text:
The Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by architect Frank Gehry, makes extensive use of computer technology. Without the use of CATIA (Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application), construction of the concert hall would have been impossible. After a physical model is built, the model is scanned by a laser device that transmits coordinates to the CATIA program. CATIA then shows a 3D section of the model, which can be viewed as a movie that gives structural coordinates as well as a time schedule for project completion. These paperless plans are more easily understood by a contractor and construction crew and allow Gehry's unconventional forms to take shape. In the future, CATIA technology will allow exact quantities of materials to be calculated and will even facilitate work via the internet. CATIA has also been used in the building of other structures such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and a giant fish sculpture on the Barcelona waterfront, both also designed by Gehry.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles has been likened to everything from a shining metal flower to a ship with billowing sails of stainless steel. It is a structure that everyone is talking about. Suddenly, Los Angeles is the home of an architectural marvel, and Frank Gehry is becoming a household name. First designed by Gehry in the late eighties and just completed late this year, The Walt Disney Concert Hall is a marvel of modern engineering (see Fig. 1). However, its stunning steel curves would have been nearly impossible to build without the extensive use of a revolutionary computer-aided drafting program.
Carol Highsmith/Wikimedia Commons
Computer-Aided Design Technology
Without the aid of computers, the Walt Disney Concert Hall would still be a messy sketch on the corner of a paper napkin -- an unrealized figment of Frank Gehry's talented mind. The gently flowing curves and harsh angles make it impossible for anyone to draft construction plans. Gehry's firm used a program called CATIA, or Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application, to render the plans. This powerful computer program was originally developed in France as a means to design fighter jets. Gehry, realizing its applications in architecture, quickly modified the program to portray the flowing lines and irregular angles of his complicated drawings (see Fig. 2). Gino Capra, general foreman for Martin Brothers/Marcowall Inc., says, "Everything is driven by CATIA. It allows us to be creative" [1].
Before CATIA technology was available, Gehry's design concepts were limited by the nature of the hand drawings that could be produced. His hand drawings often made the structure appear more complicated than it really was, making it difficult for contractors to proceed. The result was that Gehry often had to compromise his design in favor of more traditional structures [2]. Clearly, the use of the program greatly facilitated the drawing of the architectural plans and the overall design of the building.
Frank Gehry/LA Phil
CATIA Fundamentals
CATIA is an Object-Oriented Graphic program that creates computer graphics out of "construction elements" (see Fig. 3). Object-oriented graphics describe an image mathematically as a set of instructions for creating the object in the image. This approach contrasts with bit-mapped graphics, the other widely-used approach to certain images, which represents a graphic as a group of black and white or colored dots arranged in a certain pattern [3]. Object-oriented graphics enable the user to manipulate objects as entire units. To change the length of a line, for example, it multiplies the entire unit as a whole in all dimensions in space, whereas bit-mapped graphics require repainting individual dots in the line or circle. Object-oriented graphics also introduce no limits in zoom. Because objects are described mathematically, objects-oriented graphics can also be layered, rotated and magnified relatively easily [3]. Views can be easily set and viewed in 3-dimensional space, perspective, axonometric and isonometric, allowing designers to view the structure from all possible angles.
CATIA's Application
The capability of the human brain to visualize complex shapes and surfaces dwarfs even the fastest computer system today. The human brain can process spatial information millions of times faster than a computer. In this digital era, then, a designer is limited to shapes, objects and surfaces that his computer can understand. Thus the major difference between the artist and the computer is that the computer cannot understand art. CATIA is so powerful because it helps bridge this gap. The software helps the computer come closer than ever before to understanding the complex and multi-curve surfaces and objects that the designer wants to create.
Gehry, for example, still begins from a hand-drawn sketch. His design team then makes a physical model from clay, plastic, and other materials with their hands. When the design of the surfaces is finalized in these models, they are "mapped" into CATIA using a laser-guided pen. This process is done by guiding the laser pen along each surface of the physical model while the pen, using state of the art technology, transfers the 3-dimensional surface into 3-dimensional space in the computer. With much editing, the design team is able to reproduce the 3D model in the computer almost exactly as it appears in physical shape. The computer is also able to smooth out surfaces and create better transitions from surface to surface. To see a visual animation of this process, see Fig. 4.
When the 3D model is complete on the computer, CATIA can (using steel "I" section members) add structure to the model in real scale. By giving exact dimensions for manufacturing, it can also create sheets of material ready for use in the building. This ability of the program gives the designer exact dimensions of steel beams, columns and sheets of material needed to build the 3D model in real life. This information is extremely valuable in estimating the cost of the building as well as estimating exactly how much material and labor will be needed in construction. CATIA can print out a laundry list of material needed, with exact dimensions, to build the building. This also facilitates the building process during the construction phase because each piece is exactly cut and labeled. In this manner CATIA makes the construction of a complicated building like the Walt Disney Concert Hall more like following instructions for a Lego set than a traditional construction project.
Bobak Ha'Eri/Wikimedia Commons
Rapid Prototyping/Paperless Construction
The ultimate goal of relying so heavily on computer technology is to eliminate the need for hand-drawn architectural plans. With CATIA technology, architectural plans are in the form of a computer simulation that can be played for the construction crew. This program quickly gives more detail than any hand drawing, saving time and cutting costs. The program can also give a schedule of the construction process to ensure that all components of the structure are completed on track. Post writes, "Mortenson [the general contracting company] decided to tiptoe into the fourth dimension of computer modeling and marry the building's curvilinear, leaning and swooping geometry to the planned schedule. The output is an animated 4D CAD visualization tool that plays out the construction sequence" [1]. The program gives a 3D render of project details while at the same time providing a time schedule for the construction crew to follow. Even exact quantities of materials needed and cost estimates can be computed with only a few keystrokes. Post explains, "Toward a paperless end, Jim Glymph (a partner in Gehry's Santa Monica Firm) envisions a team-shared project platform that centralizes all data, allowing instant feedback for fabrication, material quantities, and more. The system would recognize objects and their attributes, and be able to work across the Internet." Clearly, Gehry Associates has big plans for the future of architecture and engineering.
While paperless construction would be a nice asset to the construction industry, there is still a need for paper drawings. (Fig. 5). For example, people are not yet accustomed to total reliance on computer technology. We still want the safety net that comes with having a hard copy. Legal loopholes also require some paper documentation in case of setbacks like budget overruns or construction disputes. Sheerin realizes, "The ultimate goal is to avoid the need for 2D construction drawings, but this is not easily achieved today, given the cultural, political, and legal institutions that still demand paper drawings" [5]. Post echoes this concern by explaining, "Gehry's jobs are still not paperless. But most, like the concert hall, are hybrids, with construction documents that contain drawings and a CAD file" [1]. While steps are being made in that direction, totally paperless construction is still a vision for the future.
Other Applications
CATIA technology has also been widely used in many of Gehry's other buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and a large fish sculpture on the Barcelona waterfront.
CATIA technology allows Gehry's imagination to take full form. He no longer has to compromise design in favor of more traditional structures that can easily be built at a cheaper cost. The computer accommodates all of the flowing forms and irregular angles that characterize Gehry's work. In the future, CATIA can be used to provide estimates of materials and even be able to work across the Internet in a paperless design. It is the technology that made the sexy steel curves of the Walt Disney Concert Hall a reality after fifteen years of anticipation.
- [1] N.M. Post. "Movie of Job that Defies Description Is Worth More Than A Million Words." ENR. Internet: http://enr.construction.com/features/buildings/archives/020408.asp, Apr. 8, 2002.
- [2] CenitDesktop. "Case Study: CATIA at Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Inc." Internet:http://www.dte.co.uk/html/case_frank_gehry.htm.
- [3] "Advanced CATIA". Richard Cozzens Schroff Development Corporation, 1998.
- [4] "Flagship product development solution". Dassault Systems, 2001.
- [5] J. Haymaker, and M. Fischer. (2001, Jan.) "Challenges and Benefits of 4D Modeling on the Walt Disney Concert Hall Project." CIFE. Available: http://www.stanford.edu/group/CIFE/online.publications/WP064.pdf


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So last Saturday I went to see a roller derby scrim. I've been interested in roller derby for a while but had never been to see it before. It was pretty awesome and just made me want to give it ago even more - did I mention that I have also wanted to try roller derby myself?
Anyways here are some photo's from the scrim (they didnt really turn out very well as I was distracted by trying to make sense of the game!) As there is so many of them they get to be week 13 and 14 (also because I havent taken any other pics really this week!)

subset: commoncrawl


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Scomberomorus cavalla
|Scope: Global
Language: English
|Scientific Name:
|Scomberomorus cavalla (Cuvier, 1829)
|Regional Assessments:
Common Name(s):
Cybium acervum Cuvier, 1832
Cybium caballa Cuvier, 1832
Cybium cavalla Cuvier, 1829
Cybium clupeoideum Cuvier, 1832
Cybium immaculatum Cuvier, 1832
Scomberomorus caballa (Cuvier, 1832)
|Red List Category & Criteria:
|Least Concern ver 3.1
|Year Published:
|Date Assessed:
|Collette, B., Amorim, A.F., Boustany, A., Carpenter, K.E., de Oliveira Leite Jr., N., Di Natale, A., Fox, W., Fredou, F.L., Graves, J., Viera Hazin, F.H., Juan Jorda, M., Minte Vera, C., Miyabe, N., Nelson, R., Oxenford, H., Teixeira Lessa, R.P. & Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E.
|Russell, B. & Polidoro, B.
The species is under a conservative management regime in the north Atlantic, and recent landings appear stable throughout its range. There may be some local depletions, however the global population is estimated to be stable. This species is listed as Least Concern.
|Range Description:
|This species is found in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts, USA to Santa Catarina State, Brazil. A record exists for St. Paul's rocks (Lubbock and Edwards 1981), however this may represent a vagrant as there have been no records in the last 15 years despite close monitoring (Hazin, Lessa and Fredou pers. comm. 2010).
|Countries occurrence:
Native:Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Saba, Sint Eustatius); Brazil; Canada; Cayman Islands; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Curaçao; Dominica; Dominican Republic; French Guiana; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guatemala; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Jamaica; Martinique; Mexico; Montserrat; Nicaragua; Panama; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin (French part); Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Maarten (Dutch part); Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; United States; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Virgin Islands, British; Virgin Islands, U.S.
|FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
Atlantic – western central; Atlantic – northwest; Atlantic – southwest; Atlantic – eastern central
|Additional data:
|Range Map:
|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
|Total catch for this species in the Atlantic is probably underestimated due to reporting of unclassified Scombermorus species captures as well as the probably inadequate reporting for artisanal and recreational catches (Manooch 1979). In the 1980s there was a marked increase in reported landings of all small tuna species combined compared to previous years, reaching a peak of about 139,412 t in 1988. Reported landings for 1989–1995 decreased to approximately 92,637 t, and since then values have oscillated, with a minimum of 69,895 t in 1993 and a maximum of 123,600 t in 2005. Declared catches were 79,228 t in 2006 and 74,087 t in 2007. A preliminary estimate of the total nominal landings of small tunas in 2008 is 55,876 t. The 2008 preliminary catch of small tuna amounted to 55,876 t, of which 3,755 t was King mackerel (STECF 2009). There are more than 10 species of small tunas, but only five of these account for about 88% of the total reported catch by weight. These five species are: Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda), Frigate Tuna (Auxis thazard) which may include some catches of Bullet Tuna (Auxis rochei), Little Tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus), King Mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla), and Atlantic Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) (ICCAT 2009).
Tagging efforts in the 1970s and 1980s indicated that there are three migratory groups of King Mackerel in United States waters: a western Gulf of Mexico, Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic (Johnson et al. 1994, Sheppard et al. 2010). Since there are no genetic differences between the two Gulf of Mexico populations, the species is managed as two migratory stocks: Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern US coast (Gold et al. 2002). Winter migrations occur from both stocks to south Florida where the mixed stock is targeted by a winter fishery. The south US Atlantic stock contributes a significant percentage of landings in the winter mixing zone (Clardy et al. 2008). In the 1980s, this species was considered overfished throughout its US range. The Gulf of Mexico population which has experienced an estimated 2.5-fold increase in spawning stock biomass since the early 1990s displayed a decline in size-at-age for ages 2–7, while the Atlantic population, which has experienced an approximately 45 decline in estimated spawning stock biomass over the same time period, displayed an increase in size-at-age for ages 4–10 (Shepard et al. 2010). Posterior management measures have been effective in rebuilding the stocks to currently healthy levels. The estimated spawning stock biomass (SSB) is currently higher than the SSB maximum sustainable yeild (MSY) and F is lower than FMSY for both the US south Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico stocks (SEDAR 2009, Ortiz 2004). In the U.S., estimates of the SSB for the U.S. South Atlantic stock have declined, ranging from a peak of 12.8 million fish in 1981/82 to 5.9 million in 2001/02. For the Gulf of Mexico stock, the SSB has generally increased from 4 million fish in 1984/85 to 17.2 million in 2006/07 (NFMS SAR 2009). However, this species is considered to have recovered to a healthy level in the U.S.
In northeast Brazil, it is considered near fully exploited (Lessa et al. 2009). Preliminary stock assessment efforts in Trinidad conclude that the stock may be overfished (Hogarth and Martin 2006).
In the U.S., estimates of the SSB for the U.S. South Atlantic stock has declined, ranging from a peak of 12.8 million fish in 1981/82 to 5.9 million in 2001/02. For the Gulf of Mexico stock, the SSB has generally increased from 4 million fish in 1984/85 to 17.2 million in 2006/07 (NFMS SAR 2009).
Between 1976 and 2004, the weight landed in northeastern Brazil (from the state of Piauí to the state of Bahia) rose from 10.9% to 29% (mean=19.4%) of the total catch throughout its entire area of occurrence (Nóbrega and Lessa 2009). The states of Ceará (1,579 t) and Bahia (541 t) contributed the largest volumes in the northeastern region, accounting for 59% and 20.2% of the overall catch, respectively (Nóbrega and Lessa 2009). In northeastern Brazil Lessa et al. (2009) assessed the exploitation status of the stock and estimated a mean annual biomass of 12,742 t for a mean yield of 3,307 t/year, indicating that, despite being underexploited, the stock is near its maximal exploitation limit.
|Current Population Trend:
|Additional data:
|Habitat and Ecology:
|This species is reef-associated and oceanodromous and is often found in outer reef areas. Larvae are encountered in surface waters of 26.3–31°C and 26.9–35 ppt. It feeds primarily on fishes, in particularly clupeids with smaller quantities of penaeid shrimps and squids. It occurs singly or in small groups often in outer reef areas. Large schools have been found to migrate over considerable distances along the Atlantic U.S. coast, water temperature permitting.
In the northwest Atlantic, King Mackerel spawn from May to November, with males maturing between 2–3 years and females between 3–4 years (Beaumariage 1973, Funicane 1986)s. In Puerto Rico, spawning occurs year-round, with a peak from April–August (Figuerola-Fernandez and Torres-Ruiz 2003). In Ceara State, Brazil, spawning occurs from October to March. In the western Gulf of Mexico, spawning is from May to September (McEachran 1980). Longevity can reach 32 years for females and 26 for males (Nobrega and Lessa 2009). Average generation length across the species range has been estimated at nine years (Collette et al. 2011).
|Movement patterns:
|Full Migrant
|Use and Trade:
|This is an important recreational, commercial and artisanal species throughout its range.
|Major Threat(s):
|This is a commercial species caught with purse seines, gillnet, hook and line and other methods. It is an important species for recreational, commercial, and artisanal fisheries throughout its range. It is potentially ciguatoxic in certain areas.
|Conservation Actions:
This species is managed in the U.S. under the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources. The management bodies are the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC). The management plan establishes a number of conservation measures that have helped to recuperate king mackerel fisheries including determine quotas, bag limits and trip limits. Drift gill nets were banned in 1989. Size limit in commercial and recreational fisheries is 24 inches fork length (FL).
There are no specific conservation measure in place in Brazil, however there is a restriction on the length of gillnets which may not exceed 2.5 km. This is poorly enforced. The distribution of this species in Brazilian waters may coincide with some marine protected areas where further fishing regulations may apply.
In Trinidad, fishing effort is not controlled. There are regulations to specify the maximum length and depth and minimum mesh size for gillnets (11 cm). Similar regulations are imposed for seines, with maximum dimensions for the nets and minimum mesh size requirements (Martin and Nowlis 2004).
In the Bahamas, fishing for this species is allowed only with hook and line. Each vessel may have a maximum of six poles. Any migratory fishery resource that is caught shall not in total consist of more than six Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna or Wahoo per vessel and any resource not intended to be used shall not be injured unnecessarily but be returned to the sea alive.
|Collette, B., Amorim, A.F., Boustany, A., Carpenter, K.E., de Oliveira Leite Jr., N., Di Natale, A., Fox, W., Fredou, F.L., Graves, J., Viera Hazin, F.H., Juan Jorda, M., Minte Vera, C., Miyabe, N., Nelson, R., Oxenford, H., Teixeira Lessa, R.P. & Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. 2011. Scomberomorus cavalla. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T170339A6755835. . Downloaded on 18 August 2018.
|To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
|If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided


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This apartment is located on the 1st floor. There is a beautifully furnished living room with a seating area and a TV. The fully equipped kitchen has a dishwasher, oven, ceramic hob and fridge-freezer. The master bedroom with en-suite bathroom is fitted with a king size bed.
The bathroom has a shower and a sink, a separate toilet and bidet.
Via the sliding door in the living room, the beautiful terrace is accessible. This terrace offers views over the water and is very conveniently located to the wind.
– Suitable for 2 persons
– Communal pool
– Parking space
– Free Wi-Fi
– Airconditioning in both living and bedroom
– No service charge!
– Government Tax $ 5.50 pppn >12 years


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Burrell Mining International
Products to help you protect your people and promote productivity.
Products to help you protect your people and promote productivity.
The CAN® is a yieldable secondary roof support made from a confined core of cementitious composite, encased in a cylindrical steel canister, which resembles a can. The CAN® handles mine floor heaving and roof sag better than any other type of support available today.
Omega Block products are composed of non-toxic incombustible materials whose air permeability and relative fire-resistance characteristics are unequaled. Fully approved for constructing underground ventilation devices by MSHA, Omega Blocks can reduce overall labor cost.
The Turbo Prop is the next best thing to being a CAN because it is a small diameter version of the CAN.
See how Burrell Mining can help support your industry with our roof support and ventilation products today.
The principal items of work and approximate quantities include: clearing and grubbing, 177.6 acres; grading, 1,937,857 cubic yards; drainage excavation, 8,066 cubic yards; and granular sodium bentonite clay lining 605 tons.
All bids will be opened on December 14, 2017, at 2 p.m.
The new ssistant Labor Secretary of Mine Safety and Health has been elected and a regulatory proposal from the Board of Coal Mine Safety requiring the use of sensitive ground faults on electrical equipment on a working section of an underground coal mine was approved unanimously.


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By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. You can change this and find out more by following this link. Learn More Accept Cookies
26/09/2011 11:56:00
The Forcefield Kadet kids back protector features in the Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard Family special and is described as "Maxi protection that mini park rats will be begging to wear"
Sign up for all the latest products and news from Forcefield Body Armour
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Download our 2018 Catalogue
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The Philadelphia Fed is out with its quarterly survey of 48 professional economic forecasters. In line with the overall trend of data, their assessment was downbeat.
Median forecasts for Q3 GDP were revised downward from 2.5 percent to 1.6 percent. Median Q4 projections were revised from 2.6 percent to 2.2 percent
Perhaps reflecting increased pessimism about the fiscal cliff, the median projection for GDP in Q1 of 2013 declined from 2.6 percent to 1.8 percent.
The unemployment rate is expected to drop very slowly, barely breaking 8 percent in 2013. The median forecast was 8.1 percent for 2012 and 7.9 percent for 2013.
This chart of the distribution of opinions gives an idea of the decline in projections and the confidence in predictions for GDP growth in 2012:
And the unemployment rate:
Don't miss: The 12 Most Infamous Economic Conspiracy Theories >


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Submitting an item for the Homepage
Any staff member with a Schoolloop account can create and submit items for the school's homepage. Instructions for creating your own Calendar and News items can be found here: http://rivercity-wusd-ca.schoolloop.com/homepage_submission. All items submitted should be intended for the larger school audience and are subject to approval by the website manager.
Responding to Crisis
Tips for responding to student questions and comments about tragedies in the news. These tips also apply to questions that parents may be fielding from their children.
- Talking to your child about shootings
- Tips and Resources for Teachers and parents
- CA Dept of Edu: Coping with Tragedy
- Safe Schools Information from CDE
- Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center
- Talking with Kids about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
- Teaching in Times of Crisis
- Save the children: How to help children cope
- Listen, Protect and Connect: Psychological First Aid for Teachers and Schools
Mandated Reporter Numbers
Yolo County Child Welfare Services
(530) 669-2345 or 1-888-400-0022
West Sacramento Police Department
(916) 617-4900
Mandated Reporters Information from the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention
Referral and Human Services Information
Call 2-1-1
The new 2-1-1 Yolo number uses existing Sacramento County operators. Callers can access Yolo County's Health and Human Services database of helpful information at any time…and in any language. The 2-1-1 call center will look up the information for Yolo County, be able to refer them to that service and say that information out loud. The AT&T language line operator will translate that information and stay on the line. Since its inception in January, calls have included questions about immunizations, emergency shelter, job skills, and tax help.
Technology Resources
Helpdesk Line (staff only -- for emergency problems that can be resolved by remote access): Call 375-7999 or VoIP extention 1400
Helpdesk website: http:\\helpdesk.wusd.k12.ca.us
Teachers should refer students with login problems to Karen Michener in the library or Estella Delatorre in the Career Center. They can write the Helpdesk ticket or call the Helpdesk Line on behalf of students.
WUSD Technology Help Documents


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Sukhothai Historical Park Travel Guide
- The 13th C fortified city of Sukhothai is a World Heritage Site as nominated by UNESCO. This together with the adjoining ancient wiang cities of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet are major tourist attractions in Thailand.
- Today what remains of these three cities are the remains of city moats and walls, ruins (monuments) in brick and laterite of palaces and monasteries, lakes and waterways and military ramparts.
- Sukhothai Historical Park covers 70 square Kilometers with 193 ruins.
- The major Sukhothai monuments are detailed in the sub links. Thailandsworld.com has allocated them according to their location as being, within the walled City moat, North of Sukhothai city walls, South of the walls, East of the walls and West of the city walls.
Wat Mahathat Seated Buddha Statue
Inside The Walled City Of Sukhothai
- The ancient Sukhothai City walls consist of three concentric earthen banks , the in between spaces from which the earth was dug were originally moats. The eastern and western walls are 1,400 meters long and the southern and northern walls are 1,810 meters long. Each of the four walls has a gateway. These are made of laterite. The moats were supplied with water from the nearby Mae Ramphan Canal. Inside the walls are the ruins of 21 different monasteries or other buildings and 4 reservoirs. The art and architecture styles reflect the original Khmer, Mon, Sinhalese and finally Tai influences.
- Wat Mahathat
- Wat Traphang Ngon
- Wat Si Sawai
- Wat Traphang Thong
- Wat Sorasak
Important Sukhothai History, Art and Culture Topics
- Sukhothai History, Sukhothai Kingdom, Sukhothai World Heritage Site, Sukhothai maps, Sukhothai art style, Si Satchanalai, Khamphaeng Phet, Chaliang, Wat Mahathat Sukhothai, Wat Si Chum, Wat Chang Lom, Wat Phra Phai Luang, Wat Si Sawai Sukhothai, Wat Sorasak Sukhothai, Sukhothai moats, Sukhothai City walls,Wat Chedi Si Hong, Wat Chetuphon, Wat Saphan Hin, Wat Phra Bat Noi, Phra Ruang Dam, Wat Traphang Ngon, Wat Si Sawai, Wat Traphang Thong, King Ramkhamhaeng the Great, Ramkhamhaeng Museum, Sangkhalok ware.


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T-Mobile began rolling out an OTA update for the Motorola CLIQ yesterday, but it was not the Android 1.6 update we had been hoping for. Instead, the update focused on bug fixes and the phone's firmware version remains on Android 1.5. We first reported on the rumor that the CLIQ might be stuck on Android 1.5 and we have yet to see any new information to contradict that. Hopefully, this is the first of many updates coming to the CLIQ and it will eventually get Android 2.0.
Highlights of the update include:
- Longer Battery Life
- New Battery Management Feature
- Better Bluetooth
- Touch Screen Accuracy
- TTY Option
- Better Business Connections
- Improved Caller Connectivity
- Quick Office 2
- Accelerometer Enhancements
For more details on the recent update, see the official release notes from Motorola.
Our friend John Walton from DroidDog has uploaded a short video of the update process.
We also have some additional information about the CLIQ update from our contributor Justin Shapcott:
All the way back on November 2nd, we reported on a problem with the OpenGL ES implementation on the CLIQ. That story caught the attention of Motorola and and gave us a chance to work with Motorola to identify and document the issue. One month later, we are happy to report that this issue has been resolved with the recent OTA update that was shipped by Motorola and T-Mobile.
Eric Cloninger (Sr. Product Manager, MOTODEV Studio for Android) requested additional information from us, and we provided the necessary information and an Android project that exhibited the problem. With this information, Eric was able to get issue resolved with the CLIQ development team and the fix was released as part of the recent update.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Eric for taking it upon himself to go above and beyond his duties and help us to help CLIQ Users (and Android Developers) get through this issue.
If you have a CLIQ and received the latest update, please let us know your thoughts on it. I had to completely stop using my CLIQ because of the touchscreen and battery drain issues so I'm interested to see how it performs.


text:
Print Manager
join us
our company
Audit Printing
Cut Costs
Any organisation should be keeping tabs on the amount and cost of printing and audit printing.
If you have never before looked into it you will be surprised at the cost of printing to your organisation. You should audit printing at al levels in order have a full understanding of the costs of printing and find where obvious cuts can be made.
Legal firms, architects, design houses and anyone else who prints a lot of matter for clients need to audit printing so that costs can be tracked and passed on to the client.
Print Manager Plus is the perfect tool to audit printing.
Print Manager Plus Data Loss Prevention
Print Manager Plus 2010, from Software shelf International www.softwareshelf.com provides an additional level of security and data loss prevention and is used by some of the largest government agencies, corporations and institutions in the world.
"The big hole in Data Loss Prevention has to do with uncontrolled and usually unrestricted printing" according to Software Shelf CEO, Bill Feeley. "Print Manager Plus 2010 fills this need and is the most robust and least expensive solution available on the market today."
Print Manager Plus 2010 can quickly set Quotas and Restrictions on a single or multiple users, user groups, and organizational units. Restrictions can be set directly on a printer or group of printers. Default settings can be turned on for new Users, and Printers added to the Active Directory.
According to Feeley, if a print job has been denied because of a preset data restriction or a printing quota has been met, Print Manager Plus 2010 can automatically be set to pause the print job or delete it. Pop-Up messages can then be automatically sent to the userworkstation explaining why the print job was denied and requiring the user to obtain authorization to continue.
New security related features enable easy compliance to regulations such as HIPAA security rules and similar rules of UK and European Data Protection regulations, as well as Sarbanes Oxley in the US.
Print Manager Plus 2010 not only makes printing 100 percent more efficient and secure, it enables fast, state of the art print controls and accounting, significant reductions of waste and increased cost savings all while dramatically lowering IT and hardware resource requirements and increasing Date Loss Protection for any organization.
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These candles are made of fine stearin and paraffin with the right type of wick makes the candles burn with a clear bright flame without running or smoke. The candles fits into several of Svenskt Tenn candle holders, for example Vänskapsknuten (The Knot of friendship), Kulan (Globe) or Flow.
The candles are sold in a pack of 6.


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M. Toulouse Saddles
Tradition - Technology - Elegance
Those who belong to the equestrian world know the importance of words like "tradition", "elegance", "state of the art technology" and "old world quality".
M. Toulouse saddles combine traditional techniques and technology with the finest raw material, which results in extraordinary final products.
All M. Toulouse saddles are hand crafted of natural vegetable tanned, pigmented, aniline finished leather which will accept oil. The leather used is a natural product. The cows are free to roam naturally. As a result, the leather is stronger. Therefore, there may be small normal marks, scars and insect bites. However Toulouse craftsmen carefully choose the ideal cut of each individual hide in order to minimize, as much as possible, these completely natural occurances in every article.
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The main star of "Slumdog Millionaire" is the sharply contrasting city of Mumbai, said its director Danny Boyle on Wednesday, describing the Indian financial capital wracked by mass poverty as extraordinary in all its extremes.
After winning four Golden Globes earlier this month, Boyle told reporters "Slumdog Millionaire" was an honest look at the immense hardships faced by millions of Indians who live in Mumbai's slums. He also rejected criticism that it romanticizes India's grim poverty.
Two days before the much-talked about Indian release, Boyle said the film was a fairy tale rooted in reality. It tells the story of Jamal Malik, a poor youth who becomes the champion of India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" television program as he searches for his lost love.
"The star of the film for me is Mumbai - an extraordinary city with all its extremes," Boyle said.
More than half of Mumbai's 18 million people live in ramshackle huts packed near train stations or in the shadows of modern high-rises. Being India's financial and entertainment centre, it is a city of sharp contrasts - immense wealth and heart-wrenching poverty; gleaming skyscrapers and enormous slums.
To the country's poorest, it is a city of dreams with thousands flocking to Mumbai from impoverished towns and villages in search of new jobs and better lives.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is expected to fill theatres starting Friday, despite upsetting many who say it focuses on the West's fascination with the country's poverty. About 400 million Indians live on less than $1 a day.
"I never thought I was writing a film about poverty," said Simon Beaufoy, who wrote the film's screenplay based on a novel by Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup. "Really, genuinely in my heart, I was writing a film about a people with a massive spirit and a determination to overcome terrible troubles."
The cast of "Slumdog Millionaire" is almost entirely drawn from Bollywood - India's enormous film industry - and from the slums of Mumbai. Nearly a third of the film is in Hindi, a change Boyle said was made after filming started.
The film "came alive" with the Hindi dialogue," he said.
The Oscar nominations were to be announced a day ahead of "Slumdog"'s Indian premiere, but Boyle said he was not holding out any hopes. "We can't expect anything. Even if we fall over a cliff tomorrow we've done way beyond what we could have imagined."
Earlier this month, Slumdog won four Golden Globe Awards, including best drama and best director.
Boyle, who directed the 1996 drug drama "Trainspotting." said he would love to return to Mumbai to "make a thriller. A really dark thriller."
Slumdog's real star revealed
The main star of "Slumdog Millionaire" is the sharply contrasting city of Mumbai, said its director Danny Boyle on Wednesday, describing the Indian financial capital wracked by mass poverty as extraordinary in all its extremes.


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Published: 2002/05/21
by Christopher Orman
'It Felt Great to Play Bluegrass Again': an interview with Drew Emmitt
After a few years playing electric guitar in rock bands, at the age of nineteen upon his mother's insistence Drew Emmitt purchased an A-model mandolin and proceeded to learn as much bluegrass as possible. His insatiable appetite led to the creation of several bands, from the Tractors to the aptly titled Left Hand String Band.
In 1986, the Left Hand String Band opened for Hot Rize at the three hundred seat Gold Hill Inn. As the band performed Allman Brothers and Little Feat covers followed by traditional fiddle tunes, the audience began to dance uncontrollably. The crowd reacted with such a torrid fervor, Emmitt comments, "The floor started bouncing and moving from the dancing." In contrast when Hot Rize performed, the audience became languid and promptly sat and listened with reserved pleasure. Emmitt immediately noticed the possibilities for bluegrass in more liberating contexts. Four years later when the commute to several booked shows in Crested Butte prevented half of Vince Herman's Salmon Heads from performing, the Left Hand String Band dissolved into the Salmon Heads to become Leftover Salmon, and Emmitt's notion of obviating any unnecessary reverence in bluegrass became feasible.
In Leftover Salmon, Drew Emmitt has garnered attention for his electricity as an instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter. As the self-described polyethnic-cajun-slamgrass band has circled the country, its sound has slowly gestated from a bluegrass band fusing rock and roll elements into a blues rock band with bluegrass references. Given the change in the band, one of Emmitt's musical inspirations had been mollified, despite the touring success of Leftover Salmon. As a means to return to his pre-Leftover Salmon impulses, Emmitt's debut solo album Freedom Ride released April 9th on Compass Records offers insight into the sonic possibilities had he remained steadfast in his bluegrass aspirations.
Returning to the music of the Left Hand String Band, Emmitt has crafted an album worthy of notoriety and prestige. Considering the renewed interest in bluegrass, the release moves to the cusp of the reinvigorated idiom with a New Grass Revival inspired redolence. The contributions of a myriad of bluegrass' elite performers instills credibility to the album and to Emmitt as a bluegrass artist, akin to the respect garnered by Jerry Garcia with the release of Old and In the Way's eponymous 1976 release.
In a candid interview from his home in Crested Butte, Emmitt discussed Freedom Ride, his influences, Leftover Salmon's May 7th release Live also on Compass Records, and the phenomenal state of bluegrass.
Looking solely at Freedom Ride's liner notes, I was amazed by the enormous amount of talent. What was it like to work with such a cadre of bluegrass musicians?
A joy. They were all extremely professional and that allowed me to let them go and do what they felt sounded the best. Everyone was very relaxed and respectful. Freedom Ride was my first time producing an album, and I was amazed at how everyone acted extremely respectful of my position, while aiding in the overall creation of the album. Dave Sinko whom engineered most of New Grass Revival's records really helped me out, bringing his formidable intelligence to the room and adding another element. I really want to mention Dave Sinko because he pulled everything together, and without him and the musicians, I would have been unable to produce the album or give the album its overall sound.
I notice a recurring theme of New Grass Revival; a major influence I would gather?
Oh yeah, definitely more than any other bluegrass band. In the early 1980s, after my several rock bands years earlier, I had been into David Grisman and Hot Rize. At that time I hadn't really written any bluegrass songs of my own, and I was using Grisman and Hot Rize as my blueprint. But as I began writing, my rock and roll ideas kept coming up and I thought, "What if I could fuse bluegrass and rock and roll." When I went to a show and saw New Grass Revival, and they had John (Cowan) with such a powerful voice, and Sam Bush with his mandolin and Bela (Fleck); the whole thing sounded remarkable, and it was exactly what I wanted to do.
Interesting you mention Hot Rize also as an early influence because your songwriting refers to the Colorado mountains and the natural environment much like Hot Rize did with songs such as "High On a Mountain."
On Freedom Ride, songs like "Bend in the River" and "Valley of the Full Moon" are entirely about special experiences in the beautiful world of Colorado. "Bend in the River" is about my wedding in Crested Butte, where my wife and I were married right by the river, under a willow tree; the whole thing is completely autobiographical. Similarly, "Valley of the Full Moon" references an incident at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival several years ago when I ran through the woods and the Festival campgrounds late at night. The moon glowed so brightly that it lit up the whole area as I ran all over the place. In a sense, I come from the same area which inspired the guys in Hot Rize, and there is something unexplainable about Colorado which permeates everything you do. I guess I can't avoid writing about it.
Telluride conspicuously inspires everyone, both fans and musicians.
Telluride has a magic which I cannot explain. I remember we(Leftover Salmon) grew up in the campgrounds there, we loved the whole environment. We would pick in the campgrounds until the early morning every night of the festival. You know we are the only band which has gone to the main stage but still plays in the campgrounds simply because that was such a large part of our musical upbringing.
Last year I remember Pastor Mustard mentioning a late night jam in the campgrounds with the finest bluegrass players in the world. Did you conspire to bring more performers to your beloved starting place?
Yes, that was my fault(laughs). I remember talking to performers, like Sam Bush or Peter Rowan and none of them knew about the campground jams. When I asked Sam Bush if he wanted to play with us, he said, "The campgrounds? I didn't know they had campground jams here!" So, I collected Chris Thile, Peter Rowan, Bela Fleck and myself, and we went and jammed in the campgrounds.
What did the non-professional pickers think?
What would you do?
Stop playing with my jaw firmly stuck to the ground.
Exactly. I mean the group looked absolutely perplexed. Here were these world-renowned players suddenly jumping into a bluegrass jam. But, I think that epitomizes the bluegrass spirit, where we all can jam no matter our ability or recognition. In the end we all come from a bluegrass jam and all love to do it. To see other players glowing and enjoying the camaraderie makes it really special.
With Freedom Ride, another reference concerns your mandolin playing. Throughout the album your mandolin tone and performance style sounds remarkably similar to John Duffey's. How much did Duffey's playing inspire your mandolin approach?
Funny you should mention Duffey, because many people probably do not notice his influence upon my playing. When I began playing bluegrass, my first bluegrass band the Porphyry Mountain Boys played a lot of Seldom Scene songs. At the time I listened to Duffey intently and studied his tone; I really liked his tone more than any other mandolinists. Around the same time I became enamored with Don Reno and in general all traditional bluegrass.
So you started out primarily focused on playing traditional bluegrass?
Without question. Back when I was nineteen into my early twenties, I would travel with friends to the Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, which now incidentally goes by the name Rockygrass. The festival had really traditional acts which all inspired my playing. Of all of the acts mentioned, the Johnson Mountain Boys were the biggest inspiration in my early bluegrass days.
The Johnson Mountain Boys?
See not many people, even bluegrass knowledgeable fans are familiar with the Johnson Mountain Boys, but they were a great, great band, truly amazing. Without them and what their music brought to me, I doubt I would have fallen in love with bluegrass. Find their albums anywhere, anyway you can and you will become hooked, trust me!
What mandolin did you play on the album to create the traditional Duffey tone? Your Rigel G-110 mandolin?
No. I have been playing my Rigel Mandolin a lot, and played it on the whole recent California tour. Actually, the Rigel has such a nice feel and wonderful responsive, I plan on playing it more this year on the stage in amplified settings. For the album I used my 1984 Nugget F-5 mandolin made by Michael Kenmitzer. He makes a great, classic bluegrass mandolin and the tone when not plugged in but through a mic, sounds exceptionally traditional and clear. So the Nugget probably made the Duffey connection a little clearer then my standard amplified Nugget or Ron Oates electric mandolin.
Referring to your amplified, rock and roll playing, throughout the years Leftover Salmon fans have been confounded over the steel drum effect on your mandolin.
A cheap Whammy pedal turned up to the highest setting. Years ago I started messing with my Whammy pedal and found this setting which sounded like a steel drum. So, I kept the tone and used it in the band. While I don't use it much any more, every once in a while on a calypso tune I will use the effect. As for the other amplified effects on my mandolin, they are all standard settings on my Mesa Boogie amp.
On Freedom Ride there are a sundry of covers, but the most familiar to jamband fans might be "If You're Ever in Oklahoma." You are aware of the Yonder Mountain String Band's performance of the song?
Definitely, because they learned it from me (laughs). I have been playing that song for years, back to my first band the Tractors. In fact, I have played that song in virtually every bluegrass band I have played in over the years. In the Left Hand String Band we kept playing it, and it has remained a part of the repertoire for years. Jeff (Austin) of Yonder Mountain String Band could be considered equal parts Vince [Herman] and myself. We often call him our kid because he acts like the kid Vince and I would have if such a thing were possible (laughs). But being our kid, he knows our songs and has pulled some from our repertoire.
"If You're Ever in Oklahoma" has a rather intriguing arrangement.
That's because of John Cowan. He constantly came up with great arrangements for the album and did so rather easily. His arrangements were so interesting; he has such a remarkable talent for arranging. Another cover on the album Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue" was mentioned by John as a piece to perform. We were sitting in Craig Ferguson's room [the producer of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival] and John mentioned we should play "Tangled Up in Blue." I remember responding "That song is like twenty minutes long, a great song, but I don't know John." He responded "Just trust me," and then he proceeded to prove me wrong. As we were arranging "Tangled Up in Blue," Luke Bella, the violinist in John's band, started playing "Dusty Miller." So we fused "Dusty Miller" into "Tangled Up in Blue."
Is "Tangled Up in Blue" representative of the process employed for the arranging and recording of music on Freedom Ride?
Every song went through such a process, even the older songs. For example "Bend in the River" ended up being slowed down and then Luke Bella and Stuart Duncan played twin fiddle parts to give it a more Cajun feel. Originally Luke Bella and Stuart Duncan were at the studio and rather than send one home, we decided, "What about two fiddles?" I didn't play any fiddle on the album, because I wanted the fiddlers to figure out certain parts and bring their own ideas to the song. Casey Driessen on "Freedom Ride" could be considered a perfect example as he came up with all of the melodic ideas for the fiddle.
So you purposefully allowed these musicians to dictate the formation and performance of a song?
Honestly, I think it makes the music more interesting. All of the players on this disc are world caliber and when I let the process go in a hands-off manner, the results were more than I could have imagined.
With Freedom Ride did you follow the practices employed on Leftover Salmon's Nashville Sessions, a similarly talent laden album?
I learned a ton from Randy Scruggs with the Nashville Sessions, and this album being my first attempt producing, most of my ideas came from his style. Honestly, all of my past producers, from Charles Sawtelle (_Bridges of Bert_ and Left Hand String Band's Get Me Outta this City) to Justin Niebank (_Euphoria_) offered a largess of knowledge about production. But Randy Scruggs' offered a style which keeps a record sounding more lively, where you finish the songs as you go along, not in disjointed sections where you record all of the drum tracks at once, etc., and then piece them together. Scruggs also showed me how to flow and let the artists be the creative forces, let the players inject their emotion into the record.
So you were able to have everyone in the studio to the point where you could feasibly finish a song rather than putting pieces together?
The only player we had to leave sections open for was Sam Bush. Sam has a ton of projects going on, one with David Grisman and work with John Cowan, so he had to wait to record his parts. I didn't mind because we left perfect little passages for him. Then when we listened back to the album, we noticed some other areas where no one had really soloed where he could add other solos. Sam is the consummate professional, and I just love working with him. He made me feel comfortable as a producer. He never looked at me like he wanted to say, "What would you know?" So only Sam's parts were recorded and placed into the song apart from our standard process.
Returning to the issue of cover songs, what instigated the recording of Peter Rowan's "Rainmaker" a classic from Rowan's "Dust Bowl Children"?
By luck, and some strange incidents! Peter and I have a long history, an otherworldly bond which would take hours to explain, and when we had the Salmon and Friends shows for Mark Vann, Peter, John Cowan and I played some trio pieces. The whole time we played I loved the sound and thought, "This should be on the record." At first Peter had come to Nashville only to sing a duet with me on the Monroe piece "Memories of Mom and Dad." Well, after recording the vocals, Peter ran into his songwriting partner from Dustbowl Children. A few hours later Peter returned with a big sheepish grin asking me if I wanted to record "Rainmaker." On Dustbowl Children, he recorded it solo, with just an acoustic guitar, so on my album the first recording of the song with a full band was made, which makes it even more special. Just another example of how this whole album kept coming together under such perfect circumstances by maintaining a flexibility and a flow.
So you recorded a classic via a chance encounter?
Can you believe it? Peter has a shaman power where great things move toward him, a real deep strength. I remember at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival last year, I took Peter to pick in the campgrounds and he was dressed in this Nepal piece of clothing; a mixture of Star Trek and Buddhist sensibilities. Peter walks into the campground to pick and I couldn't decide if they were in awe of him or his shaman clothing (laughs). But he has that effect whether he wears the clothes or not (laughs).
With Freedom Ride, in its entirety, you have returned to the bluegrass which you played in the 1980's with Left Hand String Band. Does the album represent such a return for you to your youthful musical pursuits?
Unquestionably. I never wanted to leave that world, and with people like Peter around, I had the ability to begin right where I concluded in the early 1990's. When the concept for the album came up to make a New Grass Revival styled album I was overjoyed. If you had told me ten years ago, that in 2002 I would release a bluegrass album of this prowess, I would have considered it a dream. I keep shaking my head and realizing what an honor to have created such an album.
Can fans expect any live performances or a tour with the Freedom Ride players?
We are currently in discussion with the Sheridan Opera House about allowing me to perform on an evening during the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, where I can have people from the Festival sit in on the Freedom Ride songs. Then at Telluride, you can expect John Cowan to sit in with Leftover Salmon and I will play with his band, which should be opportune times to perform those songs. Actually, this year at Telluride will be enormous, with plenty of artists sharing their talents and probably more people than ever.
Yes, the O Brother Where Art Thou? effect should make Telluride phenomenal this year.
The O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack isn't the only album or artist which could make Telluride amazing this coming year. A week ago, Ricky Skaggs opened for the String Cheese Incident; Skaggs a Telluride regular probably turned three thousand jamband fans on to bluegrass. The guys in String Cheese Incident told me Skaggs absolutely loved the scene and the crowd. It inspired him and brought this energy to him which he hasn't felt in years. Then you have Chris Thile and Bela Fleck whom have wonderfully crossed over into classical. Leftover Salmon brought bluegrass to a rowdy rock and roll audience, like String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band have consistently done. All of these acts have aided in the renewed interest in bluegrass. Years ago, Leftover Salmon had this na vision of people renewing an interest in bluegrass and though we probably did not do much, to see this dream occurring I consider amazing and wonderful.
Speaking of acts which have persuade audiophiles to examine bluegrass, what are you currently listening to on a regular basis?
Well, a lot actually. Jerry Douglas' Restless On the Farm never leaves my CD player. Newgrange (featuring Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Alison Brown, etc.), the new Marshall/Anger disc Duo Live: At Home and On the Range and Alison Brown's Replay. Talk about being on a great label with Compass Records. The main record executive plays the banjo so deftly; I just love Alison's Replay. Then others which have remained in the rotation are the new Del McCoury Band album and Chris Thile's Not All Who Wander Are Lost.
Chris Thile has fomented a different perspective of bluegrass, but being a mandolinist his new solo album has become the means for acknowledging my own incompetence.
You too! No question, I listen to it and think, what do I do wrong? Chris and I have a fairly lengthy history, going back to Merlefest about five years ago. I remember he sat in with Leftover Salmon and it was his first time playing plugged in. He used to play slouched over, and I didn't know what to expect when he had my plugged in Nugget in his hands. The kid went crazy, rocking out like how he does now, just into it. Despite his virtuosity, I like how he plays reserved and not overpowering or showing someone up. He plays well in the group context, and refuses to make every moment his moment. Whatever he does in the future, I can say, "Yeah, well I saw him first really rock out with us."
Besides the release of Freedom Ride on May 7th, Leftover Salmon will be releasing Live (pronounced liv'). The album, culled from several live shows in 2001, seems like an affirmation of the seminal bluegrass performers which have created this renewed interest in bluegrass.
Yes, I consider Live a memorial to Mark Vann, as well as to all of the great musicians we have lost over the years. The album has a performance of John Hartford's "Steam-Powered Aero-Plain" which we included as a memorial to John Hartford. Something I learned from Mark more than anything may have been the need for all of us to live. He died at 39, a year younger than me, and I learned from him, and Charles Sawtelle and Waylon Jennings and John Hartford the need to live as much as possible and to keep the music alive. The players which are innovative, like Mark and Charles Sawtelle are important and they push the music forward. Bill Monroe used to say, if I can paraphrase, "Learn bluegrass and then push it to another level." All of those players did that, and we hope the album embodies all of those ideas and philosophies.


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Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 13
December 15, 2012
Eiji Otsuka / Housui Yamazaki – Dark Horse – 2013 – 16+ volumes
I'm having a hard time believing my good luck! Two volumes of this in one year! Magnificent. This is still one of my absolute favorites.
The cover story in this volume involves an ancient tradition of Goddess worship, where sacrifices were made to ensure a bountiful harvest. The gang finds a body cut up into pieces and buried in a field, where many strangely bountiful harvests grow in the center of the city. There's also an ancient dogu statue buried with her, and the whole thing leads back to an archeological society, and to a whodunnit from there. It's the setting and method that makes these stories interesting, though. While I do like Case Closed, rarely are the murder cases as tied into bizarre pop culture and ancient traditions as this. They are usually a bit more… material in nature.
There are two other stories in the volume. One actually lays a little plot down on us, which I was not expecting. When was the last time that happened in this series?! I could read this series forever and not care about running across an overarching plot, but the bits we've gotten are tantalizing. Especially since it will potentially offer an explanation for Karasu's powers. This story touches on that in the most minimal way possible, but the hint of more will keep me looking for volume 14 every week. The plot-related story is inside another investigation that involves creeps that pick up girls looking… well, to stay overnight, except they also murder them sometimes. This one has an unusually tense and bloody ending.
The middle story was a court case that mostly involved Sasaki and nobody else. It (and the generous end notes) look at the Japanese judicial system pretty closely, and Sasaki and one of her fellow jurists feel their case isn't quite as open-and-shut as it first seems. The fellow jurist bears an uncomfortable resemblance to Kazuo Umezu.
Basically, everything that I've loved about the series all along is still here. The black humor, the way the group's strange powers work together to solve the murders, the awesome climaxes where the dead come back to life to torture their killer (in one odd case here, another re-animated corpse), and the plentiful end notes that provide pages of details on whatever is going on in the story. This still is one of my very favorites, and I'm still so happy that Dark Horse decided to continue it.
2 Responses to "Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 13"
December 18, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I *LOVE* Kurosagi, it's characters, dark humor, plot and even (especially) the informative end notes, which are always a treat and one of the reasons why I actually try to buy the volumes rather than get them from the library-it feels like two books in one.
The over arching plot is one of my favorite parts (although the character interaction and humor is what keeps me coming back), and I have a feeling that the reason the manga hasn't delved all that deeply into Karasu's back story and power source is that the manga was forced to switch magazines a few times over the years. The fact that it always found a new home rather than being cancelled gives me hope, and the details in volume 13 left was jaw dropping. I want more! Hopefully as it gets settled in its latest home, we'll get more details. ;)
Thanks for the review!
December 22, 2012 at 1:57 am
[…] (Brain Vs. Book) Johanna Draper Carlson on Honey Darling (Comics Worth Reading) Connie on vol. 13 of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (Slightly Biased Manga) Andre Paploo on vol. 1 of The Limit (Kuriousity) Connie on Love Syndrome […]


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JACKSON TWP., N.J. - February 16, 2013 --Six Flags Great Adventure is launching its seasonal hiring drive.
A job fair is going on Saturday from 10 to 4 at Six Flags in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
Jobseekers are asked to fill out an application online before going to the fair.
Six Flags hopes to hire 4,000 seasonal workers and at least 200 interns.
For more information, visit their website at www.sixflagsjobs.com.


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2006 Suzuki Aerio SX Reviews
2006 Aerio SX Owner Reviews (3)
Love It
AOL user 2008-12-30 13:29:35
I have my Aerio for 2 1/2 years, 24,000 miles. And even with two large traveling dogs, and living on dirt roads, it still looks and feels like new. Plenty of room for my 6 ft husband and still small enough for my 5'3" height and very round body! Not so short it is hard to get out of and plenty of power to make the climb up to Flagstaff from the valley. Mileage averages about 27 mph in multi types of driving, and have got 30 mph on highway even with mountains as long as I keep speed legal or a bit below. Even speeding it gets 26 mph in all kinds of roads. Only complaint I have is design of back window, it captures all the road dirt and holds it tight. Absolutely no mechanical problems so far, and excellent customer service at dealer.
Best car I ever owned (after 18 months!)
2007-08-23 09:49:54
Somehow it feels roomier, more comfortable inside than all the other small hatchbacks I test drove when shopping for this last spring. I'm as happy in this car after 18 mos/ 21,000 miles as the first week I owned it. No failures, even minor, and everything still "feels" solidly put together.
My actual hiway mileage: about 29 mpg; can't really say what town miles are, but lots less -- This isn't a particularly energy saving car, but very comfortable for me personally (5'5 tall female) and the seat height adjustments make it suitable for my taller family members also.
Road/engine noise could be quieter; it's especially loud when accelerating --actually, to an embarrassing degree! sounds like I am trying to "hot rod" when I am merely starting up from a stop light! But that's it for complaints.
Aerio SX Saves My LIfe
2007-08-01 07:34:30
What a great vehicle, I have had this sports car for almost a year now. I am a single mother of two. Typical Story dead beat dad, so I work 80 hours a week, drive 120 miles a day on I 95 in South Florida. One night 2 months after I had purchased my Aerio SX I fell asleep trying to get home. This has never happened to me. I woke up when my vehicle hit construction barriers, the only damage was two flat tires!!!! no damage to the body of my vehicle, no damage to me, no one was near me on the highway. Thank you God, thank you guardian angels. The 2nd time was just 2 weeks ago. I was running 102.8 fever, I was on my way to the hospital to have a spinal tap done. I thought I was fine to drive. Two miles before the hospital I most of passed out because the next thing I new I was being asked if I was ok and where was I going. My poor car was sitting on the edge of a curb. This time 2 flat tires, smashed transmission casing, & now I am being told the body shop is replacing the front suspension. My cars body is still beautiful. The parts a all new. I do not have any damages to myself at all. I should of been killed in both of these accidents. I was truly blessed by the steering & heavy duty structure of this vehicle to take the impacts both times. Thank you Suzuki. I can't wait to get my car back. AK


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The Go-To Freelancer Show with Joshua Lisec
About This Show
Show Info:
Don't try to just "get clients." Focus on demonstrating your expertise and cultivating desire for your services. A Teardown For the Ages is a useful, valuable-to-prospects way to do that. This is your Trusted Expert analysis of your prospect's situation — I'll show you how to implement this freelance sales-closing tactic in this episode of […]Read more »


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Kansas City-based Spin Neapolitan Pizza has signed an agreement to open franchise locations in Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
The agreement with Dee Jay's calls for the restaurant operator to open at least five restaurants in the three states over the next six years. The first location is set to open this fall in an Omaha suburb.
Dee Jay's, based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, has operated restaurants for more than 50 years, including KFC, Taco Bell, Long John Silver's and A&W.
Spin has six locations in the Kansas City area, with three more under construction. The company also has franchises in Southern California and in the San Francisco area.
| The Star


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On your way to take Mom to lunch be sure to stop in and visit Jacquie Spudis's open house at 73 Eastwood Drive, Palm Coast. This lovely home is situated on double lot with views of the Gary Player Cypress Course.
Mothers Day Open House 12:00 - 3:00
1 min read


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I have a Visa card that does not involve riba, i.e., I use it without the bank taking any interest from me. But Visa has a system called a points system or "Visa Rewards". Every time I buy something using this card, they give me one point for every two dollars, and with these points I can buy travel tickets or pay off electricity and phone bills. Now I have a considerable number of points. Is it permissible for me to use these points or are they regarded as riba? If they are riba, is it permissible for me to give their value in charity?.
If a person puts some money in the bank to use it on the Visa card, by doing so he is lending to the bank, so it is not permissible for him to take gifts or rewards from the back or from those who cooperate with it, because they are gifts in return for a loan, so they are included in the words, "every loan that brings a benefit is riba."
See: al-Manfa'ah fi'l-Qard, p, 461
Dr. Muhammad al-'Usaymi (may Allah preserve him) was asked: What is your opinion on current accounts which are not savings accounts; rather they are for safeguarding money until one needs it, and the bank gives gifts and rewards for them according to the amount deposited in the bank. What is your opinion on the Visa card from the Ahli bank and the rewards offered by the bank or on Saudi airlines that deal with Visa?
He replied:
Putting money in a riba-based bank when there is no case of necessity is haraam; the prohibition increases if there are Islamic banks in the country. It is not proper for the Muslim to accept gifts from the riba-based bank in return for current accounts, and they are a kind of riba, unless he takes them to get rid of them if he has no choice but to open an account, as mentioned above. The credit cards issued by riba-based banks are completely haraam, and those that are called Islamic but are based on reversing the transaction (by putting money in the credit card account before spending on the card, instead of spending on the card and then paying what is owed), like the Ahli credit card and the American Bank credit card, are also haraam. And Allah knows best.
End quote from the Shaykh's website:
What you have to do is get rid of these rewards by giving to the poor and needy or to public projects, but they are not regarded as charity; rather it is getting rid of haraam wealth.
And Allah knows best.


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By Dr. William Dar
Dr. William Dar is Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT.) He has had a long and distinguished career as an educationist, agricultural scientist, administrator, and humanitarian in his native Philippines and abroad in the Asia Pacific region and sub-Saharan Africa.
ICRISAT director general William Dar at the Melkassa Research Center in Ethiopia where local sorghum and millet varieties are being studied to identify traits for drought and pest resistance. (Photo Credit: ICRISAT)
The 11th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is happening this week in Hyderabad, India. Two years after the missed ultimatum to slow down the loss of biodiversity, this international meeting hopes to mobilize consciences and resources of everyone from governments and corporate organizations to citizens. We need to be "aware of the values of biodiversity" and act "to conserve and use it sustainably ", as described in the twenty biodiversity conservation targets of the new CBD roadmap for the decade 2010-2020.
These goals are challenging because biodiversity is an abstract and global concept that seems too far removed from the daily lives of citizens, when compared to the current worries of unemployment and declining purchase power.
As CBD shows through the global study 'The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity' (TEEB), many economic activities benefit enormously from biodiversity and its loss incurs huge costs for our society.
To illustrate the value of biodiversity for agriculture and food security, the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) gives ten examples, 5 of which are described below, of the use of biodiversity for important smallholder crops, and its impact for millions of smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia.
1. Pearl Millet – Resistance to the downy mildew fungus
Downy mildew is a fungal disease that thrives in moist climates can result in massive crop damage with farmers often losing half of their yields.
ICRISAT scientists found mildew resistance in local farmer-evolved varieties (or landraces) from Africa and Asia, and could incorporate this trait in the improved varieties developed by the institute. Without such resistance, it would have been impossible to conduct the pearl millet hybrid selection.
In 1996 ICRISAT estimated that the annual benefits of the downy mildew resistant variety were worth US$50 million. Today they are far more, with a conservative estimate in India alone being almost US$200 million. We just need to think of this in terms of farmer livelihoods to see how crucial the impact of biodiversity is.
2. Sorghum – Resistance to grain mould
Cultivated sorghum encompasses five sub-types or 'races', including Caudatum sorghum, a hardy and densely-packed grains landrace that emerged from farmer selection in Eastern Africa. High-yielding Caudatum varieties of sorghum can become mouldy when rains are unusually frequent, causing 30 to 100 percent yield losses, lower market value, and even health hazards such as aflatoxin contamination in humans that consume them. In 1992 ICRISAT estimated the annual economic losses in Asia and Africa as US$130 million. Moderately-resistant land races were found , while Guinea sorghum races are inherently resistant, enabling the production of grain mold tolerant hybrids, recently released in India.
3. Early maturity groundnut
Early maturation of the crop is a trait that is greatly appreciated by poor farmers worldwide. It enables them to harvest food and receive income sooner, and to escape many droughts. The groundnut line most utilized in breeding this trait, 'Chico', has contributed earliness to cultivars released across Africa and Asia such as ICGV 91114, now having major impact in Anantapur district, India – the largest groundnut growing district in the world; and Nyanda (ICGV 93437), cultivated on about 50,000 hectares in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
4. Early maturity chickpea
Early-maturing chickpeas are having a major impact in Ethiopia, India and Myanmar. Benefits to Ethiopia alone over the period 2001 to 2030 are projected to be worth US$111 million. The land area sown to chickpea in Myanmar, and also the grain yields per unit land area both doubled during 2001 to 2009. In Andhra Pradesh state, India, the early-maturing varieties stimulated a fivefold increase in sown area plus a 2.4-fold increase in yield over the same period.
5. Hybrid Pigeonpea seed system
ICRISAT and partners utilized Cajanus cajanifolus, a wild relative species of pigeonpea, to develop the world's first hybrid seed system for any grain legume crop, with on average 30 percent higher grain yield than the best available local variety. This will have an enormous impact and help restore Indian grain legume self sufficiency, as these hybrids are widely disseminated to farmers.
Protecting biodiversity is crucial for our future food security
These five examples are just a glimpse of what impact biological diversity has on our food security. Research innovations in molecular biology and genetics will certainly improve and quicken the study of these biological resources.
The current biodiversity crunch makes our world poorer and less resilient for coming generations. Recognizing the value of biodiversity should help put it at the center of governments' agendas.


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Humbucker size Filtertron® Pickup Cover Chrome
Chrome plated nickel-silver covers. Not all humbucker covers are made of nickel-silver. Pickup covers made of nickel silver are the most transparent sounding.
H opening for pole screws
Overall dimensions are 2.75" x 1.5" x .74" (69.5mm x 38mm x 19mm)
These will not fit Gretsch® Filtertron® pickups. These will fit Lollar's Lollartron pickups
All Pickupcovers are "Made in USA" and made of Nickel-Silver!!!
Not all Pickupcovers covers are made of nickel-silver. Pickup covers made of nickel silver are the most transparent sounding.
We offer a large selection incl. org. rare Gibson* OEM Covers, Dealers and Pickupbuilder please ask for Dealerpricelist!
We also offer a nice selection of "Hard to find" and "Custommade" Covers! For sample: Filtertron Humbucker Size Covers, Thunderbird Covers, Open Style Covers and many many more nice stuff.
We also offer a nice range of Pickupbases, Poleshoes, Slugs, and Polescrews. Incl. a Special Selection of Vintage Correct Parts for Upgrade, Restoration or New Construction!
We offer Dealerprices for Pickupbuilders! Please ask for Pricelist!
Selection, Quality and Service has a name "CRAZYPARTS"


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Service You Can Count on for Over 65 Years
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Hello readers! Have you ever heard about Hitokuchishoppu?
Hitokuchi Group has been in the food industry since 2011 and Hitokuchi Bakery is a new baby born from the group. The bakery has been baking gourmet roll cakes from scratch, decorating them beautifully, and delivering them to our customers' doors since 2013. Each cake is carefully made from scratch with only the finest, all-natural ingredients, just like you would use at home.
And one day, I got an email from Nadya Stephanie, an owner of Hitokuchi. She wants to endorse me with this minion deco-roll cake. Surely, I'm shocked when I got this cake, because too cute to eat! Well, Nadya Stephanie is a young woman who loves to cook, especially in art and beauty. She started her own Japanese food business and expanded to sell customisable printed roll cakes that adopted from Japanese baking technique. And her greatest dream is one day to swing open the doors to a shiny new bakery with her name on it.
Each product is made from scratch in their home kitchen and decorated to reflect the tiniest detail possible. They love to capture the personality of their customers in the designs of theirs baked goods, because customer's happiness means everything to them. As a business, making money is important and necessary, but their greatest delight is in the smile and joy that spreads across the face of a happy customer.
The cake looks so cute, right? But don't worry about its taste, the taste was good with the softness cake, served with cream and cheese inside! This could be a friend to your morning breakfast and is perfect served alongside a warm tea.
Wanna get some and how to order this cute cake? Please read the details below.
- Orders for Monday - Friday should be placed at least three days in advance
- Is it possible to order deco roll cakes with custom decoration? Yes, they can accommodate and create special designs with personalised message for you.
- Their cakes are made with the freshest of ingredients, therefore they are perishable and need to be refrigerated, will keep for approximately one week in the refrigerator.
- They ship their beautifully hand-made deco roll cakes via JNE anywhere in Indonesia (as long as your city appears in the destination box). All orders will be shipped using one day delivery with shock-proof food grade packaging.
Follow me at :
Instagram - thedelicaciesjournal / shelmisetiawan
Twitter - @delicaciesfood / @shelmisetiawan


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10 times Yoon Si Yoon was a hot grown man, and 10 times he wasn't
One of Yoon Si Yoon's most incredible talents is his ability to take on diverse roles convincingly. One moment he's a master of aegyo with adorable facial expressions and child-like mannerisms in such K-dramas as Flower Boy Next Door, and the next moment he's got us convinced he's actually a seriously hot, mature man, like in his new drama The Prime Minister and I. In order to celebrate his new, more adult role as the Prime Minister's task director, let's just take a little look at the times he's successfully pulled off a sexy grown-ass man look, and the times he hasn't (but we loved him all the more for it).
1. The time he looked deep into your eyes with a furrowed brow as if he understood all your problems and knew some really wise solutions.
2. NOT the time he sucked pink ice cream off his finger and looked at you like an adorable 3 year old.
3. The time he just got coffee after a fancy event like a responsible adult instead of getting wasted at the after party.
4. NOT the time he slurped two fruity slushies at the same time with the mischievous look of a naughty 5 year old.
5. The time he wore leather, and had those arms, and yeah...
6. NOT the time he wore a panda hat and had an ice-pop hanging out his mouth. (Notice how you pretty much just have to give food to Yoon Si Yoon and he automatically is no longer a grown-ass man?)
7. That time he fought off an entire street gang in Baker King Kim Tak Goo.
8. NOT the time he played video games with an entire gang of bath house children in Flower Boy Next Door. (Although it is still pretty attractive. I think my ovaries just exploded.)
9. The time he ran on the beach to save people from drowning in the ocean. jk, it's just his and the other members of Barefoot Friends' faces photoshopped onto Baywatch characters (but still pretty manly).
10. NOT the time he had the words 'bubi bubi' photoshopped onto his squished face.
11. The time he contemplated the meaning of life and made a 5 year plan with goals and everything.
12. NOT the time his life plans only consisted of skateboarding like a slacker.
13. The time he wore a really well coordinated outfit, complete with tie and vest, but also the perfect touch of rebelliousness in the form of rolled up sleeves.
14. NOT the time he killed all fashion credibility by putting a tiny piece of hair into a weird side ponytail in Flower Boy Next Door.
15. The time he showed his feelings like a real man who's not afraid to express himself.
16. NOT the time he expressed his sadness with a pouty face like a two year old (but the aegyo is killer!)
17. The time he was so good at holding this baby, proving that he would probably make the best baby daddy ever (preferably MY baby daddy).
18. NOT the time he giggled while holding these parrots (I mean what is going on here?)...But his smize is irresistible.
19. And THAT time...yeah that time.
20. And NOT the time he snuck in and ate all the Halloween candy when you turned your back like he was 6 years old.
I don't know about you, but I'd take him either way! You can catch more of Yoon Si Yoon in the new currently airing drama The Prime Minister and I (which is so funny and charming) right HERE on DramaFever.
What's your favorite Yoon Si Yoon time? Comment below!


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Today nearly every organisation has an IP telephony based solution running over the same UTP data cabling as its network. Once the office telephony was considered a dark art, which required separate infrastructures and specialists with intricate knowledge of proprietary PBX systems.
During that time even the simplest office extension move required a visit from a PBX technician to change the programming in the system and make the necessary physical hardware changes. Also during that era, the phone system operated on its own cabling infrastructure and didn't integrate with anything else (unless you had one of those advanced IP gateways for computer telephony integration (CTI).
When the IP telephony revolution happened, suddenly voice services became part of the remit of the network team. The new phones used Ethernet and PC server architecture. The proprietary console driven interface became a web based GUI. For the first time a company could do an office shift without calling a specialist. The phone had a hardware MAC address and could be plugged in anywhere and the user extension would move with the phone.
However, the migration to VoIP brought new headaches and responsibilities for the IT department. The first being quality of service (QoS). Businesses had accepted that delays in network response were normal and expected, especially for remote sites running over a wide area network (WAN). But, the end user expectation was different when it came to VoIP. Customers would only tolerate so much degradation of a telephone call before complaining. Ensuring voice quality depended on deploying QoS mechanisms. Today, validation of QoS policies are more important than ever. The QoS has extended itself from being critical for voice quality to other time sensitive data applications such as Citrix, video and multi-cast applications.
Call Quality
Monitoring voice quality is easier than data traffic, since you don't need to establish a base line for acceptable quality because it is already done. The ITU-T Recommendation G.114 states that a one way delay of 150ms or less provides acceptable voice quality, and a delay of up to 400ms is acceptable for planning purposes. Similarly voice quality metrics, also called a Mean Opinion Score(MOS), is a simple method of measuring voice quality.
A test audience is played different samples of speech encoded at different bit rates to establish a common quality base line, which could be used across any voice technology. It is also an ITU-T recommendation contained in P.800.
|Perceptable, although not annoying
|Slightly Annoying
|Very Annoying
In service provider environments, it is common to see a R-Factor scale which is part of the E-model described in ITU-T G109. The R-Factor works on a scale of 1 to 100 and takes into consideration the complete ear to mouth circuit. Any value under 50 is not recommended. The values vary since user perception can vary depending on the environment as to where the call was made from and also the direction. For example, a mobile call R-Factor will differ depending on whether the call originated from the mobile network or started from the PSTN, and will score a different value accordingly.
|Data Rate (kbit/s)
Methods for Measuring Call Quality
Most call quality monitoring methods use synthetic tests to determine quality. In the case of Cisco IP/SLA, a synthesised voice packet is generated between two routers to determine the quality. In addition to monitoring call quality ratings, the other impairments which are worth monitoring, and are included in synthetic call quality measurement methods are jitter, delay and packet loss.
In most enterprise environments the signalling information Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) contains information about the Real-Time Protocol (RTP) stream such as jitter and packet loss. Probe - based monitoring devices can intercept this information and report the call quality to the NMS. Lower cost IP handset devices may not support RTCP, so other methods of calculating the call quality must be used.
Furthermore, in the service provider environments the signalling information is carried out-of-band in another part of the network, and signalling is contained in ISDN user part messages (ISUP). In carrier environments, a call quality algorithm is used to computationally measure the actual traffic against known mathematical reference samples. These methods although not perfect can realise high accuracy percentages and are good enough to determine whether degradation is occurring in a voice path.
Jitter and Packet Loss
Have you ever been on a mobile call and for a moment or two the person at the other end of the call took on a robotic voice or the audio sounded strange? If you have, it is due to excessive jitter. For IP phone calls to work properly, they require a smooth constant stream of packets travelling in both directions. If there is congestion or improperly configured QoS then the stream of voice packets could be delayed slightly, causing a reduction in the sampling rate and lowering the quality of the call.
In order to compensate for jitter, the IP phone will have a jitter buffer that will delay the call by approximately a second, while the jitter buffer orders the packets back into a uniform sequence. The jitter buffer usually can compensate for up to 2 seconds of queuing before the listener perceives a delay in the call. Modern phone systems use adaptive jitter buffers which can increase or decrease dynamically depending on network conditions.
When the inter-arrival of packets exhausts the jitter buffer, the listeners perceives both delay and garbled speech. On a 100Mb or better Ethernet network the jitter values for voice calls will be small even without any QoS configured, since the latency of Ethernet is so low. However, on a serial WAN circuit clocked at 2Mb, QoS will be critical to ensure that voice packets are prioritised.
In IP telephony packets which arrive out of sequence or are significantly delayed are considered lost. A phone call is a real- time activity and RTP has no mechanism for ensuring packets arrive in sequence. However, due to the way the speech is decoded, we can usually compensate for a few missing bits in a voice stream without noticing a break. In a monitoring solution you are likely to see degradation of service as excessively high jitter, although this is normally concealed by the end-point device.
However, at some point the amount of packet loss will start to increase if network conditions continue to deteriorate. If this occurs periodically, the investigation should start with scheduled network backups, or virus engine updates occurring during phone calls that are not prioritised accordingly.
QoS Configuration
Both probe based and NetFlow based monitoring have the ability to report on the QoS traffic levels. The industry accepted standard for QoS is referred to as DiffServ. It works by marking or colouring packets at the source which meet a certain criteria. RTP voice packets for example are treated differently to unmarked packets or packets with other markings. Once again the values for these markings are a generally accepted standard.
DiffServ treats all markings on a per hop basis. It means every router or switch in the traffic path needs to be configured to honour the configured markings, and assign the packets into the correct queue for prioritisation. Often, a high amount of jitter or packet loss can be caused by incorrectly configured QoS on a WAN router. The network management system should have the ability to identify traffic placed into the wrong queue.
To conclude, the cause of poor voice quality values is normally created by the underlying network configuration. If the network is congested or voice traffic isn't prioritised then the quality of the voice traffic will suffer accordingly. A good NMS will include the ability to provide MOS, jitter and packet loss reports over time to ensure good quality.


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Just came back from the screening..
Overall… the movie was ok… action scenes were cool… but it's so obvious that they tried to add in humor scenes that some of them were seriously not funny at all. The robots now are very similar to humans… they have tears, blood, beard and balls… like wtf? Lame….
It does not give me the excitement as the first one at all…. this was a good movie.. but quite flat storyline.
I rate it 7/10 for the actions and Megan Fox. lol
We had dinner at Kimgary before the movie…
Thanks Bryan for giving me a ticket.
The hall we were in was kinda small.. and I took this before everyone filled the hall.
Ok thats it bye.


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Qualities of a Leader
How often have you heard the comment, He or she is a born leader? There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where theyre looked up to as a leader.Read More
Stock options could be the single most valuable asset that many individuals own. If you have unexercised stock options, you should consider the unique ways in which a gift of stock options may further your estate plan.
In 1996 the Securities and Exchange Commission changed its rules to allow the transfer of nonqualified stock options used in compensation programs. (Incentive stock options, however, are not affected by the change). Companies soon amended their plans to permit transfers, and many people began taking advantage of the chance to preserve substantial amounts of wealth in the family at relatively little transfer tax cost.
For example, assume that an option on 10,000 shares is exercisable at $100 per share, well above the stock's current market price of $75. The executive transfers the option to a child (or to a trust for the child), and the taxable value of the gift will be relatively low, so that a minimal gift tax is due. After a number of years, assume that the market price of the shares has reached $200. When the option is exercised, the child will own shares worth $2 million, at very little transfer tax cost.
Careful planning is needed
In a ruling just a few years ago, the IRS looked at a stock option plan in which an executive was required to perform additional services for the employer or risk forfeiture of the option. The individual made a gift of the option to one of his children before performing the necessary services. The ruling does not provide additional detail, but the plan might, for example, have made the options exercisable after three years with an expiration after ten years. IRS concluded that the requirement of additional services by the executive meant that the gift was not complete, and therefore not taxable, when the gift of the stock options was made. The gift will be completed only when the additional services have been provided and the right to exercise the option is absolute. That's when the gift tax could come due.
In a rising stock market, delaying the moment at which the gift is complete will tend to increase the value of the option and increase the transfer tax cost of making the gift. (See "How to Value a Gift of a Stock Option" at the end of this article for the factors that will affect the taxable value of the gift.)
Who owes the income tax?
Income must be recognized when the stock option is exercised—the difference between the exercise price and the stock's fair market value is ordinary income. Under IRC Section 83 the income tax falls on the individual who received the option as compensation. This is true even if the option has been transferred to a family member. What's more, the payment of the income tax does not result in a taxable gift to the owner of the option—in effect, this is an additional tax-free transfer. Payment of the income tax by the executive will diminish his or her eventual estate tax obligation, while it increases the basis of the stock in the hands of the transferee.
How to value a gift of a stock option
Whenever a gift of stock options is complete, a gift tax may be due, depending upon the value of the gift.
The IRS has provided some official guidance on valuation, looking to the authority of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Six factors need to be taken into account in valuing the option:
No additional discount can be applied to the value determined with this pricing model. For example, no discount is allowed for lack of transferability of the option outside the employee's immediate family, or to reflect the risk of termination of the option within a certain period following the termination of employment.
Example: According to CCH Incorporated, the value of an option to buy a share at $25, if the current price of the stock is $20, is $7.98, assuming 30% price volatility and an eight-year term. If the strike price were $35, the value of the option would fall to $5.71 under the Black-Scholes formula.
How often have you heard the comment, He or she is a born leader? There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where theyre looked up to as a leader.Read More