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- Nano Express
- Open Access
CeO2-based catalysts with engineered morphologies for soot oxidation to enhance soot-catalyst contact
- Paolo Miceli1,
- Samir Bensaid1,
- Nunzio Russo1 and
- Debora Fino1Email author
© Miceli et al.; licensee Springer. 2014
- Received: 15 March 2014
- Accepted: 3 May 2014
- Published: 23 May 2014
As morphology plays a relevant role in solid/solid catalysis, where the number of contact points is a critical feature in this kind of reaction, three different ceria morphologies have been investigated in this work as soot oxidation catalysts: ceria nanofibers, which can become organized as a catalytic network inside diesel particulate filter channels and thus trap soot particles at several contact points but have a very low specific surface area (4 m2/g); solution combustion synthesis ceria, which has an uncontrolled morphology but a specific surface area of 31 m2/g; and three-dimensional self-assembled (SA) ceria stars, which have both high specific surface area (105 m2/g) and a high availability of contact points. A high microporous volume of 0.03 cm3/g and a finer crystallite size compared to the other morphologies suggested that self-assembled stars could improve their redox cycling capability and their soot oxidation properties. In this comparison, self-assembled stars have shown the best tendency towards soot oxidation, and the temperature of non-catalytic soot oxidation has dropped from 614°C to 403°C in tight and to 552°C in loose contact conditions, respectively. As far as the loose contact results are concerned, this condition being the most realistic and hence the most significant, self-assembled stars have exhibited the lowest T10% onset temperature of this trio (even after ageing), thus proving their higher intrinsic activity. Furthermore, the three-dimensional shape of self-assembled stars may involve more of the soot cake layer than the solution combustion synthesis or nanofibers of ceria and thus enhance the total number of contact points. The results obtained through this work have encouraged our efforts to understand soot oxidation and to transpose these results to real diesel particulate filters.
- Soot oxidation
- Diesel particulate filter
- Ceria
- Catalyst morphology
An increasing share of the automobile market has been gained by diesel engines on-board passenger cars, over the last two decades, as they are more fuel economic than gasoline vehicles. However, diesel engines entail a more challenging reduction of pollutant emissions. Particulate matter (PM) is a complex aerosol composed of nanosized carbonaceous particles (called soot) on which soluble hydrocarbons, sulphates and metals adhere through complex filtration and oxidation phenomena. These particulates have diameters that range from a few nanometers to hundreds of nanometers and beyond[1]. This means serious problems in terms of human respiratory diseases and environmental issues[2, 3].
Driven by compulsory legislation, the reduction in PM emission is currently a technological challenge from both the engine and the catalyst points of view. In the past, many efforts were devoted to the development of catalytic diesel particulate filters (DPF), in order to achieve a cheaper and more effective solution than fuel-borne catalysts (FBC), which had proved to produce more pulmonary intrusion particles[4]. The DPF is a ceramic filter with alternate-plugged channels, in which the flue gases enter the open channels at the inlet, cross the porous ceramic wall of the channel, where soot particles are retained, and finally exit the filter from the neighbouring channels. The soot particles deposit in the pores of the ceramic walls and progressively form a soot layer on top of the wall, which is called cake[5]. The latter generates a drop in pressure across the filter, which becomes unsustainable for the engine; therefore, the cake periodically needs to be burned off, in order for the filter to regenerate. Regeneration is currently achieved through the post-injection of fuel from the engine[6, 7], which causes a relevant fuel penalty for modern engines.
Currently, the combination of a trap with an oxidative catalyst is commonly adopted. This involves the deposition of noble metals on carriers with a high surface area, such as zeolites or γ-alumina, or those with redox properties, like ceria (CeO2) in pure or doped form[8, 9]. It is common knowledge that rare earth metals, like ceria, are less expensive than classic noble metals and leave a lower transformation carbon footprint, which makes these materials more sustainable. Replacing noble metals with rare earth ones, or lowering the content of the former, would be a remarkable result in economic and environmental terms.
In this work, ceria-based catalysts have been investigated as active carriers to improve soot oxidation. In particular, three different morphologies have been proposed. Having redox properties, the Ce4+/Ce3+ cycle can store oxygen in lean conditions and then provide it in rich conditions to promote oxidation at the soot-catalyst interface[10]. This ability depends to a great extent on the intrinsic activity of the catalyst and on the properties of the reaction surfaces[11]. Redox-capable catalysts are developed by increasing oxygen mobility with vacancies, by exposing particularly active crystalline planes[12], or by enhancing the oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of catalysts in order to rapidly restore the oxidation state of the active metal following soot oxidation[13].
Another important fact is that soot oxidation is a solid-solid catalysis, and it is necessary to take into account the importance of the soot/catalyst contact conditions, which can basically be of two kinds: tight contact and loose contact. It has been demonstrated, in a real DPF, that loose contact takes place[14] and, in these conditions, the activity of the catalyst is not the only important feature: an engineered morphology has to be designed to achieve better results.
On the basis of this evidence, new morphologies were investigated in previous works[9, 11], and in particular, a fibrous structure of the ceria-based carrier was proposed with the aim of maximizing contact between the catalyst and the soot particles. Despite their low specific surface area (SSA), these fibers in fact have a filamentous structure which enhances the number of soot-fiber contact points and, in some cases, show better performances than foamy or higher SSA nanopowders, obtained with the solution combustion synthesis (SCS) technique[9, 11]. This proves that specific surface area is not the only important factor in solid-solid catalysis and that tailored morphologies can be achieved even with low specific areas.
This concept is extremely important, given the application field of these catalysts, which have to be layered on the surface of the DPF channels. A morphology that could intercept a higher fraction of the soot cake, with a better penetration of the catalytic layer inside the soot cake, would improve the regeneration phase.
As a result, a comparison of the three different ceria morphologies, namely the nanofibers, self-assembled stars and the nanopowders obtained by SCS, has been performed in the following study.
Three different synthesis techniques were adopted in this study:
▪ The CeO2 nanofibers were synthesized by means of the precipitation/ripening method[9, 15]: starting from a 1 M aqueous solution of cerium (III) nitrate hexahydrate precursor (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA, 99%), the fibers were synthesized using a rotary evaporator and varying the NaOH/citric acid molar ratio. The residence time and conditions inside the evaporator led to different morphologies. A clear fibrous structure was obtained for a ratio of 0.8 at a constant temperature of 60°C for 6 h. One-hour drying at 110°C and calcination for 5 h in air at 600°C were performed. These processes did not cause the fibrous structure to collapse after the thermal treatment.
▪ The CeO2 self-assembled stars were prepared by mixing 0.2 M of cerium (III) chloride heptahydrate, 0.01 M of CTAB (both from Sigma-Aldrich) aqueous solutions and 80 mmol of solid urea. A hydrothermal treatment at 120°C for 12 to 24 h led to a precipitate, which was centrifuged, rinsed, filtered, dried at 60°C for 24 h and finally calcined at 600°C for 4 h[16]. The residence time inside the reactor in hydrothermal conditions affects the size and shape of these systems, as will be shown later on.
▪ The SCS was also used for the ceria catalyst preparation[17] in order to compare the foamy catalyst obtained with this technique with the above-mentioned alternative morphologies. In the SCS technique, a homogeneous aqueous solution of metal nitrates and urea is placed in an oven set at a constant temperature of 650°C. The solution quickly begins to boil and froth, and ignition then takes place. The exothermic reaction, due to urea combustion, provides the heat necessary for the endothermic transformation of nitrates into the desired oxide. The whole process is over in a few minutes, and the result is a foam that crumbles easily. In this case, the size and shape of the CeO2 structures were not tunable as in the other two cases, although a foamy structure and a moderate SSA were easily reached.
All the aforementioned CeO2 morphologies were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (PW1710 Philips diffractometer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, equipped with a Cu Kα radiation monochromator to check that the cerium oxide crystalline structure had been achieved and to estimate the average crystallite size via the Debye-Scherrer technique. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM, Leo 50/50 VP Gemini column) was used to analyze the morphology of the CeO2 structures and to correlate it to its activity towards soot oxidation. A BET analysis (Micromeritics ASAP 2010 analyzer, Norcross, GA, USA) was conducted to evaluate the specific surface area of the catalysts and to perform a porosimetry analysis of the prepared catalysts. An ageing thermal treatment was performed for all three catalysts at 600°C for 5 h in order to have a better understanding of their reliability and performances under stressed conditions, namely when exposed to high temperatures for a certain period.
Temperature-programmed combustion tests (TPC) were run to establish the oxidation activity of the catalysts, both in tight contact, in order to assess their intrinsic activity, and in loose contact, in order to evaluate their behaviour in more realistic conditions.
The tight contact was prepared by ball milling the catalysts and soot for 15 min at 240 rpm; this creates a intimate contact between the two phases and is helpful to discriminate the activity of the different morphologies. Only two 1 cm diameter agate balls were used instead of standard four to prevent breaking of the delicate micrometric structures during milling, as it had been noticed during the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, that severe mechanical stress could wreck such engineered morphologies. Loose contact was obtained by gently mixing the catalyst and soot with a spatula by hand for a minute. This technique, which is quick and easy but with reproducible results, simulates the real contact conditions for soot and a catalyst inside a DPF since the cake deposits on the filter channels without any external compaction force.
TPC runs were made with a PID-regulated tubular oven, into which a U-tube quartz reactor with the catalytic bed had been inserted. The temperature rose till 750°C at 5°C/minute, while 100 ml/min of 10% O2 (obtained by dilution of air with N2) was made to flow through a fixed bed of 5 mg of Printex-U synthetic soot (Degussa, Essen, Germany), 45 mg of catalyst and 200 mg of silica, according to the standard operating procedure described in[11], with the only difference being an increased amount of silica in the catalytic bed, to achieve a better temperature homogeneity. The CO/CO2 concentration in the outlet gas was measured via NDIR analyzers (by ABB). Each test was repeated three times to ensure reproducibility of the obtained results. The peak temperature, Tp, in the TPC plot of the outlet CO2 concentration was taken as an index of the catalytic activity. The onset (T10%) combustion temperature, defined as the temperature at which 10% of the initial soot is converted, was also considered in order to better discriminate between the intrinsic catalytic activities of the prepared catalysts. The half conversion temperature (T50%) was also taken into account. The onset temperature is important to rank the catalysts, according to the catalytic reaction; other phenomena (such as mass transfer or diffusion limitations) may in fact influence the performances of catalysts at higher conversion stages.
The modification to the inert silica content in the bed composition led to slightly different oxidation temperatures for the materials tested in[11], especially as far as the onset temperature was concerned. In fact, the higher dilution heat capacity of the here adopted silica bed was relevant, especially at the reaction onset, i.e. when the heat released by soot oxidation was not able to self-sustain the reaction, and therefore had most impact on the reaction rate itself. However, the catalyst ranking in loose and tight contact conditions obtained in[11] has here been confirmed, and it has been shown that the SA stars offer a major improvement over the other ceria morphologies developed in this work.
Results and discussion
Crystallite sizes of the CeO 2 -based catalysts obtained by means of XRD analysis
Crystallite size [nm]
SA stars
Aged SA stars
Specific surface area (SSA) of the CeO 2 -based catalysts obtained by means of BET analysis
BET (m2/g)
Aged 5 h at 600°C
SCS nanopowders
SA stars
Recalling that soot oxidation depends on both the number of soot-catalyst contact points and on the availability of adsorbed oxygen at this contact point, it can be seen that the SA stars seem to have both features: they have the ability to maximize the contact between the soot and catalyst phase, as the fibers do, but they also have a much higher SSA, which entails a better activity at low temperatures (which depends on the oxygen coverage).
Soot combustion activity results, under close and loose contact conditions, of the SA stars, SCS nanopowders and nanofibers
SA stars
Aged SA stars
Conversely, in loose contact conditions, the morphology plays a more relevant role: the nanofibers, despite the almost null SSA, exhibit an almost equivalent activity to that of the SCS powders. This behavior, which was also obtained in[11], is here confirmed; this is further evidence that the BET alone cannot explain the activity of the soot oxidation catalytic reaction and that the contact between soot and the catalyst should be promoted. As far as the SA stars are concerned, their performance is much better than that of the other two catalysts, especially at low temperatures: in fact, the high porosity of the catalyst provides more adsorbed oxygen to the contact points between the soot and the catalyst, which is likely to be in a sufficient amount to fully exploit this oxygen availability. As far as the aged catalyst tests are concerned, it is worth mentioning that the lower SSA penalizes T10%, but T50% still remains within the range of the other fresh catalysts.
A low temperature peak in the CO2 concentration (around 140°C) is evident in all the star-related curves. This peak is not connected to soot combustion. A tailored set of consecutive temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) runs was run to prove that the CO2 produced at low temperature is due to the desorption of CO2 from the inner nanoporosity of the self-assembled stars: in the first TPD, a fresh catalyst, previously exposed to air, was heated to 200°C in N2, and the CO2 desorption peak was recorded. The same catalyst was then cooled down in N2 and heated again in N2 to 200°C: in this case, no CO2 was noticed. The CO2 peak recorded at 140°C was therefore clearly attributable to the desorption of the CO2 formerly present in the air and was greater for the SA stars as they are characterized by the highest SSA.
Three different types of ceria catalysts have been synthetized and compared for soot oxidation using TPC runs: SCS, with an uncontrolled morphology, and two engineered design ones, nanofibers and self-assembled stars.
The purpose was to create a catalytic layer in DPF that would be able to entrap soot particles in several active points and enhance oxidation for a fast and cheap regeneration of the filter. Several TPC runs have been conducted, in both tight and loose contact mode, to investigate the contact points of all the three catalysts.
In previous works[9, 11], it was proved that engineered catalyst morphologies give better results towards soot oxidation than unstructured ones, and it was therefore decided to continue developing this idea and try and remove any drawbacks. A new morphology, with a star-like shape of micrometric size, was developed. It was deduced, from the TPC runs results, that SA stars give better results than the other catalysts, especially in loose conditions. In spite of their micrometric size, SA stars are nanostructured and have finer crystallite size: this entails a much higher BET area, greater availability of oxygen vacancies, more efficient redox cycles and, therefore, a higher oxidative capability.
Further investigations are needed to improve both the morphology and its effective deposition inside the DPF in order to improve the cake oxidation within the filter itself.
The authors declare that no one else has to be acknowledged.
Authors' Affiliations
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- Bensaid S, Marchisio DL, Fino D: Numerical simulation of soot filtration and combustion within diesel particulate filters. Chem Eng Sci 2010, 65: 357–363. 10.1016/j.ces.2009.06.051View ArticleGoogle Scholar
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- Aneggi E, de Leitenburg C, Llorca J, Trovarelli A: Higher activity of diesel soot oxidation over polycrystalline ceria and ceria–zirconia solid solutions from more reactive surface planes. Catal Today 2012, 197(10):119–126.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Prophet Isaac Owusu-Bempah, leader of the Glorious Word Ministry, has asked Ghanaians irrespective of their political affiliation to pray for the Akufo-Addo-led government to succeed.
According to the outspoken man of God, President Akufo-Addo will be able to deliver all his promises to Ghanaians if "we all give him the necessary support".
Speaking in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, Prophet Owusu-Bempah revealed that there are some people in the current government who are working tirelessly against Nana Addo, explaining that the detractors' aim is to enrich themselves and not to support the president to achieve his aim for Ghana.
He warned government officials who have started taking bribes from businesses to desist from the act or he will expose them one after the other.
"Nana Addo is not corrupt so we will not allow officials in this government to engage in corrupt practices and go scot-free. They should learn from their leader. Nana has a good heart so his followers must also have a good heart and be truthful," the man of God stated.
Prophet Owusu-Bempah expressed worry about the unjustified criticism against President Akufo Addo, stating, "It is even too early for anyone to begin judging Nana Addo.
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The leader of the Glorious Word Ministry assured Ghanaians that whatever President Akufo-Addo has promised, he will fulfill to make Ghana a better place for all, urging all religious bodies not to cease praying for Nana Addo and a prosperous nation.
Source: dailyguideafrica


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Open Call: You Better Move #3
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Application Deadline: September 17th, 24:00 (cet)
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text: GOP: OK, It's Romney Also, Paul Ryan says he'd be open to vice president slot if asked By Polly Davis Doig, Newser Staff Posted Mar 25, 2012 12:19 PM CDT 25 comments Comments Paul Ryan speaks during CBS "Face the Nation" Sunday, March 25, 2012. Ryan today said he'd consider running for vice president if asked. (AP Photo/CBS News, Chris Usher) View 1 more image (Newser) – Republicans watched Rick Santorum's convincing victory in Louisiana last night, eyed his burgeoning numbers in Wisconsin, and ... took to the Sunday talk shows today to concede that Mitt Romney would win the nomination, and that they are OK with that. A look around your Sunday dial, as per Politico: Lindsey Graham: "I think the primary is over. Romney will be the nominee. The fat lady hasn't sung yet. But she's warming up. I'm very comfortable with him. He'll get to 1,144. The last thing I want is a brokered convention." Haley Barbour: "I'm not one of those that think you should say to people you've got to get out. This will wind down. Unless Romney steps on a land mine, it looks like he will be the nominee." Paul Ryan: "I don't know if I'd say (Romney) has it wrapped up. He is clearly on his way. I think he is becoming the prohibitive front runner. I think the sooner we coalesce around a nominee, the better off we are going to be. The prize is November, not this summer." And, while Ryan's on the subject: If he was tapped to be vice president, "I would have to consider it, but it's not something I'm even thinking about right now. Who knows about that. It's not a bridge I've even come even close to crossing." Not so fast, says Michele Bachmann: "This is the people's race and it is the primary voters who are going to make their decision. I think the quicker that the Republicans can unify behind our candidate and make Barack Obama and his failed policies the focus of this election the better off we all will be, but the people need to decide." (Read more Sunday morning talk shows stories.) View 1 more image My Take on This Story Report a story error Show results without voting | 5% Annoying 64% Hilarious 3% Intriguing 8% Depressing 13% Brilliant 7% Scary


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A Place of Refuge (Love Inspired Historical Series)
Paperback(Mass Market Paperback - Original)
Temporarily Out of Stock Online
A Hero from Her Past
If Kathleen O'Bryan were capable of trusting any man, it might be someone like Luke Patterson. She never expected to be reunited with the man that rescued her last summer. But when she arrives at Mrs. Heaton's boardinghouse, seeking refuge, it's the handsome writer who greets her at the door.
Something about the lovely Irish immigrant stirs Luke's protective instincts. Life in New York's harsh tenements hasn't dimmed Kathleen's tender spirit. Day by day, Luke feels the walls around his heart crumble. But it will take faith on Kathleen's side, too, and the heart's power to recognize a real home at last .
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Read an Excerpt
New York City
February 1896
A knock on the door this time of evening was never a good sign. Luke Patterson paused at the staircase and frowned, looking around for Mrs. Heaton, the owner of his boardinghouse. Neither she nor Gretchen, the maid, were anywhere to be seen and everyone else had scattered after dinner. The knock sounded once more and he took it on himself to answer the door.
" Sir, I've a young woman in my hack and was told to bring her to this address." The man at the door handed Luke a familiar-looking card. It was one of Mrs. Heaton's, embellished simply with only Heaton House, then the address and telephone number underneath. She often gave the cards to young women she thought might be in need of a safe place to come.
"What is it, Luke?" Mrs. Heaton asked as she hurried out of her study.
"This man has a young woman in his hack. He says he was told to bring her here." He handed Mrs. Heaton her card.
"Well, tell her to come right in," Mrs. Heaton said.
"She's in bad shape, ma'am. She passed out on the way over. In fact I think she's more in need of the hospital right now than anythin'. My wife's a friend of her sister's and they told me to bring her here, and that's what I've done. They told me you'd given her the card."
Mrs. Heaton's brow furrowed. "I'm sure I did. Luke, please help this young woman in."
"Of course." Luke didn't bother putting a coat on against the cold February night air. He hurried out to the hack alongside the driver. The man grabbed a small carpetbag, helped him get the young woman out of the hack, up to the front door and into the house.
"I've got to get back to the family, sir. I hope she's all right." He dropped the bag on the floor and let go of the woman, leaving her to slump against Luke.
Luke immediately lifted her into his arms as the man hurried out the door. She was light as a feather and when she moaned, he shifted her in his arms, hoping to make her more comfortable.
"Where do you want me to take her, Mrs. Heaton?"
"Let's get her upstairs, so I can see what she needs, Luke. I've had Gretchen call the doctor and let the other women know a man will be in the upper hall."
Male boarders were normally not allowed on the upper floors, but there really wasn't any other way to get this young woman upstairs. She wasn't in any shape to maneuver the steps. As they passed under the light in the foyer, Luke cringed at what he saw. The woman in his arms looked as if she'd had a fist shoved in her face. Several times. And she had a cut on the side of her temple that oozed blood through a makeshift bandage. What had happened to her?
He followed Mrs. Heaton up the stairs to the landing and waited while she turned to go up to the third floor. Then she paused. "No, let's put her in Violet's old room. There's no need to jostle her any more than necessary. I'm sure she's in a lot of pain or she wouldn't have passed out, poor dear."
Mrs. Heaton hurried into the room and lit a lamp before turning back the cover on the bed. "Lay her down easy, Luke. The doctor should be here any moment now."
He did as told and then tried to step back to let Mrs. Heaton see to her. But the young woman held on to his hand and wouldn't let go.
"Pull up a chair, at least until the doctor gets here. For right now it appears she doesn't want you to go anywhere," Mrs. Heaton said.
Luke grasped the chair by the side table with his free hand and pulled it a little closer, sat down and clasped the young woman's hand with both of his. If he could convey that she was safe, he'd sit there all night. "Do you have any idea who she is?"
From the other side of the bed, Mrs. Heaton lowered the hood of the woman's cape and looked down on her. Luke could hear her sharp intake of breath. "It's hard to tell with her face so bruised and swollen, but with that red hair of hers, I do believe she's the young woman we met in the park last summerthe one you'd helped defend."
Luke leaned closer. The young woman's hair cascaded over the pillow and his heart gave a sharp twist at her moan. Its deep red color told him she might well be the woman in the park. Aside from the fresh bruising and swelling, he could see a fading bruise under her left eyeapparently she got beaten up on a regular basis. His fist clenched at the very thought of anyone treating a woman that way. And if she was the same woman from last summer, he had a good idea who did it.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Gretchen and another woman, whom he recognized as one who came to some of the benevolent committee meetings Mrs. Heaton often hosted, entered the room. She was probably a member of the Ladies' Aide Society as was Mrs. Heaton, but he wasn't certain.
"Clara! What brings you"
"Kathleen's sister contacted me and let me know she'd sent her to you. I've been afraid something like this might happen."
"Kathleen? Is that her name? How do you know her?" Mrs. Heaton asked.
In what Luke thought was an effort not to disturb the injured woman, his landlady led Clara over to the windows. But in the quiet of the night, he could still hear what was being said.
The woman Mrs. Heaton had introduced as Clara Driscoll lowered her voice. "She works in my department at Tiffany Glass Company and yes, her name is Kathleen O'Bryan. Evidently her brother-in-law lost his job again and came home drunk today. When Kathleen got there, she found them in the middle of a fight and she tried to stop him from hitting her sister. That's when he came at her, hit her and knocked her down and hit her again. He left saying she'd better be gone when he came back."
White-hot anger surged through Luke as the young woman moaned. How dare the man touch her! He
The doctor arrived just then and Mrs. Heaton turned to Luke. "Why don't you wait downstairs, Luke? I'll let you know what the doctor says and how Miss O'Bryan is doing in a little while. Thank you for helping me get her upstairs."
"You're welcome." Luke tried to slip his hand out of the young woman's, but she held on tighter. Her eyes fluttered open and she hoarsely whispered, "Thank you."
He leaned close and whispered, "You're welcome. And you're safe here. Doc and Mrs. Heaton are going to take care of you now."
Only then did she let go of his hand. He watched her eyelashes drift downward and turned to leave as the doctor took his place.
Luke cringed as he heard a louder moan this time and he fought the urge to rush back to her side. But the doc was the one who could make her feel better now. He'd only be in the way.
"Please do let me know how she is, Mrs. Heaton."
She gave a short nod. "I will."
Luke's heart twisted in his chest as he hurried down the stairs to the main floor and then down the next flight to the first floor where he and the other male boarders' rooms were. He'd try to get some work doneat least a scene or two on the book he was writing. Otherwise he'd only pace the floor waiting for Mrs. Heaton to let him know how Miss O'Bryan was.
He flipped through a few typewritten pages to get back into his writing, but in only moments Luke realized he wouldn't get any work done this far away from what was going on upstairs.
He gathered a tablet and pencil and went back upstairs and settled at Mrs. Heaton's desk. He knew she wouldn't mind; she'd offered to let him work in here before. Maybe he could at least make a few notes about his next chapter. Luke tried to concentrate on what he was writing but the connection to it and the woman upstairs was so apparent he couldn't concentrate on anything but her.
If not for meeting Miss O'Bryan that day in the park, he might not even be writing this book. Her name fit her well, or at least the woman he remembered from that day in the park last summer, when her brother-in-law was threatening both her and her sister.
She'd shown such dignity that day, but the look in her eyes told him how vulnerable she really was. Ever since that encounter, he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind and every time he caught a glimpse of hair the color of hers, he took a second lookat the park, on a trolley, in the tenements, when he'd gone on an assignment from his boss, Michael Heaton. Michael was Mrs. Heaton's son and owned his own detective agency. Until his marriage this past December, he'd lived here, too.
Michael felt he had reason to believe that his sister who'd been missing for several years might have wound up living in the tenements. He didn't want his mother to know of his fears, but he'd confided in Luke that he'd almost given up hope of finding her at all.
It was the traveling in and out of the tenements that had precipitated the change in his writing career. He liked writing the lighter dime novels that made him a living, along with occasional investigative work for Michael, but over the past few months, his goal had changed. He wanted to make a difference in people's lives with his writing. What he was working on now was a book that depicted life for those less fortunate in the city, and Luke hoped it would continue to call attention to their plight as Jacob Riis had done with his book, How the Other Half Lives.
Tonight he realized the woman upstairs had everything to do with the direction his writing had gone inbecause of the way she and her sister had been treated that day in the park. The conditions he was afraid they lived in. And seeing her tonight
"Luke?" Mrs. Heaton broke into his thoughts.
He jumped to his feet and came around the desk. "Yes, ma'am? How is she?"
"The doctor says Kathleen is going to be all right. But he said she's going to be in some pain for the next few days. He thinks she may have cracked a rib, too. Clara is giving her this week off and we're going to try to find out how best to help her. She'll be staying with us for now."
"That's good, I'm glad." Relief washed over him, knowing she'd be here. He couldn't explain the strange connection he felt for the young woman, but it was there and it was strong.
"Evidently her sister's husband has beaten Kathleen several times, probably because she comes to her sister's defense and keeps her from taking the beating," Mrs. Heaton continued. "Clara says Kathleen's sister, Colleen, is expecting a child. However, after tonight, she realized she had to get Kathleen out of there. Colleen was afraid that if she didn't, her husband might hurt Kathleen even worse."
Luke felt his lip curl in disdain for the man. "Kathleen will be safe here. I'll see that she is."
"I know you will. She's awake now and trying to remember what happened and why she's here. Things are slowly coming back to her. I'm going to take a food tray up to her and see if we can get her to eat something. I'll let her know you were asking about her and helped to get her upstairs."
"If you need me for anything at all"
"Thank you, Luke. I know where to find you and I'm thankful you are here. We're going to take care of her."
Luke watched his landlady leave the room, thankful that she'd given Kathleen her card last summer. The pretty redhead might not know it, but she was in the best place she could be right now.
The vision of Kathleen's face, so lovely under all the swelling and bruising, came to him. He clenched his fist once more and went to look out of the window. He didn't know how long it would take, but he was going to find that no-good brother-in-law of hers. If the man were lucky, the cops would get to him before Luke did.
Kathleen opened one eye and then the other. A sliver of sunlight creeping through the slit in the draperies told her it was morning. The last thing she remembered from the night before was the nice lady Kathleen closed her eyes and concentrated. Mrs. Heaton. Yes, the woman who'd given her a card last summer and who owned the home she'd been sent to last night?
She took a deep breath. Why was she having such a hard time putting her thoughts together? Her face, her temple, her whole head ached, but nowhere near as bad as the night beforeuntil she reached up to touch the bandage on her temple. The light contact was enough to make the throb feel like a pounding hammer.
She closed her eyes against the pain and held her breath until it eased off a bit. Then she lay as still as she could until she felt she could open her eyes once more.
Her mind flooded with unconnected memories. She remembered telling her coworkers good-night and leaving work. Money had been especially tight lately, so, though she was tired, Kathleen hadn't given in to the urge to take the trolley. Instead, she'd trudged over to Second Avenue and down to Eighth Street to the tenement building where she lived with her sister and her family. They seemed to have traded one pitiful existence for another since they'd left Ireland two years ago. Believing they'd have a better life in America, they'd pooled what little they had to make the trip, only to find life wasn't any easier here.
She didn't think the dreadful place could ever be home to her or her family. All the buildings in the area seemed the same to Kathleen. They were made of brick, with stoops in front. The six and seven stories housed scores of families, some even larger than hers, crowded in two- and three-room apartments. One had to know the number of the building and where it set on the street to be sure of where they were going.
But last night, as she'd neared their tenement and saw her nephews sitting on the stoop, her heart had dipped into her stomach and she'd felt a little sick. She'd known something wasn't right. Collin and Brody had looked at her with their big blue eyes and she could see they'd been crying. She'd bent and hugged them when they ran to her.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" she'd asked.
Collin had answered, "Papa came home early and started yelling and"
"He was really loud." Brody wiped a hand across his eyes. "Mama started crying, and he yelled more."
"Mama sent us out."
Kathleen's heart constricted with dread. "Well, now, I'm sure things aren't as bad as you're thinkin'. Your papa does get worked up a bit at times. I'll go see what all the ruckus is about."
She hadn't wanted to take the boys, but
A knock sounded on the door, bringing her out of her thoughts. The door opened just a crack and she heard a whisper. "Kathleen? It's Mrs. Heaton. Are you awake, dear?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"May I come in?"
"Of course." This was Mrs. Heaton's home after all and she'd opened it to her, a total stranger except for that chance meeting in Central Park last summer.
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This is a love story about two people who meet after the woman comes to live in a shelter after leaving the tenament houses in New York City. The story details how these two individuals come to deal with their pasts and learn to trust one another and eventually learn to recognize that they have come to love one another.


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Author Archives: mcbud
Pain as an Option
Originally posted on Over Long Distances:
"Pain is weakness leaving the body". This phrase is common in fitness circles of every kind, with origins from the US Marine Corps. This phrase, of course, only refers to one type of pain…
Easter Clothes?
So my mom took me pre-teen cave dwellers to visit the cousins in 'Bammer for Easter. I think this is the first major holiday that Mrs. McBud and I have spent without them. They will be missed. My mom, … Continue reading
Paleo Challenge
Today, our box is starting a "Paleo Challenge". The idea is that for 6 weeks, we will all eat clean and log our meals in expectation of getting more fit for the summer bathing suit season. I had decided not … Continue reading
August 17th, 2011 was the first time I met Helen. I was not terribly scared of her, but, to be sure, I respected her. I have met her a few times since and every time we meet, our time together … Continue reading
Where the Hell Have I Been?
I'm back…… Where have I been? Nursing hamstrings, dealing with the kids, looking for a 12 step program for CrossFit addicts. You know…..around. I will be getting the blog back in gear, though it may be a bit different. I … Continue reading
The Karate Update: Hamstrung
Well, it was bound to happen. Getting back into Karate has been awesome. My kids are really digging it and have already advanced to white belt/green stripe. I couldn't be more proud. The other guys from way-back-when and I are … Continue reading
A Belt Holds up Your Pants (unless you don't have any)
Over 20 years ago, I trained under a nationally ranked Instructor and earned a Brown Belt in an Americanized version the Chong do Kwan style of Taekwondo. I repeat, 20 YEARS AGO! As a teenager, I went because I thought … Continue reading
A Father's Weakness
This morning, my daughter broke down and bawled in my arms. She hugged me harder than anyone ever has, as her tears soaked my shirt. I asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I don't know. I'm not unhappy … Continue reading
I Turned 40.
This past week I turned 40. I am at an age now that I don't care what you think, and, yes, my age and hair color are finally synchronized. I have a hot wife, great kids, awesome friends, and an … Continue reading


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for the new house
On Friday I managed to finish 3 small sachets with lavender for the new house. I love nice smelling clothes/ sheets :-)
They are made from linen fabric I cut from old pants and some other bits and pieces I found.
Already a while ago I also finished to upholster an old stool. I removed the old paint on the wood and just covered the old upholstery with this lovely yellow fabric. It is not one of those "new" upholstery fabrics that contain no cotton and should be easy to clean... but hey- should it get really dirty I can always change it or try to take it down and wash it...
Yotam enjoyed to play with a big cardboard box (my husband bought a new table saw)- turned it into a space ship, connected all his cables, keyboards etc and was occupied quite a while- probably flying through space and looking for the bad guys... :-)


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August E's Nouveau Texas Cuisine
August E's has been Fredericksburg, Texas' premiere dining destination since 2004. Our unique "Nouveau Texas Cuisine" features seasonal farm-to-table menus. The restaurant is a favorite for locals and visitors alike where we are known for our innovative and diverse cuisines.
Every Tuesday our guests are treated to the native Thai cuisine of their Executive Chef Owner Leu Savanh. A local tradition.
Expect the unexpected with August E's signature hand-cut steaks, exotic game, local wild game and fresh fish flown in weekly. You will find the perfect pairing in our award-winning Wine Book featuring over 240 wines expertly selected by Owner Dawn Savanh. Chef Leu's Asian Fusion creations and traditional sushi always use the most consciously sourced organic ingredients.
Our bar and lounge are a nightly destination where many of Fredericksburg's locals enjoy a more casual experience. Featuring a bar menu and classic cocktail list, our in house mixologists will meticulously craft the libation of your choice.
August E's successfully marries extraordinary cuisine, exemplary service in an exquisite contemporary setting.
Fine Dining
Our menu changes daily based on seasonal availability of fresh ingredients and the creative moods of our chefs. Every Tuesday, in addition to dinner, we offer a full Thai menu. View our menu here.
The Bar
August E's maintains a full bar with specialty cocktails as well as an extensive selection of some of the finest wines from around the world hand picked by Owner Dawn Savanh. Bar Menu here
The Lounge
The lounge is the perfect place to mingle with friends over small bites or while enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail. Our space is also the perfect place for your next private event. Find out more about our catering or renting the space.
Hours of Operation
Closed June 6th
On Fridays and Saturdays, dining room s eating will be by reservation only.
Walk in's will be welcome in teh bar and lounge areas.
We will also no longer be able to accommodate groups larger than 8 people.
Current Art Exhibit:
Slate Gray Gallery's presents "Italia". This show features the painterly styles of modern Italian masters, Silvio Porzionato and Marco Grassi.


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Position: Un-Paid internships/Volunteer Placements
Title: Sports Ministry/Evangelism (Multi-Task Project Assistants)
Sector: Christian Non-profit organization
Organization: Africa Youth Ministries
Our mission is to promote Evangelism by utilizing the power of sport in inviting our un-churched friends and use it as an outreach opportunity! It's time to take our sports ministry to a new level!!. Nelson Mandela wisely said: "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. The Sports Ministry/Evangelism Project Implemented by Africa Youth Ministries brings together mostly children and youth from the 8 Post War Northern Uganda Districts of Adjumani, Amur, Gulu, Kitgum, Oyam, Lamwo, Lira & Pader that were worst affected by the 21 years of the civil armed conflict between the government of Uganda and the Lord Resistance Army rebels between 1986-2007. The project uses sport as a platform to teach for evangelism as well as for discipleship and necessary peace building skills with emphasis on: dialogue, conflict resolution, tolerance, forgiveness, reconciliation, non violence, as important ingredients for Sustainable Peace-building. On reconciliation, we strongly base our sports ministry on Psalms 147:3 "He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds"
Project: On-Going management for organizing Sports Ministry/Evangelism Project Activities, Clinics, Gala's, Tournaments, Peer Coaches & Referees Training,
Organising Sports Ministry/Evangelism Sport Camps, Clinics, Gala's & Tournaments
Conducting & Managing of Peer Coaches & Referee Training
Training of P.E. Teachers in Utilising Sport in Evangelism & Church Planting etc
Managing registration of participants in Sports Camps, Clinics, Tournaments
Conducting & Managing resource mobilization Campaigns
Establish a network of local & regional Sports Ministry/evangelism Sport networks
Assist in developing social media marketing strategies for Sports Ministry/Evangelism Project to increase its marketability, promote its message, and help increase online donations through Facebook, Twitter, blog, and multi-media photos and videos.
Logistical support
Ministry Development Leader: Provide leadership for the development of effective sports ministry programs within Uganda. Focus on vision casting, training, mobilization, and church-centered sports ministry model development. Work closely with several church denominations and church planting movements to see sustainable, national-led sports ministry programs developed.
Coaches/Trainers:Provide sports ministry training, coaching instruction, and sports ministry model development to support the development of effective sports ministry within Uganda.
Trainer/Mentor Short-Term: Work to train, equip and counsel Uganda's sports ministry coaches and church planters to use sports ministry as a powerful evangelism, church planting and discipleship tool to expand God's Kingdom in Uganda
Trainer & Ministry Coordinator Long-Term: Work to train, equip and counsel Uganda's sports ministry coaches and church planters to use sports ministry as a powerful evangelism, church planting and discipleship tool to expand God's Kingdom in Uganda. As experience allows, the Coordinator may also offer training in ministry, leadership, evangelism & discipleship, sports mission, bible teaching, youth work, support raising, management, spiritual growth and other aspects of developing the interns as Sports Ministry leaders.
International Support Services Leader: Responsible to recruit, organize, develop and lead teams of people to provide critical support services including partner & fund development, financial management, training & curriculum development, recruiting coordination, communications, and administration.
Educational level: Minimum: Diploma in Sports Management, Coaching, Resource Mobilisation, and any previous related experience in similar projects & studies in Evangelism, Church Planting, Sports Ministry, Conflict Resolution, Reconciliation, Background in marketing and social media and experience with fundraising events will be an added advantage.
Profile: AYM is seeking for dedicated, self-motivated, dynamic, multi-tasking, able to work in a team, with good communication and organizational skills, Interest in international development, Sports Ministry Development, Evangelism, Missions, & Church Planting e.g. Africa. This is an unpaid internship, but it provides excellent hands-on experience in the non-profit and international Ministry development community. It is an ideal opportunity for a student or someone trying to move into this field. Successful applicants should be fluent in English with French & Spanish as added value languages for resource mobilization & marketing. Successful applicants should be fully computer literate (MS Office, email…)
Date : As soon as possible (dates are flexible)
Full-time (40h/week Monday-Saturday)
Location: Gulu Northern Uganda
Contact: Albert KUNIHIRA – firstname.lastname@example.com (CEO Africa Youth Ministries)
For further details on our Sports Ministry follow http://is.gd/Z33d4L
For Sports Ministry in Photos http://is.gd/wG45PS
For 2010 Peace Games in Photos http://is.gd/yWXGtu
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We know that too much of the wrong kinds of fat are very bad for health. However, what a few people may not know, yet, is that too little of the right kinds of fat is really just as bad.
Our cell walls are only three molecules thick. These three molecules consist of one protein molecule sandwiched between, drum roll please, two fat molecules.
The layer of these three molecules provide our cells with their first line of defense against invading disease organisms, toxins, and allergens. They also are directly involved with helping to ensuring proper cell electrical activity, and corralling nutrients, enzymes, and other important biochemicals within the cell where they are needed.
In addition to being a major part of our cell walls, good fat is also used in the transportation of nutrients, as insulation for our brain and nerve cells, as a source of energy, and as raw materials for the synthesis of many biochemicals that help our cells perform the tasks that keep us alive. Good fat rules!
We need good fats in our diet for many metabolic reasons, as well as maintaining our very important cell walls. As cells come in many shapes and sizes, including sources of a small amount of a handful of different types of good fats important. By doing so, the body has lots of shapes and sizes of fat molecules to choose from in building and repairing the three dimensional jig-saw puzzles that make up our cell walls, as well as having a variety of essential fatty acids for all of our cells chores.
There are many different kinds of good fats available. Some of the best are from plants, and ingesting them in as raw and unprocessed as possible is a good idea. Animal fats are generally better avoided (except for low mercury high Omega 3 fish) unless the animals they come from have been raised on organic pasture. Butter, butter oil, and ghee from organic pastured milk are super-foods!
Once you get your chosen oils or fats home, heat them as little as possible before using. Heating vegetable based oils even a little, or animal fats to the point of smoking, causes then to form free radicals—which are implicated in cancer and heart disease. Frying and baking should be reserved for special occasions and is best not a daily part of anyone's diet.
Are you getting too much bad fat?
Signs that you are getting too much of the wrong kinds of fat can include; indigestion, reflux, greasy hair or skin, acne or other skin eruptions, and obesity or weight gain. If you have been getting too much of the bad fats for a long time, you may have been diagnosed with any number of different diseases and your doc has probably advised you to cut back on fats. Pay attention! It might just save you from some unnecessary suffering.
Benefits of good fats include:
Improved immunity, mood, mental function, hormone balance, and energy; and also the health and appearance of the skin.
Signs you may not be getting enough good fats include:
Memory, mood, or brain function problems, hormone related problems, chronic fatigue, inability to gain weight or to absorb and utilize nutrients, dry skin or hair, premature aging, and chronic inflammation.
Finding good fats that agree with you:
You can experiment with adding a variety of different healthy fats to your diet, in small amounts and one at a time. In addition to the organic pastured butter, butter oil, and ghee mentioned above, you might want to try some nuts and seeds. Walnuts are considered a particularly good source of Omega-3's as are flax and chia seeds. Avocados, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and unprocessed red palm oil are good sources of Vitamin E complex as well as other nutrients. Olive oil has many health benefits as does grape seed and coconut oil. Choose one to try and read up on it by searching on the Internet. You might want to start with as little as ¼ teaspoon of pressed or centrifuged oils, or a teaspoon of whole seeds or chopped nuts.
If you find you like a particular healthy oil or good fat, work your way up to higher amounts gradually. Most moderately active people will find that they can tolerate, enjoy, and actually thrive on much more healthy fat than they ever imagined. However, if you find you are gaining unwanted weight, getting indigestion or reflux, of if you skin is breaking out or your skin or hair is becoming too oily, you are very likely either getting too much fat or ingesting a fat that doesn't agree with you.
Good fats from the garden:
Depending on your garden zone and the size of your yard, you can grow oil producing trees and shrubs of many kinds including pine nuts, olives, and avocados. Pumpkin, sunflower, and flax seeds are also easy to grow. Folks living in warm dry regions can grow chia, and anyone living in a tropical climate who has some patience can grow coconuts and palm nuts.
Red Palm Oils I have tried:
I actually like the one on the far right the best. It is from Wilderness Family Naturals. It is clearly the least processed, it has the deepest color, and the freshest loveliest scent. This fabulous red palm oil is Certified Sustainable. I use just a little red palm oil, along with a little coconut oil and olive oil on my popcorn; and then I season it with turmeric rich curry powder, dulse powder, fresh ground chia seeds and black pepper. Yum, and so good for you too! For more information on the health benefits of red palm oil please see: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/why-you-should-give-red-palm-oil-try
In other good fat gossip, I also snack on whole raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds--in moderation, and I enjoy chia seeds hydrated in dilute juice with spices. An occasional avocado wedge finds its way to my plate, and I sometimes alternate the coconut oil mentioned above with an organic raw pastured coconut/ghee product. Additionally I eat eat a few small servings of wild Alaska salmon--sometimes every week, sometimes every month. That about rounds up my fats, except for the teaspoon of organic sunflower oil that I use to pop my corn. It can take the heat required without smoking. Any time you make oil smoke it forms free radicals, and that is definitely not healthy.
I do mention fats and oils, very briefly in my book, Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead, but more from the standpoint of how to produce them with the least technology possible, rather than as a source of super nutrition. If you have any questions or comments on that section of the book, please feel free to post them here as well as questions or comments on this blog post.
If any of you are growing and expressing your own oils and you have information available for folks that would also like to try their hand at doing it themselves, please let us know where to find your article, blog, video, or book!
And as always, if you find typos please let me know, I will fix them as soon as I can!


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Ask Matt: Remakes, "New" Mike & Molly, NCIS Spin-Offs, Castle
Oct 28, 2013 9:46 AM EDT
Send questions and comments to email@example.com and follow me on Twitter!Question: Curious for your take on this. NBC just announced a remake of Murder, She Wrote with Octavia Spencer. They recently cancelled their re-imagining of the clas… Read more


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The LV35A 47 inch Series, 47LV35A is a videowall display 3.5mm bezel to bezel videowall from LG.
Our company is pleased to offer the best in class Videowall solution, DigiBird's DB-VWC2-M4 Series video wall controllers which are are appliance-based video wall processors and built on a proprietary FPGA-based hardware platform, designed with a proprietary system controller (with dedicated processor), high speed cross-point video bus, and a customized and embedded operating system.
The DigiBird Video Wall Controller product family provides high performance, real-time video processing and scaling. It is a highly expandable and flexible solutions for video display walls, particularly for large-scale multi-screen systems with mission critical applications in the most demanding environments. The system also combines centralized and distributed processing architectures, which mean the remote input sources can be connected to the DigiBird video wall controller through IP decoder cards and the DigiBird encoders that stream media content over a network.
Capable of integrating any type of video and data source on any display wall configuration, our products and solutions are widely used in areas as diverse as Video Conference Rooms, Public Utility Control Centers, Intelligent Traffic Management Centers, Security and Surveillance Facilities, Military Command and Control Centers, Energy Management Rooms, Process Control Rooms, Call Centers, Board Rooms, Network Operation Centers (NOC), Financial Management Control Rooms, and including the high-end Residential Market, for example high-end home theaters.
Which Video Wall Controller model that is right for you.
Step I: Confirm the number of required Input/Output (I/O) ports. Take for example a 2x4 video wall project. For this videowall project, you would need 8x outputs. If, for example, connecting 8 PC signals and 4 DVD signals, the total number of inputs would be 12x. With this type of video wall project, you are able to confirm 8x output signals and 12x input signals.
Step II: Confirm I/O signal interfaces. As DigiBird's Input and Output cards are based on a modular design, the user must specify which signal interfaces he requires for his inputs and outputs so that the hardware chassis can be populated with the associated cards. In this sample project, the outputs have DVI interfaces and the inputs all have HDMI interfaces. This means you would require multiple DVI output cards and HDMI input cards. DigiBird will populate the chassis with the correlative I/O Cards according to the buyer's demand in our factory before shipping.
Step III: Confirm I/O card (or slots) numbers. In this sample project which requires 8x DVI Outputs and 12x HMDI Inputs, two Quad-Channel DVI Output Cards (4x output ports per card) and three Quad-Channel HDMI Input Cards (4x input ports per card) will do the job for the video wall. In sum, this project would require two Output Cards and three Input Cards populated in the associated chassis.
Step IV: Select your DigiBird chassis. The DigiBird VWC2-M4-C3 is a 3U-sized chassis which supports 2 output slots, 6 input slots and 1 Power Supply Units (PSUs). The DigiBird VWC2-M4-C3 will fulfill the requirements of this sample project.


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Welcome to my Now page. This is a summary of what I'm working on now, my current inspirations and a list of the books that I'm reading. Check back as I update this page throughout the year.
You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.
~ Henry David Thoreau
What I'm writing right now…
Stories about people who are making a difference in their communities
Articles that support new and expectant moms
Articles about creating stronger connections in a digital world
Personal essays
What inspires my creativity right now…
Journaling prompts
Art collaging/vision board pages
Mandalas and zentangles
Nature walks
Who inspires me right now….
My two school age sons
Creative writers and artists who spread joy through their work
Individuals who believe in the power of community and work toward building connection
What I offer the world right now…
Informative articles that appear in national and regional publications across the U.S., Canada and Australia
Two e-books (also available in print) including Confidently Connected: A Mom's Guide to a Satisfied Social Life and Happy, Healthy & Hyperconnected: Raise a Thoughtful Communicator in a Digital World
A monthly newsletter with tips for growing stronger connections in a digital world
A weekly blog that includes ideas for building stronger communication skills
A Facebook group for moms where I share my work and feature educational guest hosts throughout the year
What I'm reading right now…
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Talk Rx: Five Steps to Honest Conversations that Create Connection, Health and Happiness by Neha Sangwan, M.D.
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Thanks to Derek Sivers for the inspiration to create a Now page and thanks to Christina Katz for introducing me to the concept.
Comments on this entry are closed.


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By Christina Franc
Several fairs in Quebec have taken a page out of the C.A.F.E. book and developed an informal exchange program amongst themselves this past summer.
Bedford Fair, Brome Fair, Expo Ormstown and Expo Trois-Rivières each sent members to one another's fairs to have a hands-on volunteer experience. Each person who participated said it was a wonderful learning experience, something they look forward to repeating.
Fairs, whether they are big or small, can all learn from each other. Some problems are universal: the weather, decreasing exhibitor numbers or even how to handle emergencies. Which is why exchanges are great; they provide the opportunity to see how other fairs handle these problems.
Here are the top 7 reasons why you should participate in an exchange with another fair:
- It's mutually beneficial
It was a win-win situation, the hosting fair had a few extra volunteers that were able to help lighten the workload, doing everything from working at gates to stuffing pamphlets or helping with the parades and animal shows. As many in the industry know, those extra hands are a huge help, especially when they are qualified and knowledgeable. At the same time, the volunteers had the chance to observe and participate in activities they have never been able to participate in at their own fairs.
- Networking 2.0
Conferences and meetings are a great way to meet people and exchange ideas, but visiting a fair gives you the chance to go in-depth and see first hand ideas and opportunities you hadn't even considered, from the smallest detail to the big picture.
- Perspective
Some problems are universal, others are more specific, but either way the discussion it creates is always interesting. One of the major discussions at an exchange was about partner relations, and how the same partner has different management techniques in each region. The discussion centred around how to possibly encourage the partner to be more supportive using tactics that were successful in other regions.
- On-the-ground experience
While working at your fair, you likely don't have the chance to see what it's like to work at the gates, or to be the secretary for judging. It's the ideal opportunity to see if the systems you implement are in fact useful or if there's a better way to do things. It'll also serve as a reminder that, yes, making sure your workers have a good supply of water and frequent bathroom breaks is very important!
- Ideas
Albeit just by visiting another fair, you can get many ideas from them, but by volunteering, you have behind-the-scenes access to people, activities and buildings. You can make connections with new vendors, children's programs and concessioners. As well, you can look at how the grounds are laid out and see if there are opportunities to capitalize on your own space in a similar way.
- Validation
Not only do you get new ideas, but often you see the ideas you've implemented at your own fair are good practice because another fair is doing the exact same thing; likely for the exact same reasons.
- Relief
From the perspective of a hosting fair, it's a huge relief to know you have people around you who are qualified and resourceful. Although they might not be able to answer every visitor's question, they know how to deal with them in a friendly and helpful manner. They also know what you're going through and often go the extra mile to help out, working a few extra hours or doing the 'inglorious' jobs.
It doesn't have to have a formal structure. These exchanges started with a conversation around the table, and were organized over a few emails to sort accommodation and working hours, and they worked out very well. Start the conversation and see where it leads, guaranteed it will be a brilliant learning experience.
If you would like any more information or tips, please feel free to contact Christina Franc, Expo Ormstown at email@example.com


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There''s no better way to boast about your grand final victory or the huge fish you caught than a photo right there on the bar. What a great conversation starter! Dimensions: 45cm w x 25cm h Material: Natural Rubber backing with Polyester Felt
Delivery time: 2-3 weeks. Orders for Christmas must be received before December 5th for guaranteed delivery.


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Fifteen-year-old Chen Wen-shan has very fleeting memories from before she came to live with and her great uncle Zhao Tai-lu when she was 5 years old.
When they receive a wooden box with a dragon engraved in jade that was smuggled out of China in the mid-1970s, it holds letters from her mother and artwork from her grandfather, Zhao's brother.
"Letters in the Jade Dragon Box" (Deseret Book, $24.99), a recently released historical novel by Gale Sears, explores how Wen-shan and her great uncle learn about the fate of their family members through these letters that were written before Wen-shan was born and when she was a baby during the communist reign of Mao Zedong in China.
Woven throughout the story is the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong as Zhai Tai-lu recounts his conversion and experiences with other Mormons.
"We're all one family," Sears said. "We care about our families. We care about those ties we have with our ancestors. That's just a human experience we all share with each other."
Sears was interested in the juxtaposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ with forms of government and forms of ideology that created a natural tension.
"It's looking at what people went through and how they suffered and what happened to them," the author said. "I like to bring in the peace the gospel can bring and that set side by side."
In "The Silence of God," which was released last year, Sears followed the Lindlof family, who were some of the only Mormons in early 20th-century Russia as the country went from the rule of Imperial Russia, through the Bolshevik Revolution and then settled into communism.
"You have a system of government that ripped God out of the lives of the people. That was very powerful for me," Sears said. The members of the Lindlof family were either deported or sent to work camps.
That communist ideal found its way east to China, where the people weren't Christian, but did "have a good mode of life surrounding the family," Sears said.
"Letters in the Jade Dragon Box" opens with Mao's death in 1976 in Hong Kong and people who were celebrating his death.
Hong Kong was under British control until 1997 when control was handed back to the People's Republic of China. There is currently an LDS temple in Hong Kong and full-time missionaries proselyte there. The church is not allowed to do missionary work in China outside of Hong Kong and Macau.
In "Letters in the Jade Dragon Box," the great uncle Zhao Tai-lu is based on one of the early Mormons in Hong Kong who was a general in the Nationalist Chinese Army and fled to Hong Kong when Mao came to power. He and his wife had lived in a refugee camp for several years when the Mormon missionaries came to his rescue one night and later opened a noodle factory to earn money.
In her research, Sears talked with H. Grant and Luana Heaton, who were called by President David O. McKay to reopen missionary work in Hong Kong in 1955 when Grant Heaton was 26. He was one of the first young full-time elders called to the Southern Far East Mission and was assigned to Hong Kong in 1950, where he learned both Mandarin and Cantonese. Sears also wove in parts of his experiences as mission president.
"I was amazed and heartened by the love and dedication of this couple," she said, adding that the Heatons had a 3-month-old son when they accepted the assignment.
Sears also worked with Sandy Brown (Hu Yao-hwa), whom she happened to meet at a book club meeting and had family in Hong Kong and mainland China, to ensure the cultural references were correct. Sears also used her memories of a trip of China and Hong Kong in 2000.
However, Sears' research into Mao's reign from 1949 to 1976 was emotionally trying as she learned of deaths of tens of millions of people under his rule, the changes to the country during his reign, including the Great Leap Forward, the Long March and the Cultural Revolution, and the uncertainty of life in China then with the young members of the Red Guard enforcing Mao's orders.
It wasn't uncommon for families to be separated as some escaped and others were sent to work camps for "rustication," Sears said.
The dozen or so letters from Wen-shan's mother, who is fictional, are some of her favorite parts of the book.
"I just identified with (her mother), I could see her writing those letters and her writing about a country that she loved and communicating that with her daughter," Sears said.
Through the letters in the box, there are flashbacks to what life was like for Chen Wen-shan's family under communism as she finds out more about her family's past and her roots, which brings her and her great uncle closer together.
Sears' next project is about the first Polynesian converts in Hawaii and is due out next fall.
Email: [email protected]


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Friday, 30 March 2012
Born in 1993 - Part 1
Laban Brown Design - a Creative Design Agency born in 1993
It come to our attention that our design agency will be 19 years old very soon. It's not a traditional age to break out the champagne for a celebration but we rarely follow convention.
As part of our celebrations we plan a 'from start to now' blog update so be sure to watch out for it! We're busy unearthing some unflattering photographs of us back in the day along with our earliest projects which we hope to add in here too.
A lot has changed over the years but our focus on providing the best design solutions has never faltered. This is why some of our very first clients still work with us today. Our decision to build our design agency in Essex rather than London has paid dividends over and over. We have space to think and still just an hour from London which seems to be the perfect mix for us.
With clients located around the corner like our friends at the Love to Eat Deli to our Disney friends all the way over the pond in sunny Los Angeles, our early logic has proven to be a good decision!


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Pigeon recipes
Wood pigeons (ring doves) make the best eating. Rock doves (the ones flocking round Trafalgar Square) are equally edible yet somehow not as mouthwatering. Pigeon is a great ethical choice since most birds live wild. Health risks associated with antibiotics, pesticides etc are minimal and, with over 5 million breeding pairs, sustainability is not an issue. If you swallow a lead shot, don't panic: lead is an accumulative toxin, so one pellet is unlikely to do any damage. Try not to crack your teeth on one, though.
Pigeon likes strong earthy flavours: garlic, sage, mushrooms, red wine, black olives, chestnuts, onion, mustard, and its own liver. Simon Hopkinson (Roast Chicken and Other Stories; Ebury Press) has a delicious-sounding suggestion of roast pigeon with braised lettuce, peas & bacon; there's a rather amusing blog about this HERE
1. Brown the birds first, in butter and/or oil and seasoning. (Recent research suggested that 'sealing in the juices' doesn't actually work, but The Taster doesn't believe it for a minute.)
2. Stuff it with any of the ingredients listed above, to your own taste.
3. Layer prosciutto or bacon over the breasts
4. Roast in a hot oven (Gas 4 or 180C) for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how pink you like your pigeon. Remove the ham for the last 7 minutes to obtain the all-important crispy skin.
Pigeons are hardly worth jointing. Instead, split them down the backbone, flatten them, and grill them topped with your preferred herbs, fruit and oil. You can see what colour the flesh is turning, so just grill until you like the look of it.
Simmered in orange juice
As it says on the tin – brown in butter and oil as for roasting; put in a small pan, cover with orange juice and simmer very gently. This can take up to 50 minutes, if you're doing it right. This is a very old recipe; it cries out to be partnered with watercress.
Pigeon pie
A wartime favourite. For maximum authenticity, click on Dorothy Hartley's Pigeon Pie with Dumpling Crust (and scroll up a bit); alternatively, try this Really Nice Recipe
Our wine buff, Richard J Smith of the Wine School of Cheshire says: With pigeon pie, a young but full-bodied Claret works a treat; many from France's largest wine region won't break the bank. For a New World alternative, try a Chilean Carignan. Look for 'old vines' on the label for a more fruit-forward, great quality drink.
* Pigeons were first devoured, and are still very popular, in Egypt.
* Roast pigeon is healthy food, containing slightly less fat and a little more protein than beef, plus lots of iron and B Vitamins.
* Young pigeons are called squabs.
The Taster hopes this quick guide has given you a few ideas. We often add stuff as we go along, so do look us up again. Happy eating!


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The Garmin Nuvi series has been around for many years. Ironically, the Garmin Nuvi Car Air Vent Mount was only recently introduced. This was a real lost opportunity as several well known manufacturers sold thousands, perhaps millions of vent mounts at the expense of Garmin. A real lost opportunity.
The air vent is one of my favorite mounting locations. I like it because it keeps the device near your line of site where it's easy to see. I also like the fact that it keeps your device out of clear site of any potential bad guys. A vent mount is not clearly seen in a parking lot versus the traditional windshield suction cup mount or one for the dash. Most dash mounts are easy to install. Depending upon the vent mount, some are easy to remove (and some are not). Unlike older vent mounts that use a pair of arms to attach to a vent slat, this one is easy to remove and remove. It's a simple matter of turning the little knob that is found just behind the 17mm mounting ball. It's nice to be able to remove the mount with the GPS, especially when travelling. I always hated making a mount contribution to Avis.
I guess enough customers called Garmin to ask for a vent mount as they eventually designed one and released it early 2014. They did a nice job in the design and it is well made. The mount features the Garmin 17mm ball which fits the back of any socket that is part of a Nuvi cradle. Your cradle is still likely attached to the suction cup mount included with the GPS purchase. The cradle is easy to remove, simply hold the suction cup mount in one hand, the cradle in the other and pull it off. If you are unhappy with the suction cup mount provided, consider this vent mount.
A significant shortcoming of air vent mounts was that they only fit horizontal vents. Unlike many of their competitors, Garmin saw the need for a vent mount with a clamp on the back if it. This means these mounts will fit horizontal and vertical vents. These should also fit most circular vents.
Some may shy away from a vent mount because of concerns of the GPS overheating or freezing over due to the device being placed directly into the air flow. Don't be concerned. Most modern GPS units are made to withstand extreme air temperatures in places like the desert and way up north. My concern was somewhat different in that I didn't want the GPS to block the cold air in the summer. You get around that limitation by attaching the vent mount to the lowest slat on the vent. I haven't run into an issue as long as the lower slat is used.
The Garmin Nuvi Car Air Vent Mount is a solid mount for your GPS. The design is innovative and I see it being incorporated into most well made vent mounts for other purposes such as phones and tablets. The vice-like attachment provides a solid grip and is easy to install and remove.


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The LaserTower™ BulletMaster™ 3D Laser Marking and Laser Engraving System is an industrial-grade next-generation material processing automation laser system supporting all major bullet standards and calibers.
Fonon Corporation's BulletMaster is the most flexible 3D mil-grade bullet cartridges marking and engraving laser system integrator designed to perform under high-vibration, shock and dust conditions. The BulletMaster complies with the NATO Standard Agreement (STANAG) 2310, 2329, 4090, 4172, and 4383.
Please specify the cartridge standard when ordering the BulletMaster to ensure it is optimized per our customer's unique application as seen in chart
. Laser with wattages ranging from 20W to 100W. The BulletMaster provides an oversized enclosure, supporting both circumferential marking & flat marking applications. All Direct Parts Marking (DPM), including UDI/UID barcodes, logos and engravings are permanent, legible and non-removable across the largest range of materials in the industry. The BulletMaster incorporates Fonon's proprietary FiberScan™ C3 Software designed to specifically serialize, embed service marks, or barcodes to the large variety of weapon ammunition, like bullet cartridges, missiles, bomb shells, mines, etc…
The BulletMaster is an industrial-grade, 3D Marking & Engraving System incorporating a programmable 8" Z-axis for focal height adjustments with 2 optical X'Y' axes and a portfolio of lens options that incrementally increases the range of the marking area from 2" x 2" to 12" x 12". The BulletMaster incorporates a movable Rotary Indexer and is optimized for a Fiber Laser or Fantom SLAB CO² Laser, Scan Head, Industrial PC Controller and Power Supply. The BulletMaster incorporates the latest FiberScan™C3 Software designed to run on the Windows platform The BulletMaster processes the largest range of materials in the industry with special attention to highly-reflective metal applications.
- Features
- Fiber Laser Options
- Maintenance-Free Direct Part Marking (DPM)
- Continuous operation under high-shock, vibration and dust conditions
- Long-term industrial-grade reliability with 50,000 hours MTBF
- Standard wall plug operation with high electrical efficiency
- Low voltage power source (110/220 VAC) 8 amps
- Laser "ON" magnetically locked front doors for operator safety
- Oversized chamber provides working area for larger parts
- Class 1 or Class 4 Laser-Rated Safety Viewing Port
- PC-Based Controller, Flat Panel Monitor, Mouse and Keyboard
- Industrial-grade Extruded Frame with 19" Rack Mount Design
- Removable Rotary Motor for circumferential marking
- Exhaust outlet for Fume Extractor


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April 13 is when we get the first season of "Lost in Space."
Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless are the writers behind the Netflix reboot of CBS' 1960s space opera, which followed a family of scientists who couldn't quite figure out how to get to Alpha Centauri.
Sazama and Sharpless' big-screen writing credits include "Dracula Untold" (which garnered positive reviews from 22% of critics polled by the Rotten Tomatoes website), "The Last Witch Hunter" (15%) and "Gods of Egypt" (16%).
The fabulous Parker Posey ("Dazed and Confused," "Coneheads," "Waiting For Guffman," "House of Yes," "You've Got Mail," "Superman Returns," "Café Society") will play the duplicitous Dr. Smith.
Molly Parker ("Deadwood," "Swingtown," "House of Cards") will play science mom Maureen Robinson in the series. Toby Stephens ("Black Sails") will play husband John, Taylor Russell ("Falling Skies") daughter Judy, Mina Sundwall ("Maggie's Plan") daughter Penny and Max Jenkins ("Sense8," "Popstar") son Will.


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Sense is the brand new sensor which has been designed with a friendly and linear shape in order to be easily integrated into the urban architecture.
By monitoring crowded areas Sense can assure the highest level of protection against suspicious and dangerous events in public areas such as airports, train stations, ports and mall.
Thanks to its extended artificial intelligence algorithms, Sense can promptly detect a wide set of dangerous events such as fire & smoke, suspicious behaviours, left objects, also detecting the face and indentificating the vehicle's plate. Beside by monitoring crowded areas it can assure the highest level of protection against suspicious and dangerous events in public places.
Sense is installed upon streetlights and in highly trafficated locations, such as shopping centers, habours, airports and train stations. The rear connector installation makes it possible to easily align the optic to the ground. Maintenance of optical parts, infrared emitter and the replacement of the SIM can be done without removing the sensor from its position.
The design research for Sense begins with the analysis of the outdoor sensors currently on the market. The goal was to make a sensor for city environmental analysis that could be effortlessly integrated into a smart city-environment. An important aspect of the project is for the sensor to be recognizable by people passing by as the symbol of an active service designed for their safety. It is through this process that the Smart-I team achieved a unique aesthetics and new installation possibilities.
Many challenges has been taken by the Smart-I team, such as providing a system that would allow the use of a wide range of optics for the sensor, they had to achieve a passive heatsink that had to be protected from atmospheric agents and again they had to use a limited number of shells to optimize the costs in the production phases. Furthermore particular attention was paid in the realization of a rear connector which allows the sensor to be positioned along the three axes of freedom.


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The Endangered Species Act and Private Property
Description: If the 103rd Congress embarks upon an effort to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it will run into an old acquaintance: the property rights issue. As now written, the ESA has at least the potential to curtail property rights (whatever its actual impact as implemented may be). This report explores the legal repercussions of those impacts, especially whether they constitute takings of property under the fifth amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Date: March 7, 1993
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department


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The Start Of 'The Travels Of Sir John Mandeville'
Medium: Ink and pigments on vellum
Date: 1400
'Sir John Mandeville' is the fictitious author of a fictitious journey to the Holy Land. The account of his travels was probably written, in French, in northern France c.1356. This copy was written in England and belonged in the Middle Ages to the Augustinian Priory of the Virgin Mary at Bolton, Yorkshire. It is written on parchment of mediocre quality, in mediocre script: a book intended for use rather than as a luxury status-symbol.


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The director of the Office of Management and Budget on Sunday indicated that the Obama administration manipulated the monthly unemployment report in order to make the economy look healthier than it actually was.
"What you should really look at is the number of jobs created," Mick Mulvaney said on CNN after a Friday report showed the economy generated 235,000 jobs in February.
"We've thought for a long time, I did, that the Obama administration was manipulating the numbers, in terms of the number of people in the workforce, to make the unemployment rate — that percentage rate — look smaller than it actually was," he said.
Mulvaney said that a measure known a "U6" issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which includes unemployed Americans who have not sought work in up to a year, is a truer measure of unemployment. "U6" tends to run about five to seven points higher than the more widely quoted unemployment rate, which was 4.7 percent in February.
As a candidate, Trump was skeptical about unemployment numbers, noting that even as the Obama administration cited low unemployment rates, millions of Americas were without jobs. That led to a brief moment of levity Friday when White House press secretary Sean Spicer talked about the February jobs report.
"I talked to the president prior to this, and he said to quote him very clearly," Spicer said. "They may have been phony in the past, but it's very real now."
In a more serious vein, Spicer noted that the report was a positive.
During the first full month of the Trump presidency, the economy added 235,000 new jobs," he said. "The unemployment rate ticked down and labor force participation rate ticked up, showing that even as more people are reentering the job market due to the economic optimism that I spoke about, businesses are continuing to grow and create new jobs," Spicer said.
Although Spicer said that unemployment numbers rise and fall, February's job growth was unique because it is accompanied by a new wave of enthusiasm and optimism.
"I don't believe I've ever seen the number of CEOs and businesses come out and talk about investments and continuing investments and the expansion of investments or hiring based on the vision and agenda of an administration the way they have in this one," he said.
"I think if you look at the automakers, the other manufacturers, and, frankly, some of the service industries that have come out and talked about the investment that they're going to make, or the continuation of a project that they had going, or the movement of one — of a manufacturing plant or job investment — those speak for themselves," he said.
"It's not a question of what we believe. I think it's a question of the commitment that U.S. manufacturers and job creators and businesses are making because they want to buy into the President's agenda and vision for creating a more tax and regulatory business-friendly environment to grow here. And I think that those speak for themselves," Spicer added.
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Source: westernjournalism.com


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From what the article says, the Ministry of Information Industry's grand reorg of the Chinese telecommunications services sector — reallocating mobile licenses and consolidating weak operations with strong ones — seems to be having the desired effect. Competition is intensifying and firms are investing heavily in rolling out 3G infrastructure, both depressing profits.
In the reorg, China Telecom inherited the 2G CDMA operations run by Great Wall (a People's Liberation Army affiliate) that became part of China Unicom. CT has been rolling out EV-DO, but many assumed that with its US technology it would be at a disadvantage compared to China Unicom (with GSM/W-CDMA) and China Mobile (the dominant carrier, using China's home-grown TD-SCDMA).
However, the FT says that China Telecom has the highest growth of the carriers, jumping from 28m to 44m subscribers. (By comparison, China Mobile has 500m). To quote FT:
Analysts say China Telecom has established itself as the best run of the three telecoms operators.The article credits the company's research lab (China Telecom Shanghai Research Institute), and a company-wide innovation initiative that encourages workers to be more innovative in developing and packaging mobile services. The company runs an annual internal innovation contest, while engineers are sent to the provinces to work with regional marketing reps to understand the market.
"They are much more of a pragmatic, commercial animal than the political animal of China Unicom," says Duncan Clark, chairman of BDA, a telecoms consultancy in Beijing.
Obviously it will be a while before China Telecom threatens China Unicom (142 million subscribers), and it seems unlikely to directly challenge China Mobile. Still, Qualcomm (and the global cdma2000 ecosystem) are fortunate to have drawn such an innovative ally in the world's largest mobile market.


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|Always have the right size and color pot.
This plant was given to me by one of my sisters and has since grown many pups. I don't know what it is so I have called it the Thorny Beast plant as it will make you notice it if you aren't respectful of its space. It was so pot bound that I really had to work to get it out. A couple of the pups now grace a young friend's lizard aquarium. I have to imagine that their new home is a much more interesting environment than my plant rack.
|Thorny Beast plant
My attempts to clean up always result in a bigger mess before it gets better.
|My mess....
I removed the dead plants from my mini succulent garden and replaced them. An aloe and a thorny beast have a new home. The tub of plants on the left I passed on to friends.
|One of my succulent mini gardens
|Neat rows of cuttings
|The babies are coming up!
|Succulent jungle
|The finished product... everything is tidy and fits!


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Oh the food!!
My dad cooking up the most amazing food for an army on that small tiny grill I mentioned about before.
|Photo credit to Sister K
|Photo credit to Sister K
When it got dark, we broke out the fireworks!
My camera is not great at capturing images in the dark.
The dogs all feared for their lives.
Me and Sister S and the dogs and Little Sister in the back ground.
My dad with some sparklers. He use to handle all the pyrotechnics when we were little but he mostly is a spectator these days enjoying the show.
Two-third of the pyrotechnics crew putting the final piece of firework in place.
This thing.
What an amazing evening!