text: Intel Z370 ATX gaming motherboard with Aura Sync RGB LEDs, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, DDR4 4133MHz, dual M.2 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 LGA1151 socket for 8th -gen Intel® Core™ desktop processorsSynchronize RGB lighting with a vast portfolio of Aura Sync capable PC gear – now with support for addressable light stripsOnboard M.2 Heatsink: Cools your M.2 drive, delivering consistent storage performance and enhanced reliabilityGaming Audio: SupremeFX and Sonic Studio III – High fidelity audio that draws you deeper into the actionGaming connectivity: Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LANGuard, 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Dual M.2, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C™ connectors5-Way Optimization: Automated system-wide tuning, providing overclocking and cooling profiles that are tailor made for your rigGaming durability: ASUS SafeSlot and premium components for maximum durability Shop Modal header Cutting-edge specs Leading Customization Optimal Cooling Next-Gen Connectivity Extreme Performance Best gaming audio DIY friendly design ROG gives you more The power of Intel Spec Overview Leading Customization Optimal Cooling Connectivity You Need Best Gaming Performance Best Gaming Audio DIY Friendly Design ROG Gives You More Drawing from a heritage that spans more than a decade, the latest incarnation of the Maximus series augments Intel's Z370 chipset with all the enhancements that enthusiasts crave. Each model sports a unique blend of features to cater to a distinct audience, yet the core ROG DNA ripples through the entire lineup. From overclocking and cooling options to satiate die-hard fanatics, to clean, refined aesthetics that are tastefully accented by RGB lighting, Maximus X-series motherboards bring the octane to your build. Pre-mounted I/O shield Clr CMOS button BIOS Flashback® button 2x2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 1 x HDMI 1.4b1 x DisplayPort 1.2 4k/Ultra HD display support Intel I219-V Gb LAN GameFirst IVLANGuard USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type A + Type C) Multi-GPU SLI/CFX Support ・ 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 SafeSlots (CPU) ・ 3 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots (PCH) ・ 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (PCH) SupremeFX S1220 CODEC ・ ES9023P High Definition DAC ・ Impedance sense for front and rear ・ 120dB SNR stereo playback output ・ 113dB SNR recording input Sonic Studio III ・ Sonic Studio Link Sonic Radar III Q-CodeMulticolored Q-LEDMemOK! 3D-Printing mount Intel LGA 1151 for 8th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors DDR4 4133+ MHz (O.C.) ・ 4 DIMM Dual Channel ・ XMP Support USB 3.1 Gen 2 front panel connector Dual M.2 Socket 3 Type M ・ 1 x 2242~2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4 + SATA) ・ 1 x 2242~2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4) 6 x SATA 6G ports Intel Z370 ChipsetROG LOGO RGB LED W_IN/OUT, W_Flow headers 2x AURA 4-pin RGB headers1 x Addressable RGB header leadingCUSTOMIZATION Aura lighting control A well-tuned enthusiast system deserves a matching aesthetic. ASUS Aura offers full RGB lighting control with a variety of functional presets for the built-in RGB LEDs as well as strips connected to the onboard RGB headers. And it can all be synced with an ever-growing portfolio of Aura-capable ASUS hardware. Static Always on Breathing Fades in and out Strobing Flashes on and off Color cycle Fades between thecolors of the rain-bow Music effect Pulses to the beat ofyour music CPU Temperature Changes color withCPU load Rainbow A rolling multi-colorglow Comet A stream of lightwith a tail Flash & dash Single-color steppedflashes RGB LIGHTING PERFECTED ROG Maximus X Hero features a duo of onboard 5050 RGB headers and an addressable header that can be connected to compatible lighting strips, fans, coolers, and PC cases, creating a new world of illumination possibilities. *The addressable RGB header supports WS2812B addressable RGB LED strips (5V/Data/Ground), with a max power rating of 3A (5V) and a max of 60 LEDs. * The Aura RGB-strip header supports 5050 RGB LED strips with a max power rating of 3A (12V). For maximum brightness, strip length should not exceed 3m. **RGB and addressable RGB LED extension cables are included. LED strips and Aura Sync-compatible devices are sold separately. Aura lighting control ASUS Aura has evolved and is friendlier than ever. Aura now supports RGB color codes, for easier setup You can also customize temperature thresholds to choose how CPU and GPU temps are expressed via RGB lighting Infinite lighting possibilities ASUS Aura SDK allows developers to take full advantage of the vast eco-system of Aura Sync-capable PC gear. From in-system illumination to peripherals and beyond, the SDK provides an evolving toolkit of options to enhance games and software with RGB lighting. Game effects, alerts, and audio can all be portrayed via Aura-compatible hardware, creating subtle or dazzling visual cues to augment the action. There's also scope to map system parameters such as temperatures to lighting, giving enthusiasts new ways to monitor vital information. Visit the ASUS Aura microsite to learn more about Aura SDK. make it your own ASUS is the first motherboard manufacturer to support 3D printing, making it easy to customize your motherboard's appearance and improve system performance with a range of printable parts. Exclusive 3D Mount For Easy Installation Dedicated 3D Mounts on the motherboard makes fitting 3D-printed parts easy. Using the same screws as M.2 drives and standard motherboard mounting holes, you can easily add nameplates, cable covers, or an M.2 fan holder in a matter of moments. *Products with the 3D Printing Friendly logo feature the specialized 3D Mount and are also bundled with an extra 3D Mount kit. Cable Cover Cover your cables for a tidier PC. M.2 Fan Holder The ASUS 3D-printed M.2 fan holder keeps temperatures low for improved performance and longevity. 3D-printable accessories As system parts are visible in custom PC builds, make yours stand out from the competition with 3D-printed accessories. 2-Way SLI HB bridge cover Clip the cover onto the PCB SLI HB bridge to add style to your build. Multiple form factors — eATX, ATX and mATX — are available. Fan grill Add some style to your build. Cable Combs Keep cables organized with the multi-connector design. 3D design files are available for 24-pin, 8-pin, 8 + 6-pin, 6-pin and 4-pin PSU connectors. ROG FONTS Use ROG font files to print letters ─ then fully customize your build by adding your name or any other word or phrase! ROG KEYCHAIN Print a 3D keychain and show your ROG passion to the world! Guide to Start 3D Printing Follow these steps to start printing your own 3D parts, and integrate them seamlessly into your PC build in no time! download Select the 3D source files you want to download. Personalize Adjust size or shape, add text or change other attributes. Watch tutorial Print Use your own printer, or visit a local vendor or ASUS store with Shapeways. Setup Easily assemble and fit your 3D-printed parts using M.2 nuts or existing case mounts. Watch tutorial optimalcooling M.2 HEATSINK ROG Maximus X Hero is equipped with a stylish, angular M.2 heatsink that keeps your SSD cool. By efficiently dissipating heat away from the M.2 area, ROG Maximus X Hero minimizes the possibility of the performance-sapping throttling that can happen when drives become too warm. The heatsink's angular design adds an eye-catching touch to any build, while the T-sensor detects temperatures in the vital M.2 area for instant monitoring. Cooler By Design ROG Maximus X Hero features the most comprehensive cooling controls ever, configurable via Fan Xpert 4 or the UEFI BIOS: Multiple temperature sources Water pump+ 4-pin PWM/DC fan Fan Extension Header Smart protection Water in/out Water flow AIO pump Each header can be set to monitor and react to three user-configurable thermal sensors, for workload based cooling. All easily managed by Fan Xpert 4 or UEFI. A dedicated header that can supply over 3A to high-performance PWM or DC water pumps. Every onboard header supports auto-detection of PWM or DC fans.*W_PUMP+ and AIO PUMP are also PWM/DC controllable. Allows expansion of three additional DC or PWM fan headers, plus three thermal-probe headers. A dedicated integrated circuit that protects each fan header from over-temperature and over-current. Allows for monitoring of temperature at the input/out of any component. Allows for constant monitoring of the flow rate of entire loop A dedicated PWM/DC header for self-contained water-cooling setups. all theconnectivityyou need 2x2 802.11AC Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO ROG Maximus X Hero is engineered with 2x2 dual-band 2.4/5GHz antennas for up to 867 Mbit/s* transfer speeds — and the very latest Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology** to ensure that every connected user experiences the best wireless and online speeds! * Actual speed varies, and Wi-Fi hotspot feature operates at 802.11a/b/g/n Windows 10 does not currently support Wi-Fi hotspot functionality**Requires MU-MIMO-ready client More throughput and less processing equals faster online play Intel Ethernet Featuring the latest Intel® Ethernet (I219-V) for faster, smoother gaming. Intel Ethernet controllers have a natural synergy with their CPUs and chipsets, reducing processor overhead and offering exceptionally high TCP and UDP throughput, so there's more power for games and other tasks. Lower CPU workload High TCP & UDP throughput Pumped-up throughput. Best surge protection LANGuard LANGuard means safer, more reliable connections for your battles! Advanced signal-coupling technology and premium surface-mounting processes join forces to protect your ROG Maximus X Hero motherboard's connection, plus electrostatically guarded and surge-protected components (ESD Guards) for 1.9x greater tolerance to static electricity and 2.5x greater protection (up to 15kV) against surges! TEAM UP TO BANISH LAG GAMEFIRST IV GameFirst IV optimizes network traffic for faster, lag-free online gaming — and now we've added Multi-Gate Teaming to team all your networks for gargantuan bandwidth and the smoothest-ever gameplay. You'll also enjoy all-new Intelligent mode, which automatically compiles a database by parsing new app data to ensure that every game is optimized for the best performance. watch video DUAL PCIE GEN3 M.2 LET YOUR SSD SCREAM AT TOP SPEED With x4 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 bandwidth, M.2 supports up to 32Gbit/s data-transfer speeds. It is the perfect choice for an operating system or application drive, making your whole PC or professional apps work as fast as possible. Speed up with 2 onboardM.2 up to 32Gbit/s Learn more > best gaming performance DDR4 OC 4133MHz+ ASUS OptiMem preserves memory signal integrity by routing memory traces and vias to the optimal PCB layer, and our T-Topology layout ensures time-aligned signaling by balancing trace lengths between memory slots. These enhancements lead to more headroom for overclocking and improved stability, allowing memory speeds of DDR4-4133 and beyond with all slots populated. CPU: Intel LGA 1151 i7-8700K | Motherboard: ROG Maximus X Hero | DRAM: G.Skill F4-4133C19Q-32GTZKKF | Power: Corsair AX1500i OC DESIGN- ASUS PRO CLOCK II TECHNOLOGY A dedicated base-clock (BCLK) generator that extends CPU and memory overclocking margins. This custom solution works in tandem with the TPU to enhance voltage and base-clock overclocking control, providing the flexibility to extract every ounce of performance from 8th Generation Intel® processors. 5-Way Optimization One-click overclock and cooling, done! One click takes care of all that complex tuning. ASUS 5-Way Optimization makes your PC smart. It dynamically optimizes essential aspects of the system, providing overclocking and cooling profiles that are tailored for your rig. ・ An automated tuning utility that optimizes overclocking and cooling profiles for your unique system configuration. ・ Fans stay whisper-quiet for everyday computing, and deliver optimal airflow when the system is crunching through CPU or GPU-intensive tasks. ・ All-new stress test that allows users to optimize and overclock for CPU or memory-centric workloads. TPU EPU Fan Xpert 4 Digi+Power control Turbo CoreApp CPU PERFORMANCE BOOST Unleash your PC's full performance with the ASUS AI Suite 3 utility. A TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) is the intelligence behind our automated system-tuning utility, offering the ability to fine-tune voltages, monitor system stats, and adjust overclock parameters for optimal performance. ALL-ROUND ENERGY EFFICIENCY With the Energy Processing Unit (EPU) you'll enjoy system-wide power savings. The EPU automatically optimizes power consumption and maximizes savings with Away mode — a smart setting that creates an extreme energy-saving scenario by shutting down unused I/O controllers. FLEXIBLE COOLING CONTROLS FOR AIR OR LIQUID With ROG Maximus X Hero you have comprehensive control over fans, water pumps and even all-in-one (AIO) coolers, via either Fan Expert 4 or our award-winning UEFI. Whether you're cooling with air or water, Auto-Tuning mode intelligently configures all parameters with a single click. There's also an Extreme Quiet mode, which reduces all fan speeds to below the default minimum — keeping your system whisper-quiet when performing light tasks. PRECISE DIGITAL POWER CONTROL ROG's Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) delivers real-time control over voltage droop, switching frequency and power -efficiency settings, allowing you to fine-tune CPU voltage regulation for ultimate stability and performance. OPTIMIZE PER-CORE PERFORMANCE FOR EVERY APP Intel's latest processors feature per-core tuning, and the ASUS Turbo Core app makes use of this feature by enabling you to assign applications to specific processor cores, allowing you to prioritize compute power where it's needed most. Media-acclaimed UEFI BIOS The smoothest, slickest mouse-controlled graphical BIOS has been improved to make it even more gorgeous. Whether you're a PC novice or a seasoned overclocker, the EZ and Advanced Modes help you find your way, quickly and easily. EZ Mode EZ Tuning Wizard OC and RAID. Select your hardware and apply different scenarios to tune system performance, or streamline your RAID configuration for faster data retrieval and backups. Intuitive graphical fan control Fine-tune individual fans simply by dragging a curve with the mouse. SATA Information View SATA port details for easy device recognition. Fast Clock Adjustment Use mouse controls to change the time and date. Advanced Mode My Favorites Quickly find tuning options and add preferred tools to the list. EZ Flash 3 Flash the latest BIOS via the internet from within the BIOS. SMART Check up your storages devices' Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology logs to gauge reliability and to identify potential failures. GPU POST Automatically detect selected ASUS graphics cards to view detailed information. Secure Erase Restore your SSDs to factory-fresh condition. Last Modified Log Track the latest changes and save preferred profiles onto a USB drive. SATA Port Renaming Rename SATA ports for easy identification. best gaming audio SupremeFX ROG's awesome SupremeFX audio technology has levelled up, delivering an exceptional 113dB signal-to-noise ratio on the line-in connection — and that means our best-ever recording quality! We've also added a low-dropout regulator for cleaner power delivery to the SupremeFX S1220 codec, an ESS® Sabre Hi-Fi ES9023P digital-to-analog converter for superior front-panel output, and a Texas Instruments® RC4580 op-amp for high gain with low distortion — which all adds up to audio that envelops you as never before. S1220 Codec 10 DAC channels, simultaneous 7.1 channel playback, independent 2.0-channel, multiple-stream stereo to front panel outputs ESS® SABRE9023P DAC Creates a perfect balance for top-tier audio clarity capable of -94dB THD Nichicon caps Fine-quality Japanese-made components that produce a warmer, natural sound with exceptional clarity and fidelity. Gold-Plated Audio Jacks Prevents oxidization to ensure a reliable connection Switching Mosfets Unique design allows the codec's impedance-sensing function to be ported with either the front or rear headphone outputs S1220 CODEC ESS® SABRE9023P DAC NICHICON CAPS GOLD-PLATEDAUDIO JACKS SWITCH MOSFETS Click Here For More Info Sonic Studio III Sonic Studio supports HRTF-based (head-related transfer function*) virtual surround for VR headsets, casting an immersive aural landscape that draws you deeper into the action. The intuitive Sonic Studio interface also offers a range of EQ options, allowing you to tailor acoustics to suit personal preferences or the characteristics of your headset. 1 2 3 App-specific profiles Apply customized audio settings to different applications, so everything you do is perfectly tuned to the way you want to listen. Surround sound Surround sound for a truly immersive audio experience Sonic Studio Link New Sonic Studio Link VR functionality extends its HRTF effects to headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. *A head-related transfer function is an audio algorithm derived from sound data recorded through a dummy head. Test tones are played from a spherical grid around the dummy head to obtain subtle changes in sounds that come from different directions. The results are combined into an algorithm that allows Sonic Studio's virtual surround to process sound true to life. Scan and detect to dominate! Sonic Radar III Sonic Radar III is all new – with an evolved audio engine that processes sounds more accurately than ever, ensuring you're always aware of what's going on around you. A new on-screen arrow has also been added to help you pinpoint the enemy position instantly! Improved Audio Algorithm The new Sonic Radar audio algorithm is now even more accurate to allow enemies to be pinpointed with even more accuracy. 3D Engine Sonic Radar III is built around it's all new HUD with an in-game 3 dimensional arrow for a more intuitive experience. Audio Boost The new audio boost feature now allows the boosted audio to be heard directly. *HUD: Head Up Display Audio Radar Sonic Radar 3 is effective regardless of surrounding noise and chaos. DIY Friendly Design Pre-mounted I/O shield ROG's patent-pending I/O shield is capable of withstanding electrostatic discharge up to 12kV, and is pre-fitted to make it even easier to install the motherboard. Its sleek new design looks as good as it performs. Safeslot 2X slots Provides stronger PCIe device retention and greater shearing resistance. ESD Guards 2X greater electrostatic protection than standard. ESD Guards cover the USB, audio and LAN ports. TrueVolt USB 2 dedicated USB power supplies rock-steady 5V to all USB ports, minimizing power fluctuations for minimal data loss Q-connector 1 piece sorts all front-panel cables Q-Slot 1 clip to swap or secure your graphics card Q-DIMM 1 sided clips for super-simple, super-secure handling of memory modules ROGgivesyoumore Overwolf Overwolf Overwolf is a clever, unobtrusive overlay that keeps you in the game and allows you to browse the Web, email, IM, stream or record while you play. The overlay features color-matched ROG skins that show you're part of an elite pack. Grab it now from the Overwolf Appstore! In-game dock In-game calling Multi-IM support 5 customizable apps 0 missed calls during gaming 5+ clients in a single interface CloneDrive ROG Clone Drive ROG Clone Drive is the smart, convenient cloning solution that quickly and efficiently replicates hard drives or SSDs. Clone Drive is so smart that it can clone one drive to two target drives at the same time, or image any file from your disk at breakneck speeds. RAMCache II RAMCache ROG's uniquely intelligent technology effectively caches an entire storage device so that favorite games and apps launch at breakneck speeds, getting to work the moment it's activated. RAMCache turns milliseconds into microseconds to boost game-load times to stratospheric levels! Automatically caches all your storage devices at the same time for optimal use of your system's caching resources. Keybot II KeyBot II Get a free keyboard upgrade from an exclusive microprocessor and also intuitive user interface. Record macros directly from the keyboard; switch profiles in moments; enable special functions with hotkeys from F1 to F10; or start and even boost your PC from shutdown (S5 mode)! You can even use KeyBot II to boost your PC into a specific mode with two-second press and.. more AI Suite 3 One-stop control panel ROG theme CPU-Z Shows your important system information with pride Mem TweakIt Dynamic timing monitoring, DRAM efficiency gauge RAMDisk Boost your favorite applications up to 20X faster than SSD with the junction function Kaspersky® Anti-Virus (1 year) The best protection from viruses and spyware DAEMON tools software The leading tool for optical and virtual discs PC Cleaner Accelerate your PC by eliminating clogs with simple click Beyond VR READY ROG Maximus X Hero isn't just VR ready — it goes way beyond! The ASUS ROG Beyond VR Ready marque means that ROG Maximus X Hero has been tested with loads of class-leading components to ensure that your productivity, gaming and entertainment needs are tuned for maximum performance. ASUS ROG Beyond VR Ready opens up a new way to configure and build your dream system with total confidence. The Power of Intel Intel® Z370 chipset The Intel® Z370 chipset supports 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processors. It provides improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links, allowing increased bandwidth and stability. Additionally, the Z370 provides a maximum of 10 USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, six SATA 6Gbps ports, and 32Gbps M.2 and PCIe 3.0 lane speed support, for faster data retrieval. Intel Z370 also supports integrated-graphics, so you'll enjoy the very latest in graphics performance. Ready for 8th Generation Intel LGA1151 Core processors This motherboard supports 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processors in the LGA1151 package, with integrated graphics, memory and PCI Express controllers to support onboard graphics output with dedicated chipsets, dual-channel (4-DIMM) DDR4 memory and 16 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 lanes for great performance.


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When you're the Vice President of a big car club, your members look up to you to set the bar of quality that is expected of those who want to fly your plaque. When the time came for Diablo Resendiz of Santa Ana, CA., to show his fellow Xplizit car club members what he could accomplish, he did not disappoint. With so many Chrysler 300s in todays show scene, he had a challenge ahead of him to create something that could really stand out, but he was up to the task. "I started off with just a stock 300 and the first thing I decided to modify was the wheels. I added 22-inch wheels and a chrome grill," explains Diablo. "That was the beginning of my new passion of car modifying." Diablo decided to be the first to add a Camaro front end to his '07 Chrysler 300. This was something that hadn't been seen and helped Diablo's 300 standout from the rest at the shows. When the time came to do a photo shoot for his car it was obvious that Diablo wanted to make sure his shoot stood out from the rest, as he pulled some of his resources to help out. He started by having Rick Munoz add murals of a female superhero to his car. The superhero was based on Diablo's good friend and model, Norma Angelica, who had the superhero suit airbrushed on her body for the shoot.
Diablo would like to thank his wife, kids, sponsors and his car club for all their support.
Tech Specs
Owner: Diablo Resendiz
Vehicle: 2007 Chrysler 300
City/State: Santa Ana, CA
Club: Xplizit
Engine: 3.5L V6, K&N cool air intake, yellow top Optima battery.
Setup: Airbags installed by Chalaks Kustoms in Santa Ana, CA.
Body/Paint: MA Collision Center in Santa Ana, CA., handled the bodywork, while Izzy at Tintaz Auto Art in Fullerton, CA., painted it with three different PPG paints. Rick Munoz of Montebello, CA., finished it off by adding pinstripes and murals.
Interior: Junior at Medinas Kustoms in Paramount, CA., vinyl wrapped the interior to match the car's paint.
Sounds: Ralph at Creative Motorsports in Santa Ana, CA., installed the Fahrenheit head unit, Alphasonik speakers and Alphasonik Amps.
Tires: Lyonheart 275/25R26.
Wheels: Lexani LX10 26×9.5.

subset: commoncrawl


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Speaking of cocky Giants fans, check out this video featuring Joe Gannascoli, aka Vito from the Sopranos. "I just hope that the Packers can score at least a field goal, 'cause the Giants are going to kill 'em. I don't care if it's forty below."
Me too, Vito. Me too. I hope the Packers can score at least a field goal. We're just lucky to be on the same field as your Giants.


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For those of you interested in competing in the upcoming Mediation Competition, a brief informational meeting will be held today at 1:00 p.m. in Room 3. Attendance is mandatory for at least one member of the team, even if you have competed in a previous mediation competition. All students are welcome to compete, regardless of previous experience.
The competition is set to begin Monday, Feb. 20th, and will run through Wednesday, Feb. 22nd. Sign-ups for the competition will begin on Thursday, Feb. 9th outside the BOA office. 3Ls may sign up at 7:00 a.m., 2Ls at 7:30 a.m., and 1Ls at 8:00 a.m.
All competitors agree upon entering the competition that if they are selected as finalists, they will participate in the regional mediation competition to be held March 10-11 at Ohio State University.
If you are not interested in competing but would like to be involved with BOA, this competition also presents an opportunity for students to act as bailiffs. If you are interested in volunteering as a bailiff, I recommend that you also attend the meeting on Wednesday. A sign-up sheet for bailiffs will be posted outside the BOA office at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9th.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email Heath Hooper at email@example.com or find him around school.


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STS-92 was a space station assembly flight to bring the Z-1 Truss (mounted on a Spacelab pallet), Control Moment Gyros, Pressurised Mating Adapter-3 (PMA-3) and two DDCU (Heat pipes) to the International Space Station.
The RSRM-76 solid rocket boosters separated at 23:19 GMT and main engine cut-off (MECO) came at 23:25 GMT. External tank ET-104 separated into a 74 x 323 km x 51.6 deg orbit. At apogee at 00:01 GMT on Oct 12, Discovery's OMS engines fired to raise perigee to a 158 x 322 km x 51.6 deg orbit; ET-104 re-entered over the Pacific around 00:30 GMT. At Oct 12 on 03:01 GMT the NC1 burn raised the orbit to 180 x 349 km; NC3 on Oct 12 to 311 x 375 km; and the TI burn at 14:09 GMT on Oct 13 to 375 x 381 km x 51.6 deg. Discovery's rendezvous with the International Space Station came at 15:39 GMT on Oct 13, with docking at 17:45 GMT. The spaceship docked with PMA-2, the docking port on the +Y port of the Space Station's Unity module. Hatch was open to PMA-2 at 20:30 GMT the same day.
STS-92 Cargo Manifest
Total payload bay cargo: ca. 14,800 kg
The Z1 first segment of the space station truss was built by Boeing/Canoga Park and was 3.5 x 4.5 meters in size. It was attached to the +Z port on Unity. Z1 carried the control moment gyros, the S-band antenna, and the Ku-band antenna.
PMA-3, built by Boeing/Huntington Beach, was docked to the -Z port opposite Z1. PMA-3 was installed on a Spacelab pallet for launch.
On October 14 at 16:15 GMT the Z1 segment was unberthed from the payload bay and at around 18:20 GMT it was docked to the zenith port on the Unity module.
On October 15 at 14:20 GMT the ODS airlock was depressurised, beginning a spacewalk by Bill McArthur and Leroy Chiao. Official NASA EVA duration (battery power to repress) was 6 hours 28 minutes.
The second spacewalk was on October 16, with Jeff Wisoff and Mike Lopez-Alegria. The suits went to battery power at 14:15 GMT and Wisoff left the airlock at 14:21 GMT. Repressurisation began at 21:22 GMT for a duration of 7 hours 07minutes.
Leroy Chiao and Bill McArthur began the third STS-92 EVA at 15:30 GMT on October 17, completing their work at 22:18 GMT for a total time of 6 hours 48 minutes.
After the spacewalk, Discovery completed the second of the three station reboosts scheduled for STS-92. They fired reaction control system jets in a series of pulses of 1.4 seconds each, over a 30-minute period, gently raising the station's orbit by about 3.1 km.
The last of four successful spacewalks began on 18 October at 16:00 GMT and ended at 22:56 GMT, lasting 6 hours and 56 minutes. Jeff Wisoff and Mike Lopez-Alegria each jetted slowly through space above Discovery's cargo bay.
After the space walk, Discovery completed the third and final reboost of the space station.
On 19 October the astronauts worked within the ISS. They completed connections for the newly installed Z1 external framework structure and transferred equipment and supplies for the Expedition One first resident crew of the Station. The crew also tested the four 290-kg gyroscopes in the truss, called Control Moment Gyros, which will be used to orient the ISS as it orbits the Earth. They will ultimately assume attitude control of the ISS following the arrival of the U.S. Laboratory Destiny. The tests and the transfer of supplies into the Russian Zarya Module took longer than expected. As a result, the crew's final departure from the Station's Unity module was delayed. Melroy and Wisoff took samples from surfaces in Zarya to study the module's environment. They then unclogged the solid waste disposal system in the Shuttle's toilet, which was restored to full operation after a brief interruption in service.
Discovery undocked from the ISS at 16:08 GMT on 20 October. The final separation burn was executed about 45 minutes after undocking. The crew had added 9 tonnes to the station's mass, bringing it to about 72 tonnes. The return to earth, planned for 22 October, was delayed repeatedly due to high winds at the Kennedy landing site. The landing was finally made at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 24, at 22:00 GMT.


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In last week's column I shared the remarkable story of hashgachah pratis that two terrific young yeshiva boys, Yedidya and Yaakov, experienced. Their story evoked an enthusiastic response. Many were motivated to reassess their own lives and discover their own hashgachah pratis.
To be sure, there is no end to this introspection. Who does not enjoy hashgachah pratis – guidance from the Almighty? It is written that a person does not even prick his finger without it being orchestrated from above. But it is one thing to recognize that concept intellectually and something else to internalize it and thank Hashem for His many kindnesses. All of us are constantly under this hashgachah pratis but sometimes, as in the case of Yedidya and Yaakov, it becomes so clear that even a blind man cannot fail to see it and a deaf man cannot fail to hear it.
I would like to share some of the letters generated by the hashgachah pratis story of Yaakov and Yedidya.
Letter 1
I just read the story of Yedidya and Yaakov. I began studying Torah six years ago, after a chain of events for which there is no explanation other than the hand of Hashem. My younger daughter was fourteen and away at summer camp in Maine. She got sick with what looked like mumps but it could not have been because she had had the vaccine. She was checked out and they could find no reason for her symptoms.
The camp was six hours from us but my husband and I decided to go up to see her even though she had recovered. We took her out of camp to spend the day with us. It got too late to take her back, so we decided to find a hotel for that night. The hotels were full and could not accommodate us but finally we found a quaint, charming place that had a room – but the place catered exclusively to "honeymoon couples." We pleaded with the owner to let us have that room, and she finally agreed. I was washing up and chatting with my daughter who was standing behind me. Suddenly, she called out to me, "Mom, what is this mark here on your shoulder?"
"Where?" I asked.
She showed me. I turned to look and I was terrified. It looked just like a melanoma – a skin cancer that kills. Since she was fair-skinned, we had always instructed her to use sun block because of the risk of melanoma, so she was aware of the hazards inherent in such symptoms. We took her back to camp the next day, and on Monday morning I saw the dermatologist. She did a biopsy, and it was in fact a large melanoma.
I had a huge area of skin removed. Before my daughter had seen it, I had no idea it was there. It was just at the point of breaking through and getting into the bloodstream. The dermatologist told me my daughter had saved my life. It must have been a one in a billion chance that this occurred. I guess I could have written my own "dayenu" story. If my daughter had not fallen ill, we would never have gone to see her at that time and if we had not taken the room in the hotel she would not have seen this lesion, and if she had not had the knowledge instilled in her regarding sun-block and melanoma, she would never have recognized he danger signs…. The hashgachah pratis in all this left me breathless.
The surgeon told me he hoped it would not come back, but if it did, I would probably die. Baruch Hashem, they got it all out just in time. Why did this chain of events occur? There is no other explanation for this other than the intervention of Hashem.
The message from Hashem was clear. He granted me life so that I might accomplish something. I had written a book about women's mental health that has been translated into ten languages and is still helping women even though it came out ten years ago. But I never would have lived to see my daughter grow up. I never would have lived to see her married and become a successful woman.
Ever since then there has been no doubt in my mind of the presence of Hashem in my life every day and every minute. And this brought me to serious study of Torah and commitment to a life of Torah – the best gift from Hashem I could ever have received. The whole thing made no sense other than that it was a miracle. It was my wakeup call. And what a call – the gift of a Torah life!
Letter 2
Five years ago, our family went through a very painful experience. My beautiful 22-year-old daughter became engaged to a young man everyone considered a "dream shidduch" – smart, good looking, from a respected, established family. It was an ideal match. We set the date for the wedding, reserved a beautiful hall and engaged an excellent caterer. We paid our deposits and happily went on to the next step.


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The announcement by Nato and US forces that they would suspend the training of new recruits and re-vet all 16,300 members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) force was long overdue. Sadly, the decision was only made after an alarming escalation of so-called "green on blue" attacks, in which Nato forces were killed by their ostensible Afghan allies. This year alone, 45 foreign soldiers have died in more than 30 "green-on-blue" attacks, at least 15 in August alone.
While it is understandable that Nato and the US have taken urgent steps to protect their own soldiers, it is shocking that ALP members and recruits have not been thoroughly vetted before. As Human Rights Watch and others have reported over the past two years – long before the recent spate of green on blue attacks – the ALP has repeatedly been involved in serious abuses against Afghan civilians. But the killings, rape, and extortion of Afghan civilians evidently was not reason enough for a rethink.
The ALP was created in 2010 at the request of Gen David Petraeus, the former commander of international forces in Afghanistan and now the director of the CIA. The ALP is a loose network of local defence forces designed to mobilise and arm local civilians to defend their communities from the Taliban in areas where the national police and army have a limited presence. ALP recruits are mentored by foreign troops, most frequently US special forces, but in some parts of the country by troops from other nations, including Britain. They are nominally under the supervision of the Afghanistan National Police, but in practice they are sometimes no more than deputised gunmen loyal to a local warlord or members of violent local militias who are given a new uniform.
While ALP units have been credited with improving security in some locations, there were warning signs about the programme from the beginning. Afghanistan has a long history of local control by armed groups. Not only have these groups frequently preyed on the local population and contributed to ethnic violence, they have too often spun beyond the control of those who established and supported them. The ALP from the beginning risked being yet another militia in which armed men were essentially set loose under the colour of law on local communities.
Human rights organisations identified structural problems with the ALP early on, including a system of vetting easily defeated by local warlords, a command and control structure undermined by the limited capacity of the Afghanistan National Police, and virtually no effective means for accountability when abuses are committed by ALP members.
As the programme was implemented, reports of abuses against Afghan civilians began to pile up. In a September 2011 report, Human Rights Watch documented extortion, illegal raids and detention, theft, assault, rape, and murder by the ALP. Since then, the abuses have continued, including the
May 2012 alleged rape of a teenage girl in northern Kunduz province by ALP members.
For the US and Nato, with plans to expand the force to 30,000 by the end of 2014, the ALP is a cornerstone of the handover of Afghanistan's security to Afghan forces. It has become an integral part of the international withdrawal strategy, which is one reason why the US and Nato have mostly dismissed concerns raised by human rights groups about the ALP, claiming that abuses were committed by other armed groups or were aberrations that were dealt with.
One exception was a US military investigation triggered by the Human Rights Watch report. The investigation, concluded in December 2011, largely confirmed the contents of the Human Rights Watch report, including a need for better understanding of local context and ethnic dynamics, deficits in training, and a lack of procedures to fire or discipline abusive ALP members. Unofficially, many US and UK officers have expressed serious concern about the way the ALP was set up and how it may become an uncontrolled monster unless it is quickly brought under proper command and control.
Unfortunately, the new measures announced by Nato to reform the ALP – including increased counter-intelligence, new systems for detecting "insider threats", establishment of anonymous reporting, and enhanced cultural training – are focused solely on containing the threat that the ALP and other Afghan security forces present to foreign troops working alongside them, not improving the way that ALP members treat Afghans.
Earlier attention by Nato and the US to the ALP abuse of civilians might have not only better protected civilians but also prevented some "green on blue" attacks. The same measures human rights activists have been recommending – better vetting, more comprehensive training, a fully functional command structure, and real accountability mechanisms to discipline, dismiss and prosecute those responsible for abuse – might have screened out or expelled ALP members at risk of turning on their international partners.
Now that Nato and the US have taken on the difficult but essential task it is time to go further and engage in wholesale reform of an institution that poses a serious threat, not just to foreign troops but also to Afghan civilians. Any overhaul of the programme should value protection of civilians just as highly as protection of Nato soldiers.


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Posted 8 years ago
(165 items)
My mother knows my great love of ugly dolls. Well, today at an estate sale, she found this. Wow this monkey is ugly as sin...missing his ears and face is cracked. What's left of his tag says Gund. Face is plastic. Anybody know his age?? Or if he has a name?


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Rural Ind. School Leader Helps Wire a Community
Dennis Stockdale | Superintendent
Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District, Garrett, Ind.
Dennis Stockdale arrived as the superintendent in Garrett, Ind., six years ago, when the Garrett-Keyser-Butler school district seemed as remotely connected to 21st-century learning as its rural landscape might suggest.
Today, amid the farms and small-town stores, all three schools in this 1,800-student district have been equipped with Wi-Fi, elementary school students use their own iPads in class, older students take their MacBook laptops home every day, and a state-of-the art, totally wired high school opened this school year.
Stockdale says he also made sure that all students in his system, 21 miles north of Fort Wayne, 73 percent of whom qualify for subsidized lunches, have equitable access to the Internet beyond school hours.
"The whole key is individualizing instruction and education for the student," Stockdale says. "We've got to reinvent school and make it a place where the kids want to come."
That change didn't come overnight—the school had few computers and outdated Internet connections when Stockdale arrived—and it took some convincing, particularly when it came to the school board, says Anthony L. Griffin, the board's vice president. And though Stockdale was passionate, not everyone on the board was ready for the high-tech ideas he proposed. "Even myself, I had some questions," Griffin says.
But Stockdale pushed board members to attend conferences highlighting the possibilities of a 1-to-1 device system. He urged them to travel to other districts to see initiatives already in place, made his own presentations using technology, and ultimately made sure members had their own iPads for board business.
"Some of the board members that were not much for it, when they saw what it could do and where it could go, that helped sway them," Griffin says.
And Stockdale, 48, found the money to get the job done. To begin with, he redirected money that parents already were paying in state fees for printed textbooks into buying devices and using electronic curricula.
"We're not dependent on textbooks at all," he says. "We're spending money differently than we ever spent it before."
Teachers' Roles
Stockdale emphasized professional development as the devices were rolled out. Now, teachers are curating curricula and creating their own electronic-resource libraries to promote individualized learning. Rather than group by grade level for early-grades mathematics, students are grouped by learning level and outcomes, which can change daily or weekly, Stockdale says.
"Technology is not a replacement for teachers," he says. "It's a tool and a resource for efficiency in educational delivery. Teachers can do more because they have that tool."
In addition to using textbook fees, the district received a $300,000 classroom-innovation grant from the Indiana Department of Education to help offset costs. "Our kids deserve these resources as much as any area, and it's our responsibility to provide those," Stockdale says.
Once the 1-to-1 program was in place, however, there were worries that students who had Internet access at home would have an unfair advantage over those who didn't. The district used some of the grant money to buy 100 mobile Wi-Fi hot spots that students can take home to provide access.
In addition, the district wired the community center in Garrett with Wi-Fi, so students have access there. The local library is also wired, and in the new high school, part of which opened this school year, administrators will denote a wireless area that will be open until 10 p.m. on school days for students to work.
But getting to this point wasn't all smooth sailing. The district experienced what Stockdale calls an "implementation dip." For a year, test scores fell while educators worked out the kinks of the 1-to-1 program and continued training. Stockdale says he faced some criticism, but the teachers, the community, and most board members stood behind him.
Now, scores have rebounded. For example, the middle school's state rating went from a D during the implementation dip to an A last year, according to the state education department.
Amber L. Hartsough, the president of the J.E. Ober Elementary School PTA, says the positive effects of Stockdale's efforts are evident. Students created a video to highlight why they needed a new playground, for example, which they posted on the school website.
"My 1st grader knows more about technology than I do," she says. "In today's world, they're going to need that."
Vol. 32, Issue 20, Page s25Published in Print: February 6, 2013, as Dennis Stockdale
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If you have updated to iOS 4.0.1 and have jailbroken your iPhone 3G 4.0.1 using redsn0w 0.9.5, you can now unlock your iPhone 3G 4.0.1 using Ultrasn0w. Ultrasn0w was updated to version 0.9.3 to unlock iPhone running iOS 4 with baseband between 04.26.08 thru 05.13.04.
Ultrasn0w 0.9.3 is available in Cydia stores using the repo repo666.ultrasn0w.com. To add a repo go to the Cydia store and add it as a new repository. Read instructions to learn how to add a new repo to Cydia.
However, before you unlock your iPhone, you will have to jailbreak iPhone, learn how to Jailbreak iPhone 3G iOS 4.0.1. The only tool that can jailbreak iOS 4.0.1 right now is the redsn0w tool, which is available for both Windows and Mac users.
The Cydia store app will only be available after you have jailbroken your iPhone. If you are unable to jailbreak your iPhone yet, stay tuned, we will post the latest details on jailbreaking your iPhone running iOS 4.0.1 shortly. In other news iOS 4.1 jailbreak for iPhone 3GS sn0wbreeze will be out soon and the iOS 4.1 Unlock too is expected soon. To stay updated with the latest jailbreak and unlock news, don't forget to subscribe to our mobile news.


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SPY+ and Island Lake Catskiing Present Waist Deep Snow Session: Win Four Days of Powder and Shred–Only Two More Weeks to Enter!
Only two more weeks to enter!
Win the trip of a lifetime with the SPY+ posse to Canada's coolest catskiing operation at Island Lake Lodge in Fernie B.C.
For four days you will be cruising alongside SPY+'s pro snow athletes as you shred all the waist deep powder you can handle.
A private cat will ensure you get the best runs at this exclusive resort. After a full day of powder, you'll kick back fireside and enjoy gourmet meals each night. Get ready to have the time of your life!
Check out Island Lake Lodge for a closer look into this world-class Canadian catskiing operation.
The snow conditions at Island Lake are already all time and its only January. Get those legs ready for those epic long powder runs. You're gonna need it!
Visit spyoptic.com by February 1st 2011 for your chance to enter and win the trip of a lifetime. Stay up to date with SPY's latest at facebook.com/spyoptic.
SPY+ Optic was created by a passionate group of action sports and motor sports enthusiasts who quickly attracted the attention of the world's best athletes. Based in Southern California, at the crossroads of an emerging Action Sports culture in the mid-nineties, the SPY+ brand was born. Representing our unique position as an entity immersed in Boardsports, Motor sports, Fashion and Culture; SPY+ is the Brand that invites the world to "Live Thru Our Lens."
The SPY+ brand has supplied not only the fashion to suit your passion; it has been a market leader in eyewear related technology. The SPY+ Scoop® venting system combats lens fogging by promoting airflow between the lens and the wearer's face. SPY+'s polarization treatments supersede existing eyewear standards with its premium injected Trident polarized lenses. The lenses effectively eliminate more than 99 percent of blinding glare for precise, unobstructed vision. Look for SPY+ to keep pushing the boundaries for both taste & technology! Stay on top of all the biz at spyoptic.com.


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Speaking at a vigil for families of the victims and other students from Sandy Hook Elementary, President Obama says, "God has called them all home. For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on." Watch his entire speech.
President Barack Obama vowed to marshal the power of his office behind a nationwide effort to curb gun violence following an elementary school massacre last week in Newtown, Conn.
The president, speaking Sunday evening at an interfaith vigil in Newtown, said that the United States is "left with some hard questions" following the mass shooting, which left 20 children, seven adults and the suspected shooter dead.
He used the speech to lay down a marker, vowing to take action to address gun violence amid yet another high-profile mass shooting in his presidency.
"We can't tolerate this anymore," Obama said. "These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change."
"In the coming weeks I'll use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens … in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this," he said.
Obama offered no specifics as to what type action he might take or legislation he might seek to address these incidences of violence. A top Senate Democrat said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that she would introduce legislation on the first day of the new Congress next year to re-institute a ban on assault weapons, something which Obama has previously endorsed but not actively sought.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va, says that while he's a proud gun-owner and NRA member, there needs to be a "sensible" and "reasonable" dialogue about gun legislation.
The call-to-action was weaved together with words from the president meant to console mourners in Newtown, with whom Obama met earlier in the day.
"This is our first task, caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. That's how, as a society, we will be judged," Obama asked. "And by that measure, can we truly say that, as a nation, we're meeting our obligations?"
The president added: "I've been reflecting on this the past few days, and if we're honest with ourselves, the answer's no. We're not doing enough. And we will have to change."
Obama's comments came in response to yet another mass casualty incident in America over the past few years. The most high-profile attacks include one against Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, a shooting at a movie theater this past summer in Colorado and another shooting at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin in August.
Stephen Dunn / AP
President Barack Obama greets Gov. Dannel Malloy during his arrival at the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn.
None of those events managed to prompt a groundswell for political action to address gun rights and other underlying causes of these attacks.
An effort to address mass casualty events might also involve less politically touchy efforts, like boosting support for mental health.
If Obama were to lead an effort to push gun control, though, he could meet resistance from the politically influential National Rifle Association and other gun rights' groups. Advocates of gun control, though, have urged Obama to throw political caution to the wind; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sunday that gun control should be Obama's "No. 1 agenda."


text: A founder of the hospice movement in this country is profiled in this article. It is difficult to believe that hospice was once a revolutionary concept. It is also difficult to believe how much resistance there is to the notion yet today in the medical establishment. At some point, death is natural. We should stop poking people with needles and pumping them full of poisons until there is nothing left of them.


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151 Feva Gang - Rock Ya Red (New Jersey Devils Anthem) (Over Wiz Khalifa's "Black & Yellow)
151 Feva Gang presents: THE LAST SWAGGIN (Double CD) JANUARY 3, 2011
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It's that time of year again! Allure's annual "naked" issue is about to drop and Zoe Saldana is the latest Hollywood starlet to strip down.
Along with rocking her birthday suit in the photo spread, the Star Trek Into Darkness actress discusses her open sexuality.
"[I might] end up with a woman, raising my children….That's how androgynous I am," she said.
MUST READ: Zoe Saldana Worships Men, Nicki Minaj Says Mariah Is A Bitter Old Woman & More
MUST READ: WHO WORE IT BETTER: Zoe Saldana Vs Kim Kardashian In Lanvin (POLL)
The 34-year-old is also the cover star for next month's issue of Instyle UK, where she revealed she "worships mean" in her feature story.
"I believe in love because I had it for so long, so I know it's possible," she said. "I'm not one of these people who's going,'Oh, because I was with someone for so long I need to take a break.' What if love is just around the corner?"
We just love how Zoe is not afraid to embrace love and fault her natural beauty — her nude photo shoot is just the perfect example of that.
Let's take a look back at 6 other bold, beautiful ladies who bared it all for the beauty publication.
Zoe Saldana Goes Nude For Allure + 6 Black Beauties Who Posed Before Her was originally published on hellobeautiful.com


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In ice-damaged towns, a difficult choice on trees
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A vicious ice storm that made Christmas week a nightmare from the Midwest to Maine shattered hundreds of trees at Michigan State University, where inch-thick layers of ice snapped thick limbs and trunks of stately towers that had stood for generations.
It was a distressing sight for a campus billed as an urban forest where scientists since the 1800s have kept records of every tree, where native oaks and maples coexist with exotic Siberian elms and Japanese pagodas. But amid the destruction, Frank Telewski saw opportunity and jumped into action with his tools of choice -- not chain saw or ax, but tape measure and computer.
The biology professor and curator of Michigan State's arboretum is teaming with experts in several states to study which kinds of trees best withstand ice and other severe weather, and ways of making them even less vulnerable.
The project could present communities with difficult questions of whether to give up on trees that have long been fixtures of their landscape, such as dazzling but weak ornamentals that beautify downtowns and boulevards, in favor of less spectacular stalwarts that can bear up under strain like a well-conditioned athlete.
"If we can do something to reduce the potential damage, it's going to be a great service to the country -- make us better prepared to survive these storms," Telewski said while measuring a jagged-edged limb ripped from a white pine during December's icy barrage.
Heavy snow brings its challenges every winter, but ice storms are especially ruinous. They snap power lines, leaving multitudes in the dark. Ice layers can boost weight on limbs by up to 100 times, shredding them or uprooting entire trees, a risk to life and property as they topple onto buildings and vehicles. Researchers say losses regularly exceed $225 million annually.
The just-concluded winter, in which ice storms wreaked havoc across much of the eastern U.S., may spur more city parks departments, subdivision developers and even individual homeowners to reduce future losses by planting different trees.
"Strike teams" of U.S. Forest Service and state experts have been pushing the idea with officials in storm-damaged communities.
"It really doesn't sink in until a community has a storm and tries to recover," said John Parry, a Forest Service urban forester.
A 2007 ice storm so devastated Norman, Okla., that enough debris was collected -- at a cost of $6 million -- to halfway fill the stadium where the University of Oklahoma Sooners play football, Mayor Cindy Rosenthal said. Trees are not taken for granted in that state, where much of the landscape is naturally prairie. Its loss of prized hackberries, pin oaks and other varieties, some more than 40 years old, was a blow.
"The storm was traumatic," Rosenthal said. "Through the night, you would hear the trees cracking and breaking. You knew what was happening but had no idea how bad the damage would be until the next morning." The state has given away nearly 7,000 trees for replanting, but it's uncertain how long it will take to fill in the gaps.
The city is now making tough choices about trees. Absent may be ornamental varieties such as the Bradford pear, which many cities plant along downtown streets for their attractive springtime blooms, although they're notoriously fragile. Another tree with a bad reputation is the silver maple, which is brittle but popular with housing developers because it grows rapidly.
Favored are the lacebark elms, bald cypress and various oaks because the city considers them resistant to drought as well as ice.
Some municipal officials question whether ice resistance should be such a priority.
In Springfield, Mass., city forester Ed Casey says factors like resistance to disease and pests are uppermost in his mind.
With ice storms, "You can have perfectly healthy trees that are structurally sound, have good strength capacity, and they can still be damaged," Casey said.
Telewski, the Michigan State professor, insists that species selection can make a difference. His team's research also suggests that pruning trees can provide the same benefits as exercise for humans, he said.
"Done properly, pruning can be almost like physical therapy, because now the branches may be able to move more in the wind and actually strengthen themselves," Telewski said. "They build up more woody tissue."
Making storms less costly isn't the only payoff from cultivating hardier urban forests, said Pete Smith, program manager for the Arbor Day Foundation. Trees provide an array of benefits -- from absorbing pollutants to providing shade that cuts energy costs -- and the bigger the better.
"We want to plant trees that live a really long time," he said.
Follow John Flesher on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JohnFlesher


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Spirituality and Religion
November 2017
"I didn't know the difference between my dharma and my karma, but I was willing to learn."
~ from Priscilla Warner's
Learning to Breathe
Recent Releases
The Futilitarians: Our Year of Thinking, Drinking, Grieving, and Reading
Anne Gisleson
Brought together by author Anne Gisleson and her husband after Hurricane Katrina devastated their hometown, New Orleans, the Existential Crisis Reading Group (the "Futilitarians") discussed literature and traditional religious teachings in response to their shared grief and loss. Their monthly meetings over a year's time considered Ecclesiastes and works by authors from Shakespeare to James Baldwin to Shel Silverstein. In Giselson's narrative, the Futilitarians intimately relate their struggles and joys beyond Katrina's impact, rendering an inspiring and accessible depiction of human suffering and happiness.
The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve
Stephen Greenblatt
The stories of creation found at the beginning of the Hebrew scriptures in Genesis chapters 1-2 have attracted a variety of Christian interpreters. Some scorned the Garden of Eden story as pagan myth, while others viewed it as a spiritual allegory. St. Augustine of Hippo declared it to be literal truth, and later writers, including John Milton, built their own works around it. In this thought-provoking study, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stephen Greenblatt reviews the history of these interpretations and adds his own considerations. In a starred review,
Publishers Weekly
calls this an "erudite yet accessible page-turner."
The Great Shift: Encountering God in Biblical Times
James L. Kugel
The Great Shift
, acclaimed Orthodox Jewish scholar James Kugel considers how the people of ancient times encountered God and, examining the Hebrew scriptures, traces a gradual change in human perceptions of the divine presence. These perceptions progress from literal, intimate encounters with God, through conversations mediated by heavenly messengers, to an understanding of God as distant and hard to reach. Drawing on his deep understanding of Hebrew scriptures and literature, theology, and human psychology, Kugel provides an intriguing window into ancient texts for modern readers.
The Book of Separation: A Memoir
Tova Mirvis
Bestselling novelist Tova Mirvis grew up in a tightly knit Orthodox Jewish community. Though she outwardly observed Jewish practices and sought to be obedient to Judaism's rules, she gradually became inwardly, then more openly, rebellious. Eventually, she left her community, divorcing her Orthodox husband and exploring other forms of Judaism. This engaging memoir chronicles her life and spiritual evolution. Fans of Lauren Winner's
Girl Meets God
may enjoy
The Book of Separation
, though unlike Mirvis, Winner converted to Christianity.
Pathways in the Spiritual Life
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes: Harnessing Our Power to Change the World
Deepak Chopra with Gotham Chopra
Here's a lighthearted way to approach enlightenment, whether or not you're a comic book fan.
Elaborating on his 1994 book,
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
, author Deepak Chopra collaborates with his son Gotham to help you get in touch with your internal spiritual superhero. Highlighting the similarities between comic book heroes and ancient gods, the Chopras explore abilities such as maintaining balance when surrounded by chaos, empowering others, and love. The crowning superpower allows you to become one with all.
You'll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times
Max Lucado
Plumbing the emotional depths of Bible stories, bestselling Christian author Max Lucado assures you that "you'll get through this," no matter how difficult your challenges seem. Exploring the story of Joseph from Genesis, Lucado draws parallels with the struggles of contemporary Christians who experience family conflicts, feelings of isolation, and other challenging events. This book brings to life for modern readers the ways that God brings good out of evil.
Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart...
James Martin
Jesuit James Martin, who often appeared on Comedy Central's
Colbert Report
, reminds us that Jesus expressed a sense of humor and that joyfulness may demonstrate a strong faith -- St. Teresa of Avila and other saints were famous for their humor. Using quotations from the Bible, comical anecdotes, interviews with scholars, and illustrations from history, Martin saves Christianity from gloom and shows how to apply these entertaining lessons to one's personal theology. Baptist pastor Susan Sparks'
Laugh Your Way to Grace
offers additional insight into a religious sense of humor.
Learning to Breathe: My Yearlong Quest to Bring Calm to My Life
Priscilla Warner
Having suffered from debilitating anxiety attacks since age 15, author Priscilla Warner decides in middle age to give up tranquilizing drugs and learn how to practice the transcendent calm that characterizes Tibetan Buddhist monks. She embarks on a spiritual odyssey that introduces her to a variety of relaxation techniques in addition to Buddhist meditation. This upbeat, approachable narrative will appeal to people looking for stress relief, especially those suffering from anxiety disorders.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, Washington 98027


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2012 National Teacher of the Year: "Great Teachers Lead With Both their Heads and their Hearts"
Photo: Rick Runion/NEA
Speaking to a crowd of nearly 8,000 fellow educators gathered at the National Education Association's (NEA) Representative Assembly (RA), 2012 National Teacher of the Year Rebecca Mieliwocki delivered captivating, moving and inspirational words about the power teachers have to shape and transform the lives of their students.
An English teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank, Calif., Mieliwocki told delegates she is proud to represent teachers. "So here I stand, one teacher symbolizing millions," she said. "One imperfect, enthusiastic, hard-working and committed example of the millions more just like me. One voice to stand for all of us…We may have forgotten how important our teachers were in restoring America's public education system but it's not too late to shift our focus to what really matters."
"Rebecca's commitment to reach and motivate each of her students is an inspiration, and I am proud to count her among the millions of NEA members who rise to the occasion each day on behalf of their students," said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. "As we honor Rebecca today, let's not lose sight of what drives her: a fundamental commitment to her students' success. The key to raising achievement for all students is to ensure that caring, committed and qualified teachers like Rebecca, and there are many of them, are empowered to lead and transform the teaching profession."
"If we want real change, lasting change, if we want back the power, the pride, the soaring achievement that is an exceptional public education, then the revolution begins with us," emphasized Mieliwocki.
Mieliwocki received the prestigious title of National Teacher of the Year for her unconventional teaching practices and her deep commitment to helping students succeed. President Barack Obama honored her and all of the State Teachers of the Year at a White House ceremony in April.
"You have been born with a gift for teaching and you've been given the gift of working with children. You have a front row seat to the future. You build that future one child at a time," concluded Mieliwocki.
Mieliwocki has been teaching for 14 years and has spent nine years in her current position. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from California Polytechnic State University and her professional clear credential in Secondary English Education from California State University Northridge. She is the 2005 California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year for Southern California, a 2009 PTA Honorary Service Award Winner and a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment mentor.
Educators from across the country are in the nation's capital through July 5 for the Association's RA. The RA is the top decision-making body for the more than 3 million-members of NEA. RA delegates set Association policy and address issues facing public schools, students, and the teaching profession.
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The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star National Building Competition attracted 3,000 participants from across the country encouraging public and private enterprises to improve their energy efficiency. From a nursing home in Skowhegan, Maine to an office park in La Jolla, California, the program was a success and created a model for other businesses to follow.
Overall competitors saved a total of more than 3 billion kBtus of energy and $50 million on utility bills. These savings reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by more than 40,000 homes. The top winner is Demarest Elementary School of Bloomfield, NJ which cut its energy use by a whopping 52 percent in a single year.
In addition to saving energy, the program encouraged water conservation too. A branch of Webster Bank in Brockton, MA, logged an impressive 80 percent water use reduction to come out on top of 500 competitors that also worked to cut water use with help from EPA's WaterSense program.
These results came one building at a time – 20 of which were are in Maine. Cedar Ridge Center, a nursing home in rural Skowhegan, reduced its energy use by 58.6 percent, for an annual savings of nearly $16,000.
A Texas convenience store cut its energy bills by more than $17,000. The first order of business was to be sure all their electronics and equipment was in correct working order. Sounds simple, but it is a commonly overlooked loss center. Then they retrofit the store's lighting with energy saving bulbs that had the added benefit of brightening the floors.
As the facilities manager of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Courthouse in Newark, NJ Mark Dremel says, "The cliché 'if you can't measure it, you can't manage it' applies to conserving energy too. You need to spend time and review and oversee the issue if you expect to reduce energy." His 20 percent energy reduction efforts paid off on the bottom line too, with $51,400 in annual savings.
Often it is the dollars and cents savings from the facilities departments that are the first step to Corporate Social Responsibility, the "planet" part of the triple bottom line mission. Energy efficiency and sustainable operations are a gateway to other initiatives, engaging employees and contributing to the broader community too.


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INSPIRE WFS Download service for the theme Elevation-TIN (EL_TIN)
|Product information
|INSPIRE WFS Download service for the theme Elevation-TIN (EL_TIN)
|Commercial code
|Export unit
|map sheets of SM 5(2,5 x 2 km)
|Unit price
|According to Regulation No 31/1995 Sb.
|Product description
|The INSPIRE Download Service for the theme Elevation-TIN (EL_TIN) is the service that allows registered users to download repeatedly data using WFS 2.0.0 technology. The Download Service provides INSPIRE harmonised data for the theme Elevation-TIN (EL_TIN) corresponding with INSPIRE xml schema in version 4.0. Data are provided in format GML 3.2.1, in coordinate system ETRS 33N and EVRS. For easy access to data one map sheet of SM5 is considered as one feature type ElevationTIN. A link to this file is a part of the feature ElevationTIN.
|Service characteristics
|Download document service characteristics
|Service location
|Data set provided by the service
Provided data
|Access restriction - licence agreement and other restriction
|This service has the single download limited to 10,000 elements.
According to Regulation No 31/1995 Sb.
|Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre, Srovnal Pavel, Mgr. , phone: +420 284 041 860 , e-mail: email@example.com
Product last update:
Information last update: