable brute power. I can go from my 2700K to a Q6600 to a E8400 to a PII920 to a 5800K all with enjoyable experiences provided the gpu power is there with 4Gigs of ram.
Overclocking adds more umph on top of that but it's not neccessary. -
just4U - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
As a aside.. anyone on a C2D E6400 or under... time to move on. Every last cpu on the market today will give very noticable boosts right straight from the $60 cpu on up to the latest and greatest. -
JonnyDough - Friday, November 30, 2012 - link
I finally upgraded from an Opteron 185 system (which I'm using to type this) to an i5 Ivy system. I also found an E8400 in the garbage and it works. It just needed a power supply a video card, and a hard drive. I have all of the above "just laying around" here so my girlfriend is getting a new system for Xmas too. :) Windows 7 is on sale at the Egg for $80. -
AndrewJacksonZA - Thursday, November 29, 2012 - link
I agree. I'm gaming, programming and encoding on a Core2Duo E6750 and an AMD 6670 on Windows 8.
I can run *ALL* my games on their maximum resolution and detail settings seeing as my monitor is a 19" and runs at 1280 x 1024... and that I really dig my old games :-) However, my point is that the equipment I am using right now is "good enough" for my particular needs. Would I consider an upgrade? Definitely - but for something that runs much (much!) cooler and quieter. Is that a high priority in my life? Not right now.


text: Some patients that are treated at a veterinary referral center for difficulty or the inability to walk may be seen by a staff surgeon, neurologist or internist, depending on the situation. Although some of these patients may require surgery for conditions such as intervertebral disc disease or a spinal fracture, other conditions such as fibrocartilagenous embolism (FCE), low volume-high velocity disc herniation, or meningitis, may be treated medically. Patients with these conditions often need advanced imaging such as CT or MRI, and a CSF tap for diagnosis.


text:
On numerous occasions I've mentioned Sustainable Cycles, and here's what they're about:
Sustainable Cycles works to catalyze a grassroots, person-to-person revolution away from single-use, disposable menstrual products to reusable, sustainable options. We want as many women to make the switch as possible, and for users to become advocates – "spokeswomen" – in their communities. We see our work as a feminist, social, and environmental justice project.
Now I'm going to put this in bicycle terms for you. You know how when you keep trashing headset bearings and after awhile you just say "Screw it" and buy a Chris King, and voilà, you don't have to futz with your headset anymore? Well, it's the same with menstrual products. Why keep flushing tampons down the terlet when you can get yourself a top-quality reusable menstrual cup?
Just don't mistake it for one of those eye bath things, because eeew.
(It's perfectly fine to use them for tequila shots though, owing to the antiseptic properties of the liquor.)
So Sustainable Cycles is embarking upon a cross-country bicycle trip to promote their cause, which is sensible menses curation:
And so they're passing the hat (or, more accurately, the cup) around for donations:
So why am I, a male (genetically at least), so enthusiastic about this? Well, here's why:
1) I spent a lot of time on the beach as a child. In fact, you could even say I grew up on the beach, which is why I have to go to the dermatologist every six months now and get dysplastic nevi cut out of me. Anyway, when I used to play in the sand I'd always find these plastic tube things which I'd pretend were boats, pipes, telescopes, or what have you. "How convenient that the beach is strewn with toys!," I used to think, and it wasn't until many years later that I realized they were tampon applicators. Sure, I suppose those tampon applicators sparked my imagination and made me who I am today, but I also think my children should be spared the indignity of having to play with feminine hygiene products;
2) I've had it up to here [indicates top of head] with all these fundraising campaigns for bullshit like this, nor do I care about the latest SRAM wireless electronic shifting group or some overpriced plastic "gravel" bike designed by the legal legal department at Specialized, and I especially don't care about stuff like raising money for junior bike racers to compete, since encouraging kids to race bikes is about as productive as locking them in their rooms with a bong and a Monster Magnet record. This, however, is a worthy cause;
3) The whole menstrual cup thing just makes sense to me. After all, you don't drink out of paper cups at home, do you? Of course not! You use washable glasses. So why should menstruating be any different? It's just common sense! Basically, menstrual cups are the same as drinking glasses, except instead of drinking from them you stick them in you vagina.
I rest my case.
Meanwhile, in non-menstrual news, a New York City cyclist is fighting a ticket for riding on a marked bike path in Central Park:
Back in November, a cyclist riding on the 96th Street path in Central Park was pulled over by a police officer wearing a bike helmet. The cyclist's offense: riding on the 96th Street path, which was designated as a shared bike and pedestrian path in 2012. The officer issued a criminal court summons for disobeying a sign, next to a sign that clearly marked the path as open to bicycles.
Criminal court summons for doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing on a bicycle? That sounds about right. Police have been cracking down on cyclists ever since a pedestrian was killed there last fall. There is a silver lining in the crackdown though, which is this:
"I know several large tri clubs have completely left the park as of late October, and they're looking for alternatives for completely riding indoors next year, even during the summer," said Mikael Hanson of the Asphalt Green Triathlon Club.
Triathletes relegating themselves to the indoors all year round?!? That's almost too good to be true! Maybe there is a God after all. High five, God!
If I were mayor I would fully subsidize any triathlon club who promised to ride exclusively indoors--where the worst they can do is this:
I'm not sure if he's actually a triathlete, but he does have aerobars and a Gran Fondo New York jersey, which is basically the same thing.
Not only would I subsidize these clubs, but I'd also buy each rider a $17,000 Eddy Merckx limited edition bicycle:
Eddy Merckx Cycles, the eponymous brand of arguably the world's greatest cyclist, is returning to its roots with steel racing bikes. The first batch will be a limited-edition run of EDDY70 machines. Sold online for US$17,500 / €14,000 a piece, there will by 70 numbered EDDY70 bikes, of which the man himself will get number one. But these aren't just retro bikes, the company insists.
What better way to say "Happy Birthday" to the cyclist who only got caught doping three times than by giving him a fuckload of money for one of his bicycles?
It's easy, too! In fact, it's eerily like choosing a seat on a Jet Blue flight:
I'd have bought one myself, but unfortunately my preferred number was taken:
And I'm pretty certain I know who ordered it. Here are a three hints:
--He's a retired sprinter;
--He rides shirtless;
--He's unwittingly ingested dozens of menstrual cups.
Give up?
It's this guy:
He's as classy as they come.
Lastly, before I go, I'm sorry for not administering a quiz, so by way of an apology here's some more triathlete crash porn:
Don't mention it.