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Yesterday was my youngest nephew's birthday party. We celebrated in true two year-old fashion with an Elmo themed party at his house with the four "F's" fun, friends, family and food. From Elmo cake pops, made by my mom and sister-in-law, a Sesame Street sign made by my parent's, an Elmo bean bag toss and more. A great time was had by all. We ended the evening with dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Redwood City, for yes, more food. I also took a few quick pictures of his future sister's room, she's should be joining us in just under a month!
Today I was able to make it to Palm Sunday services at Bayside Church and Bridgeway Christian Church (had to see some friend's I haven't seen in a few weeks. We then decided to head to Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ for a quick, southern style lunch. Between ribs, tri-tip and pork I think we all left very full. Next week, Bayside has a Good Friday Services and 20 Easter Services at five locations to support five causes.


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Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are an ABSOLUTE JOY March 12, '17 Comments [26] Posted in Gaming | Reviews Sponsored By I bought a Nintendo Switch last week with my allowance and I'm utterly smitten. It's brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant. Now, to be clear, I'm neither a hardcore gamer nor a journalist. However, I am someone who grew up on Mario, enjoys Retrogaming and my Xbox One, and most of all, I know genius when I see it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a wonderful example of the very best that video games can offer as an art form in 2017. - Me It may be the best video game ever. And it is because it borrows so much from the decades of refinement whose shoulders it stands upon. Let's break this down into two halves. First, Zelda (which is available on WiiU and Switch), and later, the Switch itself. If you don't feel like reading this, just trust me and buy a Switch and Zelda and bask in the hundreds of hours of joy and wonder it will bring you. It's the most fun I've had with a video game in recent memory. I also profoundly recommend the gorgeous hardcover The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: The Complete Official Guide Collector's Edition. The maps, the art, and the gentle walkthroughs are more fun than googling. The kids and I have enjoyed exploring the wilderness with the giant map unfurled in front of us. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild It's HUGE. It's estimated at 360 square kilometers. They are saying it's 1.5x the Skyrim map and may be larger than Witcher 3. A cynic could call Breath of the Wild derivative, but an optimist like me says, well, they stole every game mechanic that was awesome over the last few decades, and made the near-perfect game. I love that this is a console launch game that is polished and has at LEAST 100 hours or more for the completist. What is Zelda like? Just Cause - Fly off a cliff with a paraglider, fly over a raging river and land on an elk, tame it and ride it. Because you're awesome and you can. Witcher 3 - Massive map, armor sets, crafting and more. Assassin's Creed - Climbing because...it's fun. Getting maps by unlocking towers and jumping off. Grand Theft Auto - The first massive sandbox without loading. You enter a new area and get a brief subtitle announcing you're in a new "neighborhood" and then you wander. Skyrim - The Elder Scrolls was the first video game I played where I climbed mountains "because they were there" and really had a sense of wonder when I got to the top. Draw distance! Shadow of the Colossus - There's amazing HUGE boss fights that involve climbing the enemy, racing after monsters with horses, and sometimes going inside them. Bard's Tale - Because I'm old. Complaints? Honestly, if I had to truly nit. And I mean really nit I'd say the durability of weapons, particularly swords, is annoying. I would make them last maybe 50% longer. Also, moving in and out of Shrines has a load screen that takes 10-15 seconds. But really, that's like saying "I wish Beyoncé was 5'8", not 5'7". I mean, REALLY. Beyoncé. Shush. The Nintendo Switch It's portable. Just like in the ad, you can pull the Switch out and leave. In my video below I also switch to portable AND have to re-sync the controllers, so there is one additional ceremony, but it's easy. Short #video of my #nintendoswitch playing Zelda going from big screen to portable and back. pic.twitter.com/3a2yPtz01w— Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) March 5, 2017 It feels like a console when it's plugged in. I've got it plugged into my TV and from my couch it looks as nice as any of my devices. Sure, it's not an Xbox One playing Tom Clancy: The Division. But it's a brilliant tradeoff for a device I can simply pick up and go outside with (which I've done, with considerable appreciation.) I'm surprised that folks are complaining about the gaming resolution, frame rates, battery life, older processor, or said "it's just like an iPad with an HDMI cable." Here's why: Resolution - Zelda runs at 720p (the native res of the touchscreen) at 30fps. It's just 6.5" and 720p is just fine when it's a foot or more from your face. Battery - I got an easy 3 hours out of it. If you're on a plane, carry a cable and extra battery. If you need to portably game more than 3 hours, take a break. ;) Seriously, though, given my appreciation of it's portability and power and experience this is reasonable. One can always complain about battery life. Frame Rate - When you dock the Switch and run Zelda over your TV the resolution is 900p and sometimes it lags. If you're in the forest, and it's raining, and there's a bunch of enemies around there will totally be moments of 20 fps. But it passes. And it's still gorgeous. A small price to pay, and we don't know if it's fixable with a software patch. Given that launch titles rarely use the new hardware in an optimized fashion, it's more than reasonable to give them a break on this. Older Processor - The Switch is using the older Nvidia Tegra X1 processor. As a business person this makes sense. It's a $300 device. It's not reasonable to expect all day battery life and 4k gaming on a device that weights two-thirds of a pound. Innovation - Yes, you can plug your iPad into your TV. But most folks don't. And the iPad and iOS clearly haven't tried to optimize for this scenario. Apple has scandalously under-supported their MFi Controller Spec, even though the SteelSeries is brilliant. Frankly, Apple handed Nintendo a huge opportunity by not making a proper controller and supporting MFi better with Game Devs. The Switch might not exist if I could BlueTooth Pair any controller to my iPad and play Skyrim on an iPad. Oh ya, I'd have to have an iPad with expandable memory or a cartridge slot. ;) The Switch is a new category of device. It's not an iPad. It's a fantastic device for the price and the promises, for the most part, were kept. That said, a few gentle warnings if you do get a Switch. If you put the joy-cons on backwards they might get stuck and you could perhaps damage the system. The joy-cons have these little wrist straps as well, and to be clear if you put these on backwards you're in trouble. Make sure you line up the plus + signs. There's a + on the right joy-con and a - on the left one. Use the correct strap for the correct joy-con. If you slam the Switch into the dock it's possible you could scratch the screen. I always treat $300 equipment like it cost $300. Be somewhat careful. My Recommended Nintendo Switch accessories (I own each of these) These accessories are by no means required (the Switch has everything you need out of the box) but these are all 4+ star rated and I've purchased them myself and appreciate them. Yes, I've gone overboard and my $300 Switch is now a $500 Switch BUT I HAVE NO REGERTS. ;) Some kind of Carrying Case. I have the Zelda Special Edition case, but all the cases that are official Nintendo are excellent. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. If you're going to hook your Switch up to the TV you might consider the pro controller. The Switch does come with a quasi-controller that has you pop the two joy-cons into a harness to simulate a typical Xbox/PS Controller but the ergonomics are exact by any stretch. The Pro Controller is fantastic. It's 99% the same as an Xbox Controller and includes (quietly) the full 360 degree gyro support that (I believe) Switch Games will be known for (see the second above on gyro in Zelda.) Joy-con Grips. This was a frivolous purchase but a good one. I've got big hands and the Joy-Cons are NOT comfortable when turned horizontally and used for any period of time. These little holsters turn them into tiny Pro Controllers and make two player a LOT easier. Compact Playstand. The Switch has one major hardware design "flaw" in that it can't be charged while it's using its kickstand. This little folding playstand is nice because it's 3-in-1 and can also perfectly fit a 3DSXL. Large 128g EXTRA-FAST microSDXC SD Card. The Switch has only 32gigs of internal space and if you (theoretically) downloaded Zelda you'll use 13gigs. I can see myself using up a LOT of space in the next year so I got this 128G SD Card. And it's FAST. 6 pack of Microfiber Cleaning Cloths - I can't stand a dirty touchscreen. Can't. I have two dozen of these spread around the house, my car, my backpack. Can't have too many given laptops, TVs, and iPads. USB C cables - Both the Switch and Pro Controller use USB C (finally!) so pick up a few USB C cables that you can use to charge in a pinch from your laptop, existing car charger, or portable battery. I only buy Anker Batteries. A Zelda Amiibo - Amiibos are these little figurines with an RFID/NFC dealie inside. They are registered to you and they can "light up" features in all kinds of games. In Zelda specifically you can (a little later in the game) use them to get daily food and other bonuses. Plus they look nice on your desk. My Predictions for the Nintendo Switch in 2017 I'm looking forward to seeing what the Nintendo Switch can become. I think/predict we'll see this on the Switch in 2017. A thrilling Indie Game Community. Yes, the launch titles are weak. There aren't a ton of launch games. Call it a soft launch. But give it a few months. Virtual Console - The ability to play SNES/NES and other games via some kind of emulation from Nintendo. We have already seen NEO-GEO games show up in the last few days! I can imagine we'll see a Mario Collection going back 30+ years. Video Apps - If they add Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon, then I'll be taking my Switch with me to A USB-C to HDMI cable - I don't want to take the dock with me on trips, so I'd love a USB-C to HDMI cable from Nintendo (It'll need their magic box/chip) to free up my bag. A great balance between AAA Games and "classic" games. If Zelda and Shovel Knight are any indication, the future is bright. Continued updates to the online experience. I suspect we'll get firmware and store updates quarterly. But at the same time, what's the nightmare scenario? Nothing happens. No games come out and I have a $500 Zelda-specific device. I'm totally OK with that give the joy of the last week. So between the worst-case scenario and the best case, no matter what happens it's awesome and I'm a satisfied customer. * I've used Amazon referral links here. Please use them and you'll support this blog and my Amiibo Habit. Sponsor: Get next level application monitoring with Raygun - The revolutionary software intelligence platform for your web and mobile apps. Take a free trial today! About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By
Finding the Perfect Mouse March 9, '16 Comments [109] Posted in Hardware | Reviews Sponsored By I have a small problem. I'm always looking for great computer mice. I've tried a number of mice (and keyboards!) over the years. Here's the current line up. The two mice on the right are the Arc Mouse and Bluetooth Arc Touch Mouse. The middle weird one is the Anker Vertical Mouse which, by the way, is an insane deal at $19.00 at the time of this writing. I'm a big fan of vertical mice, especially if you are having any palm or forearm pain. The tiny silver mouse there is the Microsoft Mobile Mouse 4000. I use it because it's power draw is basically nothing, which is perfect for use with a Raspberry Pi. But the left one...oh this mouse. That's the Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse and it's really top of the line and it's my current daily driver. It's usually $99 but I've seen it for $74 or less on sale. The Logitech MX Master is a high end mouse, but rather than catering to gamers as so many mice do, it seems to be aimed more towards creators and makers. Prosumers, if you will. Highlights The MX Master has rechargeable LiPo batteries that are charged with a simple micro USB cable. So far they've lasted me two weeks or more with just a few minutes of charging. Plus, you can use the mouse with the cord attached. There's a 3 light LED on the side as well as software support so you won't be surprised by a low battery. Fantastic customizable software. Uses the "Unifying Receiver" which means a single dongle for multiple Logitech products. I also have the Logitech T650 Touchpad and they share the same dongle. Even better, the MX Master also supports Bluetooth so you can use either. This means I can take the mouse on the road and leave the dongle. Tracks on glass. My actual desktop is in entirely glass. It's a big sheet of glass and I've always had to put mouse pads on it, even with Microsoft Mice. This mouse tracks the same on a pad or a glass surface. Heavy but the right kind of heavy. It's about 5 oz and it has heft that says quality but not heft that's tiring to push around. One of the most unusual features is the Scroll Wheel. Some mice of a smooth scroll wheel with no "texture" as you scroll. Others have very clear click, click, click as you scroll. The MX Master has both. That means you can use "Ratchet" mode (heh) or "Freespin" mode, and you can assign a Mode Shift. If I click the wheel you can hear a clear mechanical click as (presumably) a magnet locks into place to provide the ratcheting sound and feel which is great for precision. Click again and you are FLYING through long PDFs or Web Pages. It's really amazing and not like any mouse I've used in this respect. On top of that there is a SmartShift feature that automatically switches you between modes depending on the speed and vigor that you spin the wheel. All of this is configurable, to be clear. It's a nice mouse for advanced folks or Devs because not only can you change basically every button (including a unique "gesture button" at your thumb where you click it and move the mouse for things like 'Next Virtual Desktop') but you can also have... ...configurations on a per-application basis! This is fantastic because I want Chrome to scroll and feel one way and Visual Studio to scroll and feel another. It's been 6 weeks with this new mouse and it's now my daily driver for code, blog posts, Office, and everything. Trying out this new @Logitech MX Master mouse. This thing is SO SMOOTH. A photo posted by Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) on Jan 26, 2016 at 9:54am PST What's your favorite mouse or pointing device? Let's hear it in the comments! PSA: Be sure to check out http://MarchIsForMakers.com all month long for great hardware podcasts, blogs, and videos! Spread the word and tweet with #MarchIsForMakers! * Referral links help me buy mice. Click them for me please. About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By
Using the Surface Pro 4 Type Cover with Fingerprint Reader on a Surface Pro 3 November 2, '15 Comments [21] Posted in Reviews Sponsored By Last year in August I went and bought a Surface Pro 3 with my own money (it's not machine that work paid for) and I've been very happy with it. Now the Surface Pro 4 came out, and well, it's silly to upgrade for me when it's been just a year. But. That Keyboard. The Surface Pro 4 has an all new Keyboard and Touch Pad. The Surface Pro 3 keyboard is good, to be clear, but the touchpad sucks. After I used it for a few months I called it out as sucking. It's usable, but it's not fun to use. Turns out that you can get a Surface Pro 4 Type Cover keyboard and it works and fits perfectly on a Surface Pro 3. You can upgrade your Surface Pro 3 (and pretend it's a 4, which is what I'm doing) by just adding the new Keyboard. Fingerprint Reader There's lots of new color Type Covers but the really interesting one is the Type Cover with Fingerprint Reader. Sadly, only available in Black, but it has an integrated Fingerprint Reader that lets you use the new "Windows Hello" login feature of Windows 10. Windows Hello means "using biometrics like fingerprints and faces and eye scanning to login to your computer." It works and it works great. There was an Oct 26th "Firmware Update" in Windows Update that gives you the drivers you'll need. A Firmware Update for a Surface is essentially a "driver pack." Run Windows Update and attach the keyboard and you're set. You enroll as many fingers as you want in Sign-In Options and that's it. Now you log in with your fingerprint. Lovely. All new keyboard and touchpad The picture before shows my original Surface Pro 3 Type Cover next to my new Surface Pro 4 Type Cover with Fingerprint Reader. First, the keyboard was already good on the Surface Pro 3, but it's just better on the 4. There are actual spaces between the keys, and you can see from the pic how the keys go even closer to the edge/bezel of the cover's surface. The keys are also slightly rearranged for the better. FN has been moved to the left, which makes sense, and a "context key" (which is effectively Shift-F10). Another nice touch is that the FN key now has a light. On SP3 you had no way to see if it was locked, and you had to FN-CapsLock to force it on, and would have no visual indicator. Finally, the silly Share and Settings secondary functions for Function F7 and F8 are gone and there's now an actual PrtScn button. It's the little things. Now, to the touchpad. IT IS SO MUCH BETTER. It's actually usable. It's way larger (they say 40%) and it feels nicer. Before I always took another mouse with me because the SP3 touchpad was crippling. No longer. It's large enough for multi-finger gestures, including 3 and 4-finger taps. I'm still holding out for a "4 finger swipe" for Virtual Desktop switching, though. One other subtlety that is worth pointing out...the fold. With the Surface Pro 3 Type Cover keyboard, when you fold it up to keep the Type Cover off the table, the fold makes it hard to press the "Start Button" on the screen because the keyboard butted right up against the screen. The Pro 4 Type Cover folds tighter and lower against the bottom bezel such that pressing icons in the taskbar and the Start button isn't a problem anymore. Subtle, but again, it's the little things. I totally recommend this keyboard. It's given my Surface Pro 3 new life. It's the keyboard it should have always had. * My links are Amazon Affiliate Links! Use them as they help support my blog and buy me tacos. Sponsor: Big thanks to my friends at Octopus Deploy for sponsoring the feed this week. Build servers are great at compiling code and running tests, but not so great at deployment. When you find yourself knee-deep in custom scripts trying to make your build server do something it wasn't meant to, give Octopus Deploy a try. About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By
Review: TP-Link AC3200 (Archer C3200) Wireless Router September 29, '15 Comments [51] Posted in Reviews Sponsored By I've always been a Linksys or NetGear router person. I loved the legendary Linksys WRT54G and ran DD-WRT on it for years. A while back I updated my router to the Linksys WRT1900AC. This router was supposed to be the second coming of the WRT54G and promised enthusiastic support for alternate firmware. For about a year I ran the WRT1900AC with the stock firmware as there was a bit of controversy as to what that support would look like. Fast-forward a bit and it appears that Linksys and Marvel have been working together to solve some technical issues and have reached out to the OpenWRT and DD-WRT folks but unfortunately there is still no release place for DD-WRT for the WRT1900AC. I am tired of waiting and some recent instability in the stock firmware has got me shopping around. I did some research and decided on the TP-Link AC3200 (Archer C3200). Now, before you say it, I will. This is a prosumer router. It's not cheap. But so far, it's been brilliant. I've tired $50 routers and they tip over with what I throw at them. I've got a minimum of about 20 devices on the network at a time, and often as many as 35-45. I want to be able to manage them differently, apply QoS (Quality of Service) rules, as well as segment my network. However, I am not a network engineer and I don't feel like being one. I've also had issues with range in the past but I don't feel like having two routers and one SSID. So far, it appears that this TP-Link Archer C3200 router can handle everything I throw at it. TP-Link AC3200 (Archer C3200) First, let me say that this router looks like a UFO. It's a very dramatic design, but it's for a functional reason. Those are six folding antennas on the top. Installation in my home took about 30 min from the moment it left the box until the whole house and every device was set up. I personally found the web interface to be simpler and more organized than any other router I've ever used, and I've used them all. In this screenshot you can see that there are currently 18 devices connected and there are three wifi networks. I really like this feature. I've setup my own 5GHz SSID for my office, while the family gets their own 2.4GHz WiFi Network, and Netflix/Streaming/XBox devices get their own 5GHz SSID. It's nicely compartmentalized. Even more, I could optionally turn on one or more Guest Networks when folks visit from out of town. This gives guests internet, but keeps them off from seeing internal devices. If the idea of three SSIDs is too much for you, they also have a feature called "Smart Connect" which basically collapses a 2GHz and two 5GHz SSIDs and associated channels into a single Smart SSID that will abstract 802.11bgn across many channels. You get one SSID (Wireless Network Name) and the router handles the rest, automatically putting your devices on the right network given their capabilities. There's also great Parental Controls built in, where you can set a Time Schedule per device. For example, you could make it so your child's iPad could only access the internet during certain times of the day. You would need turn off iOS Mac Address Randomization for this to work, I believe. This TP-Link AC3200 (Archer C3200 also has some light NAS (Network Attached Storage) features that allow you to access disks via FTP, DLNA, or SMB (meaning you can talk to it via \\ROUTER\share for example). You could also even expose a disk over FTP externally if you wanted to. The router can also be a print server and make any USB printer a wireless/network attached printer which could be helpful if you've got a home office. For the tech enthusiast/prosumer user the only nit I would say could use improvement is the Bandwidth Control (QoS) panel. It could be a little friendlier. For example, I can certainly figure out the IP Range and Port Range for Xbox Live or Netflix and set the Bandwidth rules, but since those are already pretty well understood it would be nice if there was just a dropdown or set of smart defaults. For example, we would ALL want to be able to check a box that says "make sure Netflix doesn't get slow when my spouse checks email." This dialog could be simpler. Aside: My spouse asked me why Netflix gets slow sometimes when other people are streaming or pushing the network. I said that it's the same reason that the shower water changes temperature when someone flushes the toilet elsewhere in the house. So far I've been VERY happy with this router. Set up was a breeze, perf has been fantastic, and there hasn't been a single hiccup. I'll report back later. Do you have this router? Or do you recommend another router? Sound off in the comments below. Sponsor: Thanks to my friends and Infragistics for sponsoring the feed this week. Responsive web design on any browser, any platform and any device with Infragistics jQuery/HTML5 Controls. Get super-charged performance with the world's fastest HTML5 Grid - Download for free now! About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By
Review: 3D Scanning with the HP 3D Capture Stage on the HP Sprout PC September 21, '15 Comments [9] Posted in Reviews Sponsored By The 7 year old and I have been trying to make various things with the HP Sprout (review soon) and Dremel Printer. I was sent review versions of both to explore and give feedback on. We've learned a lot and filed a lot of bugs and received lots of great software updates. About two months ago we tried 3D scanning an object using the Intel True Sense camera and manually rotating a 3D object on the HP Sprout's touch pad. I was both impressed and unimpressed with the results. Impressed because 3D Scanning is a biscuit away from straight magic. Unimpressed because it was a tedious process and the result was a little chopped up. But then the Spout folks sent over a "HP 3D Capture Stage" for me to try. I'll be totally honest, I thought this was going to be a cheap rotating circle, basically a Skylander's portal with a motor. I couldn't be more wrong, this thing is built like a TANK. It's actually a rotating stage split on an angle that connects via USB and allows the Sprout to angle the object between 0 and 15 degrees, however it likes. Combining this with both a 14 megapixel camera AND an Intel RealSense Depth Camera, the results are significantly better than my first attempts. The HP 3D Capture Stage is $299 by itself, which is admittedly not an impulse purchase. The price point that I'm impressed with though is the "Sprout 3D Maker's Bundle" which includes the HP Sprout itself (no slouch with an i7 and 8 gigs, stylus, and 23" touchscreen + 20" second screen/touch mat) AND the 3D Capture Stage AND a Dremel 3D Printer all for $2999. (US$3k) That's the Sprout with the Dremel Printer and the Capture Stage is free, essentially. ASIDE: It blows my mind that I got a loan from the bank and paid $2,800 for a 486DX/33 in 1990 and today I can get something like a Sprout AND 3D Scanner AND Printer for about the same. Seriously, Star Trek: The Next Generation is coming. Throw in an Oculus or a HoloLens and we're living in the future. OK, first things first. Can you scan an object, get a perfect model, then 3D print the same object? Essentially photocopying/xeroxing 3D objects? No. But you can get a VERY nice 3D model of a real physical object in just a few minutes and then export it to your favorite app for manipulation. Here's my FIRST scan where I sat for 15 minutes and rotated a teapot 15 degrees each time the computer told me to. Not so good. And I was VERY careful and accurate, I thought. Here's the SAME teapot on the 3D Capture Stage. I used the supplied putty to gently stick the object on the stage at an angle. Here's a video of the start of the process. It's totally automated, but after you're done if you feel the object wasn't completely represented you can put it on its side or flip it over to get occluded sides. A video posted by Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) on Sep 20, 2015 at 8:03pm PDT I did scans a total of 3 times and got this auto-merged result. While the lettering got blurred after the second scan, the general structure of the teapot is 95% correct. I exported it into the Microsoft 3D Builder Software and got this result. A 3D scanned Teapot using the HP Sprout 3D Capture Stage It's also worth noting that the 3D scanned object and the textures are totally separate now, so if I wanted to make a red wooden teapot from this scan, I could. Additionally, if I wanted it to be empty (like a real teapot) and have a top that could come off, I'd want to spend some time with this 3D Scan in a 3D modeling tool and actually DO THAT. ;) The 3D Scanning Stage could be a great way for a burgeoning game designer to collect unusual objects, obtain textures and texture maps, and really jumpstart a 3D model. So far the whole thing has been amazing. The software has been continually updated, and while it's not perfect, it's definitely cool. My kids of been doing 2D stop-motion animation and my wife has been using it for scrapbooking. A full review and YouTube Video is coming soon, but so far I can tell you that the HP Sprout is not just a fantastic "Kitchen PC" and a "Maker PC" but I could really see it being my family's primary computer. That said, the real place it shines is in education. I'd love it if my kids had a complete PC/scanner/printer combo available to them in their classroom. Sponsor: Big thanks to my friends at Infragistics for sponsoring the feed last week! Responsive web design on any browser, any platform and any device with Infragistics jQuery/HTML5 Controls. Get super-charged performance with the world's fastest HTML5 Grid - Download for free now! About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By

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Mayhem # 2980437
About MeHi,I am new to the industry, looking to gain experience and learn the ropes. I love being in front of the camera but may need some direction from photographers to start with. I am looking for paid work but will do TFP/TFCD work to build my portfolio. I am open to most categories of modelling - please ask - but my preferences are fashion and lingerie. My make-up is always done to a very high standard At the moment I can only model most weekends and some weekdays due to other work commitments! I do not drive but I am willing to travel within a sensible amount distance providing costs are covered. I do have a couple of tattoos, on my ribs and my ankle, I also have my belly button pierced* *I am not prepared to do nude work although 'implied' would be considered CreditsHave you worked with Codie T? Add Credits for Codie T! >>Friends


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Augers Directory
Best Ice Augers DiscussionFind out what ice fishing gurus are saying and share your opinion.
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Nils Master Power Augers - No Longer Stocked.
Accessories- GlacierRugged Power Auger Carrier-protect your auger and equipment it comes in contact with.
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Thorvie International Commercial grade ice auger blade sharpener.
Nils Master Hand Augers
Eskimo Hand Ice Augers
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Ice Chisels and Spuds- Eskimo Chisels
Mille Lacs Ice Chisel
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Free Pictures – The 3 Biggest Myths about Using Free Pictures in your Content Marketing
Do you know the 3 biggest myths about free pictures?
If you want to feel confident about interpreting online image licenses without getting sued for copyright violation, then you need to read this immediately because the myths and the TRUTH about free pictures are inside this article.
Myth #1: If online pictures do not display the photographer's name and are not marked as copyrighted, then they are copyright free images.
Many people believe that pictures are copyright free just because the website owner did not display the photographer's name and did not mark the picture as copyrighted.
But this belief hurts you because you're relying on the knowledge and good intentions of the owner of the website where you found the free pictures and you're trusting them to provide accurate information.
The actual reality in this situation is that you are responsible for verifying the copyright status and the license requirements for any pictures that you use, regardless of what the website owner has done.
This is one of the reasons you should never download images from just any old blog or website. Only get your free pictures from reputable image download sites that you trust to provide an accurate copyright status and full details of any license agreement for the pictures you want to use.
Myth #2: Giving credit or attribution for a free picture can be done any way that fits in your design.
This is not completely true!
Believing that you can give credit or attribution for a free picture in any way you want can cause you problems because there are specific guidelines for how attribution should be displayed.
The reality is that many free digital photos do require attribution and those requirements can vary among different types of image licenses. It is usually not enough just to list the name of the photographer. Some licenses may also require listing the name or title of the art work, the source website where you got the photo, listing the type of license in use, and some may even request a hyperlink to the source site.
Myth #3: The best way to avoid the risk of copyright violations is to use paid subscription photos.
Paid subscriptions for royalty-free stock photos are certainly a good option for many businesses. But start-ups, very small businesses like solo-preneurs, and not-for-profit organizations often cannot justify that expense in their budgets.
Believing that you need to use paid subscription photos may cause a financial hardship to you and your business. What is the reality instead?
There are other ways to avoid the risk of copyright violations besides using paid subscription photos. But you need to educate yourself.
License requirements must be followed for both paid and free pictures. In order to follow those requirements, you need to understand how to interpret the image license.
Now that you know the myths, I'd like to invite you to further discover the truth about free pictures by grabbing your free instant access to our "Checklist for Downloading Free Pictures."
This simple one-page checklist will tell you what to look for in the license for a single image or in the terms of use for a whole download site. Enjoy the confidence of knowing how to select free pictures online and stop worrying about getting sued for copyright violations.
To get your checklist, just click right here. And please leave any questions or comments below – thank you!
Visual Content with PowerPoint – Designing a Visual e-Book
You've probably heard many times that visual content is critical to your content marketing strategy. One easy way to add more visual images to your content marketing is by creating an e-book.
But don't create a typical e-book that is mostly text with maybe a few small pictures added for decoration. You can create a highly visual e-book using PowerPoint or a similar slide design software and you don't need to be a graphic designer to make it look really great.
I'll bet some of you are thinking, "PowerPoint? Really?"
You might be used to seeing PowerPoint slides full of bullet point text with a boring speaking who goes on and on with way too much detail. But PowerPoint is actually a powerful visual software — if you know how to use it correctly!
Why Use PowerPoint for e-Books?
PowerPoint offers several advantages over Word, including:
- Ease of inserting and formatting pictures
- Layering of background images with text overlays
- Default landscape layout lets readers view a whole page without scrolling
What Are the Steps for Creating a Visual e-Book?
Whenever I decide to create a new e-book, I divide my work process into 3 basic steps:
First I choose my topic and organize my ideas into a structure. I prefer outlines, but you could certainly use a mind map instead. I generally aim for 3 basic sections of content and I decide on the sub-topics or the headings for those 3 sections.
Next I select my theme and the colors I want to use in the e-book.
Sometimes I will use one of the built-in PowerPoint themes or a purchased design template. If you do this, be sure to select one that has lots of open space for inserting the blocks of text for your content.
Other times I just create my own layout, using simple rectangular shapes for page headings and footers and for the text blocks that will hold my written content. Often I will select 2 or 3 colors to use for these shapes so I can switch colors between sections as a way to visually enhance the structure of the content.
Finally, once I finish my planning and preparation, it's time to add my pictures and text. I usually take care of the images first, choosing one of the following two methods for adding images to each page:
- Insert a picture next to the text or embedded in the middle with text above and below
- Format the slide background to fill it with a picture that stretches out across the whole page and place a text box in front of the picture background
Once I've decided on the image approach I'll use, then I decide where to add my text blocks. PowerPoint provides two ways to add the text as well:
- Insert a Text Box and stretch it out to the desired width
- Insert a Shape and stretch it out to the desired width and height
- Then click in the Text Box or Shape and begin typing your verbal content. Or you can copy and paste text that you have already written somewhere else, such as a completed article or the script for a video.
I've created a short video above to show you the simple steps to create e-book content in PowerPoint. Watch the video and then please leave a comment below if you have any questions or if there is any else you want to learn about designing visual e-books in PowerPoint or other slide design software.
How to Get Your Free Template
I want to give you a free sample PowerPoint file with an e-book layout that you can use as a template. The file contains pages in different styles so you can easily choose which style to use (see comparison in the video).
To get my free template, there is no optin required. All you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog post AND on the video page in YouTube. You can even leave a question, if you want. I will respond to both your comments and I'll send the template to the email address you enter with the comment.
(NOTE: Your email address will not be visible. I will be able to see it as the Admin for this blog.)
Thanks! I look forward to seeing what you create!
Interactive Content Using Google+ Hangouts
I just finished this new infographic to show you some of the many ways you can use Google Hangouts to interact with your clients, prospects, and social media followers. The best place to view it is on Slideshare.net so I've embedded it below for you.
I know so many entrepreneurs and marketers who are not yet taking advantage of Google Hangouts! And I hear so many "complaints" or "excuses" about why they don't want to use Hangouts.
Like any new technology, there is definitely a learning curve. But Hangouts also offer a lot of opportunities that can't be found in older webinar platforms.
To help you and other entrepreneurs, marketers, and business owners become more familiar and more comfortable with Hangouts, I'm hosting a Hangout on Thursday, July 16, where we'll explore how you can create interactive content, user-generated content, and automatically build your video portfolio on YouTube.
Join us for some fun activities. Just sign up at my Google+ event: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/115544266364270781710/events/cali11502mjng9ee6u0fk60btdk or at my Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1460298967623698/
Once you let me know you're going to attend, I'll send you the instructions for joining the Hangout "live" so you can ask questions via microphone, instead of just typing in the chat, and you'll be able to participate in the learning games I'll introduce in this special Hangout. Don't miss it!
If you have any questions about Hangouts, leave a comment for me below and I'll respond as quickly as I can.
NOTE: If you're reading this blog post later and you've missed the live event, you can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/08Y-PzM6CZc


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Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
Comment | Oh wow! Such a clear and load of information in a single answer! Thanks for the insight of the processor, memory, and the graphics card. I always get confused about them. Awesome answer! |
Answers by Expert:
I have nearly two decades of experience in IT, computer repair, and related fields and will attempt to provide the most solid, brand-agnostic advice when it comes time to purchase a new computer, or upgrade an existing machine. I can answer anything from the seemingly basic to the downright complicated - and will do my best to provide this information in a clear and concise manner.
I have been an enthusiast of PC's for many years, and can answer questions about the purchase/use of a new computer or the purchase, installation, and use of upgrades for existing computers. There probably isn't a whole lot related to the home computer that I haven't seen over the years.
15+ years of experience


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Jae Crowder rips Celtics fans for cheering Utah's Gordon Hayward before victory over Jazz | 01.04.17 at 12:32 am ET |
Jae Crowder, in many ways, is the heart and soul of the Celtics. He's the one who basically said, "Who needs him?" after Kevin Durant spurned the C's this winter, and he was none too pleased with fans who cheered a rival on Tuesday night.
The C's beat the Jazz, 115-104, but what got Crowder going was the reaction to Jazz forward Gordon Hayward, a potential free agent target this summer. Celtics fans cheered Hayward during introductions and Crowder took it as an insult.
"I heard the cheering before the game," Crowder told reporters, including Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. "I didn't like that at all. I think that was a sign of disrespect to me from the fans. That sparked a little fire in me."
Hayward led the Jazz with 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting, but was a minus-21 overall. Crowder, meanwhile, scored 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 5-for-6 from 3-point range, and went for a plus-22. He kept up his diatribe on Twitter, in part, perhaps, because he and Hayward play the same position.
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) January 4, 2017
Give Crowder this much — he's consistent. If someone does something that ticks him off, he's not keeping his mouth shut about it.
That said, Hayward would be a valuable addition to the Celtics. The 6-foot-8 26-year-old is averaging over 22 points and 6 rebounds a game for the resurgent Jazz, who are 22-14 and ranked fifth in the Western Conference.
Win over Jazz reminded us it might be time to start finding out what Jaylen Brown is all about | 01.03.17 at 10:03 pm ET |
Sitting at No. 3? Jaylen Brown.
Such identifications start making some wonder. What if this player who was supposed to emerge into piece of the Celtics' foundation was a miss.
Brown came into the Celtics' tilt against the Jazz Tuesday night 24th among rookies in points per game (4.9), having also landed at 26th among the group for minutes per contest (13.4). Both classifications would certainly support the notion that things weren't going as planned for the No. 3 overall pick.
But the reality is that Brown will ultimately be just fine. And proof of the promise came in the Celts' 115-104 win over Utah, with the forward scoring 10 minutes in his 12 minutes. It was the first time since Dec. 11 he had totaled double-figures, and only third occasion since Nov. 11.
(For a complete recap of the Celtics' win, click here.)
With the roster as currently constituted, the Celtics will continue to patience. But performances like Tuesday night make one wonder if the training wheels might be at least loosened a bit.
Clearly, Celtics coach Brad Stevens wants to prioritize those who he know can defend off the bench. That was once again made clear with Stevens' comments prior to his latest win. And this might be a good reason while Brown hasn't played more than 18 minutes in any of the last 12 games.
But it would also behoove the Celtics to find out if Brown is ready to add some offensive electricity. It's not as if Brown hasn't been efficient, having made 10 of his last 16 shots from the field over the past three games.
And while it might seem this isn't a priority, especially considering the Celtics' offensive output the best of any opponent against the Jazz this season, time is somewhat of the essence. The C's simply have to start figuring out what they have — whether it's for their future, or somebody else's.
It's ironic that Joe Johnson was in uniform for the opposition on this night considering he represents what could be a very real scenario for Brown and the Celtics. It was Johnson who was dealt to the Suns by the C's after averaging 6.9 points in 48 games as a rookie.
That Johnson deal brought the Celtics Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk, and with them came a legitimate path to the Eastern Conference. At the time, it was worth it for the Celts. Now, with Brown as perhaps one of their best non-draft pick trade chips, they have to figure out if it's worth it once again.
Brad Stevens on Celtics defense: 'We don't have a chance to compete at a high level if we don't guard better' | 01.03.17 at 7:15 pm ET |
Before taking on the Jazz at TD Garden, coach Brad Stevens discussed how inconsistent the Celtics have been on the defensive end this season and why it's important for him to make the proper adjustments going forward.
The Celtics will certainly have their hands full on Tuesday, facing one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. The Jazz lead the league in fewest points allowed (94.5), are currently fourth in the Western Conference and riding high on a four-game winning streak.
Stevens broke down stretches throughout the season where he's seen his team defend poorly and why going to a 'small-ball lineup' against particular teams hurts them on the defensive end.
"Sometimes when we go small, we're really small so we've had to adjust that," Stevens explained. "First seven games we were atrocious, defensively — which would actually be a compliment to how we were. And then the last seven [games] we haven't guarded late, the middle 20 we were third in the league. So, we gotta be great, we gotta be great on that end if we wanna improve. Hopefully, we can be better at that as we head into this month and a half before the All-Star break because we don't have a chance to compete at a high level if we don't guard better."
The Celtics will certainly have their hands full in the low post, facing one of the league's most impressive big men in Rudy Gobert. Utah's defensive juggernaut is second in the league in blocks per game (2.60) behind Anthony Davis (2.62) and fifth in rebounding (12).
Offensively, he leads the league in field goal percentage shooting at a 69 percent clip.
"He's so big," Stevens said about Gobert. "If he catches the ball on a roll and even if you're there and he's inside six [or] five feet of the basket, there's a good chance you and the ball are both going into the basket together. He's great at lobs. He's gotten better, I think at finishing in traffic from what I've seen.
"He's a good offensive rebounder. And then they have a bunch of guys that can really shoot the ball so he gets looks because you're worried about the 3-point line. He's a really good player and he's having a great year."
Another player who's having a great season for the Jazz is their leading scorer, Gordon Hayward. Hayward is in the midst of the best season of his career, averaging 22.4 points a game while shooting 45 percent from the floor.
Why Danny Ainge's deal for Isaiah Thomas was the biggest steal of his tenure | 01.02.17 at 11:12 am ET |
No one knew it at the time but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made the biggest steal of his tenure in Boston when he traded for Isaiah Thomas in the final minutes before the 2015 NBA trade deadline.
On February 19, 2015 — a day that was marked the busiest NBA trade deadline day in 25 years — the Celtics acquired Thomas from the Suns in exchange for Marcus Thornton and the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2016 first-round pick.
For the Celtics, a team that was teetering between squeezing into the playoffs and entering a second consecutive draft lottery at the time, the deal pushed the ball forward in their rebuilding phase. It was clear Ainge wanted to see the Celtics blossom into a playoff team sooner rather than later, even if it meant a first-round sweep against the conference leading Cavaliers.
However, Ainge had his eyes on Thomas way before 2015's trade deadline. He observed the young prospect before the 2011 NBA Draft and reached out to Thomas moments after free agency opened its doors in the summer of 2014.
"Danny Ainge was the first person to call me at 12:01 a.m.," Thomas said back in 2014.
Instead of inking a deal with the Celtics, a team with the crowded back court of Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart at the time, Thomas signed a four-year, $27 million contract with the Suns. It was a modest deal but Thomas was still trying to prove himself as a back up point guard at that time. Today, that's a bargain to say the least as Thomas has reached new heights as one of the league's elite scorers.
Al Horford's sister says Celtics need center because her brother is better suited to power forward | 01.01.17 at 8:19 pm ET |
Anna Horford has the pulse of her brother's team. The sister of Celtics forward Al Horford is pleading with Danny Ainge to prioritize getting some help on the inside instead of going after scoring, suggesting a center would be a better addition than Atlanta forward Paul Millsap, (or perphaps Indiana forward Paul George). Millsap has been rumored to be available, with the 6-foot-8, 10-year veteran averaging 17.4 points and eight rebounds per game. George is one of a multitude of stars from around the league the Celtics have reportedly shown interest in, with Pacers teammate Monta Ellis possibly being involved in a potential deal. George has one year left on his contract, with a player option for 2017-18.
Paul is an excellent player, but the C's need a true center. We need Al at the 4
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) January 2, 2017
She then clarified her tweet a bit …
Al has undeniably proven himself as a successful center over his career, but adding some more height/solid backup would help tremendously. https://t.co/r5Ugn67LsP
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) January 2, 2017
Anna might ultimately get her wish when it's all said and done, with DeMarcus Cousins, Nerlens Noel and even Anthony Davis being mentioned as potentially available via a trade. Horford might also have a change of heart, which already seems to have happened after seemingly urging the Celtics to go after an outside presence just a few weeks back.
We really need more reliable shooters. #Celtics
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) December 23, 2016
It's time to start giving Isaiah Thomas the superstar status he deserves | 12.30.16 at 11:26 pm ET |
Isaiah Thomas deserves a different kind of conversation.
OK, maybe it took the Celtics guard scoring 52 points in his team's 117-114 win over the Heat Friday night to jump-start the conversation. And scoring a franchise-record 29 points in the fourth quarter — coming two away from Wilt Chamberlain's NBA mark, set in the Hall of Famer's 100-point game — certainly should allow for another night in the spotlight.
"It doesn't seem real," Thomas said after the performance. "It's crazy." But for 2016, this was the Celtics' David Ortiz. Thomas was the alpha dog. The guy who kept talks of competing beyond the regular season finale a reality.
Right now, as we sit here, there are three athletes who have established themselves as legitimate superstars during this calendar year. Tom Brady. Mookie Betts. Thomas. (You can make the case for Patrice Bergeron, Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, Rob Gronkowski, and maybe Brad Marchand, but each feel like they fall short of the others.)
But on virtually every day but the one he nets 52, Thomas is usually on the outskirts of such a conversation. Why?
Maybe it's because some haven't got past the fact this was a guy who was the very last pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Or perhaps it is because Danny Ainge only needed journeyman guard Marcus Thornton and a pick in the 2015 draft to get him from the Phoenix two seasons ago.
Yet the real reason we still don't want to immediately identify Thomas as a no-questions-asked foundation piece is something he brought up after getting doused with ice by his teammates in the Celtics' locker room.
"I do," said Thomas when asked if he felt there is a hesitation to lump him in with the league's superstars. "The only reason say that is because I'm 5-9. That's why they don't about me like they do the other guys. But I'm fine with it."
Once again, it's easy to bring this up now. It was the first time a Celtic had scored 50 or more points since Paul Pierce netted half a century in a double-overtime loss to Cleveland on Feb. 15, 2006. Only Larry Bird and Kevin McHale scored more points in a single game while wearing a Celtics uniform. And the nine three-pointers tied a club record, with Antoine Walker having managed the total twice.
"It just felt like I was out there by myself, like I was in the guy working on my game," Thomas said. "I was just throwing up everything and it was going in. It was a special feeling."
This, however, is bigger than just one night.
Thomas — who is now fifth in the NBA in scoring — has the skill and personality befitting those we hold above the rest. Last postseason, he was the one who called out his teammates after nobody could pry Atlanta's triple-team away from him. Time and time again, it is the guard who has let the Celtics' complementary players still win with their complementary skills. And Brad Stevens can be a good coach who wins in the NBA, because even the best coaches in this league need players who can score.
And all of this while paying him just more than $6 million this season and next before he finally is eligible for free agency after the 2017-18 season.
Thomas is keeper. That is one thing the Celtics should feel confident of heading into the new year.
"For me it feels normal," he said. "When I score and I put the numbers up that I do, I give credit to my teammates and this organization for believing in me. It feels normal. Everything I've always done in my whole life I've worked that hard for it. It's never felt like, 'I'm 5-9.' When I'm out there I feel like I'm 6-4. It's just the same as everybody else. Tonight was different. But everything else, it feels somewhat normal."
What was lesson Celtics learned after Isaiah Thomas' 52-point night? They need to get him some help | 12.30.16 at 9:56 pm ET |
This has nothing to do with the Celtics' 117-114 win over a bad Miami Heat team, back-to-back games, or not having Avery Bradley for Friday night's game.
What transpired against the Heat without Bradley — who missed his first game with an illness — was a familiar refrain. The Celtics needed scoring, so Isaiah Thomas scored. In this case, the production was in the form of 52 points and franchise-record nine three-pointers.
(For a complete recap, click here.)
Al Horford also offered his complementary output. But as has been the case for most of the last two seasons, the mish-mash of good-but-not great was good enough to beat a team like Miami, but not enough to get over the hump against the conference elite in Cleveland.
Thomas could do whatever he wanted against this collection of Heat. Try this strategy against any team with a record better than 10-24? Good luck.
Sure, Bradley and his 17.9 points a game would have helped. But without the guard, and even with Horford, this was a reminder of the pain that will ultimately be waiting in the postseason. The kind of pain that the Celtics became all-too-familiar with last April against the Hawks when Thomas finished off his season bemoaning triple-teams.
So, will this dynamic change before the Celtics really have to be judged against the best of the East?
It's not like legitimate Top 3 guys can be added without some discomfort. In the case of DeMarcus Cousins (whose game would be a perfect fit), the uneasiness comes with both the player's demeanor, and the cost to bring him in.
And really to reel in any available player similar to Cousin's caliber, the Celtics be ready to give up that Brooklyn pick. It is one that is looking better and better every day thanks to both the college prospects who might be available and the Nets' record. (Brooklyn owns the NBA's worst record after Friday night's loss.)
Perhaps Danny Ainge wants to ride this out. But the problem is if he does there really doesn't seem to a lot of hope for internal solutions.
Jae Crowder. Marcus Smart. Gerald Green. Jonas Jerebko. Terry Rozier. To think that any of of this group is going to offer the kind of consistent production needed to change the conversation isn't realistic.
Perhaps the best hope is Jaylen Brown, the rookie who once again showed flashes in his 15 minutes against the Heat. Brown finished with just six points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor, but with some increased confidence and playing time, he possesses the type of game of that can solve some problems.
Or maybe Brown becomes the kind of player teams will actually prioritize when looking to talk trade with the Celtics.
Isaiah (who, by the way, didn't have a single assist) needs some help. Until then, the Celtics will have to live on the edge they've found themselves the last two nights.
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text: DJI'S Got a Fancy New Interchangeable-Lens Camera For DronesMario Aguilar9/10/15 8:15pmFiled to: dronesdjizenmusex5183EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalinkFormidable camera drone manufacturer DJI makes pretty much the best kit you can get in the category these days. But just in case you want even better image quality from your camera in the sky, the company is releasing two new little 4K resolution, interchangeable-lens shooters that open up new options.AdvertisementThe new DJI Zenmuse X5 and X5R are interchangeable-lens cameras designed to work with DJI's awesome Inspire 1 prosumer drone. They're basically the same and we'll get to the difference below. The cameras both have a 16-megapixel micro-four-thirds image sensor. That's the same sensor format used by Olympus and Panasonic for their excellent interchangeable-lens cameras. And like those cameras, the Zenmuse duo each have a mft mount so you can swap lenses. The cameras hook to the drone on DJI's 3-axis gimbal, which keeps the image nice and steady. The cameras are capable of shooting at up to 4k resolution at either 24 or 30 frames per second.Why do you need a special new mft camera when so many already exist? Because with the X5s you can adjust focus and aperture from DJI's remote controllers as well as from the company's slick iPad app. Since this is the case, support needs to be added for each camera, and so only a handful of lenses work with the camera. From the release:AdvertisementAt the time of launch, the Zenmuse X5 will support 4 interchangeable lenses, including the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, Panasonic Lumix 15mm G Leica DG Summilux f/1.7 ASPH lens, Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f/2.0 lens, and Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 lens. While the Zenmuse X5 is in flight, pilots can adjust both focus and aperture via the DJI GO app or through DJI's previously-announced Follow Focus system. That gives you a range from wide-angle to a more natural field of view. (Double the mm numbers above to get the 35mm equivalent numbers.) It's worth noting that there are no super-wide fisheye type lenses or anything telephoto. And obviously nothing zooms, either.The difference between the X5 and X5R models is that the latter is capable of recording lossless CinemaDNG RAW video to either microSD or the 512GB SSD. In this mode, the camera records at a whopping average rate of 1.7Gbps—the standard X5 records at a maximum rate of 60Mbps.Now, the interchangeable lens rigs won't be cheap. The X5 and X5R will cost $4500 and $8000 respectively when bundled with the Inspire 1 and DJI's MFT 15mm f/1.7 lens. Considering the Inspire 1 with the standard camera costs $2900, that's a pretty big jump in either case. That said, the Inspire 1 was never really intended for regular consumers like the dope Phantom series is. Still, it's the new shooters are a pretty crazy indication of how fast the drone market is expanding. DJI's been killing it. Let's hope the price comes down on some interchangeable lens options?


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But New York decided to stick to its lackluster game plan and make it a complete half of ineptitude as QB Eli Manning stuck the ball in Tiki Barber's gut and watched the speedster plow up the middle for a measly yard to run out the clock. The strategy, supposedly, if you're losing 21-0 why take chances?
Somewhere even Chuck Knox was grumbling. On a day when the Giants needed a win badly to stay in a Wild Card playoff hunt with the Rams, their offense showed less enthusiasm than Dick Cheney being asked about Halliburton.
After the 1st quarter, the Giants' alleged secret-weapon, fullback Jim Finn, was the leading receiver with 2 catches for 8 yards. By the half, Manning completed an admirable 8-of-11 for 44 yards. Unfortunately, the Giants employed a rarely used horizontal passing game, which yielded short-chuck completions; the longest was 11 yards to Amani Toomer. Hilliard led the team at the half with 3 catches for 13 yards.
"We're not shocking people," said Barber glumly after the game, when a reporter asked him if the Giants offense was predictable. "We're not making big plays, we're not even making regular plays."
Coach Tom Coughlin, as usual, simplified the offense's pathetic performance. "You can't run the football if you can't … compete."
Giants guard Jason Whittle, one of the Giants responsible for Barber's 38-yard rushing day, said the Redskins came to stop the run and more than succeeded.
"They had an eight-man line a lot, but that's no excuse," Whittle said. "We have to find a way to run the ball, pound it in there . . . We didn't do it today."
The Redskins blitzing defense crushed the Giants. In fact, even though the Skins are just 4-8 and the victory was the team's first at FedEx Field since opening day, they played like a team hungry for the playoffs.
"It wasn't just a matter of pride, but attitude too," said Redskins defensive end Renaldo Wynn. "When you look at the Giants success on offense, it's been because of Tiki Barber. He's having his best year, so we were going to stop him whether it was running or catching screen passes."
For former Giant Cornelius Griffin the victory meant a lot more than being on the cover of the Redskins game program. "They beat us that first game and we had some turnovers and they had that big score over the top (Kurt Warner's 38-yarder to Tim Carter)," he said. "So we poured our hearts into it and we knew we were going to get them this time. We knew it."
They got them by strangle-holding the Giants offense to just 7 first downs and just 19:31 of total possession.
With the Redskins controlling the clock for 40:29 of the 60 minutes, the Giants offense was more rested than Hugh Hefner. Unfortunately, they played like they had bed bruises.
"We were trying to run the ball, but we couldn't get that going," said Manning, now 0-3 as a starter. "They were stacking eight, nine players in the box. We tried to run the ball, but we couldn't get that . . . we just didn't get into a rhythm and make consecutive good plays."
Or any plays that looked good at all.
Game Notes
Barber Bottled Up: Coming into the game with 1,154 yards and a gaudy 5.2-yard average, Tiki Barber instead put up Ron Dayne-type numbers. Not in carries, but yards. In the first half, Barber ran 9 times for just 19 yards. His longest carry was 2 yards. He finished the day with just 38 yards and a pitiful 2.3 average.
Feagles flogged: For the second straight week, Jeff Feagles had a punt blocked. This time it came with 3:09 left in the second quarter when Redskins cornerback Walt Harris slapped it away. Forty-eight seconds later, Ramsey extended the lead to 14-0 on a 9-yard TD pass to tight end Robert Royal. For the day, Feagles punted five times for just a 30.2-yard average.
Ward Up: The game's only bright spot came with 5:38 left in the third quarter. After Redskins kicker John Hall booted a 46-yarder to extend the lead to 24-0, Giants rookie Derrick Ward returned the kickoff 92 yards for the Giants only score. "The play was designed to start from the left and bounce right, but I saw a great hole because of great blocks by Ron Dayne and Marcellus Rivers," Ward said of his first NFL touchdown. "I just saw a crease and just hit it."
Closing time: With 8:15 left, after Manning's 4th down pass to Amani Toomer hit the ground, many Redskins fans hit the parking lot leading 31-7. The rest stayed to savor the blowout.
Ramsey Rolls: Playing second fiddle to Mark Brunell through the first part of the season, QB Patrick Ramsey rolled the Redskins to his first victory this season as the starter. The 3rd-year pro tossed 3 touchdowns in a 19-for-22, 174-yard day and a blistering 139.2 rating.
Nothing Defensive: The only defensive outpouring came after the game when the Giants defensive players, understandably, weren't too happy to answer questions. The team made the 4-8 Redskins, who hadn't scored more than 18 points all season, look like the Indianapolis Colts. Clinton Portis, who had averaged just 3.9 yards a carry going into the game, strutted his stuff with 148 yards and a Broncos-like 4.8-yard average. He even donned his special boxing championship belt as the game ended.
Bye, Bye Playoffs: Remember when the Giants were 5-2? John Kerry was still a presidential hopeful. Now with five-straight losses, the Giants are sliding faster than Jason Giambi's Hall-of-Fame chances. With upcoming games against tough Ravens and Steelers defenses, young Manning and the Giants are all but finished.
Inactives: Rookie Chris Snee woke up Sunday morning with swollen glands below his chin and was a last-minute inactive. Wayne Lucier replaced him at right guard. Rookie safety Gibril Wilson missed his third-consecutive game with a neck injury. DT Norman Hand was out with a groin pull. William Joseph started in his place. Newly signed DT Damane Duckett was also inactive. Other inactives: LB T.J. Hollowell, RB Mike Cloud, WR Willie Ponder and QB Jesse Palmer.


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Our dominant cultural image of barbarians is of filthy, illiterate, bloodthirsty brutes: imagine a fur-clad, lice-infested savage ferociously raiding a village, axe in one hand and torch in the other, who then heartily celebrates with a flagon of ale and a giant roasted leg of some animal or another. Barbarians are noted for their contempt for and domination of the weak, yet barbarians are also admired for their brawn and tenacity: think of Conan the Barbarian and other pop-culture images of warrior-heros who spurn the refinements and discourse of civilized culture and deal with problems through the sword and conquest.
Historically, the term "barbarian" came from the ancient Greeks, who heard the unfamiliar languages of other peoples as the nonsense syllables "bar, bar," akin to our word "blah" (if we were to invent the term today we would call him Conan the Blahblahian!). Of course, not all peoples who were foreign to the Greeks were uncivilized or primitive. Nor were the Vikings or Mongols or other groups upon whom Western cultural images of barbarians are based, who had developed sophisticated ways of dealing with their problems, and who were in many ways were more sophisticated than the medieval Europeans who judged them barbarous -- especially in the case of Arabs. Indeed, Middle Age Europeans were themselves rude, filthy, illiterate, and belligerent brutes, and the Romans who had preceded them had been cruel and oppressive, and only differed from "barbarians" in that they had learned how to effectively organize large armies and large cities, and to engineer and build massive structures with marble and concrete.
Barbarism still exists today, despite all the advances of modernity and science; but the real barbarians are not to be found among the Earth's few remaining hunter-gatherer tribes, but among the most modern and technologically advanced societies. Modern barbarians are barbarians with toys, possessors of all the sophisticated technological devices and organizational structures created by science and other forms of modern knowledge. Advances in technology and technique have been harnessed not to create a paradise on Earth in which all human beings can flourish, but to serve primitive, impulsive drives, and to perpetuate them.


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Thanks I may head to Walmart to try GIT.
Yeah I got this a few years ago and didn't click right away, but I've taken to it. It's got a nice wood-y "Ellsworth Kelly working in a barn-coverted-studio out in Connecticut" vibe to me.
You mentioned florals a couple days ago. Today for me: Givenchy Insensé.
It's a little more thoughtful/complex than the name and "Friends"-esque ad suggests.
Puredistance - M, for me today
I was thinking about that a couple days ago as I was demonstrating Pricentile to the wife of a friend. I asked her what he wore so we could look for it, and she said "I don't let him wear anything, cologne stinks". That's also what I had thought recently about my MFK Aqua Vitae Forte after it hung on for 2 days and 3 showers.
Mainstream fragrances in their race to the formula cost bottom and to win the 10 seconds on-strip in-the-mall race, have ended up creating highly projecting, pungent scents with no link to anything warm blooded like a musk deer. Like my friend's wife, I do think most of them "stink" (a different kind of stink) and MKK is, in contrast, easy on the nose.
I'm preparing a nice little article on how MSRP varies between countries. Some fun insights so far. I wonder why for some products, brands don't let sites display MSRP at all...
Heads up, Surrender to Chance has a Guerlain closing out sale: http://surrendertochance.com/guerlain-closeout-sale/
40% off at checkout with guerlain40.


text: Compact Shielding of Graphene Monolayer Leads to Extraordinary SERS-Active Substrate with Large-Area Uniformity and Long-Term StabilityXiangjiang Liu, Jiajun Wang, Yichen Wu, Tianren Fan, Yang Xu, Longhua Tang +1 otherScientific reports2015Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can significantly boost the inherently weak Raman scattering signal and provide detailed structural information and binding nature of the molecules on the surface. Despite the long history of this technology, SERS has yet to become a sophisticated analytical tool in practical applications. A major obstacle is the… (More)


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text: Welcome to the Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills South - the closest hotel to the Silverdome stadium in Pontiac, MI. Centrally located in the Chrysler Headquarters, west of I-75 and south of Featherstone Drive, our stylish Auburn Hills hotel offers easy access to fantastic shopping opportunities at The Somerset Collection and Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and sports and entertainment at the nearby Palace of Auburn Hills. Oakland University, Oakland Community College, Baker College and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School are just two miles from our welcoming hotel in Auburn Hills, MI.


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The League supports legislation that seeks to protect our country from the physical, economic and public health effects of climate change while also providing pathways to economic prosperity.
World leaders in Paris put people before polluters when the world's countries agreed to reduce carbon pollution. The Paris agreement is an historic moment in the fight against climate change. The agreement, signed by nearly 200 countries, will work to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon pollution.
LWVUS joined a letter with organizations from across the country urging congress to reject amendments to the FY 2016 budget that would undermine the EPA's Clean Water Rule.
The League joined a letter sent to the U.S. Senate urging members to oppose S.J. Res 23 and S.J. Res 24, legislation that would permanently block the Clean Power Plan.
November 16, 2015
Dear Senator,
On behalf of our millions of members, the undersigned organizations urge you to oppose Senators McConnell and Capito's Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval (S.J. Res. 23 and 24) that would permanently block the EPA's Clean Power Plan.
Earlier this year, the Obama Administration finalized the Clean Power Plan, which protects public health, creates thousands of efficiency-related jobs, reduces electricity bills for Americans and delivers power reliably. Unfortunately, members of the House and Senate are attempting to permanently block this important regulation.
The deadline to submit your comments in support of the Environmental Protection Agency's first-ever methane pollution standard is quickly approaching. We need you to add your voice to other pro-environment supporters from around the country telling the EPA these regulations are an important step forward to protect public health and our planet.
The Obama Administration issued a full rejection of the permits necessary to build the Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline last week! This is a major victory for the League, environmental groups and pipeline fighters around the country. It's also a major victory for the health and welfare of the American people and our planet.
"The League applauds the historic step made by the Obama Administration to fully reject the Keystone XL pipeline," said Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters of the United States.
The League sent a letter to the U.S. Senate opposing any attempt to block the implementation of the Administrations Clean Power Plan. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can review the implementation of regulations developed by the Administration. Members of the LWVUS Lobby Corps will be visiting Senate offices to discuss this groundbreaking regulation that will save lives and protect the environment.
The League submitted written comments to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB). The comment are in regard to the EPA SAB's study on the effects that hydraulic fracturing has on drinking water sources.
"This is disappointing and a further call to action for regulation of ozone pollution that puts American's health first and foremost," said Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters of the United States.
The 2016-2018 edition of the guide to the League's public policy positions.
In-depth information and ideas for action to promote strong climate and energy policies in your community, state and at the federal level.


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Luchitas Restaurant was once a great place to go, but then the service and food declined. They are no longer at this location BUT Don Tequila's is there and the food is very good. When I say very good, I mean Don Tequila's is very good.
Does this restaurant have a full bar?
Is this restaurant good for dining on a budget?
Is this restaurant wheelchair accessible?
Can a vegetarian person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Does this restaurant accept reservations?
Does this restaurant have waiters and waitresses?
Is this restaurant appropriate for Kids?
Is this restaurant good for dinner?
Is this restaurant good for lunch?
Does this restaurant have tables with seating?
Thanks for helping!
Share another experience before you go.Luchitas Restaurant was once a great place to go, but then the service and food declined. They are no longer at this location BUT Don Tequila's is there and the food is very good. When I say very good, I mean Don Tequila's is very good.
Nice food seemed freshly made with actual vegetables. For example broccoli in the fajitas. About 5 minutes off I-90 at Elyria exit. About two minutes past Sam's club
This place is now a Don Tequila. It's not as good as the one in Amherst bur it is ok if you're in the area.
Don Tequilas bought out Lucitas , when it failed . New owners also have restaurant on west side of Lorain and food just as good. Try both.
The food is very bland. Service was okay. I would go back but only with friends and for the margaritas.
Nice variety in the menu...I have tried lots of new things like cactus salad. And Tony makes the place warm and friendly!
brought us wrong appetizer, brought us wrong main course.
Luchita's has incredible tastes out of this restaurant for their Mexican dishes. In house salsa and chips were made from scratch without lime. On demand, we got three kinds of Mexican hot sauce. However, its flavorful and spicy without. The veggie & cheese enchilada's with spinach tasted spicy and the beans and rice was cooked to perfection! Cheese enchiladas with... More
The service was great but the food wasn't great.... The chicken seemed like it came out of a can right before we got our food. The prices were also rather high for your typical restaurant. The only good this was the drinks.
Everyone is always talking about how great this place is, but I don't really get it. It's not bad at all, but I definitely wouldn't say its great. Prices are slightly higher than most and the portions are average or smaller. It's not bad at all, I just don't get what all the fuss is about.
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
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What's Next for Weatherization: Community Energy LeadershipI just posted another blog entry about the NCAF Energy conference, What's Next for Weatherization--Pioneers in Community Energy Leadership… Started by Tom White |
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Welcome to Home Energy Pros – the unique digital community by and for those who work in the home energy performance arena.
Home Energy Pros was founded by the developers of Home Energy Saver Pro (supported by the U.S. Department of Energy) and brought to you in partnership with Home Energy magazine. Home Energy Pros is sponsored by the Better Buildings Residential Network. Please honor our Guidelines


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Bullet Keychains, Etc. |
MISCELLANEOUS Currently, I make all the bullet key chains, pens, dummy rounds, and wood products on my website. However, other items will be added that I don't make. I will make that distinction in my ads. Some items might be added to my website other than ammo oriented pieces. For instance: while I have no connection to the practice of Voodoo, I have a client who I make good luck charms and such that reflect beliefs in Voodoo. Actually, the client is not involved with the practice either, but it offers the charms in his store. They are popular. Most of these I make. These include chicken foot fetishes, decorated good luck charms that are placed over a door, on a rear view mirror and the like. These are supposed to afford good luck, protection, and financial prosperity. I also, will be offering real alligator tooth key chains legally obtained from Louisiana Alligator Farms. I make these. They may be available in necklaces as well. Just don't be surprised as to what might show up on my website store! Volume orders---I would entertain any request in this direction. However, since I build my pieces by hand, any volume might be restricted by the amount of product I could make. They would be great as door prizes at shooting events, fund raisers, or any other reason. Contact me. We will see what we can work out. |
Bullet Key Chain Pill Keeper (Novelty Item) Aluminum bullet shaped key chain with clear vial inside. End screws off to reveal secret compartment. $9.99 |
ROACH-X Insect Removal and Utility Tool Specializing in Roach Removal $19.99 each |
308 Pipe Tamper 308 Brass Base and Cherry Wood Tip. Each Wood Tip Hand Carved. $17.99 each |
Cherry Wood Pipe Tamper Made from cherry wood, collector's piece. Hand made by Bullet Keychains Etc. and set in a AK47 brass case. A must for pipe smokers. $17.99 each |
ROACH-X SHORTY Insect Removal and Utility Tool Specializing in Roach Removal $12.95 each |


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These beautiful traditional cookies will go down a treat this Christmas.
No need to break the mold this season. There's a reason these traditional cookies have been around for hundreds of years!
"This is the same recipe that I received from my great grandmother some 50 years ago."
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California Sire Benchmark Pensioned
Prominent California stallion Benchmark, sire of champion Points Offthebench and several other grade I winners, has been pensioned from stud duty due to fertility issues, Ballena Vista Farm announced April 21.
Initially, the farm thought Benchmark was physically and reproductively capable of another season and was bred to a handful of mares the first two months of the 2014 season. The 23-year-old son of Alydar failed to impregnate them and will now join Beau Genius as a fellow retiree at the Ramona, Calif. farm.
Throughout his stud career Benchmark has been a stalwart of the California breeding industry. He had nine consecutive years of more than $2.3 million in progeny earnings and has total progeny earnings of $30.1 million through April 20. His 41 stakes winners and 10 graded stakes winners from 742 foals in 13 crops of racing age, include 2013 champion sprinter Points Offthebench as well as grade I winners Brother Derek , Idiot Proof, and Silent Sighs.
Upon his retirement from stud, Benchmark is the leading son of Alydar by progeny earnings. He currently ranks sixth on the California general sires list and topped the state's sire list by number of winners in 2009 and 2010.
Benchmark was a multiple graded stakes winner for owner Martin and Pam Wygod. He posted a 7-2-4 record from 16 career starts while earning $636,707. His record includes three grade II wins in 1997: the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap, Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap and San Bernardino Handicap. He also placed second or third in four other graded stakes including the 1998 Triple Bend Invitational Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. I).
Benchmark was bred in Kentucky North Central Bloodstock out of the graded stakes-placed Danzig mare Winters' Love, a half sister to 1983 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Caveat. He is a half brother to grade I winner Tranquility Lake, the dam of grade I winners Courageous Cat and After Market and group II winner Jalil.
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- Kentucky Horse Park to Celebrate Man 'o War
- Spiral Stakes Provides Road to the Derby Option


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Panjim to Baroda - Bus Fare & Timings
- Bus-operator From To Cheapest Fare
- Mahavat Travels Panjim Baroda Rs.1900 Mahavat Travels operates 6 buses from Panjim to Baroda with starting price of Rs.1900. First bus starts at 11:30 AM and last bus at 12:15 PM.
- Neeta Travels Panjim Baroda Rs.1730 Neeta Travels operates 3 buses from Panjim to Baroda with starting price of Rs.1730. First bus starts at 07:00 PM and last bus at 08:30 PM.
- Paulo Travels Panjim Baroda Rs.1802 Paulo Travels operates 2 buses from Panjim to Baroda with starting price of Rs.1802. First bus starts at 07:45 AM and last bus at 05:15 PM.
Panjim to Baroda Bus Services
There are 2 bus operator(s) providing bus service from Panjim to Baroda. The top bus operator(s) for Panjim to Baroda route is Paulo Travels. The first bus from Panjim departs at 07:49 AM and is operated by Paulo Travels and the last bus departs at 05:30 PM and is operated by Neeta Travels. The minimum fare from Panjim to Baroda Bus is Rs. 2500.00/- departing at 07:49 AM. One can also avail of Volvo AC, Volvo AC Sleeper, AC Sleeper, AC Seater, Non AC Sleeper, Non AC Seater on this route. The bus(es) usually take a maximum of 22 hours to complete the journey. The most preferred pickup points for Panjim to Baroda buses are Bicholim-Nr Shantadurga School , Mapusa Opp to Taxi Stand , Sanquelim Nr Chanda Novelty Tr . Some of the other famous operators plying on this route are Goa Kadamba, MSRTC Shivneri Bus.
About Baroda
Baroda, also called as Vadodara, it is the most important city of Gujarat and is located on the banks of River Vishwamitri. Baroda is being stated as the (Sanskari Nagri) cultural capital of Gujarat and is blended with IT and new industries. Museums, forts, palaces and parks are some of the interesting places to explore. The city today has now turned out to be the cosmopolitan city with rapid changes taking place culturally and industrially. Though the city is counted as cultural city, the nightlife of the city is changing rapidly and is now being matched with other cosmopolitan cities across India. Some of the major tourist locations of Baroda are: Laxmi Vilas Palace, ISCKON, Maharaja Fatesingh Museum, S-Cube Water Park, Motibaug Palace and other locations to explore.


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Thanks for making Tennessee a healthier state.
of people from all walks of life all across this great state banding together to improve our health.
To reduce stress, maintain a healthy weight, and feel better.
To increase your energy and take control of your weight.
To reduce the risk of disease and save money.
The Governor's Foundation for Health and Wellness is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to enabling and encouraging Tennesseans to lead healthier lives. Based in Nashville, the Foundation brings together a statewide coalition of employers, health insurers, hospital systems, local governments, school systems and healthcare-focused foundations and community organizations to effect positive, measurable change.
The Foundation's Healthier Tennessee initiative strives to increase the number of Tennesseans who are physically active for at least 30 minutes five times a week, promote a healthy diet, and reduce the number of people who use tobacco. The Foundation is funded through a combination of public and private-sector sources and is guided by a board of directors. A staff of eight professionals has been assembled to direct the Foundation and implement the Healthier Tennessee initiative.
CEO, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee
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CEO, Governor's Foundation for Health & Wellness
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MBA, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO, Vanderbilt Health System
Senior VP, HR, Eastman Chemical Co.
CMO, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
CEO, State Collaborative on Reforming Education
Leading experts from colleges and universities, healthcare, business and industry, and public service meet periodically with the Foundation's staff to review programs and provide guidance, advice, and direction.


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Beyond Average Wholesale Price…. Sapna N. Patel UCSF Pharm. D. Candidate 2008 Preceptor Dr. Craig S. Stern March 13, 2008
Relevance to Pro Pharma Average Wholesale Price (AWP) originally considered payment benchmark Pending lawsuit settlement may cause AWP discontinuation Alternatives to AWP create differences in contracts between Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and clients Clients may have increased drug product expenditures as payment benchmarks change Pro Pharma consultants must take an active role in learning alternative pricing strategies and how they are used to help save clients from increased costs
Contracts with PBMs Clients make prescription coverage contracts with PBMs Unclear contract definitions of pricing terms and lack of disclosure increase costs for the client PBMs obtain much higher discounts for drug purchases that do not translate to client plans (ex: higher AWP markdowns) Contracts need to be clarified to achieve savings with new price benchmarks
Average Wholesale Price (AWP) AWP does not represent the true cost of the product to purchasers so several new drug payment benchmarks as alternative options more representative of true costs AWP= WAC + 20%
Alternatives to AWP Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) Average Sales Price (ASP)
WAC list price, wholesale net price, book price Cost that wholesalers pay manufacturers for drug products Serves as basis for price negotiation between manufacturers and private payers (discounts and rebates are subtracted from WAC) for both medical and pharmacy benefit products
Calculating WAC Price varies by manufacturer Each manufacturer has their own formula (not readily accessible) to determine the price First DataBank, Medispan, and Red Book report WAC prices based on information supplied by manufacturer AWP = WAC + 20%
WAC Pros: Publicly available Published on daily basis Payment benchmark Cons: Not available on all drug products Varies by manufacturer Non-inclusive of negotiated discounts and rebates between manufacturer and private payers Does not apply to generic drugs under Medicaid
AMP Average price paid by retail pharmacies or drug wholesalers to manufacturers for drug products distributed to retail pharmacies Made by CMS for determining Medicaid rebates Replaced AWP for calculating the Federal Upper Limit (FUL)-currently set as 250% of drugs AMP
Calculating AMP Computed every quarter by individual drug manufacturers Total retail sales dollar value per each drug type and strength/ # units sold
AMP Pros Publicly available Reported monthly Initiation as benchmark in Medicaid generic reimbursement Cons Lag time to publication Can be below the acquisition cost of independent pharmacies Variable, based on individual manufacturers sales data Brand-name Medicaid drug products still use AWP
ASP Close match to the manufacturer reported actual sale price Includes discounts based on volume, rebates and other price reductions Replaced AWP as a payment method for drugs under Medicares medical benefit
Calculating ASP ASP is the weighted average of all nonfederal sales to wholesalers Net price= Drug Cost- Discounts, rebates, and other benefits tied to the purchase of the drug product, whether paid to the wholesaler or retailer Physician Office Drugs/Medicare Part B: ASP+6%
ASP Pros Publicly available Reimbursement incentives for preferred, lower-cost products Reduces drug payments for Medicare versus AWP Larger groups pay lower prices Cons 6-12 month lag time from sale to publication Volume based discounts- disadvantage to small buyers Preference for highest cost drug products Medicare Reimbursement (ASP+6%) creates difficulty in retrieving acquisition costs of infrequently used drugs
Summary Alternatives to AWP will create differences in contracts between PBMs and clients Clients need to be concerned about contracts as these payment shifts occur to prevent increasing costs Pro Pharma consultants must also be aware contracts in regards to use of alternative pricing options and their applications in an effort to save clients from unnecessary drug product costs
References 1.http://www.amcp.org/amcp.ark?p=1529B561 AMCP Guide to Pharmaceutical Payment Methods 2.http://www.amcp.org/amcp.ark?c=amcp_search&sc=index &v=a/glossary of managed care terms. March 4, 2008. 3.http://www.amcp.org/amcp.ark?c=amcp_search&sc=index &v=a/A Guide to Understanding Common Prescription Drug Pricing Terms. March 4, 2008. 4. Borden,D,Breimhorst M, Change in AWP Pricing Methodology-Class Action Settlement. Pharmaceutical Strategies Group. 5. http://www.wdstudio.ca/demos/pbc/wp- content/uploads/2007/10/contracts-article-for-website-th- 92707.doc
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